Great Expectations Essays (173 words) - English-language Films

Great Expectations In Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, light is used symbolically through the example of Estella. Miss Havisham brings Estella up in the darkness, consequently sheltering her from the true meaning of life. By Miss Havisham's orders, the house in which Estella lives is lit only by artificial light. Estella constantly lives a false life by never knowing the true significance of her words and actions. Her confinement to the darkness affects Pip, the one person who truly loves her. Estella represents his unreachable star, a light in the darkness that he faithfully reaches for. The sun, earth's star, is our source of life. In this way, Estella acts as Pip's continual source of inspiration. He strives to become a gentleman for her, so he can spend the rest of his life by her side. Pip's life was unfulfilled until "her light came along the dark passage like a star." This light, in the darkness of her surroundings, will light the way for Pip and always guide him back to Estella. The light that Estella represents is significant to this remarkable work, Great Expectations.

Best Crucible Act 1 Summary

Best Crucible Act 1 Summary SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The first act of The Crucible sets the stage (literally, heh) for the disturbing sequence of events that will unfold in Acts 2, 3, and 4. Most of the major characters are introduced, and there are critical insights into various political and personal conflicts that threaten to disrupt the social order in the town of Salem. We also learn how the witchcraft craze got started and why it spiraled out of control. This article will go over the very important sequence of events and their thematic relevance so you can answer all the questions your English teacher throws at you. I'll provide both a short summary and a long summary. The short summary is just the bare bones of what happened without getting into too much detail about conversations that are less relevant to the central plot. It's more of a review to read after you've already gone through the play yourself. The long summary, which I'm choosing to call the "oops, I didn't read it" summary, is more in-depth. It goes through everything that occurs in Act 1 without getting too far into the weeds. Despite the title of the second summary, I urge you to actually read the play so you have a stronger understanding of the voices of the characters and the thematic points Miller is trying to make. Also, if you don't read it you'll miss out on some amazing stage directions that can be easily misinterpreted as giggle-worthy euphemisms if you're as immature as me and my fellow blog writers. The CrucibleAct 1 Summary - Short Version Ten-year-old Betty Parris has contracted a mysterious illness that renders her mute and bedridden. Her father, Reverend Samuel Parris, caught her dancing in the woods the night before with a group of girls. The group included his teenage niece, Abigail Williams, and his slave, Tituba. Rumors have spread around town that witchcraft is the cause of Betty’s illness, and people are now gathered at the Parris household. Parris questions Abigail about the rumors, but she claims the girls were just dancing. Ann Putnam says that her daughter, Ruth, who was with the group in the woods, is also afflicted with a strange illness. All of Ann’s children except Ruth have died as infants. Ann sent Ruth to Tituba in hopes that she would be able to communicate with her siblings and find out who or what was responsible for their deaths. To her uncle's dismay, Abigail admits that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. Abigail and two girls named Mercy Lewis and Mary Warren, who were also in the woods, are left alone with Betty. They try to wake her up as they get their story straight. Betty blurts out that Abigail drank chicken blood in an attempt to cast a spell that would kill Elizabeth Proctor, and Abigail warns her to keep quiet (or else). John Proctor enters the room, and Mercy and Mary leave Abigail alone with him. John and Abigail had an affair when Abigail worked as a servant in his house, and Abigail wants it to continue. John insists that he has recommitted himself to his wife, Elizabeth. Betty whimpers when she hears the Lord’s name in a psalm that people are singing outside the room. Everyone who is singing outside the room rushes in to check on her. Betty's distress is taken as additional evidence of witchcraft by Ann Putnam, and some of the others start to come around to this theory as well. An intellectual church leader named Reverend Hale arrives from the town of Beverly to investigate the situation and see if he can detect any signs of witchcraft. Abigail confesses that Tituba called the Devil after more details about the previous night are revealed. Tituba isn’t allowed to tell her side of the story (that Abigail was actually the instigator), and when she is threatened with hanging she confesses that she’s been forced to work for the Devil. She also names Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn as fellow witches after prompting by Parris and Hale. Abigail and Betty then admit their unwilling involvement in witchcraft and shout out the names of several other womenwho they claim to have seen with the Devil. I want YOU to join my plot to totally mess with a super lame town in Massachusetts. The CrucibleAct 1 Summary - â€Å"Oops I Didn’t Read It† Version Act 1 opens on a bedroom in Reverend Samuel Parris’ house in the spring of 1692.Parris’ daughter, 10-year-old Betty, is in a deep sleep as a result of an unknown illness, and Parris is kneeling in prayer next to her bed.A woman named Tituba is introduced as the Parris family's middle-aged slave from Barbados; she tries to check on Betty, but she is immediately ordered out of the room by Reverend Parris. Abigail Williams, Parris’ 17-year-old niece, enters the room.She tells him that Susanna Walcott is there with a message from the doctor.Susanna is a teenager a little younger than Abigail.She says that the doctor can't find anything physically wrong with Betty, and they should start to consider supernatural forces as a potential culprit.Parris is very concerned about damage to his reputation if witchcraft is discovered in his house. He urges Susanna to tell the doctor to continue looking for medical reasons for Betty’s condition. However, he has also summoned Reverend Hale from the neighboring town of Beverly to quietly investigate whether there is any truth to this supernatural hypothesis. Susanna leaves, and Abigail and Parris are alone with Betty.Abigail reveals that the rumor of witchcraft has already spread around town, and many people are gathered in the parlor of the house.Parris is reluctant to discredit these rumors because he fears they may be true.The previous night, he saw Abigail and Betty dancing in the forest with Tituba. He also saw a dress on the ground and a girl running naked through the woods. Abigail says that they were just dancing, but Parris knows that she’s not telling the whole truth.Parris demands to know whether witchcraft was involved. He thinks that his reputation is shaky in town and that there’s a group of people who would like to oust him from his position of power.He doesn’t want one of his enemies to find out what really happened before he does and use it against him.Abigail continues to insist that the girls were just dancing. Parris still doesn’t trust her, and he brings up another suspicious scenario.Abigail was dismissed from the household service of a man named John Proctor without explanation, and Proctor’s wife Elizabeth seems to strongly dislike her.Abigail says Elizabeth is just a big ol’ meany and she didn’t do anything to deserve this. At this point in the conversation, a tormented middle-aged woman named Ann Putnam enters the room along with her husband, Thomas Putnam.Ann’s only daughter, Ruth Putnam, is acting catatonic, and Ann thinks Betty is afflicted with the same apparently supernatural illness.Ann is a firm believer in witchcraft because seven of her babies have died in infancy, leaving her with only one living child. She sees no possible explanation for this that is not supernatural in nature. The Putnams are glad that Parris has summoned Reverend Hale to investigate the situation because Hale supposedly caught a witch in Beverley recently. Parris is still trying to shut down the witchcraft conversation because of the damage it might do to his reputation.Ann reveals to Parris that she actually sent Ruth to consult with Tituba the night before because Tituba can communicate with the dead.Ann wanted Ruth to talk to her dead siblings and find out who killed them.The Putnams say they are convinced that a baby-killing witch is running rampant.Abigail realizes that she can’t hide the truth completely now that Ann has revealed that she sent Ruth to Tituba to try and communicate with the dead.Abigail admits that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits.Parris is convinced his livelihood is ruined now that someone who lives under his roof has been revealed to be a witch. ThomasPutnam tells Parris he should get ahead of the situation and make the witchcraft accusations himself so no one can accuse him first. A girl named Mercy Lewis, who is Putnam’s servant, arrives to check on how Betty is doing, and the Putnams and Parris leave so that Parris can lead everyone in a psalm.Abigail and Mercy are left alone, and they try to rouse Betty to no avail.The two girls decide their official story will be that they were just dancing, and there was no magic involved. Then, another teenage girl named Mary Warren enters the room.She was also with them in the forest the previous night, and she is convinced they must confess to what they’ve done because of the rumors swirling around. Suddenly, Betty gets a burst of energy.She reveals that Abby drank chicken blood in the forest in an attempt to cast a spell to kill Elizabeth Proctor.Abigail slaps her and tells everyone that they had better stay quiet about the details of what really happened. Abigail says that she's seen some stuff (i.e. her parents were murdered by Native Americans right in front of her), so she has no qualms about resorting to violence to force them to keep her secret. John Proctor, a farmer, then enters the room.He yells at Mary Warren, who is his servant, for leaving