Effects of Slavery Essay

Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobson both write their compelling stories on what life was like as slaves during 19th century America. Both narratives define the harsh life of slavery and the unforgiving effects that occurred during their time as slaves. In the same way, both stories reveal the theme of the evils of slavery but also given their different gender roles, their experiences are completely different from one another. While both Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobson’s Narratives undergo the corrupt power of slavery in 19th century America and were able to escape, the role of gender in society largely acts as a variance within these two stories. Both Frederick and Jacobs were born into slavery; Frederick’s father most likely being his master, and Jacobs being lucky enough to have both of her parents. Though Jacobs had a safe and guarded childhood, after her parents died she began to see the cruelness of slavery. Frederick learns the evils of slavery earlier on in his life when he witnesses his aunt being horribly beaten by his slave owner. (Notes, 2013) Both characters express their deep hatred for slavery through their narrative themes. In Jacob’s narrative she argues that slavery destroys the standards of slave holders, practically without exception. Jacob describes her feeling when she realizes Dr. Flint has total control over her, â€Å"When he told me that I was made for his use, made to obey his command in everything; that I was nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his, never before had my puny arm felt half so strong.† (Jacobs, Life as a Slave Girl, IV) Through this, she feels empowered to rebel against him in acts that later shape her life. Jacobs has a strong hatred to slavery that she shows through her rebelliousness and the chances she takes. Douglass shows his hatred for slavery through his descriptive writing. For instance, he shows his intelligence by simply writing the narrative sho wing people that he is no animal but an accomplished human being. The fact that he used his real name in his narrative shows his strength against slavery. Douglass believed he was entitled to be treated like a human being and was enraged that he wasn’t treated as such. The physiological abuse slaves went through was unimaginable. When Douglass was given to Edward Covey he was to be â€Å"broken.† Covey took joy in breaking down his slaves until they weren’t â€Å"human† anymore. His job was to take all of the â€Å"life† and joy out of a slave’s life so all they know is work. Douglass states that his, â€Å" natural elasticity was crushed, [his] intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about [his] eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon [him]; and behold a man transformed into a brute!† (Douglass, X) Through this quote, one is able to see that he was broken by slavery, and turned into an animal. Jacobs abuse is similar to Douglass’s ex perience with physiological when she realizes that Dr. Flint owns her body. She is tormented by him at any time, as he frequently gets her alone. She is stuck in her situation because she can’t tell anyone to make Dr. Flint stop. She points out that slaves are given no reason to develop a strong moral sense, as they are given no ownership of their own body or final control over any of their actions. Both characters go through a time in their life when a master has â€Å"broken† them physiologically, makes them believe they are less than human. Both characters describe their childhood in completely different ways. Douglass explains the system that slave owners used to â€Å"make a slave.† By cutting off ties with ones parents, especially maternal caring, they are unable to grasp the concept of love and kinship, thus making them more as animals then people. Douglass explains that he never, â€Å"enjoyed, to any considerable extent, her soothing presence, her tend er and watchful care, I received the tidings of [my mother’s] death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger.† (Douglass, I) Douglass’s used adjectives like â€Å"soothing† to reinvent the childhood he could have had if he would’ve had his mother in his life. Douglass was robbed of his childhood by the wickedness of slavery and his attitude towards that is shown through his descriptive writing. Jacobs had a very different childhood then Douglass. Jacob’s had a somewhat normal childhood for a slave. Jacob’s was fortunate enough to have both of her parents in her life as well as a brother for amount of time. She was not a victim of being separated from her parents like Douglass. She was also privileged enough to be ignorant of what she had been born into. After her mother’s death, she is taken to her mother’s mistress who teaches her sew, read and write. Though both characters are b orn into slavery, they lead completely different childhoods. Gender dictates the working rolls Douglass and Jacobs were assigned in their time as slaves. Jacob’s was again fortunate to be doing house work as a young girl, most of her time as a slave she acted as a house maid. By being a women Jacob’s wasn’t easily subjected to working a hard day in the field, though field work was in her future when Mr. Flint vengefully sends Jacobs to his plantation. Though she was to work in the fields, such work was only assigned by Mr. Flints feeling towards her having an affair with Mr. Sands. Douglass being a man was subject to much harsher work than Jacobs. Douglass was exposed to hardened slave masters who were cruel to him, and was given harsh beatings. Douglass is deeply emasculated by the hours of work he spends out in the fields, as well as the harsh beatings given by Covey. Douglass becomes capable of only resting as a result of his beatings and extensive hours of work. Douglass describes one of his many beatings in great deta il, â€Å"he lashed me till he had worn out hisswitches, cutting me so savagely as to leave the marks visible for a long time after. This whipping was the first of a number just like it, and for similar offences.† (Douglass, X) Slave men were subject to much harsher work than the women, and these two characters are primary examples of such. Douglass and Jacobs were physically abused, but the context of their abuse was completely different based on their gender. Jacob was subject to Dr. Flint’s frequent sexual harassment. Jacobs was continually taken advantage of sexually during her time under his grasp. Jacob’s narrative is quite focused on the fact that she is a woman when writing about her struggles, â€Å"Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women. Superadded to the burden common to all, they have wrongs, and sufferings, and mortifications peculiarly their own.† (Jacobs, XVI) Her abuse physiologically damaged her, and eventually caused her to have an affair with another man just to escape another’s harassment. Jacobs was never able to truly be a woman of her own, she was constantly pressed by the fact that she was a slave and had no right over her own body. She states in her narrative that her body belonged to Dr. Flint, which was harmful to her. The fact Dr. Flint’s harassment led Jacobs to having an affair with another white man who she was not in love with, and eventually led into her hiding delaying her from mothering her children obstructed her chance for her to be a real woman. Douglass’s abuse was completely different but had the same effect on him; he wasn’t able to be a true man. Throughout Douglass’s narrative and mostly in his time under the control of Covey, he describes how his endurance to become a real man faded. Covey truly broke Douglass and continually states that he was everywhere, â€Å"under every tree, behind every stump, in every bush, and at every window, on the plantation.â₠¬  (Douglass, X) Slavery took every ounce of his will to live; he had no interest in reading, writing, or even escaping to become a free man. The effect slavery left on him shows that as a slave, Douglass was not able to be a real man. While both Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobson’s Narratives undergo the corrupt power of slavery in 19th century America and were able to escape, the role of gender in society largely acts as a variance within these two stories. Both characters show that as a slave, they weren’t able to act as a real man or woman. The physical and mental abuse, their childhoods and every aspect of their lives as slaves, hindered them from having a real life for themselves. Though there were similarities in their narratives, their gender truly controlled the course of their lives. Works Cited Douglass, Frederick. â€Å"I,X, XVI,.† Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. New York: New American Library, 1968. N. pag. Print. Jacobs, Harriet A. â€Å"XVI, IV.† Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. New York: Oxford UP, 1988. N. pag. Print. Notes, C. (2013, April 10th). Class Notes. Print.

Immigration causes Essay

Groups, societies, or cultures have values that are largely shared by their members. The values identify those objects, conditions or characteristics that members of the society consider important; that is, valuable. In the United States, for example, values might include material comfort, wealth, competition, individualism or religiosity. The values of a society can often be identified by noting which people receive honor or respect. In the US, for example, professional athletes are more highly honored than college professors, in part because the society values physical activity and competitiveness more than mental activity and education . Young people Old people are more annoying by far. They are so quick to degrade and stereotype younger people even though every group has had their criminals and bad apples. They are rude and think they can say or do anything to anyone without the other person having any recourse. I have been victimized numerous times by older people and all old people can do is keep degrading us. So I chose Young people because that has a no one can touch me attitude, demo and think they know everything . Science and technologies The distinction between science and technology is not always clear. Science is the reasoned investigation or study of phenomena, aimed at discovering enduring principles among elements of the phenomenal world by employing formal techniques such as the scientific method. Technologies are not usually exclusively products of science, because they have to satisfy requirements such as utility, usability and safety. Technology is often a consequence of science and engineering Ââ€" although technology as a human activity precedes the two fields. For example, science might study the flow of electrons in electrical conductors, by using already-existing tools and knowledge. This new-found knowledge may then be used by engineers to create new tools and machines, such as semiconductors, computers, and other forms of advanced technology. In this sense, scientists and engineers may both be considered technologists; the three fields are often considered as one for the purposes of research and reference . Human rights The concept of human rights has existed under several names in European thought for many centuries, at least since the time of King John of England. After the king violated a number of ancient laws and customs by which England had been governed, his subjects forced him to sign the Magna Cart, or Great Charter, which enumerates a number of what later came to be thought of as human rights. Right of women Nowadays we take it for granted that women have the same rights as men before the First World War few people believed this . As far as work was concerned there were jobs wish were regarded as women’s jobs and other which were regarded as men’s jobs. Women’s jobs were generally lower paid as men’s. Men did almost all the heavy jobs in industry or in transport . Women had jobs like dress-making, cleaning or worked as servants . Women’s main role was as being to raise children and look for their home. Women were not expected to take position of leaders chip . Women’s role in development Women’s participation in development has vital benefits. In the case of morocco, this participation takes place at there main levels: the social this political and the economic. First, we can’t ignore the active contribution of women in our society as nurses, teachers or mothers and wives. As nurses. women give help to patients in hospitals. as teachers ,they teach the young generation and the illiterate. as mothers and wives, they bring up kids tube good citizens. Second, there are many women who take leading position in the government with a desire to encourage democracy, and establish freedom and equal rights at the components of our society. Citizenship is membership in a society, community, city or town but now usually a country and carries with it to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. Citizenship status often implies some responsibilities and duties. It is largely coterminous with nationality although it is possible to have a nationality without being a citizen legally subject to a state and entitled to its protection without having rights of political participation in it); it is also possible to have political rights without being a national of a state. In most nations, a non-citizen is a non-national and called either a foreigner or an alien Citizenship , International organization International Organization is a leading peer-reviewed journal that covers the entire field of international affairs. Subject areas include: foreign policies, international relations, international and comparative political economy, security policies, environmental disputes and resolutions, European integration, alliance patterns and war, bargaining and conflict resolution, economic development and adjustment, and international capital movements. Published on behalf of the International Organization Foundation. Drop out of school Increasing stress in school, at work, and at home has caused many students to drop out of school to escape their problems. With this increasing amount of stress and work, some students have become very frustrated and depressed. Students then drop out of school and take the easy way out to eliminate some of that stress . Brain drain The migration of skilled individuals from developing countries has typically been considered to be costly for the sending country, due to lost investments in education, high fiscal costs and labor market distortions. Economic theory, however, raises the possibility of a beneficial brain drain primarily through improved incentives to acquire human capital. Our survey of empirical and theoretical work shows under what circumstances a developing country can benefit from skilled migration. It argues that the sect oral aspects of migration and screening of migrants in the receiving country are of major importance in determining the welfare implications of the brain drain. These issues, as well as the size of the sending country, duration of migration and the effect of Diaspora populations, should be addressed in future empirical work on skilled migration. Brain drain† is the phenomena whereby nations lose skilled labor because there are better paid jobs elsewhere. In recent years , this has affected poorer countries more so, as some rich countries tempt workers away, and workers look to escape bleak situations in their poor home countries. Sustainable development Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the natural environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future. The term was used by the Brandt and Commission which coined what has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as development that â€Å"meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.† The field of sustainable development can be conceptually broken into three constituent parts: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and social . Humor I think that the best things to relief from stress is to watch some sitcoms or hear something funny like jokes Â…person should develop his sense of humor and he should be cool , Comic and optimistic, because some expert of mental .health have noted that we can’t imagine going through a day without laughter. Humor will make every part of your life better. It will help you trough difficult times and it will help you make the good times even letter, also i twill attract good people and good situations to you .

