Domestic Violence the Character “Ricky” In the film American Beauty Essay Example

Domestic Violence the Character â€Å"Ricky† In the film American Beauty Essay Example Domestic Violence the Character â€Å"Ricky† In the film American Beauty Essay Domestic Violence the Character â€Å"Ricky† In the film American Beauty Essay Essay Topic: American Beauty Domestic Violence the Character â€Å"Ricky† In the film American Beauty Name: Course: Instructor: Institution: Date: Domestic Violence the Character â€Å"Ricky† In the film American Beauty The movie American Beauty is about a husband and wife who initially have a perfect marriage and life together. The movie is based on family values, structures and people within such setting react to issues either through violence, conversations or ignorance on the existence of such issues. In essence, the movie is embedded in violence within the family structures and the perversion of morals within society. The movie begins with the presence of a couple, Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), a middle-aged magazine writer who loathes his job description and his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) who has an initially happy marriage and family. The two are blessed with daughter by the name Jane (Thora Birch) who is sixteen years old. Their daughter Jane is, experiencing a low self-esteem and hates her parents in addition, Mr. and Mrs. Burnham are leading separate lives oblivious of the suffering of their daughter and her call for attention from her self-absorbed parents who concentrate on their personal and martial problems. In addition, their new neighbors also have their family problems. The family is made up of a retied United States Marine Corps Colonel who could be easily described as a control obsessive man. He is married to a woman who is directly the opposite as she is an introvert and most of the time keeps to herself even it difficult circumstances. They are blessed with a son who due to constant abuse from his father could be easily described as reserved and weird. From the constant harassment and disciplinarian lifestyles which his father has subjected his family to, he eventually becomes a marijuana seller and smoker in efforts to drown his agony he drives from the presence of his father. Lester eventually becomes infatuated with his daughter’s friend Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari), who is a cheerleader. He describes her as extremely attractive after he sees her performing at their high school halftime dances in a basketball game. In addition, his wife begins having an affair with his business opponent, Buddy Keane (Peter Gallagher). This strains their relationship further as both become distant and infatuated with their newfound love obsessions. Lester opts to quit employment eventually blackmailing his boss for $60,000 before an imminent layoff, which he was a victim. With the money, he purchases his dream car and begins bodybuilding after he overhears Angel and Jane talking Angel’s preference of attractive physiques. Eventually Lester discovers his wife’s affair with a business rival but reacts calmly and fails to confront her. This affirms their growing distance from each other, physically and emotionally. After discovering the affair, Buddy ends the affair with Carolyn on claims that he is facing an expensive divorce, leaving Carolyn distraught. She opts to carry a loaded gun and heads home to do the unthinkable. In the meanwhile, Frank the retired marine, becomes suspicious of Lester and his son Ricky’s friendship after he discovers footage belonging to Ricky with Lester lifting some weights while nude. During the same night, Frank witnesses Ricky and Lester in conversation in the garage and concludes that the pair is sexually involved. He opts to punish his son Ricky by beating him thoroughly accusing him of being gay. In order to stop the beating, Ricky opts to admit the false accusations and provokes his father to kick him out of their home. Ricky pressures Jane to flee with him to New York while he tells Angela she is vain and just ordinary like everyone else. Frank, on the other hand, goes over to Lester’s house to confront him and in the event attempts to kiss him, but Lester rebuffs and pushes him. Lester, while in the house, finds Angel crying and she attempts to seduce him. However, she manages to disclose the she is still a virgin and that the claimed sexual exploits were false. They form a bond such that he decides to stop his advances towards her and decides to look at a family photo album in the kitchen while Angela took a shower. Later there is a gunshot and blood splatter on the wall. The scene changes to Carolyn in the bedroom crying and Frank returning to his house covered in blood and one of his guns missing for his favorite gun collection. In the closing remarks and scene, Lester claims that he has discovered the presence of adequate beauty in the world. In essence, Frank engages in physical abuse against his son, Ricky making him an unsociable individual who is self reserved. His abuse is aimed at enhancing control over his family and more so, on his son Ricky who has resorted to drug use for comfort. In addition, Ricky’s mother is self-reserved making the audience suspicious that she is also a victim of abuse from the retired Marine who seems to be on a verge of post-war depression. The relationship between Ricky and his father could be described as tense as Ricky fears stepping out into the world due to the humiliation that he faces from his father. His father exercises and subjects the family to an overly authoritative and military style of rule within the household. This leaves the family with a low self-esteem such that they are unable to venture out into the world and make friends with their neighbors. The impact of the demeaning act of Frank on his son Ricky is evident throughout the program. His son becomes unsociable, as he is unable to relate with other individuals because he considers himself unworthy to mingle with his peers. The results of such harassment within family settings are reduced self-esteem as he is unable to view himself as worthy. In addition, Ricky turns to drug use and the sale of the same with an aim of shutting out any emotions he has for his father an effort to comfort himself. In addition, due to the emotional and physical trauma that Ricky suffers at the hands of his over controlling father, such that he develops a habit of recording all he sees around him in an effort to forget what happens and to engage in something helpful and creative. In addition, this could a form of communication by the character with an aim of communicating the various issues he witnesses around him. In addition, Frank also instigates sexual abuse or harassment in lighter words against Lester when he approaches him in his house and tries to kiss him. Sexual abuse is defined as forced or coerced sexual act or behavior with an aim of gaining power and control over an individual. Sexual harassment reduces the ability of people to engage in healthy relationships, as evidenced by Frank’s inability to relate with his son and family and specifically with his new neighbors. Various appropriate theories could be applied to give explanations as to the reasons for the violent