Mary Prince Essay - 1627 Words

1. To what extent does the autobiography of Mary Prince tell her own story?. The following essay shall asses to what extent Mary Prince’s story was published in her own words after being recorded down by Susanna Strickland and then edited by Thomas Pringle for publication. With the passing of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act by the British parliament in 1807, the attention of the campaigners against the slave trade switched to the issue of slavery itself. Although the trading in slaves itself had been banned , nothing had been done to free those already enslaved within the British Empire. In 1823 several religious groups, politicians and abolitionist supporters came together to form the Anti- Slavery Society who†¦show more content†¦Prince even goes onto say ‘He did not flog me that day.’ this seems highly unusual as most runaways were harshly punished by their masters as an example to other slaves, of the consequences, of running away. We coul d take into consideration the use of language as Prince states she was not flogged ‘that day’ perhaps meaning the punishment came later but in order to keep the momentum of the story moving along the memory was cut short upon editing. Something that is quiet unusual about Princes narrative is the lack of content of the issues surrounding sexual abuse. This is peculiar as sex abuse 4. of slaves seemed to be a distinctive feature of West Indian life for slaves in the 18th and 19th century. Sandra Paquet argues that ’social and religious prohibitions surrounding sexually explicit material in nineteenth century Britain and legal liabilities attached to the publication of such tracts placed further constraints on Mary Prince’s individual voice.’ Thomas Pringle being part of the Evangelical movement was fully aware that middle aged white Christian housewives would not want to read about sexual abuse as this would have been distasteful and black slav e women already had a reputation for being sexually promiscuous so this would have discredited Prince as a witness. That said, Mary carefully gives details of incidents that haveShow MoreRelated Christian Rhetoric in The History of Mary Prince and Second Class Citizen1789 Words   |  8 PagesChristian Rhetoric in Mary Prince’s The History of Mary Prince, and Buchi Emecheta’s Second Class Citizen It is true, perhaps, that women are the subset of humanity whose rights had been the longest stripped of them, and who had been abused the worst and for the longest time. Even today, many people believe that women still do not have the equality that ought to be afforded them. Since women first started making steps to approach that ideal equality, they have used various means, including literatureRead MoreThe History Of Mary Prince Essay2322 Words   |  10 PagesThe History of Mary Prince was a seminal work of the nineteenth century, which today remains an important historical device. Mary Prince’s story is not unique, but the circumstances and context surrounding her novel are. Defying contemporary standards and beliefs, The History of Mary Prince demonstrates the atrocities of slavery, but also a distinctive and deliberate political message. The History of Mary Prince is not only important for its demonstration of human suffering and the legal historyRead MoreThe Narrative Recited By Mary Prince1303 Words   |  6 PagesThe narrative recited by Mary Prince has a clear purpose. At the time that Prince recites the events of her narrative slavery has been abolished in British Isles, but is still rampant throughout the colonies of the British Empire. Most of Prince’s experiences with slavery come from her time spent in Bermuda, a British colony in the West Indies. The majority of her narrative is spent recounting the horrors of her life in slavery. The vivid imagery Mary Prince uses to describe the brutal treatmentRead MoreFrederick Douglass And Mary Prince959 Words   |  4 Pagesnarratives revealed the struggles that southern slaves faced such as poor living conditions, working conditions, and excessive punishment and abuse. Two former slaves that addressed these concerns in their narratives were Frederick Douglass and Mary Prince. In their narratives, they share the hardships faced as well as the effect they had on their physical and emotion al well-beings. In his narrative, Frederick Douglass dedicates large parts of his narrative to explain the perception that a slave isRead MoreThe slave narrative The History of Mary Prince, harsh treatment and brutal2901 Words   |  12 Pagesnarrative The History of Mary Prince, harsh treatment and brutal beatings from Princes depraved slave mistresses occur almost regularly to Mary Prince and her slave companions. Prince narrates the whole story from her perspective and gives elaborate detail as to what a slave has to endure. Although all of Princes owners are men, Prince focuses on the brutal beatings that the women pressed upon her. Mary Prince depicts the slave-masters wives as evil, twisted women who just beat Mary for no particularRead MoreComparison Of Slavery InThe Classic Slave Narratives By Mary Prince And Frederick Douglass?1180 Words   |  5 Pagesoverseer. In the story of Mary Prince and Frederick Douglas you see all the heart ache that these slaves had to go through. There is simil arity in which all slaves stories are the same but different in their own way. When learning about slavery we already know about all the bad things they went through but its all different when you actually hear it from their point of few. Which is really horrifying to learn the truth of what these slaves had to face. When it comes to Mary Prince and Frederick DouglasRead MoreMary Prince s A Vindication Of The Rights Of Women : Slaves As Human Beings Or Animals?2119 Words   |  9 PagesCatherine Vo 1203565 Dr. Grace Kehler ENGLISH 3M06 05 November 2014 Mary Prince’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women: Slaves as Human Beings or Animals? Throughout Mary Prince s narrative, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, it is clearly evident that the brutal treatment from Prince s mistresses, which she inflicts upon her slaves, is a common occurrence. Through her perspective, she tells the readers about the harsh treatment she receives from both her masters and mistresses. By doing soRead MoreHow Did Erasmus Use Folly to Criticize the Catholic Church1347 Words   |  6 Pagesaffection of Christ was distant from the princes of Christendom, having been substituted by egotism and exploitation. While Erasmus remained faithful to the Catholic Church, Erasmus observed many exploitations among her ministry, theologians, and untrained persons, and he dedicated a huge apportion of the Praise of Folly to disapproval of the sleaze in the Church. The sleaze of the clergy was similar to that of the princes, and like the princes their existences made ridicule of the linenRead MoreA Man for All Season and Machiavellis Doctrine: Reiteration of History1924 Words   |  8 Pagesindividuals who oppose people with dictative power. It must be understood, that a prince Â… cannot observe all of those virtues for which men are reputed good, because it is often necessary to act against mercy, against faith, against humanity, against frankness, against religion, in order to preserve the state. (Machiavelli). Machiavelli remains one of the controversial figures of political history. One of his works, The Prince (also known as A Handbook for Dictators), contains many references to ancientRead MoreThe Deal Short Story2339 Words   |  10 Pagessaid â€Å"Sure, old friend† Patrick said and let out of his wife hand and went outside the room. â€Å"I’ve made a deal† Patrick nodded for him continue â€Å"If your wife, Queen Wenlina, gives birth to a baby girl, I inquire for an arrange marriage with my son, Prince Arthur, on her sixteenth birthday† Paul said looking straight into Patrick’s eyes, Patrick and Paul always wanted each others Kingdoms together, Patrick hesitated at first but smiled and lifted his hand and said â€Å"Deal† and shake on it. Patrick did

The Reader and Writer Essay - 641 Words

Getting our future back on the rails- slowly In the newsletter, ‘Getting our future back on the rails- slowly’, that was received by households in the local area; the writer emphasizes the need for change and promotes the idea of sustainable living through community action. The direct, persistent tone serves to assert the notion that the community would greatly benefit by a shared garden. The proposal contains 3 images of which all support the writer’s philosophy. Commonly, all are directed to the reader through techniques of fear tactics and consistent use of hyperbole. The newsletter aims to persuade readers through tactics of: appealing to sense of security, use of evidence and involvement of readers through inclusive language.†¦show more content†¦The key paragraph â€Å" people suddenly understood how vulnerable a society is if we have forgotten or never learned how to produce our own food† would elicit a response from readers. It plays on their need to feel safe and free from an unexpec ted attack. The image within the newsletter depicts an androgynous leg shoveling soil. This image is then contrasted to a background of young children innocently staring back. Titles intersect the obscure scene, labeling â€Å" For their sake- GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLE†. It is quite obvious that the main intention here is to illicit fear. Regardless of its initial use during the Second World War, it seems to have some relevance to this situation (to a degree). These appeals the writer has used are powerful because people obviously value sufficient and continual protection from future attacks that may disrupt their lifestyle. In persuading readers, the writer on several occasions uses evidence as a technique to agree. The evidence was presented as information, facts and statements, which all support the belief that having a community garden would be more economical and beneficial. The image of statistics showing the costing of processed foods ultimately seems objective and accurate. Unarguably these results cannot be disregarded, thus positioning the reader to more likely agree. When presented with statistics it makes the writer seem more â€Å"knowledgeable† of theShow MoreRelatedLanguage : A Reader For Writers Essay1736 Words   |  7 Pageswondering what language is going to help them the most in the future. English is the clear answer for these students that are wondering what new language to learn for a number of reasons. Through different articles through the book â€Å"Language: A Reader for Writers† it discusses how language is the most successful and most useful language to speak. College students who want to learn a second language, that have not learned English, should learn English because it is the most widely used language in theRead MoreMy Experience As A Reader And Writer919 Words   |  4 PagesAs a reader and writer I always f aced given assignments with the intent of doing exceptional jobs and take a sense of pride in my work to complete my tasks. As a reader, I will bore myself through out an entire book and realize I didn t understand a single thing. Although as a writer, I can go on for so long losing myself on a topic because it feels more interactive. Reflecting on my experiences as a reader and writer have been very bold, I never really found a joy or an interest to become theRead MoreGood Readers Good Writers1199 Words   |  5 PagesNabokov: Providing a Flood and Lifeboat In Nabokov’s 1948 â€Å"Good Readers and Good Writers,† the reader has the opportunity to view the possibilities of a beautiful collision of a major reader and a major writer. This piece discusses reading and writing: skills that have become standardized and slightly devalued as education has advanced. Literacy has become so expected that little thought is put into what defines a good reader or writer; Nabokov tackles this idea head on. Nabokov’s intention of thisRead MoreThe Great Writers : An Avid Reader953 Words   |  4 PagesAs an avid reader, I’ve read a countless number of fiction stories. Everything from fantasy to romance books by famous authors, to unpublished short stories online. I’ve always held an appreciation for the talent that these writers have to bring their thoughts to life in such creative ways, but I believe that, before taking W207, I always thought the talent came naturally to these writers. I believed they had this gif t for writing that allowed words to flow from their fingertips. Now, I’ve comeRead MoreI Am A Writer And A Reader948 Words   |  4 PagesIt is my pleasure to have the chance taking your writing course this quarter. I have learned to become both a eligible writer and a reader in your class. Before I came in this course, I was scared to write since I am not a native speaker. I worried about my grammar when I write every sentence. Once I finished one paragraph for an essay, I would always go back to check subject-verb agreement error or verb tense error, which are most common error that used to appear in my writing pieces. To be honestRead More The Changing Roles of the Reader and Writer in the Literature1437 Words   |  6 PagesThe Changing Roles of the Reader and Writer in the Literature The continuing emergence of innovative writing technologies allows people to express themselves and communicate in countless different ways from years past. With these new technologies comes a change in many of our learning and social traditions. The most important change is the metamorphosis taking place in the online literary world. The line between author and reader has become blurred as more and more technology-drivenRead MoreMy Progress as a Reader and Writer Essay1375 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 20M-Section 2 12 May 2011 My Progress as a Reader and Writer in English 20M If I had a time travel machine, I would love to go back to our class’s first meeting. It was such a memorable day. I was so nervous that my first piece of writing seemed less than mediocre as I reflected on what I had written that day. While being happy that my name was randomly chosen to be added to the class, I was very scared of this class. The last time I wrote an essay was two years ago, and before this classRead MoreThe Writer s Credibility And The Reader s Efficiency853 Words   |  4 Pagesreadability and understandability of the readers, as well as maintaining the purpose of the text. Editors suggest appropriate changes according to what the writer wants to accomplish and the intended audience –which determines the content, organization and tone. Thus, the end result of substantive editing is a balance between the writer’s intentions with the reader’s expectations which in turn serves the text reliable, accurate and hopefully, useful. Readers respect authors when there is no faultyRead MoreGood Readers And Good Writers By Vladimir Nabokov1206 Words   |  5 Pagesof both articles we will be discussing today on The Morning Show. The article, Good Readers and Good Writers by Vladimir Nabokov is basing itself on how good readers and good writers get good to begin with. Mr Nabokov explains that the author must be able to create something different and unique to â€Å"sent planet spinnings† in order to produce a successful book. While on the other hand to make yourself a good reader you must read a book with a fresh mindset as if you don’t know what s to come, go inRead MoreAnalysis Of Good Readers And Good Writers By Vladimir Nabokov954 Words   |  4 PagesThe assigned reading of â€Å"Good Readers and Good Writers† by Vladimir Nabokov probes the subject that is the necessary attributes an individual must have in order for them to be successful readers and writers of literature. A list of te n rules is then stated in the essay and sets them as the baseline commandments that an individual must follow in order to be some kind of a devoted â€Å"good reader†. While the criteria sets the standard for a â€Å"good reader† it aligns with that of a good analyzer and can