his house when he forbid her from doing so.Mary and Mercy both leave, and Abigail and John are left alone. Abigail and John had an affair that was discovered by his wife, which was the reason for her dismissal from their household. Abigail is still in love with Proctor, but he wants to distance himself from her and recommit to Elizabeth.Abigail is angry and frustrated that he won’t return her advances.She insults his wife and continues to insist that he still loves her. Their attention is diverted because Betty starts whimpering after the words â€Å"going up to Jesus† are uttered in the psalm people are singing in the other room. ReverendParris, the Putnams, and Mercy Lewis all rush in to check on her.Ann Putnam is convinced that they upset Betty by saying the Lord’s name and that her reaction clearly means that she is bewitched with black magic. Rebecca Nurse, and old and highly respected woman in Salem, enters the room along with an old man named Giles Corey.Rebecca stands calmly next to the bed,and Betty quiets down.Everyone is impressed with this, and the Putnams ask if Rebecca can also help Ruth, but Rebecca doesn't think there's anything supernatural going on. Betty is just acting up as kids are prone to do. John Proctor questions Reverend Parris on his decision to summon Reverend Hale. This action seems to imply that Parris believes witchcraft could be the source of Betty’s illness.Rebecca suggests that they should rely on the doctor and avoiding bringing Reverend Hale into the situation because it will cause unnecessary conflict.Thomas Putnam takes issue with this, and he tells Parris that when Reverend Hale arrives they must look for signs of witchcraft. Proctor says Putnam can’t tell Parris what to do just because Putnam owns a lot of land in the town.Putnam fires back that he hasn’t seen Proctor in church recently, so he clearly doesn’t care that much about upholding the integrity of their society.Proctor claims he doesn’t go to church because all Parris talks about is Hell.Parris says that a lot of people in Salem need to hear more about Hell because he hasn’t been properly compensated for his job based on his qualifications.He then implies that Proctor is the leader of a faction against him in the church.Proctor is unaware of the existence of this faction, but he says he would gladly join it because he’s fed up with Parris’ superiority complex. He expects Giles Corey to be on his side, but Giles unexpectedly suports Parris because he thinks there may be something to the witchcraft hypothesis.Giles has been in court six times that year for various lawsuits. He says that everyone has been suing each otherleft and right, so there must be some sort of dark magic going on behind the scenes.Proctor points out that Giles is the cause of many of these suits because he is always suing people for defamation for no reason. Proctor and Putnam argue briefly about who owns a certain tract of land near the woods where Proctor plans on gathering lumber.It turns out that there is a lot of ambiguity in Salem over who owns which tracts of land because in his will Putnam’s grandfather claimed land that he didn’t actually own. Reverend Hale enters the room with a stack of academic books.He speaks briefly with everyone, and it’s clear that he’s well-respected. Hale views the investigation of witchcraft as serious scientific inquiry.He makes everyone agree not to push the issue if he doesn’t find anything pointing to the Devil’s work.He brought the books because they explain all the different forms the Devil can take. With this information on hand, he's sure that he can find out whether Betty's illness is linked to the work of Satan. Rebecca Nurse is skeptical of the whole situation, and she leaves the room before Hale begins his investigation.Giles tries to consult Hale about his wife, Martha, who he says has been reading strange books.He is worried that this might signify something sinister because he was unable to say his prayers while she was reading.Hale is somewhat intrigued and says they can discuss the issue later. Hale addresses Betty, asking her if someone is bewitching her. Betty does not respond to his questions at first.Abigail is pressed with more questions about what exactly was going on in the woods.Parris says that when he came upon the girls, he saw that they had a kettle with a frog in it.Faced with this damning evidence of black magic, Abigail admits that Tituba called the Devil.Tituba is dragged into the room to face these charges.Immediately, Abigail places all the blame on her, claiming that Tituba made her drink chicken blood from the kettle.Tituba protests that Abigail was the one who instigated the meeting in the woods, but she is drowned out by further accusations from Abigail.Parris and Hale also talk over her attempts to explain herself. Parris says Tituba must confess to what she’s done or he will whip her to death, and Putnam says she must be hung.Tituba is terrified, so she breaks down and says the Devil forced her to work for him.She claims someone else is bewitching Betty because she’s seen other people with the Devil.Putnam, Parris, and Hale encourage her to tell them who she has seen (and plant the names of Goody Good and Goody Osburn in her mind as potential witches).They claim that after renouncing her allegiance to the Devil, she is now God’s instrument in the village sent to help them uncover the full extent of his Satanic plot. Tituba says the Devil told her to kill Reverend Parris, and he promised her a better life if she worked for him.She claims that she saw Goody Good (Sarah Good) and Goody Osburn (Sarah Osburn) with the Devil.Goody Osburn was Ann Putnam’s midwife three times, so this accusation confirms the Putnams' suspicions that witchcraft was involved in the deaths of their babies.Abigail soon chimes in with her own hysterical set of confessions, claiming thatshe saw the Devil and wrote in his book.Abigail adds more people to the list of the accused.Betty suddenly wakes up and joins her in shouting out additional accusations.Hale and Parris rejoice at Betty's apparent miraculous recovery.Putnam summons the marshal so that they can arrest the witches and bring them to justice. The Devil apparently has some kind of special friendship book that he makes people sign when they join his crew. Adorable. The CrucibleAct 1 Quotes In this section, I'll go over a few quotes that I think are important in establishing the themes and characterizations that emerge in Act 1. â€Å"I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character.† (Reverend Parris pg. ) This quote shows the gravity with which Parris views his position in the town and the degree of authority he thinks should accompany it.He’s less focused on spreading the word of God than on exploiting his position as a religious authority so he can gain greater power in the community. Now his reputation may be ruined, which means he’ll be back to square one and have to rebuild the control he has worked so hard to acquire. â€Å"My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!† (Abigail Williams pg. 12) The value of a person's name is a recurring topic in The Crucible. Reputation is hugely important to these characters because it’s inextricably linked to respect and power in a highly interdependent community. Here Abigail shifts the focus away from her own reputation by trashing the reputation of Goody Proctor.If she can convince people that Goody Proctor is not to be trusted, the rumors about her own sins will lose credibility. â€Å"Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!† (Abigail Williams pg. 19) Abigail threatens the other girls with violence if they dare tell anyone that she tried to kill Goody Proctor with black magic. This quote tells us that Abigail has experienced severe emotional trauma in the past that almost certainly affects her current mental state.It also gives us a taste of how far she’s willing to go to achieve her desired outcome and/or exact revenge. â€Å"I look for John Proctor who took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew what lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes?† (Abigail Williams pg. 22) Abigail pleads with John Proctor to continue their affair, which she feels has enlightened her to the hypocrisy that permeates Salem’s culture.She can’t go back to her ignorant state after she’s already seen the light, and the affair is the only outlet available to her to feel special and different within a community where she has little power or outlets for honest expression.After John's rejection, her angst will find another, even more destructive path to follow. â€Å"There are wheels within wheels in the village, and fires within fires!† (Ann Putnam pg. 26) Ann Putnam says this because she’s convinced that there are supernatural Satanic forces conspiring against her that have led to her family misfortunes.However, this quote has a much broader secular meaning that applies to the events in the play overall.There are all kinds of underlying motivations that trigger accusations of witchcraft in Salem.Petty vengeance, greed, and jealousy are festering beneath the surface of an outwardly respectable community, and they’re about to find their release. â€Å"We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her.