nature if individuals within society and specifically within the movie. Resource theory could be applied within this text in order to explain for the reasons behind the constant abuse that Ricky faces form his father. His father is the only source of support for the family who are in a new neighborhood. The decision to move into a new neighborhood could have been highly influenced by the control that Frank Fitts has over his family. In addition, Ricky’s mother does not possess a source of income such as a business or a job. She opts to conform to all decisions that Frank makes without question in order to please the man who provides for her and her son (.CSAP’s Prevention Pathways: Online Courses, 2012). Hence, Frank‘s continued, violent behavior could be attributed to the economic control he has over his family. In addition, his violence is also an approach used to cement his authority within the relationship for the two. Furthermore, as he has increased power and control over his family, he adds on his control by intimidating his wife and son into doing whatever he wants. In addition, his violent nature could have also been fueled by his social status as a military man who considers and exercises a high degree of discipline. This enables him to exercise his ‘authority’ by intimidating his son and beating him up over his perceived sexual orientation, which is however false and unfounded. This is a clear illustration that Frank has underlying issues for his violent and over controlling nature (Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project, 2010). Multidimensional theories are also applicable in explanations for the violent behavior exhibited by Frank Fitts in his family. In addition, Franks’ violent behavior against those in his family even thought there is insufficient evidence to state that Ricky’s mother is abused by Frank in any way. It could be presumed that she faces the same treatment from her husband in his efforts to demean them and maintain control and power over them. Multidimensional theories focus on issues such as race, social classes, gender, individuals and their relations, drug use, and individual personality. From the movie, it is evident that Frank exhibits charter traits, which are violent. This could be attributed to numerous issues such as experiences in a family setting whereby he was exposed to harsh treatment and abuse by his guardians or caretakers. This could have played a significant role in the formation of an undesirable violent character trait as he demonstrates in his own house. Ricky, because of exposure to family setting where violence takes precedent, could eventually become violent to his family and those around him. Individuals within violent family settings acquire this trait from their violent parents. It becomes the only means of settling scores and relating with others in society. From the view that he has little value, Ricky instigates emotional abuse against Angela when he confronts her, tells her that she is not special, and is simply ordinary like everyone else, and thus she needs friends like Jane to feel special. This is an indication of the coldness and lack of emotional caution that he does not possess, as he blatantly tells her off considering how highly she regards and considers herself among her peers. In addition, this could also be an indication of the inability to converse in a healthy manner with his peers as he is used to constant harassment from his father. Hence, he lacks any kind words for her, as he has not been taught how to be kind to people and especially to his peers (Continuing Psychology Education, 2005). Intervention of such violent salutations given the outcomes of the violent behavior exhibited by Ricky’s father can be confusing. In addition, Frank assumed that Lester was sexually involved with his son hence it is presumed that he shot Lester because he did not accept is sexual advances. This is an indication that frank does not accept being turned down on his offers. Hence, the means to help Ricky could assume numerous approaches with regard for the law. Lawful intervention via the use of intervention orders seems as the most appropriate means for Ricky to put an end to the violence within their home. This is easily available for a victim of family violence as it is granted from the local Magistrates office. Ricky could seek this form of protection, which might be short terms before the authorities find another means of protection and ending the violence within their family. Such orders could be made Ex parte which means without the presence of the other party instigating the violence. With evidence of previous beatings that he received from his father on claims that he was gay, he could instigate a legal process for seeking an intervention order so long as he is equipped with adequate evidence or proof that the court needs to protect him from his father who is violent and overly controlling. Hence the probabilities of violence against an individual within the family as in the case of Ricky should be high enough for the Magistrate to grant any form of intervention order as either temporary of permanent (Dr.Renata, 2012). It is also evident that Ricky exhibits unsocial behavior because of the constant harassment he receives from his father. Hence, it is paramount to find a remedial action for his unsocial behavior and one that would enable him to have sociable behavior with his peers and those around him. His unsociable behavior could be because of possibly witnessing his mother being abused by his father. In addition, his experiences also add to his hostile behavior towards people who are his peers such as Angela. From such a perspective, Ricky should get counseling on how to vent out anger and to communicate with people on how he feels about the world and his family. In addition as a young man, he has a long future ahead of him, which could be marred with incidences of anger mismanagement. It is also paramount to remove Ricky form his family setting to ensure that he is detached from the constant confrontation he experiences form his father. In addition, to ensure that the chain of confrontation, harassment and beatings that Ricky is exposed to by his father could be cut by ensuring that Frank is arrested fro assault and because on his son and possibly his wife or Ricky’s mother. In conclusion, the effects of violence against children within a family setting could be deterred by ensuring that individuals in such circumstances are availed with avenues for giving information with regard to their experiences of violence instigated by their guardians or individuals within their families such as Ricky experiencing beatings from his father. References Continuing Psychology Education. (2005). â€Å"Domestic Violence†7 Continuing Education Hours. CSAP’s Prevention Pathways: Online Courses. (2012). Alcohol Abuse and Violence against Women. Retrieved from http://pathwayscourses.samhsa.gov/vawp/vawp_8_pg11.htm Dr.Renata, A. (2012). â€Å"Family Violence Intervention Orders (State Law).† The Law Handbook. Retrieved from lawhandbook.org.au/handbook/ch05s04s02.php# Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project. (2010). Types of Domestic Abuse. Retrieved from http://gmdvp.org/domestic-violence/types-domestic-abuse/