Herodotus Essay Research Paper Herodotus was a free essay sample

Herodotus Essay, Research Paper Herodotus was a Grecian historiographer, by and large called the Father of History. The work of Herodotus is the oldest lasting major Grecian prose and the first history in Western civilisation. He was born at Halicarnassus, a Grecian province under Iranian regulation, in southwesterly Asia Minor. After a civil war, he left his fatherland for good and pass some clip in nearby Ionia. Then he traveled widely: as far south as Elephantine in Egypt ; eastward into Asia to Babylon ; and north to the far seashore of the Black Sea. He lived in Periclean Athens for a piece and took portion in the Athenian colonisation of Thurii in southern Italy in 433. Since he referred to early events of the Peloponnesian War, he must hold lived past 431. His grave was subsequently shown at Thurii, but it is possible that he died in Athens, where he recited some of his history. We will write a custom essay sample on Herodotus Essay Research Paper Herodotus was a or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The foreword of his history begins, These are the researches of Herodotus of Halicarnassus, which he publishes, in the hope of thereby continuing from disintegrating the recollection of what work forces have done. He sought to depict and explicate great wars before his ain coevals. To Herodotus, two ways of life were opposed to one another in these wars-the freedom of the Greeks and the absolutism of the Persians ; however, he was so just to the Persians that he was called in ulterior ages friend to the savage. Herodotus was besides profoundly interested in the geographics and descriptive anthropology of the lands he had visited, and he discussed the imposts he found at that place in great trade. As he states in Book II, chapter 123, of his history, I propose to myself throughout my whole work dependably to enter the traditions of the several states, peculiarly if they produced entertaining narratives. His history, nevertheless, does non take up the period of myth and heroic poem to any extent. He was disbelieving of the narrative of King Minos thalassocracy in Crete, and he doubted that Helen of all time went to Troy. In general, his history reaches back no further that he felt he could swear unwritten histories ; that is, non frequently earlier that the center of the sixth century BC Unlike the wining Grecian historian Thucydides, Herodotus did non compose his history to give lessons for the hereafter ; his purpose was chiefly in forestalling the great and fantastic actions of the Greeks and the savages from losing their due meed of glorification. Through Herodotus came from a Dorian province, his work is written in the Ionian idiom, which had been used by the early philosophers and by the author Hectares. At first glimpse, Herodotus manner appears simple and ingenuous ; Aristotle called it a running manner. But on closer review, his elusive accomplishment in changing sentences and vocabulary and in making flood tide is apparent. Herodotus does n ot look to be indebted to the Athenian tragedians of his twenty-four hours, but he was much influenced by home run. As a modern critic observes of Herodotus, he more than most authors is one to read, non to speak about, for his rich tapestry is non easy summarized. To judge Herodotus as a historiographer, one must retrieve that he was the first Grecian author who tried to retrace the yesteryear in a historical mode. There were no old histories for him to utilize a theoretical accounts, although he did pull from Hectares geographical work and cited Home, Pindar, and the prophets. For the most portion, he had to trust on his ain observations of memorials and imposts and on unwritten information. This probe was called historie at the clip ; merely subsequently did it intend the written consequences of research. Most of his information, which he gathered in many topographic points over many old ages, Herodotus kept in his caput, for taking notes was non an easy procedure. As a consequence, he sometimes made simple errors in geographics or other points where we can look into his history, but on the whole he sought with singular success to be factually accurate. At the clip there was no standard method of dating on which he could rely. Events in Herodotus are dated by male monarchs or parallel events elsewhere, or they are placed in sequence. Modern bookmans tend to accept his basic chronological construction. The objectiveness of Herodotus is noteworthy. He lived at Athens, and praises its bravery in defying the Persians, but he besides gives full recognition to the Spartan function in the triumph. He considers the Greeks as free work forces, admiting no maestro but the jurisprudence ; yet he can besides depict sympathetically the unusual faith of the Persians and praise them for teaching their boies in three things alone-to drive, to pull the bow, and to talk the truth. Possibly more than any other great historian, Herodotus has been both criticized and praised, from ancient times on down to the present. During the nineteenth century, Herodotus was frequently considered a simple narrator who could non be trusted. But archeological work in the Middle East has proved that much of his history of Egypt and Babylon is more accurate than was normally assumed, and bookmans have assessed him more carefully. The significance of his history is double. In the first topographic point, our cognition of early Grecian history becomes back-to-back and extended merely when we can pull on the information picked up and preserved by Herodotus ; and we know the great Iranian wars, which halted the enlargement of the Iranian Empire at a important point, about wholly from his history. Second, Herodotus began the composing oh history in the Western universe, although few historiographers have tried to emulate his singular range and intricate form of organisation.

Othello And Iago Essays (324 words) - Othello, Iago, Michael Cassio

Othello And Iago In act one of Othello, Shakespeare's character, Iago, shows how deceitful and disloyal people can be. Iago's disloyalty towards Othello and Cassio is portrayed through the lies he tells to Barbantio, Othello, and Cassio. Othello wants revenge on Othello because he thinks that Othello slept with his wife, Emilia, and because he gave Cassio the promotion Iago thought he deserved. Therefor he also wants to get back at Cassio. In the first scene Iago and Roderigo wake up Barbantio by yelling at him from outside his house. When he comes outside they tell him that Othello has stolen his daughter, Desdemona, although Desdemona willingly married Othello. His disloyalty is evident by his disrespectful comments about Othello, especially when he says "an old black ram is tupping your white ewe" (Othello p.13). Iago continues to deceive Othello in the second scene. The first time the two are together Iago warns Othello that Barbantio has sent a search party after him. He is pretending to be Othello's friend even though he is the one that convinced Barbantio to seek out Othello. When they see somebody approaching them, Iago warns Othello"those are the raised father and his friends. You were best go in" (p.23). This is when Iago's deceit becomes painfully obvious. When Othello is not around he has nothing good to say about him. "I hate the Moor" (p.55). However, when he is face to face with Othello he acts like he cares about him. He acts like his friend. Iago also does the same thing to Cassio. He plans his attack of lies on Cassio when he says about Cassio "he holds me well. The better shall my purpose work on him" (p.55). Which means that because Cassio likes him, it will not be hard for Iago to trick him. These three examples are a mere taste of what Iago does throughout the story. However, they are very good examples. They show how deceitful and disloyal Iago is, and how deceitful and disloyal people can be.

