Monday, December 30, 2019
Cosmos Episode 11 Viewing Worksheet
Its movie day! Those are words almost all students like to hear when they enter their classrooms. Many times, theseà movie or video daysà are used as a reward for students. However, they can also be used to supplement a lesson or topic they are learning about in class.à There are many great science-related movies and videos available for teachers, but one that is entertaining and has great and accessible explanations of science is the Fox seriesà ââ¬â¹Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Below is a set of questions that can be copy and pasted into a worksheet for students to fill out as they view Cosmos episode 11. It can also be used as a quiz after the video is shown. Feel free to copy and it and tweak it as necessary. à Cosmos Episode 11 Worksheetà à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à à Name:______________ à Directions: Answer the questions as you watch episode 11 of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey entitled, ââ¬Å"The Immortalsâ⬠. à 1.à How does Neil deGrasse Tyson say our ancestors marked the passage of time? à 2.à Where was civilization, including written language, born? à 3.à Enheduanna is considered to be the first person to do what? à 4.à What is the name of Enheduannaââ¬â¢s poem that an excerpt is read from? à 5.à What is the name of the hero in the story of the great flood? à 6.à How many years before the Bible was written was this account of the great flood? à 7.à In what form does everyone carry the message of life in their bodies? à 8.à What kind of molecules may have gotten together in the sunlit pools of water to form the first life? à 9.à Where, underwater, could the first life have formed? à 10.à How could the first life have ââ¬Å"hitchhikedâ⬠to Earth? à 11.à What was the name of the village near Alexandria, Egypt where the meteor hit in 1911? à 12.à Where was the meteorite that hit Egypt originally from? à 13.à How can meteorites be ââ¬Å"interplanetary arksâ⬠? à 14.à How could life on Earth have survived the large number of asteroid and meteor strikes early in its life history? à 15.à How does Neil deGrasse Tyson say a dandelion is like an ark? à 16.à How could life travel to very distant planets in outer space? à 17.à What year did we first announce our presence to the galaxy? à 18.à What was the name of the project that had radio waves bouncing off the Moon? à 19.à How long does it take a radio wave sent from Earth to make it to the Moonââ¬â¢s surface? à 20.à How many miles do Earthââ¬â¢s radio waves travel in one year? à 21.à What year did we begin listening with radio telescopes for messages from life on other planets? à 22.à Give one possible thing we could be doing wrong when listening for messages from life on other planets. à 23.à What are two reasons Mesopotamia is now a wasteland instead of a thriving civilization? à 24.à What did the people of Mesopotamia think caused the great drought in 2200 BC? à 25.à What great civilization would be wiped out in Central America 3000 years later when another abrupt climate change happened? à 26.à Where was the last supervolcano eruption and how long ago did it happen? à 27.à What was the secret weapon the Europeans brought with them that helped defeat the American Natives? à 28.à What is the main problem with our current economic systems from when they were made? à 29.à What does Neil deGrasse Tyson say is a good measure of intelligence? à 30.à What is the greatest hallmark of the human species? à 31.à What state does Neil deGrasse Tyson compare giant elliptical galaxies to? à 32.à When, on the new year of the Cosmic Calendar, does Neil deGrasse Tyson predict humans will learn to share our tiny planet?
Sunday, December 22, 2019
A Brief Note On George Curley And The Oppressed - 1022 Words
Sarah Garcia Professor Bell History 20W Due: 1 December 2014 Section # 68 ââ¬â TA George Curley Howâ⬠¦? and The Oppressed In the year 1941 during the middle of WWII, the Atlantic Charter created between U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was made in a secret meeting to secure their ally status with each other. Highlighted in this charter are rights the ââ¬Å"selfâ⬠should have, including: ââ¬Å"â⬠¦self-determination and self-government, equal economic opportunity, and the ability ââ¬Ëto live in freedom from fear and wantââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (p. 223). Because the U.S. and Britain were considered the ââ¬Å"great nationsâ⬠, their popularity led marginalized people involved in social justice movements at the time to catch on to these ideas of the rights of ââ¬Å"selfâ⬠stated in the charter. These marginalized people realized that if the U.S. and Britain strived so much for freedom, equality, and self-governing, they, the oppressed, should have been left at peace without dealing with people being racist or condescending towards them. Steve Biko, a writer on Black consciousness and the oppressor/oppressed in society, stated a solution to seek true humanity to rid of the problems at hand. I argue that Steve Bikoââ¬â¢s assertion about Black Nationalism that ââ¬Å"â⬠¦the most powerful weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressedâ⬠(p. 248) resonated in the writings of participants of the socially marginalized in Black Nationalism and Consciousness, Decolonization, and the
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Vampire Academy Chapter 15 Free Essays
FIFTEEN MASON DELIVERED. He found me the next day before school. He was carrying a box of books. We will write a custom essay sample on Vampire Academy Chapter 15 or any similar topic only for you Order Now ââ¬Å"I got them,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Hurry and take them before you get in trouble for talking to me.â⬠He handed them over, and I grunted. They were heavy. ââ¬Å"Christian gave you these?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah. Managed to talk to him without anyone noticing. Heââ¬â¢s got kind of an attitude, did you ever notice that?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, I noticed.â⬠I rewarded Mason with a smile that he ate up. ââ¬Å"Thanks. This means a lot.â⬠I hauled the loot up to my room, fully aware of how weird it was that someone who hated to study as much as I did was about to get buried in dusty crap from the fourteenth century. When I opened the first book, though, I saw that these must be reprints of reprints of reprints, probably because anything that old would have long since fallen apart. Sifting through the books, I discovered they fell into three categories: books written by people after St. Vladimir had died, books written by other people when he was still alive, and one diary of sorts written by him. What had Mason said about primary and secondary sources? Those last two groups were the ones I wanted. Whoever had reprinted these had reworded the books enough so that I didnââ¬â¢t have to read Ye Olde English or anything. Or rather, Russian, I supposed. St. Vladimir had lived in the old country. Today I healed the mother of Sava who has long since suffered from sharp pains within her stomach. Her malady is now gone, but God has not allowed me to do such a thing lightly. I am weak and dizzy, and the madness is trying to leak into my head. I thank God every day for shadow-kissed Anna, for without her, I would surely not be able to endure. Anna again. And ââ¬Å"shadow-kissed.â⬠He talked about her a lot, among other things. Most of the time he wrote long sermons, just like what Iââ¬â¢d hear in church. Super boring. But other times, the book read just like a diary, recapping what he did each day. And if it really wasnââ¬â¢t just a load of crap, he healed all the time. Sick people. Injured people. Even plants. He brought dead crops back to life when people were starving. Sometimes he would make flowers bloom just for the hell of it. Reading on, I found out that it was a good thing old Vlad had Anna around, because he was pretty messed up. The more he used his powers, the more they started to get to him. Heââ¬â¢d get irrationally angry and sad. He blamed it on demons and stupid stuff like that, but it was obvious he suffered from depression. Once, he admitted in his diary, he tried to kill himself. Anna stopped him. Later, browsing through the book written by the guy who knew Vladimir, I read: And many think it miraculous too, the power the blessed Vladimir shows over others. Moroi and dhampirs flock to him and listen to his words, happy just to be near him. Some say it is madness that touches him and not spirit, but most adore him and would do anything he asked. Such is the way God marks his favorites, and if such moments are followed by hallucinations and despair, it is a small sacrifice for the amount of good and leadership he can show among the people. It sounded a lot like what the priest had said, but I sensed more than just a ââ¬Å"winning personalityâ⬠People adored him, would do anything he asked. Yes, Vladimir had used compulsion on his followers, I was certain. A lot of Moroi had in those days, before it was banned, but they didnââ¬â¢t use it on Moroi or dhampirs. They couldnââ¬â¢t. Only Lissa could. I shut the book and leaned back against my bed. Vladimir healed plants and animals. He could use compulsion on a massive scale. And by all accounts, using those sorts of powers had made him crazy and depressed. Added into it all, making it that much weirder was that everyone kept describing his guardian as ââ¬Å"shadow-kissed.