The Appeal of Dystopian Novels for Teens

The Appeal of Dystopian Novels for Teens Teens are devouring the current popular literature of the dark, grim, and dismal: the dystopian novel. Bleak story lines about leaders who  terrorize citizens every year by making them watch teens fight to the death and governments who condone mandatory operations to remove emotion describe two of the popular dystopian novels that teens are reading.  But just what is  a dystopian novel and how long has it been around? And theres the bigger question: why is this type of novel so appealing to teens? Definition A dystopia is a  society that is broken down, unpleasant, or in an oppressed or terrorized state. Unlike a utopia, a perfect world, dystopias are grim, dark, and hopeless. They reveal society’s greatest fears. Totalitarian governments  rule and the needs and wants of individuals become subordinate to the state. In most dystopian novels,  a tyrannical government is trying to suppress and control its citizens by taking away their individuality, as in the classics 1984 and Brave New World.  Dystopian governments also ban activities that encourage individual thinking. The governments response to individual thinking in Ray Bradbury’s classic Fahrenheit 451? Burn the books! History Dystopian novels are not new to the reading public. Since the late 1890s, H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury, and George Orwell have entertained audiences with their classics about Martians, book burnings, and Big Brother. Over the years, other dystopian books like Nancy Farmer’s The House of the Scorpion and Lois Lowry’s  Newbery-winning book The Giver have given younger characters a more central role in dystopian settings. Since 2000, dystopian novels for teens have retained the dismal, dark setting, but the nature of the characters has changed.  Characters are no longer passive and powerless citizens, but teens who are empowered, fearless, strong, and determined to find a way to survive and face their fears. Major characters have influential personalities that oppressive governments attempt to control but cannot. A recent example of this type of teen dystopian novel is the incredibly popular Hunger Games  series (Scholastic, 2008) where the central character is a sixteen-year-old girl named Katniss who is willing to take her sister’s place in the annual game where teens from 12 different districts must fight to the death.  Katniss commits a deliberate act of rebellion against the Capital that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. In the dystopian novel Delirium  (Simon and Schuster, 2011), the government teaches citizens that love is a dangerous disease that must be eradicated. By age 18, everyone  must undergo a mandatory operation to remove the ability to feel  love. Lena, who is looking forward to the operation and fears love, meets a boy and together they flee the government and find the truth. In yet another favorite dystopian novel called Divergent (Katherine Tegen Books, 2011), teens must unite themselves with factions based on virtues, but when the main character is told she’s divergent, she becomes a threat to the government and must keep secrets in order to protect her loved ones from harm. Teen Appeal So what do teens find so appealing about dystopian novels? Teens in dystopian novels get to perform ultimate acts of rebellion against authority, and that’s appealing. Conquering a dismal future is empowering, especially when  the teens have to rely on themselves without having to answer to parents, teachers, or other authoritarian figures. Teen readers can certainly relate to those feelings. Today’s teen dystopian novels contain teen characters who exhibit strength, courage, and conviction. Although death, war, and violence exist, a more positive and hopeful message about the future is being sent by teens who are facing future fears and conquering them.

The importance of jazz in American culture Essay

The importance of jazz in American culture - Essay Example The origins of jazz may lie in the blues rhythms that developed in the period immediately following the American Civil War and the emancipation of slaves. The distinctive element of the blues is that through the performance of a solo artist, an attempt is made to translate emotions into music through humming, moaning, and soundless effects added to the actual words of the song (Halim, No Date). Jazz developed from the blues, but it differed from the blues in that it had a more cheerful, uplifting note within it. In the words of Stanley Crouch, jazz historian and critic, the love for the music felt by both white and black communities helped to make jazz â€Å"a futuristic social force in which one was finally judged purely on the basis of ones individual ability. Jazz predicted the civil rights movement more than any other art in America." (Hentoff, 2009). It was in essence a tool to reach out to people everywhere, irrespective of their color and therefore a tool that could function as a means to break down segregation and lead to the development of a non-segregated society. Lewine (1992) has described how jazz slowly became synonymous with popular culture. America emerged into the 20th century as a society where culture was necessarily associated with the high brow, more genteel sections of society. But jazz entered this cultural arena as a vital new element that was so distinctive that it appeared to be â€Å"the new product of a new age†, while culture appeared to be traditional, having developed over the centuries (Lewine, 1992:7). Yet, culture and jazz appeared to define each other, because the emergence of this new form of music which was (a) spontaneous (b) raucous and (c) participatory in that the audiences joined in vigorously, and its enormous popularity redefined the entire element of what constituted culture.

Domestic Policy Issue - Immigration Research Paper

Domestic Policy Issue - Immigration - Research Paper Example Immigrant workers take up some jobs that Americans workers would have taken, since they are ready to work for cheaper wages. At the same time, illegal immigrants get healthcare services, welfare as well as money, obtained from American taxpayers. Immigrants suck up the limited resources of U.S. and the taxpayers’ money. Because they gain benefits such as welfare, education and healthcare, yet they do not pay taxes hence to do not help in solving American problems. One reason why immigrants remain a big concern to Americans is because many companies continue to employ them, and their numbers continue to increase. With hard economic situation facing America, and the high number of unemployment, losing more jobs to immigrants compounds the issue further. Despite the various laws enacted to address this issue, these laws have not been very successful as the numbers suggest. In deed it is estimated that up to 18 million illegal immigrants stay currently reside in America (Morrison, 2010). What complicate the issue most is the many humanitarian as well as economical issues. Since September 11, it became clear that immigrants could lead to security threat to American, since some of these immigrants were out to commit crimes. Thus need to address the issue by the government. What solutions have been proposed by the president, Congress, interest groups etc. Many people feel that there is need to come up with measures and laws to restrict immigrants from entering America, and that the borders should strictly be guarded. Those illegal immigrants caught should be handed heavy punishment to discourage others from doing the same. As suggested by WERE, the government should as well carry out regular checks within corporations in relation to hiring illegal workers and those companies found to engage immigrants in their labor force ought also to be punished through fines. The government should as well increase its border patrol particularly along the Mexican border becau se thousands of immigrants cross to America using this border. As observed by Morrison (2010) people can simply walk to America through Mexican border unnoticed, and even if they are caught they simply return the next day. President’s solutions President Obama hold the view that the current immigration system is broken and can only be rectified by tackling real issues and avoiding politics as true solutions are to protect American borders are sought. Thus, Obama proposes that immigration policy need to be directed by the best judgment of Americans in regard to its economy and the welfare of the American workers. Thus, he understand that there is need for a well organized, orderly border as well as an immigration structure that is formulated to address the economic needs that are crucial cornerstones of a vibrant economy. Accordingly, President Obama proposed the following four key aspects: Strengthening border control: to tackle immigration Obama has a view that the integrity of American borders is very important. Thus, there is need to improve the infrastructure, technology and increasing the personnel manning the borders and ports of entry to America (The Whitehouse, 2011). Enhancing immigration system: according to president Obama the immigration