Axolotl Facts (Ambystoma mexicanum)

Axolotl Facts (Ambystoma mexicanum) According to Aztec legend, the first axolotl (pronounced axo-LO-tuhl)  was a god who changed his form in order to escape being sacrificed. The sneaky transformation from terrestrial salamander to a fully aquatic form did not save later generations from death. The Aztecs ate axolotls. Back when the animals  were common, you could buy them as food in Mexican markets. While the axolotl may not be a god, its an amazing animal. Learn how to recognize an axolotl, why scientists are fascinated by them, and how to care for one as a pet. Fast Facts: Axolotl Scientific Name: Ambystoma mexicanumCommon Names: Axolotl, Mexican salamander, Mexican walking fishBasic Animal Group: AmphibianSize: 6-18 inchesWeight: 2.1-8.0 ouncesLifespan: 10 to 15 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Xochimilco Lake near Mexico CityPopulation: Less than a hundredConservation Status: Critically Endangered Description Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum. andrewburgess / Getty Images An axolotl is a type of salamander, which is an amphibian. Frogs, newts, and most salamanders undergo a metamorphosis to transition from life in the water to life on land. The axolotl is unusual in that it doesnt undergo a metamorphosis and develop lungs. Instead, axolotls hatch from eggs into a juvenile form that grows to become its adult form. Axolotls keep their gills and permanently reside in the water. A mature axolotl (18 to 24 months in the wild) ranges in length from 15 to 45 centimeters (6 to 18 inches). An adult specimen weighs anywhere between 2 and 8 ounces. An axolotl  resembles other salamander larvae, with lidless eyes, a wide head, frilled gills, long digits, and a long tail. A male has a swollen, papillae-lined cloaca, while a female has a wider body that is full of eggs. The salamanders have vestigial teeth. Gills are used for respiration, although the animals sometimes gulp surface air for supplemental oxygen. Axolotls have four pigmentation genes, giving rise to a wide range of colors. The wild-type coloration is olive brown with gold speckles. Mutant colors include pale pink with black eyes, gold with gold eyes, gray with black eyes, and black. Axolotls can alter their melanophores to camouflage themselves, but only to a limited extent. Scientists believe axolotls descended from salamanders that could live on land, but reverted to water because it offered a survival advantage. Animals Confused With Axolotls This is not an axolotl: Necturus maculosus (common mudpuppy). Paul Starosta / Getty Images People confuse axolotls with other animals partly because the same common names may be applied to different species and partly because axolotls do resemble other animals. Animals confused with axolotls include: Waterdog: A waterdog is the name of the larval stage of the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum and A. mavotium). The tiger salamander and axolotl are related, but the axolotl never metamorphosizes into a terrestrial salamander. However, its possible to force an axolotl to undergo metamorphosis. This animal looks like a tiger salamander, but the metamorphosis is unnatural and shortens the animals lifespan. Mudpuppy: Like the axolotl, the mudpuppy (Necturus spp.) is a fully aquatic salamander. However, the two species are not closely related. Unlike the axolotl, the common mudpuppy (N. maculosus) is not endangered. Habitat and Distribution The lake Lago Acitlalin in the Ecological Park (Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco) is a vast nature reserve in the wetlands of Xochimilco in the south of Mexico City, Mexico. stockcam / Getty Images In the wild, axolotls only live in the Xochimilco lake complex, which is located near Mexico City. The salamanders may be found on the bottom of the lake and its canals. Neoteny The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) exhibits neoteny, meaning it remains in its larval form throughout life. Quentin Martinez / Getty Images The axolotl is a neotenic salamander, which means it doesnt mature into an air-breathing adult form. Neoteny is favored in cool, high-altitude environments because metamorphosis requires a huge energy expenditure. Axolotls can be induced to metamorphose by injection of iodine or thyroxine or by ingesting iodine-rich food. Diet This captive axolotl is eating a piece of meat. Argument / Getty Images Axolotls are carnivores. In the wild, they eat worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks. The salamanders hunt by smell, snapping at prey and sucking it in like a vacuum cleaner. Within the lake, axolotls  had no real predators. Predatory birds were the biggest threat. Large fish were introduced into Lake Xochimilco, which ate the young salamanders. Reproduction and Offspring This is a newt in its egg sac. Like newts, salamander larvae are recognizable within their eggs. Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images Much of what we know about axolotl reproduction comes from observing them in captivity. Captive axolotls become mature in their larval stage between 6 and 12 months of age. Females typically mature later than males. The increasing temperature and light of spring signal  the start of the axolotl breeding season. Males expel spermatophores into the water and try to lure a female over them. The female picks up the sperm packet with her cloaca, leading to internal fertilization. Females release between 400 and 1000 eggs during spawning. She lays each egg individually, attaching it to a plant or rock. A female may breed several times during a season. The tail and gills of the larvae are visible within the egg. Hatching occurs after 2 to 3 weeks. Larger, earlier-hatching larvae eat smaller, younger ones. Regeneration Starfish regenerate lost arms, but they are invertebrates. Salamanders regenerate, plus they are vertebrates (like humans). Jeff Rotman / Getty Images The axolotl is a model genetic organism for regeneration. Salamanders and newts have the highest regenerative ability of any tetrapod (4-legged) vertebrates. The incredible healing ability extends well beyond replacing a lost tail or limbs. Axolotls can even replace some parts of their brains. In addition, they freely accept transplants (including eyes and brain portions) from other axolotls. Conservation Status Tilapia added to the lake near Mexico City are one of the main threats to axolotl survival. darkside26 / Getty Images Wild axolotls are headed to extinction. They are listed as critically endangered by IUCN. In 2013, no surviving axolotls were found in the Lake Xochimilco habitat, but then two individuals were found in the canals leading from the lake. The decline of axolotls is due to multiple factors. Water pollution, urbanization (loss of habitat), and introduction of invasive species (tilapia and perch) may be more than the species can withstand. Keeping an Axolotl in Captivity An axolotl will eat anything small enough to fit into its mouth. Argument / Getty Images However, the axolotl wont vanish! Axolotls are important research animals and fairly common exotic pets. They are uncommon at pet stores because they require a cool temperature, but may be obtained from hobbyists and scientific supply houses. A single axolotl needs at least a 10-gallon aquarium, filled (no exposed land, like for a frog), and supplied with a lid (because axolotls jump). Axolotls cannot tolerate chlorine or chloramine, so tap water must be treated prior to use. A water filter is a necessity, but the salamanders cannot tolerate flowing water. They do not require light, so in an aquarium with plants, its important to have large rocks or other hiding places. Pebbles, sand, or gravel (anything smaller than the axolotls head) pose a risk because axolotls will ingest them and may die from gastrointestinal blockage. Axolotls need a year-round temperature in the low to mid-60s (Fahrenheit) and will die if exposed to prolonged temperature about 74  °F. They need an aquarium chiller to maintain the proper temperature range. Feeding is the easy part of axolotl care. They will eat bloodworm cubes, earthworms, shrimp, and lean chicken or beef. While they will eat feeder fish, experts recommend avoiding them because salamanders are susceptible to parasites and diseases carried by fish. Sources   Luis Zambrano; Paola Mosig Reidl; Jeanne McKay; Richard Griffiths; Brad Shaffer; Oscar Flores-Villela; Gabriela Parra-Olea; David Wake. Ambystoma mexicanum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2010. IUCN. 2010: e.T1095A3229615. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T1095A3229615.enMalacinski, George M. The Mexican Axolotl,  Ambystoma mexicanum: Its Biology and Developmental Genetics, and Its Autonomous Cell-Lethal Genes.  American Zoologist. Oxford University Press.  18: 195–206, Spring 1978.Pough, F. H. Recommendations for the Care of Amphibians and Reptiles in Academic Institutions. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1992.

How to Grow a Cup of Quick Crystal Needles

How to Grow a Cup of Quick Crystal Needles Grow a cupful of Epsom salt crystal needles in your refrigerator. Its quick, easy, and safe. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 3 hours Ingredients cup or small bowlepsom salthot tap water What You Do In a cup or small, deep bowl, mix 1/2 cup of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) with 1/2 cup of hot tap water (hot as it will get from the faucet).Stir about a minute to dissolve the Epsom salts. There will still be some undissolved crystals at the bottom.Place the cup in the refrigerator. The bowl will fill with needle-like crystals within three hours. Magnesium sulfate crystals readily take up dye, such as food coloring. Copyright (c) by Dai Haruki. All Rights Reserved. / Getty Images Tips for Success Dont use boiling water to prepare your solution. You will still get crystals, but they will be more threadlike and less interesting. The temperature of the water helps control the concentration of the solution.If you like, you can place a small object at the bottom of the cup to make it easier to remove your crystals, such as a quarter or plastic bottle cap. Otherwise, carefully scoop the crystal needles from the solution if you wish to examine them or save them.Dont drink the crystal liquid. Its not toxic, but its not good for you either. Learn About Epsomite The name of the crystal grown in this project is epsomite. It consists of hydrated magnesium sulfate with the formula  MgSO4 ·7H2O. The needle-like crystals of this sulfate mineral are orthorhombic as Epsom salt, but the mineral readily absorbs and loses water, so it may spontaneously switch to the monoclinic structure as a hexahydrate. Epsomite is found on the walls of limestone caverns. The crystals also grow on mine walls and timbers, around volcanic fumaroles, and rarely as sheets or beds from evaporation. While the crystals grown in this project are needles or spikes, the crystals also form fibrous sheets in nature. The pure mineral is colorless or white, but impurities may give it a gray, pink, or green color. It gets its name for Epsom in Surrey, England, which is where it was first described in 1806. Epsom salt crystals are very soft, with a Moh scale hardness around 2.0 to 2.5. Because it is so soft and because it hydrates and rehydrates in the air, this is not an ideal crystal for preservation. If you want to keep Epsom salt crystals, the best choice is to leave it in a liquid solution. Once the crystals have grown, seal the container so no more water can evaporate. You can observe the crystals over time and watch them dissolve and reform. Magnesium sulfate is used in agriculture and pharmaceuticals. The crystals may be added to water as bath salts or as a soak to relieve sore muscles. Crystals may also be mixed in with soil to help improve its quality. The salt corrects magnesium or sulfur deficiency and is most often applied to roses, citrus trees, and potted plants.

