Short story Essay Example for Free

Short story Essay This short story was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1891, in the Victorian period. The two main characters of this story are Sherlock Holmes, a private detective who can solve any case however difficult it is and Dr. Watson, a medical surgeon who served in the 5th regiment of Northumberland Fusiliers and moved to the Second Anglo-Afghan War where he was wounded and after that, sent back to London, now helps Sherlock Holmes to solve their cases. These characters are very different; they have nothing in common, for example: while Sherlock is a great observer, Dr. Watson is terrible at this. 1. Main body of essay. 2.1 Sherlock Holmes. 2. 1. 1 Physical appearance. Sherlock is thin, tall, has a thin nose, deep eyes and long nervous hands 2. 1. 2 Psychological Character and behavior: Sherlock is observant, cold minded , precise, and has a balanced mind, he is also a great observer. 2. 2 Dr. Watson. 2. 2. 1 Physical appearance 2. 2. 2 Psychological Character and behavior Dr. Watson is all the opposite of Sherlock, he is an ordinary man, who lacking in Holmess insight but also he profoundly admires Holmes. The relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. This short story was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1891, in the Victorian period. The two main characters of this story are Sherlock Holmes, a private detective who can solve any case however difficult it is and Dr. Watson, a medical surgeon who served in the 5th regiment of Northumberland Fusiliers and moved to the Second Anglo-Afghan War where he was wounded and after that, sent back to London, now helps Sherlock Holmes to solve their cases. These characters are very different; they have nothing in common, for example: while Sherlock is a great observer, Dr. Watson is terrible at this. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson have been seen as the ultimate partners for as long as they have been in print. Watson ends up marrying Mary and establishing a firm medical practice. After this, he stays away from Holmes for a long time. One day he decided to go to his old house in Baker Street, then he saw Sherlock through the window and rang the bell, it was the first time that they met since the marriage. The moment was like they never been apart, Sherlock acted normally and impress Watson once again with his deductions. After a few minutes Watson decided to go but something strange happened, Sherlock said with a different words that he needs Watson; this are the words: Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity to miss it. Dr. Samuel Johnson was a famous English essayist and scholar, and James Boswell was his admirer and companion, just as Dr. Watson was Holmess admiring companion. Furthermore, Boswell kept a diary and wrote all about Dr. Johnson, just as Watson wrote about Holmess adventures. They need each other. Their relationship is far deeper than anything that meets the eye; they mean more to each other than just a business partner or friend. Some have seen their relationship as anything from that of best friends No matter what Watson and Holmes mean to each other, both men seem to follow certain trends throughout the story: Watson will always be inferior to Holmes. He is not a good observer, according to Sherlock, Watson sees but does not observe. Through conversation and description of each other, both men continue to follow this trend. Even though sometimes Watson strays to make a comment or two about Holmes and his laziness or what not, he always comes back to praise him again. He profoundly admires Holmes.

An Analysis of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

An Analysis of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was born in London in 1797 to radical philosopher, William Godwin, and Mary Wollstonecraft, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Wollstonecraft died 11 days after giving birth, and young Mary was educated in the intellectual circles of her fathers contemporaries. In 1814, at the age of seventeen, Mary met and fell in love with poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley. She ran away with him to France and they were married in 1816 after Shelleys wife committed suicide. Percy Shelley was a prominent poet of the Romantic Movement along with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth, and Shelleys friend, Lord Byron. As his wife and companion, Mary Shelley was exposed to the same influences as her husband, and this Romanticism influenced her work. Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein after Byron introduced a challenge to discern whom among the three writers Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley, and Byron himself could write the best ghost story. The tumultuous French Revolution, which began before her birth, but had far-reaching echoes in society and literature, as well as the Industrial Revolution of England in the 18th Century, were influences on Mary Shelleys life and work. The mass production and dehumanization of the Industrial Revolution posed a threat to the Romantic ideals of the importance of the individual, the beauty of nature, and the emotional and free spirit. Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, can be seen as a protest against this scientific revolution. Scientific progress was a large part of this century of discovery. Darwin, a leading scientific figure with his theories of evolution, was a personal friend of Shelleys husband, so science was not an ignored topic in her life. Advances in medicine and the need for cadavers also figured into the time in which Mary Shelley lived. At this time in London grave robbing was a common occurrence because men dubbed the resurrection men would sell the stolen bodies to teaching hospitals so that medical students could dissect and study them. This knowledge makes the idea of Victor Frankenstein  scavenging graveyards for parts seem less shocking. Frankenstein addresses common Romantic themes of isolation and the beauty of nature, but it also deals with loss, which Mary Shelley knew a great deal about. Growing up motherless, Mary also lost her sister to suicide, as well as losing three of her own children to miscarriage and early childhood deaths. In 1822 her husband drowned in the Gulf of Spezzia, and she was left, twenty-five years old, with only one remaining son. She remained unmarried and died in London in 1851. Although she wrote several other books, including Valperga (1823), The Last Man (1826), Lodore (1835), and Falkner (1837), Frankenstein is her most well known work. The critics greeted Mary Shelleys novel with a combination of praise and disdain (Moss and Wilson). The unorthodox studies of Frankenstein were shocking to critics, but despite the critical attacks, Frankenstein caused a literary sensation in London. The novel fit smoothly into the popular gothic genre (Moss and Wilson). But more than just a popular culture novel, Frankenstein has lasted over time. The novel became one of the triumphs of the Romantic movement due to its themes of alienation and isolation and its warning about the destructive power that can result when human creativity is unfettered by moral and social concerns (Moss and Wilson) Mary Wolstonecraft Shelley PLOT Frankenstein, set in Europe in the 1790s, begins with the letters of Captain Robert Walton to his sister. These letters form the framework for the story in which Walton tells his sister the story of Victor Frankenstein and his monster as Frankenstein told it to him. Walton set out to explore the North Pole. The ship got trapped in frozen water and the crew, watching around them, saw a giant man in the distance on a dogsled. Hours later they found Frankenstein and his dogsled near the  ship, so they brought the sick man aboard. As he recovered, Frankenstein told Walton his story so that Walton would learn the price of pursuing glory at any cost. Frankenstein grew up in a perfectly loving and gentle Swiss family with an especially close tie to his adopted cousin, Elizabeth, and his dear friend Henry Clerval. As a young boy, Frankenstein became obsessed with studying outdated theories about what gives humans their life spark. In college at Ingolstadt, he created his own perfect human from scavenged body parts, but once it lived, the creature was hideous. Frankenstein was disgusted by its ugliness, so he ran away from it. Henry Clerval came to Ingolstadt to study with Frankenstein, but ended up nursing him after his exhausting and secret efforts to create a perfect human life. While Frankenstein recovered from his illness over many months and then studied languages with Clerval at the college, the monster wandered around looking for friendship. After several harsh encounters with humans, the monster became afraid of them and spent a long time living near a cottage and observing the family who lived there. Through these observations he became educated and realized that he was very different from the humans he watched. Out of loneliness, the monster sought the friendship of this family, but they were afraid of him, and this rejection made him seek vengeance against his creator. He went to Geneva and met a little boy in the woods. The monster hoped to kidnap him and keep him as a companion, but the boy was Frankensteins younger brother, so the monster killed him to get back at his creator. Then the monster planted the necklace he removed from the childs body on a beautiful girl who was later executed for the crime. When Frankenstein learned of his brothers death, he went back to Geneva to be with his family. In the woods where his young brother was murdered, Frankenstein saw the monster and knew that he was Williams murderer. Frankenstein was ravaged by his grief and guilt for creating the monster who wreaked so much destruction, and he went into the mountains alone to find peace. Instead of peace, Frankenstein was approached by the monster who then demanded that he create a female monster to be the monsters companion.  