† (Reverend Hale pg. 35) From our modern viewpoint, this quote is a very strong example of irony. Bysearching for marks of the Devil’s presence in the first place, Hale has already subscribed to superstition.People are also condemned throughout the rest of the play for involvement with the Devil when there’s absolutely no hard evidence besides the word of one other person.Hale's adherence to scientific principles will give him just enough insight to see the injustices that have been committed in Salem after it's too late for him to turn back the tide of hysteria. I'm not sure what Hale expected to find. A pentagram ankle tattoo? A little souvenir pitchfork? A button that says "Satan 4 Prez"? Eh, I guess there are a lot of possibilities. The CrucibleAct 1 Thematic Analysis Let's go over some of the play's key themes and how they relate to the first act. Irony Irony and hypocrisy are recurring concepts in The Crucible. There are several exchanges in Act 1 that are rife with irony. Abigail claims that John Proctor opened her eyes to the pretenses of Salem (pg. 22). She realized all the lies she’d been told by people who supposedly adhered to the conventions of respectable society.However, in distress from Proctor’s refusal to acknowledge their relationship, Abigail creates her own lies that give her increased control over the society she resents.By putting on a false front to advance her status and get what she wants, she becomes just like the hypocrites she claims to despise. The most prominent example of dramatic irony in this act is the quote from Hale (pg. 35) that was explained in the last section. Hale claims that they must avoid superstition and hasty conclusions in their investigation of Betty’s affliction. We, the modern audience, know that searching for "the Devil's marks" as the potential cause of an ailment is an inherently superstitious practice. Hale, however, is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. Hysteria In Act 1 it becomes clear how mass hysteria can evolve out of desires for self-preservation. When Abigail admits that Ruth and Tituba were conjuring spirits, Thomas Putnam urges Parris to go on the offensive immediately with this information. If he makes his own accusations of witchcraft, he will prevent others from accusing him first and putting his credibility at stake. As rumors of witchcraft spread, this fear-driven philosophy will be universally adopted, leading to more and more accusations and an environment of paranoia. The speed at which rumors morph into accepted truths is too rapid for a few rational voices to contain them. Although Parris only calls Reverend Hale to examine Betty as a precaution, people assume that Hale’s involvement means there must be a supernatural element to her illness.Even as Parris tries to avoid supernatural explanations to protect his reputation, he is quickly caught up in the misplaced interpretations of others and forced to adopt them as his own so that he isn't gobbledup by the hysteria monster. It becomes abundantly clear that people see only what they want to see (i.e. whatever keeps them in the good graces of society) in situations that don't appear to have easy rational explanations. Ann Putnam, for example, will seize at any opportunity to blame supernatural forces for the deaths of her children.Extreme conclusions like Ann's "a witch murdered my babies with black magic" are accepted because rational people are too afraid to challenge this consensus and risk bringing accusations upon themselves. Reputation Reverend Parris' concerns about his reputation take center stage, so to speak, in Act 1. Parris initially insists that there are â€Å"no unnatural causes† for Betty’s illness, not because he’s devoted to science and rationality, but because he fears that he will be disgraced if witchcraft is discovered under his roof.He interrogates Abigail because he’s worried his enemies will learn the full story first and use it to discredit him. Once he gets confirmation from Abigail that some witchy business happened in the woods, he is quick to position himself on the side of the accusers and threaten violence on Tituba if she doesn't confess (pg. 42). He has no central belief system beyond a desire to do what makes him look best in the eyes of the majority. Abigail is also concerned about her reputation. She is enraged when Parris insinuates that there was something untoward about her dismissal from the Proctors’ service.She insists that she has done nothing wrong and tries to discredit Elizabeth Proctor to divert attention away from her own actions. "My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!" (pg. 12). These actions and reactions in Act 1 establish the importance that characters place on maintaining respect for their names. A poor reputation can severely affect a person’s position in this small, interdependent society, whether the assumptions or rumors swirling around are true or not. Power and Authority The church has a great deal of power in Salem, and therefore much of the authority we see exercised in the play is associated with religion. Reverend Parris is currently in a position of power as the town's spiritual leader. However, he is convinced there is a faction in town that is determined to unseat him, and he will say and do whatever it takes to retain control.He demands unconditional respect for his authority as God’s instrument in the community. From his point of view,"There is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning!" (pg. 28) Abigail, on the other hand, struggles to claim greater agency outside of traditional means. Her dominant personality doesn't fit with her low status in society as a young woman with no family. Initially, she sees a path to higher standing in society through becoming John Proctor’s wife. When he rejects her, she takes another route to power through accusations that exploit the fears of others to a point where even the most respected people in town are afraid to challenge her. The power structure in Salem is also responsible for the blame heaped on Tituba and the misinterpretations that follow.Tituba has the least authority out of anyone, so it’s easy for Abigail to use her as a scapegoat. IfTituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the tragic events of the rest of the play might have been prevented. However, she is only given a voice when she agrees to corroborate the version of events that the people in traditional positions of authority believe to be accurate.She becomes, according to Hale, "God's instrument put in our hands to discover the Devil's agents among us" (pg. 44) after she renounces her presumed allegiance to the Devil and accepts her role as a pawn to be used by those with greater power. As has been the case throughout history in both fiction and reality, the desire for power ends up costing way too many innocent people their lives. The Crucible Act 1 Summary:Conclusion In Act 1 of The Crucible, the roots of the witch hysteria are established, and we learn critical background information about many of the characters. Let's do a super short bullet point recap of the important plot points: The play is set in the town of Salem, MA, and the year is 1692. Betty Parris, a young girl, is sick, but no one can figure out why. Rumors spread around town that she's been bewitched. Betty's dad is Reverend Parris, the new-ish church leader in Salem, who is paranoid about his reputation amongst the townspeople. Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris' teenage niece and Betty's cousin, is questioned by Parris about the cause of Betty's illness. He knows that Abigail, Betty, and Parris' slave, Tituba, were dancing in the woods the night before and perhaps conducting some kind of ritual. Abigail claims there was no witchcraft involved. Abigail had an affair with a farmer named John Proctor while serving in his house, and she's still into him, but he wants to forget it ever happened. Betty says that Abigail tried to put a curse on John's wife, Elizabeth Proctor, in order to kill her and take her place, but no one else knows about this, and Abigail warns her to keep quiet. Reverend Hale, the church leader from the town of Beverley, is summoned to examine Betty because he's an expert on witchcraft. Tituba is accused of calling the Devil in the woods based on Abigail's testimony, and she confesses under pressure from Hale. Tituba names Goody Good and Goody Osburn as fellow witches after their names are suggested. Abigail plays the victim and accuses more women of witchcraft. Betty wakes up and makes accusations of her own, following Abigail's lead. In Act 2, you can look forward to learning more about the state of the Proctors' marriage and just how crazy things have gotten in Salem in the weeks after the initial accusations. Also, John Proctor throws a few more tantrums borne of emotional immaturity, so get PUMPED. What's Next? If you want a complete summary of the whole play rather than just one act, we've got you covered. Check out our holistic summary article to review what happens from start to finish. Looking for some in-depth analysis of characters in The Crucible? Read our complete assessments of John Proctor, Abigail Williams, Rebecca Nurse, Giles Corey, and Mary Warren. If you want some advice on understanding the ideas behind the play so you can write a killer essay or ace your next test, read our guide to the most important themes in The Crucible. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Portfolio Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Portfolio - Coursework Example In addition to that media aids influence issues voters should care concerning the elections and the criteria that should be used to evaluate contenders2. And my opinion is that the political life starts to conform highly to the political image portrayed on TV. Through a process known as quasi-Darwinian, scandals, events of media, and other forms of political and entertainment s eventually takes control facing out other forms of information of politics and public debate, changing the sense of public disclosure. In this manner objectives of political transparency can be beaten by what come into view as the vital mechanisms: revealing the secrets, proliferating information and holding political officials responsible for their actions. 2. A lot has been written about the culture of secrecy of late. The article says that government is keeping some information from the members of the country as believed by most Americans. Potion of the members of congress is calling for the access to the secret documents, federal agencies last to withhold a huge amount of information claiming it is crucial for the national security, upholding secrecy entrenched in the cold war3. This new book is examining who in the government is keeping what information from the public, how they do it, and why a concern to the members of the public4. Causal scholars, attorneys and journalists survey the rules of federal intellect agencies and presidents particularly Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Clinton to ensure that information are kept secret5. My opinion is that the Currency is protected by the spirit of house hold and generally the spirit of robbery specially, and the best locks and way of hiding that can be mustered. 3. Social media is playing more and more famous role in our culture. The article says Social media became a new battle ground for the nationwide both presidential and parliamentary elections6. A horde of politicians, who at first sight it seems adequate and