This History of Pennsylvania Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

This History of Pennsylvania - Term Paper Example iThe life of these American Indians was quite remote and they basically had Stone Age heritage precisely in the area of weaponry, arts and crafts.ii They had simple lives and they relied on manual labor than technology of any form. They earned their living through agriculture, making weapons, pottery, weaving etciii. although majority was hunter gatherers as well. Basically there were two groups that were formed; first ones belonged to New York, Pennsylvania and the ones that had Iroquoian speech. Further the other tribe that spoke the Algonquian, belonging to various tribes like the Delaware's, Shawnee etc. "Two other peoples, the Shawnee and the Monongahela, lived in western Pennsylvania. Little is known about the Monongahela's, who disappeared before  Europeans  arrived. Most Shawnees would move west as the  European settlements arrived." (Prentzas, 9) Later when the Europeans started to explore then as a result of the rise of nation when they started to discover and acquire lands across the European continent. There were many battles within the region that caused the Germans to migrate from Germany. These Germans were eventually left to settle in Pennsylvania. Further the tussle that had aroused between the Crown and parliament also caused many Europeans to migrate from England to reside in various American regions. This migration had made various segments in the European society who then settled in America. There was immense cultural disparity and various segments of the Europeans came to America.iv Hence, as a result the land of Pennsylvania was now flooded with many Europeans who had migrated in order to establish in this newly discovered land. This migration caused great difficulties for the aboriginals residing in the region who were sabotaged of their homeland. Hence Pennsylvania was formed into colonies by the Dutch and Swedish immigrants. These immigrants brought many slaves with them to the region. Therefore the English then settled in Pennsy lvania in the year 1664. The pioneer of establishing a colony in the most important city of Philadelphia was William Penn. The reason of establishing this colony was as a result of the religious leniency that Pennsylvania offered, most of the immigrants were Quakers. During the middle of eighteenth century, the region was now being appealed by many the German and Scottish immigrants. Further there were also residents of the British Isles who came in the region before the American Revolutionary war. The chief city of Pennsylvania is Philadelphia which was then made the house of the federal government for a long period of time from 1776 to 1800 at that point a very important doctrine namely the Declaration of Independence was signed which later lead to the establishment of a constitution for the United States of America in the year 1787. Pennsylvania has the honor of housing various important sights like the Valley Forge, the fame that is associated with the Revolutionary war and Gett ysburg which was the place where the most important battle of the civil war was held. The liberty Bell is also in Pennsylvania near the Independence Hall. All these add to Pennsylvania's historic importance. Governance is an important factor in order to in order to sustain and bring about peace within a region. The government of Pennsylvania is

The legalization of marijuana bad for the US Essay

The legalization of marijuana bad for the US - Essay Example One of such arguments was on legalization of marijuana in the United States. The issue of legalization of marijuana is very common and its legalization has remained a significant issue during the US history and has continued to remain one until today. Analysis has indicated that it was first brought in the country during the late 17th century, and since then, it has become a habit of huge number of people in country. In the result, advocates of marijuana argue that people use marijuana illegally; however, legalization of marijuana will allow the government to earn taxes against its selling. On the other hand, opponents believe that its legalization will encourage its utilization that will be harmful socially, as well as ethically. On this issue, my side was of the opponents that legalization of marijuana in the United States is an awful perspective and will be harmful for the country. Fortunately, I was able to convince my gathering, as I put efforts by taking a Rogerian approach that included discussion of both sides of the issue and then focusing on my side with evidence, whereas, Toulmin’s approach of the argument would have resulted in disappointing outcome. In particular, Rogerian approach of argument is my usual style of argument, as it allows the reader/listener to know perspectives about both sides, and it allows the individual to acquire confidence of the public that makes easier to convince the

Authorship of the book of Ruth Essay Example for Free

Authorship of the book of Ruth Essay The book of Ruth has been historically claimed to be written by the prophet Samuel. It dates back to the 1011 and 931 B. C. It was a message of the love of God directly to the Israelites. With the main theme of sacrifice, it was essential for them at that time to hear such words of love. In the heathen land of Moab, located North of the Dead Sea, Ruth is resides for a period of time and them moves further into the town of Bethlehem, during the era of the judges which occurred directly after the Pentateuch books which are the first five biblical books. Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi and Elimelech, who were an Israelite couple with two sons. Mahlon and Chilion were their names and both married Ruth and Orpah. Sadly, all three men in the family died, firstly Elimelech and then later on his two sons, leaving three widowed women. The actual period is not actually stated. However, most scholars have attributed its authorship to the pre-exilic era; the period after the enslaved Israelites were freed and permitted to return back to their homeland of Israel. As a historical book of the Bible and an excellent piece of literature, it has challenged the conception of the era and the norms of the periods as recording the attitudes and conducts between people. It demonstrated tremendous practicality and dealt with serious relational issues and we can learn a lot from it today. Its authorship is unknown. It clearly begins by alluding to the period of the judges and it is perceived by some to have been written around that time. The prophet Samuel has been given the credit for its authorship by many scholars. In recent times however, there have been speculations as to the real author of this book. It has been recognised as having been written by a female author. According to an ancient Beraithato the Talmudic treatise it stated that the prophet Samuel did write the book of Ruth. As it is does not provide strong evidence concerning the authorship, several authors in recent times have refuted the prophet Samuel as the actual author of this phenomenal book. Does it really matter whether it was written by a male or female author? This has been a question in the minds of many because in its entirety, the content of the book is very positive and has a lot of moral, social and legal coverage, which has provided a lot of insight into the way the Israelites interacted amongst themselves as well as among foreign nations, like the Moabites. In this essay, various perspectives of scholars will be addressed and references to the actual text will also be made to support and refute arguments which have been put forth by various intellectual minds. In a recent book entitled the Widow’s plea, a group of authors cited a number of key points about the book of Ruth. Central to their arguments were factors that provided an insight to the gender identity of the author. Firstly, they referred to a deliberate attempt by the author to strengthen the plight of widowed women in this book, by the avoidance of dealing with the Leveriate marriage, a popular custom that existed during that period. Lawson Younger in made inference to this point by referring to the book ‘Three Shekels’ by H Shanks: The inscription is puzzling. According to the law of levirate marriage, a man must marry his brother’s widow if his brother died childless (see Deuteronomy 25:5–6). Why wasn’t the husband’s brother, who had already received the wheat ? eld in Nacamah, required to do his duty by marrying his brother’s widow? Alas, the ostracon does not tell us(p 32) The laws relating to marriage and redemption were strongly intertwined and since it was not completely applicable in this case because Ruth did not marry her direct next of kin, these scholars have speculated that it might have been authored by a female. Furthermore, H Avolos backed this argument by purporting the deliberate exclusion in this case. (Avolos 616) In an attempt to further prove this point Young referred to various Hebrew texts and phrases used to give a better view point. For instance, the use of the words ‘Amah’ and ‘siphah were used at different times, suggestive of various points regarding the nocturnal influence of Ruth in Chapter 3:9. This is what he noted: Amah seems to be used to emphasize a slave’s feminine qualities (need for protect weakness, sexual attractiveness, etc. ), while siphah seems to be used when the female is viewed as a possession and a laborer. 41 Both terms can be used as self-designations. When it is used this way, amah appears to suggest a female petitioner’s weakness and need for help or protection when presenting a request before a more powerful male, never before another female. When siphah is used as a self-designation of obeisance, it seems to signify the woman’s subservience and readiness to serve or obey instructions. (p127) With the usage of the term amah, despite the fact that she was a labourer or indirectly in servitude, she was still able to realize her feminity even in hardship. It was suggestive of her need for protection and dependency on the one who is stronger than herself, especially when requesting a favour from an influential male figure. This point alludes to the kind of writing by a male author, realizing the need of the woman for protection and a bulwark. The usage of the term siphah suggested the readiness of the woman to adhere to instructions from the male and obey and to do is bidding. In both cases, there is a strong suggestion of a male authorship based on this viewpoint. Further Hebrew terms used indicate more usage of feminine forms of verbs. For instance, the word hyrja, meaning ‘them’ was used to refer to bodies of individuals. Its frequent usage indicated that the author made reference to a wide range of people who were female. Perhaps this could have been suggestive of a male author appreciating the role of the women or in actual fact, a woman who sought to enhance the role of the female in that era? The Feminist Companion of the Bible addressed several points that alluded to an obvious female authorship. (pg 34) It was argued that this book presented various points which gave credence to the importance of women in the Holy Bible. For instance, several women were identified who played excellent roles in biblical event, including Deborah, Dorcas, Esther and Miriam just to mention a few. It was also admitted that there were also major indications to the book of Ruth being authored by a male because of its superscription, just as the case was in other books like the book of Ecclesiastes. An interesting point to note was that there was a chance that although it may not have been written by a woman, the male author certainly had a profound respect for women and valued their contribution to the society. Interestingly, this book under the ‘Unconventional Life Partnership, Women Do Go Unconventional Ways’ heading also referred to the instruction by Naomi to Ruth, to use her natural female charm to win the heart of Boaz. (Athalya 29). This could very well have been a masculine viewpoint, in the sense that Naomi did recognize that Ruth needed a man in her life and hence was giving her advise on how to make Boaz notice her. During that period, it was generally expected that the women realized that they were being prepared for marriage at some stage and it would have been the role of an experienced woman like Naomi to share this with Ruth. This is a very feminine disposition which could have been expressed by the author. In the second chapter of the book of Ruth, she was portrayed as a hardworking lady who went to ‘glean with the reapers’. In Hebrew, the word ‘reapers’ refers to masculinity. Hence, irrespective of this fact, she was able to go and work with the men, gathering enough food supply for herself and for Naomi. As a matter of fact, it was emphasized that she worked through to the period of harvest. By so doing, she was able to gather more than sufficient rations to tend to the needs of a whole family. This was a progressive woman who knew that it was essential that she managed the home front successfully. In other words, she was a traditional homemaker – the major role of the woman. A female author would not have put this point any better. In his comparative study of the book of Ruth, Younger suggested that to a large extent, it seemed that a woman’s economic well-being was directly related to her link with some male. (p 129) From a feminine perspective it could be argued that this exhibited self-reliance and independence of the woman. On the contrary, there is also the aspect of the masculinity portrayed. The head of the reaper, when approached by Boaz who had not yet met Ruth at the time to ask about who she was, the reaper made excuses on her behalf, as she was a foreigner ( a Moabite girl) who did not the customs and modest requirements of the women of Israel. This impled that she was gleaning with the wrong set of people, in other words, the men. Hence, when Boaz eventually spoke to her, he advised her to glean with the girls or young ladies (Chapter 2:8). This was indicative of the male dominance and belief in the distinct and separate roles of the woman and the man. The geneological account in Chapter Four included women in it and this has made people suggest its female authorship. It was uncommon to have women included in the genelogical chronology. Especially in this instant, this geneology led all the way down to David, from whom the expected lineage of the Messiah was from. The character of Boaz was one of a generous and extremely loving individual. He saw the needs of Ruth and Naomi and took the necessary steps to ensure their happiness. By so doing, he tremendously brought a lot of benefits to himself. Eventually, he got married to Ruth. His numerous character traits are worthy of further study. Ruth was described as a virtuous woman. From the beginning of the book, she displayed loyalty and love, even to its end. When Naomi was bereaved of three members of her family including her husband and sons, Ruth did not seek out her own gain but decided to remain with Naomi, always. It took superhuman power to make such a profound statement in Chapter 1:16, entreating Naomi to let her (Ruth) remain with her. There was nothing that Naomi had to offer her. Both her sons were now dead, including the husband of Ruth. As was pointed out by Naomi, she had nothing to offer Ruth. Notwithstanding, Ruth made a selfless commitment to stand by Ruth, through times of sorrow and happiness. Naomi was a wise lady whose experience was of great benefit to Boaz and Ruth. In essence, she took the practical steps to facilitate their union. In all three characters, excellent themes of relational interactions have been displayed. Humility, sacrificial love, generousity and empathy just to mention a few, are required in everyday dealings with people. Regardless of the authorship, these character traits spread across boundaries and are pertinent in dealing with practical real-life matters. Especially today, these attitudes are still required and go along way in boosting human interactions. Works Cited Brenner, A. The feminist companion to the Bible (Second Series) Sheffield Academic Press Avalos, H. Legal and Social Institutions, 616 Malick, D. An Argument of the Book of Ruth from http://www. bible. org/page. php? page_id=952 Shanks, H. (1997). Three Shekels pg 32. Younger, K. L. (1998). Two Comparative Notes on the Book of Ruth. Trinity International University