â⬠That expression had bugged me ever since I first heard itâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re shadow-kissed! You have to take care of her!â⬠Ms. Karp had shouted those words at me, her hands clenching my shirt and jerking me toward her. It had happened on a night two years ago when Iââ¬â¢d been inside the main part of the upper school to return a book. It was nearly past curfew, and the halls were empty. Iââ¬â¢d heard a loud commotion, and then Ms. Karp had come tearing around the corner, looking frantic and wild-eyed. She shoved me into a wall, still gripping me. ââ¬Å"Do you understand?â⬠I knew enough self-defense that I could have probably pushed her away, but my shock kept me frozen. ââ¬Å"No.â⬠ââ¬Å"Theyââ¬â¢re coming for me. Theyââ¬â¢ll come for her.â⬠ââ¬Å"Who?â⬠ââ¬Å"Lissa. You have to protect her. The more she uses it, the worse itââ¬â¢ll get. Stop her, Rose. Stop her before they notice, before they notice and take her away too. Get her out of here.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠¦what do you mean? Get her out ofâ⬠¦you mean the Academy?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes! You have to leave. Youââ¬â¢re bound. Itââ¬â¢s up to you. Take her away from this place.â⬠Her words were crazy. No one left the Academy. Yet as she held me there and stared into my eyes, I began to feel strange. A fuzzy feeling clouded my mind. What she said suddenly sounded very reasonable, like the most reasonable thing in the world. Yes. I needed to take Lissa away, take her ââ¬â Feet pounded in the hallway, and a group of guardians rounded the corner. I didnââ¬â¢t recognize them; they werenââ¬â¢t from the school. They pried her off of me, restraining her wild thrashing. Someone asked me if I was okay, but I could only keep staring at Ms. Karp. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t let her use the power!â⬠she screamed. ââ¬Å"Save her. Save her from herself!â⬠The guardians had later explained to me that she wasnââ¬â¢t well and had been taken to a place where she could recover. She would be safe and cared for, they assured me. She would recover. Only she hadnââ¬â¢t. Back in the present, I stared at the books and tried to put it all together. Lissa. Ms. Karp. St. Vladimir. What was I supposed to do? Someone rapped at my door, and I jerked out of my memories. No one had visited me, not even staff, since my suspension. When I opened the door, I saw Mason in the hall. ââ¬Å"Twice in one day?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"And howââ¬â¢d you even get up here?â⬠He flashed his easy smile. ââ¬Å"Someone put a lit match in one of the bathroomââ¬â¢s garbage cans. Damn shame. The staffââ¬â¢s kind of busy. Come on, Iââ¬â¢m springing you.â⬠I shook my head. Setting fires was apparently a new sign of affection. Christian had done it and now Mason. ââ¬Å"Sorry, no saving me tonight. If I get caught ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Lissaââ¬â¢s orders.â⬠I shut up and let him smuggle me out of the building. He took me over to the Moroi dorm and miraculously got me in and up to her room unseen. I wondered if there was a distracting bathroom fire in this building too. Inside her room, I found a party in full swing. Lissa, Camille, Carly, Aaron, and a few other royals sat around laughing, listening to loud music, and passing around bottles of whiskey. No Mia, no Jesse. Natalie, I noticed a few moments later, sat apart from the group, clearly unsure how to act around all of them. Her awkwardness was totally obvious. Lissa stumbled to her feet, the fuzzy feelings in our bond indicating sheââ¬â¢d been drinking for a while. ââ¬Å"Rose!â⬠She turned to Mason with a dazzling smile. ââ¬Å"You delivered.â⬠He swept her an over-the-top bow. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m at your command.â⬠I hoped heââ¬â¢d done it for the thrill of it and not because of any compulsion. Lissa slung an arm around my waist and pulled me down with the others. ââ¬Å"Join the festivities.â⬠ââ¬Å"What are we celebrating?â⬠ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know. Your escape tonight?â⬠A few of the others held up plastic cups, cheering and toasting me. Xander Badica poured two more cups, handing them to Mason and me. I took mine with a smile, all the while feeling uneasy about the nightââ¬â¢s turn of events. Not so long ago, I would have welcomed a party like this and would have downed my drink in thirty seconds. Too much bothered me this time, though. Like the fact that the royals were treating Lissa like a goddess. Like how none of them seemed to remember that I had been accused of being a blood whore. Like how Lissa was completely unhappy despite her smiles and laughter. ââ¬Å"Whereââ¬â¢d you get the whiskey?â⬠I asked. ââ¬Å"Mr. Nagy,â⬠Aaron said. He sat very close to Lissa. Everyone knew Mr. Nagy drank all the time after school and kept a stash on campus. He continually used new hiding places ââ¬â and students continually found them. Lissa leaned against Aaronââ¬â¢s shoulder. ââ¬Å"Aaron helped me break into his room and take them. He had them hidden in the bottom of the paint closet.â⬠The others laughed, and Aaron gazed at her with complete and utter worship. Amusingly, I realized she hadnââ¬â¢t had to use any compulsion on him. He was just that crazy for her. He always had been. ââ¬Å"Why arenââ¬â¢t you drinking?â⬠Mason asked me a little while later, speaking quietly into my ear. I glanced down at my cup, half surprised to see it full. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t know. I guess I donââ¬â¢t think guardians should drink around their charges.â⬠ââ¬Å"Sheââ¬â¢s not your charge yet! You arenââ¬â¢t on duty. You wonââ¬â¢t be for a long time. Since when did you get so responsible?â⬠I didnââ¬â¢t really think I was all that responsible. But I was thinking about what Dimitri had said about balancing fun and obligation. It just seemed wrong to let myself go wild when Lissa was in such a vulnerable state lately. Wiggling out of my tight spot between her and Mason, I walked over and sat beside Natalie. ââ¬Å"Hey Nat, youââ¬â¢re quiet tonight.â⬠She held a cup as full as mine. ââ¬Å"So are you.â⬠I laughed softly. ââ¬Å"I guess so.â⬠She tilted her head, watching Mason and the royals like they were some sort of science experiment. Theyââ¬â¢d consumed a lot more whiskey since Iââ¬â¢d arrived, and the silliness had shot up considerably. ââ¬Å"Weird, huh? You used to be the center of attention. Now she is.â⬠I blinked in surprise. I hadnââ¬â¢t considered it like that. ââ¬Å"I guess so.â⬠ââ¬Å"Hey, Rose,â⬠said Xander, nearly spilling his drink as he walked over to me. ââ¬Å"What was it like?â⬠ââ¬Å"What was what like?â⬠ââ¬Å"Letting someone feed off you?â⬠The others fell quiet, a sort of anticipation settling over them. ââ¬Å"She didnââ¬â¢t do that,â⬠said Lissa in a warning voice. ââ¬Å"I told you.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah, yeah, I know nothing happened with Jesse and Ralf. But you guys did it, right? While you were gone?â⬠ââ¬Å"Let it go,â⬠said Lissa. Compulsion worked best with direct eye contact, and his attention was focused on me, not her. ââ¬Å"I mean, itââ¬â¢s cool and everything. You guys did what you had to do, right? Itââ¬â¢s not like youââ¬â¢re a feeder. I just want to know what it was like. Danielle Szelsky let me bite her once. She said it didnââ¬â¢t feel like anything.â⬠There was a collective ââ¬Å"ewâ⬠from among the girls. Sex and blood with dhampirs was dirty; between Moroi, it was cannibalistic. ââ¬Å"You are such a liar,â⬠said Camille. ââ¬Å"No, Iââ¬â¢m serious. It was just a small bite. She didnââ¬â¢t get high like the feeders. Did you?â⬠He put his free arm around my shoulder. ââ¬Å"Did you like it?