Behaviourists Explain Maladaptive Bbevaviour in Terms

ESSAY TITLE: â€Å" BEHAVIOURISTS EXPLAIN MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOUR IN TERMS OF THE LEARNING PRINCIPLES THAT SUSTAIN AND MAINTAIN IT. DISCUSS THIS STATEMENT AND SHOW HOW A BEHAVIOURIST’S APPROACCH TO THERAPY IS IN STARK CONTRAST TO A PSYCHOANALYTIC ONE† Behaviourism is a movement within psychology that works on the principle that all behaviour is â€Å"learned† , that we were all born with a â€Å"blank slate†.Behavioural approaches use strict experimental measures to study observable behaviour ( or responses ) in relation to the environment, thus resulting in the maladaptive behavioural approaches that we employ to deal with our learning. Behaviourism was first developed in the early 20th century by an American psychologist John B Watson, who at the time was working in the field of animal psychology. He believed that all behaviour was observable and therefore scientific, and worked on the principle and study of the association between a stimulus and response. Watson did not deny the existence of inner experiences, but insisted that they could not be studied because they were not observable ) Watson’s stimulus and response theory of psychology claimed that all complex forms of behaviour – emotions, habits etc – are seen as composed of simple muscular and glandular elements that can be observed and measured, and that emotional reactions are learned in much the same way. Watson aimed to prove his beliefs with laboratory experiments, and one of these experiments was known as â€Å" The Little Albert Experiment†.Little Albert was a small young boy of about 18 months of age , Young Albert would sit happily on the floor and play with a white rat. Young Albert did not like loud noises, and on the presentation of the rat, scientists would clang two metal rods together behind Young Albert’s head, which resulted in screaming from young Albert. The result of this â€Å" conditioning† experiment was that Alb ert came to associate the rat with fear, and on following presentations of the rat, young Albert displayed considerable fear.Around the turn of the 20th century, another American psychologist Edward Lee Thorndike, investigated how animals learn, in one experiment he placed a cat in a â€Å"puzzle box† and measured the time it took to escape. Over a number of trials, the time taken to escape decreased, and from this observation he developed the â€Å"law of (positive) effect†, which states that any behaviour leading to a positive outcome will tend to be repeated in similar circumstances. If we like the consequences of our actions then the actions are likely to be repeated, this ype of learning was known as operant conditioning . Thorndike’s work was developed by such behaviourist’s such as B. F. Skinner. Skinner approach to psychology was scientific, his views came from Darwin’s theories of evolution. Skinner focused on the environment as a cause fo r human behaviour, he did not think that people acted for moral reasons, believing they reacted in response to their environment. For example: a person might do a good thing not for moral reasons, but for the rewards received for the act.Skinner believed that the mental process was irrelevant. To prove his theories skinner invented what is now referred to as the â€Å" skinner box†. This was a small box with a lever mechanism inside that dispensed a food pellet when pressed. Many experiments were done using this box system, and in one of these experiments a rat was rewarded with a food pellet on every press of a lever ( condition A). In another condition ( condition B ) the rat was only rewarded with a food pellet only sometimes when pressing the lever.They found that rat B pressed the lever much more! Why was this? Because the lever pressing was only occasionally rewarded, it took longer to figure out that in no longer worked. Skinner believed that reinforcement is a key con cept in behaviourism, that it increases the likelihood that an action will be repeated in the future, however, punishment on the other hand, will reduce the likelihood that an action will be repeated. For example: shouting at a child who is behaving in an irritating way, might in fact lead to the behaviour appearing more frequently.The shouting therefore, is seen as reinforcing( providing attention) rather that punishing. Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist who studied the digestion of dogs, he found that laboratory dogs would salivate at the sight of a food dish, from this he reasoned that the dogs learned an association between the dog bowl and the food it usually contained. In behavioural terms the food ( the unconditioned stimulus or UCS) had been associated with the bowl ( the conditioned stimulus or CS) giving rise to the conditioned response or CR of the dog salivating at the sight of the bowl.In these terms the unconditioned response or UCR would be the dog salivating at the sight of food. In further experiments a bell was continually rung immediately before feeding, Pavlov was able to condition a dog to salivate whenever a bell was rung. After a period of conditioning, Pavlov discovered the dog would salivate at the sound of a bell even if no food was forthcoming, and by pairing the conditioned stimulus of the bell with a light, he could get the dog to salivate at the presentation of the light only, even though the light and the food had never been presented together.This type of conditioning demonstrates how readily behaviour will form predictive associations. This learnt behaviour was called classical conditioning. In terms of human behaviour classical conditioning involves involuntary behaviour such as a fear response, they can be elicited, meaning you can do something that produces an involuntary response. Operant conditioning involves voluntary behaviours. Voluntary behaviours are those that cannot be made to happen, meaning that you cannot ge t those behaviours until someone carries them out.Behavioural approaches assume that what is learned may be unlearned, and explains why phobias tend to get worse as time goes on. When you meet you fear, your fear level rises (fight)and so does your level of adrenaline. If you avoid the fear ( flight) you will reduce the fear and your level of adrenaline. This is the connection between your fear and your response to it. The result from this is a maladaptive behaviour, often with an avoidance and a rise in anxiety levels, leading to stress and other ways of behaviour and coping strategies.Social learning theory is another approach to behaviourism of Albert Brandura , it emphasizes the importance of observing and modelling behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others, Brandura pointed out that much of what we learn is in the consequence of observation, indirect rewards/punishments and modelling. (www. psychology. org) What are the behavioural approaches to therapy? Behaviou ral therapy concentrates on taking away the old responses or conditioning new ones, there are a number of techniques that can be used: * Systematic desensitisation ( experiences in imagination) * In vivo exposure ( experiences in reality)The way in which these techniques work is that it is difficult to feel two opposing states at the same time ie, relaxation and fear. The client will be coached in relaxation techniques and then encouraged to remain relaxed whilst imagining themselves in a mildly frightening situation, once able to do this, they will be encouraged to imagine themselves in a more slightly distressing situation and so on. * Flooding Flooding is a behavioural technique that relies on the idea that it is not possible to maintain a state of fear indefinitely.Flood therapy will expose the client to the fear / situation until their fear drops to normal, the idea that when released from that fear their fear level will drop to a normal and acceptable tolerance. * Selective re inforcement This is based on operant conditioning, and for example: in schools and at home any good behaviour is reinforced by means of reward. * Modelling This makes use of observational learning, the client will watch the therapist/teacher and copy what they do. This gives the opportunity to view adaptive behaviour on which to base a new response. * Cognitive behaviourThis is another approach to psychology, the origin of the word â€Å" cognitive† comes from Latin, which means to â€Å"know and understand†. This perspective is directly linked with the internal mental processes of thought, such as memory, problem-solving, thinking and language. The cognitive psychological perspective is seen as a response to behaviourism because cognitive psychologists see humans as rational beings and not as programmed animals with no ability to think. The study of the mental processes is not observable, which does contrast with â€Å" traditional behaviourists ideas†, which i s to study only observable ways.The focus of cognitive psychologists is the way the brain processes information ( stimuli) received ( input ) which leads to a certain behaviour ( output ). This process is often compared with the computer function, however this comparison is not too coherent because the human mind/brain, is far more advanced than a computer. Humanistic psychologists see this approach as cold because the cognitive psychologists ignore any emotions any individual may have, and may well prove everything in a way that is too clinical.All mental processes are investigated scientifically, which is good to cognitive behaviour. (I apologize that i slightly went off track with the reference to the humanistic approach, but i felt it very relevant to compare a behavioural approach with the humanistic approaches such as Maslow and Rogers) There is a belief in behavioural therapy that human behaviour does not just happen, but is caused by environmental events that cannot be contr olled, and this has been criticised by other approaches for ignoring learning due to evolution.This can also be said about human behaviour and the relevance to food, diet and nutrition. It is a known fact certain foods have chemicals that do alter one’s behaviour, and in the day’s of food being tampered with and injected with growth hormones, one has to be aware of this. It is now at this point in the essay that i will turn to the view of the psychoanalytic one and their view to the behavioural approach in therapy. Psychoanalytic approach to behaviourism One thing that is certain, and that few textbooks of psychology ignore Freud and many are built around his theories† â€Å"Freud’s approach was as logical and his findings as carefully tested as Pavlovs† â€Å"The foundation of Freud’s method-psychic determination and the relentless logic of free association are scientific† â€Å"Freud’s method was to take everything anybody sa id at any time or place regardless of truth or falsity in terms of external reality to be used as basic data in revealing the dynamics of the personality† â€Å"Freud devised a means of diagnosing man’s troubles, not of suppressing them, and the emotions we suppress are the mental equivalents that all is not well within the body† (Freud and the Post Freudians. J. A. C. Brown) Freud, first published his psychoanalytic theory of personality in which the unconscious mind played a crucial role. Freud combined the then current notions of consciousness, perception and memory with the ideas of biologically based instincts, to make a new theory of psychodynamics. Freud’s theory, which forms the basis of the psychodynamic approach, represented a major challenge to behaviourism. Freud’s theory of personality was based on the assumption that all behaviour stems from the unconscious mind.He divided the personality into three different parts, that of the id, the ego and the super-ego, which Freud believed were often in conflict with each other. * The id operates on the pleasure principle seeking immediate gratification. * The ego obeys the reality principle and plans for the future * The super-ego is conscious and makes us aware of our moral standards Freud believed that we all have a stream of psychic energy, he called this constant psychic energy the libido, reflecting that the sex drive was a primary life instinct. If this energy was suppressed, the energy would seek out another outlet, such as in dreams and/or neurotic behaviour. Freud believed we go through several personality developmental stages in the early years of life.He called these stages the psychosexual stages. During each of these stages the pleasure seeking impulses of the id focus on a particular part of the body. The first year of life Freud called the oral stage, whereby babies derived pleasure from sucking and/or nursing. The second stage was termed the anal stage, and Freud believed infants derived pleasure from withholding and expelling faeces. The next stage was the phallic stage where the child derived pleasure from his or her genitals. During the phallic stage the child reached a conflict called the oedipal conflict , whereby Freud believed the anxiety caused was the basis of all later anxieties.The oedipal conflict resolved at the latency period, which lasted from the age of seven to twelve, and during this time children became less concerned with their bodies and turned their attention to life skills, and finally adolescence and puberty brought about the genital stage, which is the mature stage of adult sexuality. Freud placed much emphasis on child development believing that if the child at any given time was denied the gratification needed in each stage, then a maladaptive behaviour was to take place, for example: a man might be hostile towards his boss, an older co-worker, and all other â€Å"parent figures† in his life because h e is unconsciously re-enacting childhood conflicts with an overprotective parent.The psychoanalyst would help the client recognise his hidden, pent up anger toward the parent, experience it, and trace how this unconscious source of continuing anger and the defences around it have been creating problems. (Psychology Bernstein) Freud believed that many clues to the unconscious lie in the constant stream of thoughts, feelings, memories and images experienced by all people. These clues can be uncovered and understood if the client relaxes defences that block or distort the stream of consciousness. Thus, one of the most basic techniques of psychoanalysis is free association, in which the client relaxes, often lying on a couch, reporting everything that comes to mind as soon as it occurs, no matter how trivial, bizarre, or embarrassing it may seem.Clues to the unconscious may appear in the way thoughts are linked, rather than in the thoughts themselves. For example: if the client stops ta lking or claim that their minds are blank, the psychoanalyst may suspect that unconscious defence mechanisms are keeping threatening material out of the consciousness. The interpretation of dreams is another one of Freud’s ideas, and psychoanalysts believe that dreams express wishes, impulses and fantasies that the dreamer’s defences keep unconscious during waking hours. The psychoanalyst will look at the client’s thoughts and behaviours, and will help the client to become aware of all the aspects of their personality, including the defences and the unconscious material behind them.The basic strategy is to construct accurate accounts of what has happened to the client ( but has been â€Å" forgotten†) and what is happening to the client ( but is not understood), and in this way help the client to see their maladaptive behaviour towards their life. â€Å"The psychodynamic approach emphasizes internal conflicts, mostly unconscious, which usually pit sexual or aggressive instincts against environmental obstacles to their expression†( Psychology Bernstein) â€Å"The psychodynamic approach holds, that all behaviour and mental processes, reflect constant and mostly unconscious struggles within each person. Usually these struggles involve conflict between the impulse to satisfy instincts or wishes( for food, sex or aggression for example ) and the restrictions imposed by society.From this perspective, a display of violence ( or hostility, or even anxiety)reflects the breakdown of civilizing defences against the expression of primitive urges â€Å"(Psychology Bernstein) â€Å" the psychodynamic approach assumes that if clients gain insight into underlying problems, the symptoms created by those problems will disappear† ( Psychology Bernstein) Conclusion Although there are clear divisions in these two approaches, there is a case that the perspectives and the research, have contributed a great deal to understanding human behav iour. Therefore it is worth remembering that psychology is a dynamic science and new theories and experiments are conducted every day.As technology advances so does the field of psychology, and the study of human behaviour needs to be with the use of all the approaches that are available, whether it be behaviourism, psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, Jungian, humanistic, integrated or whatever the approach that is being used. After all, we are all unique, and one cap certainly does not fit all! However, because the classical psychoanalytic treatment may require as many as three to five sessions per week, usually over several years the cost is of consideration both in private practice and within the national health system, and this may well reflect the reason why the behavioural approach of CBT/REBT is widely used within such quarters. ( Psychology Bernstein) REFERENCES First steps in counselling Sanders 2010 Freud and the Post Freudians J. A. C. Brown 1985 www. psychology. org Psycholog y Third Edition Bernstein, Stewart, Roy, Srull, Wickers 1994

