Lines of Color, Sex, and Service: Sexual Coercion in the Early Republic by Sharon Block Essay

â€Å"Lines of Color, Sex, and Service: Sexual Coercion in the Early Republic† by Sharon Block is based on two women who were mistreated by their masters. Rachel Davis, a white woman, was a servant to William and Becky Cress when she was 14-years-old. Harriet Jacobs, an enslaved black woman, was a slave in James and Mary Norcom’s household. When the women reached ages 15 and 16, both their masters made sexual overtures to them, in which the women had to try and over power. Becky Cress, William’s wife and Mary Norcom, James’ wife were women who could not control their husband’s actions. Since both Becky and Mary suspected that their husbands were having a sexual relationship with their servant, they insisted that the servant left the house immediately. Even though Rachel and Harriet were removed from their master’s household, their masters continued to visit them at their new home trying to have sex with them. When Mary had Harriet sleep with her so her husband could not and so she could â€Å"protect† Harriet, Harriet said, â€Å"she whispered in my ear, as though it was her husband who was speaking to me, and listened to hear what I would answer. (140) When Mary confronted her husband about the issue, he did not stop his sexual overtures. After Becky heard William trying to kiss Rachel in the cellar, Rachel said, â€Å"she had caught him & he wd deceive her no longer, but William denied any wrongdoing and Becky left in tears. These verbal confrontations apparently did not alter William’s behavior; he continued to force himself sexually upon Rachel. † (140) These two wives show that they had no power over their husband. They confronted their husbands about the situation and all they did was deny their behaviors, which lead to Becky and Mary not undertaking any actions to put their husband’s sexual overtures to an end. If Becky and Mary really wanted their husband’s sexual relationship with their servant to end, why didn’t they remove their husband from the house? Or why didn’t they just divorce their husband? This shows how men over powered women during this time by talking their way out of dilemmas and how women did not have the courage to stand up for themselves and prove that they are right and their husband are wrong. By Rachel Davis being a white woman she had more of an opportunity to over power her master than Harriet Jacobs. â€Å"The master of the white servant was sent to prison, while the black slave imprisoned herself to escape her abuser. † (136) â€Å"In 1807, Rachel’s father found out what had occurred and initiated a rape prosecution against William, who was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in prison. † (136) Since Rachel had her father’s support and also because she was white she was very fortunate that her master ended up in jail. Even though Rachel and Harriet’s rape incidents by their masters were very similar, â€Å"enslaved women ordinarily did not have access to the protection offered by a patriarchal figure. † (143) This is unfair to Harriet because she doesn’t get the local legal system to form a criminal prosecution like they did for Rachel because she is black. Harriet also went through rougher times than Rachel. Rachel was demanded out of the household right when her mistress suspected the sexual relationship. For Harriet, Mary demanded that she left the house when she found out Harriet was pregnant. Harriet had to do this so she could get away from her master and show her mistress that what her husband was doing to her was factual. Harriet didn’t have anyone to help her end her master’s sexual overtures on her, she had to became a runaway slave, and hide in her free grandmother’s attic. Even though both the masters treated Rachel and Harriet the same way, Harriet’s grandmother could not help her lead to legal intervention like Rachel’s father did for her. During this time, women were treated with no respect just as if they were nothing, especially the black women.

Robert Gray

Composers often manipulate their chosen form of text to explore their concerns within the world. Throughout the poem The Late Ferry by Robert Gray the type of journey is seen to be long-term, emotional, confronting and challenging for individuals. Shaun Tan’s The Red Tree uses journey as being long-term, personal, confronting, emotional and mental. These are recognized by the usage of symbolism and metaphors. Robert Grays The Late Ferry contains a large amount of symbolism through the duration of the poem. The symbolism is what gives the audience an idea of what the journey itself is and what type of journey it may be.In the 1st stanza we see this symbolism as a mother watching her child leave her and enter the real world on their own â€Å"The late ferry is leaving now; I stay to watch from the balcony as it goes up onto the huge dark harbor†. This is exploring journey through the child leaving their mother and getting about on their own now, therefore for the child it is a journey of coming of age. Robert Gray can uncover journey to the audience by using light and darkness to juxtapose each other and showing what are the positive and negative times for the individual in this journey.The colour orange in stanza 4 is a symbolism for an element of hope. Hope that this individual will get used to be on their own and finding their way around through life â€Å"And out beyond the tomato stake patch of the yachts, with their orange lights† juxtaposed to the darkness symbolised in stanza 6 â€Å"the longer white feel nervously about in the blackness† this is also symbolic of a negative time as the person is nervous in a dark world trying to find the light to turn their world positive again.The technique shown in these quotes can be symbolism, juxtaposition and the re-occurring motif of the colour. This shows the audience when the journey can be great or when the journey can be tough. This is a way of Robert Gray showing his notion of journ ey in The Late Ferry. Shaun Tan and The Red Tree uses also uses symbolism and metaphors to create knowledge to the reader by clearly showing what journey they are on and what sort of journey it could be for the individual in the text.On the page where the girl is bottled up on a beach we can see what is happening in her life and why she is feeling this way. The writing on the page says, â€Å"no one understands† by it stating this and the picture of her to go with it we can see that the technique being used by Shaun Tan is social distance; she is distancing herself away from everyone, as no one understands her feelings she is going through. We feel as if she has been dehumanized and left to suffer, we show sympathy towards her.The notion of journey is being explored by Shaun Tan in this as we get so many emotions and right away we realise it is a personal, emotional journey. In The Red Tree we also explore journey through the image in frame 4, we are exposed to the idea that journeys can offer a change in perspective, ideals and behaviors. She is experiencing an inner emotional journey that is displayed through her being in a bottle and the message is on the shore instead of being in the bottle. This is represented through the dull colours- dark blue and black.These are symbolic of the type of journey she is on. We give empathy to this girl as we get the feeling that no one wants to talk to her and no one likes to her their emotions all bottled up. Through both the texts The Late Ferry and The Red Tree journey is explored and depicted by the usage of symbolism and colours. Although both composers are using the same techniques the type of journey is completely different to one another. Ultimately both composers clearly display in their text what is happening throughout the whole time of this experience for the individual.