â⬠Lissaââ¬â¢s face went still and pale. Alcohol muted the full force of her feelings, but I could read enough to know how she felt. Dark, scared thoughts trickled into me ââ¬â underscored with anger. She usually had a good grip on her temper ââ¬â unlike me ââ¬â but Iââ¬â¢d seen it flare up before. Once it had happened at a party very similar to this one, just a few weeks after Ms. Karp had been taken away. Greg Dashkov ââ¬â a distant cousin of Natalieââ¬â¢s ââ¬â had held the party in his room. His parents apparently knew someone who knew someone, because he had one of the biggest rooms in the dorm. Heââ¬â¢d been friends with Lissaââ¬â¢s brother before the accident and had been more than happy to take Andreââ¬â¢s little sister into his social fold. Greg had also been happy to take me in, and the two of us had been all over each other that night. For a sophomore like me, being with a royal Moroi senior was a huge rush. I drank a lot that night but still managed to keep an eye on Lissa. She always wore an edge of anxiety around this many people, but no one really noticed, because she could interact with them so well. My heavy buzz kept a lot of her feelings from me, but as long as she looked okay, I didnââ¬â¢t worry. Mid-kiss, Greg suddenly broke away and looked at something over my shoulder. We both sat in the same chair, with me on his lap, and I craned my neck to see. ââ¬Å"What is it?â⬠He shook his head with a sort of amused exasperation. ââ¬Å"Wade brought a feeder.â⬠I followed his gaze to where Wade Voda stood with his arm around a frail girl about my age. She was human and pretty, with wavy blond hair and porcelain skin pale from so much blood loss. A few other guys had homed on her and stood with Wade, laughing and touching her face and hair. ââ¬Å"Sheââ¬â¢s already fed too much today,â⬠I said, observing her coloring and complete look of confusion. Greg slid his hand behind my neck and turned me back to him. ââ¬Å"They wonââ¬â¢t hurt her.â⬠We kissed a while longer and then I felt a tap on my shoulder. ââ¬Å"Rose.â⬠I looked up into Lissaââ¬â¢s face. Her anxious expression startled me because I couldnââ¬â¢t feel the emotions behind it. Too much beer for me. I climbed off of Gregââ¬â¢s lap. ââ¬Å"Where are you going?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"Be right back.â⬠I pulled Lissa aside, suddenly wishing I was sober. ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s wrong?â⬠ââ¬Å"Them.â⬠She nodded toward the guys with the feeder girl. She still had a group around her, and when she shifted to look at one of them, I saw small red wounds scattered on her neck. They were doing a sort of group feeding, taking turns biting her and making gross suggestions. High and oblivious, she let them. ââ¬Å"They canââ¬â¢t do that,â⬠Lissa told me. ââ¬Å"Sheââ¬â¢s a feeder. Nobodyââ¬â¢s going to stop them.â⬠Lissa looked up at me with pleading eyes. Hurt, outrage, and anger filled them. ââ¬Å"Will you?â⬠Iââ¬â¢d always been the aggressive one, looking after her ever since we were little. Seeing her there now, so upset and looking at me to fix things, was more than I could stand. Giving her a shaky nod, I stumbled over to the group. ââ¬Å"You so desperate to get some that youââ¬â¢ve got to drug girls now, Wade?â⬠I asked. He glanced up from where heââ¬â¢d been running his lips over the human girlââ¬â¢s neck. ââ¬Å"Why? Are you done with Greg and looking for more?â⬠I put my hands on my hips and hoped I looked fierce. The truth was, I was actually starting to feel a little nauseous from all Iââ¬â¢d drunk. ââ¬Å"Arenââ¬â¢t enough drugs in the world to get me near you,â⬠I told him. A few of his friends laughed. ââ¬Å"But maybe you can go make out with that lamp over there. It seems to be out of it enough to make even you happy. You donââ¬â¢t need her anymore.â⬠A few other people laughed. ââ¬Å"This isnââ¬â¢t any of your business,â⬠he hissed. ââ¬Å"Sheââ¬â¢s just lunch.â⬠Referring to feeders as meals was about the only thing worse than calling dhampirs blood whores. ââ¬Å"This isnââ¬â¢t a feeding room. Nobody wants to see this.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah,â⬠agreed a senior girl. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s gross.â⬠A few of her friends agreed. Wade glared at all of us, me the hardest. ââ¬Å"Fine. None of you have to see it. Come on.â⬠He grabbed the feeder girlââ¬â¢s arm and jerked her away. Clumsily, she stumbled along with him out of the room, making soft whimpering noises. ââ¬Å"Best I could do,â⬠I told Lissa. She stared at me, shocked. ââ¬Å"Heââ¬â¢s just going to take her to his room. Heââ¬â¢ll do even worse things to her.â⬠ââ¬Å"Liss, I donââ¬â¢t like it either, but itââ¬â¢s not like I can go chase him down or anything.â⬠I rubbed my forehead. ââ¬Å"I could go punch him or something, but I feel like Iââ¬â¢m going to throw up as it is.â⬠Her face grew dark, and she bit her lip. ââ¬Å"He canââ¬â¢t do that.â⬠ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m sorry.â⬠I returned to the chair with Greg, feeling a little bad about what had happened. I didnââ¬â¢t want to see the feeder get taken advantage of anymore than Lissa did ââ¬â it reminded me too much of what a lot of Moroi guys thought they cold do to dhampir girls. But I also couldnââ¬â¢t win this battle, not tonight. Greg had shifted me around to get a better angle on my neck when I noticed Lissa was gone a few minutes later. Practically falling, I clambered off his lap and looked around. ââ¬Å"Whereââ¬â¢s Lissa?â⬠He reached for me. ââ¬Å"Probably the bathroom.â⬠I couldnââ¬â¢t feel a thing through the bond. The alcohol had numbed it. Stepping out into the hallway, I breathed a sigh of relief at escaping the loud music and voices. It was quiet out here ââ¬â except for a crashing sound a couple rooms down. The door was ajar, and I pushed my way inside. The feeder girl cowered in a corner, terrified. Lissa stood with arms crossed, her face angry and terrible. She was staring at Wade intently, and he stared back, enchanted. He also held a baseball bat, and it looked like heââ¬â¢d used it already, because the room was trashed: bookshelves, the stereo, the mirrorâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"Break the window too,â⬠Lissa told him smoothly. ââ¬Å"Come on. It doesnââ¬â¢t matter.â⬠Hypnotized, he walked over to the large, tinted window. I stared, my mouth nearly hitting the floor, as he pulled back and slammed the bat into the glass. It shattered, sending shards everywhere and letting in the early morning light it normally kept blocked out. He winced as it shone in his eyes, but he didnââ¬â¢t move away. ââ¬Å"Lissa,â⬠I exclaimed. ââ¬Å"Stop it. Make him stop.â⬠ââ¬Å"He should have stopped earlier.â⬠I barely recognized the look on her face. Iââ¬â¢d never seen her so upset, and Iââ¬â¢d certainly never seen her do anything like this. I knew what it was, of course. I knew right away. Compulsion. For all I knew, she was seconds away from having him turn the bat on himself. ââ¬Å"Please, Lissa. Donââ¬â¢t do it anymore. Please.â⬠Through the fuzzy, alcoholic buzz, I felt a trickle of her emotions. They were strong enough to practically knock me over. Black. Angry. Merciless. Startling feelings to be coming from sweet and steady Lissa. Iââ¬â¢d known her since kindergarten, but in that moment, I barely knew her. And I was afraid. ââ¬Å"Please, Lissa,â⬠I repeated. ââ¬Å"Heââ¬â¢s not worth it. Let him go.â⬠She didnââ¬â¢t look at me. Her stormy eyes were focused entirely on Wade. Slowly carefully, he lifted up the bat, tilting it so that it lined up with his own skull. ââ¬Å"Liss,â⬠I begged. Oh God. I was going to have to tackle her or something to make her stop. ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t do it.â⬠ââ¬Å"He should have stopped,â⬠Lissa said evenly. The bat quit moving. It was now at exactly the right distance to gain momentum and strike. ââ¬Å"He shouldnââ¬â¢t have done that to her. People canââ¬â¢t treat other people like that ââ¬â even feeders.â⬠ââ¬Å"But youââ¬â¢re scaring her,â⬠I said softly. ââ¬Å"Look at her.â⬠Nothing happened at first, then Lissa let her gaze flick toward the feeder. The human girl still sat huddled in a corner, arms wrapped around herself protectively. Her blue eyes were enormous, and light reflected off her wet, tear-streaked face. She gave a choked, terrified sob. Lissaââ¬â¢s face stayed impassive. Inside her, I could feel the battle she was waging for control. Some part of her didnââ¬â¢t want to hurt Wade, despite the blinding anger that otherwise filled her. Her face crumpled, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Her right hand reached out to her left wrist and clenched it, nails digging deep into the flesh. She flinched at the pain, but through the bond, I felt the shock of the pain distract her from Wade. She let go of the compulsion, and he dropped the bat, suddenly looking confused. I let go of the breath Iââ¬â¢d been holding. In the hallway, footsteps sounded. Iââ¬â¢d left the door open, and the crash had attracted attention. A couple of dorm staff members burst into the room, freezing when they saw the destruction in front of them. ââ¬Å"What happened?