I.T. Project - Converting a Card Index System to a Database Essay Example for Free

I.T. Project Converting a Card Index System to a Database Essay The present system is based on the manual card index system so most of the work is done by hand, however due to the ever increasing growth of technology, and the internet, a wide range of resources are now being made easily accessible. British Airways has recently introduced booking online, where customers can book a flight and accommodation all over the Internet. Being such a big company as British Airways, most of their bookings are made through travel agents who book the flights and pass the information on to them. Question 1 Could you describe the current system being used by Question 2 How are these cards stored? Question3 What problems do you encounter at the moment? Software Available MICROSOFT OFFICE 2000 WORD PROCESSOR MICROSOFT WORD 2000 A word processing package is a program or set of programs used to edit, format, store and print documents. Word processors have many important unique features: * Spelling and Grammar Checker Misspelt words, or grammatical errors can be identified and corrected by the words in the computers dictionary. Correct words, identified by the spell check as wrong can be added to the dictionary. * Automatic creation of index and table of contents Any word in the text can be marked for inclusion in an index. Headings and subheadings in a given style can be included automatically in a table of contents, which can be updated at any time. * Import Files Tables, photographs, graphics, video and sound files can be imported from other sources and inserted in a document. * Mail merge A document and a list of names and addresses can be merged to produce personalised letters. * Creation of templates with preset text styles. Margins, formatting, letterheading etc. * WYSIWYG This stands for What You See Is What you Get, and refers to the ability to display on the screen. And enables the user to see their work on the screen exactly as it will be printed. SPREADSHEET MICROSOFT EXCEL 2000 Spreadsheet packages allow a user to create worksheets (spreadsheets) representing data in column and row form. Spreadsheets are used for any application that uses numerical data, such as budgets, cash flow forecasts, profit and loss statements, student marks or results of experiment. Spreadsheet features: * Format cells, rows and columns, specifying for example, the alignment of text, number of decimal points, height and width of cells. * Copy cell contents to other locations, with automatic adjustment of formulae from an area to another location. * Determine the effect of several different hypothetical changes of data; this facility is called what-if calculation. * Insert, move or delete rows and columns. * Use functions such as sum, average, max, min in formulae * Create a simple database and sort or query the data to produce a report of, say for example, all males gaining over a C grade, for a list of students. * Write macros to automate common procedures * Create templates Spreadsheets with formats and formulae already entered, into which new figures may be inserted. * Create multi dimensional spreadsheets using several sheets, and copy data from one sheet to another * Create many different types of chart and graphs DATABASE MICROSOFT ACCESS 2000 A database is a collection of data. It may be something as simple as a list of names and addresses or details of the CDs in your personal collection, or it may contain details of all the customers, products, orders and payments in a large organisation. When made reference to, the word database is assumed to be data held on a computer, but manual databases also exist. Some smaller business (a garage) may hold a card index file with details about a customer and their car. The main difference between a manual and computerised databases is the speed at which data can be accessed. PRESENTATION GRAPHICS MICROSOFT POWERPOINT 2000 Presentation graphics software such as PowerPoint is useful for putting together a presentation which can be delivered using a computer attached to a projection device, using transparencies and an ordinary overhead projector or as a self-running presentation in, say a shopping centre or cinema. The software allows the user to quickly create slides combining text, graphics and pictures and to create animation or sound effects and transition effects between slides. OPERATING SYSTEM MICROSOFT WINDOWS 98 Hardware Available These are the specifications of the PC I am using at Home: OPERATING SYSTEM WINDOWS(r) 98 PLUS! CPU INTEL(r) CELERONTM / 333MHZ RAM 64MB FOR WINDOWS(r) 98 SCREEN DISPLAY 800 BY 600 PIXELS TRUE COLOUR (32 BIT) CD-ROM SPEED 32-SPEED AVAILABLE SPACE ON HARD DRIVE 2.4GB AUDIO 16-BIT SOUND CARD OTHER LOUDSPEAKERS These are the system specifications for the systems at school: OPERATING SYSTEM WINDOWS(r) 98 CPU 433MHZ RAM 32MB FOR WINDOWS(r) 98 SCREEN DISPLAY 640 BY 480 PIXELS 256 COLOURS CD-ROM SPEED 24 SPEED AVAILABLE SPACE ON HARD DRIVE 10MB AUDIO 8-BIT SOUND CARD PRINTER HP LASERJET All systems should have Microsoft Office 97/2000. All systems must have Microsoft Excel 97/2000. End Users IT Literacy The end user of my system will already have basic IT skills and will have already had experience with the Microsoft Office Package. As they are working for a big trans-national company, they would have already undergone training in the secretarial sector, of which IT skills are a key part. To even have the job, they would have to be able to type quickly, answer calls and transmit data efficiently. Therefore, training costs will be kept to a minimum. Final Choice Having looked at the current system and the software and hardware available, I have decided to use Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet program to design my booking system. Spreadsheet packages allow a user to create worksheets (spreadsheets) representing data in column and row form. Spreadsheets are used for any application that uses numerical data, such as budgets, cash flow forecasts, profit and loss statements, student marks or results of experiments. Spreadsheets offer a wide range of facilities making the task easier to perform. SKILLS: Current/To be acquired I have a good understanding of the Microsoft Excel package. I have done quite a few calculations and performed basic macros. Having looked through the coursework of former students, and reading through the coursework guide, I realise that I need to improve my knowledge of Excel. Excel is a powerful package and can carry out many tasks easily if instructed correctly. I have already started to go through sample projects showing me how to go about certain tasks with a book titled Successful I.T. Projects in Excel, written by P.M Heathcote. End User Requirements Provide detailed reports showing customer booking for every working day. Produce summary reports for flight bookings in order of popularity. Allow data entry for new customers. Provide easy access for amendments to customer details and flight details. Automatic backup for all centralised records daily and weekly. Provide an exception report for outstanding customer debts or extreme bank credit limits. The system should record financial details concerning money in/outstanding. Allow queries on the current flight availability. Quantitative Criteria Printed tickets are to be generated within 15 minutes. Accessing and amending customer/Fight/Airport details should be instantaneous. Queries are processed promptly on customer request. Backup should occur automatically every 24 hours. Flight details processed every Friday (1 hour max) Exception reports are produced quickly on demand within a minute. Qualitative Criteria The system should provide a workable Human Computer Interface system according to different users, i.e. simple menu selections or buttons The company logo is consistent on all forms and reports. Amount of available screen data is kept to a minimum (increase usability) Help systems are easily accessible.