Comparison between Le Guin's The Ones that Walk Away from Omelas and Essay - 1

Comparison between Le Guin's The Ones that Walk Away from Omelas and Kafka's The Metamorphosis - Essay Example The storylines in the two pieces of writing are varied. Le Guin addresses the situation in an imaginary community called Omelas that has people that live in much happiness and delight. The people in this area adhere to their culture and are intelligent. Despite the hullabaloo of happiness in the community, there is a child that is suffering in a filthy place, a sacrifice for the community to live happily. Only adults are required to know about this issue. It happens that some who realize the issue opt to walk away from Omelas to unknown destination. On the other hand, Kafka addresses the predicaments of the Samsa’s family. Gregor Samsa is the main character, he used to be a travelling salesman before he transformed to a ‘monstrous vermin’. This scenario scares his family members, he is unable to go to work thereby exposing his family to several predicaments since he was the bread winner. They try as much as possible to take care of him but are uncertain about his destiny. Gregor at one point causes borders in their home to flee. His sister Crete is fed up taking care of him and wishes him dead, a proposition that his father agrees with. Gregor is also made aware and dies in his house. Upon his death, the family is highly relieved. The two stories address unusual occurrences in the society. Therefore, the stories do carry some hidden meaning. The setting of Le Guin’s story encompasses a situation where festivities are depicted as the dominant aspect. Contrarily, The Metamorphosis is a sad story for the Samsa family; Gregor seems to be a thorn in the flesh, though at one point was the breadwinner of the family. In this family life is not as enjoyable as is the city of Omelas. However, the joy and happiness in the city has an underlying suffering component, this is because of the young child that suffers so that the community can live happily. Both stories presents out of ordinary incidences. Le Guins fails to explain the relationship between