Hotel Amenities Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Hotel Amenities - Term Paper Example General information about hotel amenities is given at the start of the paper, followed by description of some of the very important and interesting hotel amenities. Two examples of renowned hotels are given in later sections, to make clear what kind of hotel amenities are in trend these days. The report is summarized in a concluding paragraph, and MLA referencing style has been used properly. Perks are very interesting and important factors of the hotel stay experience. Amenities are much more than that, adding real meaning to the hotel experience. These are the special little things that make the hotel stay a quality time that the customer cherishes for many days to come. With amenities, the hotel stay becomes worry-free and relaxing. It no more remains a boring and still kind of journey, and the person gets to enjoy many interesting services and facilities in his leisure time. This also attracts more clientele, as the customers share their experiences with others. Another advantage is for the hotel authorities, as the public spends money on the premises to avail the services. This way, the hotelkeepers make added marginal income. Nowadays, nearly every high standard hotel offers amenities to the customers, who enjoy seeing their vacations and leisure time being converted into something extraordinary. Some of the amenities are available inside the room; while, some are available in the wide premises of the hotel. Those available inside the room include high speed internet access, high definition Flat screen LCDs and plasma LEDs, iPod/mp3 equipped clock radio, desk and comfortable desk chair, cable television channels, dual telephone lines with voicemail, custom climate controls, irons and ironing boards, hair dryers, lockers, and safes. Amenities that are available in the whole premises include car parking, laundry service, concierge service, currency exchange available at the front desk, multi-lingual staff, luggage storage, business center, safety deposit bo x, fitness center, in-room dining, club lounge, and gift shop. Let’s discuss some of these amenities in detail. Staying fit and in shape is very necessary, not only when you are at your homes, but also while travelling. Work-out and burning those extra calories and fat is something which should not be ignored even when a person is away from home. Fitness center is one of the most favorite amenities of many customers, especially those who are conscious about their health and overall well-being. Those, who are already members of fitness clubs off the premises, can maintain their fitness routine while they are staying at the hotel. This helps them continue their exercises and whatever services they enjoy at the fitness club. Many hotels have fitness clubs that offer services like stationary bikes, treadmills, weight lifting, health experts, exercise-training professionals, cable TV monitors, and fresh fruit presentations. People can come into the fitness clubs whenever they want because these offer services throughout the day. Some hotels also offer group exercise classes to give training about yoga and cardio. Specialized personal training classes and sessions are also offered so that people can maintain their fitness regime inside hotel premises. This makes them feel at home. Specialized training equipment is also offered, related to sauna and steam baths. The fitness center is accompanied with other fitness amenities, like jogging and

Should lethal injection be considered cruel and unusual punishment Research Paper

Should lethal injection be considered cruel and unusual punishment - Research Paper Example Lethal injection is problematic in that there are bound to be problems that might cause infliction of pain, torture and lingering death. One of the reasons for this is that the procedure was invented by an individual, Fred Leuchter, who had no medical training, and invented the method by reviewing literature on the effects that the protocol had on pigs and estimated accordingly. Although these recommendations have been discredited, they still form the basis for the protocol in â€Å"the overwhelmingly majority of states that use the death penalty† a development that caused Debra Denno, author of the most comprehensive report on death penalty protocols in the United States to state â€Å"it is not clear how or why this chemical combination has persisted† (Wong, 2006, p. 269). Another of the reasons why lethal injection may be considered to be cruel and unusual punishment is because of the way that it is carried out. Lethal injections are often botched, as there have been over 30 cases of such botched executions since the death penalty was reinstated by Gregg v. Georgia (Wong, 2006, p. 264). Specifically, medical personnel, personnel that would be trained to carry out lethal injection in such a way that it would be complication-free and painless, typically does not want to carry out the punishment. Approximately 19% of medical personnel do go ahead and do this, yet these individuals are met with opposition from medical societies (Denno, 2002, p. 2). After all, they take a Hippocratical Oath that states that they are not to do any harm, and administering lethal injection would be a direct contradiction to this basic oath. Therefore,... As a consequence of the fact that medical personnel by and large are not able to participate in lethal injection protocols, there is a chance that the official who is administering the protocol will put the intravenous line into the muscle, as opposed to a vein, or the needle may become clogged. This would cause the inmate to experience extreme pain. For example, when James Autry was put to death in Texas in 1984, it took him 10 minutes to die, while he moved around and complained of pain. Moreover, because the technicians performing the protocol are inexperienced, it is sometimes difficult to find a good vein, and this is compounded when the inmate was an intravenous drug user. Such was the case with Steven Morin in Texas, who was a former heroin user, which caused the technician to have to stick Morin’s arms with needles 41 times. Crucially, lethal injection consists of three different procedures – the first is the anesthetic; the second induces paralysis; the third causes death. The first of these procedures that is the most important is the administering of the anesthetic, for this is what causes the procedure to be pain-free. If a medical personnel is not administering the anesthetic, then it stands to reason that the anesthetic might not be administered properly, which means that the prisoner may feel excruciating pain in dying. Konarias et al. sought protocol information from Texas and Virginia, as these two states constituted 45% of all death penalty cases carried out in the United States.