Suffering and The Book of Job Essay example -- Holy Bible Book Job Ess

Suffering and The Book of Job      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The concepts of suffering addressed in "The Book of Job" have no relevance to the ideas of suffering expressed in eastern religions such as Buddhism and Jainism. In fact, for Buddhists, the cause of suffering was discovered some 2,500 years ago by a prince from India named Sidhartha Gautama. This man, who was known as the Buddha, taught that suffering was caused by the craving for material things; ergo, cessation from suffering could be attained by detaching oneself from the things of this world (Ianuale). Had Job been exposed to these strictly eastern concepts of suffering, his outlook on his vicissitudes would have been quite different indeed.    "The Book of Job" is an epic tale of pious pessimism from the Old Testament of the Bible about a righteous, God-fearing man named Job. Job has been blessed with many children, and great material wealth. But all of that soon comes to an end as Satan and God begin their debate on whether or not Job would keep his piety in the face of adversity.    Satan is allowed, by God, to test Job, once by taking away his family and wealth, and a second time, by afflicting him with sickness and sores. In the first test, Job holds fast to his conviction and never blames God for his misfortunes. The second test, however, proves to be more challenging, and Job curses the day he was born.    In the next section of the story, three of Job's friends come to visit him upon hearing of his misfortunes. Each one of them tries, in separate speeches, to offer Job an explanation as to why such tragedy has befallen him. They insist that Job must have done something to deserve his adversity, saying that all men are, in some way,... ...of Major World Religions" Oral Lecture,     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5 December 2000. Middlesex County College. Edison, NJ. "Job." Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. 7th ed. Ed.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Laurence Behrens, Leonard J. Rosen. New York: Addison     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wesley Longman, 2000:407-433. Kutz, Ilan. "Job and His 'Doctors'; Bedside Wisdom in The Book   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of  Ã‚   Job." BMJ 321. December 23-30, 2000; 1613-1615. PA     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RESEARCH II. ProQuest Direct. Middlesex County College     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Library, Edison. 4 February 2001. 2000.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.proquest.umi.com. MacLeish, Archibald. "God Has Need of Man." Writing and     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reading   Across the Curriculum. 7th ed. Ed. Laurence Behrens,     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leonard J. Rosen. New York: Addison Wesley Longman,     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2000; 474-480. Smith, Huston. The World's Religions. San Francisco: Harper, 1958.   

Ancient Mesopotamia and Greek inventions Essay

Our world today wasn’t entirely created from recent achievements. We have collected knowledge from ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia and Greece by studying their history and improving their accomplishments. These cultures have had a major impact on the daily lives of the people in the modern world. Although Ancient Mesopotamia and Greece were some of the earliest civilized cultures, they differ greatly in their achievements and innovations that played important roles for future humans. As the world’s earliest civilization, Ancient Mesopotamia’s innovations continue to affect the world. It made vital contributions in fields like science, mathematics and astronomy; they even developed a writing system. The early Mesopotamian civilization was known for inventing the first 30-day lunar calendar. Using the phases of the Moon, they counted 12 lunar months as a year. Moreover, Mesopotamians first observed a seven-day week. The invention of the calendar was a rem arkable contribution that later had a major influence on our modern calendar. The Mesopotamians also developed mathematics to a very advanced level and created the sexagesimal system for the calculation of time and angles. This system is still practical, because of the multiply divisibility of the number 60. For example, in modern times we still use 60-minute hours, 24-hour days and the 360-degree circle. The Mesopotamians developed theories to measure the area of solids and shapes, and the circumference of circles. The Mesopotamian’ s achievements laid many of the foundations for modern mathematics. One of the most remarkable contributions was the development of the first historically significant writing system of the Middle East known as cuneiform. They wrote with a stylus on special tablets of soft, wet clay, because it was the perfect surface on which to leave marks. The fact that people started to use soft clay not only for bricks and jars, but also for the writing, implied their intellect and potential future progress. Cuneiform was not a language ; however, it was the most widespread writing system in the ancient Middle East, which helped us to learn more about the Mesopotamian history and culture. Another civilization that made numerous influential contributions was Ancient Greece. The Greek civilization was famous for many admirable scholars who were recognized for remarkable achievements in the areas of math and science, medicine and architecture, which gave a rise to further discoveries by following generations. The Greeks were engaged in  mathematical study of logic; they provided one of the first proofs in mathematics and discovered irrational numbers. Even today, people still use the Pythagorean theorem, to understand and measure triangles. Greeks achieved such great progress in mathematics by using deductive reasoning, which also helped in every other discipline. Hippocrates made one of the most prominent achievements that expanded humankind’s understanding of medicine. He was the â€Å"father of medicine†, who determined the natural causes of diseases rather than blaming them on the gods punishments, and then established procedures for medical treatment. Hippocrates’ modern concepts like diet, rest, and a clean environment were be lieved to be beneficial for the human body to heal itself. Also, doctors were responsible for the patient’s well being and privacy in ancient Greece, and they strictly followed a number of professional ethical standards, later called, the Hippocratic oath. The modern version of this oath is still used today; it confides the ideas that the doctor is responsible for his/her actions in case problems arise. The ancient Greeks created the most impressive and highly distinctive architectural styles that influenced the architecture of the past two millennia. Greek architecture developed three distinct orders, the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian; their parts and proportions were ordered and coordinated. The design, arrangement and decoration of the columns were remarkable and unique with a pure aesthetic effect. The style of Greek architecture provided the finest and the most magnificent buildings, with constant symmetry, proportion and harmony. Greek architecture can still be seen today. For example, the United States Capitol building and other federal monuments in Washington DC have notable similarities in the design, decoration of the columns with the classic Greek architecture. The ancient Mesopotamia was the first civilized territory on the globe that â€Å"began the history† by inventing a form of writing. The inventions and innovations of this civilization contributed to the evolution of humankind. The ability to write made a great impact on people’s intellectual capacities and potential future success in exploring and studying major concepts that later became fundamental for the future development of the whole humankind. Even though the Mesopotamians were the first who pioneered in mathematical studies, the Greeks’ logical approach to the mathematical problems helped them to excel in this discipline. Moreover they applied this knowledge into other areas of  science and technology, which shaped the foundation of Western civilization. Ancient Mesopotamia and Greece civilizations played a key role in the development and progress of our modern world. Without their astounding inventions we wouldn’t be able to succeed in many imp ortant spheres of science, mathematics, astronomy and technology. They say there is nothing new under the sun, which means that anything new that we create is merely an improvement on another invention from a previous inventor.