Frankenstein, fearing for his family, agreed to and went to England to do his work. Clerval accompanied Frankenstein, but they separated in Scotland and Frankenstein began his work. When he was almost finished, he changed his mind because he didnt want to be responsible for the carnage another monster could create, so he destroyed the project. The monster vowed revenge on Frankensteins upcoming wedding night. Before Frankenstein could return home, the monster murdered Clerval. Once home, Frankenstein married his cousin Elizabeth right away and prepared for his death, but the monster killed Elizabeth instead and the grief of her death killed Frankensteins father. After that, Frankenstein vowed to pursue the monster and destroy him. Thats how Frankenstein ended up near the North Pole where Waltons ship was trapped. A few days after Frankenstein finished his story, Walton and his crew decided to turn back and go home. Before they left, Frankenstein died and the monster appeared in his room. Walton heard the monsters explanation for his vengeance as well as his remorse before he left the ship and traveled toward the Pole to destroy himself so that none would ever know of his existence. CHARACTERS Major Characters Robert Walton: Indirect narrator of the story, he tells Victor Frankensteins story through letters to his sister, Margaret Saville. Walton is a self-educated man who set out to reach and explore the North Pole and find an Arctic passage to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. While his ship is locked in ice, his crew sees Frankensteins monster pass by on a dog sled and Frankenstein himself, exhausted and weakened, not far behind. They take Frankenstein aboard and Walton nurses him and talks with him because he has been longing for a friend. In seeing Waltons raw ambition to explore the North Pole at all costs, Frankenstein is prompted to tell the story of his destruction that a similar ambition brought upon him. After Frankensteins death and just before the ship heads back to England, Walton is also the last to see the monster before he goes north to kill himself. Victor Frankenstein: Frankenstein is the eldest son of a wealthy, Genevese man, Alphonse, and his young wife, Caroline. Victor grows up in the perfect family with a happy childhood and a constant and devoted companion in his adopted cousin, Elizabeth. He is sensitive, intelligent, and passionate about his interests and becomes absorbed in the quest to find out what creates life. While away at college in Ingolstadt, Victor creates a being from scavenged corpse parts and gives it life, but is repulsed by its hideousness once it lives. The monster, in retaliation for Victors negligence, destroys his life by killing off those Victor loves. Victor chases him to the far reaches of the Arctic planning to destroy him and then die to escape his misery and remorse at his creation, but he dies aboard Waltons ship before he can catch the monster. The Monster: Created by Victor Frankenstein in Ingolstadt, the monster is a conglomeration of human parts with inhuman strength. He is so hideous that Victor, his own creator, cannot stand to look upon him. He is loving and gentle at the beginning of his life, childlike in his curiosity and experiences, but after several harsh encounters with humans, he becomes bitter. He seeks revenge on his creator for making him so hideous and rendering him permanently lonely because of his ugliness. He offers Frankenstein peace in exchange for a companion of like origin, but when Frankenstein does not comply, he vows to destroy him and begins killing off Frankensteins friends and family those figures he most envies because he does not have them. After finding Frankenstein dead aboard Waltons ship, the monster goes further north with plans to destroy himself and end the suffering that Frankenstein began when he created him. Elizabeth Lavenza: Adopted cousin of Victor Frankenstein. Elizabeth was a beautiful orphan being raised by an Italian peasant family when Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein adopted her. She became Victors constant companion and he watched over her as if she were his own possession from their meeting when he was 5 years old. Her beauty and kindness made her adored almost reverently by all who knew her, and it was taken for granted that she and Victor would marry. She is the gentling influence and the comforter for the  males of the Frankenstein family when Caroline dies, and her beauty and goodness are constant throughout her life. She and Victor are married, but on their wedding night, the monster strangles Elizabeth to