Perfect Competition Model Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Perfect Competition Model - Research Proposal Example Markets become perfectly competitive when they contain all of the following features and fail to be termed as perfectly competitive due to the absence of one or more requirements of the perfect competition model. The steel market may be termed as perfectly competitive as it has all of the following features: The products are homogeneous, i.e. the products are not differentiated from each other in any aspect such as color, scent, packaging etc. Buyers cannot distinguish between products of different producers, that is why there is little or no incentive for firms to spend on advertising or marketing. There is the existence of "Omniscience", i.e. all the buyers, sellers, workers etc. have perfect knowledge of market conditions, whether it be the price charged by all the producers or the wages offered to labor etc. Firms cannot earn supernormal profits in the long run. As there are no barriers to entry, any supernormal profits (earned in the short-run) attracts more suppliers into the industry causing the supply to increase until the point the profit is completely driven off and the industry comes to its equilibrium position. Similarly, in the case of subnormal profits or loss (in the short-run), some firms will leave the industry, shifting the industry's supply curve to the left, raising prices and helps the firm earn normal profits in the long run. FIGURE 1 The likely impact on the profits of steel producers of the rise in the world price of steel from 2002-2004 The likely impact on the steel producers of the rise in the world price of steel is that there was a rise in the revenue earned by steel manufacturers. Since the steel market may be termed as perfectly competitive, there is little that the manufacturers can do to differentiate their product (i.e. steel), however, they can sell there entire output or whatever output they wish to sell at the current market price. As shown in Figure 1, the demand for a company is perfectly elastic, it has to sell whatever output it wants at the current market price only if the company decides to increase its price its demand may fall tenfold or even to zero. Between the period 2002-2004, there was a sharp increase in the demand for steel, at the same time there was also a noticeable increase in the production of steel with China emerging prominently as a large manufacturer and with high demand as well.  

Compensation And Benefit Strategies For Current Generation Workforce Business Essay

Compensation And Benefit Strategies For Current Generation Workforce Business Essay Compensation and benefits is one of the many functions of human resource management. Compensation plans have not always been considered a strategic business initiative. However, with the effects they have on recruiting, retaining and motivating people compensation design is a critical element to achieving success. Introduction: Employees are the most valuable assets of any organization. The main purpose of human resource management (HRM) is to manage the development and performance of people employed in an organization. Some of the important tasks of HRM include attracting and retaining employees with the right skills and abilities, match people to the right positions within an organization and to align employees goals and objectives with that of the organizations. All these key tasks are directly or indirectly affected by compensation and benefits plan which the human resource management decides. Compensation and benefits redefines value and success in any workplace. An efficient compensation and benefits strategy is seen as an opportunity by organisations to differentiate themself from their competitors, who may otherwise take away talented workforce. Hence, organisations need to know the evolving needs of the working population to make sure they offer the most competitive package. This paper adopts a general approach which may be relevant to number of different organizations or industries and discusses how the new generation workforce is making an impact and forcing organizations to change their traditional compensation strategies. This paper also examines how companies located in different sectors and countries look at compensation and benefits aspect of human resource management, to attract and retain their highly qualified staff. Finally the paper summarizes and analyses few articles related to HR practices in compensation and benefits, and see if they fit into organizations seeking best practice. Compensation and benefit strategies for current generation workforce: Compensation is a major driver in the success of any organization and it is also true that it is one of the highest expenses for an organization. Therefore, compensation is always under heavy scrutiny by the top executives of a company. Compensation is not only carefully analysed by the management, but also analysed by employees and prospective employees. If properly executed, effective compensation design can improve organizational effectiveness, support human capital requirements of the organization, and motivate the employees to achieve key corporate strategic and financial goals (Ellig, B. R. 2007). Effective compensation and benefits strategy is no easy task, especially with the large organizations and ever-changing demands of the workforce. To construct the most attractive compensation and benefits package, organizations must now tackle the fundamental landscape change in workforce requirements and demands. Employees born in the 60s and 70s (generation X) have ceded place to a new generation of workers (generation Y). A flexible approach to compensation and benefits is now required to satisfy the different priorities of these generations. Planning for the future has long been the motto governing Generation Xs approach to their careers and so, traditionally, generous pension provision has been the key to attracting workers. But for Generation Y, priorities have changed. For instance, in a research conducted last year, just 4% of 16-24 year olds were attracted to their employer because of their pension contribution, compared to 17% of 45-54 year olds (HR magazine, March 2011). Certainly, younger workers are increasingly questioning the customs and traditions of the workplace and now pension plans, previously synonymous wi th security, are considered unstable. In present day environment, employees have become much more educated on the possibilities available to them with sources like online salary calculators, industry chat rooms and so on (Schneider, B., Paul, K. B. 2011). Employees now know more about current market pay levels, new opportunities and how to successfully negotiate compensation packages. Keeping these changes in mind organizations include many other noncash components to the potential cash components to come up with a fair, competitive and an attractive compensation program (Schneider, B., Paul, K. B. 2011). Employee benefits are indirect forms of compensation provided by the organizations to their workforce as part of an employment relationship. To compete for quality employees in todays marketplace, employers must do more than offer a fair salary. Employees also look forward for a good benefits package; in fact employees have grown accustomed to generous benefits programs, and join an organization expecting them. Employee benefits exist in organizations all around the world and the levels and range of these benefits vary between countries. Some of the benefits companies offer can be like company accommodation, company provided vehicles, health insurance, retirement benefits, easy loans and so on. Compensation and Benefit strategies used in organisations: As per Kevin OConnell, there are three primary components in a strategic compensation plan. First, building a solid foundation for the plan to understand the business strategy is required. Where the company is now and where is it heading to in the future, what are its short term and long term goals. This will provide the necessary information needed to construct a solid framework for the design of a compensation plan. Second, understanding organizational capabilities and how the role of compensation plays a key role to achieve organizational goals is critical. This will provide an excellent understanding of what positions are the most critical to a companys future success and the various compensation options available to motivate employees to achieve this success. Third, aligning compensation with human capital management initiatives will help develop a plan that allows the company to successfully recruit and retain employees (OConnell, K. 2007). We will see how different organizations have overcome significant business challenges by re-evaluating and strategically designing new compensation plans. By finding the right balance between organizational goals and employee needs, compensation plans can play a strategic role in the success of a business. Jamba Juice case: Jamba juice was founded in 1990. It is a leader in blended-to-order fruit smoothies and fruit juices. (Source: http://www.jambajuice.com/) Since its inception, it found employee retention as a major problem. It was located in San Francisco bay area and therefore the employees had more options with other employers situated there. A lot of these employers were technology based and offered more generous financial benefits than the food retailer. To tackle this problem, Jamba Juice introduced a compensation plan, called J.U.I.C.E plan which allows the general manager to receive a percentage of stores cash flow depending on their businesss final performance. It allows manages a share in the profits over a period of three years. When the general managers increase the year-to-year sales, money accrues in a retention account, which is payable only in three year cycles. This retention account not only provides short term retention benefits, but also incentives to stay with Jamba. Also, execut ives at managerial positions are offered stock options. And, when assistant managers are promoted, their general managers also receive a cash award of $ 1000 for their development efforts. In a highly competitive industry Jamba was able to successfully reduce turnover. (Mellow Jeffrey, 2011) The MAERSK way: MAERSK not only rewards absolute performance but also focuses significantly on performance relative to peers, says Alex Penvern, Global Head of Group Compensation, Rewards and Executive HR. This had not always been the case. Less than five years ago, rewards in the company were characterised by confidential bonuses, awarded with very little transparency. One of Penverns first challenges when he joined MAERSK in 2008 was to create a scalable, measurable and quantifiable compensation and benefits structure that was understandable and could, over time, be rolled out uniformly across the organisation (Source: http://www.maersk.com/Pages/default.aspx). He spoke to CEOs of each business within the group and focused on the executive compensation structure that focussed on relative distribution. During these conversations he discussed range of different performance criteria, happening in annual sessions which were a part of the performance management cycle. The outcome was a relative performance distribution of the companys most successful and less effective performers. The company believes that our people are motivated by this constant striving to do even better, says Penvern. You can never rest on your laurels or spend too long patting yourself on the back, because you know how hard everyone else is running. We want people who thrive in this atmosphere. This is brought in practice and reinforced by a carefully considered distribution of rewards to the highest performers. Since the introduction of the pay-for-performance scheme, fewer very high performers are securing a significantly larger share of the bonus on offer. The highest performers receive nearly double the bonus opportunity that they did few years back but to earn that bonus they need to keep up or stay ahead of their peers or market. While Penvern discusses the value the company creates in this performance culture, he believes that the transparency of its bonus system is just as important. The lesson is clear. Company has to build employee engagement and drive performance both by having a clear and transparent compensation scheme that links pay and performance and by communicating this consistently in order to reinforce and reinstate the belief that pay and performance are linked. Design and Engineering group in Delaware: A small to medium design and engineering group in Delaware, employs engineers and designers, most of them who are in their 30s. Most of the employees were the primary wage earners in their families and have several dependents. This company pays wages that are slightly lower than those of its competitors, but it offers a fully paid insurance program that includes health, pharmacy, dental and eye care coverage for employees and their dependents. By meeting the employees benefit needs the company enjoys very low employee turnover (McConnell, J. 2003 Pg. 235). Mississippi garment manufacturer: A garment manufacturer in Mississippi pays on a piecework basis. Most piecework plans in garments factory in general must guarantee pay equal to at least the legal minimum wage. In this specific company, new employees receive an hourly wage until they have acquired the skills required to meet performance standards. Then the manufacturer pays them on the basis of the number of pieces they produce in an hour. The company has designed its compensation approach to retain good employees i.e. those who are good performers (McConnell, J. 2003 Pg. 232). Conclusion: Compensation whether in the form of salary or benefits is a key element in both attracting and retaining employees. With careful and logical thinking companies should design a program that will significantly contribute to obtaining and retaining the type of employers who perform best for that company. Compensation professionals play a critical role in enabling organizations to execute their business strategy. The examples in this paper demonstrate how organizations have overcome significant business challenges by redesigning their compensation plans as seen in Jamba and MAERSK. We also have seen how a small company like the garment manufacturer in Mississippi use compensation package to retain highly performing people and do away with low performing people. Some companies like the one in Delaware uses non monetary benefits to keep their workforce happy and content. Compensation and benefits have a negative effect on the company if not properly managed. Collapses of big companies like Enron and Global crossing are examples. These are direct results of managerial behaviour aimed at short term profit maximization. That behaviour is in turn a result of the executive pay structure that measure and reward performance based short-term financial results. Compensation experts need to be at the focal point where strategy, organizational effectiveness and human capital management congregate. They need to have a clear understanding of the business and organizational issues as well as the future direction of the company. Strategic compensation and benefits design is not a sound bite to impress management. Its the process behind compensation plan design that links and binds strategy, organization effectiveness and human capital together. By balancing organizational, employee and business needs with a companys financial and strategic goals it is possible to develop the right compensation strategy to motivate, reward and sustain high levels of performance. By finding this balance, a company can effectively use compensation to execute and achieve desired business results.