Novelist Charles Dickens Essay

What impression does Dickens give of Miss Havisham and Estella in Chapter 8 of â€Å"Great Expectation† and how does he achieve this? The story is set in the Victorian times. It is written by a novelist called Charles Dickens. It is about an orphan called â€Å"Pip†, who is reminiscing on his past. The novel is written in a 1st person narrative perspective. Chapter 8 fits into the rest of the novel because it is about how Pip learns the way of life and the road to being a gentleman. Pip gets into debt and receives money from a childhood acquaintance – Magwitch, an escaped convict. During the novel we not only see Pip’s life we also follow the life of his love, Estella. After falling into debt and running away from the consequences of his reckless actions, Pip realizes that he can no longer be a real gentleman. The first meeting Pip has with Miss Havisham and Estella has a big impact on Pip because it changes his life by showing him exactly how much of a lower class person he is compared to Miss Havisham and Estella. Dickens makes Miss Havisham seem rich, but poor, and scary by the way he describes the outside of her house. He uses irony to describe Miss Havisham’s house, saying that the house â€Å"was of old bricks, dismal and had a great many iron bars to it. † This makes Miss Havisham look scary and the house look broken because the phrase â€Å"had a great many iron bars to it† suggests that whatever is in there, has been locked up and is not allowed out of there. The use of â€Å"old bricks† suggests that the house it tatty and hasn’t been refurbished in a long time. It also suggests that Miss Havisham is poor because if she were rich, she would have gotten the houses bricks fixed. The word â€Å"Dismal† suggests that the house is gloomy and of poor quality. The phrase â€Å"had a great many iron bars to it† could also mean that Miss Havisham doesn’t want to be disturbed and doesn’t want to be involved with the outside world. Dickens also uses Miss Havisham’s room to show the reader that Miss Havisham is of a higher class citizen than Pip. He does this by using phrases like â€Å"all clocks and watches stopped at twenty to nine† and â€Å"dresses lying around† and also â€Å"no glimpse of daylight could be seen†. The phrase â€Å"all clocks and watches stopped at twenty to nine† shows the reader that Miss Havisham might be mentally disturbed because normally people would make sure at least one clock works, but in this case none of the clocks work and all of them happen to have stopped exactly twenty minutes to nine. However, the phrase â€Å"dresses lying around† could suggest that Miss Havisham doesn’t know how to clean and could also suggest that there was once a lot of people there but not anymore. â€Å"No glimpse of daylight could be seen† indicates to the reader that the house is very dark inside and it is abandoned. It could also mean that whatever lives there has been trapped. This is a perfect use of irony because normally a rich person would have a house that didn’t have iron bars on the front and also they would have a tidy, clean and under control house, but although Miss Havisham is rich her house is nothing like what you would expect from a rich and upper class person. Dickens uses the characters to give an impression of Miss Havisham and Estella. He uses sentences like â€Å"Dressed in rich materials† and â€Å"satins, and lace and silks – all of white†, â€Å"Bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands† and â€Å"I had been taken to see some ghastly waxwork†. The phase â€Å"rich materials† implies to the reader Miss Havisham is rich and she can afford the materials that are in her dresses. Also the use of â€Å"satins, and lace and silks – all of white† suggests to the reader that Miss Havisham is a ghostly and spiritless character with no human emotions. The phrase â€Å"Bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands† could also suggest that Miss Havisham is rich because they â€Å"sparkle† and she likes to show off by wearing the jewels on her neck and her hands. However, â€Å"ghastly waxwork† shows the reader that Miss Havisham’s body has not moved for ages and therefore is rotting and therefore it has turned into a waxwork. The word ghastly implies to the reader that Miss Havisham body is informal and unpleasant. The irony is that you wouldn’t expect someone as rich as Miss Havisham to look informal or unpleasant when they have guests. On the other hand the word ghastly could mean that Miss Havisham is ill and can’t afford medical care. One way Dickens makes Miss Havisham look rich but poor at the same time is by the things he says she does. He says she sits in the dark â€Å"corpse like† and that she â€Å"watches Pip and Estella play†. The use of corpse indicates that Miss Havisham is dead. The phrase â€Å"watches Pip and Estella play† suggests that Miss Havisham enjoys watching the children play and that even though she is rich, and therefore should have a nanny for the children, she still doesn’t mind watching the children even if it might affect her social status. However the phrase corpse like could suggest that Miss Havisham isn’t dead but wants to be dead. Dickens also shows the reader that Miss Havisham is of a higher social status than Pip by the way she says things. For example instead of calling him Pip, Miss Havisham calls him â€Å"boy† Also, she says â€Å"Who is it†¦ Pip? † as if she didn’t know it was him that came even though she asked for him to come. The use of â€Å"boy† suggests to the reader that Miss Havisham is of a higher social status than Pip because in the Victorian times a person who is of a higher social status usually didn’t call a person who is of a lower social status by their name. Also, the way Miss Havisham doesn’t recognize Pip even though she asked for him suggests that she doesn’t remember much. However, the use of â€Å"boy† could also suggest that Miss Havisham doesn’t have the decency to call Pip by his name because he is a guest at her house and guests should be treated with respect. Dickens gives the impression that Estella is a good-looking girl and that Pip likes her. He does this by using phrases like â€Å"young lady, who was very pretty† and â€Å"her light came along the dark passage like a star†. â€Å"Young lady, who was very pretty† emphasizes the point that Estella is an attractive girl because the word â€Å"pretty† means pleasing to look at and that is exactly what Pip thinks when he looks at her for the first time. However the use of â€Å"her light came along the dark passage like a star† could suggest that Estella is attractive to look at but is also blinding in a bad way because a star is pretty but if you were close to it or stared at it for a long time it could make you go blind. Dickens gives us the impression that Estella is evil because she â€Å"stands in the dark passageway until called repeatedly† and she â€Å"chucked food at me as if I were a dog† The phrase â€Å"stands in the dark passageway until called repeatedly† indicates that she likes the dark because she is evil and she doesn’t come as soon as she is called, she comes after being called â€Å"repeatedly†. Also, the phrase â€Å"chucked food at me as if I were a dog† suggests that Estella is evil because you would expect a normal person to give food to another person with respect and into their hands but Estella â€Å"chucks† the food at Pip as if he were a â€Å"dog†. Dickens shows us how the upper class liked to insult or find the fault in everything a lower class person does. Estella insults and intimidates Pip as shown by â€Å"I misdealt, as way only natural when I knew she way lying in wait for me to do wrong† and â€Å"she denounced me for a stupid, clumsy labouringly boy†. This shows the reader how Estella had been trained to look for the fault in people and to be cruel. However the use of â€Å"I misdealt, as way only natural when I knew she was lying in wait for me to do wrong† could suggest to the reader that Estella is impatient and can’t be bothered to play with someone who is of a lower social status than her. Dickens describes many feelings of Pip’s which change throughout the visit. This is shown by â€Å"I think she is very pretty† and â€Å"I think she is very insulting†. This is what Pip whispers into Miss Havisham’s ear about Estella. This also shows that he has mixed feelings for Estella. Dickens further describes Pip’s feelings about the visit â€Å"as if I were a dog in disgrace. I was so humiliated, hurt, spurned, offended, angry, sorry – I cannot hit upon the right name for the smart – God knows what its name was – that the tears started to my eyes† and â€Å"as I cried, I kicked the wall, and took a name, that needed counteraction†. This clearly highlights Pip’s feeling to the reader. He feels a huge amount of rage that he cannot even describe it himself. He has never felt in such a way before as he has been insulted and offended about it his natural social state and at the same time has mixed feelings about what he feels for Estella.

Small Self-Sustaining Community Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Small Self-Sustaining Community - Term Paper Example Certain principles will be put into consideration when setting up a community which is sustainable and self sufficient. All the stakeholders including government, business people, locals and infrastructure should be put into consideration when coming up with the plan for the project. Engagement and collaboration between stakeholders will result into a holistic, long term and long lasting plan. The community must exist for future generations by not exhausting water, air, land and other ecological resources, which support the existence of that community. As a planner I will put into consideration the needs of all the professionals who will move in to work in the community, plus the needs of the locals. This will include daily activities such as going to school, work and accessing recreation facilities. The plan will nourish social integration. Transport and businesses will be put up in close proximity with one another. Transport systems will therefore be crucial to aid movement. There will be rapid rail system in place and scheduled bus services. All this transport systems will run on green energy. Since residents do not have to travel long distances, there will be no need for them to use personal cars, hence saving on fuel and in the end less harm to the environment in form of global warming. Residents will be able to walk and cycle, transport means which saves on energy. Greening of the community will be a priority, therefore green landscapes, balcony and roof top agriculture will be a common practice. Education of the community on environmental preservation will be a enhanced to enable this shift to sustainability. The buildings that will come up will be energy efficient for example correct insulation and solar power installation. Housing will shift from suburbs which lead to deforestation to high density buildings within the town centre to ease movement. Solid waste management will be a priority. The four Rs for example reducing and recycling will be put into consideration, this will minimize on the waste generated and that is released into the environment by the community. Composting of kitchen waste which is biodegradable will be a major way of managing waste; this is a natural process of organic waste decomposition. The end product is then used for growing of organic food instead of using chemical fertilizers which are harmful to the environment. The process of collection, transportation, recycling and disposal of waste will be handled in an ecologically friendly way to minimize pollution. Sewerage is another waste product that should be handled with care. This is because of the risk it poses to the health of the community and ecology if not handled with care. This waste presents an opportunity for treatment of the waste water which will then be used for other purposes for example irrigation in food growing. Employment opportunities will also be created in the process hence improvement in living standards. Care will however be taken to ensure that this water does not get into contact with clean drinking water because it would lead to contamination. Clean energy production and use will be a major component in the design of the city. Going green in terms of energy use is no longer an option., there should be a shift from use of non renewable energy sources to renewable sources of energy, for example hydroelectricity, geothermal energy and tidal energy. Energy to be used in the community wil

Miscommunication in Aviaition Safety Research Paper

Miscommunication in Aviaition Safety - Research Paper Example Consequently, miscommunication among these individuals may result in grave consequences such as a fatal crash or accident. Of all aviation accidents that have been reported, over 70% points to miscommunication as a significant contributor to the fatal aviation crashes. Hence, miscommunication in the form of improper English, language errors, as well as inefficient cockpit communication is among the leading causes of fatal aviation accidents. Language problem is the major cause of airspace accidents due to crew communication and coordination. Pilots operate huge and complicated planes in busy and large terminals, and thus, they need help from the ground including information and support on landing and taking off provided by the air-traffic control (ATC). Therefore, communication between ATC and pilots should be clear, efficient, and proper because any mishap in communication can lead to a fatal crash as seen in the case of two Boeing 747 crashing into each other. Evidence shows that improper English and communication interference were the major cause of the fatal crash on March 27, 1977 that injured 61 and killed 583 people (Tajima 454). The captain notified the controller that they were at a takeoff position, and since this statement has double meaning, the controller misinterpreted it. The controller thought that the captain meant they were waiting for runway clearance, but not in motion, but sadly, the plane was alrea dy in motion making a run on the runway. Further instructions given to the captain to standby did not reach him due to radio transmission interruption. What followed was a fatal crash between KLM 4805 and PAA airplane, which was still on the runway when KLM 4805 was taking off. According to Tajima, this was a case of improper English whereby the captain’s native language Dutch influenced unconscious code-mixing that interfered with English phrase resulting in inefficient communication to the ATC (456). Apart from pilot and ATC

-Select your favorite section in the orchestra (woodwinds, brass, Essay

-Select your favorite section in the orchestra (woodwinds, brass, percussion, strings) - Essay Example y with the players who are profoundly disposed to their craft with the wind and I love the practical aspect of the horns which in time have flexibly managed to create genres of passionate music. As such, the jazz, the soul, and even the reggae and ska would not have been able to do justice in their intended lyrical rhythms and peculiarity without the life and spirit of the horns or equivalent wind device. It is specifically notable to have recognized the art and sharp goodness of wind instrumentation upon listening to the songs â€Å"Nightbird† by Kalapana and the version of â€Å"Strangers in the Night† by E. Humperdinck as viewed at the London Palladium theatre. The woodwinds may be observed with spontaneity in portraying the necessary emotions drawn from these pieces that to the majority of the audience, they bear the impact of registering the essence and intensity of the stories conveyed to long-term