The culture of Wegnans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The culture of Wegnans - Essay Example Wegmans has practiced selecting their employees according to their interest and genuine commitment for their field of endeavor. Through sharing a common passion, employees are maintained and developed with appropriate motivation and incentives that contributed to a verly low turnover; manifesting employees’ satisfaction on their jobs. By providing them with ample motivation through compensation benefits and with recognition of performance, the employees’ personal and professsional needs are achieved. Then again, by according them with opportunities for professional growth and development through training programs, employees regard their career with Megmans as worthy and rewarding. In return, employees exhibit exemplary performance through manifesting increased productivity that reverberates to the positive attitute towards workes, customers, and other stakeholders. The crucial role that motivation plays in their organizational culture has enabled them to achieve leaders hip and recognition as one of Fortune’s Best Companies to work for in 2009 (Chapter 16: Cultivating Organizational Culture n.d., p. ___). 2. ... 1). By recognizing that the success of the organization highly depends on its human resources, Wegmans has embodied the ideals and philosphies disclosed in their five statements that explain who the company is about: â€Å"(1) We care about the well-being and success of every person: (2) High standards are a way of life. We pursue excellence in everything we do; (3) We make a difference in every community we serve; (4) We respect and listen to our people; and (5) We empower our people to make decisions that improve their work and benefit our customers and our company† (Wegmans: About Us, 2011, p. 1). Through the years, from one generation to the other, Wegmans has sustained their culture through imbibing these ideals to the people who rose from ranks within the organizational hierarchy. Since Wegmans exhibited a very low turnover, it means that the employees have been loyal to the organization and their training and development program enabled them to assume higher responsibil ities through promotions and being recognized for exemplary performance. These people continue to exhibit and manifest the values that were promoted by the incorporators and their children through the years. The proof that Wegmans has continued to exhibit the culture of satisfying their people is being recognized for the 13th time in Fortune’s Best Companies to work where the award has been given â€Å"very year starting in 1998 through 2010. The company ranked 1st in 2005 and ranked #3 in 2010† (Wegmans: Awards, 2011, par. 4). 3. What are some threats to sustaining Wegmans’ culture? How can these be overcome? Since Wegmans has been exhibiting exemplary performance over the years through sustaining organizational

The Role of the Financial manager SLP Assignment

The Role of the Financial manager SLP - Assignment Example Coupled with the recent developments in the financial performance successes, Apple Inc.’s status as a towering figure among publicly traded companies continues to cement its business. Based on the strong brand presence and financial successes reported continuously at the company, success projections in the near future appear promising due to the sustainability of its business model. The utilization of high-end technologies at Apple Inc. continues to provide a promising future for the company’s growing market. The size of Apple Inc. in the American and global smart technologies segment correspond with the recorded revenue growth hitting $42.1 in the fourth quarter of the just ended trading period (Apple Inc., 2014). Further projections on the company’s future relate to the company’s ratings on management effectiveness standing at 14.96 per cent and 33.61 per cent for return on assets and equity respectively. The sustainability of the software and hardware model at Apple’s products portfolio enables the company to challenge for top honors in the technology market. Apple Inc.’s towering financial power elevates it to the top of the list of American multinationals supporting tens of billions of dollars as stable investment value. Recent income figures in excess of $325 billion supported by quarterly gross margin growth of 38 per cent give an indication of the size of the company (Apple Inc., 2014). In these financial figures, $70.54 billion of gross profit implies that the company posted positive operations in the market that it continues to dominate. According to Yahoo Finance (2014), Apple Inc. trades as AAPL at Nasdaq stock market, with the recent stock market performance standing at a stable price of $109.70 (week opening Nov 10). The price of Apple Inc.’s share a year ago stood at $74.28, which gives an indication of growth by a growth of

New Zealand Bank Lending Practice Research Proposal

New Zealand Bank Lending Practice - Research Proposal Example Personal Lending is one such area where the lending rates are higher as compared to other conventional users of banking thus finance companies tend to bet more on them and in the process sometimes violate their own lending criterion. Finance Companies in New Zealand are continuously heating up the personal lending market by allowing generous limits to the consumers. In this process they tend to violate their own lending policies also. This research will undertake to analyze the reasons behind the violations of the lending policies by Finance companies in New Zealand. The current subprime crisis in US clearly suggest that finance companies including Banks have tended to avoid exercising general prudence while making lending decisions. Getting consumer credit through various financial institutions especially banks requires consumers to maintain a certain degree of credit rating in order to qualify for those loans. Unlike large corporate companies, consumers or rather individuals pose a different challenge and dynamics to financial institutions to cater their needs for credit and formal funding requirements of these individuals. It is because of this reason that various banks and financial institutions have developed their internal rating methodologies which they assign to various consumers asking for credit. Banks than through their internal as well external credit scores or ratings decide to whom they should provide the credit. These criteria of credit rating often are designed to be tough since Banks in order to avoid defaults, tighten their cri teria to extend the credit to these customers. However, due to increasing needs of those customers, whose credit history or their credit ratings do not fall under the criteria laid down by the banks, banks try to accommodate them also. Most of the banking groups within Australia and New Zealand have therefore entered into practices which defy the most basic precautions when lending in personal loan market. This is now resulting into increasing provisions from the banks. (Verrender, 2008) Statement of the Purpose and Significance of the study The study is significant in the sense that it would be one of its kinds to study the qualitative reasons behind this phenomenon and may lead us to the indications of the financial procyclicality impacts on the financial sector of New Zealand. The so called KiwiSaver rules have allowed banks to charge interest rates much beyond the normal rates despite the fact that Card debits especially in case of Credit Cards, Mortgages as well as personal loans are tied up with the mortgages of the customer. In this way, they get extra and in order to earn extra, they loose or violate their lending practices to accommodate the borrowers. (Stock, 2008) Further, to this, Finance Companies in the country are considered to be more aggressive while making lending decisions which in turn put pressures on the overall liquidity position in the financial sector thus effectively straining the resources of the nation. It is believed that the Finance companies in New Zealand have not yet fully developed the credit scoring models also to effectively

The Invasion of Sicily Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Invasion of Sicily - Essay Example The invasion of Sicily had been on the agenda ever since the Casablanca Conference of January 1943. The success of the "TORCH" landings in French North Africa the previous November was the incubus of Franklin D. Roosevelt's and Winston Churchill's plan for a seaborne assault as soon as the Axis had been defeated in Tunisia. "TORCH was the first major amphibious assault against the Axis, although, in the Pacific, the marines landed on Guadalcanal on Aug 7th. It had to be staged from Continental US, go almost 3000 miles, through U boat infested waters, land troops on hostile beaches, and then keep the sea lanes open for reinforcements"2. While "TORCH" had been mostly unopposed, Sicily, it was estimated, would be a more difficult conquest because the Italians would be then fighting on their home ground, buttressed by good German troops. That notwithstanding, the allies remained undaunted. A blend of the battle-hardened men of Eighth Army under Montgomery, the profusion of US war ammunition and other materials, and American troops of the Seventh Army under Patton were considered enough to overwhelm the island garrison and bring the war to mainland Italy. Amphibious ships and landing craft were the resource that defined Allied military strategy in 1943-4, and it took six months to assemble enough for the main component of HUSKY, an operation involving 150,000 men and 3,000 ships. The Allied invasion of Sicily also known as "Operation Husky" was a major World War II invasion. During the invasion, the Allies took Sicily from the Axis. The Allies were primarily from the American, British, and Canadian armies. The axis represented Italy and Nazi Germany. The invasion is often referred to as a grand scale airborne and amphibious exercise, supplemented with approximately six weeks of land combat. The invasion of Sicily, documented all over the world, was heralded by Canadian newspapers. The invasion is described as one that was easy with little fatalities3. The reader is encouraged with the impression of the "shock and awe" that Iraq was met by the United States and British forces in the 21st century. Clearly, one reading the tales of control and bravery would never guess that Sicily was seized with worthy resistance. Newspaper accounts regale the at home reader with the "spectacle" of British and Canadian forces entering Sicilian borders with some stubborn resistance, but the tone is one of confidence. Eisenhower himself states: "The enemy's losses in men and equipment since the commencement of the campaign had been enormous. Of his panzer divisions, the equivalent of five had been destroyed and a further six severely mauled. The equivalent of 20 infantry divisions had been eliminated and 12 more (including 3 crack parachute divisions) had been badly cut up. Three divisions were trapped in Brittany and another division was isolated in the Channel Islands. By 25 August the enemy had lost, in round numbers, 400,000 killed, wounded, or captured, of which total 200,000 were prisoners of war"4. While the newspapers report with pride, the accomplishments of the axis, the history books tell a different story. Tales of heroism and outstanding bravery were reported in Canada. Indeed, one officer who rallied his troops by stating "Never mind the Germans, they can't shoot straight!" was