Catcher in The Rye Essay -- essays research papers

Catcher in the Rye   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  J.D Salinger’s novel â€Å"Catcher in the Rye,† focuses mainly on Holden Caulfield because he is the narrator and the novel is about his memory of characters and events throughout the story. These characters are more than just remembrances but actually help the reader to better understand Holden. Mr. Antolini, Phoebe, and Jane Gallagher are all characters that help fully characterize Holden.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. Antolini helps the reader better understand Holden’s hasty judgments about characters in the novel. He is one of the few people in the novel who Holden respects and does not consider a â€Å"phony.† Holden respects Mr. Antolini because he understands him and does not treat him like an inferior student like the rest of his teachers do. Mr. Antolini is very open with Holden and this is shown when he lets him stay the night in his apartment. Holden’s quick judgments of people are shown and better understood when Mr. Antolini touches his forehead while he sleeps in chapter 24. â€Å"I know more damn perverts, at schools and all, than anybody you ever met, and they’re always being perverty when I’m around.†(192) Holden jumps to conclusions right away when he wakes up to Mr. Antolini touching his forehead. Instead of thinking that his teacher was just showing affection and care for a student he is very quick to think that he is a pervert and homosexual. In the quote Holden says, â€Å"they’re always being perverty when I’m around,† this is more evidence that Holden jumps to conclusions and is quick with assumptions rather than to think about what it is to be a pervert. He thinks that he is just in the wrong place at the wrong time but it is more likely that he just assumes they are being â€Å"perverty† when they are truly not. Another example of Holden being quick with judgment is directly after the incident happens. Without letting the incident sink in, Holden changes into his clothes and runs out of the apartment. Mr. Antolini and the events that take place in his apartment help the reader fully understand Holden. Mr. Antolini is a compassionate person and his actions are out of care for his friend and student, Holden’s quick and hasty judgment is shown when he overlooks Mr. Antolini’s concern and affection for a homosexual advance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phoebe is another character that helps the reader bet... ...y voice was shaking something awful.† Holden’s helplessness to realize that sex can be casual is showing that he is immature and that he doesn’t want to let go of his childhood innocence. Jane’s character, a girl who Holden knows very well and has affection for, has casual sex which makes Holden very upset, this helps the reader better understand Holden’s immatureness and his refusal to let go of his childhood innocence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the novel â€Å"Catcher in the Rye† the reader is able to better understand Holden by the characters in his remembrances. Mr. Antolini, a person who shows affection for Holden, shows the reader that Holden makes quick assumptions and judgments with characters in the novel. Phoebe, Holden’s younger sister, makes it evident to the reader that Holden does not want to grow up, mature, and have a future as an adult. Jane Gallagher’s character also helps the reader better understand Holden by making it evident that he does not want to let go of his childhood innocence. Although Holden’s character is the main focus of the novel, his remembrances of other key characters help define him and give the reader a better understanding of who he is.