SHOULD ETHANOL BE REQUIRED IN GASOLINE Annotated Bibliography

SHOULD ETHANOL BE REQUIRED IN GASOLINE - Annotated Bibliography Example It analyses various aspects of ethanol usage in vehicles. Even though, this article has not given a specific conclusion, it helps the readers to understand the pros and cons of using encouraging ethanol use in gasoline. It has quoted the opinions of formidable agencies like US Department of Energy to substantiate the arguments. This article Why is there ethanol in gasoline written by Jeremy Korzeniewski in 2009 mostly argues in favor of using ethanol in gasoline. This article analyzed only the consequences of using either 10 or 15% ethanol with gasoline even though the concepts like 85% ethanol use in gasoline are growing popularity at present. This article also analyses various governmental directions on ethanol use in gasoline. The comments received for this article are helpful for the readers to know more about the public perception about the ethanol use in America. 4. Madison, M. & Bruno T. (2011). Does ethanol-blended gasoline truly help your fuel economy? Retrieved from http://www.helium.com/debates/85358-does-ethanol-blended-gasoline-truly-help-your-fuel-economy/side_by_side This article appeared on Helium as written by two people; Maggie Madison & Tony Bruno. It starts with an ongoing poll result of the question Does ethanol-blended gasoline truly help your fuel economy? At the time of writing this annotated bibliography, only 30% of the participants said Yes to the questions whereas 70% said No. This article analyses the advantages and disadvantages of using ethanol in gasoline. This article also tries to answer the question; Is E85 fuel a scam or a solution? It help the readers to clear out many of their myths about ethanol use in gasoline This article was initially appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times on January 27, 2007. It was written by Jerry Taylor and Peter Van Doren. This article mostly argues against the usage of ethanol in gasoline. It tries to discard some of the prominent claims of

Fashion Industry Through H&M and GAP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Fashion Industry Through H&M and GAP - Essay Example This showed that the Gap is interested in these charities, too. Also, the Gap on their web page has emphasized their socially responsible projects. H&M also targets young people, and they also stress corporate responsibility, as this is part of their web page, telling about their activities in protecting the environment. Additionally, on their web page, H&M has a social media room, where people can post on the wall, tweet and read blogs about fashion.   H&M indicates that they get their fashion ideas from designer runways, then â€Å"rip them off’† and bring the ideas to their stores. For instance, H&M’s blog states that Prada might consider using them for reproducing their skirts and shirts, and their designer, Zara, goes to the fashion shows and copies the looks, trends and designs. So, basically, H&M’s claim to fame is that they get the ideas from the runway, then pares it down to affordable prices, so that designer looks can be had for less. The Gap is a bit different, as they do not emphasize couture, so they probably do not get their ideas from the runways. What they emphasize is classic – â€Å"modern, sexy, American, cool† is their motto. Therefore, the ideas that they emphasize are different, seasonal takes on classic designs, with less emphasis on runway looks and more emphasis on what has been popular for ages, then put different twists on these looks. Both GAP and H&M outsource all of their manufacturing, mostly to Asia. This means that the companies have to worry about getting the clothing into the distribution warehouses and out to individual stores. How do these companies control their transportation costs?   With H&M, they control transportation costs by concentrating their stores on the coasts, and virtually neglecting the Midwest. Their stores are concentrated into clusters, which means that there is less fuel to be spent going from store to store. Also, the stores that are not on the coasts are still by bodies of water, such as the Great Lakes, which is another way that merchandise may be transported.  Ã‚  

Business - Corporate Accountability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business - Corporate Accountability - Essay Example In simple terms, corporate accountability is the ability of individuals affected by a corporation to take charge of the actions of the enterprise. It involves changes in the legal framework of how a company operates within social and environmental parameters. Corporate accountability ensures that the legal framework within which a corporation operates is enforceable. This means that the corporation can be held accountable if it fails to meet the set requirements. It offers legal rights over the relevant stakeholders to seek compensation incase they suffer from the company’s operation (Friends of Earth, 2005). Corporate accountability ensures corporations operate with the view of minimizing and avoiding social or environmental risk and harm. The concept of corporate accountability has brought various enlightened sectors of the corporate world together. Environmental organizations, trade unions, consumers, human rights and governments have all united behind the concept of corpor ate accountability (Friends of Earth, 2010). Corporations regularly may exploit weak regulatory systems in poor and developing countries making citizens in such countries vulnerable to corporate human rights abuse. Corporations also exploit such weak domestic regulatory systems due to the lack of international corporate accountability. ... As companies expand internationally, regulation measures have not been put in place to ensure compensation for individuals whose human rights become violated. Large and multinational companies have an obligation to protect human rights within their operations. Corporate accountability provides corporations with an opportunity to have a look at its operations and impact on people as well as the environment (Isaleem, 2010). This paper will focus on a case study on corporate response of the Shell oil company towards corporate accountability resulting from consumer and political pressure. CASE STUDY: SHELL OIL COMPANY Shell Oil Company is the fifth largest company in the world according to Forbes magazine. It is a global oil and gas company. The company’s registered office is in London while its headquarters are located at The Hague, Netherlands. The company’s primary business involves oil exploration, harvesting, transportation and trade. In its oil operations, the company has come under severe scrutiny regarding to its role in environmental pollution and human rights abuses in several countries. It has become particularly criticized over the effects of its operations in Africa which has led to several protests against the company. Its operations in the Niger-delta located in Nigeria have resulted to extreme environmental issues (Amnesty International, 2005). Oil spills resulting from old and corroded pipelines has contributed to the death of vegetation, fish and general environmental degradation in the Niger-delta. This has led to mass protests against Shell by the local population in Niger-delta and particularly Amnesty international. The environmental pollution has also led to calls to

Storm Chasers in Tornado Alley Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Storm Chasers in Tornado Alley - Research Paper Example Storm chasing in Tornado Alley is a dangerous, thrilling and awe inspiring activity assisted by modern technology but the risks taken is well rewarded by the information gained, which is a significant contribution to the field of studying storms. 1. The storm chaser’s experience of studying storms in Tornado Alley The experience of chasing Tornado in the Tornado Alley is a unique experience, the taste of which cannot be found anywhere else. On June 24, 2003 Hamlet of Manchester, South Dakota was hit by a Tornado . As the tornado was moving in its course, Tim Samaras and his storm chasing partner Pat Potter were in a van chasing that storm. It had all the equipments like probes which can measure the wind speed and its direction. Storm chasers Carsten Peter and Gene Rhodene were following the storm in another car. They had a pyramid-shaped probe, which they called Tinman, loaded with still cameras, solely made for the purpose of filming inside the tornado. The sound of the tornado was becoming more intense, as the tornado was only a hundred yards away from them. As the storm was approaching, Tim managed to deposit a probe, scurried to his car and could see the debris roaring above them while they were speeding away (Vesilind 1). After sometime they stopped their cars again. Carsten and Gene hauled their Tinman and activated the cameras, while Tim was dropping another turtle. It was appearing now that the storm was chasing the team rather than the team chasing the storm. The storm chasers could see two or three probes taking direct hits, but all of a sudden the previous ferocity and power of the tornado was lost as it changed and finally evaporated (Vesilind 2). Michael fish, an expert storm chaser has his own views about storm chasing in Tornado Alley2. Fish states, â€Å"Storm chasing is an exhilarating but testing way to travel. You have to be prepared for long days, driving sometimes up to 600 miles, and endure hours of frustration† (Fish). He and his team travelled for about 3,600 miles through Texas, Oklohoma and Kansas but could only locate a single funnel cloud, which cannot be called a tornado strictly. As described by him, a supercell start from a fluffy cumulus and transforms itself into a v ast thunder cloud known a cumulo-nimbus. Consequently, the cloud formation is accompanied by sheets of rain, a green tinge when the hail starts, increase in wind speed, drops in temperature, and the clouds starts to rotate above dipping towards the ground. This is the time to look for tornadoes (Fish). Despite Tornado Alley’s reputation, the number of tornadoes in some years drops very low. Whereas, 1,304 tornadoes took place in 2009, killing 121 people by the end of June in that year, only one twister was seen in 2009 till June. This was bad news for researchers like Burgess who were working on Vortex2, a funded project to study tornadoes in May and June that year (Welte). 2. Methodology and equipments used for storm chasing in Tornado Alley Storm chasing requires usage of some sort of equipment,3 irrespective of the place where the chase is being carried on. Doppler radar is a system which has been devised long time ago and it has been used for studying storms. Doppler rada r in comparison to other radars can also detect whether a storm is rotating and also the speed of the storm (Pine). Equipments vary with storm chasers but the common storm chasing equipments are usually