Zen Buddhist Perspectives on Modern Education Essay -- Educational Bud

Zen Buddhist Perspectives on Modern Education ABSTRACT: Many articles and books on Buddhism have been published in recent years, but publications dealing with Buddhist educational views are rarely available. In this paper, I wish to expound on Zen Buddhist perspectives on modern education. The history of Buddhist education is long and complex. In early centuries (400 BCE- 800 CE), Buddhist monasteries in India and China functioned as educational centers where vinaya, sutras and other subjects were taught. Many men and women were refugees from social injustice and the sangha provided them with education, security and dignity. Spirituality and pedantry were always combined in Buddhist education. But from a Zen perspective, modern education has become an occupational training program to promote financial interest. Capitalism, science and technology have formed a new world view; to wit, occupational training has become more essential to one's way of living than the spiritual quest. Today, most students are concerned with finding fin ancial stability and material gain. Against this trend, Zen education encourages students to seek spiritual stability. Because of Buddha nature, this is a natural human inclination, while not everyone is talented to become a computer specialist or an investment banker. Zen education guides students to grasp the "twist and turn" of the samsaric world, teaching them to be compassionate, understanding, patient listeners and well-balanced individuals. Many articles and books on Buddhism have been published in recent years, but publications dealing with Buddhist educational views are rarely available. In this paper, I wish to expound on Zen Buddhist perspectives on modern education. In the first section... ...nd appreciate ordinary things to fulfill the other missing fifty percent. Learning, then, becomes more complete. Notes (1) Bapat, P. V. 2500 Years in Buddhism. (New Delhi: Government of India, 1956), p. 158. (2) Ibid., p. 162. (3) Ibid., p. 165. (4) Chen, Kenneth. Buddhism in China. (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1993), p. 43. (5) Ibid., p. 44. (6) Ibid., p. 83. (7) Lin chi. The Record of Lin Chi. tr. Ruth F. Sasaki. (Kyoto, Japan: The Institute for Zen Studies, 1975), p. 14. (8) Hosaka, Gyokusen. Zen no yotei. [ Secret of Zen] (Tokyo: Kyoiku shincho sha, 1968), p. 57. (9) Ibid. (10) Merton, Thomas. Zen and the Birds of Appetite. (New York: New Directions, 1968), p. 31. (11) Pang yun. The Recorded Sayings of Layman Pang: A Nineth-Century Zen Classic. tr. Ruth F. Sasaki. (New York: Weatherhill, 1971), p. 46. Zen Buddhist Perspectives on Modern Education Essay -- Educational Bud Zen Buddhist Perspectives on Modern Education ABSTRACT: Many articles and books on Buddhism have been published in recent years, but publications dealing with Buddhist educational views are rarely available. In this paper, I wish to expound on Zen Buddhist perspectives on modern education. The history of Buddhist education is long and complex. In early centuries (400 BCE- 800 CE), Buddhist monasteries in India and China functioned as educational centers where vinaya, sutras and other subjects were taught. Many men and women were refugees from social injustice and the sangha provided them with education, security and dignity. Spirituality and pedantry were always combined in Buddhist education. But from a Zen perspective, modern education has become an occupational training program to promote financial interest. Capitalism, science and technology have formed a new world view; to wit, occupational training has become more essential to one's way of living than the spiritual quest. Today, most students are concerned with finding fin ancial stability and material gain. Against this trend, Zen education encourages students to seek spiritual stability. Because of Buddha nature, this is a natural human inclination, while not everyone is talented to become a computer specialist or an investment banker. Zen education guides students to grasp the "twist and turn" of the samsaric world, teaching them to be compassionate, understanding, patient listeners and well-balanced individuals. Many articles and books on Buddhism have been published in recent years, but publications dealing with Buddhist educational views are rarely available. In this paper, I wish to expound on Zen Buddhist perspectives on modern education. In the first section... ...nd appreciate ordinary things to fulfill the other missing fifty percent. Learning, then, becomes more complete. Notes (1) Bapat, P. V. 2500 Years in Buddhism. (New Delhi: Government of India, 1956), p. 158. (2) Ibid., p. 162. (3) Ibid., p. 165. (4) Chen, Kenneth. Buddhism in China. (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1993), p. 43. (5) Ibid., p. 44. (6) Ibid., p. 83. (7) Lin chi. The Record of Lin Chi. tr. Ruth F. Sasaki. (Kyoto, Japan: The Institute for Zen Studies, 1975), p. 14. (8) Hosaka, Gyokusen. Zen no yotei. [ Secret of Zen] (Tokyo: Kyoiku shincho sha, 1968), p. 57. (9) Ibid. (10) Merton, Thomas. Zen and the Birds of Appetite. (New York: New Directions, 1968), p. 31. (11) Pang yun. The Recorded Sayings of Layman Pang: A Nineth-Century Zen Classic. tr. Ruth F. Sasaki. (New York: Weatherhill, 1971), p. 46.

Rewards and Challenges Essay

I know that in today’s society there will be many challenges one will face when choosing to become a teacher. I believe that learning how to maintain a classroom’s balance might prove to be difficult to a first year teacher. I know it will take a lot of patience and critique from peers to get into a â€Å"flow†. Teachers make literally hundreds of decisions every day, and many of them must be made with nearly spilt-second timing. There may be an issue of an electronic failure that prevents a teacher from following a prepared lesson plan. He/she will have to decide on how to teach the curriculum without the use of that aid. There may be an instance where behavior is an issue and the teacher needs to decide if the entire classroom should be effected or just a few students. Another challenge for a first year teacher might be how to identify bullying. I’m sure that as students gather on the playground or in the lunchroom where there is limited supervision in all areas, there may be some bullying happening that may appear to the teacher as play. It is proven that people who bully take advantage of imbalances in power, such as greater size or strength, higher status, or the support of a peer group. I feel it is vital that a teacher needs to get to know her students early in the year to recognize behaviors that might lead to bullying or those who may become targets. The student’s socioeconomic status will strongly affect learning. Some students may have parents with well paying jobs and are able to travel and perhaps wear more expensive clothing. Other students may barely have enough to eat and live in less than  adequate housing. I also feel that due to this status, some students may not have a strong support system at home to assist in their daily learning making it difficult for a student to be successful. As there will be many challenges, there are many rewards as well. The rewards in teaching can either be intrinsic or extrinsic. Many people decide on the teaching profession due to the intrinsic rewards. I feel for myself, the most rewarding aspect would be seeing a student grow throughout the  year. They may begin with little knowledge on a subject and as the year progresses, a teacher may witness the day when â€Å"the light bulb goes on.† When I was in school, I found it very difficult to maintain an interest in my History courses. I found the information very boring and felt at the time had no impact on my current life. I can’t remember one single teacher that I had in this subject that was able to teach the curriculum in a way that I could maintain it. As I got older and became interested in the History channels on television and watching documentaries, I became extremely interested in this area, especially on the Civil War. I feel that if given the opportunity, I would teach in a way that would capture student’s interest. This would be a great reward to know that I was known a teacher that helped a student understand and appreciate our nation’s background. Another reward would be on the extrinsic side. I have a large family, so as the mother of four children, I look forward to summer vacations. Also, when there are snow days, I’m not trying to find daycare. I am able to have the same hours as my children so that we  may have plenty of family time together. This is very important to me personally. Also, other economic factors have influenced my attractiveness to teach. The annual salaries have been virtually guaranteed to increase. The benefits such as medical, dental and retirement are usually provided and the job is secure. In today’s economy, knowing that one has a profession that has this type of security is vital to families. If given the opportunity, I would love to be able to make a difference in the life of a child. I would take the kind of personal interest on an individual basis to ensure the success of all students that give an honest effort. I feel that with proper home support and a teacher that is committed to their position, every student has an opportunity for a successful future. APA Citations Teachers make literally hundreds of decisions every day and many of them must be made with split-second timing. ( Kennedy 2006) â€Å"Introduction to Teaching† (2011) p.10 People who bully take advantage of imbalances in power, such as greater size or strength, higher status, or the support of a peer group. (2011) â€Å"Introduction to Teaching† (p. 86) Introduction to Teaching (2011 Kauchak and Eggan) â€Å"Diversity: The Changing face of American Classrooms† (p. 20) Introduction to Teaching (2011) â€Å"Rewards and Challenges in Teaching† (p. 5) Introduction to Teaching (2011) â€Å"Extrinsic Rewards† (p. 8)