Death Cap mushroom Essay

If you took RNA polymerase out of the equation? Human cells use RNA polymerase to make a template of a cell’s DNA. It is one of the first steps in the process of eventual protein production. RNA is the enzyme that makes RNA chains using genes found in DNA as a pattern. These specific genetic codes are  expressed on mRNA. When the toxin blocks the action of RNA  polymerase, it by default, stops the production of mRNA in the transcription phase. mRNA, if available, goes on to the translation phase and is read by tRNA. In the reading of the mRNA pattern, tRNA matches the correct amino acid to that specific pattern. The amino acids are read and placed three at a time to match the mRNA codon. From these codon of amino acids, polypeptides are formed with the help of the cell’s ribosome. In turn, these polypeptides form to make proteins. (Hudon-Miller, 2012) What’s the big deal about protein? Proteins, the performers of the cell, cause action at all levels of cellular functioning. At the cellular level protein is needed to reproduce that cell, for cell structure and functioning. Proteins are also used as enzymes to begin other biochemical functions that affect everything from immunity to electrolyte balance. The liver’s function has decreased because the proteins needed to make it’s cells work have been blocked by alpha-amanitin’s ability to stop protein production simply by blocking the function of RNA polymerase. These proteins are so important that without them you die as they destroy first your body’s filters, the liver and the kidneys. (Hudon-Miller, 2012; Santi, et al., 2012) References Luca Santi, Caterina Maggioli, Marianna Mastroroberto, Manuel Tufoni, Lucia Napoli, and Paolo Caraceni, â€Å"Acute liver failure caused by amanita phalloides poisoning.† International Journal of Hepatology, vol. 2012, Article ID 487480, 6 pages, 2012. doi:10.1155/2012/487480 Hudon-Miller, S. (2012) Death cap mushrooms. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=vXONgeDC31A&feature=youtu.be

The History of the Soda Fountain

The History of the Soda Fountain In the early 20th century and until the 1960s, it was common for small-town residents and big-city dwellers to enjoy carbonated beverages at local soda fountains and ice cream saloons. Often housed together with apothecaries, the ornate, baroque soda fountain counter served as a meeting place for people of all ages and became especially popular as a legal place to gather during Prohibition. By the 1920s, just about every apothecary had a soda fountain. Soda Fountain Manufacturers Some soda fountains back in the day were the Transcendent, which had miniature Greek statues on top of them and four spigots and a cupola topped with stars. Then there was the Puffer Commonwealth, which had more spigots and was more statuesque. The four most successful manufacturers of soda fountains - Tuft’s Arctic Soda Fountain, A.D. Puffer and Sons of Boston, John Matthews and Charles Lippincott - created  a monopoly of the soda fountain manufacturing business  by combining to form the American Soda Fountain Company in 1891. A Little History The term soda water was first coined in 1798, and in  1810 the first U.S. patent was issued for the mass manufacture of imitation mineral waters to inventors Simons and Rundell of Charleston, South Carolina. The soda fountain patent was first granted to Samuel Fahnestock in 1819. He had invented a  barrel-shaped with a pump and spigot to dispense  carbonated water, and the device was meant to be kept under a counter or hidden. In 1832 John Matthews  invented a design that would make artificially carbonating water more cost-effective. His machine - a metal-lined chamber where sulphuric acid and calcium carbonate were mixed to make carbon dioxide - artificially carbonated waters at a quantity that could be sold to drugstores or street vendors. Gustavus D.  Dows invented and operated the first marble soda fountain and ice shaver, which he patented in 1863. It was housed in a miniature cottage and was functional, and made of eye-pleasing white Italian marble, onyx and glistening brass with large mirrors. The New York Times wrote that Mr. Dows was the  first to create a fountain that looked like a Doric temple. James Tufts patented a soda fountain in 1883  that he called the Arctic Soda Apparatus. Tufts went on to become a huge soda fountain manufacturer and sold more soda fountains than all of his competitors combined. In 1903 a revolution in soda fountain design took place with the front-service fountain patented by Haeusser Heisinger. Soda Fountains Today The popularity of soda fountains collapsed in the 1970s  with the introduction of fast foods, commercial ice cream, bottled  soft drinks, and restaurants. Today, the  soda fountain is nothing other than a small,  self-serve soft drink dispenser. Old-fashioned soda fountain parlors within apothecaries - where druggists would serve syrup and chilled, carbonated soda water - are most likely found in museums nowadays.