Sports and Academic Achievement Essay Example for Free

Sports and Academic Achievement Essay Many studies have been done regarding the positive impact that athletics has on a student’s life. Studies have looked at the physical impact that athletics has on a student’s life like sportsmanship, healthy lifestyle, discipline, strategy, and time management. We will be looking at studies that have explored the impact that athletics has on students’ academic abilities. Academic success can be measured in many ways but we will explore grade point averages, math and English test scores, and graduation success rates to show the positive impact athletics has on a student’s academic abilities. Introduction Participating in athletics offers students the opportunity to learn valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. Some lessons include teamwork, self-esteem, perseverance, discipline, time management, and healthy living. However, these lessons are not the only lessons a student learns. Students also learn lessons that carry over into the classroom and have a positive impact on academic achievement. These lessons include increased memory, diligence, time management, and memory capacity which can be supported by scientist that have researched the impact of physical activity on the brain. These studies have concluded that exercise causes â€Å"neurogenesis†, the process of growing cells in the brain therefore, increasing memory and learning capacities (Blaydes, 2011). The National Federation of State High School Associations in their 2008, â€Å"The Case for High School Activities† article shows that the return on investment on athletic programs and other extr acurricular activities is very high. Look more:  essay on perseverance â€Å"At a cost of only one to three percent (or less in many cases) of an overall school’s budget, high school activity programs are one of the best bargins around. It is in these vital programs – sports, music, speech, drama, debate – where young people learn lifelong lessons as that compliment the academic lessons taught in the classroom† (p. 1) Students who participate in athletics will experience greater academic success than students who do not participate in athletics. Using various research studies I will support this hypothesis by detailing the correlations between academic achievement and athletic participation. Students who participate in athletics have higher grade point averages (GPA), higher Math and English scores, and obtain higher levels of graduation rates and continue on to higher education. Grade Point Averages of athletes vs. non-athletes One of the measurements of academic success is grade point averages. High grade point averages indicate one’s diligence, perseverance and desire to succeed. Students who participate in athletics have higher GPA’s than students who do not participate in athletics. The 2002 study conducted by Schaben and Stevens of middle school students showed that students who participated in athletics had an average GPA of 3.15 compared to nonathletic students which carried an average GPA of 2.4 (p. 38). Another study of high school students by Stegman and Stephens (2000) found that both male and female students that had low athletic participation carried lower GPA’s. Male students in the 12th grade that did not participate in athletics carried an average GPA of 3.04 compared to 3.18 of male 12th graders that did participate. Female students in the 12th grade that did not participate in athletics carried an average GPA of 3.28 compared to 3.62 of female 12th grades that did participate (p. 3). Athletic participation directly impacts grade point averages of students that participate; therefore, students who participate in athletics have more academic success than students who do not participate in athletics. Math and English scores of athletes vs. non-athletes High math scores indicate academic success because it shows a student’s ability for problem solving, logical thinking and calculations. High English scores indicate academic success in students by way of writing abilities and communication abilities. Students who participate in athletics have higher Math and English grades than students who do not participate in athletics. Students who participated in athletics were found to have an average final grade of 74.5 in Math and 74.6 in English. Students that did not participate in athletics were found to have an average final grade of 715 in Math and 70.3 in English (Zaugg, 1998, p. 68). A North Carolina High School study of students who participate in athletics found that students who did not participate in athletics had an average Math grade of 57.9 and 50.8 for English compared to those students who did participate that had an average Math grade of 66.1 and 61.4 in English (2001, NCHSAA Bulletin, p. 2). Studies have consistently shown that participation in athletics directly impacts a student’s scores in Math and English to be higher than students that do not participate in athletics. Graduation Rates of athletes vs. non-athletes Students who participate in athletics have higher graduation rates and continue on to higher learning more often than students who do not participate in athletics. This is an academic success indicator because the athletic student is graduation and continuing on in their academic success in college. The National Center for Education Statistics followed high school athletes 8 years after graduation and found that elite athletes and varsity athletes are more than 1.70 times more likely to have postsecondary education (2005, Carlson, Planty, Scott, and Thompson, p. 11). Male students who do not participate in athletics are 4% less likely to obtain a college degree than those males students who did participate in athletics. There was a similar correlation between female non-athletes and female athletes (2001, Caudill and Long, p.529). Athletic students have a higher graduation rate than non-athletic students and athletic students continue on to higher education more often than non-athlet ic students. Objection of higher academic success in athletes One objection to the impact that athletics has on academics success is a study showing that non-athletes have higher ACT/SAT scores. In the 1997 Chronicle of Education article by Jim Naughton, students that did not participate in athletics had higher ACT scores (average 21+) than students who did participate in athletics (average of 19) (p. A44). In the study of high school seniors in Eastern Tennessee (2010, Gorman, p. 80) recorded no significant difference in ACT scores between participating and non-participating students. This objection disputes the findings that athletes have more academic success than non-athletes. Conclusion As the studies have shown, the impact of athletics isn’t just physical. â€Å"Interscholastic sports also promote life skills and lessons and enhance academic performance† (Lumpkin Stokowski, 2011). Those lessons carry over in the classroom and boost grade point averages, as well as the scores of Math and English. It has been found that athletic students have a higher frequency of graduation and continue on to higher education than non-athletic students. Students who participate in athletics have more academic success than students who do not participate in athletics. References Barber, B. L., Eccles, J. S. Stone, M. R. (2001). Whatever happened to the Jock, the Brain, and the Princess? : Young adult pathways linked to adolescent activity involvement and social identity. Journal of Adolescent Research, 16, 429-455. doi: 10.1177/0743558401165002 Blaydes, J. (2011, Fall). How to make learning a moving experience. Seen Magazine, 13(2), 78-79. Carlson, D., Planty, M., Scott, L., Thompson, J. (2005). Statistics in Brief: What is the status of high school athletes 8 years after their senior year? (NCES 2005303). Retrieved from the National Center for Education Statistics website http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/nels88/ Caudill, S. B. Long, J. E. (1991, August). The impact of participation in intercollegiate athletics on income and graduation. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 73(3), 525-531. Gorman, D. A. (2010). The effect of athletic participation on academic achievement for high school seniors in Eastern Tennessee (Doctorial dissertation). Liberty University , Lynchburg, VA. Lumpkin, A. Stokowski, S. (2011, Spring). Interscholastic sports: A character-building privilege. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47(3), 124-8. National Federation of State High School Associations. (2008). The case for high school activities. (NFHS Report). Retrieved from Oregon School Activities Association website: www.osaa.org/osaainfo/08CaseForHSActivities.pdf Naughton, J. (1997). Athletes on top-ranked teams lack grades and test scores of other students. Chronicle of Higher Education, 43(46), 43-44. Schaben, L. A. Stephens, L. J. (2000, February). The effect of interscholastic sports participation on academic achievements of middle level school students. NASSP Bulletin, 86(34), 34-41. doi: 10.1177/019263650208663005 Stegman, M. Stephens, L. J. (2000). Athletics and academics: are they compatible? High School Magazine, 7(6), 36-9. Unknown. (2001, Fall). High school athletes outperform nonathletes again by wide margins in massive statewide academic study. North Carolina High School Athletic Association Bulletin, 54(1), 2. Zaugg, H. (1998). Academic comparison of athletes and non-athletes in a rural high school. NASSP Bulletin, 82, 63-72. doi: 10.1177/019263659808259910

Kondracke and Vidal Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Kondracke and Vidal Evaluation Essay In the article, â€Å"Don’t Legalize Drugs† by Morton M. Kondracke, writes on the pros and cons of the legalization of drugs in a convincing way to help the reader understand the ultimate downfall of our society if the legalization of drugs does come into effect. His convincing tone is brought together by his logical, outside resources, and predictions from credible doctors. His use of pathos also helps the reader have a deeper understanding of the serious problems of legalizing drugs. As Kondracke states in the beginning, â€Å" if the advocates of legalized drugs do have their way†¦there will also be more unpublicized fatal and maiming crashes, more job accidents, more child neglect, more of almost everything associated with substance abuse: babies born addicted or retarded..† hoping to touch the hearts of the many. Kondracke uses outside resources such as Dr. Robert DuPont who is the former director of the National Institutes of Drug Abuse and his predictions to help further his argument and give credibility. Not only does he share with the reader outside sources and studies, but he mentions many examples by comparing the predictions of legalizing drugs and the actual result of alcohol in America and what effects it would have on our society if alcohol has already done so much to change America. The only real flaw I see with this article is that it is old and much in our society has changed. In the article, â€Å"Drugs: Case for Legalizing Marijuana† by Gore Vidal, his case for the legalization of marijuana is not quite convincing enough to even call it a case. Nothing in his article seems to be believable because he uses no real statistics except for his own when he says, â€Å"†¦I have tried—once—almost every drug and liked none disproving the popular Fu Manchu theory that a single whiff of opium will enslave the mind.† which doesn’t help his case at all seeing that he could have made up that side story on the spot. Not only does he share no real believable evidence, but the article is also over forty years old and things have definitely changed. The seriousness of this article is not well developed enough which gives the reader more of a laugh than deep thinking reasoning.