Need for Accounting Standards Essay

Critically evaluate the need for accounting standards and the need for a set of principles on which they are based. Accounting Standards Accounting standards contain a set of rules and governing practices for the treatment of all financial transactions. The main objective of accounting standards is to establish recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure requirements dealing with financial transactions and key events which are important in the financial statements of companies. These financial statements give end-users important information, as well as an in depth understanding about an organization’s performance, position and cash flow. Some examples of users of financial statements include potential investors, employees, suppliers and government agencies. As such, accounting standards provide the basic framework for financial statements to be presented in a fair and credible manner, such that it reflects the true overview of the financial status of an organization. These standards also help to present financial statements in a standardized and coherent manner, so that end-users worldwide are able to extract information and make decisions based on them. Advantages of Accounting Standards One advantage of having accounting standards is that it helps to ease the understanding of financial statements. What this means is that with accounting standards, financial statements reflect the financial position and status of an organization in a clear and coherent manner. With the need to publish financial statements in accordance to accounting standards, it also improves the credibility and reliability of the information present in the financial statements. End users, such as potential investors, top management and stakeholders, are able to make more informed decisions with greater confidence based on the information extracted. Accounting standards also provides guidance for accountants in their line of work. When financial reporting issues arise, accountants may refer to published accounting standards to determine how to publish an event. Some examples of these issues include new accounting transactions and new actions incorporated by an organization. Since accounting standards serve both as a reference and a guideline to accountants, this reiterates the transparency, reliability and credibility of financial statements when they are published based on a common accounting framework. Disadvantages of Accounting Standards A disadvantage of using accounting standards is in its inflexibility. For example, an accountant working in an organization which complies with accounting standards might find himself having a hard time in his line of work. This is because he has to make the organization’s unique experience fit into the guidelines laid out in published accounting standards. Another disadvantage of accounting standards is in its cost to comply with the standard. When a company decides to comply with the new standard, it must first consider the requirements of the standard, and what actions the company must take to implement the standard and the cost to do so. In many cases, this proves to be very costly as implementing and complying with a new standard would require system upgrades and employee training. Principle-based Standards Principle-based standards (PBS) is a framework of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) which accountants use for financial reporting. Some examples of the guidelines found in PBS include regularity, consistency, sincerity, prudence, continuity, periodicity and good faith. In PBS, an accountant follows these simple key objectives which help to ensure good reporting. The rules and guidelines set out in PBS only serves as reference and guide the accountant when he is doing his financial reporting. Advantages * Flexible, its broad guidelines allows it to be used in various circumstances * Allows companies to produce financial report using a method that best suit them Disadvantage * Lack of guidelines could lead to variation in financial reporting, making it difficult in terms of comparability Rules-based Standards Rule-based standard (RBS) refers to a list of detailed rules that must be followed when preparing financial statements. The list of rules serves as a checklist when accountants prepare financial statements at the end of a company’s fiscal year. This approach is more favoured by accountants because in preparing the financial reports by following the RBS checklist, it reduces the possibility of being brought to court if their judgements of financial statements are found to be incorrect. Advantages * Having a defined list of rules in preparing financial statement allows standardization, improving consistency which allows comparability between different companies * Easier to audit for compliance purposes Disadvantage * Having to follow a detailed set of rules results in rigidity, each transaction is accounted with respect to each rule. * Accountants have to comply to the rules set forth in RBS or face penalties for non-compliance. Conclusion In conclusion, there is a necessity for accounting standards when companies prepare their financial reports. Financial statements prepared based on accepted accounting standards not only gives users a detailed overview of the financial position of a company, but also assures users that the information they had obtained is reliable, credible and transparent. Question 2 The International Accounting Standards Board’s Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements requires financial statements to be prepared on the basis that they comply with certain accounting concepts, underlying assumptions and (qualitative) characteristics. Five of these are: Matching/accruals, substance over form, prudence, comparability and materiality. Briefly explain the mean of each of the above concepts/assumptions. IASB Framework The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) framework is drawn up and used in preparing and presenting financial statements. The framework was drawn up and approved in April 1989 and published in July 1989. It was adopted by the IASB in April 2001 and later in September 2010; the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting 2010 was approved by the ISAB. (Deloitte, 2012) The purpose of the framework is to lay down guidelines to help ISAB shape the preparation and presentation of financial statements for end users. The IASB Framework acts as a guideline to the Board in establishing future frameworks and as well as a guide to solving accounting issues that are not addressed directly in an International Accounting Standard or International Financial Reporting Standard or Interpretation. The scope of the framework includes the objective of financial report, the qualitative characteristic of useful financial information, the elements of financial statements and the measurement of the elements of financial statements. The focus would be on five of the many qualitative characteristics present in the IASB Framework. The five qualitative characteristics, namely matching/accruals, substances over form, prudence, comparability and materiality would be further discussed in detail as follows: Matching/Accruals Concept Accruals concept is an accounting method that measures the performance and position of a company by journaling economic events regardless of when cash transactions occur. According to this concept, the revenues and expenses are recognized when they are earned or incurred and not when actual money is received or paid. The matching concept is an extension of the accruals concept, whereby revenue earned by the company and the expenses incurred by a company to earn that revenue has to be accounted in the same accounting period. For example, a business records its utility bills as soon as it receives them and not when they are paid, because the service has already been used. The company ignores the date when the payment will be made. Substance over Form Substance over form is the concept that the information shown in the financial statements and accompanying disclosures of a business should reflect the underlying realities of accounting transactions, rather than the legal form in which they appear. This would result in a true view of the affairs of the entity to be presented. Substance over form is critical for reliable financial reporting, particularly in cases of revenue recognition, sales and purchase agreements. For example, a lease might not transfer ownership to the leasee but the leasee has to record the leased items as an asset if it intends to use it for major portion of its useful life or where the present value of lease payment is fairly equal to the fair value of the asset, etc. Although legally the leasee is not the owner, so the leased item is not his asset, but from the perspective of the underlying economics the leasee is entitled to the benefits embedded in the use of the item and hence it has to be recorded as an a sset. Prudence Concept The prudence concept, also known as the concept of conservatism, refers to be cautious when it comes to the recording of business transactions. It is stated that under the prudence concept, the amount of revenues recorded should not be overestimated; neither should the amount of expenses be underestimated. One should be conservative in recording the amount of assets, and not underestimate liabilities. (Steven Bragg, 2011) In terms of profit and loss, anticipated profits cannot be recorded down as profits until they materialize. Some examples of exercising prudence is when company’s inventory should be valued ‘at cost or market price, which is less’, and a provision should set up for an allowance for doubtful accounts. Comparability Concept Comparability is one of the key qualities which accounting information must possess. Accounting information is comparable when accounting standards and policies are applied consistently from one period to another and from one region to another. The characteristic of comparability of financial statements is important because it allows us to compare a set of financial statements with those of prior periods and those of other companies. Financial statements of one entity must also be consistent with other entities within the same line of business. This should aid users in analyzing the performance and position of one company relative to the industry standards. It is therefore necessary for entities to adopt accounting policies that best reflect the existing industry practice. For example, a company which sells mobiles phones values its inventory based on First In First Out (FIFO) method previously, it must continue to do so in the future so as to preserve consistency in the reported inventory balance. A switch to other methods may cause a shift in the value in the inventory, which results in lack of basis of comparability. Materiality Concept It is stated that information is material if its omission or misstatement could influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial statements (IASB Framework) Materiality therefore relates to the significance of transactions, balances and errors contained in the financial statements. Materiality defines the threshold or cutoff point after which financial information becomes relevant to the decision making needs of the users. Information contained in the financial statements must therefore be complete in all material respects in order for them to present a true and fair view of the affairs of the entity. For example, the government of the country in which a company operates in working on a new legislation which would seriously impair the company’s operations in future. Although there are no figures involved, but the implication on the company would be so great that it would be material for this information to be made known to parties it may concern. References IASB Framework, 2012, http://www.ifrs.org/current-projects/iasb-projects/conceptual-framework/Pages/Conceptual-Framework-Summary.aspx (Cited 23 December 2012) Deloitte IAS Plus, History of IASB Framework, http://www.iasplus.com/en/standards/standard4 (Cited 23 December 2012) Steven Bragg, 13 March 2011, What is the prudence concept in accounting, http://www.accountingtools.com/questions-and-answers/what-is-the-prudence-concept-in-accounting.html (Cited 23 December 2012)

Novel Discussion On No Surrender Between The Main Characters

Novel Discussion On No Surrender Between The Main Characters Q. 3 CHOOSE TWO CHARACTERS FROM THE NOVEL YOU HAVE JUST BEEN READING AND DISCUSS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO. WHAT MOTIVATES EACH CHARACTER AND DISCUSS ANY MOTIVATIONAL DIFFERENCES.Since the beginning of time it has always been known for man and woman to coexist, the relationship between the two is very important because the survival of human life depends upon it. The values of life is shared by both man and woman, that is why people fight for their lives but in some cases people do not only fight for the freedom of their lives but for the freedom of someone else's life as well. `No Surrender' is an example of this state of mind, the characters Malenga and Hamish yet both from different backgrounds still have the same value for life.Malenga is a black voluntary worker that was educated in Britain and had returned to her native home of Angola to support others who weren't as lucky to receive health and education.English: Hamish Fulton Italiano: Hamish Fulton al ...

