Animal Farm Analysis Essay Essay

The Tragedy Of Oppression â€Å"Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress†. These are the words that rolled off the French General Napoleon Bonaparte’s tongue. This relates to Animal Farm because all of the farm animals do not like oppression but they have a bunch of oppressors among them. The pigs control the farm animals in every way possible and frankly they are sick and tired of it. Animal Farm by George Orwell shows that oppression is at the heart of so much sorrow in life, and that the abuse of power is at the heart of oppression. Napoleons violence and Squealers mind-control are the two forms of power and abuse that keep the poor animals oppressed. Napoleon was violent in many ways. First of all, he used his power to raise an army of dogs to become mean and violent just like him. Napoleon had the dogs under his wing; they would do whatever he told them to do. For example, Napoleon was trying to get the animals to admit to working with snowball. When and if they did admit to this he would command the dogs to kill them. This is one of many examples of how Napoleon uses his power to abuse the farm animals. Napoleon hated Snowball; they disagreed on everything so he definitely didn’t want any of his farm animals working with his enemy. That’s not all Napoleon had the dogs, or in other words his â€Å"slaves† do. Another example of violence is when Napoleon commanded the dogs to chase Snowball off of the farm. He didn’t like the idea of sharing the power with Snowball; he wanted the power all to himself! He tried to control everyone through violence and fear. As a result of this power struggle he abused not only the farm animals but also the dogs by trying to control them. Napoleon verbally, mentally and physically abused everyone in his path. Squealer is also guilty of abusing his power. Squealer’s choice of abuse is mind control. He is capable of making a bad situation seem as if it were meant to be. Like the time when the farm animals got suspicious when the pigs started sleeping in beds. Everyone on the farm knows that sleeping in bed goes against the commandment that states, â€Å"No animal shall sleep in a bed† When the animals built up the courage to ask the pigs what was going on, the pigs simply stated â€Å"A bed merely means a place to sleep in. The rule was against sheets, which are a human invention. We have removed the sheets from the farmhouse beds, and sleep between blankets. You would not have us too tired to carry out our duties? Surely none of you wishes to see Jones back?†(Orwell67). This is an  example of slippery slope because in other words Squealer is telling the animals that if the pigs aren’t allowed to sleep in beds then they will not be able to do there duties because they will not get a good night sleep and if they cant do their duties then eventually Jones will come back. Squealer does things like this all of the time. He is know n for verbally abusing the farm animals by controlling their minds. This all leads up to one thing, oppression. Oppression is caused by the abuse of power. Napoleon wanted to be in control of everything and everyone because he was a very selfish and controlling pig. His need to be this way caused severe oppression on the farm. The farm animals were all unhappy and felt like there was no way out. Anytime they confronted the pigs, they were always given some excuse or reason why things were not the way they were supposed to be. Boxer was the hardest worker on the farm, yet he got treated the most unfair. He might not have been the most intelligent of the animals but he sure was strong and worked more than any of the others. One day, Boxer collapsed while pulling stone for the windmill. The pigs said that he would be taken to a hospital. When a cart arrived to pick Boxer up the farm animals got suspicious because the cart was sent from the slaughterhouse. Squealer quickly denounced the rumor saying that the hospital had bought the cart from the slaughterhouse and never painted over the writing. The animals were relieved after hearing the â€Å"good news† until squealer announced that Boxer had died in the hospital. â€Å"I will work harder† and â€Å"Napoleon is always right†(Orwell 39). were Boxers two slogans. Boxer thought of Napoleon as a role model and all Napoleon thought of Boxer as, was one of his many workers. Boxer loved Napoleon. It is very sad that he was never appreciated or loved in return by Napoleon. At least Boxer will always be in the hearts of the farm animals because he was truly loved by them. This was a great and unnecessary loss, which caused much sorrow to the farm animals. This clearly shows that oppression can cause great sorrow. The abuse of power is the cause of great sorrow for many people all around the world. The Novella Animal Farm by George Orwell proves this in the life of the farm animals. Napoleon caused a lot of unhappiness and sorrow to the farm animals, which lead to great oppression on the farm. In order to keep h is power, Napoleon used violence to get his way. He used Squealer to play mind games on the animals to keep his power and to trick them into believing his lies. Oppression is a disheartening reality that affected the farm animals and continues to affect the lives of many people today.