Effect of Currency Exchange Rate on Aggregate Demand Shocks

Effect of Currency Exchange Rate on Aggregate Demand Shocks The exchange rate helps insulate the economy from aggregate demand shocks but it may need unsettlingly large changes to do so. This paper will examine the extent to which the exchange rate of a currency can be used to insulate an economy from aggregate demand shocks. First, it will define aggregate demand. Second, it will look at the monetary implications of the aggregate demand curve. Thirdly it will look define aggregate demand shocks and their effect on the aggregate demand curve. Fourthly, it will examine the ways in which the exchange rate can be used to reduce the impact of an aggregate demand shock. Finally, the question of whether using the exchange rate as a means of reducing the impact of an aggregate demand shock will be examined to determine whether it is a feasible strategy and whether the amounts required would be unsettling or not. Aggregate Demand (AD) refers to the total demand (d) in the economy (Y) for goods and services at a certain price level and at a certain time. AD in an economy is the sum of all consumption (C), investment (I), government spending (G) and net exports (NX), where NX is equal to total exports (X) minus total imports (M). This can be represented mathematically as: [1] Aggregate demand is represented by the AD curve, which will show the relationship between price levels and the quantity that producers are willing to provide at that price. The relationship between AD and price is normally negative, showing that the less people are willing to pay, the less firms will produce or, from the other point of view, the less firms charge, the more people will buy. Below is a simple AD ‘curve’: In the chart above, the AD ‘curve’ is represented by a negatively sloped line. If prices (P) are lower, demand (Y) is greater. This negative relationship between price and demand has a number of important monetary consequences. It is necessary to briefly examine these prior to examining the relationship between exchange rates and aggregate demand.[2] Firstly, price levels (P) have a direct relationship to the real value of money. This is because as price levels (P) decrease, the purchasing power of consumers increases, meaning that the real value of the money they hold increases. Likewise, if P increases, consumers get less for the same money, or the real value of their money has decreased. Therefore, P and the real value of money are inversely related to each other.[3] Secondly, decreases in P cause an increase in the real interest rate. Interest rates, the price a borrower pays to borrow, or the return a lender receives for lending, can be expressed as a nominal or real rate. The nominal rate is the amount that must be paid for borrowing, expressed solely in money terms. The real interest rate is the nominal rate adjusted to take account of inflation (p). Thus real interest rates are expressed by the following formula: Thus, the higher p, the lower the real interest rate. Therefore, any increase in inflation will generally lead to pressure on the nominal interest rate to increase, to offset the deduction that will result from inflation. However, as we have seen above, price level decreases add to the real value of money, this is the same as saying that they decrease inflation. A decrease in inflation will mean that real interest rates are now higher than they were before the decrease in inflation. Therefore, price level decreases raise real interest rates and cause pressure for interest rates to be reduced.[4] Thirdly, lower prices increase the international competitiveness of the economy, and this should be reflected in increased international demand for the economy’s exports, causing a rise in net exports and thus in the aggregate demand. Now we will look at aggregate demand shocks. A demand shock is an event that is sudden and unexpected, and has the effect of measurably affecting the demand for goods and services in the economy, either positively or negatively, for a temporary period of time.[5] That is to say, the event shifts the AD curve, either to the right or to the left. A positive demand shock increases demand and shifts the curve to the right, resulting in higher prices. A negative demand shock decreases demand, shifts the curve to the left, and thus leads to a decrease in prices. Any number of events could constitute a demand shock, from an unexpected tax cut that increases consumer spending, to a dip in consumer confidence that decreases consumer spending. Likewise, an economic boom in for example China could result in higher exports to China, increasing demand. The danger of an aggregate demand shock is that they are a cause of uncertainty in the economy. Uncertainty makes it difficult for firms, government and consumers to budget properly and make the most effective investment and saving decisions. Both positive and negative demand shocks can be harmful, however, negative shocks are generally more feared. A negative demand shock, such as a drop in consumer spending, will lead to price decreases and the 2008 global financial crisis has been traced to such a demand shock in the US, which led to a fall in house prices, causing problems in the US subprime mortgage sector that then extended to the rest of the financial sector and wider economy. However, positive demand shocks, such as China’s increased demand for raw materials to fuel its economic growth have led to price increases in a number of important commodities that have also caused economic difficulties around the globe. Therefore, the consensus is that demand shocks of either ty pe are dangerous and any means of dampening them available to governments are desirable.[6] So could exchange rates be used to dampen a demand shock? A brief look at the relationship between monetary factors and the demand curve will demonstrate that exchange rates can be used to affect the demand curve. Therefore, in a positive demand shock, exchange rates could be used to decrease demand and in a negative demand shock, exchange rates could be used to increase demand. The relationship between two currencies may be nominal (e), or it may be real (RER). The real exchange rate takes into account variances in price levels in the two economies. P represents price in the domestic economy and P* the price in the foreign economy. [7] The exchange rate can be used to increase or decrease the price of goods in the economy relative to other economies. This will in turn impact on the international demand for a country’s products. This will impact on the net export figure (NX). A higher exchange rate will decrease international demand and thus will pressure a demand curve towards the left. This could be used to temper a positive demand shock that had increased demand for goods and pressured the curve towards the right. Likewise, a lower exchange rate will increase international demand, increasing exports and shifting the demand curve to the left. This could be used in the event of a negative demand shock to reduce the impact of the shock.[8] Basically, if any sector of demand changes rapidly, the government can seek to push exports in the opposite direction by making them more or less expensive. It is a simple idea and manipulating exports may be more desirable than manipulating other elements of demand, such as government spending, and may be easier to manipulate than, for example, consumer spending. Finally, the question must be asked, is the approach feasible? A central bank can quite easily impact on exchange rates by trading in its own currency. Buying will increase the exchange rate and selling will decrease the exchange rate. However, in order to move a currency value significantly, a central bank would be required to buy or sell a ‘significant’ amount of a currency. So what constitutes a ‘significant amount’ in the foreign exchange market? The global currency market is the largest and most liquid asset class in the world. The accepted size of this market in 2007 was generally put at about two trillion dollars a day. That would make it ten to fifteen times the size of the bond market and fifty times the size of the equities market. That means on a normal trading day, two trillion dollars passes hands. It would take an enormous amount of selling or buying by a central bank to make a dent in this market. A central bank that stepped in to buy or sell a couple of billion dollars worth of their currency would barely be noticed on the market, especially for the major currencies. And the question arises, how would a government fund such an intervention? It is also estimated that about 85 to 90 percent of the forex market is made up of speculators, meaning that attempts to manipulate exchange rates would be vulnerable to massive speculator bets which would have the power to undo any effect a government had on price movements.[9] Also, given the side effects of exchange rate changes, such as the relationship of the exchange rate to inflation, it is likely that the cost of moving the exchange rate, just to get the indirect benefit of altering net exports, would outweigh the benefit.[10] Therefore, it is concluded here that while exchange rates could be manipulated to insulate the economy from aggregate demand shocks, it amount of intervention required would be too large to justify the measure. Bibliography Dutt Ros, Aggregate demand shocks and economic growth, Struct.C.Ec.Dy 18 (2007) 75-99 Hargreaves-Heap, S.P., 1980. Choosing the wrong natural rate: accelerating inà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ation or decelerating employment and growth? Economic Journal 90, 239–253 Krugman Obstfeld, (2005) International Economics: Theory and Policy, 6th ed., Pearson: London Krugman, (1987) The narrowing band, the Dutch disease and the competitiveness consequences of Mrs. Thatcher, Notes of Trade in the Presence of Dynamic Scale Economies, Journal of Development Economics (Oct) 1987 p. 321 Krugman, (1998) The Age of Diminishing Expectation, MIT Press: Cambridge MA. Li, X.M., 2000. The Great leap Forward, economic reforms, and the unit root hypothesis: testing for breaking trend functions in China’s GDP data. Journal of Comparative Economics 28 (4), 814–827 Perron, P., 1989. The Great Crash, the Oil Price Shock, and the Unit Root Hypothesis. Econometrica 57, 1361–1401 Romer, D., 1996. Advanced Macroeconomics. McGraw Hill: New York. Romer, D., 2000. Keynesian macroeconomics without the LM curve. Journal of Economic Perspectives 14 (Spring (2)), 149–169 Tobin, (1975) Keynesian Models of Recession and Depression, Am. Ec. Rev. 65, 195-202 Footnotes [1] Krugman Obstfeld, (2005) International Economics: Theory and Policy, 6th ed., Pearson: London [2] Krugman, (1998) The Age of Diminishing Expectation, MIT Press: Cambridge MA. [3] Dutt Ros, Aggregate demand shocks and economic growth, Struct.C.Ec.Dy 18 (2007) 75-99 [4] Krugman, (1987) The narrowing band, the Dutch disease and the competitiveness consequences of Mrs. Thatcher, Notes of Trade in the Presence of Dynamic Scale Economies, Journal of Development Economics (Oct) 1987 p. 321 [5] Tobin, (1975) Keynesian Models of Recession and Depression, Am. Ec. Rev. 65, 195-202 [6] Perron, P., 1989. The Great Crash, the Oil Price Shock, and the Unit Root Hypothesis. Econometrica 57, 1361–1401 [7] Romer, D., 1996. Advanced Macroeconomics. McGraw Hill: New York. [8] Romer, D., 2000. Keynesian macroeconomics without the LM curve. Journal of Economic Perspectives 14 (Spring (2)), 149–169 [9] Li, X.M., 2000. The Great leap Forward, economic reforms, and the unit root hypothesis: testing for breaking trend functions in China’s GDP data. Journal of Comparative Economics 28 (4), 814–827 [10] Hargreaves-Heap, S.P., 1980. Choosing the wrong natural rate: accelerating inà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ation or decelerating employment and growth? Economic Journal 90, 239–253

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay -- Pregnancy Health Essays

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Many studies have established that a developing organism is susceptible to exogenous and endogenous factors during certain stage of the organism’s development. The effects of ethyl alcohol or ethanol on the developing fetus, which manifest a variety of characteristic abnormalities, are collectively called Fetal alcohol Syndrome. Ethanol exposure to the fetus causes various malformation ranging from the cellular to the organismic levels with the eventual results frequently being different levels of mental retardation (3). Chick embryo studies provide a relatively good model for defining the effects of ethanol at many organizational levels of neurogenesis, cell death, neuronal migration and differentiation, cell to cell connectivity, and synaptic function When ethanol is administered to embryos on days one to three of development, the cholinergic neuronal phenotypes were markedly decreased possibly in the sparing of catecholaminergic phenotypes which were increased. This differential sensitivity of these two early neuroblast populations to ethanol may also reflect the difference in their ontogenesis: cholinergic elements are reported to be expressed as early as the primitive streak, whereas catecholaminergic elements appear later (3). Embryos on embryonic day one are most susceptible to the effects of ethanol. Embryonic day one in the chick is marked by an active process of neurogenesis and neuro-organization. The neural tube elements are made during this early embryonic period. Brodie and Vernadakis inspected the effect of ethanol on cholinergic spinal cord neurons during this embryonic period. The neuroblast during this period shows plasticity with respect to neurotransmitter phenotypes, when ex... ...s in these target organs at critical developmental periods would result in defects of these organs (5). BIBLIOGRAPHY: Abel, E. and Sokol, R. A Revised Conservative Estimate of the Incidence of FAS and Its Economic Impact. Alcoholism, 0145-6008:514-524 (1991). Bonthius, D. and West, J. Permanent Neuronal Deficits in Rats Exposed to Alcohol During the Brain Growth Spurt. Teratology, 44:147-163 (1991). Brodie, C. and Vernadakis, R. Critical Periods to Ethanol Exposure During Early Neuroembryogenesis in the Chick Embryo: Cholinergic Neurons. Developmental Brain Research, 56:223-228 (1990). Burd, L. and Martsolf, J. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Diagnosis and Syndromal Variability. Physiology and Behavior, 46:39-43 (1989). Keir, W. Inhibition of Retinoic Acid Synthesis and its Implications in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Alcoholism. 15/3:560-564 (1991).