Global Marketing project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Global Marketing project - Essay Example Furthermore, some cultures prefer to use herbal drugs for purposes of cleaning their teeth. This cultural value is common in most countries of Asia and Africa (Jeannet and Hubert, 33). People might be reluctant to try new products, and hence the company should develop persuasive types of advertisements. Aesthetics is also another cultural factor that Colgate should consider while developing its marketing campaigns. Aesthetics refers to a sense of beauty or good taste. To have an aesthetic value, the company should consider the methods it uses to package the Colgate product. The company should package its products in a manner that is attractive to the eyes of its target customers. This involves using good colors to design the packages of the product (Jeannet and Hubert, 39). Furthermore, there is a need of developing a good brand name for the company. Language is an important factor that should determine the marketing capability of an organization. In developing a marketing campaign, an organization should use the language that is clearly understood by every people. For example, when marketing Colgate in England, the company should use the English language (Ryan and Calvin, 22). The same applies in China, and other regions of the world. Religion plays a role in determining the marketing campaign of Colgate. Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism are the major religions in the world (Paley, 56). For example, one of the religious principles of Islam is the separation of sexes. This would give the marketer an opportunity to access females, and advertise their products. Religion affects the consumption patterns of a particular group. The Islamic teachings does not allow for exorbitant profits, hence the organization will have to analyze its pricing strategy. Making exorbitant profits is a sign that the company is exploiting its workers and consumers. The level of education is an important element that a company has to consider while

Computer architecture Essay Example for Free

Computer architecture Essay Describe how analogue data can be converted and stored in computer systems Analogue data needs to be sampled in order to be processed by a computer. As computers deal in Ones and Zeros it can only record specific intervals. For example, when recording a sound that gradually gets louder over a minute, a digital recording could record the level of sound every second, but would lose the information between seconds. If the sound was sampled every half second, there would be half as much information lost from the original source, but file size would be doubled. This is the trade off that has to be made between file size and quality. Bit depth is the number of bits of information recorded per second . The higher the bit depth means, the higher the sample rate and this results in higher quality sound file. A good example of bit depth is in CD quality audio which has a bit depth of 16 bits and a sample rate of 44. 1 kHz. Task 3 (P5) Describe the key components of a computer architecture and how they interact 1. Data Buffer this is a region of memory used to temporarily hold data while it is being moved from one place to another. 2. Accumulator A An 8 bit CPU has 1 register called the accumulator, this holds temporary data e. g. the carry-out when you do addition. 3. Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) this is the workhorse of the CPU because it carries out all the calculations. 4. Data Buses the mechanism that moves information around a computer. 5. Address Buffer this holds the address part of the instruction register, 6. Program Counter this contains the location of the next instruction to be executed and, therefore, keeps track of where the computer is up to in a program. 7. Instruction Register (IR) this divides the information it receives into two fields. One field in the IR contains the operation code that tells the CPU what operation is to be carried out. The other field, called the operand field, contains the address of the data to be used by the instruction. 8. Condition Code Register (CCR) this takes a snapshot of the state of the ALU after each instruction has been executed and records the state of the carry, negative, zero, and overflow flag-bits. In the above diagram the flag-bits are H, I, N, Z, V C. Task 4 (P6) Describe the features of a processor Multi-tasking. Multi-tasking is a method where multiple processes are dealt with at once sharing common processing recourses such as a CPU. It involves the CPU assigning which instructions to be carried out first but it only focuses on one instruction at a time. Pipelining Pipelining is a method in which the Processor begins to execute a second instruction before the first has finished. Every pipeline is divided into segments and each segment can be ran along side each other. When each segment completes its task it moves on to the next. Cache (Level 1 and Level 2) Cache is a portion of memory made of high-speed static RAM (SRAM). As a result Cache memory is much more efficient than the main memory (RAM) which is dynamic RAM (DRAM) that runs slower but also cheaper. The cache is a smaller, faster memory which stores copies of the data from the most frequently used main memory locations. DRAM is dynamic in that, unlike SRAM, it needs to have its storage cells refreshed or given a new electronic charge every few milliseconds. SRAM does not need refreshing because it operates on the principle of moving current that is switched in one of two directions rather than a storage cell that holds a charge in place. If the computer processor can find the data it needs for its next operation in cache memory, it will save time compared to having to get it from random access memory. Level 1 cache is normally built on to the processor chip. It is extensively used for all sorts of purposes such as data fetching, data shifting and data loops, storing only small amounts of data. Level 2 cache is normally located on the motherboard. L2 cache stores much more data, coming usually from the L1 cache. L2 cache can be up to sixteen times the size of L1 cache; this also means that it takes up much more room so it has to be located on the motherboard. Clock Rate The clock rate is the speed at which a processor clock oscillates constantly from a one to a zero, this is measured in hertz. The clock rates speed is determined by an oscillator crystal and amplifier circuit inside a clock generator circuit. The limiting factor of the clock rate is the time it takes for the signal line to settle down from its on state to off state. The Clock rate is also as fast as L2 cache. Task 5 (P7) Describe the operation of logic gates using truth tables NOT Â  AND (2 inputs) OR (2 inputs) Consider how these three main gates can be combined. NOR (2 inputs) NOT Logic Gate also known as (Inverter) The output is true when only one input is false. Otherwise, the output is false. A Not gate is a logic gate which reverses the state of the input. AND Logic Gate The output is true when both inputs are true. Otherwise, the output is false. OR Logic Gate The output is true if either one or both of the inputs are true. If both inputs are false, then the output is false. These three main logic gates can be used to make other possible combinations of logic gates such as a NOR gate. NOR Logic Gate. The NOR gate is a combination of an OR gate followed by an inverter. The output is true if both inputs are false. Otherwise, the output is false. Task 6 (M1) Explain using examples how data travels around the processor Task 7 (M2) Create logic circuits using simple logic gates and provide truth tables This is a circuit that shows binary addition. Here are a few examples of the circuit being carried out. The Red circle/circles show input and Green circle/circles show output data This can be shown in the truth tables below. Task 8 (M4) Provide a description of both astable and bistable flip- flops. A flip-flop is an electrical circuit that can be in one of two states. Astable flip flop Astable flip flop is an oscillator which regularly switches states all the time. It has one 1 input and 1 Output. It can be used as a clock. Bistable flip flop Bistable flip flop is a memory device/gate which keeps one state indefinitely while it has power it also has 2 inputs and 2 outputs. The difference between An Astable and Bistable flip flops. A bistable flip-flop is a multivibrator with two stable states and can be put into either of its two states and it will stay like that. An example of this could be: A simple light switch; turn it on, it stays on, turn it off, it stays off. Task 9 (D1) Create complex logic circuits made up of arrays of simple logic circuits. To produce an addition of two numbers each of four bits in length we must first. You can add two numbers together each four bit in length by extending the first full adders carry out to another full adder and so on. Until you get 4 full adders each following on from the last carry out. The way a full adder works: The circuit adds two bits Input A and Input B, taking into account the previous carry in, to give the Sum, and the carry out. Now we know how a full adder works we can now relate this to the idea of 4 full adders joined together by the last carry out and the diagram below illustrates this. Diagram 1 These diagrams (below) will show you how you can add two four bit binary numbers together using a logic circuit. Example 1 Binary 1111+ 1111 ______ 11110 These binary numbers with value of 1 stand for both switches (The inputs i. e. the two four bit numbers added together) and the sum which in this case are shown by the flashing of LED lights (The sum is the output). 0 means no switch or light is active. The first line of inputs for this study will always be A4,A3,A2,A1 The second line of inputs for this study will always be B4,B3,B2,B1 these two numbers will be added together Then it is a long underscore followed by Carrys C3,C2,C1 directly underneath And then finally the output sum shown as O Task 10 (D2) Compare and contrast two different processors I will compare the AMD Opteron quad core and the Intel core 2 quad processor q9650. AMD Opteron quad core 64-bit Computing Yes L2 cache 512kb x4 L3 cache 2mb Clock Speed 2. 1Ghz Special Features Rapid Virtualization Indexing AMD Smart Fetch Technology Front Side Bus (FSB) Speed 2000Mhz Watts 45 Price i 165 new Intel core 2 quad processor q9650 64-bit Computing Yes L2 cache 12mb Clock Speed 3Ghz Special Features Intel Virtualization Technology Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology Front Side Bus (FSB) Speed 1533Mhz. Watts 65 Price i 223 new Key components: Front Side Bus The Front Side Bus allows the components to send and receive data from the CPU to the North Bridge and vise versa. The faster a computers bus speed, the faster it will operate, but a fast bus speed cant make up for a slow Clock Speed. Clock Speed The Clock Speed is the speed at which a microprocessor executes instructions these clock cycles per second are measured in hertz. Special Features: Virtualization -Virtualization also known as a virtual machine makes it possible to run multiple operating systems on one computer. SpeedStep Technology SpeedStep Technology is built into some new Intel processors this can be used to change the clock speed by using a piece of software. Speed Step Technology allows the processor to keep up with performed operations. It greatly reduces power consumption and heat loss. Smart Fetch Technology Smart Fetch Technology allows the processor core to enter a halt state and draw less power, which reduces CPU power consumption. Recommendation: Both processors have Quad-Core technology and 64 bit computing, however the difference is in the Clock speed, Cache memory and the extra features. Both processors have similar special features such as the AMD Rapid Virtualization Indexing and the Intel Virtualization Technology. Although the Intel core 2 quad processor q9650 has no L3 cache I think that the higher clock speed and L2 cache more than makes up for not having any L3 cache. Not to mention the Intel core 2 quad processor q9650 has Speed Step Technology which makes for a much greater performance. The Intel core 2 quad processor q9650 is more expensive but it is a price worth paying for such a greater performance.