History of the Automobile Essay

Starting in the late 1700’s, European engineers began tinkering with motor powered vehicles. Steam, combustion, and electrical motors had all been attempted by the mid 1800’s. By the 1900’s, it was uncertain which type of engine would power the automobile. At first, the electric car was the most popular, but at the time a battery did not exist that would allow a car to move with much speed or over a long distance. Even though some of the earlier speed records were set by electric cars, they did not stay in production past the first decade of the 20th century. The steam-driven automobile lasted into 1920’s. However, the price on steam powered engines, either to build or maintain was incomparable to the gas powered engines. Not only was the price a problem, but the risk of a boiler explosion also kept the steam engine from becoming popular. The combustion engine continually beat out the competition, and the early American automobile pioneers like Ransom E. Olds and Henry Ford built reliable combustion engines, rejecting the ideas of steam or electrical power from the start. Automotive production on a commercial scale started in France in 1890. Commercial production in the United States began at the beginning of the 1900’s and was equal to that of Europe’s. In those days, the European industry consisted of small independent firms that would turn out a few cars by means of precise engineering and handicraft methods. The American automobile plants were assembly line operations, which meant using parts made by independent suppliers and putting them together at the plant. In the early 1900’s, the United States had about 2,000 firms producing one or more cars. By 1920 the number of firms had decreased to about 100 and by 1929 to 44. In 1976 the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association had only 11 members. The same situation occurred in Europe and Japan. The first automobile produced for the masses in the US was the three-horsepower, curved-dash Oldsmobile; 425 of them were sold in 1901 and 5,000 in 1904–this model is still prized by collectors. The firm prospered, and it was noted by others, and, from 1904 to 1908, 241 automobile-manufacturing firms went into business in the United States. One of these was the Ford Motor Company which was organized in June 1903, and sold its first car on the following July 23. The company produced 1,700 cars during its first full year of business. Henry Ford produced the Model T to be an economical car for the average American. By 1920 Ford sold over a million cars. At the beginning of the century the automobile entered the transportation market as a toy for the rich. However, it became increasingly popular among the general population because it gave travelers the freedom to travel when they wanted to and where they wanted. As a result, in North America and Europe the automobile became cheaper and more accessible to the middle class. This was facilitated by Henry Ford who did two important things. First he priced his car to be as affordable as possible and second, he paid his workers enough to be able to purchase the cars they were manufacturing. This helped push wages and auto sales upward. The convenience of the automobile freed people from the need to live near rail lines or stations; they could choose locations almost anywhere in an urban area, as long as roads were available to connect them to other places. Many states in the US established motor fuel taxes that were used only to build and maintain highways helping the auto highway system become self-supporting. Popularity of the automobile has consistently moved with the state of the economy, growing during the boom period after World War I and dropping abruptly during the Great Depression, when unemployment was high. World War II saw a large increase in mass transit because employment was high and automobiles were scarce. The rapid growth of car owners after World War II, particularly in the United States and Western Europe demonstrated the population’s favor towards automobiles. During the war, automobile motors, fuel, and tires were in short supply. There was an unsatisfied demand when the war ended and plenty of production capacity as factories turned off the war machine. Many people had saved money because there was little to buy, beyond necessities, in the war years. Workers relied heavily on mass transportation during the war and longed for the freedom and flexibility of the automobile. A historian has said that Henry Ford freed common people from the limitations of their geography. The automobile created mobility on a scale never known before, and the total effect on living habits and social customs is endless. In the days of horse-drawn transportation, the practical limit of wagon travel was 10 to 15 miles, so that meant any community or individual farm more than 15 miles from a city, a railroad, or a navigable waterway was isolated from the mainstream of economic and social life. Motor vehicles and paved roads have narrowed the gap between rural and urban life. Farmers can ship easily and economically by truck and can drive to town when it is convenient. In addition, such institutions as regional schools and hospitals are now accessible by bus and car. Yet, the effect on city life has been, if anything, more prominent than the effect on the farms. The automobile has radically changed city life by accelerating the outward expansion of population into the suburbs. The suburban trend is emphasized by the fact that highway transportation encourages business and industry to move outward to sites where land is cheaper, where access by car and truck is easier than in crowded cities, and where space is available for their one or two story structures. Better roads were constructed, which further increased travel throughout the nation. As with other automobile-related phenomena, the trend is most noticeable in the United States but is rapidly appearing elsewhere in the world. Before the automobile, people both lived in the city and worked in the city, or lived in the country and worked on a farm. Because of the automobile, the growth of suburbs has allowed people to live on the outskirts of the city and be able to work in the city by commuting. New jobs due to the impact of the automobile such as fast food, city/highway construction, state patrol/police, convenience stores, gas stations, auto repair shops, auto shops, etc. allow more employment for the world’s growing population.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Essays