â⬠The rest of us looked at each other. Wade looked completely lost. He stared at the room, at the bat, and then at Lissa and me. ââ¬Å"I donââ¬â¢t knowâ⬠¦I canââ¬â¢tâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ He turned his full attention to me and suddenly grew angry. ââ¬Å"What the ââ¬â it was you! You wouldnââ¬â¢t let the feeder thing go.â⬠The dorm workers looked at me questioningly, and in a few seconds, I made up my mind. You have to protect her. The more she uses it, the worse itââ¬â¢ll get. Stop her, Rose. Stop her before they notice, before they notice and take her away too. Get her out of here. I could see Ms. Karpââ¬â¢s face in my mind, pleading frantically. I gave Wade a haughty look, knowing full well no one would question a confession I made or even suspect Lissa. ââ¬Å"Yeah, well, if youââ¬â¢d let her go,â⬠I told him, ââ¬Å"I wouldnââ¬â¢t have had to do this.â⬠Save her. Save her from herself. After that night, I never drank again. I refused to let my guard down around Lissa. And two days later, while I was supposed to be suspended for ââ¬Å"destruction of property,â⬠I took Lissa and broke out of the Academy. Back in Lissaââ¬â¢s room, with Xanderââ¬â¢s arm around me and her angry and upset eyes on us, I didnââ¬â¢t know if sheââ¬â¢d do anything drastic again. But the situation reminded me too much of that one from two years ago, and I knew I had to defuse it. ââ¬Å"Just a little blood,â⬠Xander was saying. ââ¬Å"I wonââ¬â¢t take much. I just want to see what dhampir tastes like. Nobody here cares.â⬠ââ¬Å"Xander,â⬠growled Lissa, ââ¬Å"leave her alone.â⬠I slipped out from under his arm and smiled, looking for a funny retort rather than one that might start a fight. ââ¬Å"Come on,â⬠I teased. ââ¬Å"I had to hit the last guy who asked me that, and youââ¬â¢re a hell of a lot prettier than Jesse. Itââ¬â¢d be a waste.â⬠ââ¬Å"Pretty?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m stunningly sexy but not pretty.â⬠Carly laughed. ââ¬Å"No, youââ¬â¢re pretty. Todd told me you buy some kind of French hair gel.â⬠Xander, distracted as so many drunk people easily are, turned around to defend his honor, forgetting me. The tension disappeared, and he took the teasing about his hair with a good attitude. Across the room, Lissa met my eyes with relief. She smiled and gave me a small nod of thanks before she returned her attention to Aaron. How to cite Vampire Academy Chapter 15, Essay examples
Friday, December 6, 2019
Studies Mathematical Understand Psychology â⬠Myassignmenthelp.Com
Question: Discuss About The Studies Mathematical Understand Psychology? Answer: Introducation The sensory and the motor functions are the basic forms of all the behaviours. In simple words, the stimulus response behaviour units are composed of the receptors, the neural impulses the travel the afferent form of the central form of the muscular form of responses (Payne and Isaacs, 2017). The sense organs responds very selectively for the various forms of the stimuli that results in the responses that are been given by the various stimuli and that very much results from the responses that involves some of the muscular form of reactions for the nature of the stimuli that are being received. It has been seen previously that developmentally, there has been earliest forms of the behaviour that are simple for the sensorimotor responses (Cabral et al., 2015). However, at the same time it has been seen that the central nervous system are very much meaningful that accompanies the perception of the sensation and the motor system has become better organized for the reflexes that are been g iven away by the behaviours under the control of the voluntary system. Anecdotal Record- Cognitive Development The theory of Piaget (1936) about the form of cognitive development has explained that the child have the constructs of the mental model of the world. He has disagreed with the idea that the intelligence that was actually one of the fixed form of trait that are regarded to the cognitive form of development as the process that can occur due to the biological form of maturation and the form of maturation and the interactions with the environment (Saxe, 2015). The goal of the theory is to explain the mechanisms and the processes that are with the infants and then with the child that can developed into the different form of interactions with the environment and can effectively form the hypothesis. Summary of Childs Developoment The breakdowns throughout the ages have provided a rough form of correspondence to the different stages of the theories of Piaget, Erikson and Bronfenbrenner. Within all the stages, the theory have documented the description that how the development can typically proceed through the major channels of the development that includes the emotional, social, physical and emotional developments (Rotta et al., 2015). The second form of documents that can address the appropriate styles of parenting is known to be the development of the child with every stage of the development. However, it is important to remember that these forms of documents can make the general statements that when the developments that mainly occur in the life of the child, that the child will develop in their own speed and even with the channels that may progress faster than the others may (Rotta et al., 2015). References Payne, V.G. and Isaacs, L.D., 2017.Human motor development: A lifespan approach. Routledge. Cabral, T.I., da Silva, L.G.P., Tudella, E. and Martinez, C.M.S., 2015. Motor development and sensory processing: a comparative study between preterm and term infants.Research in developmental disabilities,36, pp.102-107. Rotta, P.P., Valadares Filho, S.C., Santos, T.R., e Silva, L.C., Engle, T.E., Marcondes, M.I., Campos, M.M., Menezes, A.C.B. and Lobo, A.A.G., 2015. Interpretive summary Fetal development of dairy cows Rotta.COMPARISON OF PURINE BASES AND 15N TO QUANTIFY MICROBIAL NITROGEN YIELD IN BEEF CATTLE AND THE EFFECTS OF DAY OF GESTATION AND FEEDING REGIMEN IN HOLSTEIN GYR COWS, p.89. Saxe, G.B., 2015.Culture and cognitive development: Studies in mathematical understanding. Psychology Press. Demetriou, A., Shayer, M. and Efklides, A. eds., 2016.Neo-Piagetian theories of cognitive development: Implications and applications for education. Routledge.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Summary of chapters 3,4 5 of the book The Economics of Women, Men, and Work by Blau, Ferber Winkler Essay Example
Summary of chapters 3,4 5 of the book The Economics of Women, Men, and Work by Blau, Ferber Winkler Essay Chapter 3 of the book is titled The Family as an Economic Unit. Here the authors discuss the importance of the concept of family for the functioning of neoclassical economic models. In the United States and other Western capitalist democracies, the neoclassical economics is the dominant paradigm for analysis and policy. In this context, it is interesting to study the institution of family from an economic viewpoint. While neoclassical economics sees the individual citizen as the basic unit among consumers, the family is the next immediate consumer unit. But herein lies a contradiction. For example, for the prevailing economic model to work one has to believe that individuals act as self-serving consumers. But families are founded on the notion of group-interest as opposed to self-interest, whereby one member of the family should forgo some of his/her wants for the sake of familyââ¬â¢s wellbeing. Data gathered over the last century has shown that the family has remained a r esilient economic unit despite constant challenges to its existence. Similarly, the advantages associated with division of labor, which is a key aspect of neo-classical theory, does not hold up in certain circumstances. Of late, traditional beliefs about division of responsibilities between senior members of the family is also challenged. As societies have become more technological and the process of globalization accelerates, the meaning and scope of ââ¬Ëdivision of laborââ¬â¢ within a family also undergoes a change. For example, the greater participation of women in the labor market, and the increasing rates of divorce in advanced societies undermine theories pertaining to the family as an economic unit. Women are also more aware of the risks associated with being economically dependent on their husbands. As societies become more liberal