Billy Elliot film text reponse Essay Example for Free

Billy Elliot film text reponse Essay Jackie Elliot is seen as a traditional man with anti feminist views. he sees that boys should be tough whilst girls should be more placid. Throughout the film Billy Elliot, the directer has created the character Jackie Elliot, a widowed father feeling the grief of the recent lose of his wife. This essay suggests that the grief could be a factor of how Jackie goes about supporting his son. The time that this film is set, is in the mid 80s. It could be that people who do not keep to the social norm are discriminated against, which is a different circumstance in todays society, where people are very unique and most people value eachothers individuality. In the town of Durham, the community has the same expectations as Jackie with gender based traditions and this may have influenced him to think this way. When Billy is taken to the boxing gym by his father, he finds out that he doesnt really like the idea of being a boxer once he steps into the ring for the first time. Billy knows his father must really want Billy to get good at this tough sport, because in this family, that is stricken with poverty; his father still manages to pay for billys lessons and does want him to achieve. they were my dads gloves, youd better take better care of them Jackie and his father were obviously unable to achieve from boxing, hes putting his last hope in Billy. Billy is aware of how his family and the community feel about boys doing ballet and has alot of courage to put their thoughts aside and just do the thing he loves. Upon finding out about Billys dancing. Jackie becomes enraged and expresses views of homophobic, Billy is determined to keep on dancing. It is not until Jackie actually sees Billy dance for the first time, that he realises that dancing might well and trully be his sons future. He sees that Billy does have talent and lowers himself into going back to work just so he can afford to take Billy to London for his audition himself. It is what mum would have wanted, throughout the film, you watch as Jackie  grieves for his dead wife, in that he hates Billy playing his mothers piano. Billy must have inherited his interest in music and dance from his mother which is probably why Jackie must have hated it at first; Billy was like his mother and it reminded Jackie of her too much. He gives into his pain by selling jewelry for his son. Jackie is most proud of his son, when at the end of the film. Billy dances out onto a big stage to perform swanlake. It takes Jackies breathe away. Overall through this film, we see Jackie, a father who does love his son. Aside from hgis traditional and antifeminist beliefs, Jackie was able to come through with great support for his son. All he wants for his son is to see him doing something he loves, even if that is dancing TEACHER COMMENTS: good, try to use lots of quotes and and examples from the film and refer back to the question throughout your essay.

Democracy in 19th Century Western Europe

Democracy in 19th Century Western Europe Democracy in 19th century western europe â€Å"How democratic were France, Germany and Britain by 1900?† Table of contents: Part I: Summary; Part II: Outline; Part III: Limitation of this study; Part IV: Democracy in France; Part V: Democracy in Germany; Part VI: Democracy in Britain; Part VII: Conclusion. Part I: Summary: Just over a century ago, the kind of government that existed in these frontline western European states was a far cry from what is seen today. The political earthquake called the French Revolution had its epicentre in France, but its rumblings were felt through most of the continent, as well as in faraway colonies, leaving the politics of most European countries in a state of flux. But the intended harvest of this revolution, an obliteration of monarchy and the rule of law, the indispensable elements of a democracy, took its time to get ingrained in the political systems of these countries, and evolved as a form of government very differently in each of the three countries taken up in this paper. If the advent of Napoleon affected these three countries, and the Vienna Congress stunted France and Germany’s graduation to democracy, the internal political dynamics in all these countries were different from each other’s. In Britain, whose brand of democrac y was mixed, the Reform Acts turned out to be milestones on the road to democracy. Such serious and well-intended steps to democracy were not taken in the other two countries. This is mainly because France kept seesawing between monarchy and autocracy through most of the 19th century, while Germany was a disparate state for most of that century. In sum, in Britain, by the end of the 19th century, a parliamentary democracy, which the nation had been having for a long time, was fairly well established, although under a monarchy. The same was not the case with the other two; in all, Germany enjoyed the least democracy. The reasons for this discrepancy form the backbone of this paper. Part II: Outline: This paper takes up separately the extent to which democracy was ushered in into these three countries. In each of these cases, a narration is made of how democracy developed. Since the nature of this paper is analytical, too much detail is not made of this aspect; this explanation is given only to reinforce the thesis question. The starting point for the evolution of democracy in each of these countries is taken up separately. This is for the simple reason that while the French Revolution happened in France, such an event did not take place in the other two countries. For these, appropriate historically important dates or events are taken up. Part III: Limitation of this study: While 1789 may be termed a signal event for modern democracy, no event of such importance concerning democracy happened in 1900, the cut off date for this paper. However, since this is the period up to which this paper is concerned, it restricts itself to developments in most parts of the 19th century, in which the major themes were unification for Germany, political uncertainty for France, and the reform of the parliamentary system in the Victorian Era for Britain.    Part IV: Democracy in France: France was home to one of the watershed political events of modern Europe, the French Revolution, in which the people rose in revolt with the slogan, war to the chà ¢teaux, peace to the cottages. The gravity and repercussions of this event are far too great to bear banal repetition; however, while the essential aim of the Revolution was to bring an end to the autocratic and inept regimes that misruled the nation, (Frey Frey, 2004, p. 57) the result it sought to instil, democracy, did not have a smooth inception or development, either, suffering from several long and enduring birth pangs. Strangely, for most part of the 19th century, it seemed as if the great revolution had turned out to be no more than an isolated, standalone event. The dividend the Revolution sought to pay, democracy, had to wait for a seemingly interminable period of time to fructify and get implanted in the nation’s political system, because the succession of governments it brought were anything but democratic. Leading political figures of the day, such as Robespierre feared that the system the revolution put in place was one which had a penchant for forgetting â€Å"the interests of the people†, would â€Å"lapse into the hands of corrupt individuals†, and worst of all, â€Å"reestablish the old tyranny† (Cohen, 1997, p. 130) Later decades showed that his prognosis was not far off the mark. The decades following the Revolution saw a chain of events, none of which took the country anywhere near democracy, the avowed aim of the Revolution. The years from the Revolution to the Franco-Prussian War saw political fissures of one or another kind, which had no semblance of democracy, starting with the ascent of Napoleon, perhaps the most powerful dictator the country had ever produced. His defeat was followed by the Restoration of the monarchy; this gave rise to the Revolution of 1830, and the rule of Louis Philippe, till 1848. It took another revolution to bring down his regime, this time in 1848. Finally, this heralded the era of the Second Republic, and the tenure of the fickle Napoleon III, leading to another event of seminal importance for the nation, the Franco-Prussian war, to be followed by yet another Republic, the Third. (Haine, 2000, p. 97) This regime, too heavily weighed down by palace intrigues, scandals, wars and renewed national pride in the wake of a highly rec harged and resurgent neighbour, Prussia, (Wright, 1916, pp. 2-4) was left with little room or time for democracy. Nothing of import happened in the period till the end of the 19th century to necessitate the emergence of a democracy. Part V: Democracy in Germany: Germany’s tryst with democracy in the 19th century needs to be seen in circumstances that were peculiar and unique to the nation’s history. This was when the German people united as a nation for the first time.   They had been a loosely knit confederation of princely states that owed its allegiance to the Holy Roman Empire by the time of the French Revolution; yet, in about a century of this event, they had been cobbled together almost magically under the Prussian banner. A series of moves replete with uninhibited daredevilry, gamble, deceit and sheer diplomatic astuteness on the part of its Chancellor, Otto Von Bismarck had united the German people, ridding them of the yoke of Austrian domination of its peoples. (Snell, 1976, pp. 3, 4) However, Germany had only been united, resulting in the realisation of a long-lasting and cherished dream of a German nation; this did not in any way mean that a democracy had been put in place. Even so, the newly-knit entity did not have the prerequisite groundwork for democracy, suffering from a basic flaw –it â€Å"was constructed by its princes, not by its people. That important fact distinguished Germany from nations like England, France, and the United States, where the constitutions were designed with the consent of the governed. The German Empire was a federation of sovereign states, its constitution created by a treaty among the hereditary rulers of those states. The wars of unification were not revolutionary popular movements; they were narrowly focused international conflicts designed by Bismarck to help Prussia eliminate Austrian power within Germany and to create a new Prussian-led German nation within Europe.†Ã‚   (Turk, 1999, pp. xvii-null22) Whatever spattering of democracy the nation had towards the fag end of the century was limited to social democracy, in which it was confined to labour unions. (Berghahn, 1994, p. 160) Part VI: Democracy in Britain: The year 1815 is considered a benchmark for the politics of Britain, as it was for several other European countries, for the simple reason that this year saw the end of the power and influence of one of the greatest nemeses it ever saw, Napoleon. However, while this was the major issue for the nation externally, Britain had its share of internal problems, as well, during this century. The Industrial Revolution brought in its wake dramatic changes which the nation had to ingest, with both the promises and the pitfalls it spawned. Among the most important social effects the Industrial Revolution had on the nation was a near-explosion in population, and the drawbacks of nascent industrialisation, at which it had no forerunners from any part of the world. Thus, the greatest priority at that time was a set of policies that gave the country social solidity and some element of peace. (McCord, 1991, p. 1) With the high rates of population growth and their atte ndant problems such as high infant mortality being great priorities during the early part of the 19th century, (Brown, 1991, p. 30) the air of politics was abuzz with the question of which of the institutions the British had so assiduously built up over the previous centuries was best suited to give coherence to the society that was changing at a feverish pace. In this milieu, the emphasis for British politics was more over what kind of reform was suited and needed for the society, polity and the economy, rather than which form of government was best suited to carry these changes out. Opinion was sharply divided among the Conservatives and the Liberals about which of its institutions could carry the day for Britain. The unshakable British faith in the monarchy was as firm as ever, not diluting or eroding even slightly on account of these changes. (Park, 1950, pp. 3-5)   In essence, the 19th century, during whose most part Britain was under the rule of one of its longest-reigning monarchs, Queen Victoria, saw the emergence of a peculiarly hybridised, yet often contradictory system of governance. Quintessential democratic institutions, such as the parliament, the judiciary, the cabinet and the local government were alive and well, but functioned under a monarchy. On the one hand, fair and free elections, the ultimate identifier of a democracy, were being held with amazing regularity; on the other, it could not be denied that participation in these elections was limited to the handful of rich and powerful. It was to correct this set of imbalances and to draw more people into the electorate that the Reform Acts were passed. The basic intent of these sets of legislation was the promotion of greater democracy, by drawing the excluded and marginalised sections of society into the electorate. (Pugh, 1999, p. 20) The nation went through three Reform Acts, passed in 1832, 1867 and 1884, whose central aim was increasing the numbers of the electorate. (Hammond Foot, 1952, pp. 212-214) At about the time these Acts were passed, a parallel social and political reform movement, Chartism, was very active. The basic demand of this radical, unionised movement was greater political participation for the working classes, so that the fruits of the Industrial Revolution percolated down to the labour class, too. (Maccoby, 1935, p. 33) However, in the light of the needs of the day, and the priority these Acts had, they met with little success in actually bringing in democracy to the country. What has been said about the Reform Act of 1832, perhaps holds good for the other Acts, too –that they were â€Å"†¦an excellent example of the British skill of muddling through. An aristocracy muddled through to a democracy, taking many of the aristocratic virtues with them; and they muddled through from an age of privilege to an age of numbers. The democratic implications of the act(s) were not in fact revealed for more than a generation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Smellie, 1962, p. 164) As a result, through most of the Victorian Era, although efforts were made haltingly towards bringing in more democracy, there was no more than a sprinkling of democracy; even this happened at the grassroots level, being restricted to the municipal level, as a series of Acts were passed at the local government level. (Harrison, 1996, p. 20) Part VII: Conclusion: A study of the thesis question throws up a mixed picture. Overall, democracy, so essential a feature of these countries today, had had to make a bumpy and potholed journey. In all these countries, democracy was nebulous and uncertain in the 19th century, albeit in varying degrees. In Britain, a parliamentary democracy was very much in full bloom, but the inherent love and pride of the British people for their monarchy pre-empted a switch to a full-fledged democratic form of government. As a result, these democratic institutions functioned under a monarchy that controlled the largest empire of the day. In France, the scene was different. In the absence of democratic institutions of the kind Britain had nurtured, the governance the French Revolution brought about vacillated between various kinds, with the result that democracy took a backseat. In Germany, the struggles inherent in a newly unified nation, coupled with its naivety in running its newly developing imperialism resulted in too many squabbles and bottlenecks for democracy. The nation that Bismarck had welded together had the ingenuity to only work under a newly consolidated empire, not having been inculcated the necessary mindset for a democracy. It was never going to be easy for these fissiparous peoples to be administered a sudden dose of democracy, as by definition they had been inured to centuries of localism. By the end of that century, democracy was nowhere registered in the average German psyche. Of all these nations taken up for this study, it can be said that Britain had the highest form of democracy by the end of the 19th century; yet, here too, despite the Reform Acts, which could not be termed a great harbinger of democracy, it was nowhere near what may be termed a pure democracy, something that came so naturally to some of its colonies, principally America.