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Essays The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Paper The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Paper The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie BY prs95 Form is inseparable from content in a work of literature. How do the formal qualities of narratives shape the readers experience of their contents? German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, has supported the statement Form is inseparable from content in a work of literature. He strongly believed that Form without content is empty; content without form is blind. l (page 157) It can be argued that the formal qualities in literature are a key aspect in contributing to the readers overall experience. E. M Forster has suggested that the generic structure of a ovel should entail a beginning, middle and an end. 2 In Muriel Sparks novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, the author has challenged this traditional format through illustrating events in an anachronical form and through the inclusion of a universal omniscient narrator, which has resulted in a build up of suspense, reinforced the novels thematic richness and enabled the reader to recognise the development of characters throughout. Reflecting upon Forsters belief, I would have to disagree with this and feel that Sparks structure has successfully enhanced the readers appreciation of the novel as a whole. On general terms, it seems clear to me that the form of literature is a tool used by authors in order to display the content within the novel in a certain fashion. This will result in the reader interpreting the text in a specific way, driven by the writer. This reflects Kants opinion when focusing on the divorce of form with content. In any novel, and in every aspect of life, time is of paramount importance. In Sparks novel, this facet is manipulated in such a way to be unfamiliar to the reader, yet still providing structure. Despite foreshadowing events of the story, the reader has become intrigued to find out the reasons as to why ertain events occur. Time as a general concept, can be used by writers to emphasise events and regardless of the malleability of time as a structural point, linearity cannot be eradicated completely it fundamentally acts as a structural base for a novel. At the start of the novel, it is immediately clear to the reader that the pattern of time is not in a chronological order, as Spark has included numerous counts of analepsis and prolepsis. This has insistently drawn the reader to a question of time, and it is obvious Spark has explicitly made this a key focal point for the reader. At he first introduction to the Brodie Set, we are informed that the girls are fourth- form (page 5). Following this, there is a flashback to when the girls were age twelve, and then a scene of the girls at the age of sixteen. The individuality of the girls is framed when the reader is told, The five girls, standing very close to each other because of the boys, wore their hats each with a definite difference. (Page 5) Despite sharing the commonality of being a part of The Brodie Set, their differences are highlighted with a flash-forward to how the girls are viewed as individuals later on. Spark has strategically mentioned in the first chapter that Mary Mcgreggor lost her life in a hotel fire (page 14). This key piece of information has signified this event, which has ultimately created a sense of tension, and despite knowing the fate of Mary, the reader almost feels obliged to continue reading. This early foreknowledge one has of Marys fate, affects how the reader views her throughout the remainder of influencing our reading, but anticipation of the event is not strong. (140)3 Looking at this quote, I have already shown a way in which the technique of prolepsis can have strong impact on the reader, however Bridgemans radical statement implying that the readers anticipation is minimal due to the mere knowledge of what happens, I would have to disagree. By simply knowing key events about the content of a novel, the reader begins to actively think about the circumstances surrounding such events, ultimately creating a strong sense of anticipation. Continuing on from Bridgemans view, John Holloway feels that The fact remains that the structure of this narrative is largely a matter of the constant operation of writing a next event so as to negate an xisting forward. 4 (Page 591) He has applied this statement with direct relation to Sparks novel. One may say that this view is too simplistic as it only focuses on the surface of the basic structure. The narrative has foreshadowed many of the events that follow, however the context of these events remains unclear until the story has evolved. There is constant movement within the story, as themes and characters develop. Additionally to Sparks consistent use of prolepsis and analepsis, the form of narrative used has also affected the readers experience of this novel. The main vents of the novel are told through the presence of an omniscient narrator. This has enabled the readers understanding of the main themes of the novel (Miss Brodies Prime and its effect on her pupils) to be deepened. It has created a strong sense of perspective for the reader, and allowed him or her to form an opinion that is not based directly from one of the characters point of view, which is often biased or unreliable. John Morreal has criticised the omniscient narrator, and has said, Omniscience could not provide a filter for a story in the way that the limited knowledge of an internal narrator does. 5 (Page 432) I believe Sparks novel as an example, negates this claim entirely. The style of narrative used, reveals knowledge through the use of prolepsis and analepsis in such a way only to inform the reader of brief, yet vital events. With regards to The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, if Spark had instead used an internal narrator, the content of the novel would not have been delivered as effectively as it has done with the omniscient narrator, and it would possibly lack its uniqueness. Overall, this has helped shape the readers understanding and experience. The impact of an omniscient narrator can be pplied to other texts, such as Henry James The Turn of the Screw. In this case, the omniscient narrator has been included in order to introduce a sense of uncertainty to the reader, as the narrative form initially seems to lack credibility and reliability. It has presented a perspective that not only links to the uncertainty experienced by the governess herself, but also to influence the outcome the reader takes away from the story. This can therefore draw a likeness to the narrative form in Sparks novel it has been used in order to directly impact the reader. Furthermore, a primary function f a narrative is to tell a story and create a mood, which is achieved in this novel through various language techniques, including speech. The use of direct speech has allowed the reader to gain an insight of characters themselves. Miss Brodie says Give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life. This statement, direct from Brodie herself, frames her manipulative personality and her desire to assert control on vulnerable people. The power this has of being direct speech character. It therefore adds a sense of truthfulness to what the reader is told. The ood throughout varies with instances of humour, seriousness and a sense of pity (towards the victims of Brodies manipulation). This constant change in tone creates mixed emotions yet keeps the reader entertained and focused. The reader experiences different emotions whilst forming an impression on Jean Brodie. The use of speech further creates a sense of distance between the reader and Miss Brodie as her character becomes more and more unattractive, however the readers empathy grows for the individual members of the Brodie Set as the harsh effects Brodie has, start to become apparent. Critic Peter Robert Brown has stated that; Readers are encouraged to acknowledge their participation in victimization in the actual world and to reflect on the role that narrative plays in the process and Justification of victimization. 6 (229) This suggestion implies that the readers experiences throughout the novel are somewhat based on their own personal experiences, and a sense of appreciation can be formed based on this. Finally, an important aspect of form, especially with reference to Sparks novel, is the repetition, which emphasises the main themes, fundamentally leading the reader to having a greater ense of the me ssage Spark has aimed to convey. The word prime is mentioned again and again through the course of the novel. In addition to being in the title, and mentioned throughout, the word is even said in the closing sentence of the novel. There was a Miss Jean Brodie in her prime. This is an exact repetition of what Sandy had said earlier on in the novel (page 35). This closing sentence successfully reiterates the theme of ones Prime, and leaves a lasting impression on the reader, allowing him to reflect and create his or her own opinion on what exactly ones prime is, and how Brodies prime affected the girls. Continuing on from the impact repetition has, it almost mirrors the repetitiveness of time itself. This parallel draws attention to the non-linear structure of time, and highlights its individuality. In conclusion, the basic structure of time and unraveling of events has been manipulated a clear representation of the manipulation the girls experience as a consequence of Miss Brodies actions. The formal qualities used by Spark extend further to the narrative technique and aspects such as speech. Looking back at what Forster suggested, Sparks innovative structure has proven successful and has esulted in positively impacting the readers experience of the novel. It has highlighted main themes, reinforced ideas and enabled the reader to recognise the development in characters. With regards to the statement that Form is inseparable from content in a work of literature, it is clear that the two can be differentiated, however they both positively correlate and compliment the purpose and effect each has. Spark has used the form of her work to illustrate the content in order to influence the way in which the reader interoperates certain aspects of the novel.