and free, many of the conventional institutional structures and economic theories based on them would be dismantled. Despite these changes, women continue to shoulder a major share of household responsib ilities. In the future, factors such as the availability and affordability of day care and elder care facilities would determine the nature and functioning of family as an economic unit. We will write a custom essay sample on Summary of chapters 3,4 5 of the book The Economics of Women, Men, and Work by Blau, Ferber Winkler specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Summary of chapters 3,4 5 of the book The Economics of Women, Men, and Work by Blau, Ferber Winkler specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Summary of chapters 3,4 5 of the book The Economics of Women, Men, and Work by Blau, Ferber Winkler specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Chapter 4 titled Time Allocation Between the Household and the Labor Market offers an in-depth analysis of the relation between these two key aspects of an individualââ¬â¢s life. Statistical analysis of trends in the labor market over the last century shows that while female participation has increased multi-fold (from 20 percent in 1900 to 60 percent at the end of the century), male participation has marginally declined during the same period. And this change in gender roles within the labor market has directly affected the functioning of the household, and the structure of family. The authors then go on to predict how these trends will take shape in the future. Firstly, there is no basis to claims by certain economists that there is a reversing of the trend with respect to female participation in the labor market. Even during the peak years, a certain percentage of employable women have given up their market work for catering to home needs, especially those with young child ren. But there is no indication that more women would adopt this practice in the future. Secondly, the female work force is unlikely to keep up the growth rate seen in the last 50 years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the female work force has increased by only 2 percent since 2000, which is very small when compared to the robust growth in previous decades. This saturation/plateauing level is likely to be maintained in the foreseeable future. Even in the menââ¬â¢s participation rate there was stability over the last 10 years, with the figure hovering around 75 percent. Another key factor is the ageing populations of the country, where the labor market would be affected by the mass retirement of baby-boomers (of both genders), who had been the economyââ¬â¢s backbone in the period after Second World War. Finally, the authors predict that the differential in labor force participation is to reduce further between men and women. The gap between the male and fe male participation rates, which has reduced from 15 percent in 2000 to 11 percent (approx.) in the last decade is likely to reduce further. Chapter 5 titled Differences in Occupations and Earnings : Overview is a general survey of this aspect of economics. Even among mainstream occupations, some are better paid than others. And as is well known, all professions follow an hierarchy structure for salaries, wherein the senior and more experienced practitioners get better pay than their subordinates. And divergence is observed in the way men and women seek out certain specific occupations. For example, occupations that require technical aptitude are largely comprised of a male workforce ââ¬â pilots, electricians, firefighters, geologists, truck drivers, etc. Similarly, women embrace occupations such as teachers, receptionists, nurses, speech therapists, cosmetologists, clerks, etc. Overall, adjusting for skill, expertise and work hours put in, men earn more than women. But this disparity has reduced in recent years. Occupational segregation based on gender used to be more rigid fifty years ago compared to what it is today. The gap between male and female earnings too started to close since the late 1970s and has continued till date. Since this trend has plateaued in the last decade, it is unsure whether it will continue in the coming years. Occupational segregation based on race also exists in the United States, but in-depth analysis of this area is made difficult by the fact that the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have extensive data pertaining to it. Reference: The Economics of Women, Men, and Work, Francine D. Blau, Marianne A. Ferber, Anne E. Winkler, 6th edition, 2006 Prentice Hall, Pearson Education, Inc.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Free Essays on Mother Archetype
The Always Present Mother ââ¬Å"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of manâ⬠(Gen. 2:23). History has shown us that the ââ¬Å"Great Motherâ⬠archetype has been with society since the beginning of time. Through stories, songs, poems and thoughts, man has always found the need for the ââ¬Å"Motherâ⬠and the women that make this archetype possible. Some are consider myths and legends, while others have been documented in history. Regardless of what they have done or thought to have done, they have made an impact on the way man foresees woman. I will discuss three women characters that play a role in the mother archetype, and explain why these rolls are important to their culture. Demeter will be the first goddess in this examination on the mother archetype, followed by Isis. These women are man made stories, to try and help explain why certain things are the way they are. The last mother archetype I w ill discuss was a woman that is still worshipped today, and with the help of man made stories, she has become immortal. This woman is the Virgin Mary. Before this is discussed, I will explain what an archetype is and what traits and similarities one must have to become a ââ¬Å"Mother Archetypeâ⬠. The mother archetype is a term derived from a man by the name of Carl Gustav Jung. Jung was a predecessor of Sigmund Freud. ââ¬Å"According to Jungian psychology the archetypes of the collective unconscious are manifested in similar mythological motifs which are universalâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Trachy and Hopkins 166). Jung defines a archetype in many ways. Archetypes appear in conscious as a universal and recurring image, pattern or motif representing a typical human experience. Archetypal images come from the collective unconscious and are the basic concepts of religions, mythologies, legends and Artsâ⬠¦they emerge through dreams and visionsâ⬠¦they convey a sense of transpersonal power which transcend th... Free Essays on Mother Archetype Free Essays on Mother Archetype The Always Present Mother ââ¬Å"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of manâ⬠(Gen. 2:23). History has shown us that the ââ¬Å"Great Motherâ⬠archetype has been with society since the beginning of time. Through stories, songs, poems and thoughts, man has always found the need for the ââ¬Å"Motherâ⬠and the women that make this archetype possible. Some are consider myths and legends, while others have been documented in history. Regardless of what they have done or thought to have done, they have made an impact on the way man foresees woman. I will discuss three women characters that play a role in the mother archetype, and explain why these rolls are important to their culture. Demeter will be the first goddess in this examination on the mother archetype, followed by Isis. These women are man made stories, to try and help explain why certain things are the way they are. The last mother archetype I w ill discuss was a woman that is still worshipped today, and with the help of man made stories, she has become immortal. This woman is the Virgin Mary. Before this is discussed, I will explain what an archetype is and what traits and similarities one must have to become a ââ¬Å"Mother Archetypeâ⬠. The mother archetype is a term derived from a man by the name of Carl Gustav Jung. Jung was a predecessor of Sigmund Freud. ââ¬Å"According to Jungian psychology the archetypes of the collective unconscious are manifested in similar mythological motifs which are universalâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Trachy and Hopkins 166). Jung defines a archetype in many ways. Archetypes appear in conscious as a universal and recurring image, pattern or motif representing a typical human experience. Archetypal images come from the collective unconscious and are the basic concepts of religions, mythologies, legends and Artsâ⬠¦they emerge through dreams and visionsâ⬠¦they convey a sense of transpersonal power which transcend th...
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Education Sector Best Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Education Sector Best Practices - Essay Example Curriculum entails more than an ordinary definition; it is a key issue in the process of education. The scope of career development is so large that it affects every person involved in learning and teaching. Inclusive education practices entailà making the students feel welcomed and valued in the school, and therefore the students are effectively able to undertake all school activities entail rams. Diversity is accepted and respected; studentsââ¬â¢ different cultures, backgrounds, skills interests and needs; are taken into consideration in school practices and programs. To achieve thi9s end, there exists inclusive practices tools like; student survey, community survey, staff survey, school review profile, inclusive practices and survey reports. Inclusive practices tools are applied in supporting primary, intermediate or schools in engaging in the review process. The main purpose of the review process entails supporting schools in the journey towards developing and implementing inclusive processes for learners, including learners requiring special attention and consideration. Continuous personal development entails; learning by participating in the continuing professional development process; and from the experience and even the feedback. Competent professionals; look for opportunities and challenges in personal learning and development; identify mistakes and use them for learning opportunities; continuously participate in professional development programs; change behavior towards the positive through feedback and reflection. (Booth, 2011 15).Opportunities for learning and development include, pursuing management development training program.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Mission, Vision, Social Responsibility, Strategic Planning Essay
Mission, Vision, Social Responsibility, Strategic Planning - Essay Example The vision of Trader Joeââ¬â¢s is not provided in its website, but based on its timeline of important company events and other company information, it is perceived as supporting a sustainable future, where communities benefit from a company that promotes originality, individual choice, and cultural diversity. For instance, according to Trader Joeââ¬â¢s history timeline, in 1977, it introduced the first reusable canvas bag for shopping needs (Trader Joeââ¬â¢s, n.d.). This shows its dedication to preserving the environment through the principle of reuse. In addition, Trader Joeââ¬â¢s describes how it seeks to find and to sell original and hard-to-find products. This goal is stated in the ââ¬Å"About Trader Joeââ¬â¢sâ⬠webpage of its company website. Trader Joeââ¬â¢s is focused on originality, as a way of delivering high value to its customers. As for Whole Foods, its vision is clearly stated in its company website: ââ¬Å"Our vision of a sustainable future means our children and grandchildren will be living in a world that values human creativity, diversity, and individual choiceâ⬠(Whole Foods, n.d.). The visions of these firms are similar because they want to provide a better future for the coming generations, by thinking about how their actions impact the latter. They want to support sustainable development principles and practices. Whole Foods depicts in its ââ¬Å"Our Mission and Cultureâ⬠webpage that it supports organic farming and alternative sources of energy. It also recycles and composts waste, while participating in community activities through food banks, sponsoring community events, and donating at least 5% of its net profit to non-profit organizations (Whole Foods, n.d.). Trader Joeââ¬â¢s also manages its effects on the environment by not sourcing GMO materials for its private label products, based on its customer updates from the company website. The vision statements of these two firms are comparable because t hey base their business proposition on the framework of sustainable development. Moreover, the two firms share the same values, except that Trader Joeââ¬â¢s is more pronounced on being an original retailer. They both believe in and support creativity, diversity, and individual choice. They aspire for creative ways in using diversity, as their leverage against conventional food retailers. Despite a little difference, it is clear that Trader Joeââ¬â¢s and Whole Foods are heading toward the same direction because they see themselves as forming a better impact on their stakeholders, as they think about the future and the quality of lives in that future, unlike other companies that focus on the bottom line alone. After discussing the vision, the missions of these two firms will be described. The mission of Trader Joe's is not identified in its company website, although one source provides it: To give our customers the best food and beverage values that they can find anywhere and to provide them with the information required to make informed buying decisions. We provide these with a dedication to the highest quality of customer satisfaction delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, fun, individual pride, and company spirit (Thompson Jr., Peteraf, III Strickland, & Gamble, 2011, p. 20). As for Whole Foods, its mission is: ââ¬Å"Our whole business is about making a difference ââ¬â in the lives of our Team Members and the customers we serve,
Monday, November 18, 2019
Cellular pathology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Cellular pathology - Essay Example Eosin is orange pink. The morphology of the tissue The morphology of this tissue from a patient with gastritis is that its inflammatory infiltrate is consisted of lymphocytes that appear dispersed with nodular structures. This complication is termed as lymphocytic gastritis where lymphocytes are detected within the epithelia of granular that are a component of the inflammatory disease. Primary gastric lymphomas lead to more severe intra-glandular lymphocytic infiltrate that destroys or partially replaces the structure of glandular continuity. The presence of neutrophils within the lamina propria of the tissue defines the active inflammation in the gastric mucosa. The gastric biopsy sample develops different glands population (mucosecreting mucosa). The minuscule foci of metaplastic cells may occasionally be encountered in the foveola epithelium, but the overall appropriate glandsââ¬â¢ density is not affected. There is also the gastric atrophy that involves the loss of the appropriate glan ds. This occurs where metaplastic glands hence developing a new commitment replace the native glands. The replacement leads to fewer structures of glands. The pathogenesis of the organism demonstrated by the Giemsa stain Modified Giemsa stain is used to identifying the pathogenesis of the organism with the gastritis infection. The organism has been found to be frequently associated with H. Pylori (Helicobacter pylori) that is a negative bacillus. In this histological examination with the Giemsa recognises H. Pylori as curved, short and spiral bacilli located on the surface of epithelial in the layer of mucus of gastric mucosa. Though the diagnosis appeared very slow in sensitivity and specificity, the organism seemed to be originating from H. Pylori in single bacilli of mild colonization. The patient who originally detected to have chronic active gastritis in
Friday, November 15, 2019
What Problems Face Historians History Essay
What Problems Face Historians History Essay History may be the past but the reflections on that past and the different mediums that inform and shape us about the past must be examined for their veracity and usefulness. These documents and sources present the historian with many problems as they are often used as a cumulative examination of a period under study. Yet what are the difficulties that are inherent in these sources and testimonies. Both primary and secondary sources contain pitfalls that can trap and blind the historian in his pursuit of historical accuracy. The veracity of the particular source, the motives behind the source and the origins of the evidence are all concerns for the historian. In conjunction with these problems can be the temptation to subsume personal and contemporary reports and evidence for the purposes of a grander and more wide-ranging historical narrative. Hew Strachan believes that hindsight can disfigure and reduce the essence of history. Hindsight refers to the ability to understand an event or situation only after it has happenedà [i]à 1and Strachan believes that this can imbue the historian with an arrogant view of those who did not see the bigger picture or understand the deeper motives behind historical events. Does this have some truth and if so can it distort history to such a degree that it almost erases the individual struggle or achievement? Or does this problem exist merely within a wider spectrum of historical concerns? History must be about balance so is a merging of both the personal and the panoramic possible? Strachan writes that hindsight distorts history through fostering arrogance. In his book The First World War he talks of the fact that just because other ideas and ideologies seem foreign to us, this does not deny their charge for those who went to war in 1914à [ii]à so therefore this muting of the past does not push us to understand it merely obfuscates the truth. Yet what is history, but an attempt to see the grander picture and how ideas fit into individual histories and testimonies. The primary sources that are around for historical examination bring with them not just their face value but an attempt to recreate the conceits and facets behind them. In 1946 Ellen Hammer wrote in an article on Americas relations with the Vichy government that throughout the war information filtered into neutral capitals but only on the spot sources could report with any authorityà [iii]à , but just how problematic are these on the spot accounts? It is certainly true that primary sources retain an immediacy and relevance that is difficult to ignore. It is through letters, diaries and newspapers that we have built up much of our knowledge of the First World War. Without these sources we would be dependent on fractious second-hand testimony or oral traditions resplendent with hyperbole. For the historian it is necessary to look at the facts behind the facts. The researcher must certainly avail himself of hindsight and retrospection but must not allow themselves to become victims of them. Isaac Deutscher wrote that the historian deals with fixed and irreversible patterns of events; all weapons have already been firedà [iv]à and as the historical inquiry gathers pace the historian is aware that he is surveying a spent battlefield but how accurate are the bullets he has examined? There is perhaps nothing more alive in the consciousness of Europe than the concerted attempt to exterminate European Jewry by the Nazis during the Second World War. According to Gilbert in his study of the subject merely to give witness by ones own testimony was, in the end, to contribute to a moral victory. Simply to survive was a victoryà [v]à and it is a testament to the human condition that so many survived. These terrible events have continued to be explored in witness accounts and literature and another event that has been extensively written about has been the Great or First World War. The last remaining survivor of that conflagration recently passed away so now that the survivors have died out and can no longer contribute to their own victories, will future generations have their knowledge shaped by hindsight and retrospection when it comes to those times? It is important to note that both hindsight and retrospection can give us many valuable lessons on historical experience. Dr Johnson wrote that when a design has ended in marriage or success, when every eye and every ear is witness to general discontent or general satisfaction, it is then a proper time to disentangle confusion and illustrate obscurityà [vi]à 2and it is within this statement that a major part of the rationale behind history can be identified. Although the canvas of history is vast, the minutiae helps build up the overall picture and hence hindsight aids that process as well as retrospection. There are certain elements in any event that are not known and cannot possibly be known at the time of the event. At the end of the Great War who could have known that the aftermath would provide the bedrock for the Soviet Union and force a reluctant United States onto the world stageà [vii]à but these were the consequences of that conflict, although not recognized in thei r scope at the time. The problem that the historian faces is that this knowledge can give special onus to events that had none and rob other events of their posterity. However, how can we disentangle and illustrate without letting individual values and beliefs, perhaps vastly removed from those we are studying, intrude on the historians research? This is what Strachan talks of when he mentions the disadvantages of hindsight. Kenneth Baker writes that memory plays tricks with the past, events are sometimes remembered only in partà [viii]à 3and in todays contemporary media saturated society, it may seem strange to consider just how diverse and varied accounts of the past were. Yet this removal from the events that unfolded can give us, real and imagined distance, between the understanding and interpretation. The two biggest conflagrations of the twentieth century, both World Wars, are probably two of the most written about subjects in history. Their respective arcs spanned the globe and brought devastation and change to many aspects of peoples lives. However, their documenting and recording throw up countless testimonies and accounts of those times which are not always possible to examine with straight forward simplicity. One of the first problems that the historian is presented with is the sheer dearth of material that is available. Fest writes that once in a while it is necessary for the chronicler to put aside his magnifying glass. For the way things fit together has a significance of its own and can give us information that no mere examination of details canà [ix]à but this chronicle involves thousands upon thousands of minute details that are its integral parts. The motivations and recollections of those at the time as well as their possessions and other sources can easily be brushed aside as hindsight condemns them to the undergrowth of history. After Austria-Hungarys declaration of war on Serbia, accounts have been written of the jubilation that greeted the announcement. The joy and euphoria may have been real but despite the later disillusionment with the war, this does not mean we can learn nothing from that day. These testimonies are still valid and tell us more about attitudes to war th an about the war itself. The temptation for the historian is to conclude that the destruction of WW1 shows how the enthusiasm evaporated but up until the very end, there were those who embraced the war. Adolf Hitler, then an obscure corporal speaks of the war years as the greatest and most unforgettable time of my earthly existenceà [x]à but despite what we know about Hitlers later life and his absent moral compass, this testimony is still relevant because of its immediacy. The combination of personal and professional in the recollections and remembrances of participants can add interesting texture and nuance to historical investigation. Strachan writes in his book on the Great War about Conrad Von Hotzendorff, the Austrian Chief of the General Staff and of how Hotzendorff was in love with a married woman. Hotzendorff saw a triumphant return from the battlefield as an integral part of gaining acceptability for this relationship and Strachan writes that Conrads response to Franz Ferdinands assassination was more visceral than rationalà [xi]à . This highlights an important problem when dealing with sources. The actions and motivations of participants can seem indicative of one course of action but this motivation can contain a number of individual facets and aims. As well as the difficulty of gleaning motive, testimonies and documents of the period can fall victim to retrospective thinking. The particular feelings and emotions of a person can undergo transformation as time flows and if that particular person is not around at that moment, then the historians interpretation could be colored by emotions that only resurfaced at a present time. The human condition is so multi-faceted that it constantly fluctuates and seeks to change into a particular set of perceptions that are prevalent at the time. The actions and thoughts of individuals also present problems when constructing historical timelines as they are often belied by diplomatic effort and political reflection. Strachan again writes of the events leading up to the Great War that the experience of earlier crises had conditioned statesman to put events in the broader context of European international relationsà [xii]à and this goes in tandem with subjective testimonies related by individuals or groups. Richard J Evans argues that the historians questions should be formulated not by some present theory but from the historical sources themselvesà [xiii]à which leads to the observation that whose history is being recorded? The emphasis on high politics and political history has a tendency to negate the other factors that can determine events. In the case of primary sources, the testimonies of survivors can be brushed off as subjective ruminations that incorporate too much personal experience. It is the major players in the games of politics and power, the elite, which therefore can and must be relied on because they are the ones who were in the driving seat. This rationale takes on the very characteristics of the people it reveres as it reduces history to an elite club of statesmen and hierarchies whose actions were the engine in world history. Yet a solitary emphasis on the actions of the people or social history can be just as exclusivist. Much of the writing on the First World War concerns the massive loss of life during the military campaigns of The Somme and Ypres and in this sense it can give a picture of an event being merely the sum of its battles and military maneuvers. Yet Strachan writes of the Home Front that at the end of 1917, the British people were desperately tiredà [xiv]à and Gilbert observes all over Europe, and in every country that had sent men to fight in Europe, the memorials to those who had been killed were being designed and put in placeà [xv]à so any reliance on one type of source of history can in Johnsons words obfuscate and hide the greater picture. The reason for statements and articulations also have to be taken into account when considering historical evidence and never more so than when considered in a war situation. The Great War threw up some such examples of this practice. It is natural in wartime to seek to demonstrate how much of a threat the enemy is. Strachan uses this example in his book citing the Governor of Bosnia in 1914 as saying of the Serbs that towards such a population all humanity and all kindness are out of placeà [xvi]à and this can be contrasted with Hitlers utterances to his Generals during the Second World War regarding the Russians and Jews. Propaganda and the uses that particular pieces of testimony were created for can create an obstacle in tackling historical sources. Stanley Weintraub writes in his book Silent Night, which deals with the Christmas truce of 1914 that for rival governments, for which war was politics conducted by persuasive force, it was imperative to make even temporary peace unappealing and workableà [xvii]à which for todays Western governments seems even more callous than war itself. Politicians of all persuasions unite to cite how this episode was a call to arms for us all and how in the madness of war, sanity was temporarily regained. This is in itself an example of both hindsight and retrospection. The ideals that were being fought for during that war were those of liberalism against force, freedom versus tyranny and since those ideas have been won for a majority of the world, it is seen as an episode of hope amidst war. This may be true but it was these exact governments that frowned upon this truce at the time and now in retrospect see its benefits. Thus, in some measure history can be distorted. Weintraub goes on to write that this impromptu truce seemed dangerously akin to the populist politics of the streets, the spontaneous movements that topple tyrants and autocratsà [xviii]à and one does not need to go far to see just how Strachan might be right in writing of hindsight as arrogance. The not too distant past saw a sitting government ignore the protests and cries of its people during the recent Iraq debacle. Once again it seems that the lessons of history are that those in power know best. It is important to remember that much of the sources that we have from the end of World War One were from captured documents but most importantly from the views of the Allies themselves, the victors. In such an environment it is possible for particular viewpoints to emerge that reinforce such origins. Wohlsetter writes that after the crisis, memories fade and recriminations take their placeà [xix]à and this underscores much of what we know of our own history. The aftermath of both wars saw the division of Europe into different spheres of interest and thus once again the victors to an extent dictated the course of history. This use of sources could take place within the sphere of Eurocentrism. Nordenbo describes this as an historical point of view which perceives modernity, first and foremost as a unique modern European inventionà [xx]à , a construct which sees the West as the leader in civilization and invention and the rest of the world as a kind of other. This Europe appears to non-Europeans as a land of milk and honey, a promised land and certainly contains the seeds of a European hegemonic system. Edward Said writes in his thesis Orientalism about the construction of this other. It is contained in Marxs maxim that they cannot represent themselves, so they must be represented and Said argues that to the West, the Orient is an other-worldly realm peopled by exotic, hedonistic infidelsà [xxi]à and though dealing with the Orient this can be transposed to the examination of sources. It is possible because of the difficulty of obtaining documents in many places to merely stereotype and generalize using Western maxims and rationales. The problems of translation from other languages can also impede investigation and again ties in with this idea of Eurocentrism, that English lexicons and idioms are the natural record of history. To maintain this thought system is to deliver an irrevocable blow to the historical mindset. Hindsight also relies on the process of causation. This links a series of causes and sketches a rough timeline between events. This can blur the line between reality and impression. It is sometimes asserted that the Treaty of Versailles and its perceived harshness was instrumental in causing the Second World War. This was not the only factor and its overall impact can be negated. Several other factors must be considered, such as Hitlers own personal bent and drive, the expansionist drive of the German military and political elite and the notion of a Messianic savior, a Strong Man, destined to lead Germany to greatness. It is possible to agree with Strachan that hindsight does breed arrogance. The ideas and realities of contemporary life are quite removed from the realities of yesteryear. It is the job of the historian to make sense of these past times and draw conclusions and lessons from them. This can be problematic as the sources are as rich and varied as the events that shaped them. There is arrogance in history, people find it hard to laud and identify people who gave themselves for ideals and causes, and hence label them with contemporary judgments However just as hindsight does not give us the complete picture, so not all historical investigation is tainted by this thinking. The problems and difficulties of looking at sources are myriad and sometimes frustrating but only through careful sifting and collaboration of method can we attain that knowledge of the past that so informs the historians rumination on the present.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
A Prayer for Owen Meany Essay -- English Literature Essays
A Prayer for Owen Meany Not the least of my problems is that I can hardly even imagine what kind of an experience a genuine, self-authenticating religious experience would be. Without somehow destroying me in the process, how could God reveal himself in a way that would leave no room for doubt? If there were no room for doubt, there would be no room for me.- Frederick Buechner In the novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving, Owen Meanyââ¬â¢s belief of predestination makes a significant impact on John Wheelwrightââ¬â¢s emotional stability as an adult. John Wheelwright is unhealthily bitter and angry about his past experiences because he clings to a past that never lets him choose. This bitterness fuels his repugnance towards the United States and the Reagan administration, because he understands that everything is in fact predestined just as Owen Meany had believed and he feels helpless because there is nothing he can do to change the course of events in life. The death and responsibility of Johnââ¬â¢s motherââ¬â¢s death fell into the hands of Owen Meany and John can never accept that it was Owenââ¬â¢s fate to kill Johnââ¬â¢s mother. The Vietnam War was completely out of Johnââ¬â¢s hands to control being a young adult and all, and the fact that eventually the war indirectly took the life of his best friend, for this he feels helpl essly responsible and angry. Into adulthood, John becomes bitter towards the United States and its catastrophic news because he knows it is all destined to happen, and like everything else in his life, he has no control or power to change anything. The death of Johnââ¬â¢s mother, Tabitha Wheelwright, was out of Johnââ¬â¢s control and the job is predestined to be executed by Owen. Her death falls into Owenââ¬â¢s hands because as he believes one night after an atrocious fever, that he had interrupted the Angel of Death. Because of this, the task was then placed on him so that he would be the one to kill Tabitha Wheelwright. In Owenââ¬â¢s opinion, he had INTERUPTED AN ANGEL, he had DISTURBED AN ANGEL AT WORK, he had UPSET THE SCHEME OF THINGS.- The Angel, pg. 102 Owen convinced himself that the reason he was used to kill Johnââ¬â¢s mom is because he is an ââ¬Å"instrument of Godâ⬠and that God had taken away Owenââ¬â¢s hands because he is helplessly under the control of destiny. Tabitha Wheelwright died for a reason, and through God, it was predestined to happen by Ow... ... poem â⬠¦ I know: you believe in God, but I believe in ââ¬ËCrass Casualtyââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬âin chance, in luck. Thatââ¬â¢s what I mean. You see? What good does it do to make whatever decision youââ¬â¢re talking about? What good does courage doââ¬âwhen what happens next is up for grabs?- The Finger, pg. 504 Johnââ¬â¢s confusion in destiny stems from the fact that he believes that anything is possible in life and that it is not one big blueprint of the world. Owen Meany never gave John the chance to decide for himself in what he believed in because Owen disproved Johnââ¬â¢s belief by confirming to John that life is destiny. John Wheelwright in A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving is a depressed and bitter man who leads a solitary life in the confinements of his past because he has been so traumatized by catastrophic events in his life that he cannot bring himself to move forward. He is bitter about the future because he accepts that everything in life is predestined and he feels angry because he has no control of what the future brings. As destiny has it, he has no control over the death of his mother, the indirect death of his best friend caused by the Vietnam War, and the current to future issues facing the world.
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