medea :: essays research papers

The tragic play Medea is a struggle between reason and violence. Medea is deliberately portrayed as not a ‘normal woman’, but excessive in her passions. Medea is a torment to herself and to others; that is why Euripides shows her blazing her way through life leaving wreckage behind her. Euripides has presented Medea as a figure previously thought of exclusively as a male- hero. Her balance of character is a combination of the outstanding qualities of Achilles and Odysseus. The problem set at the beginning of the play is that Jason has decided to marry another wife, Glauce. Medea is angered and will not let Jason off without punishment. The loss of Jason is not only a matter of passion; Medea has been completely humiliated by Jason's decision to take a new bride. Her pride shows again when she refuses Jason's aid. Though her situation is difficult, she would rather destroy all than accept help from one who has wronged her so horribly. Living as a barbarian among Greeks has made her more defensive, more full of hurt pride. To punish Jason, Medea had her children deliver poisoned gifts to the new bride, to kill her children, Glauce, and Creon. . Medea is not without feeling, nor is she a sociopath. She comprehends the difference between right and wrong, but chooses to follow the dictates of rage. Medeas character can be portrayed as a combination of the outstanding qualities of Achilles and Odysseus. Medea was a sorceress and held political power, Achilles was the Greek armies’ best warrior and was well respected, and Odysseus was the king of Ithaca and had much respect. However each of these characters possessed weaknesses which eventually lead to their downfalls. Like Achilles and Odysseus, the gods for her betrayal punished Medea. Achilles and Medea were both tough and seemingly invulnerable characters yet both were wounded deeply by the actions of others. Achilles suffered a fatal shot to the back of his heel with an arrow that had been laced with the blood of the hydra while Medea’s heart was broken when Jason left her for another woman. Like Odysseus, Medea was separated from her family and loved ones because of actions she took against both her family and gods. medea :: essays research papers The tragic play Medea is a struggle between reason and violence. Medea is deliberately portrayed as not a ‘normal woman’, but excessive in her passions. Medea is a torment to herself and to others; that is why Euripides shows her blazing her way through life leaving wreckage behind her. Euripides has presented Medea as a figure previously thought of exclusively as a male- hero. Her balance of character is a combination of the outstanding qualities of Achilles and Odysseus. The problem set at the beginning of the play is that Jason has decided to marry another wife, Glauce. Medea is angered and will not let Jason off without punishment. The loss of Jason is not only a matter of passion; Medea has been completely humiliated by Jason's decision to take a new bride. Her pride shows again when she refuses Jason's aid. Though her situation is difficult, she would rather destroy all than accept help from one who has wronged her so horribly. Living as a barbarian among Greeks has made her more defensive, more full of hurt pride. To punish Jason, Medea had her children deliver poisoned gifts to the new bride, to kill her children, Glauce, and Creon. . Medea is not without feeling, nor is she a sociopath. She comprehends the difference between right and wrong, but chooses to follow the dictates of rage. Medeas character can be portrayed as a combination of the outstanding qualities of Achilles and Odysseus. Medea was a sorceress and held political power, Achilles was the Greek armies’ best warrior and was well respected, and Odysseus was the king of Ithaca and had much respect. However each of these characters possessed weaknesses which eventually lead to their downfalls. Like Achilles and Odysseus, the gods for her betrayal punished Medea. Achilles and Medea were both tough and seemingly invulnerable characters yet both were wounded deeply by the actions of others. Achilles suffered a fatal shot to the back of his heel with an arrow that had been laced with the blood of the hydra while Medea’s heart was broken when Jason left her for another woman. Like Odysseus, Medea was separated from her family and loved ones because of actions she took against both her family and gods.

Essays on the Realistic Hero in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer :: Adventures of Tom Sawyer Essays

Realistic Hero in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tom Sawyer, the main character of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, written by Mark Twain, is an average boy who is bored with his civilized life and escapes these constraints by pulling pranks.   The character, Tom is presented as a realistic and convincing boy.   He is kind and loving, but also cruel, stupid, and hypocritical.   As the story progresses, Tom shows signs of maturity.   The story of Tom Sawyer, as well as TOM being about a realistic character, is a story that is instructive to adults and children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tom is shown, throughout the story, as a typical boy of his time.   He has a loving, happy home, with his devoted Aunt Polly to care for him.   He is restricted by his home routine of prayers, meals, chores, bedtime, ETCTERA, but when his routine life gets TOO dull, he has the nearby river and woods, where he can go to escape.   Though Tom is not " the model boy" of the village. He plays boyish pranks on Aunt Polly, Sid, his friends, and everyone in town.   He steals, lies, plays hooky, fights, and goes swimming secretly, but he is a normal boy, what normal boys do at his age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tom is an imaginative boy who has a good knowledge about human behavior and knows how to use it.   He continually outwits his Aunt Polly, and also persuades other boys to do his work for him, without them even knowing of his trickery.   One example of this is in the whitewashing scene, when his Aunt Polly makes him whitewash the outside fence before he is allowed to play.   He slyly convinces the first boy by saying "...I don't see why oughtn't like it.   Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence everyday?" (21) With this cunning use of words he manipulates the boy to whitewash the fence, which leads to others also joining in to help.   In the end, Tom has made a tidy profit as well as GETTING the whitewashing done without actually doing it.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As well as Tom being known as a strong boy, he also has fears.   He is afraid, at various times in the book, of being harmed by Injun Joe, starving to death with Becky in the cave, of witchcraft, and of death during the thunderstorm when he is ill with the measles.

Nineteen Eighty Four Essay

Nineteen Eighty Four is George Orwell’s nightmare vision of the future. Written in 1948, at the end of World War II, Orwell simply switched numbers for his future view. The opening chapter is very effective in the way that it straight away lets the reader know the style of the novel. The opening is a description of post-war London, and the introduction of the main character. Orwell saw the evil in the war just passed, and wrote about it. The imagery used can all be linked to the war or London. The novel is not personal, with more reference to the party and regimes, Orwell was a political writer, an extreme socialist. He is criticizing any political regime, socialist or fascist. Right from the outset the author intends to draw attention to the setting. The chapter is typical of the book as a whole; describing Orwell’s dystopia. The main character we are first introduced to is Winston Smith. This is a common, English name, showing that Winston is in no way separate from the majority. The name â€Å"Winston† can be linked to Winston Churchill, who had just lead England through the war. Along with the name, Winston is not presented as a hero, as one would expect of a main character. Winston is â€Å"thirty nine and had a varicose ulcer above his right ankle† and is incredibly unfit, â€Å"resting several times† on his way up the stairs. We are not, however, given a personality for our hero; we have to wait until part II of the novel to get personal detail. The opening passage introduces us to life for Winston. The settings described are not pleasant. Outside, there is a â€Å"vile wind† and â€Å"a swirl if gritty dust. † Inside Victory Mansions, where Winston resides, for it cannot be said that he â€Å"lives†, it is not much better. â€Å"The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats. † This gives the impression of rotting and deterioration. Everything is rationed; this is a reference to the war. â€Å"The present electric current was cut off during daylight hours. † Winston uses â€Å"blunt razor blades† and â€Å"coarse soap. † There is no colour described in the opening, the picture of the settings in the reader’s mind are black and white, therefore giving a sense of a grey, unhappy world. The people of London are not free. There is an imposing poster everywhere one turned, bearing the caption, â€Å"BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. † The man in the poster, â€Å"the face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features† could very well be Hitler or Stalin, another reference to the war. There is a sense of being watched, â€Å"the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. † The notion of Big Brother is introduced to us in the first ten lines of the novel, this clearly shows us where Orwell’s intentions lie. We are introduced to the concept of â€Å"Hate Week,† although no further detail is given. Orwell writes of it as though it is an every day event and nothing obscure should be thought of it. Big Brother is the antithesis of Winston, strong and powerful vs. frail and weak. The reader gets the impression Winston could never overthrow the party, although we are not yet introduced to his rebellious side as he does not yet have a character. We are introduced to the party slogans. The set out of them is a triangle, representing hierarchy, authority. The words are oxymorons, War and Peace, Freedom and Slavery, Ignorance and Strength. The words are ironic when used next to each other. They are each the antithesis of the other. If you take away people’s knowledge, you can tamper with their minds, as shown in the last slogan. Once inside Winston’s flat, we are introduced to the telescreens, furthering the notion that no one is free. There are helicopters that look into the houses and the telescreens that watch you. There is a description of a â€Å"dulled mirror† but mirrors cannot be dull, or the view would be distorted, this is another message from Orwell showing us nothing was clear. We get more description of Winston, still nothing personal, and still anti-heroic, â€Å"a smallish, frail figure, the meagerness of his body merely emphasized by the blue overalls which were the uniform of the party. † We get the impression he is not well. Everything he can see from his window is unpleasant, â€Å"the world looked cold,† it was â€Å"torn† and â€Å"harsh. † References to the war are frequent. The â€Å"Ninth Three-Year Plan† is ironic, because it would not be possible, and the Three-Year Plan relates to the plan Germany had after the war. The houses are describes as â€Å"rotting,† and â€Å"their sides shored up with baulks of timber, their windows patched with cardboard and their roofs with corrugated iron. † This is war-torn London. The place Winston lives, Oceania is at war. Orwell suggests the war is just a tool used by the party to keep the people oppressed. We are introduced to the Ministries. Their descriptions are the antithesis of the houses described. They are described as â€Å"startlingly different† and they are a wonder to look at. The Ministries are of Truth, Love, Peace and Plenty. The irony lies in the fact that the Ministry of love was the frightening one. Things were done with military precision, even the time is in twenty-four hour clock. The Ministries were guarded by uniformed, armed guards, â€Å"gorilla-faced guards. † Orwell uses alliteration to emphasize how imposing and horrible they looked. Another war image. The opening chapter is very effective in making the reader wan to read on, as it makes you feel you are reading history. This is because we are reading with hindsight. The reader feels they want to get to know Winston better because of what they have so far read. Orwell is effective is his opening because the settings are so well described that you instantly get a mental picture and are intrigued by the contrast between the war-torn London so well known and the surreal idea of helicopters looking in windows. It makes the reader wonder what might have happened had the war turned out differently, and Orwell’s Big Brother, Hitler or Stalin, had been successful.