Getting a Teacher Certificate

Getting a Teacher Certificate As the TESOL teaching profession becomes more and more competitive, finding a good teaching job requires higher qualifications. In Europe, the TESOL teaching certificate is the base qualification. There are a number of different names for this teaching certificate including the TESL teaching certificate and TEFL teaching certificate. After that, teachers who are committed to the profession will usually go on to take the TESOL diploma. The TESOL Diploma is a full years course and is currently highly valued in Europe.    An Overview This main purpose of this diploma (besides, lets be honest, improving career qualifications) is to give the TESOL teacher a broad overview of the principal approaches to teaching and learning English. The course serves to raise the teachers consciousness as to what learning processes are taking place during  language acquisition and instruction. The basis is on an underlying teaching philosophy of Principled Eclecticism. In other words, no one method is taught as being correct. An inclusive approach is taken, giving each school of thought its due, while also examining its possible shortcomings. The objective of the diploma is to give the TESOL teacher the necessary tools to evaluate and apply different teaching methods to meet each students needs. Taking the Course The distance learning method has both its positive and negative side. There is a massive amount of information to get through and it takes quite a bit of self-discipline to complete the coursework effectively. Certain areas of study also seem to play a larger role than others. Thus, phonetics and phonology play a leading role in the makeup of the course (30% of modules and  ¼ of the exam), while other, more practical subjects such as reading and writing, play a relatively minor role. In general, the emphasis is on teaching and learning theory and not necessarily on the application of specific instruction methods. However, the practical part of the diploma does focus very specifically on teaching theory. Logistically, the support and help from Sheffield Hallam and the course directors at English Worldwide were excellent. The final intensive course of five days was essential for the successful completion of the course. This session was in many ways the most satisfying part of the course and served to unify all the various schools of thought studied, as well as providing practical exam writing practice. Advice Self-discipline and good pacing throughout the entire academic year are of absolute importance in order to deal with all the material presented.As the exam itself concentrates not on single areas of instruction, but rather to global issues, relate parts to the whole on a continuing basis.Get some kind of holiday break in before the final intensive week and exam preparation.   Other Experiences The following other articles and accounts of studying for various teaching certifications. A review of the i-to-i Online Tefl CertificateThe British Councils 404 TEFL Qualifications Guide

Survy2222 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Survy2222 - Essay Example border, drug cash is everywhere in Mexico. The money generated from drugs has propped up the countrys banking system. The money helps the countries ride out the financial crisis and aid the countrys economy. Narcotic drug get smuggled into Mexico mostly from the US at an approximate cost of $100. This money gets to books and accounts of construction firms, bars, and restaurants. Once the money gets settled into such accounts, the police cannot trace it. In western Mexico, drug cartels own hospitals and real estates. In the US as well, drug cartels own big car wash companies. The level of technology and education in the US and Mexico influences the drug trade. The drug cartels are highly organized. The traffickers employ the finest brains. They use the most modern equipment and technologies in producing, transporting, and distributing their drugs. This enables the big drug traffickers to run and finance their operations without into contact with the drugs. This facilitates the drug trafficking business (European Parliament). In the US people with a college education had a lower prevalence of illegal drug use compared to those without a college education. According to Common Sense for Drug Policy, college graduates who used drugs were 5.7 percent. People who had high school education or below and used drugs totaled to 11.2