Russian Foreign Policy

Russian foreign policy: priorities, challenges and perspectives According to the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation drawn up by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Russia should become a balancing factor in conditions of global turbulence in the development of global civilization. Due to some factors the world now is getting unstable and unpredictable.Among these factors are the global crisis, a powerful catalyst of deep changes in the geopolitical landscape, the weakening of the role of the UN, the strengthening of trans border challenges and threats, where threats in the information space are key items and the tendency towards the re-ideologization of international relations. Nevertheless, Russia is given the unique role of a balancing factor in international affairs and the development of the world civilization.So, Russia will build its foreign policy in accordance with several top priorities. The main goal is to help save the world economy, to promote the formation of a fair and democratic global trade-economic architecture. In addition, Russia should fight interference in countries' internal affairs; seek respect for human rights and liberties with regard for the national, cultural, and historical characteristics of every country.Also Russia must prevent military interventions and other forms of interference. Russia's second top priority is  the European Union (special emphasis is on the introduction of a visa-free regime). It concerns Russia's major partners in Europe (Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands) with which Russia is actively working in the gas sphere and cooperation with the OSCE, NATO, and the countries of Northern Europe, the Baltic States, and the Balkans.The third top priority of Russia is the U. S. , from which Russia will seek legal guarantees that the missile defense systems will not be targeted against Russian nuclear restraint forces and the observance of international law, including the principle of non-interference in countr ies' internal affairs. In the meantime, the development of friendly relations with China and India is an important area of Russian foreign policy.

Advertising and the Twentieth Century

In a sense this was advertising himself. In 3200 B. C. , papyrus appears in ancient Egypt. This paper like material made it possible for posters and sale messages to be written for the sale of goods. In 1 00 BC, political posters and campaign advertising became popular including negative ads in Roman culture. The first movable type print system was invented in 1 040 A. D. This system invention helped create fonts typography. Four hundred years later the movable printing press is created by the German printer Johannes Gutenberg; thus, making mass production Of the written word and advertising possible.And nil 647, the first newspaper ad tries to sell the book â€Å"The Divine Right of Church Government†. The first billboard was introduced in New York City in an 1 835 advertisement for the circus. Thousands of years of advancements helped pave the road to the explosion of the advertising world that would occur in the next century and change America forever. Beginning of a new er a. The 1 ass's saw industrialism and consumerism come together to form an American culture of consumption.Advertising was a very persuasive technique for promoting this new and vibrant consumer culture. 1 Advertising n the early sass was simply placing announcements in newspapers and magazines. As mediums changed and avenues for reaching the public expanded, advertisements quickly appeared every. N. ‘here. With this much advertising bombarding the public and persuading them to validate their self- worth by the products they purchase; it became embedded in people's daily lives; as a result, classes and social status were being clearly marked as the â€Å"haves† and â€Å"have nose†. Displays of this newly acquired wealth were seen all over America, especially in urban areas, where most of the rich hung out ND tried to outdo one another with displays of their wealth. Although the rich were targeted in these advertisements, an ever-increasing middle-class America ha d begun to buy machine made goods due to an increase of disposable income that past generations did not have. As America changed from a country of small towns into a country of busy cities, advertising played a key role in the ideology of Americans.The idea of convenience was a major selling point in one's life whether it be in the home, leisure, or personal grooming. The sass's America was rapidly changing into a modernization society. Some examples re: rapid expansion due to railroads, banking infrastructure that made the mass consumer marketplace possible, and more Americans now lived and worked in cities; undoubtedly, forcing them to quickly evolve in this ever changing social and economic environment. With this changing America, advertisers had three major points to contend with.First, advertisers needed to find some kind of meaning in this ever changing and complex bureaucratic world. 3 Modern comforts and lifestyles were drastically different than what previously was a major part of life's basic needs such as: food, clothing, and tools. People needed to find new meaning to this mechanized routine they lived. Advertisers were there to present the masses with products and consumer goods that would have significant meaning in their lives, no matter how fleeting. Second, advertisers had to give so-called â€Å"solutions† to many of these new problems that modern life proposed.This faster pace of life seemed to be very frustrating consequently, advertisers sought to ease the psychological pressures by helping people believe that the goods they were purchasing for the latest and most progressive product available would help them everyday n the hustle and bustle of modern life. As a result, this changed as needs and products changed. A family was provided simple information, often visually, on how the item would help fix problems of modern day life. Finally, advertisers helped create a new standard of conduct.Industrialization, city living, and an ever- growing move toward bureaucratic hierarchy making social interaction more complex. 4 Whether standard of conduct, fashion, novel technologies, or fads, for most of Americans these were found through national advertising. The degree of how much advertising expanded in the sass can be seen in the numbers. Total advertising volume in the United States increased approximately from 206 million in 1 900 to about 682 million minion and then reached 1,409 million by 1919. 5 By looking at these numbers it is easy to see how rapid expansion of national advertising flourished during this decade.Another key area advertisers targeted was American women. Advertisers saw that magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Ladies Home Journal, and Saturday Evening post were the best way to reach the urban middle-class, and help them to understand and cope with the complexity of modern life through their different products and goods. Rodents such as Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Gillette razors, Ford cars, and Wriggles gu m started advertising heavily during this time. Advertising in the Great War In April 191 7, America entered World War l. At this time advertising was not a new thing in America, but the message had to change.Instead of advertisers trying to sell products they had to try to sell a war that America had been neutral on for quite some time. Eight days after the war started Pres. Wilson formed The Committee on Public Information. Pres. Wilson appointed George Creel, a muckraker from Kansas City and Denver, to head he committee. 6 Pres. Wilson believed that this committee was essential to persuade American citizens to support the war. The ICP embroiled approximately 1 50,000 Americans, and it is estimated that the ICP produced 700 poster designs, 122 bus and trolley cards, 31 0 advertising illustrations, and 287 cartoons during its existence. These ads helped the nation come together with a sense of nationalism helping to promote volunteerism and donations. These artists repeatedly tugge d at American's sense of duty, patriotism, and humanitarianism. The Roaring Twenty During World War l, Americas were asked by the government to ration their consumption of fuel and food and to sacrifice most everything for the good of the war effort. When the war ended, advertisers had the chance to shine again. In the past decade, Americans could define themselves in such ways as, race, ethnicity, religion and politics.Americans had begun to define themselves with houses, cars, clothes, and other products and services they bought. In the 192(Yes, most Americans had more money than in the previous decade. Also, most had a belief that more material goods represented more success and modern advertising fueled this concept more than ever. With the use of billboards, newspapers, magazines and radio commercials, advertisers flooded the market with the need to purchase their products, saying it could change peoples lives by enhancing their health, safety, beauty, and daresay their entire being.Advertisers were unscrupulous at the time. Some advertisements would play on the psychological needs and fears in people; such as telling somebody that using a certain soup showed more motherly love than another, or that a toothpaste, detergent or soap bought from the impetigo could harm you or your family. One of the most successful ways advertisers marketed products was the appeal to modernity. Modernity equaled progress and in turn was seen as automatically desirable. Companies, such as the Campbell Soup Co. Convinced women to try condensed soup because the can was easy to open and more importantly the â€Å"modern way ‘ of making soup. Other advertisers would prey on the fears of some as if that looking old-fashioned could actually affect one's personal life by possibly losing a mate to losing a job to losing one's self-respect. On the there hand, advertisers use anti-modern ads to people that experienced anxiety due to the fast-paced, mass consumption, forward tech nology, and corruption of long-standing traditional values. Post Bran Flakes, for example, showed a frustrated businessman scurrying to work.The ad wanted to convey that eating their cereal would promote good health and calming despite living in the modern world. Ad agencies in the 1 ass's consisted mostly of college graduates with degrees in advertising and business. They had been trained to use market research and learned how to track consumer response o certain products and ads through statistics, surveys, and other analytical methods; thus making advertising almost a science in itself. The Great Depression years The sass's, Jazz Age, The Roaring ass's were years of advertising decadence.The decade even adopted a word to describe its approach to selling called â€Å"Ballyhoo†; a term used in the 19th century that meant to exaggerate blatantly, to get attention in anyway possible. 8 By 1929 advertising revenues peaked at 53. 4 billion dollars. Inn Ethel 9205, advertisers ha rdest thing to do was the show people how to spend their money. For the most part, the public accepted this laissez-fairer; the economy was strong and the government complacent. After the Great Crash of 1 929, everything changed in an instance. Advertisers were in a dilemma.Should they go about business as usual or advertise about the crisis taking place. Even though advertising didn't talk about the depression directly, advertising did change. Advertising remained for the most part bright and cheery. Ads were more geared towards the value products and services rather than the needs and need not's of the gluttonous sass's consumer. While employment was so high and finances, for many, so low, the publics distrust of advertising grew. As a result organizations like Consumer Union and Consumer Research grew and with their success government took notice.They responded with the Pure Food, Drug, and Committee of 1938, The Federal Trade Commission and Securities and Exchange, along with U. S. Post Office and Internal Revenue Service began to increase their supervisory and regulatory controls over advertising. 10 The good fight for the Good War With the advertising industry still on the defense against consumer assessment, America joining the war became a perfect time to repair their image and help the war effort at the same time. Advertisers were very concerned about their future.The industry was mainly concerned that criticism could crippled their credibility and lead to legislation that would tax and regulate its content. At the time, Pres. Roosevelt was very disenchanted with advertising and believed it was obsolete; likewise, he believed that advertising costs should no longer be a tax-deductible business expense. In November 1941, just months before the Pearl Harbor invasion, the Association of National Advertisers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies met to see what could be done.The majority of the industry believed it would be best to â€Å"r un ads explaining the economic value of advertising in creating jobs, wealth and low prices. â€Å"1 1 At this meeting was a man with the different vision. James Webb Young thought advertising was needed to promote business, yet he also believed that was just one component of it. Young proposed public-service advertising to help their tarnished image. â€Å"It ought to be used for open propaganda in international elation's, to create understanding and reduce friction. It ought to be used to wipe out such diseases of ignorance as childbed fever.It ought to do the nutritional job this country needs to have done. It ought to be the servant of music, of art, of literature and of all the forces of righteousness, even more than it is. When will we stop fighting over just the existing business and go back to selling advertising? When will we sell it into these new levels Of usefulness, this larger stature? ,† he asked. 1 1 With this vision the Ad Council was conceived. Lining the W ar Advertising Counsel officially was created to verse advertising for the war effort.Council wanted ads to encourage the public to organize campaigns for military, enlist in the service, buy war bonds, salvaging fat, and women to the work force. These ads had a significant contribution, especially when it came to women working. With so many men overseas, woman had to work to keep the war machine going. At the end of the war, women were expected to return home, yet that was not the case for most. This would be the beginning of the workingwoman era. The 2nd Half In the sass, after the war was over and the troops were home, the economy started to stabilize.

Support for Soldiers who return from combat affilicited with PTSD Assignment

Support for Soldiers who return from combat affilicited with PTSD - Assignment Example This paper also hypothesizes the effectiveness of trauma management therapy as a behavioral treatment (Frueh, Turner, Beidel, Mirabella, & Jones, 1996). This therapy would make the soldiers learn how to manage their anger and how to function normally. Thence, this paper would like to validate the effectiveness of sand play therapy and trauma management in treating soldiers who suffer from the impediments of PTSD. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been considered as one of the major problems of the U. S Army organization because it triggered the thoughts of soldiers to remember death scenes. PTSD generates a system of how a psychological function of an individual is meddled by the occurrences of the traumatic events. Thus, PTSD controls the functional ability of the soldiers not to let bygones be bygones. This paper explores how Posttraumatic Stress Disorder greatly affects the organizational mandatory of the army and how the organization made ways to intervene the needs of the armies with PTSD. The main purpose of this paper is to delved in other psychological treatments such as sand play therapy and trauma management treatment that serve as mechanisms and moderators of the soldiers’ terrors toward death and threat. Posttraumatic Stress is a psychological disorder that makes an individual experiences nightmares and repetitive flashback of painful thoughts that hinder the focus of one’s mind. Moreover, one tends to avoid things that could make him remind of the traumatic event with the feeling of isolation and anxiety (Sherman, 2012). The U.S Army Organization is affected with the psychological effects of wars to the mass number of armies who get affected from depression, isolation and trauma in the battlefields (Little, 2012). The organization is also affected with the soldiers’ great possibility to retire at a young age, which may result to high unemployment rates of the military service (Mcfarlane & Bryant, 2007). A US soldier

Types Of Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Types Of Energy - Essay Example This form of energy is obtained by the conversion of wind energy a utilizable form of energy, for example, making electricity using wind turbines, wind pumps for pumping water, windmills for mechanical power or sails to propel ships. The important features of this form of energy include being clean, plentiful, renewable and zero emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) when in use. Large-scale production of wind power generation is done in wind farms which consists hundreds of single wind turbines connected to a network of electric power transmission. Its production is influenced by wind distribution in terms of strength and speed. This makes the production of wind power to be limited to certain places that experience winds that are substantially strong to turn turbines. This could be onshore and offshore places. Offshore wind power production involves the construction of wind farms inside in water bodies to generate electricity. Better wind speeds are available in these places compared t o on land/onshore. Some of the largest onshore wind farms are found in the US.Unlike other forms of energy, the production of wind power does take away farms from farm owners and neither does it render the land unusable for other purposes. It is highly compatible with agriculture. According to American Wind Energy Association (2009), landowners in the US receive a rental income of between $3,000 to $5,000 for each wind turbine as they continue to graze cattle or grow crops up to the foot of the turbines. In comparison to fossil fuels and other sources of power, the effects of wind power on the environment are less problematic. Their trends for the production and use of wind power have been rising and as of 2011, a total of 83 countries worldwide are using this form of energy on the commercial basis (REN21, 2011). Despite having lower levels of adverse environmental effects, wind power is not suitable for some places like Pitchandikulam because the area is forested. Trees act as windbreaks and therefore they reduce the speed and strength of the wind. This means that wind blowing over Pitchandikulam does not have sufficient power to turn turbines for generating electricity from wind. Pitchandikulam is also surrounded by other communities belonging to Auroville Green Belt and these communities are also forested and this reduces the power of the wind reaching this place. Pitchandikulam does not have an area with a very high altitude compared to its surrounding areas. This could have enabled it to utilize high-altitude winds for the generation of wind power. Alternatives energy supply or solution for Pitchandikulam which does not have a negative effect on the environment Wind power as a clean source of power could be the most suitable for Pitchandikulam. The alternative energy solutions or supplies for Pitchandikulam that do not have a negative effect on the environment is solar power. Solar power is a form of energy that is obtained from the conversion of sunlight into electricity. This is achieved through the use of various technologies that can be categorized as either active or passive depending on the mechanism through which they capture, convert and

A Critique of Religious Exclusivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Critique of Religious Exclusivism - Essay Example For that matter, the other groups are insignificant and wrong due to the fact that they are outside the belief that the group has (Robinson). The main view of the group can be considered as one of the main reasons for the criticisms targeted to the group and the beliefs that it has. This can be attributed to the fact that application of such strict beliefs can be considered as a failure to have an open understanding of the group on other religious groups. The influence and input of other groups, components of the surroundings and ideas can be considered essential in the development of a concept, belief and principle. Thus, included in the reasons for criticisms toward exclusivism is the disregard to the benefits and advantages that are contributed by other groups with different beliefs. The main essence of believing in religion is the concept of salvation. Exclusivism is the belief that the particular group, are the people who can achieve the salvation on the basis of the religion that they are practicing. One of the common examples of exlusivism, or particularism as preferred by others to be called, is the Christian exclusivism wherein people that do not know Christ will not have salvation (Robinson). Such view can be noted that exclusivism can be considered as an ignorant point of view since it only presents the opinion of a particular group. In addition, it fails to consider the different aspects that related to the answering of the spiritual needs of the people. Exlusivism then can be translated at some point of oppression because the people that are part of such religious groups have real life friends and families that they interact with. Exclusivism can be a hindrance specifically in a rapidly changing world wherein adaptation and not exclusion is the answer. May it be religion, or any concept for that matter, openness is important to be able to grow, develop and be effective. Thus,