Copthorne Hotel †Department Analysis Essay -- Business and Management

Copthorne Hotel – Department Analysis Finance The finance department at the Copthorne Hotel is extremely important to the running of the hotel. Some of the finance operations are carried out within the hotel and some are centrally carried out. For example: Overall accounts, balance sheets for the whole company, Annual reports and break even analysis area all carried out centrally. These are all done centrally to reduce the amount of pressure on the individual hotels and to make sure that they have al the information sorted instead of waiting or the individual hotels to send all of the information to the central office. Here are a few more jobs that are carried out centrally. - Compilation of the Financial section of the annual report - Obtaining capital and resources for bulk purchases for all of the hotels regionally - Identifying start up costs - Identifying running costs - Preparing business plans if hotels need to borrow money - Paying salaries of the management team The finance department within the hotel carries out the simple jobs like paying invoices, preparing guest accounts and paying wages for staff (casual staff etc). Here are a few more jobs that the finance department within the hotel has to handle: - Purchasing orders - Monitoring expenditure (gas, electricity etc) to make sure the hotel stays within its budget Each finance department (centrally and locally) has 5 main jobs. They are as follows: Finance Manager, Cost Controller, Accounts Clerk, Salaries Clerk and several Accounts staff who monitor all of the other departments to make sure they do not go over their budget. The finance department would not be able to operate properly without the required staff and each person is equally important. How Finance helps the Copthorne to meet it’s aims and objectives The finance department is one of the most important departments in the hotel. The finance department manages all of the money that comes in and goes out of the hotel, so without the money that the finance department gives them, many departments would not be able to operate properly. At the beginning of the business year, the finance department set a budget for each department in the hotel. For example, the Human Resources department would be given a  £2,000 budget for all of the business year. The Human Resources ac... ...k together efficiently then Aims & Objectives will be met: - Finance & Administration – All of the other departments know notices and information about budgets, ASAP. - Finance & Marketing – All of the other departments know when their budgets will be received as Marketing may print notices or posters. The finance department will also know how much custom is being made from the advertising posters etc. - Finance & Sales – The finance department will know what is being spent, hat money is being brought in from sales of merchandise etc. - Marketing & Administration – If the Administration team work hard and keep the staff happy, the marketing department wont have to sell hotel as much. Changes I think could be made - The first thing I would add is a multi-department meeting at the end of every week. This would allow the departments to analyse the week’s performance to see if they could improve anything within the hotel. ÃÅ"-I would try and allocate certain days/weeks for certain people. For Example: a week special for families. This would bring in extra money, or a week for couples. This would make a boost to profits as it would be a ‘one off’ special.

Magical Realism as a Fusion of Fantasy and Reality Essay -- Literature

Magical Realism as a Fusion of Fantasy and Reality      Ã‚   One month ago, I had never heard of Magical Realism. Since reading the four essays by Franz Roh, Angel Flores, Luis Leal and Amaryll Chanaday and various internet articles, I have a much better understanding of Magical Realism - what it is, how it applies to literature, how it applies to art, and its theory, history, and style.    Magical Realism is a fusion of fantasy and reality. According to Flores, it is a "transformation of common and everyday into the awesome and unreal" (114). This is not even and equal mix. Magical Realism is reality-based with just one fantastic overstatement. This overstatement is described by Pietri as "a kind of extreme state," and that it "favors the unexpected richness of reality" (qtd. in Leal 121). This one fantastic element is always accepted as reality by the characters in the story. It also has hidden meanings in a deeper realm. "The mystery does not descend to the present world but rather hides and palpitates behind it" (Roh 16). Magical Realism is subject to a certain control and is mainly used to show a different way of viewing the world. In this form of expression, the plots are always logically conceived. Magical Realism also expresses emotions without evoking them. In Magical Realism, "key events have no logical or psychological explanation" and "the author does not need to justify the mystery of events" (Leal 123). as a science fiction or fantastic author would. Also, unlike in sci-fi and fantasy stories, the author clings to reality. Flores describes this characteristic by saying the authors "cling to reality as if to prevent 'literature' from getting in their way, as if to prevent their myth from flying off, as i... ...t be literature that is reality based but contains at least one fantastic element that is unexplained but accepted. Now that I understand what it is, I am beginning to find more examples of it all around me. I am looking forward to reading examples of this unusual and interesting genre.    Works Cited Flores, Angel. "Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkison Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham; N.C.: Duke UP,1995:109-118. Leal, Luis. "Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkison Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham; N.C.: Duke UP,1995:119-124. Roh, Franz. "Magic Realism: Post-Expressionism." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkison Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham; N.C.: Duke UP,1995:15-31.   

The Road to Abolishing HUAC Essay -- ACLU American Civil Liberties Uni

The Road to Abolishing HUAC: A Comparison of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Emergency Civil Liberties Committee The history of the United States in the twentieth century was significantly influenced by the actions of civil liberties organizations. However, during the reign of the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in the 1950s, civil liberties organizations compromised their principles and did not protest HUAC’s repression of civil liberties. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) purged its Communist members and sympathizers, condoned congressional investigating committees, and failed to defend individuals whose civil liberties had been abridged. Although the ACLU sought to censure McCarthy and called for the abolition of HUAC, its policies had shifted to the right and it rarely took direct action against HUAC. As a result, several former members of the ACLU created the Emergency Civil Liberties Committee (ECLC) in 1951 to pick up the initiative dropped by the ACLU. Corliss Lamont, a fervent defender of civil liberties who left the ACLU for the ECLC, cla ims that he â€Å"remained on the Board [of the ALCU] and fought for fundamental civil liberties principles as long as [he] was able to†¦[but] was fighting a losing battle† (Freedom 278). By 1957, the ECLC dedicated its resources to abolishing HUAC but could not engage the ACLU in its campaign. One questions why the ECLC was active in the condemnation of HUAC in the 1950s, but the ACLU was not. Historians have cited anti-Communism within the Union, a desire to preserve its reputation, and the Union’s lack of resources as reasons why it was not involved in an abolition campaign. Research best supports the claim that the ACLU did not joi... ...LU. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 1999. Samuel Walker is a Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He earned a Ph.D. in American History and is the author of books on civil liberties, policing, and criminal justice. He is also a member of the ACLU and this book is recommended in Ellen Shrecker’s Age of McCarthyism. He claims the ACLU was inactive during the Cold War because of weak leadership, poor judgement, an effort to keep the ACLU free of communism, and the belief that cooperation with the government was the best way to defend civil liberties. That he is a member of the ACLU lends questions to the objectivity of his analysis; William Donohue notes that the book â€Å"demonstrates as much independence of thought as would a tract written by a senior member of the Pentagon on the history of the Department of Defense†.