Definition and Examples of Linguistic Prestige

Definition and Examples of Linguistic Prestige In sociolinguistics, linguistic prestige is the degree of esteem and social value attached by members of a speech community to certain languages, dialects, or features of a language variety. Social and linguistic prestige is interrelated, notes Michael Pearce. The language of powerful social groups usually carries linguistic prestige; and social prestige is often granted to speakers of prestige languages and varieties (Routledge Dictionary of English Language Studies, 2007). Linguists draw important distinctions between overt prestige and covert prestige: In the case of overt prestige, the social valuation lies in a unified, widely accepted set of social norms, whereas with covert prestige the positive social significance lies in the local culture of social relations. It is, therefore, possible for a socially stigmatized variant in one setting to have covert prestige in another (Walt Wolfram, Social Varieties of American English, 2004). Examples and Observations: Linguistic prestige is directly associated with power. As [Thomas Paul] Bonfiglio (2002:23) puts it, There is nothing in the particular language itself that determines its worth: it is the connection of the language in question to the phenomena of power that determines the value of that language and that contributes to the standardization process.(Gerard Van Herk, What Is Sociolinguistics? Wiley-Blackwell, 2012) Old English certainly had words for language and female and face, and we could perfectly well have carried on using them [after the Norman invasion], but the much greater prestige of French induced many English-speakers to introduce French words into their speech in the hope of sounding more elegant. This attitude is always with us: French no longer enjoys quite the prestige it once had, but you may perhaps know someone who cannot resist spattering his English speech or writing with such French words and phrases as au contraire, joie de vivre, au naturel, fin de sià ¨cle and derrià ¨re. (R.L. Trask, Language: The Basics, 2nd ed. Routledge, 1999) Prestige in Grammar In grammar, most prestige forms are related to prescriptive norms of standardness or even literary norms. For example, the use of whom in Whom did you see? or the placement of never at the front of the sentence Never have I seen a more gruesome sight might be considered prestige variants in some social contexts. Apart from these somewhat special cases, it is difficult to find clear-cut cases of prestige variants on the grammatical level of language, particularly in the grammar of ordinary informal conversation...For present-day American English, it is clear that the vast majority of socially diagnostic structures exist on the axis of stigmatization rather than the axis of prestige.(Walt Wolfram, Social Varieties of American English. Language in the USA: Themes for the Twenty-First Century, ed. by Edward Finegan and John R. Rickford. Cambridge University Press, 2004) Overt and Covert Prestige A standard dialect speaker of English who intentionally switches to use of social markers such as aint and he dont is said to seek covert prestige. Such prestige is covert because its elicitation will often not, if successful, be consciously noted.Deliberate (as opposed to instinctive) use of taboo words such as fuck and shit, usage which tends to characterize male more than female speech, may also seek covert prestige, but the strength of these as social markers makes this more difficult to achieve. In a contrasting register, one uses unusually formal non-vernacular forms in vernacular contexts. For example, one will ordinarily say Its me to the question Who is it? asked by a familiar interlocutor, but, when asked the same question by one from whom one seeks prestige, the same speaker may say It is I. Similarly, except after prepositions Americans ordinarily say who in preference to whom: Who did you ask?, not Whom did you ask?  but in some circumstances, the latter may be substituted. Such usage is said to seek overt prestige because the often dubious prestige one gets from such usage is ordinarily consciously noted, hence overt. One may use jargon similarly seeking overt prestige, saying, for example, semantics when nothing more than ordinary meaning is intended.(Grover Hudson, Essential Introductory Linguistics. Blackwell, 2000) Labov on Prestige and Gender [American linguist William Labov developed] three principles regarding the linguistic behavior of men and women: 1. For stable sociolinguistic variants, women show a slower rate of stigmatized variants and a higher rate of prestige variants than men (Labov 2001: 266)2. In linguistic change from above, women adopt prestige forms at a higher rate than men (Labov 2001: 274)3. In linguistic change from below, women use higher frequencies of innovative forms than men do (Labov 2001: 292) Ultimately, Labov formulates the corresponding Gender Paradox: Women conform more closely than men to sociolinguistic norms that are overtly prescribed, but conform less than men when they are not.(Labov 2001: 293) All these principles and the Gender Paradox itself appear to be fairly robust findings with almost universal applicability in contemporary sociolinguistics...[E]very language period and every language community must be investigated independently and in its own right (pace Jardin 2000). The actual concepts and functions of class, gender, networks, and, most importantly, norms, standards, and prestige, differ radically in different communities.(Alexander Bergs, The Uniformitarian Principle and the Risk of Anachronisms in Language and Social History. The Handbook of Historical Sociolinguistics, ed. by Juan M. Hernndez-Campoy and Juan Camilo Conde-Silvestre. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012) Prestige, Status, and Function What do we mean by status and function? The two terms are often confused with one another and also with another term, prestige. Basically, the essential difference between prestige, function, and status is the difference between past, present, and future. The prestige of a language depends on its record, or what people think its record to have been. The function of a language is what people actually do with it. The status of a language depends on what people can do with it, its potential. Status, therefore, is the sum total of what you can do with a languagelegally, culturally, economically, politically and, of course, demographically. This is not necessarily the same as what you do with the language, although the two notions are obviously related, and indeed interdependent. They can also be connected with the prestige of a language. Let us illustrate the differences. Classical Latin has had a lot of prestige but it has few functions. Swahili has a lot of functions, but little presti ge. Irish Gaelic has status, official status, but few exclusive functions.(William F. Mackey, Determining the Status and Function of Languages in Multinational Societies. Status and Function of Languages and Language Varieties, ed. by Ulrich Ammo. Walter de Gruyter, 1989)

Increased Empowerment Of The American Non-Commissioned Officer Essay

Increased Empowerment Of The American Non-Commissioned Officer - Essay Example This paper shall focus on the increased empowerment of the American Non-commissioned officer over time. The paper shall, also discuss the fundamental causes and consequences of the shift in responsibilities of the NCOs down the chain of command. Moreover, the paper shall discuss how well the US military is prepared or not prepared for the ever increasing burdens of responsibility. Finally, I shall give my opinion of whether or not this trend shall continue. For one to understand the ever increasing empowerment of the American Non-commissioned officer, it is essential to review the history behind it. The history of the NCO in the United States can be traced back in 1775 with the dawn of the Continental army. This officer did not copy Britain, but just like the American army, he blended French, Prussian, and British army traditions into a unique American institution (Bland, 2009). The development of change in the organization and action of the military offers an insight into the transfer of ultimate power and responsibilities down the succession of command. As much as the empowerment of the NCO is ever increasing, it is arguable that there is more room for further advancement for the military. There are several factors that have contribute to the increased empowerment of the non-commissioned officer in America, however, this paper shall focus on the three most important; advanced training opportunities, fighting strategies, and military d octrine (Bland, 2009). Advanced training opportunities It has constantly been argued that knowledge is power. This holds true considering the ever increasing empowerment of the American NCO. It is true that technical skills and leadership training are essential for a successful and affective NCO. Before the publicized training manuals for NCO, the only available training was on-the-job training (Fisher, 1994). Professional education was unknown for NCOs except the constant instructions received from company commanders. All leadership skills were practically learned during operations. Today, however, skills in leadership are taught continuously providing proper decision-making for trainees. The training required to make use and maintain complex battle equipment during the First World War initiated the technically advanced field training that paved way for a leadership role. Advanced training was essential for medical services, artillery, as well as other military operation areas. Wit h time, technology grew as wars became more sophisticated. As a result, leadership demands for NCO also grew. General John Pershing recommended that NCO receive a formal training, a suggestion that sparked the NCO academy system in the 1950s (Fisher, 1994). Later, a Non-commissioned officer Candidate Course was created that trained NCOs in combat arms. The NCO’s Educational System put a formal training system that educated both men and women. Fighting strategies Battle history evidences that the constant changes in fighting led to the evolution of the NCO as a leader in the military. In the early days of

Romanesque, Regency, Revival, Early Christian, Baroque, Rococo, Essay - 1

Romanesque, Regency, Revival, Early Christian, Baroque, Rococo, 18thCentury Neoclassicism - Essay Example As with all forms of art and architecture, a desire to see and elaborate upon previous artistic expressions oftentimes encourages architects to engage in movements of revivalism. Within Western civilization, revivalism has been noted within almost each and every single architectural movement in recorded history. For instance, there has been revivalism of postclassical architecture, medieval architecture, Baroque architecture, and a litany of many other more modern forms of architecture. Due to the broad range of revival architecture that exists, this particular analysis will focus specifically on Renaissance revival; sometimes referred to as â€Å"neo-Renaissance†. This developed in and around the 19th century. However, the movement itself is somewhat hard to explain and/or understand due to fact that it oftentimes confuse Renaissance architecture with prior to how he and architecture. Although it many cases these two are one in the same, the fact of the matter is that a blend ing of true Renaissance architecture with prior exhibitions of time and architecture was evidenced throughout the period time. Similarly, with respect to the current exhibition of the neo-Renaissance revival, this author definitively points to the faà §ade of Vladimir. Early Christian architecture is something that is somewhat unique as compared to the other forms of architecture that have been discussed thus far. This is not due to the fact that early Christian architecture exhibits new more interesting interpretations of arts were architecture.