Global Warming is real Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Warming is real - Research Paper Example The resulting rise in sea level is causing tsunamis to occur and has also endangered the survival of many animal species on earth. The question that has, in recent years, attracted the attention of scientists all over the world is, if the global warming is on a rise, and if so, to what extent are humans responsible for that? As fossil fuels burn, the carbon they contain gets converted into a greenhouse gas, known as carbon dioxide (CO2). Such greenhouse gases as methane (CH4) and CO2 entrap the sun’s energy into the atmosphere. There has recently been a tremendous emphasis on reduction of the fossil fuels use as they are thought to be the most fundamental cause of increase in global warming. In this paper, the question noted above has been answered with support of scientific studies to show that global warming is a real issue. According to the meteorites’ radioactive dating, it has been 4.6 billion years since the solar system of which earth forms a part has been found. Examination of the minerals preserved in earth and the scientific study of rocks has shown that earth has contained liquid water for 4.3 billion years (Watson and Harrison). Since then, climate of earth has largely remained stable, with occasional freezing in certain areas that have always remained as such. It is the massive increase in the energy drawn from sun that has caused a tremendous increase in the earth’s temperature. According to an estimate, there has been a 30 per cent increase in the energy output on earth from sun since the start of the solar system (Gough). Part of the energy drawn from the sun is reflected and some is retained. Some portion of the energy that gets absorbed in earth radiates back and escapes into the space. It is the energy absorbed minus energy radiated that decides the temperature of earth. Composition of the earth’s atmosphere also plays a decisive role in the increase of temperature. 99 per cent of the gases that atmosphere contains like oxygen and nitrogen are transparent towards the energy drawn from sun. Other gases like CO2 and water vapors tend to reduce the process of radiation of the energy from earth to the space. Therefore, increase in the level of these gases obviously increases the temperature of earth and contributes to the global warming. Of the two gases, it is the CO2 that concerns scientists the most because the water vapors in atmosphere remain constant in amount as compared to the CO2. Now, if the CO2 level in the atmosphere is increasing, global warming is then indeed, a real issue! The biggest source of CO2 is the fossil fuels. In addition to that, decomposition of materials and burning of wood also causes a considerable increase in the content of CO2 in the atmosphere. The rapid industrialization that has occurred in the recent centuries has caused a manifold increase in the CO2 level in the atmosphere. The reason why the resulting increase in the earth’s temperature is an issue is that this directly affects the ecosystem prevailing on earth. If the CO2 level continues to increase at the present rate, earth will soon become inhabitable for almost all species including humans, and life on earth will extinguish. The following text examines what recent studies have said about the CO2 levels in the atmosphere. (Deem) has shown the rate of annual increase in the C

Job Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Job Application - Essay Example I am working on this dissertation under the supervision of Professor Michel Hockx. I, respectfully submit this application letter, as I have strong enthusiasm, commitment and experience in teaching and research which fully qualifies me to meet the needs of your program. My dissertation deals with the discursive formation of the utopian discourse in late imperial China. I aim at revealing the interrelationship between literature, translation, politics and print culture that help the utopian imagination in new fiction fit into the utopian discourse. Then, I argue that the utopian discourse is formed by a number of elements, namely the position of authors, the function of new fiction, and the politics of translation and the modes of production in newspapers and journals. At the end I conclude the utopian discourse is a significant example for revealing the diffusion of universalism in the course of searching Chinese modernity. The interdisciplinary method of research is related to my ac ademic background. My research interests cover twentieth century Chinese literature, Chinese print and media culture, sinophone literature, modernity, cultural production and theories of ideology with focus on fiction, print and media culture. I am interested in examining fiction as a product of literary production and pay special attention to how form, content and meaning are constituted in historical context. I have examined madness writing in post-Mao’s fiction, in order to demonstrate suppressed memories of the Chinese Cultural Revolution rendered as symptoms of madness and disguised in pathological structures. My interest in print and media culture starts from my undergraduate study. I have discussed Taiwanese picture books textual characteristics towards poems, which integrates illustrated pictures to the aesthetic features of the texts. At present I am working on the links between the Chinese public sphere and the narrative of the concept of nation. I discuss the imagi nation of future China written in late-Qing utopian novels is a dynamic object hinging on the performativity of language in the concept of nation mentioned by different journals and newspapers. In the near future, I plan to discuss productive bodies in Chinese vernacular journals and to explore the position of Hong Kong literature in the sphere of sinophone writings. I have been fortunate to get the opportunity to serve as a teaching assistant in the Hong Kong Baptist University and the Open University of Hong Kong. This two year teaching experience qualifies me to teach a wide range of courses, including Chinese History and Literature, Classical Chinese Poetry and Contemporary Chinese Literature. My philosophy is student-centered teaching. I received positive teaching evaluations highlighting my teaching methods and passion for helping students to learn. Moreover, I am qualified to develop courses on "Globalizing Chinese Literature: Sinophone Literature" and "Western and Chinese Dr eams: Utopian literature in comparative perspective". I have also presented papers at academic conferences and at the University of Heidelberg, the National Taiwan University and the University of Tokyo. These research experiences broadened my academic horizons and scholarly

From the period of the Spanish American War through the end of World Essay

From the period of the Spanish American War through the end of World War two, why does the United States move from relative isol - Essay Example The initial consequence of this increased global involvement resulted in a psychological and cultural impact on the American society that established a sense of supremacy in the minds of the general population about their country’s standing in the world. Another consequence of America’s increased global involvement was the economic development that was observed as a result of its emergence and ultimate dominance on the international stage during the period between the Spanish American War and World War II. The reason why the United States went to war against Spain in 1898 was because from its early days, policymakers in the country believed that Cuba’s geographic location was of monumental significance to the United States. Moreover, Spain’s loss of the majority of its lands in Central and South America led some of the politicians to suppose that France or Great Britain may take sweeping action to take control of Cuba and cause a great measure of problems for the United States. As Cuba became an important producer of tobacco and sugar cane, North American investment in the island saw a tremendous increase; the great degree of these economic relations by 1895 between the two countries was becoming more and more significant, as the U.S became an importer of 90% of Cuba’s sugar produce1. 30 years before the Spanish American war broke out, the Cubans had begun fighting for independence2, and this quest for freedom reached its climax in the year of 1895 when General Maximo Gomez, with his inadequate militia rose against a powerful Spanish army. The persistence of the Cuban insurgents came as a surprise to the Spanish opponents, who vowed to answer with a much ruthless response, killing about one fourth of the island’s population by 1898. As the Spanish government carried out its bloody campaign to repress the Cuban uprising, secretary of state, Richard Olney faced rising public demands to intervene in the matter to which the U.S made it clear to Spain that with the onset of war between the two nations, the United States considered its interests in Cuba being in danger. The event which ultimately triggered the Spanish American War occurred on February 15th 1898 when USS Maine, a US navy battleship blew up Havana harbor, killing 266 people. The US media heavily speculated that this act had been performed on the part of the Spain and even though diplomatic intermediaries from both sides intervened to resolve the issue, Congress went on to declare Cuba independent upon President McKinley’s request, demanding Spain’s withdrawal from the island and empowering the US president to engage in a war with Spain if it refused to recognize Cuba’s independence. When Cuban nationalists had first cried for independence, their determination to seek their goal had been evident but the lack of personnel and resources on their part could never have compensated for the

Themes of Incredibly Close and Extremely Loud Essay Example for Free

Themes of Incredibly Close and Extremely Loud Essay There are many different themes in this novel but they all seem tie into one major theme which is loss and closure. The little themes would be family/friends, grief/mourning. Loss and closure is definitely the main theme in this book. Almost every character has lost something in some sort of way. For example Oskar has lost his father, Thomas has lost his first love Anna along with his unborn child which also lead to is capable of speech and the grandmother has lost her husband, parents, sister and her son. Not all of the characters in this book end up receiving closure but they all attempt to in different ways. They all spend their lives trying to find out why these things have happened which in return would help lead to closure. All the character deal with their loses differently. We see how different people react and how they mourn in different ways. Oskar deals with his grief by reliving a game he used to play with his father. Oskar mourns this way believing it will help him to stop missing his dad. Thomas mourns in a way that helps him connect to his first love Anna. *** he does this by marrying the grandmother and living with her. This helps him remember her and is his way of mourning. The grandmother finds her closure through Oskar. She loves him unconditionally with helps her deal with the grief of all the loves ones she has lost. Family is a theme that connects to all of this because we see how family can be a huge factor of dealing with losses. In the book family is seen in many different ways to help deal with this. Oskar helped to bring closure to his grandmother with all of he loses of loves ones. Oskar’s mother also helped Oskar on his journey to find closure with his father, without Oskar’s mother he would not have been able to do all that he need to deal with the grief of losing his father.

Problems with the US Education System

Problems with the US Education System One of the biggest problems with public school today is that academic performance is declining, particularly in urban areas and among disadvantaged populations. It is well known that education in the US has fallen behind many other countries internationally. We are behind most other countries in both science and math education. The Ayn Rand Institute puts it best, saying, American education is in ruins. In addition to the educational problems, the decline of the family involvement has been such that one now sees public service announcements reminding parents that they need to be the main influence in their kids lives. Although this problem bears disproportionately on the economically disadvantaged, who have no parents at home because all available adults must work to make ends meat. There seems to be a positive correlation between family income and educational achievement. The U. S. Census Bureau states that in 1996 23.7% of white high school graduates went on to complete at least four years of college education, compared to 13.5% for blacks and only 9.3% for Hispanics. So, the percentage of white high school graduates that go on to complete four or more years of college is more than twice the figure for the combined percentage for blacks and Hispanics (11.4%)! With statistics like these, its no wonder why the rich seem to get richer and the poor remain stuck in the gutter generation after generation. The effects of poverty are detrimental to students achievement and life prospects. For example, children and youth from low-income families are often older than others in their grade level, move more slowly through the educational system, are more likely to drop out, and are less likely to find work. Children in poverty are also more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems and are less likely than others to be highly engaged in school. These detrimental effects of living in poverty are further compounded for families that also are raising children with a disability. Furthermore, parents in low-income families are less likely to help their children complete homework assignments (Morrison, 2007). Historically, Americans have viewed education as an answer to many social ills; but a national poll found that 47 percent of Americans would give the nations public schools a grade of C for the quality of their work, and 19 percent would grade the schools as D or F. When asked about the schools in their own community, slightly less than half graded the schools as A or B, 35 percent gave a grade of C, and 11 percent assigned grades of D or F (Polling Report, 2007). (Lauer, 2007). Families are in a continual state of change as a result of social issues and changing times. Even the definition of what a family is varies as society changes. Families now include arrangements other than that of the traditional nuclear family: Single-parent families, headed by mothers or fathers Stepfamilies, including individuals related by either marriage or adoption Heterosexual, gay, or lesbian partners living together with children Extended families, which may include grandparents, uncles, aunts, other relatives, and individuals not related by kinship. As families change, so do the roles of parents, family members, and others. More parents work and have less time for their children and family affairs, working parents combine the roles of parents and employees, the number of hats that parents wear increases as families change (Morrison, 2007). The effects of poverty are detrimental to students achievement and life prospects. For example, children and youth from low-income families are often older than others in their grade level, move more slowly through the educational system, are more likely to drop out, and are less likely to find work. Children in poverty are also more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems and are less likely than others to be highly engaged in school. These detrimental effects of living in poverty are further compounded for families that also are raising children with a disability. Furthermore, parents in low-income families are less likely to help their children complete homework assignments (Morrison, 2007). Historically, Americans have viewed education as an answer to many social ills; but a national poll found that 47 percent of Americans would give the nations public schools a grade of C for the quality of their work, and 19 percent would grade the schools as D or F. When asked about the schools in their own community, slightly less than half graded the schools as A or B, 35 percent gave a grade of C, and 11 percent assigned grades of D or F (Polling Report, 2007). (Lauer, 2007). The crisis in American schools takes three major forms. First, student academic performance is declining, particularly in urban areas and among traditionally disadvantaged student populations. Second, discipline and moral behavior is quickly becoming non-existent. Third, the per-student expenditure is inflated beyond what is necessary. The first problem with public school today is that academic performance is declining, particularly in urban areas and among disadvantaged populations. In the 1980s, Americas education crisis received widespread publicity. Several reports were done on the impact of this education crisis on the workforce. These reports, especially those by the Hudson Institute and David Kearns, indicated massive shortcomings in education that left high-school graduates unable to effectively function in an increasingly technological and service-oriented economy (Tyson 1990). Beyond the area of skills-based education, public schools are sadly lacking in liberal arts education. It is well known that education in the US has fallen behind many other countries internationally. We are behind most other countries in both science and math education (Morrone 2000, U.S. EPA 1996). More specifically, the US ranks 18th out of 21 countries in math as a result of the dominance of progressive education techniques replacing traditional learning (Bernstein 2000). Even here in college, where the students represented are among the top in the nation, problems with object ive math prevail. The Ayn Rand Institute (2000) puts it best, saying, American education is in ruins. Students cannot read, write, add or think?. Parents who can afford to, send their children to private schools, in the desperate hope of finding sane teaching? More than ever, employers are left to pick up the pieces, training school graduates in the basic skills necessary for working life. These problems are exacerbated for African-Americans. According to the Economist (2003), Blacks who are disproportionately concentrated in inner-city areas) are getting a lousy deal from the public-school system. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, Americas equivalent of a national report card, reveals that the average black 17-year-old is four years behind his white counterpart in math and reading and five years behind in science. Black students are three times more likely than whites to be shunted off into dead-end special educational classes. In addition to educational problems, the much-heralded social engineers that seek to impose Progressive norms on Americas students have unfortunately succeeded. The rising self-esteem movement that seeks to avoid blame has clearly left its mark on our public education system. The retrogression toward anarchy occurred on the watch of Progressive education, which seeks to socialize students above actually providing knowledge. It is no wonder that an educational philosophy centered around never finding fault with another and seeking consensus before reason would lead to both educational failure of massive proportion and an increase in violent behavior due to the inability of students to reason together (Woiceshyn, 2000). We can hardly claim we werent warned. John Locke, the most influential philosopher in the minds of our founders, indicated he could easily do without public education. Lockes fears regarding civic education about have been borne out in contemporary America, as young peo ple are increasingly left to shift for themselves. The decline of the family has been such that one now sees public service announcements reminding parents that they need to be the main influence in their kids lives (Schaub, 2002).? Again, this problem bears disproportionately on the economically disadvantaged, who have no parents at home because all available adults must work to make ends meet. Predictably, black males are the most disadvantaged of all, as indicated by their higher rates of incarceration (Mauer, 1990) and suspension from school. Conclusion One thing we can say with certainty about the educational landscape today is that parents, families, and communities are as much a part of the educational process as are children, teachers, and staff. At no other time in U.S. educational history has support for family and community involvement in schools and programs been so high. All concerned view the involvement of families and communities as critical for individual student success, as well as for the success of the American dream of providing all children with an education that will meet their needs and enable them to be productive members of society (Morrison, 2007) Teachers are born, not made and with training and practice teachers are transformed from strong ones into gifted ones. I personally do not believe there is a single formula for classroom success. In order to be an effective teacher one needs to employ structural strategies to address the range of students learning needs. I also believe that, part of being successful in todays classroom is having relationships with the students that are based on maintaining appropriate roles, which suggests clarity in behavioral expectation and consistency in response to disciplinary situations. Communication and classroom management are vital to the success of teaching, having a sense of humor; knowledge and caring are also needed for todays teachers. In general teachers success=student success. School tracking is the process of separating students into leveled course selections according to academic ability. But the matching of students to different tracks tends to bring with it racial, ethnic and social-class overtones from the very beginning. Jeannie Oakes found that race more than ability determined which students were placed in which tracks, and that the lower tracked students had fewer learning opportunities and teachers expected little from them and offered fewer constructive comments. The first public school in America was established by Puritan settlers in 1635. The school was publicly funded and the first classes were held in the home of the schools master. What is so fascinating is that 5 of the 56 signers of the US Constitution attended Boston Latin: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Treat Paine, and William Hooper. The basis to create a public school system was initially formed by. Jefferson. In the 1600s, the dominant belief on educating the children was due to religious reasons. However, with the arrival of people from many countries and belonging to different faiths led to a weakening of the concept. People rejected the English only school and opposed the clergy imposing their religious views through public education. By the middle of the eighteenth century, private schooling had become the norm. Jefferson believed that education should be under the control of the government, free from religious biases, and available to all people irrespective of their status in society. Until the 1840s the education system was highly localized and available only to wealthy people. Reformers like Horace Mann and Henry Barnard who wanted all children to gain the benefits of education opposed this. As a result of their efforts, free public education at the elementary level was available for all American children by the end of the 19th century. Education has not always been free and available to everyone. Many people had to die in order to provide minorities as well as the poor the opportunity to attend equal schools. The first blacks arrived as slaves in the colonies in 1619 and were initially taught by the missionaries to convert them to Christianity. In spite of individual efforts, the education of blacks remained very low until Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. The literacy rate that was around 5% in the 1860s rose to 40% in 1890 and by 1910 it was at 70%. During the 1950s segregation by race in public and private schools was still common in the United States. In 1954 the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional and by 1980 the federal courts succeeded in eliminating the system of legalized segregation in southern schools. Is the education system better off today? We all know that the advancement in technology and learning methods has brought about a lot of change for the better in the public education. However, Schools are facing other social problems such violence, drugs, alcohol, smoking, and sex-related issues. Low tracks suffered from more classroom management problems, and focused more on social rather than academic matters. Tracking does not result in the equal and equitable distribution of effective schooling among all students. Instead, it allocates the most valuable school experiences to students who already have the greatest academic, economic, and social advantages. I tend to lean toward the conservative and traditional way teaching, therefore, I fine the Teacher-Centered Philosophy approach is more in-line with my thinking. For the Perennialist, reality is a world of reason and would favor a curriculum of subjects and doctrine, taught through highly disciplined drill and behavior control. Kids come to school with lots of knowledge and lots of interests. However, the job of the school is to teach them what they do not know and teach these things in a systematic and organized way. The students are there to learn what they do not know, thus, the environment should be task oriented and disciplined. It is not to fill their minds with isolated fragments of information but to fill them with systematic knowledge. They need to learn, and as they get older, they need human insights and skills that come from the disciplines. Najlaa Reference: Sadker, David M.. Teachers Schools and Society: A Brief Introduction to Education, 2nd Edition. McGraw-Hill/Course As a teacher, you will be called to follow your ethical compass to protect the physical and emotional well-being of your students and to guide students own ethical development (Sadker 2008, pg. 271). Teachers must take a position on moral issues and help students understand right from wrong. But they also have to be aware of their first impressions and be sure they have all the relevant facts. If one does not have them, get them. In the classroom teachers may not use racist or sexist humor or exchange grades for money or sexual favors. They need to think before acting, respect and be sensitive to cultural differences. For example, think twice before telling a joke (any joke!) that might offend other races or cultures. Teachers have always been considered role models for their students and whatever they say and do will have a great impact on them.