Overcoming Multimedia Addiction Essay

Some of the students nowadays are struggling to stay awake while the rest of the world is asleep just to read their friends’ posts and comments and status on Facebook. They even spend most of their time staring at the big screens of their personal computers just to play online games like DOTA and Counterstrike. Some also spend their money just to buy the latest mobile phones, mp3 players, and other techno gadgets out there. However, they must keep in mind that everything has its own limits. Otherwise, it can become a cause of concern and in extreme cases, addiction. Multimedia addiction can cause destruction and violence to students. Multimedia is simply defined as multi tasking of applications in a single device or gadget. This includes graphics, animation, pictures, videos, and other applications which can be opened simultaneously or consecutively. Smart phone, laptop, iPod, television, and mp4 player are some of many multimedia gadgets that are ‘in’ especially to students because of its amazing features. Consider the television. Whether it is a box, slim, or flat screen, it has become almost like another member of the household. It sits in the living room, in the kitchen, or even in the terrace of your house. It bombards us with all kinds of information about almost anything under the sun. It informs us on what laundry soap to use; what toothpaste to brush our teeth with, or which candidate to vote in the 2013 election. It brings us local news and news from around the world. And of course, it entertains us with sports, music, movies, telenovelas, lifestyle segments and variety programs. Cellular phones, on the other hand, are used for communication purposes. But because of technological advancements, new applications like built- in cameras are added to them. That’s why many people patronize it so much. Laptops are made for easy handling. Unlike personal computers, you can now bring it anywhere because of its small size. Almost every student today has his or her own laptops. The dependence on multimedia gadgets extend to students who became the primary beneficiaries of these gadgets. Tech- net survey said that 42 % of students are using mobile phones, 36 % are using laptop, 15 % are using play station, and 7 % are using mp3 players (â€Å"2012 Most Addicting Gadgets†, www. Technet.com). The use of multimedia gadgets can be constructive and destructive to students (Despabiladeras 15). Many of them consider the use of these gadgets constructive when they help them in their studies. Today, the internet is the major source of knowledge and information. In just one click, they can now find the answers to their assignments. They also use software like Microsoft office and the like for their project presentation. Many schools now use computer oriented techniques for teaching. The traditional way of teaching like writing too many lessons in a manila paper is already replaced by powerpoint presentations which are indeed favorable for the students. They no longer copy too many notes because there are handouts already prepared for them. Multimedia also gives information about the latest happenings and discoveries around the world. The use of social media sites like Facebook allows them to socialize with other people. Some also say that playing online games like DOTA and Counte rstrike have positive effects on them because they relieve stress from the hectic schedule of their schooling. In contrary, students say that multimedia gadgets can be destructive too. Problems begin when students became addicted to these gadgets to the point of discarding other activities which can truly affect their balance and studies (www. Gadgetforums.com). Because of these gadgets, they now prefer playing games that reading books. In most schools, use of cellular phones is banned but many of the students still carry them. They push their parents to buy them the latest mobile phone or other gizmos because their peers use it. The effect of this addiction is that they can no longer resist themselves from taking calls and accessing Facebook and other social networking sites during school hours. â€Å"The use of gadgets can be destructive when it makes your personality bad like when you become wild because of video games†, Bryan Capus said ( Despabiladeras 15). They forgot to budget their time because most of their time are consumed by these gadgets. The overuse of these also affects their health. Too much exposure to these gadgets can cause diseases like brain tumor and cancer caused by radiation (â€Å" Radiation From Gadgets†, www. Healthcare.com). They are prone to sickness because they no longer engaged in outdoor activities. It is alarming to know that 47 % of students nowadays are addicted to computers and other multimedia gadgets ( Despabiladeras 16.). Their parents have a big role in overcoming their children’s addiction. For example, most of the students are advised or told by their parents to limit their internet surfing time until 8:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. or but not to reach 10:00 p.m. as they have classes the next day ( Clifford 72). Some also advice their children to engage in other recreational activities like playing basketball or playing the guitar instead of watching T.V. or sitting all day in front of their PCs. One parent posted the following on gadgetforums.com: In today’s high- tech and modern world, we are all connected with each other through the miracle of working inventions and innovations like PC, tablets, smart phones, gaming, internet and so much more. And I think we feel that we won’t have a normal day without getting hooked to any one of these devices. The problem begins to rise when our children became addicted to these gadgets to the point of discarding other activities which can truly affect their balance and health. To avoid this, I try to ensure my son has balance in this area. Playing team sports has helped, that’s one thing in his like that doesn’t require gadget. Sports is one of the best ways to add moving activities to a child’s routine with the aim of creating a certain balance between studying and playing. We could not really avoid our children to get into gadgets as this is the wave of the future with the introduction of tablets which can he fully integrate with schools in the near fu ture ( www.gadgetforums.com). According to gadgetforums.com, there are eight ways to overcome gadget addiction. First, limit the amount of time you spent on any type of gadget. Second, learn to balance and manage your time. Make a time table on when to use your gadget. Third, spend most of your time in your studies. This will give you higher grades in return. Fourth, read books rather than playing games. Surfing the internet for recent news and discoveries will help too. Fifth, spend your free time with your family and friends. Go to an outing of family reunion that doesn’t require gadgets. Sixth, socialize with your true friends, not your ‘virtual’ friends. Your Facebook friends will never help you if you have a problem. Seventh, avoid buying newly released gadgets if you still have one that is still working. And the last is self discipline. It is interesting to know the opinions of students on multimedia gadget addiction; whether it is constructive or destructive for them and what their parents do in influencing their media habits. To prevent this addiction, students should analyze their gadget preferences and see what’s good of bad in it for them. They must set in mind that multimedia gadgets is there to help them, not to enslave them.