Transfer Essay

When I applied to colleges as a high school student, I had little idea where I wanted to go or what I wanted to accomplish. I was living in Ethiopia, where things I take for granted now, such as internet connection, were very scarce. Therefore, as far as I was concerned, looking up and researching colleges was a luxury. My mother tried her best to help out, but since she hasn’t done this process in a very long time she could only offer me little advice. I was unsure about how to start the process and I felt very overwhelmed and hesitant. I was also afraid that I might end up in Addis Ababa University, where the standard is below par, if I failed in my college application to the US. I had to act fast because I knew that I would never forgive myself if I failed to grab the opportunity to come back to America for college. Since deadlines were approaching, I picked four schools based on superficial attributes and rushed myself into applying. I was accepted into three colleges which enabled me to relax a bit about my future. I applied for scholarships in each of the school, so when it came down to the financial aid, St. Johns University ended up giving me more so I headed there. I wish to transfer, mostly because I seek a greater challenge. Currently, I do work hard and it has paid off but in the end I wish to challenge myself more and I believe I can obtain that through a transfer. Since last year I have taken much consideration and time to choose which schools can provide greater opportunities and challenges that I want and need to obtain a successful education; the opportunity to learn through the diversity and wider selection within the psychology department, and the challenge that comes with the prestigious reputation of each school. I also sought variety when I considered schools; I wish to transfer to a school that can offer variety both academically and socially, academically with the larger psychology department and socially with the size of the school. I believe variety is important, especially in a broad major such as psychology, for it will help me narrow down a specific area that I wish to further study. Social variety can provide much opportunity to find my place in a larger school. Another factor I wish to achieve from a transfer is control. Last year I felt I had little control of where I could go. My options were limited and I was forced to choose; therefore, there options were not what were best suited for me and my major. Now with proper time and management I can give myself the choice. Finally, College was completely unknown to me a year ago but now I have a successful first semester done and ready to start the next. Unfortunately, I don't envision myself graduating from my current university because the only factor I have become a part of is my studies, I haven't found any place where I feel comfortable and included, but with the size of my university options are limited. The universities I am applying to have an enthusiasm spirit that comes with pride. Each has a community of students who have taken much pride in their work. If admitted, I know I can contribute my own enthusiastic pride for the school and my work. Although my current university wasn't my ultimate choice I have made the best of it and it has helped me to know what to expect from college and what I wish to obtain from a transfer. I am confident in my decision for each of these schools because each can offer me challenges, opportunities, variety, control, and a chance to have a more productive college experience. As my transcript shows, I have done well at Amherst and I am convinced I can meet the academic challenges of Penn. I know I would grow at Penn, and your program in anthropology perfectly matches my academic interests and professional goals.

Review of Willa Cather’s My Antonia

My Antonia shows us that it takes time to really uncover everyones true person, and that a book’s cover rarely does the writing any justice. I also found that the Lone Plough represents a mistake that many of us often find ourselves making. But for myself, the biggest learning curve from this book would be that life can at times pass by slowly and seem boring and mundane, but before one knows it life changes, and one is left wondering, how the heck did I get here?Jim Burden’s life changes drastically at the age of 10, when he is forced to travel cross-country by train to live on the Nebraska frontier with his grandparents after the death of his parents. Jim was accompanied by his father’s former farmhand Jake. On that same train headed to Nebraska, there is a Bohemian family headed to the same place. ? Jim's grandparents are simple yet kind people with generous natures. He begins to enjoy the wide open spaces of the frontier. Soon after his arrival, the Burdens g o to meet their new neighbors, the Shimerdas. Jim meets Mr.Shimerda, an educated musician, Mrs. Shimerda a shrewish woman who comes across as demanding, the eldest son Ambrosch, Marek, Yulka, and the eldest daughter Antonia. Soon after meeting, Antonia and Jim become friends. The Shimerdas unfortunately are not faring well in their new country, but do eventually become friends with Peter and Pavel, two Russian men. Jim and Antonia become even closer, after Jim impresses her by killing a snake. Winter follows, Jim gets very ill, and Pavel passes away. Peter then decides to move away, which greatly upsets Mr. Shimerdas.Right in the middle of one of the largest snowstorms that Nebraska had seen in ten years. Mr. Shimerda commits suicide after neatly arranging himself in the barn. The following day when Jim is left alone in the house, he then feels Mr. Shimerda's spirit. The Shimerda family insist that Mr. Shimerda’s body must be buried on their property. While unorganized, the f uneral ceremony is very moving. After this, the Burdens and a few other neighbors come together as one in a combined effort to aid the Shimerdas. In order to help her family, Antonia stops attending school and begins farming in the fields just as a man would.Jim becomes resentful that Antonia is no longer able to spend as much time with him as he would have liked. The Shimerdas briefly upset their neighbors by acting in a very ungrateful way in response to all of the help that they had received from their friends. Eventually though, everyone is reconciled. After living in the country for three years Jim's grandparents decide it best to move to Black Hawk in order for Jim to go to school. Antonia also comes into this town to work for the Harlings. Other immigrant country girls also start working in the town, and they become known as the hired girls.Jim begins to spend a lot of his free time with Antonia and the Harling children. Dancing becomes the new rage in Black Hawk, and Antonia really starts to enjoy it and begins going all the time. When Antonia starts making a bad name for herself, the Harlings ask Antonia to quit going to the dances. In response, Antonia decides to quit her job and starts working for Wick Cutter. During this time Jim becomes a bit antisocial and beings only spending time with Antonia and a few other hired girls. Jim begins to focus on his studies a lot in preparation for college and can’t wait to leave Black Hawk behind as soon as he can.At his college in Lincoln, Jim becomes extremely close with Gaston Cleric, his Latin instructor and mentor. The two start to spend a good amount of time talking intimately together. Although Jim does come to the realization that he is not, and never will, an academic as Gaston is. One of Jim’s favorite hired girl, Lena Lingard, comes to visit him one day, and they begin to rekindle their past friendship by going to plays together. The two begin spend a lot of time together, even though tw o other men are openly in love with her.As a result of Lena’s sudden reappearance his life, Jim begins to let his grades drop. In response to Jim’s lax approach to his schoolwork, Gaston Cleric asks Jim to come with him to Harvard to continue his studies. To Lena’s dismay, Jim agrees, and follows Gaston to Harvard. Before entering law school two years later, Jim decides to return home to Black Hawk, where he hears of Antonia. Antonia had apparently gotten pregnant and was engaged to be married to Larry Donovan. She had apparently followed Larry to Denver, where he proceeded to run off after all of her money was gone.Antonia was forced to then return home to her family's farm where she then gave birth and helped to work the land. Jim heres of this and goes to visit her. Antonia is a bit surprised that Jim is not disappointed in her for poor decisions. Jim finally returns to see Antonia after twenty years passed. He heard that Antonia had finally gotten married, t o a man named Anton Cuzak, and together they had bore about ten children. Jim has also heard that Antonia has had a hard life, and he’s a bit nervous about seeing how the years had affected her.When he arrives at their farm, Jim is greeted by her large family. Antonia doesn't seem recognize him immediately, but becomes extremely excited once she does. She proceeds to show him all around her family’s farm, which seems to be so full of life. Everywhere they go, everyone seems so happy and content. Jim is happy to see his childhood friend Antonia looking well. He stays the night in the barn with two of the boys, so that he may meet Antonia’s husband and eldest son the next day. The following day Jim meets Cuzak, Antonia’s husband.Jim and Cuzak hit it off immediately, and it becomes apparent to him that Cuzak and Antonia's marriage is one of mutual happiness and equality. Jim leaves but promises Antonia’s sons that he will return to Black Hawk one day soon, and take them all hunting. On his way out, Jim finds the old dirt road that he once used to lead him home to his grandparents' farm, and he begins to think about how that road changed his future and how now he has returned full circle back to where he had started years and years ago. Just like with any novel, setting plays a key role.Jim's first impression of his new home on the Nebraska frontier is that it seems vast and empty. He feels that he has stepped out of civilization as he knew it, and that Nebraska will be a new experience, in which he will have to learn to live by a new set of rules and conduct. Jim is leaving his past life completely behind, and will become an entirely new person on the Nebraska frontier. Because of this, he feels as though his old self is now â€Å"erased† and â€Å"blotted out† as he travels to his grandfather's house. I found that the â€Å"lone plough† also held great significance in this novel.To me, it showed that while in the moment something may seem highly important, but in the end its really nothing more than an insignificant memory. Years ago that plough was probably a must have on the Nebraska frontier, and was seen as a shiny new toy to most farmers, but now years later it is left to rust in a field after it became no longer useful to its owner. Looking back at the plough, the farmer probably wouldn’t remember it as the shiny new toy he thought it once was, but instead remembers it as a reliable piece of farm equipment, nothing more and nothing less.While these some what small details hold much importance, I found that the larger picture took me somewhat by surprise and left me remembering this story. For me, while I read the book I found it somewhat interesting with little things happening here and there. With subplots every now and again, and different rising actions eventually leading to a climax. But I thought that the book was rather dull, and lacked interest. Reading it, became mundane to me. That was until the very end. I found that end brought it all together for me.While the story seemed to drag on with little motivation, the end made me realize how much the characters really had accomplished. This reminds me life, from day to day things may seem boring but before you know it, you have accomplished one of your largest goals, and are now looking back wishing that you could do it all over again. I find myself wanting to reread My Antonia to reminisce in the character’s small accomplishments along the way; because while in reality I may not be able to, at least with this book I can relive the climb.