Ebay Essay Example

Ebay Essay Example Ebay Essay Ebay Essay Case Analysis: eBay Customer Support Outsourcing | | Name: Qiong HuangStudent #: 500423506Course #: MT 8216For: Professor BabinDate: December, 10, 2010| Situation eBay. com, â€Å"the world’s online marketplace†, is an online auction and shopping website in which people and business buy and sell a wide variety of goods and services worldwide. It is managed by eBay Inc, which is founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar. eBay’ mission was to provide a robust trading platform where practically anyone could trade anything. It was recognized as the largest and most popular person-to-person trading community on the Internet. eBay Case, 2006) eBay posted US $8. 7 billion in revenue with a net income at $2. 4 billion in 2009. eBay is experiencing a 15% year-over-year increase. eBay’s marketplaces also benefit from a noticeable growth in its international business market, which accounts for around 60% of its market revenue in the 4th quarter of 2009. The marketplaces succ ess comes from the strong growth of its fixed-priced format, the continuing success of its highest rated sellers, and double-digit growth in sold items. (eBay 2009 Financial Report, 2010) Whitman purposed that eBay community of users was the foundation of the company’s business model. eBay Case, 2006) Customer service is substantial for e-commence business to survive and develop. The customer support organization in eBay was made up of two major units: general support, trust and safety. Most of the customer contacts were handled by the general support unit, and approximately 94% of customer service volume was email-based. Also, live chat and phone inquiries were growing. (eBay Case, 2006) To meet the inquiries of its customer base’s growth, eBay first hired remote contractors to respond customers’ emails. Then, eBay deployed Kana technology to improve its efficiency of customer services and to raise the customer satisfactions. However, those initiatives still could not keep up with the demand of growing customer bases. Thus, eBay operated an outsourcing pilot program in 2002. (eBay Case, 2006) Complications Outsourcing increases the productivity and quality of eBay’s customer support. Based on these benefits that were brought by the outsourcing, eBay increased the email volume of customer service sent offshore, even phone volumes in 2003. Yet, it arises some issues. One is the community reactions. More and more complaints from the community directed to the standardization of English, especially after outsourcing the phone volumes. These complaints refer to written English, accents, and language comprehensions. The other big concern is the customer relationship management. Customer support to PowerSellers and potential PowerSellers are not dedicated. eBay does not optimize its customer support to generate revenue. Besides that, eBay lacks of the talents who have rich experiences with outsourcing. Key Questions Should eBay continue to expand its outsourcing? Which outsourcing model can balance a competitive cost for eBay and retain its community? Is BOT a good alternative for eBay? Solutions To stay abreast of the continuing growth customer base and achieving cost differentiation, eBay should continue to expand its outsourcing. However, BOT is too advanced to eBay. It could not address the issues that eBay has now. Near-shoring is a better choice rather than outsourcing to India and Philippines. Compared to the other models of off-shoring outsourcings, near-shoring is to outsource in a nearby country, which shares a broader with own country. As for eBay, Canada, or some rural areas in both America and Canada are all good location choices. This first can solve the problems of language and culture issues as well as reduce the costs for eBay. Second, near-shoring is easier to manage. That ensures these outsourcing services can maintain the same standard with those services in the home country. Another alternative for eBay to optimize its customer support is to deploy CRM software. Customer relationship management is substantial to every company, especially to those e-commerce companies. As I discussed above, community is the foundation of the business model of eBay. Being first-to-market in the e-commerce world is frequently a competitive advantage. (eBay Case, 2006) The application of CRM software helps eBay not only to better serve its existing customers, but to develop new customers. It improves the efficiency and effectiveness in selecting, segmenting the customers and serving them, especially for those potential PowerSellers. This helps eBay to optimize its customer support. Conclusion Outsourcing is considered as a visible way for eBay to reduce costs, scale the demand, and leverage its investment. As for eBay, near-shoring will ground well in customer support, and CRM software will help to optimize the customer support. Reference eBay. (2010). Retrieved at December 10, 2010, from ebayinc. com/who. eBay Financial Report. (2010). Retrieved at December 10, 2010, from http://files. shareholder. com/downloads/ebay/1101818908x0x345224/b455630d-4bb9-4ba5-adb1-40dcf29e82ce/eBay_Q409EarningsRelease. pdf. Newman, S. , Crikscheit, G. , amp;Verna, R. (2006). eBay Customer Support Outsourcing. Indiana University CIBER.

Case 3-2 Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

3-2 - Case Study Example Nonetheless, in order to meet such challenges effectively, many organisations in the current context are widely implementing IT governance practice. IT governance initiatives of many organizations are predominately directed towards reducing risks and cost control (Milne & Bowles, 2009). It is equally important that adequate funding is made available for the IT projects. Budgeting of IT projects needs to be made on the basis of prioritisation. In this regard, it has become essential for the organisations to effectively manage IT priorities and align them with business strategies and goals for ensuring desirable outcome (Teo et al., 2000; Berander & Andrews n.d.). At the same time, successful IT leadership is also an imperative factor for ensuring project success. The prime role of IT leaders in the current highly dynamic business environment is not confined to ensuring the effectiveness of the IT program but priority needs to be placed on the overall success of the business (Delisi et al., 2009). Correspondingly, the concerned case study, ‘Volkswagen of America: Managing IT Priorities’ describes the endeavours that have been made by Volkswagen of America (VWoA), the US subsidiary of Volkswagen AG (VWAG) in order to achieve the goal of establishing IT funding priorities and determining the type of project to be funded. The first Volkswagen automobile was designed during the period of 1930s in Germany by Ferdinand Porsche. Initially, Volkswagen was engaged in the development of the low-mid range vehicles that were targeted at the mass market. The success of the company upsurge significantly and worldwide popularity was accorded by the company primarily during 1960s with the development Beetle that was accompanied with air-cooled engine feature. After witnessing rapid growth in the 1960s, the sales of the vehicles dropped dramatically during the early 1970s. The fall in the sales of the company was primarily due the failure of the managers

Felix Longorias Wake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Felix Longorias Wake - Essay Example In fact, it states that the wake could not be held because whites would not like it. This event catapulted the fight against discrimination of the Mexican- American overnight. The controversy helped build careers of some politicians while also bringing to an end the life of others. The resultant effect of the action was the fight for recognition. The purpose of the book is to create the picture of the events that occurred in the struggle against racism which includes events surrounding the life of Felix Longoria. The book is organized in a structural way including the development of the plot. The book can be read with ease, but has several repetitions that make it boring for readers especially when rereading the book. The book is essential when addressing the social issues affecting the American society including the current status of the country. It elaborates the issue of racism and the steps undertaken to combat racism. The focus of the book is on the Mexican Americans and their struggle for identity and rights. The book is excellent especially for students studying the American society and the impact of various rights’

Principles of magic and the mechanical philosophy Essay

Principles of magic and the mechanical philosophy - Essay Example Additionally, there was enchaining or bonding. The images that he presents are very detailed with various planetary natures that are always in action. The central point of these images is to communicate to the pneuma which is the astral body of the human beings and also the spirit. The soul of the person who views these images is attracted by them and thus apprehends them thus giving the person knowledge and wisdom. Therefore, the emphases for Bruno is the fact that there are always chains and bonds formed that are capable of communicating to the human soul. The chains and bonds that are supreme he referred to as vincula in his magic. He further goes on to say that: â€Å"There are three gates through which the hunter of souls [animarum venator] ventures to bind: vision, hearing and mind or imagination. If it happens that someone passes through all three of these gates, he binds most powerfully and ties down most tightly† (Bruno, 1997, p.155).In her book, the death of nature, Carolyn Merchant attempts to document the ecological and economic changes that were ongoing in Western Europe in the late 16th and early 17th century. Sweeping changes in both ecology and technology made it possible for there to be material conditions which facilitated the existence of new ideas. Although she cautions that her argument does not wholly support that material changes did not necessarily lead to ideological changes, she says that there are some ideas that appear more prevalent than others in a given period of time.in time. Furthermore, she claims that some ideas like those associated with magic and an organic view of the world become less compelling whereas the mechanical approaches are developed and adopted. There seems to be a back and forth argument in The Death of Nature between the social conditions as well as material conditions associated with nature and science. The strongest ideas are however those that are in support of the

Training Day (King Kong Clip) Essay Example for Free

Training Day (King Kong Clip) Essay During the process of envisioning and designing a film, the director, production designer, and art director (in collaboration with the cinematographer) are concerned with several major spatial and temporal elements. These design elements punctuate and underscore the movement of figures within the frame, including the following: setting, lighting, costuming, makeup, and hairstyles. Choose a scene from movieclips.com. In a three to five page paper, (excluding the cover and reference pages) analyze the mise-en-scà ¨ne I chose the movie clip entitled â€Å"King Kong†. It’s from the movie â€Å"Training Day† starting Denzel Washington. Training Day is a movie that comes straight from the streets it depicts a product of the match up between screenwriter David Ayer, who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, and director Antoine Fuqua, who grew up on the rough side of Pittsburgh. Both men are intimately familiar with the daily, potentially explosive face-offs between cops and criminals in urban America. The director Antoine Fuqua vision for this film was to bring the heat and intensity to the movie Training Day to the big screen. Fuqua wanted Training Day to look as authentic as possible, and he shot on location in some of the most infamous neighborhoods of Los Angeles. He also wanted to show the audience what officers in the rough neighborhoods of Los Angeles experience on the outside and also on the inside as they grapple with an amoral world of drug dealers, murderers, rapists and thieves. Fuqua wanted to show the audience a rough, undaunted, fast moving style of life on the other side of the legal line. With this film he was able to capture the mean streets of Los Angeles in an honest and revealing way, but also with a visual style that makes every scene exciting, whether it’s a major action sequence or just two guys in a car talking. Production Designer Naomi Shohan wanted the movie’s design to reflect the underlying relevance of the story because they filmed in all real locations. All the interiors done on stage were taken from the locations and researched in the neighborhoods with the help of the residents which also gave the film the authenticity of being in the â€Å"hood†. She became sort of an urban anthropologist, because everything the viewer sees is as it really is. The colors and textures used, change throughout the scene, but everything they used was taken directly from the neighborhood that you find yourself in throughout the clip. Cinematographers and art directors play a very important and creative role in film production. They work closely with the director and give a film its unique visual look and identity. The art director, David Lazan and cinematographer, Mauro Fiore, shot the film almost entirely in sequence, following the clock from the crack of dawn to a very dark night of reckoning. Compressing intense action and emotion into a brief time frame became one of their key challenges. They had to make sure the film felt like it was one single day unfolding which became the single biggest challenge during the production. Explain how the artists utilize lighting in the scene. How does the lighting affect our emotional understanding of certain characters? What sort of mood does the lighting evoke? How does lighting impact the overall story the filmmaker is attempting to tell? Describe the setting, including the time period, location, and culture in which the film takes place. Light can make a scene look more realistic by creating shadows and highlights. Washington’s character, Alonzo, is displayed as a powerful, yet currupt police officer who believes that he is untouchable. The way Alonzo dresses shows a look of dominance. In the clip I chose Alonzo (Denzel Washington) is on the dark and dominant streets of L.A, surrounded by gangs and the people of the community that he very well is suppose to have been protecting and serving. Alonzo tries to keep the tough guy look for most of the part only showing one emotion. However at this point of the film, Alonzo does not have the tough guy look as he have had when no one helps him in time of need. Explain what costuming can tell us about a character. In what ways can costuming be used to reflect elements of the films plot? Explain how hairstyle and makeup can help tell the story. What might hairstyle and makeup reveal about the characters? Discuss your opinion regarding the mise-en-scà ¨ne. Do the elements appear to work together in a harmonious way? Does the scene seem discordant? Do you think the design elements are congruent with the filmmaker’s vision for the scene? From the moment you set eyes on him you can relies that Alonzo is a feisty character, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Denzels performance is absolutely riveting. Every scene hes in, hes got the audience captivated with his dark costuming and the character’s dark and dominant personality. Ethan Hawke (Jake Hoyt) provides excellent backup. Jake is a bright eyed and innocent rokkie who reports to his training officer for his first day on the job in narcotics in the LAPD. He never could have fathomed just how much he would learn on that very first Training Day. Overall, Training Day proved to send a powerful message and gave us a small glimpse of what is truly happening in our society, the effect that the epidemic of drugs and violence are having in our cities and the corruption that is happening among our most trusted police officers. Reference pages http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/training-day-20010917. Training Day (2001) Memorable Quotes. The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Web. Feb. 2011. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0139654/quotes.

Technology in Education; Where it has been, Where it is now, and Where

â€Å"Technology in Education; Where it has been, Where it is now, and Where it is Going† â€Å"Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other. And we need them all† (Re-inventing 1995). These words spoken by the distinguished author, Arthur C. Clarke, bring to light where exactly the technological situation in education is and the direction it is going. The discussion and debate of introducing and improving classrooms with technology has been a relatively heated topic as of late. Many have even claimed that if schools are to survive it is imperative for us to stand back and carefully rethink our notions of intelligence, learning, instruction, and evaluate the situation in light of the new age of communication. In discussing the use of technology in education a distinction needs to be made between itself and ‘tech ed’. The common definition of technology education is that it is an action based program for all students to use resources to design, produce, use, and assess the impacts of products and services that extend human potential to improve and control the natural and human made development (Patterson 1999). While these skills and practices are integrated into using technology in education it does not fully explain or utilize what is needed to provide affective technology in the classroom. A mission of this program is to help students apply technology to effectively make decisions and contribute to a rapidly changing technological society. But more than that, the purpose is to give students the best possible education for their generation with the suppli... ...y. http://education.indiana.edu/keyfrick.html Jackson, Lorrie, (n.d). Teaching and learning about technology. (2005. May 9), Education World. http://educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech219.shtml Kaplan, Erez, (n.d.). Calculating Machines. (2005. May 7), http://www.webcom.com/calc/calculatingmachines Patterson, Jason, (n.d.). The history of computers during my lifetime. (2005. May 9), http://pattosoft.comau/jason/Articles/HistoryofComputers/index.html Re-inventing schools, the technology age is now. (2005. May 9), National Academy of Sciences. http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/techgap/index.html Schrum, Lynne, (n.d). Technology in the classroom: asking the right questions. (2005. May 8), http://www.enc.org/topics/edtech/context/document.shtm?input=FOC-000694-index Whelan, Debra Lau. (2005) Let the games begin: School Library Journal, 51, 40-44.

“More than our brother is our chastity”. How far do you find yourself able to condone Isabella’s point of view

John 15:13 says: â€Å"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends†. In the traditional Christian Elizabethan society; this sentiment would have been revered; Shakespeare’s Puritanical and Catholic audiences would have loved the ideas of self-sacrifice and the immediate ascension into heaven. However, in Measure for Measure, Shakespeare manages to challenge this verse; he manipulates the situations and then causes the audience to digest the complexity of the verse, and causes the audience to question whether Isabella’s estimation that fornicating to save the life of another is not only morally wrong and a direct rebuttal of Jesus’ sentiment; but a damning sin. Isabella’s introduction into the play arouses intrigue in audiences and readers, as she is described as having a â€Å"speechless dialect/Such as move men†; so it is expected that audiences and readers would be waiting with bated breath fro Isabella to meet Angelo; and Shakespeare does not disappoint. The scene is written in blank verse, with unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter; Isabella first line is not quite metrically even; the word honour cannot be properly stressed, and that falter changes the rhythm of her speech. Her second speech leaves a gap in which Angelo inserts a terse question; almost as if the incomplete pentameter forces Angelo to reply. That first break in rhythm changes the dynamics of Isabelle’s interaction with Angelo. Shakespeare purposefully does this in order to use language and rhythm to convey the intensity of the relationship instantly forged between them; in particular the way the metre swaps between the two speakers. Later in the scene, the roles are reversed. On line 51, the position of the words in the pentameter undermines their stated meaning: while the words themselves speak of a certainty and finality, the rhythm is half-finished; in which Isabella can – metrically must- reopen the argument; although Angelo’s words say there is nor room for argument, he does not, at some level, want to dismiss the argument entirely; The language of the scene shows the extent to which they are aware of each other. So from the beginning of their interaction readers and audiences alike are left to question if this awareness is befitting of a novice nun. Conversely, Isabella may be seen as a model of some aspects of Christian virtue in ‘Measure for Measure', and her opposition to giving up her virginity an extension of her inherent virtue. For instance, in Act 2 Scene 2, Isabella's dialogue with Angelo expresses her quality of mercy, as although Claudio's sexual transgression is â€Å"a vice that I do most abhor†, Isabella argues that Angelo â€Å"might pardon him, / And neither heaven nor man grieve at the mercy. Furthermore she connects this value directly to God and her religion; â€Å"Why all the souls that were, were forfeit once/ And he that might the vantage best have took/ Found out the remedy. † This opposes Angelo's strict adherence to the secular laws of Vienna. His speeches in this scene make repeated references to his view of the law as immobile, such as â€Å"Your brother is a forfeit of the law/ And you but waste your words. He does not address the moral issues surrounding Claudio's crime, and the dry legal connotations of his language may seem to lack sympathy or mercy; this contrasts with Isabella's emotive language and religious allusions. This juxtaposition may have provided Shakespeare's original audiences with an interesting and current rhetorical debate, as the laws of the church and England's common laws were sometimes distinct and contradictory, causing moral and legal conflict. Moreover, the laws at the time were concerned with principles of justice, but did not often consider mercy, which was thought to be a religious virtue. Therefore, the characters of Isabella and Angelo may be intended to represent the two sides of this debate. Similarly, in John Webster’s ‘The Duchess of Malfi† The Duchess is portrayed as character who breaks the traditional Elizabethan revenge plot by to speak and act with the freedom of normal, albeit impulsive human beings. The Duchess is portrayed as sensual and aware of her sexuality, but is still able to become the embodiment of Christian virtue. In some ways Isabella and the Duchess are strikingly similar, but where The Duchess is overtly sexual, Isabella – like Angelo, has a moral compass that causes her to view situations as either Black or White, with no in-between {Insert quotation here} Isabella may therefore represent the difficulties of being a model of virtue, and of holding strict values of chastity and restraint whilst upholding sometimes contrasting principles of mercy and compassion. These themes would have been relevant in Jacobean society, as puritan values – which Isabella's devotion may represent – were becoming increasingly influential politically and socially, for instance the theatres of the suburbs were at times closed by puritan intervening. Furthermore, the play's genre of problem play allows for moral dilemmas to be raised and viewed from both sides. Therefore although seems to Isabella demonstrate a struggle to become ideally virtuous, it cannot be said definitively whether she succeeds as Angelo brings to light an equally challenging view â€Å"Is there no charity in sin? † However, it could be argued that modern values make it difficult for todays’ audience and readers to full grasp the gravity of Isabella’s situation. A similar story to ‘Measure for Measure’ is outlined in the Elizabethan novella â€Å"Eptia and Juriste† by Giraldi Cintho; in which Juriste is appointed governor of Innsbruck. He sentences a young man Vico to death; and like Angelo, Juriste propositions Epitia for sexual favours in exchange for her brother’s life, hinting that he might even marry her later. Epitia refuses indignantly â€Å"My brother’s life† she says with noble fierceness â€Å"is indeed very dear to me, but my honour is far dearer: my life I would willingly lose to save his, but I will not preserve him with my honour† so it could be argued that dilemma’s like this were popular and scintillating with Elizabethan audiences, as they understood the true depth of both women’s situations. Unfortunately, the representation of Isabella's religious devotion may appear – to some readers and audiences; humorous in its extremes, such as when in Act 1 Scene 4 she wishes for â€Å"a more strict restraint† even than â€Å"the votarists of St Claire†, a Catholic order that Shakespeare's audiences may have recognised as following rigorous rules of poverty. Furthermore, Isabella's devotion to chastity may place her on what seems like a moral highroad unachievable by most, and this may causes an audience to question or disapprove of her character. However, although Isabella's resilient chastity may have therefore seemed virtuous, her direct language: â€Å"Better it were a brother died at once† could seem unsympathetic and her use of the pronoun â€Å"our† in her proclamation â€Å"more than our brother is our chastity† could be seen as unemotional and an attempt to depersonalise he situation; making it harder for audiences and readers alike to empathise with her. Although, the argument of Isabella’s lack of sympathy for Claudio could be countered with her argument that Angelo should put himself in Claudio's place: â€Å"Go to your bosom, / Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know/ That's like my brother's fault†. ; the emphasis on the shifting pronouns enacts the level of syntax, the act of identification she seeks to prompt. Also, it may be significant that Isabella sticks to her values of chastity even though it involves emotional upheaval, whereas Angelo, when he discovers he is not the legal and moral puritan he had previously thought himself to abandons his values completely and becomes a tyrant, exploiting both the law and the other characters for his own benefit, saying: â€Å"I have begun, /And now I give my sensual race the rein. † So, while Angelo is portrayed as occupying the same if not higher moral ground that Isabella, his fall from grace is well documented and juxtaposed against Isabella – who sometimes unethical but never immoral, it shows that Isabella’s strength lies I her unwavering moral compass, and easily giving over her virtue would be untrue of her character. This is portrays especially well in Act 2 Scene 4, where Angelo asks â€Å"who would believe thee Isabel? â€Å". Here Shakespeare's use of the rhetorical question emphasises Angelo's power over Isabella, in that he is relying on his â€Å"unsoiled name† to protect him from prosecution. The imagery of the â€Å"unsoiled† name implies that Angelo's power stems from his past reputation, in that no one would believe that he would be capable of succumbing to the same weaknesses as other's. This point is mirrored in the â€Å"Duchess of Malfi† in which the Cardinal places his power in his reputation as no one expects him to be a fornicator as his position supposedly attests to his morality. In conclusion, Isabella's conflict in the play has a deep moral centre. She wants to become a nun, but can only save her brother's life by surrendering her chastity to Angelo. When she says, â€Å"More than our brother is our chastity† I believe she is not being cruel or selfish, but trying very hard to adhere to an ingrained sense morality, and unlike many characters in the play, she sticks to her values and her faith; and this might seem foreign even to some Elizabethan audiences, as in some cases, representations of women of this time can be seen as being limited to idolised virgins, or sexual women who were often demonised as whores. So, because Isabella is not a perfect religious ideal, but as a woman with flaws who is placed in a difficult situation, and tries to achieve the best outcome; it is easy to respect her.