Writing and Business Letter

Oakley Public School Content Area: English Language Arts unit Title: Types of Nonfiction: Essays, Articles, and Speeches Grade Level: Ninth Grade unit Summary: This unit will revisit the genre of nonfiction with an emphasis on the reading of essays, articles, and speeches. The unit will reinforce the premise that the concepts and evidence presented by writers of nonfiction are factual, even though the writer may include anecdotes that are fictional, ideas that are personal, or language that is poetic.As the students read the samples of nonfiction included in this unit, they will come more proficient In recognizing the techniques of narrative, reflective, and persuasive writing. Primary Interdisciplinary Connections: Social Studies Science Technology 21st Century Themes: Standard 9. 1 -21st Century Life & Career Skills: All students will demonstrate the creative, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to function successfully as both global citizens and wo rkers in diverse ethnic and organizational cultures. A.Critical Thinking and Problem Solving The ability to recognize a problem and apply critical thinking and problem-solving kills to solve the problem Is a lifelong skill that develops over time. B. Creatively and Innovation Gathering and evaluating knowledge and information from a variety of sources, including global perspectives, fosters creativity and innovative thinking. D. Cross- Cultural understanding and Interpersonal Communication Effective communication skills convey intended meaning to others and assist in preventing misunderstandings.Unit Rationale: In order to become global thinkers with an astute awareness of the world around them, ninth grade students must be provided with the tools for reading nonfiction with comprehension and fluency. Teachers should still model active reading strategies In the high school classroom In order to assist the students In meaningful reading experiences and engage them In the reading proc ess. Making connections when reading and identifying with authors and their chosen subject matter will help and science.When reading nonfiction, students must learn to separate fact from opinion and recognize a writer's bias in order to make informed decisions about what they have read. By reading a variety of essays, article, and speeches, students should learn to identify a writer's voice and recognize that authors write with a particular audience and purpose in mind. In turn, the students will learn to develop their own unique voice as they write for a variety of audiences and purposes themselves.Learning Targets Standards : Reading for Informational Text (RI): Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, and Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity. Writing (W): Text Types and Purposes, Production and Distribution of Writing, Research to Build and Present Knowledge, and Range of Writing Speaking & Listening (SSL): Comprehension and Collabo ration, and Presentation of Knowledge ND Ideas. Language (L): Conventions of Standard English and Vocabulary Acquisition and Use.ICP Number Cumulative Progress Indicator (ICP) Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. ERR Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. ERR Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.ERR Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e. G. , how the language of a court opinion diffe rs from that of a newspaper). ERR Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose. ERR Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether he reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.ERR Analyze seminal U. S. Documents of historical and literary significance (e. G. , Washington's Farewell Address, the Gettysburg Address, Roosevelt Four Freedoms speech, Kings â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†), including how they address related themes and concepts. ROI By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 9-10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. WI valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. A.Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. B. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level and concerns. C. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. E. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. WWW Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. A. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e. . , headings), graphics (e. G. Figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. B. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. C. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. D.Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. E. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and inventions of the discipline in which they are writing. F. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e. G. , articulating implications or the significance of the topic). WWW Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.WWW Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. WWW Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.WWW Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Wool Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) ND shor ter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.SSL Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas. B. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e. G. Informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, and presentation of alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed. C. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions. D. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or Justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning resented.SSL Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e. G. , visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source. SSL Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence. SSL Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.SSL Make strategic use of digital media (e. G. , textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings , reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. SSL Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grades 9-10 Language standards 1 and 3 on pages 54 for specific expectations. ) Al Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. A. Use parallel structure. . Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, repositioned, and absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. LO Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. A. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. B. Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. C.Spell correctly. Apply knowledge of language to understand how languag e functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more Lully when reading or listening. A. Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e. G. , MEAL Handbook, Turban's Manual for Writers) Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. A. Interpret Figures of speech (e. G. , euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text. . Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. LO Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and rarer readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Unit Essential Questions How does understanding a text's structure help me better understand its meaning? How does fluency affect comprehension?What do readers do when they do not understand everything in a text? Why do readers need to pay attention to a writer's choice of words? How do readers construct meaning from text? How do good writers express themselves? How does process shape the writer's product? How do writers develop a well written product? How do rules of language affect communication? Why does a writer choose a particular form of writing? Unit Enduring Understandings Understanding of a text's features, structures, and characteristics facilitate the reader's ability to make meaning of the text.Fluent readers group words quickly to help them gain meaning from what they read. Good readers employ strategies to help them understand text. Strategic readers can develop, select, and apply Good readers compare, infer, synthesize, and make connections (text to text, text to world, text to self) to make text personally relevant and useful. Good writers develop and refine their ideas for thinking, learning, communicating, and aesthetic expression Good writers use a repertoire of strategies that enables them to vary form and style, in order to write for different purposes, audiences, and contexts.Rules, conventions of language, help readers understand what is being communicated. A writer selects a form based on audience and purpose. Unit Learning Targets The students will . Read developmentally appropriate materials such as essays, articles, and speeches Understand literary heritage/movements as part of global tradition Analyze how arks reflect historical/social events and conditions Evaluate appropriateness of diction and figurative language Distinguish essential/nonessential information Differentiate fact vs.. Pinion Read and follow technical and instructional manuals Critique public documents Use rubric to evaluate writing of self/others Reflect on writing; set goals for improvement Critique published works for authenticity and credibility Write compelling openings and strong conclus ions Use most effective writing format/strategy for purpose and audience Use variety of organizational strategiesDemonstrate effective delivery strategies Make impromptu revisions based on audience feedback Use rubric to improve presentations Demonstrate appropriate listener response Identify propaganda and argument Evidence of Learning Summation Assessment (One day) Types of Nonfiction: Essays Articles Speeches Business Letter Editorial Formative Assessments: â€Å"Thinking About The Selection† Questions Teacher Observation of Whole Group and Small Group Discussion Response to Graphic Organizers Equipment Needed: Overhead Projector Overhead Transparencies of Graphic Organizers Chalkboard Teacher Resources:Ninth Grade New Jersey Penguin Edition, Prentice Hall Literature, 2007 Supplemental Lesson Plans Lesson Timeshare Lesson 1: Introducing Essays, Articles, and Speeches Teacher will introduce the definitions of essays, articles, and speeches and emphasize that the writer cont ributes more than information to nonfiction, but also contributes style, tone, perspective, and purpose through the writing. Teacher will explain differences among narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, and reflective essays. Students will read an essay and identify the author's tone and purpose. One periodLesson 2: Main Idea and Supporting Details Teacher will introduce and model reading skill of finding main idea and supporting details in an essay. Students will read an essay and fill out an anticipation guide to perform a literary analysis of the author's style. Teacher will guide students in recognition of author's style as being formed through the diction, syntax, and tone of the writing. Two periods Lesson 3: Literary Analysis: the Expository Essay Teacher will guide students in recognizing an expository essay as a short piece of nonfiction that presents information, discusses ideas, or explains a process.Students should identify the writer's technique of providing su pport as either description, comparison and contrast, or cause and effect. Teacher will guide students in reading an expository essay and ask guided reading questions to assist students in identifying main idea and supporting details. Teacher will guide students through reading a technical document and applying skill of identifying main idea and details to reading informational materials. Students will fill in a graphic organizer to identify information learned through diagrams, headings, labels, and other visual features.Two class periods Lesson 5: Biographical Writing Teacher will introduce biographical writing as a form of nonfiction in which a writer tells the life story of another person using factual information and interpreting these pieces of information. Teacher will guide students through reading of an excerpt from â€Å"A Lincoln Preface† by Carl Sandburg. Teacher will guide students in a discussion of what makes a great leader and students will analyze details fro m Lincoln life that fit the definition of a great leader.One class period Lesson 6: Writing a Business Letter Teacher will guide students in defining a business letter as a piece of resplendence that is written in the course of conducting business or professional matters. Teacher will emphasize qualities of a business letter including clarity, directness, courteousness, and format. Students will identify six parts of a business letter to include heading, inside address, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Students will read and analyze a sample business letter for these qualities.Lesson 7: Writing a Business Letter Students will brainstorm a list of purposes for writing a business letter and select an appropriate purpose for their own letter. Students will begin outlining contents of heir letter. Students will research address of company to which they will be writing and consider audience for their letter. Begin first draft of letter. Lesson 8: Writing a Business Letter Students will finish first draft of their business letter and exchange letter with a peer to proofread and edit.Peers will provide feedback on strengths and weaknesses of letter for revision purposes. Lesson 9: Writing a Business Letter Students will use feedback form to revise letter and write a final draft. Lesson 10: Persuasive Essay convince a reader to think or act in a particular way. Teacher will emphasize that the persuasive essay usually includes appeals to reason and/or appeals to emotion. Teacher will guide students through reading a persuasive essay and assist them in identifying the author's motive and line of reasoning.Lesson 1 1: Persuasive Essay Students will read a persuasive essay independently and analyze passages as appealing to reason or emotion by creating a graphic organizer. Students will compare findings in small group and then share thoughts as a whole class. Lesson 12: Persuasive Speech Teachers will guide students in identifying a persuasive speech as one that tr ies o convince listeners to think or act in a certain way. Teacher will assist students in recognizing rhetorical devices including parallelism, restatement, repetition, and analogy.Teachers will guide students through reading and listening to Martin Luther King, Jar. ‘s â€Å"l Have a Dream† speech. Lesson 13: Persuasive Speech Students will identify examples of restatement, repetition, parallelism, and analogy in Martin Luther King, Jar. ‘s â€Å"l Have a Dream† speech by filling out a graphic organizer. Lesson 14: Persuasive Speech Students will apply skills they have learned for listening to author's purpose and heterocyclic devices in persuasive speech to Franklin Delano Roosevelt â€Å"First Inaugural Address. Lesson 1 5: Humorous Essay Teacher will guide students in recognizing a humorous essay as a form of nonfiction writing intended to make the reader laugh. Teacher will emphasize the humorous writer's use of hyperbole, understatement, and comic d iction as effective techniques. Teacher will guide students in reading of â€Å"The Talk† by Gary Sotto. Lesson 16: Humorous Essay Students will apply skills they have learned for reading a humorous essay to organizer with samples of hyperbole, understatement, and comic diction found in say and share findings as a whole class.Lesson 17: Writing to Persuade: The Editorial Students will read sample editorials and recognize the format as one decisive and public way to take a stand on an issue. Students will brainstorm a list of issues that confront the school or community about which they may choose to write. Lesson 18: Planning an Editorial Students will plan an outline for their editorial to include a clear thesis statement, evidence that supports their argument and anticipates the reader's counterarguments, effective organization, and persuasive language. Students will egging first drafts of editorials.Lesson 19: Writing an Editorial Students will write first draft of editori al with focus on solid thesis statement and gathering evidence to support it, including information that contradicts or opposes position so they may acknowledge and overcome opposing viewpoints. Editorial should include both appeals to logic and emotion. Lesson 20: Editing and Proofreading Persuasive Writing Students will exchange rough drafts of editorials with peers and offer comments on strengths and weaknesses on feedback form. Meet with teacher in a writing conference to receive additional input on writing.Lesson 21: Publishing and Presenting Editorials Students will use feedback from peers and teacher to create final draft of editorials. Students will submit editorials to newspaper or post on a website. Teacher Notes: Lessons will be developed to address learning needs of students as reflected in NJ ASK scores. Teacher discretion should be used to provide appropriate differentiation of activities based on variety of learning styles and needs of individual students in the class room. Curriculum Development Resources: (Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit)