To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Essay Example For Students

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Essay Childhood should be a time of great learning, curiosity, joy, playfulness and guiltlessness. The reality is that it can be a time of extreme vulnerability and dependency. The innocence and fragility of a child is easily manipulated and abused if not nurtured and developed. Family relationships are crucial in the flourishing of young minds, but other childhood associations are important too. These include school life, friends, play and peer-group. Both novels portray these factors and their effects on the character formation of their subjects, to some extent and, show that growing up can be a painful process greatly accelerated by the events that the children encounter. Scout and Jem are the daughter and son of Atticus Finch, a widowed lawyer based in Maycomb, twenty miles from Finchs Landing the family plot. They are a white, middle class family who have a black cook/housekeeper. Their story is written in To Kill a Mocking Bird, which was published in 1960. Its author, Harper Lee, was a white woman who incorporated many of her own childhood experiences into the book. We will write a custom essay on To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now She too came from a small, sleepy town in Alabama, her own father was a lawyer and her childhood friend was Trueman Capote, from whom she drew inspiration for Scout and Jems friend Dill. Perhaps the most influential of the events that occurred during Lees childhood was the Scottsboro Trials, where nine innocent young black men were accused of raping two white women. This was undoubtedly the inspiration for the climax of the novel, the rape trial of Tom Robinson. Lee wrote the novel in the late 1950s at the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement in America. It was a time of great racial tension and trouble. Over a decade later Toni Morrison, a black woman, published her novel The Bluest Eye. By this time the Civil Rights movement had affected great advances in the freedom granted to black people, but discrimination was still widespread. The popular culture of the time was seen to uphold a standard for female beauty, which was white, blond haired, and blue eyed. This of course precluded all black women and was the cause of the formation of the Black Pride movement. Morrison remembered an incident from her childhood, when one of her school friends said she wanted blue eyes. She couldnt, at the time, understand why her friend did not see herself as beautiful, but when she had grown up it became clear. Her friend had learnt racial self-loathing from an early age. This was to be the major theme of Morrisons novel. It has a similar small town setting to that of To Kill a Mocking Bird. Lorain, Ohio (Morrisons hometown), still struggled at the end of the depression, when money and jobs were scarce. In contrast to Lees novel though, its main protagonists the MacTeer and Breedlove families are poor and black and are trying to survive in any way they can. While Scout and Jems father Atticus has a good job and they live in a nice house, Frieda and Claudia MacTeer and their friend Pecola Breedlove, the central characters in The Bluest Eye, live somewhat differently. Claudia describes their home: Our house is old, cold, and green. At night a kerosene lamp lights one large room. The others are braced in darkness, peopled by roaches and mice. (The Bluest Eye, P. 5) Morrison impresses on the reader from the outset how the children were affected by their surroundings. She introduces a dark, almost menacing tone that permeates the book. In contrast, Lees novel, despite also being set in a depression and featuring prejudice and gross injustice, is much lighter in mood, more sanguine in tone. Describing her town and its slow pace Scout comments: There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people (To Kill a Mocking Bird, P. 6) The narrator in each of the novels is a female, nine-year-old child, who is also a character in the book. Morrison has chosen Claudia MacTeer, one of the witnesses to Pecolas plight, as the first person narrator of the novel. This would have enabled her to show, from the childs point of view, how their lives were impacted by the devaluing of their self-esteem by the harmful concept of believing the popular view of what was beautiful, and the rape of Pecola. Lee uses Scout Finch as her narrator and she too is written in the first person. This gives the reader an inside view of unfolding events in the novels, as Claudia and Scout appear to address you directly. The children in each book are introduced in vastly different ways. Claudia is grown up and remembering back to her childhood and the nai ve thinking of her sister Frieda and herself. Quiet as its kept, there were no marigolds in the fall of 1941. We thought, at the time, that it was because Pecola was having her fathers baby that the marigolds did not grow. (The Bluest Eye, P3) These opening sentences are shocking and alert the reader to the fact that a serious case of incestuous child abuse has taken place. The oppression of children is one of the themes Morrison deals with. Claudia continues: We had dropped our seeds in our own little plot of black dirt just as Pecolas father had dropped his seeds in his own plot of black dirt. (The Bluest Eye, P3) With these words the second of Morrisons major themes was established, that of internalised racism, i. e. how a race would begin to believe the stereotypes about themselves and imagine that their fair skinned neighbours are superior to them in beauty, morality or intelligence. By indirectly calling her black dirt, Morrison was showing us what Pecola thought of herself. In contrast to this harrowing opening to her novel, Harper Lee introduces Scout and Jem in a lighter, chatty, and informal way. Nevertheless, she does refer indirectly to a frightening experience when Bob Ewell, the father of the girl who had accused Tom Robinson of rape, physically attacked both of them. When he was nearly thirteen my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jems fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury. (To Kill a Mocking Bird, P. ) It is interesting to note that both novels begin with a memory from childhood referring to a dreadful time and show the long-term effects this can have on the lives of those involved. Pecolas pregnancy predominates Claudias early childhood memories, whilst Scout remembers the time when Jem suffered a broken arm and all the connotations that brought. As the main characters in these novels are children, it is understandable that the dominant parental figure is going to be the mother and this is the case for Claudia and Frieda. .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 , .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 .postImageUrl , .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 , .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153:hover , .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153:visited , .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153:active { border:0!important; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153:active , .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153 .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .udc5c8dee4f6481297c8f9b7a705bd153:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bluest Eye EssayTheir father is within the family circle, but is portrayed as distant from the children. Similarly, the main parental interaction with Pecola and Sammy in the Breedlove household is from Pauline Breedlove. Cholly, their father, is a dominating force in the family, but in a more menacing way and he takes little to do with the children having no example to follow himself, as his own father had abandoned his mother. The Finch family, by contrast, is led by Atticus because the childrens mother is dead. He is the lynchpin of the family and most of the childrens experiences are shaped and guided by him. It is not clear why Lee does not include a mother figure, but certainly their black cook Calpurnia adds richness to the story and is an influential character for Scout and Jem. Just as the family hierarchies are different, the interaction between the parents and the children are as well. We learn early in The Bluest Eye the kind of relationship Claudia and Frieda have with their parents. Claudia comments that: Adults do not talk to us they give us directions. They issue orders without providing information. When we trip and fall down they glance at us; if we cut or bruise ourselves, they ask us are we crazy. When we catch colds, they shake their heads in disgust at our lack of consideration. How they ask us, do you expect anybody to get anything done if you all are sick? (The Bluest Eye, P5/6) Is this really as cold and unfeeling as it sounds? Their parents were burdened down with worries about money for food and the basic survival of the family. This spilled over into their dealings with the girls, which was almost detached giving the children no voice. Certainly it had a major effect on Claudia and Frieda. When Pecola takes her period while staying at the MacTeers house, they try to deal with it themselves instead of going to Mrs MacTeer. When Claudia gets a chest infection she says, No-one speaks to me or asks me how I am. When she vomits over the bed and her mother complains that she didnt try to avoid the bedclothes, she remarks: My mothers anger humiliates me; her words chafe my cheeks, and I am crying. I do not know that she is not angry at me, but at my sickness. I believe she despises my weakness for letting the sickness take holt. By and by I will not get sick; I will refuse to. But for now I am crying. (The Bluest Eye, P7) In retrospect Claudia as narrator realises that whilst the experience may have been painful at the time, the care her mother gave her served to show her that she was loved and her abiding memory of that time was a positive one. So when I think of autumn, I think of somebody with hands who does not want me to die. (The Bluest Eye, P. 7) Interestingly, when she is reminiscing she refers to her mother as somebody, with perhaps the same kind of detached affection she had been raised with. Although their relationship with their father was distant, he reacted immediately on hearing that the lodger Mr Henry had abused Frieda. He beats her abuser up and actually shoots at him. Distressing and confusing as this experience was, (she heard someone say she was ruined but did not know what this meant, it showed Frieda that she was protected and cared for. Scout and Jem have a warmer more interactive relationship with their father. Scout tells us: Jem and I found our father satisfactory: he played with us, read to us, and treated us with courteous detachment. (To Kill a Mocking Bird, P. ) After reading the novel it is hard to agree that Atticus treated the children with courteous detachment. Unlike the MacTeer parents, he talks to his children giving them a forum to air their views and build close relationships and also allaying their fears and worries when necessary. Scout and Jem would run to meet their father every night as he walked home from work and he would lift his daughter on to his shoulders and carry her home in this way. Would a detached father allow his daughter to sit on his lap every night while he reads the paper as Atticus did? Scout reminises: I could not remember when the lines above Atticuss moving finger separated into words, but I had stared at them all the evenings in my memory when I crawled into his lap every night. (To Kill a Mocking Bird, P. 19/20) Undoubtedly the most destructive relationships from either novel are dealt with in the Breedlove family. Both parents abused their children in one form or another, be it mental cruelty or physical and, ultimately sexual abuse. They also abused each other. The relationship between Pauline and Cholly, which began well, became a violent one. Cholly and Mrs Breedlove fought each other with a darkly brutal formalism, that was paralleled only by their lovemaking. Tacitly they had agreed not to kill each other. (The Bluest Eye, P. 32) The effects of this fighting left Pecola fearful and withdrawn and she prayed that she might disappear. Apart from the introduction to the book, we first meet Pecola when she is placed in the MacTeer household because her father had burned their house down and the family had nowhere to go. Pauline Breedlove thought of Pecola as an ugly child and the behaviour she demonstrated towards her was a reflection of this. She described her thus: A cross between a puppy and a dying man. But I knowed she was ugly. Head full of pretty hair, but Lord she was ugly. (The Bluest Eye, P. 97/98) The one relationship that should have nurtured Pecola, instead left her feeling insecure and unloved. She grew up believing she was unlovable and as everyone seemed to cherish blue eyed, blonde haired girls, she started to dream of having the blue eyes that would help people to love her. The damage done to her self-esteem was reinforced powerfully by an incident in Pauline Breedloves workplace. Pecola had to go to the house were her mother was housekeeper to collect some washing. The daughter of that comfortable home was blonde with blue eyes and Pauline doted on her. When Pecola accidentally spilled a berry cobbler on the floor, burning her legs in the process, her mother reacted violently: In one gallop she was on Pecola, and with the back of her hand knocked her to the floor. Pecola slid in the pie juice, one leg folding under her. Mrs Breedlove yanked her up by the arm, slapped her again, and in a voice thin with anger, abused Pecola directly (The Bluest Eye, P. 84) But perhaps the worst thing about the whole incident was that as Pecola, Frieda and Claudia walked away they could hear Pauline console and comfort the pretty little white girl. The attitude of Calpurnia, the black cook in Lees novel is very different from Pauline Breedlove. She has not favour them because of the colour of their skin and has no hesitation in doling out discipline to Scout and Jem when necessary, with the full trust and backing of Atticus. Harper Lee has purposefully written this character as an intelligent and self assured black woman who knows her own worth as a person. .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f , .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f .postImageUrl , .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f , .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f:hover , .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f:visited , .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f:active { border:0!important; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f:active , .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5d3837efce72ac023cfbc4192eee212f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The poem 'February 17th' EssayLater in a reflective moment Pauline said she loved the children but that: Sometimes Id catch myself hollering at them and beating them, and Id feel sorry for them, but I couldnt seem to stop. (The Bluest Eye, P. 96) Pecola herself gives us a hint of the sexual abuse to come when she is walking home from school with Claudia, Frieda and Maureen. The latter asks her if she has ever seen a naked man. Pecola is described as agitated and says: Nobodys father would be naked in front of his own daughter. Not unless he was dirty too. (The Bluest Eye, P. 55) Maureen had not mentioned her father, so obviously something had been happening at home that is only hinted at. Her eventual rape by Cholly, disbelief from her mother and the resulting pregnancy and loss of the baby are what tip Pecola over the edge into madness. She goes to see a local healer and requests blue eyes and she believes him when he tells her that her wish has been granted. Her only resistance to the abuse she has suffered has been to withdraw from a terrifying world into one of her own making. The very adults who should have been her protectors failed this poor, powerless little girl in every respect. To get her message across, Morrison has taken Pecolas story to an extreme conclusion. One of the interesting contrasts between the novels is that The Bluest Eye is notable for its complete absence of humour, fun and play in its main characters. This absence of the most basic of childhood pleasures is stark. No doubt this was a deliberate omission on the part of Morrison to add to the tragic mood of the book. The elements of play are mentioned, for example, at Christmas Claudia describes getting a doll. However, this is used to show how subtly the standard of beauty was impressed onto the minds of black children from very young. All the dolls were white and had blue eyes. Claudia was able to resist this indoctrination but other children, like Pecola, obviously could not. The result is that the novel could not be termed as an easy read and is quite depressing. On the contrary, Harper Lee paints a very normal picture of childhood. Scout, Jem and their friend Dill are regularly described as acting out characters from books they have read, playing football or just reading. The elements of play are mentioned in the novel too, Jem buys a twirling baton for Scout and a miniature steam engine for himself. The language used by the characters in the books is another major difference. Claudia, Frieda and Pecola speak in dialect, which reinforces their colour and to a certain extent their poverty. By contrast Scout and Jem are very literate children whose diction is very precise, having being brought up on proper and concise language from babies. Jem and I were accustomed to our fathers last-will-and-testament diction, and we were at all times free to interrupt Atticus for a translation when it was beyond our understanding. (To Kill a Mocking Bird, P. 35) A point to note is that it is easier for Atticus to place importance on a good standard of education than it is for the MacTeers or the Breedloves, because he has been able to provide Scout and Jem their basic needs. ) One of the most notable characters in terms of diction in Lees novel is Calpurnia. She is atypical of the black person in both books. Lee does not write her in dialect until she visits her home church, where she reverts to it. This puzzles Scout and Jem and they quiz her on this. Her answer is illuminating: Suppose you and Scout talked coloured-folks talk at home itd be out of place, wouldnt it? Now what if I talked white-folks talk at church, and with my neighbours? Theyd think I was puttin on airs to beat Moses. (To Kill a Mocking Bird, P. 139) Lee is making the point that speaking in dialect does not mean that a black person is less intelligent. Calpurnia chooses how to speak to suit the company she is with. Another notable difference in the novels is the influence that other adults have on the children. The children of Morrisons book have no real verbal interaction with any adult other than their own parents and as we have already seen, these are scant indeed. Other adults are mentioned, for example the shopkeeper who sells Pecola sweets and the mother of a boy from her school, but their attitudes only serve to denigrate this little girl. Lees novel has incorporated a rich variety of adult life that regularly interact with Scout and Jem, from Mrs Dubose, the terminally ill old woman to Miss Maudie the neighbour who serves as a confidant to Scout. These all, in their own way, serve to develop the thinking and morality of the children. The absence of this role in The Bluest Eye seems to emphasise the vulnerability and powerlessness in its characters. The novels The Bluest Eye and To Kill a Mocking Bird could be described as social novels as they deal with issues, which were exceedingly relevant to what was happening in society as a whole, and both authors wanted to comment on that. They also dealt with the more vulnerable in society, the children. Toni Morrison tells us in the Afterword to the book that her aim was to address the issue of racial self-loathing and she chose the weakest member of society, a little black girl, to portray this. She is successful at achieving her aim, writing a gritty and disturbing story, which is depressingly sad to read and very tragic, but extremely powerful because of that. She doesnt present a balanced view of childhood, i. e. her lack of play is almost total in the book, but I believe she does this deliberately in order to get her stark message across. In contrast, Harper Lees novel tells a different story, from a white perspective and easier circumstances. She portrays childhood in a more balanced, and easy to read way. The character of the narrator Scout is infused with wit and humour and she paints pictures of lazy summer days at play, while still managing to deal with the rape trial and its aftermath. Her characters develop throughout the novel by a series of moralistic encounters with neighbours and family, until by the end of the novel Scout realises that they have learnt so much and remarks: As I made my way home, I though Jem and I would get grown but there wasnt much else left for us to learn, except possibly algebra. (To Kill a Mocking Bird, P308) Lee certainly gets her point across but does so in a gentler, less harrowing way.

T Pentyl Chloride Lab Report Essays

T Pentyl Chloride Lab Report Essays T Pentyl Chloride Lab Report Paper T Pentyl Chloride Lab Report Paper Edward Kluges, by a temperature of 79-ICC, the product is expected to boil (pig. 20). At about ICC, the product began to stabilize. This matches the expected boiling point for the product. After simple distillation and measurement, a total of 17 ml of the product was obtained. Side Reactions: Summary of experiment: The following experimental procedure was directed from Introduction to Organic Lab Techniques CHEMIC IL Courseware by Dry. Edward Kluges found on pages 18- 20. Using 22 ml of t-Phenyl alcohol and 50 ml of 37. 3% concentrated HCI, a mixture was created and swirled in a 125 ml separators funnel. After the solution had been mixed for approximately one minute, a stopper was used to prevent the mixture for escaping the separators funnel as it was inverted. Once inverted, built-up gas was released by turning the stopcock to its opened and closed positions. This was repeated for about four times in one minute intervals. Then the layers were allowed to settle until a separation between liquids could be observed. Due to the low density of the product, the top layer was to be extracted. The bottom layer was carefully and slowly extracted out of the separators funnel. The crude product was washed by taking the reaction product in the separators funnel and adding 23 ml of denizen H2O. The mixture was shaken and allowed to settle until layers were observable. The top layer was the desired product and approximately 25 ml of aqueous layer was extracted from the separators funnel. Next, 25 ml of 5% Enhance was added to the separators funnel in order to neutralize the acid. This mixture was swirled, plugged with the stopper and inverted. Built-up gas was released by turning the stopcock to its opened and closed positions, releasing CO by-product. This was done four times in one minute intervals. The solution was allowed to settle until layers were observable. The bottom layer that contained salt, base and water was extracted from the separators funnel. The crude product was washed again as mentioned previously. The wet, crude product was placed into the 50 ml Erlenmeyer flask. Small amounts of Cacao were added to dry the solution. The flask was sealed and the mixture was swirled and left to settle. Once the solution turned clear, it was ready for simple distillation technique. Using filter paper and a funnel, he solution passed through and was placed into the 100 ml round bottom flask attached to the distillation apparatus. The temperature was monitored and recorded when the product reached a stable temperature of about 80 to ICC. After distillation was complete, the product was measured in a graduated cylinder and recorded. The procedure to purify the crude product was the simple distillation technique found in A Molecular Approach to Organic Laboratory Techniques by Pave et. Al. Report Questions: 1. Aqueous sodium bicarbonate was used to wash the crude t-Phenyl chloride. A. What was the purpose of this wash? The purpose of the wash with the basic bicarbonate was to remove the acidic components of the mixture. This helps facilitate the phase separation needed in order to extract the waste and keep the desired product. B. Why would it be undesirable to wash the crude halide with aqueous sodium hydroxide? Aqueous sodium hydroxide is a very strong base. By using a very strong base, it can cause the reaction to proceed with the E mechanism and gives us undesirable alkaline products. 2. Some 2-methyl-2-butane may be produced in the reaction as a by-product. Give a mechanism for its production.

Affect of power relations on organizational change and development Essay

Affect of power relations on organizational change and development - Essay Example The consolidation exercises resorted to by the various organizations have made the companies leaner and flatter as management levels are being eliminated. Organizations are now trying to reduce bureaucracy and make the executives directly responsible and accountable for their tasks. Political as well as institutional systems play an important role in the power dynamics during any organizational change process. Some of these forces resist change due to changing dynamics while others stimulate them for the same reason (cited in Boonstra and Gravenhorst 1998). During any change process, CEO and the management along with consultants etc try to use their power to influence the process of change. At times this use of power to influence others can cause resistance while at other times it can facilitate the change process as noted by Fable and Yukl (1992) Power dynamics can be displayed openly or invisibly by the agents involved. For example, Bachrach and Baratz (1962) say that management ca n exclude participation by keeping certain decision from being open to discussions during a change process. In open display of power dynamics, managers hold meeting and discussions where they try to convince and influence others through facts, expertise or experiences. Theories of power dynamics and change management Boonstra and Gravenhorst (1998) look at power dynamics under five different perspectives. They build on the various researches that have studied the bases of power and root their first perspective on these. They say that â€Å"change in organizations is demanded by the top management and they need their position and power in order to effect change† (Boonstra and Gravenhorst 1998). In the second perspective they say that personal power is also used and thought the starting point of change is power, logical arguments and facts to support change are presented. The next two perspectives are based on the research in organization theory and management. In the fourth pe rspective, they see the role of agencies in exerting power to control processes and the various â€Å"interest groups† use power to negotiate the direction in which the change process should go. So far, the use of power was prominently observable in the various perspectives. In the fifth perspective, this is more subtle. The change agents tend to instill values, norms and perceptions through â€Å"management of meaning† and emphasize on the usefulness aspects of the desired change. The fifth perspective is about using the models developed by the organizational learning and organizational schools. They say that these models use the power of discussions and employee participation to bring about the desired change. Earlier literature on power viewed it as the ability of the change agent to influence the subjects to accept that change within a particular reference context (French and Raven 1959). Boonstra and Gravenhorst (1998) say that Bass in 1960 described two sources o f power – personal and position. In the position power, a manager has received authority to act by virtue of his position in the organization. This is the dominating power of the management and any confrontations to proposals put forward by the management are considered as resistance and hence are intolerable as per Hardy and Clegg (1996) quoted by Boonstra and Gravenhorst (1998). Bouwen (1995) describe this authoritarian model of change as â€Å"

Conley vs.wilmut Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Conley vs.wilmut - Essay Example Conley stance is harsh and firm: human cloning should not be practiced because it interferes with God’s creation. Conversely, Professor Ian Wilmut is polite and puts himself on the hot seat to defend the practice. He remains objective and asks tough questions such as, if couples have been denied the right to procreate naturally, what is the harm in trying out new technology like human cloning (Wilmut, 2004). The topic on human cloning has brushed shoulders with high political icons and religious leaders. The ethical part has hit many headlines in the media world and raised eyebrows as to its interference with the natural process of human creation. Wilmut has remained extremely aggressive and has an ego driven attitude towards the whole process and the perception on human cloning (Conley, 1994). Human reproduction has occurred naturally since the dawn of time. However, with current advancements in technology and research, the potential for this to change is very high. Conley has done well to address the burning issue and has made great strides in evaluating the challenges that couples face when they are unable to conceive and bear (Conley, 1994) With his deep-rooted Roman Catholic beliefs, Conley remains a close-minded voice as to the effects of human cloning. Wilmut, on the other hand, is set on killing the stigma. Research has been done in hopes of solving some of these issues. Couples have been genetically challenged to have the right to live a life like any other normal human being (Wilmut, 2004). The pervasiveness of this discourse concerning  the dignity in  today’s world has  given  it a mask of the subject matter that has been  highly  contested and  made it vague. Wilmut has observed this in his sixth edition; this concept has become ubiquitous. Conley has claimed that cloning of human embryos has violated the sanctity of the human race. He recommends that it should not be

Need to write my biography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Need to write my biography - Essay Example I enjoy travelling and camping – reveling in the sheer beauty and serenity of nature while sampling the diversity of people and cultures from across the expanse of the globe. Anyone close to me can attest that I was indeed born to become a nurse, and a dedicated one at it. Being a highly motivated and inspired individual, I am one of those characters who are ever willing to help others especially those reeling in sickness. It was this desire to dedicate my life’s effort towards the sick that led me into the nobleness of nursing. My aspirations for nursing date back into my childhood and teenage years and being the focused and relentless person that I am, I have currently been in the field of medicine for over a staggering 30 years. And my ambitions do not halt there by any means. I was lucky to graduate early from high school and immediately after my graduation I dived deep into nursing classes. I am presently the supervisor in the orthopedic unit at a reputable medical center in Arlington with further plans to advance my education and obtain a bachelor’s then a master’s degree in nursing. After relocating from Rock Island to Arlington, Texas, in 1996, I have been immensely blessed with a stable family of my own, a husband and three lovely children. Presently an active member of the COGIC in Arlington, Texas, the sky is the limit for me who with all these achievements tucked safe under my belt still feels like life is yet about to take off in

Anchors: History of and Developments in Anchor Technology

Anchors: History of and Developments in Anchor Technology Inflate-a-Weight Abstract The Inflate-a-Weight is a specially designed anchor that utilizes a chemical reaction to assist in the anchor’s ascent. Connected to the body of the anchor are two balloons similar in design to airbags. One is connected at the top and the other at the bottom. The bottom balloon acts as a backup if the top one fails to activate. Using an infrared remote control, the user can release some water into the balloon. This will react with the trace amount of sodium present in the balloon to produce sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. The gas will inflate the balloon and give the anchor the buoyancy necessary for it to rise to the surface. The Inflate-a-Weight is a fast method of hauling in an anchor that could save boaters the electricity they need to power radios, lights, and navigation systems. Present Technology The current technology of anchors includes multiple different anchor types used for various purposes, the line it is connected to, and the chain it is connected to. These anchor types include the lightweight anchor, kedge anchor, grapnels anchor, plow anchor, claw anchor, and the mushroom anchor. The lightweight anchor is usually used on smaller boats used for recreational purposes. The kedge anchor is normally used on very large ships because it buries one of its sides and relies mainly on the weight of the ship to help keep it in place. The grapnels anchor is used by small boats such as kayaks and canoes because it has little holding power. The plow anchor tends to be used on cruising boats because it is able to bury itself in most bottom types. The claw anchor works similarly to the plow anchor but it allows 360 degree turns while anchored and is able to right itself easily if it hits the bottom on the wrong side. The mushroom anchor is used mainly for moorings and is best used in soft bottoms because of the suction it is able to create because of it mushroom shape. Additionally, the anchors are attached to the boat via a line and/or chain. The three-strand twist nylon line is the best line to use because of the shock it is able to absorb from the anchoring. It is recommended that the line is mixed with a chain for the anchor. Chain is usually made from galvanized steel and isgood to use for attaching you anchor to the boat because it can handle more weight and wear and tear and the most commonly used type of chain is the proof coil. Airbags are inflated via a chemical reaction activated in a head-on collision to help protect a person in a crash. They are commonly activated when in a head-on collision the car decelerates at a very fast pace and a ball held in place by a magnet moves forward to activate an electrical circuit to ignite a pellet of sodium azide. Once that happened the airbag inflates in mere milliseconds, approximately 40. After the bag has inflated fully it begins to deflate to cushion the body in time for when the body should make contact with it. For the airbag to produce the gas necessary to inflate it goes through a series of chemical reactions. The reason for multiple reactions is to produce the gas needed and to remove the other harmful substances produced and convert them into harmless substances. There are many gas producing chemical reactions, but the important ones for this project have reactants in group 1, the alkali metals. Some of the elements located in this group have strong reactions with water. Some of these reactants react with water in a violent explosion and produce gas. Lithium has an intense reaction with water and produces hydrogen gas. Sodium has a fast reaction with water, which can be seen by the small explosion or fire when the reactants are combined, and produces hydrogen gas. Potassium has a rapid exothermic reaction with water and can catch fire during the reaction and it produces hydrogen gas. Rubidium reacts very rapidly and violently with water and produces hydrogen gas. Cesium has an extremely fast and violent reaction with water and produces hydrogen gas. The current technology of infrared remote controls and sensors includes being used in television remotes. The infrared or IR remote is able to work by using s low frequency light beam that cannot be detected by the human eye but by the television receiver. The IR remotes and their sensors are used by many different electronic devices today including things such as televisions, radios, and movie players. History Anchors have been used for thousands of years. Ancient forms of anchors, rocks, have been found that date to the Bronze Age. A primitive anchor consists of a pair of wood arms under a large rock. It provided the same purpose as modern day anchors, which is to have a sharp point and mass. Ancient anchors relied on the grappling hook until the stock, a bar perpendicular to the arm in order to roll the anchor to pierce the bottom, was introduced and adopted. Airbags were first used in the early 1950s and were designed by Walter Linderer, a German engineer and later was patented by John W. Hetrick. In 1963, Yasuzaburou Kobori created current airbag technology. In 1968, Allen Breed invented the first automobile crash sensor and airbag safety system. Early airbags had the problem of retaining pressure in the canisters that inflated the bag with compressed air. Sodium azide and its by-product, sodium hydroxide, were commonly used in the 1990s. However its toxicity and reactivity caused it to be phased out. Infrared, or IR, technologies had started to be used in the early 1980s. The first remote control, called â€Å"Lazy Bones† was created by Zenith Electronics Corporation. Eugene McDonald created the first wireless remote, the â€Å"Flashmatic†. An IR remote emits a very low frequency beam of light which is then met by the receiver. In the beginning of the 2000s, ninety-nine percent of all television sets and one-hundred of all VCRs and DVD players were equipped with IR remote controls. Most remote controls today use IR technology. Breakthroughs The gas that needed to be used had to be safe and couldnt be harmful to the environment. Methane and ammonia are harmful to the environment, so they were thrown out as possibilities. The only other ones that would be useful in lifting the anchor were hydrogen and helium, but helium is too expensive to be used on a daily basis. This left hydrogen as the element chosen for the lifting of the anchor. Next it was necessary to find a way to produce the hydrogen through a reaction, but the compounds used couldnt be harmful to the environment, along with its byproducts. The simplest and cleanest way to produce hydrogen was to use a salt and mix it with water. The only salt that will not create a harmful byproduct and will not explode killing any creatures, was sodium and therefore was chosen for to create the anchors needed reaction. The breakthrough that is necessary for the floating anchor to work is the reaction that must take place inside the anchor under the high pressure of deep ocean waters. The reaction must take place in an area that is completely dry, so as to avoid an early and undesired reaction. The separate chambers where the sodium and water are held must be sealed properly in order to avoid compromising the clean water with contaminates and the risk of the sodium being exposed to water, causing an early reaction, is too great. The only possible way for the reaction to occur is if the sodium is kept dry and safely away from the oceans water. The sodium must be kept in a separate chamber where it can be released into the water of another chamber. The water should be filled before the anchor is dropped but if not, the water can be used if it is fresh water. As this is an unlikely case, due to the fact that the anchors main purpose is for deep oceanic waters, the anchor can still be used in freshwater lakes or rivers. When the sodium is released into the water of another chamber, the reaction will rapidly produce sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas will fill up the balloon that is attached to the exterior of the anchor and provide the lift necessary for the anchor to rise to the surface at a steady and safe rate. The release system is connected to an infrared remote control on board the ship. When the anchor needs to be raised, they simply use a remote control to send infrared signals to the anchor, which in turn opens the chamber, and triggers the reaction. The downside is that due to the fact that a high concentration of sodium, if a leak occurs, could destroy the anchor in a small explosion. To avoid a catastrophe, the concentration of sodium must be kept at a low level. This basically means that only about one or two reactions worth of sodium can be kept in the chambers within the anchor. A solution to any failures in the release of the sodium can be fixed with a more manual format. A tube will be run down the chain to the anchor upon installation, so if the reaction in the anchor fails, hydrogen gas can be pumped down the tube into the anchors balloon. If there arises a problem with the balloon, there is a second emergency balloon attached to the opposite end of the anchor, which is atta ched to the tube, that can be filled if the first fails to do so. If all else fails, the anchor can be raised as it is today, slowly and steadily, by a windlass or by hand. All these things must come together perfectly for this piece of technology to work. If there is one flaw, the whole anchor is compromised and rendered useless for its purpose. Although this technology has the ability to exist today, it is unlikely due to the fact that every time the anchor is used the chamber containing the chemical would need to be refilled. The only solution to being refilled every time is to have multiple chambers, but this could be a problem due to the fact that if the concentration of the chemical is too high and there is a leak, the possibility of the anchor exploding becomes a reality. Future Technologies Future ways of easing the use of the anchor would be to raise it to the surface faster and safer. Our vision includes a way to raise an anchor from the bottom of a body of water to the surface is just this way. This is a safer way to elevate an anchor without a windlass. We visualize our concept to be put in place by many different people for many different uses. For example, the products of reaction in the airbag can be applied to not only airbags, but inflatable boats or recreation inflation uses. Instead of using one’s breath or an air pump, only activate the sodium and water for a rapid inflation. This technology of producing gas can be used in many places for many different reasons. The IR signals can be improved and applied to more uses than they currently are. Infrared signals can be used in many different applications, not only in television remotes or triggering reactions in anchors but also sending information by light. However, the strength of infrared signals must be improved in order to reach longer distances or through different materials since it is such a low energy light. Along with the infrared technology, the other components can be further improved. The strength of the anchor, reliability of the reaction can be improved. Different designs may also prove to be more effective than our own. This leads to development of the Inflate-a-Weight. Design Process After the team decided to do our project on an anchor retraction system we brainstormed different ways to make it easier. After picking which one to do we had rejected three different versions of the idea for various reasons. The first idea that was rejected by the group was an anchor that is retracted by a motorized pulley system. The thought was to have the rope/chain attached to the anchor to be wrapped on the pulley so a button could be pushed or a switch flipped and the pulley would start turning lifting the anchor up and out of the water. The idea was rejected because when further research was conducted on the idea, we found that it already exists and is known as a windlass. Another idea that was rejected was an anchor that is equipped with water jets to propel it upward. The group rejected this idea because of the dangers of the anchor flying up into the boat and damaging it or harming the passengers. If the water jets pushed with too much pressure behind it, it could launch up too much and fly into the boat, causing a hole or other damage possibly resulting in compromising the integrity of the hull and leading to the sinking of the watercraft. The anchor flying up into the boat could also cause serious injury or even death to any passenger riding in the boat. This could be an expensive ordeal because major damage to the boat and medical bills are not usually cheap. The last idea that was rejected was an anchor that floats up using air pumps. Our group rejected this version of our idea because it is not practical because of all the equipment required that could fail or easily break. Some of the equipment would have to be a tube and the actual air pump. The pump could fail by losing power and cause a problem for retracting the anchor. The tube running down to the inflatable device to make the anchor rise could break and then it would be a pain to fix and get in the way of manually raising the anchor in the case that it breaks. However, this idea led us to think of another way to use something lighter than water to raise the anchor. We came to the conclusion that using a chemical reaction to produce gas in an inflatable attached to the base of the anchor would work better. When discussing it more we knew that a way to activate the chemical reaction was needed and we thought of remotely activating it to make it easier on the user. Consequences The floating anchor technology could have some potentially harmful and unintended consequences. If sea creatures ingest the chemicals at all, the entire rest of the food web is affected by the chemicals as well. The toxins may not be as potent in higher levels of the chain, but it still spreads from organism to organism. For instance, a school of tuna fish might be exposed to the chemicals and later end up being caught and processed for retail. The rapidly rising anchors could also be a potential hazard for people in boats. If the reaction becomes out of control, then the anchor could fly out of the water and strike the people attempting to raise it. The anchor could also strike the hull of the boat and damage the vessel, perhaps leading to flooding or even sinking, depending on the size of the vessel. The levels of infrared radiation could gradually increase in the ocean since the anchor uses IR signals to trigger the reaction. This increase would harm the atmosphere more than it does the ocean. The ocean water evaporates, releasing excess heat and infrared energy, which is then absorbed by moist, tropical air. The wind then carries the air to a convergence zone where it falls as precipitation. The heat and IR energy is then released into the atmosphere. Rising IR levels in the atmosphere can contribute to the greenhouse effect. Another potential problem is the precipitate left over after the reaction takes place and the anchor begins its ascent. If the balloon that provides buoyancy for the anchor burst, then the sodium hydroxide would be released into the ocean. When sodium hydroxide comes into contact with water, it produces a massive amount of heat. The heat generated could damage the anchor or even render it useless. If it is close enough to the boat then it may damage the structure of the boat as well. Despite the possible problems that could rise to the surface, the Inflate-a-Weight could be quite convenient and cost effective for sailors. The float would be convenient and quick as opposed to the longer amounts of time it usually takes to haul an anchor from the bottom. Windlasses on smaller vessels are usually powered by electricity. If the Inflate-a-Weight anchor were used instead, then more power could be used for radios, navigation systems, or lights. The quick speed of the Inflate-a-Weight would also be useful for vessels in avoiding collisions. If a ship cannot stop in time to prevent a collision, then the anchored vessel could quickly raise their anchor and move out of the way. Small law enforcement craft and Coast Guard vessels would also find the anchor useful when trying to quickly raise their anchor in order to pursue suspects in boats or on small water craft like jet skis.

Sodium (Na) :: Science Chemistry

Sodium (Na) Sodium has an atomic number of 11 and a mass of about 23g. It is a silvery white-metallic element classified under the alkali metals. Sodium has been known since early times and was used by the people of Mesopotamia and Egypt to make glasses. Sodium is the sixth most common element found on the earth. It is usually not found in nature but more often in compounds such as salt (NaCl). Sodium conducts heat and electricity easily. Without this element life could not exist. Each compound is used for a certain reason. About 2.8 percent of the earth's crust contains this element making it the sixth most common in the earth's crust. Sodium is found in compounds among dry lake beds, underground, and as well as in seawater in such places as: Belarus, China, France, Germany, India, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States. Sodium is an extremely chemically active element. If combined with water it tends to react vigorously. For example . Since, sodium is such a dangerous element it has to be handled with care and stored airtight meaning without oxygen. Sodium was first extracted into pure form in 1807 by an English chemist known as Sir Humphry Davy. He used the process of electrolysis where an electrical current is passed through a molten sodium compound such as sodium chloride, sodium was first extracted into its pure form. Many manufacturers today still use electricity to obtain sodium. Sodium is still highly manufactured for many industrial and commercial uses. Sodium has commercial us es as well as industrial uses. From soaps to fertilizers, sodium is used to make water softeners, textiles, and is used as well as to relieve stomach acid, sodium bicarbonate: a white crystalline weakly alkaline salt NaHCO 3 used especially in baking 1 powders, fire extinguishers, and medicine. (Definition from Structure and Matter, Glossary) Photographers use sodium thiosulphate: a hygroscopic crystalline salt Na 2 S 2 O 3 used especially as a fixing agent (Definition from Structure and Matter, Glossary)and a reducing or bleaching agent to fix photographic images on paper. Sodium in its pure form also has industrial uses such as in catalyst which help in making synthetic rubber. Sodium is combined with other metals to produce titanium zirconium and many other chemicals. It is used in the manufacture of tetraethyl lead and some power plants even use it in liquid form to cool nuclear reactors.

Everything is an Argument

Who commissioned the poll? B. Who is publishing the results? C. Who was being surveyed? In what proportions? D. What stakes do these parties have in the outcome? Results can vary depending on how the question is asked d) Testimonies, Narratives, and Interviews- Personal experiences Very convincing when used carefully Most effective when person has some credibility a. Example: I. Interviews with eye witnesses ii. Evaluations Of an person or event (be careful Of subjectivity) Ill. Artistic Appeals I.Using Reason and Common Sense a) Logic- formal study of principle of reasoning Syllogisms- method of deductive reasoning assuming a major principle applies to all minor cases, errors occur when middle term is unrelated to topic in discussion a. Ex. All human beings are mortal. Socrates is a human being. Therefore, Socrates is mortal. B) Most people effectively use informal logic, stating claims and drawing conclusions, consciously or subconsciously c) Entitlement = claim + reason Condensed arguments, rely on implied informationPersuasive when readers agree with ideas on which they are based a. Ex. The presentation will be postponed because there is a surprise guest- speaker. Ii. Cultural Assumptions and Values- many arguments based on culture and history a) Because of its history, the United States bases many arguments on equity and fairness Enthronements on these principles need less formal support b) Even when citing cultural values, be careful Values open to interpretation iii. Providing Logical Structures for Argument a) Degree- More of a good thing, or less off bad thing, is good Common, rarely noticed a.Ex. The health benefits of stem cell research will surely outweigh the ethical risks b) Analogies- Explaining an idea by comparing it to something else More complex and symbolic than metaphors and similes a. Ex. Comparison between human society and animal behaviors c) Precedent- Also involves comparison, doing something in a situation because it was done in a sim ilar situation Using what has been done in the past as a model for what to do now a. A national bank saved the economy in the past, so we should establish one now.Summary: Argue meets based on logos use logic, reasoning, and evidence to make their point. Inartistic arguments, arguments based on facts, evidence, statistics, or testimonies, are set up as statement (or claim) then proof (or evidence). Artistic arguments are founded on logic and reasoning and are structured as Enthronements. Enthronements use the basic formatting of claim then reasoning. The reasoning itself can be introduced as a degree, an analogy, or a precedent. Overall, using logos adds truth and hard logic to arguments, which can be very persuasive if used properly.

“How does Alice Walker’s stories represents heritage conflict in the 1970s?

Alice Walker is a contemporary Afro-American writer who is renowned for her feminist beliefs and the way in which she reflects her views of the heritage of black American women in her prose and stories. This essay explores two of Walker’s works, Roselily and Everyday Use, both of which appeared in Walker’s collection of short stories entitled, In Love and Trouble in 1973. The paper examines the way in which the heritage conflict of the 1970s is represented and symbolized in both of these stories.Alice Walker’s short story Everyday Use, appeared in her. The story was predominantly concerned with the concept of heritage and addresses the way in which traditional values, culture and beliefs can be lost as a result of the pressure or desire to fit into other cultures and belief systems. Within the story conflicting views of the importance of heritage are presented through the characters of the prose and the way in which they interact with the everyday items of their home.In Roselily the theme of heritage is perhaps a little more subtle, with the story containing other, more prominent themes such as isolation and loneliness, male domination and inner turmoil. This story tells the tale of Roselily, an African America woman who is to marry a Muslim man and centers around her thoughts and feelings as the wedding takes place. In Everyday Use, the story is told through the eyes of Mama and key messages and statements are made through the representation of her two daughters, Dee and Maggie.Whereas Mama represents a solid, cautious and thoughtful character, Dee is portrayed as frivolous and superficial, someone who is unable to look beyond the surface of the world in which she lives. Her actions and behavior have a profound effect on her sister who appears to walk in Dee’s shadow feeling ugly and worthless. The main characters of Roselily and, as with Mama in Everyday Things, everything is told from her perspective.Whilst the man to whom she wil l marry is mentioned, he is never named, his presence in the story is there to represent a new life for Roselily, away from her past and her freedom: â€Å"She thinks of ropes, chains, handcuffs, his religion† (Walker, 1). In both pieces of writing the views of the individual characters are utilized to ensure that the importance of the heritage of Afro-Americans is not only recognized but that it is understood in the correct way. In Everyday Things the story is structured around the way in which each of the three characters views their heritage.Dee, successful and intelligent, feels the need to be progressive and modern and expresses embarrassment of her past. She feels that anything that occurred in her past is irrelevant to her current and future life and appears to pick and choose the elements of her background with which she wishes to affinitize herself with. Her African background, for example, exists to her as something through which she can achieve aesthetic or artisti c objectives. An example of this can be seen in the way she changes her name from what she believes to be an American name, Dee, to Wangero Leewamika Kemanjo.Although here her intentions are to try and associate herself with her tradition and background there is an irony to her rejection of the name Dee that, in itself, was more closely aligned with her African roots than she recognized. Further evidence of Dee’s superficial embracement of her African culture can be seen within her appearance and the way in which she attempts to affiliate herself with her African background and make a statement about the culture from whence she originated: â€Å"A dress down to the ground, yellows and oranges enough to throw back the light of the sun.Earrings gold, too. Bracelets dangling and making noises. † (183, Walker). Dee is represented very differently from her sister and her mother and it is clear that their unique perceptions are purposely used by Alice Walker to represent con flicting views of heritage. This is played out through their relationship with the various items that are present in the family home. Whilst not of any financial value, the value that each of the characters places upon them is of significance. The quilts can be used as an example of this.Despite the fact that they have no monetary value to speak of, each daughter would like to have them. Dee sees them as something that she can display in her city residence. They act as a mechanism through which she hopes she can show off her African background to her family and friends. For Maggie, they are everyday objects that she needs to use to survive whilst living in her current circumstances: â€Å"there are no real windows, just some hole cut in the side with rawhide holding the shutters up on the outside† (Walker, 90). Despite their tatty appearance, the quilts are still of use to her in keeping her warm.Mama sees even further into the quilts, for her they represent her past and hold valuable memories of her family: â€Å"In both of them were scraps of dresses Grandma Dee had worn fifty and more years ago. Bits and pieces of Grandpa Jarrell’s Paisley shirts. And one teeny faded blue piece, about the size of a penny matchbox, that was from Great Grandpa Ezra’s uniform that he wore during the Civil War’ (Walker, 93). The quilts represent the history and heritage of the family and the struggles they have endured and overcome in order to survive in their current state.However, through the actions of Mama when she gives the quilts to Maggie, Alice Walker demonstrates her belief that heritage isn’t something to preserved and worshiped as something of the past. It is a living, breathing element of life as it continues to develop and flourish; not in Africa but in present day USA. In Roselily, the writing is structured entirely around the thoughts of the protagonist and she goes through the wedding ceremony. She is looking to her heritage, and her past, in order to make sense of her present and what may become of her in the future.Although the wedding and accompanying issues pertaining to women and their relationship with men takes forefront, the story also contains strong messages about the history and heritage of afro-American women. The story takes place at a time where the rights of blacks and whites in America were considered to be equal. Walker, however, does not seem to be in agreement with this and Roselily’s thoughts and stories clearly depict the lives of black women as being slaves to both men and to the system.For Roselily this is captured by her arduous work in the sewing factory and the many unsuccessful relationships she has had. Despite the civil rights movement she remains a substandard citizen, there appears to be no equality for African-American women. Whilst Roselily yearns for something better for herself and her children, she does not know how this can be achieved, â€Å"Her place will be in the home he has said, repeatedly, promising her rest she had prayed for. But now she wonders. When she is rested, what will she do? † (Walker, 1). Her situation can be seen to be reflective of the turmoil of her ancestor’s past.Her recognition that she needs more but her inability to recognize how she can achieve this is reminiscent of the black civil rights movements and the plight of the black people in their inability to recognize how they have a presence in America whilst maintaining their history and who they were. Whilst the men of this society seem to have achieved their objective of freedom and rights, the women are still struggling and fighting wars of their own. Both Roselily and Everyday Uses can be seen as representative of Alice Walker’s view of what it is to be an African-American.She believes that to be such to be to be both African and American: â€Å"to deny the American side of one’s heritage is disrespectful of one’s ancestor s and, consequently, harmful to one’s self†. (White, 2001). In Everyday Uses Dee sees her African background as something that can make her American self more interesting and appealing to her peers and friends. Her sister, on the other hand, is concentrated on the here and now. She can recognize all too well the struggles of the past and wants to utilize as something she can build upon in order to survive the future.In Roselily the negative impact of the consolidation of Africa and American traditions upon African American women is represented and is more vividly portrayed. Roselily is a women whose past means that she is unable to see a future for herself that doesn’t depend upon the economic support of a man. The fact that the man to whom she is married remains unnamed throughout the story clearly reflects Alice Walker’s concerns lie firmly with women. References: Walker, Alice. In Love & Trouble: Stories of Black Women. New York: Harvest Books, 2003. Wh ite, David. â€Å"White.Aâ€Å"Everyday UseA†: Defining African-American Heritage.. † Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature. 3 Apr. 2009 . White, Evelyn C.. Alice Walker: A Life. New York: W. W. Norton, 2005. Wood, Kerry Michael. â€Å"Literary analysis: African-American women and heritage in Everyday Use, by Alice Walker – by Kerry Michael Wood – Helium. † Helium – Where Knowledge Rules. 3 Apr. 2009 .

Punks Evolution essays

Punk's Evolution essays "Punk is: a movement that serves to refute social attitudes that have been perpetuated through willful ignorance of human nature," at least according to Greg Graffin, a man who has a PhD and is also the lead singer of the punk band Bad Religion. This idea of social change in music is not new, by any means. People such as Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and many others had written songs of political injustice and the need for social change for a long time before punks were around. What made this different was the aggressiveness that they attacked these subjects with, a desperate, youthful, anarchic view that wanted change and they wanted it now. The Past 30 years have seen Punk music evolve with several punk revolutions in between. While Punk music is still thriving today for the most part the Punk ideology is dead. The initial idea that Punk could inspire social change through opposing mainstream methods failed due to the mainstreams acceptance and exploitation of the punk lifestyle. No one is quite sure who started punk first. Many would argue that it was the Ramones in New York with the CBGB club, while others would say it was the Clash and the Sex Pistols in England. However there is no controversy over when the movement began in the mid 1970s. Punk was a unique phenomenon, it was music that started in the underground to try and change mainstream societal problems. Punk was a stance against consumerism, racism, prejudice or any other negative ill that was seen in the mainstream. At this time punk was its most raw and shocking and was best described as youth angst against mainstream society. More than anything punks strived very hard to be individuals. They were not Hippies preaching peace and love and they were definitely not practicing mainstream American values. Punks wanted to tear down the barriers in society, cause anarchy and ultimately force society to change. But most of all Punks wanted to achieve this cha...

21st Century Learning and Teaching Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

21st Century Learning and Teaching - Assignment Example According to Groff (2013), the role of infusing education technology in the learning process is to create the desired school change that is responsive to the social, economic, and cultural changes affecting the learners. The researcher considers integrating this educational change in school system change through game-based learning. The main problem tackled by the author is the internationalization of education and its dependence on technology for lesson transmission. It is concluded tht barriers to lesson transmission should be used as opportunities to â€Å"engage your learners on the journey of created digital, technology-rich learning environments† (p.25). In the second article Children learning to use technologies through play: A Digital Play Framework (Bird & Edwards, 2014), gives a framework for understanding the manner in which pedagogy is conducted using game-based learning technologies. The emphasis of the research is the need to understand the use of technologies in play by children during lessons. The article looks beyond how children learn to use technologies and captures the how children play with technologies. Given the limitations in the study group, the research used a focus group approach to gather information on how children use game-based learning to explore, solve problems, acquire skills, and participate in symbolic and innovative activities. From the research findings, it is concluded that Play-based learning is an important inclusion early childhood education. Both articles acknowledge the value of game-based learning using lessons supported by technology. The value of lesson transmission forms an important part of the learning and teaching efficacy as shown in both articles. Prensky (n.d) pointed out that â€Å"play is our brain’s favorite way of learning† (p.1). With this premise, it is postulated that the importance of game-based learning is in response to the radical changes through which learners have undergone in

Louis Kahn, Salk Institute, La Jolla, California, 1959-1965 Assignment

Louis Kahn, Salk Institute, La Jolla, California, 1959-1965 - Assignment Example The Salk compound is at the centre of the large courtyard that has identical concrete rows of laboratory space and offices. At the end of the courtyard is a magnificent view of the Pacific, coupled with the soothing fountain sounds. Designed by Louis Khan, the courtyard is the main highlight of the site. The courtyard is inspired by Louis Barragan, a Mexican architect. Khan had initially planned to have plants and trees at the courtyard but was advised by Barragan against that decision (Treib). It enabled Khan to come up with a stone plaza that created an open feeling with the large sky; it also had a water feature (Anderson). Originally, the buildings were built by different cement mixtures with various colors; this is evident in the basement of the complex. Khan introduced wood to compliment with the cement. Inside, the buildings have no walls; this is a promotion of collaboration. The basement has one floor with another two floors existing above it, on both sides (Anderson).Lighting fixtures in the form of easy slide rails have also been used to promote collaboration. Roman techniques are evident in the architecture as the concrete was created from volcanic ash to create a pinkish glow. Each laboratory block consists of five study towers each containing offices, but those at the entrances consists of only two study towers. The diagonal walls enable each of the thirty-six scientists in the studies to have a view of the Pacific. The original design of this complex had conference buildings and living quarters but were never