punish Victor for not creating for him a companion creature. Henry Clerval: Life-long friend of Victor Frankenstein, Henry was poetic, sensitive and caring, and their friendship was a strong one. When Victor was in Ingolstadt so long without sending word to his family, Henry relocated there to study and to look after Victor. Henry nursed him through a long period of illness before Victor returned to Geneva. Later they traveled together to England and Scotland, but while they were there, the monster strangled Henry to punish Victor. Victor was accused of the murder, but was acquitted. Justine Moritz: Servant in the Frankenstein household, Justine was another beautiful, gentle, and kind addition to the Frankenstein family whom Caroline took in to care for and educate. When Caroline got scarlet fever, Justine nursed her, and after Caroline died, Justine returned to her own mother. Her mother too became ill and died, so Justine returned to the Frankenstein home to help raise the two sons Caroline had left when she died. Justine was a grateful and faithful part of their household, but she was accused of 5-year-old William Frankensteins murder when a locket he had been wearing was found in her dress. Although she had been framed by the monster and was innocent, she was executed and Victor considered her death his fault because he created the monster who framed her. Alphonse Frankenstein: Victor Frankensteins father, Alphonse was a wealthy and benevolent man who loved his wife and his children very dearly. He rescued Caroline Beaufort, daughter of his close friend, from poverty after her fathers death. He was a doting husband and father bent by the grief of loss after loss until he dies from accumulated sorrow and shock. Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein: Wife of Alphonse and mother of Victor, Ernest, and William, Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein was the daughter of a once-wealthy friend of Alphonse. Planning to aid his friend, Alphonse found  his home and went there only to find Caroline weeping over his coffin. Alphonse took her into his home and married her two years later. They had a loving relationship and cared for their children very much. She was a good, beautiful, and gentle woman adored by all her family until she died from the scarlet fever she contracted nursing Elizabeth back to health. Minor Characters Mrs. Margaret Saville: Sister of Robert Walton, ship captain, Mrs. Saville is significant only because she is the recipient of the letters describing Frankensteins story. Walton writes to her of the progress of his journey and his acquaintance with Frankenstein. Beaufort: Friend of Alphonse Frankenstein and Carolines father, Beaufort lost his wealth and relocated to escape the humiliation of his poverty. Caroline nursed him as his health declined and was weeping over his coffin when Alphonse found her and took her back to Geneva. M. Waldman: Chemistry professor at Ingolstadt. His lectures revive Victors interest in discovering the spark of life and creation. Ernest Frankenstein: Victors brother. Ernest is 7 years younger than Victor and is only mentioned a few times, the longest reference in a letter to Victor from Elizabeth. She mentions that Ernest wants to join the Swiss military. William Frankenstein: Victors youngest brother, William is sweet, happy, greatly adored by his family. William is strangled in the woods while the family was out for a walk. His is the first of the monsters victims, and Justine is framed for the murder. De Lacey Family: Felix, Agatha, and their blind father. This is the family of cottagers near where the monster lives. They are French exiles living in Germany because Felix helped an unjustly imprisoned Turk escape. He watches them and over time learns to speak and read from observing them. The monster  becomes attached to them and chops wood for them as well as other small services without revealing himself to them. He craves their acceptance and affection and educates himself further to win them over. When he seeks their affection, however, they are afraid of him and their scorn sends him away. This rejection sends him on a quest to find Victor, his creator, and seek vengeance. Muhammadan: Turk Felix aided and for whom the De Lacey family was exiled to Germany. Muhammadan was unjustly condemned for reasons of religion and wealth, and Felix helped him escape, falling in love with Muhammadans daughter, Safie, along the way. Muhammadan promises to allow them to marry, but plans secretly to take Safie back to Turkey with him. Safie: Daughter of Muhammadan and Arabian Christian woman. Safie falls in love with Felix and doesnt want to return to the oppressive country of her birth. When her father leaves for Turkey with the expectation that she will follow soon after with all of his possessions, she seeks out Felix and lives with him and his family in Germany. M. Kirwin: Irish magistrate who cares for Victor when he falls ill after being accused of Henrys murder. Kirwin is sympathetic and believes Victor is innocent, so he has a doctor care for Victor while he is imprisoned and also sends for Alphonse. SETTINGS Geneva: Geneva, Switzerland. Home of the Frankenstein family where Victor grew up and to which he returned after college and the creation of the monster. The murders of William and Justine were located in the area around Geneva. Ingolstadt: Ingolstadt, Germany. Victor went to college in Ingolstadt and created the monster in his laboratory there. This was the city of the monsters awakening. Mont Blanc: A mountain near Geneva. This mountain is referred to again and again in descriptions of scenery throughout the novel. It carries weight as a mark of Romanticism because it is the subject of a famous poem by William Wordsworth, one of Mary Shelleys contemporaries. Orkney Islands: Orkney Islands, Scotland. Victor stays in a hut on one of the sparsely populated Orkney Islands to create a second creature to be a companion to the monster. North Pole: Destination of Robert Walton and his ship as well as the monster and Victor. Walton is bound for the North Pole to explore in the hopes of uncovering secrets of the earth and gaining glory for his discovery. Victor is following the monster to the North Pole to destroy him or die trying, and they meet while Waltons ship is trapped in ice. Walton and Victor never make it to the North Pole because Waltons men want to turn back for England and Victor dies. The monster, however, is last seen on his way to the furthest point north to destroy himself so that none will know of his hideous existence. Chamounix: Frankenstein traveled to Chamounix to escape his guilt and depression, but while he was in Chamounix, the monster approached him about creating a female monster companion for him. The monster lived in an ice cave not far from Chamounix. INTRODUCTION Mary Shelley was born in 1779 in London, England. At the age of sixteen, she met the famous British poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, whom she later married. The idea of a man who creates life-in the form of a horrible and grotesque monster-came to Mary in a vivid, waking dream. With her husbands encouragement, she used this idea as the basis for FRANKENSTEIN. It was written when she was only nineteen years old. After Percys death, May Shelley continued to write but produced nothing to equal the success of this classic tale of horror. THE HISTORY OF FRANKENSTEIN 1816: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly, daughter of one of the worlds first prominent feminists, writes the novel Frankenstein based n a waking dream. 1823: Richard Brinsley Peakes Presumption, or the Fate of Frankenstein, the first stage adaptation of the novel, is performed in London. 1887: The Vampires Victim, a musical comedy featuring Fred Leslie as the creature, is presented as a Christmas show and includes dancing bears, two vampires and a female Dr. Frankenstein. 1910: The first movie version of Frankenstein, a 16-minute dramatization, is produced by Thomas Edisons film company. It stars Charles Ogle as the monster. 1928: Hamilton Deane produces an adaptation of Frankenstein, which tours British provinces. Dean himself plays the creature. 1930: Frankenstein makes its West End premiere in London. 1931: 1957: A script written for a Broadway production is sued as the basis for the screenplay of the Universal Pictures film featuring Boris Karloff. Karloffs performance steals the film.Hammer films produces The Curse of Frankenstein, the first Frankenstein film in color. Unlike earlier versions, it portrayed Victor Frankenstein as the outright villain of the story. 1972: An illustrated version of the story published by Marvel Comics is the first to be told from the monsters point of view. The creature is portrayed as victim, not victimizer. 1973: A two-part television movie is produced and released as Frankenstein, the True Story in America and Dr. Frankenstein in the United Kingdom. In this story, Victor Frankenstein attempts to save a dying friend by replacing his brain in the reanimated body of a recently dead man. 1974: Young Frankenstein, written by and starring Gene Wilder, spoofs the Universal films of the 1930s with song and dance numbers. Its the only Frankenstein film with a happy ending. 1978: Berni Wrightson publishes a lavishly illustrated adaptation of Frankenstein that visually portrays the creature as originally described by Shelly. 1981: Elaborate effects cannot compensate for a bad script when an ill-conceived stage version of Frankenstein is mounted on Broadway. It starred John Carradine and closed after only one performance. 1994: The feminist undertones of the original novel are developed in Mary Shellys Frankenstein, a film starring Tom Hulce and Helena Bonham Carter.

Functionalist conflict and symbolic perspectives on education

Functionalist conflict and symbolic perspectives on education The basis of todays theoretical perspectives provides sociologists with a philosophical position for asking certain kinds of questions about society and the people that occupy it. The three primary perspectives are functionalist, conflict, and interactionist. These three theories are very relative to education and the whole learning process. These different perspectives allow sociologists the ability to explain how society influences people and their actions. Each perspective uniquely conceptualizes society, social forces, and human behavior. The functionalist perspective, also known as functionalism, states that each aspect of society is interdependent and contributes to societys functioning as a whole. The government, or state, provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running. The family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. With this being said, the children become law-abiding and taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. The parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. If something goes wrong, the parts of society then must adapt to recapture a new order, stability, and productivity. For example, the financial recession we are in right now, with the high rates of unemployment and inflation, social programs and their budgets are usually cut back because funding isnt available. Families end up having to cut back on their spending an d budget as well just to make ends meet. Functionalists believe that society is held together by social consensus and work together to achieve what is best for society as a whole. The functionalist perspective was popular during the 1940s and 1950s among American sociologist. American functionalists focused on discovering the functions of human behavior and European functionalists focused on explaining the inner workings of social order. Sociologist Robert Merton, who was born in 1910, divided human functions into two different types: manifest functions are those that are intentional and obvious and latent functions are those that are unintentional and not obvious. For example, my manifest function of attending my church is to worship, receive the word, and help children, but my latent function may be to help those children learn to discern religious and personal views. Manifest functions are apparent, while the latent functions have a more sociological approach. A sociological approach in functionalism is the consideration of the relationship between the functions of smaller parts and the functions of the whole. Functionalism has received criticism for neglecting the negative functions of something such as abuse. Critics claim that the perspective justifies the status quo and complacency on the part of societys members. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise. Karl Marxs writings on class struggles sparked the conflict perspective. The conflict perspective presents society in a different light than do the functionalist and symbolic interactionist perspectives. The conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. Unlike functionalists who defend the status quo, avoid social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order, conflict theorists challenge the status quo, encourage social change, and believe rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the less fortunate. American sociologists in the 1940s and 1950s generally ignored the conflict perspective in favor of the functionalist, the 1960s saw American sociologists gain interest in conflict theory. They also expanded Marxs idea that the key conflict in society was strictly economic. Today, conflict theorists find social conflict between any groups in which the potential for inequality exists such as race, gender, religion, political views, and economic stance, etc. Conflict theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. This constant competition between groups forms the basis for the ever-changing nature of society. Critics of the conflict perspective point out its negative view of society. The theory attributes humanitarian efforts, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive aspects of society to capitalistic designs to control the masses, not to inherent interests in preserving society and social order. The symbolic interactionist perspective, directs sociologists to consider the symbols and details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and how people interact with each other. Although symbolic interactionist perspective traces its origins to Max Webers assertion that individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world, the American philosopher George H. Mead (1863-1931) introduced this perspective to American sociology in the 1920s. According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, people attach meanings to symbols, and then they act according to their subjective interpretation of these symbols. Verbal conversations, in which spoken words serve as the predominant symbols, make this subjective interpretation very evident. The words have a certain meaning for the sender, and, during effective communication, they hopefully have the same meaning for the receiver. Words are not static things; they require intention and interpretation. Conversation is an interaction of symbols between individuals who constantly interpret the world around them. Of course, anything can serve as a symbol as long as it refers to something beyond itself. Written music serves as an example. The black dots and lines become more than just marks on the page; they refer to notes organized in such a way to make music. Symbolic interactionists give serious thought to how people act, and then seek to determine what meanings individuals assign to their own actions and symbols. Applying symbolic interactionist perspective to the American institution of marriage, symbols may include wedding bands, vows of life-long commitment, a white bridal dress, a wedding cake, a Church ceremony, and flowers and music. American society attaches general meanings to these symbols, but individuals also maintain their own perceptions of what these and other symbols mean. For example, one of the spouses may see their circular wedding rings as symbolizing everlasting love, while the other may see them as a financial expense. Critics claim that the symbolic interactionist perspective neglects the macro level of social interpretation or the big picture. In other words, symbolic interactionists may miss the larger issues of society by focusing too closely on the trees or the size of the diamond in the wedding ring rather than the forest or the quality of the marriage. The perspective also receives criticism for slighting the influence of social forces and institutions on individual interactions. All of these perspectives have valid points as well as constructive criticism that holds value. The one perspective that sticks out to me is the conflict perspective; to me this perspective is real. I think being able to identify the many things that are wrong with our society today, makes the blows less painful when something goes wrong. The conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. With this being said the conflict perspective can also be viewed in a positive light. Someone learning about this perspective their eyes could be opened up to many different issues that they might not necessarily experience.

Essay --

Joseph J. Ellis is a known historian of early American history, and an award-winning author. In 2001, he won the Pulitzer Prize in History for his book Founding Brothers. Ellis has authored several other history books about the Revolutionary generation, including: The Character and Legacy of John Adams; American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic; His Excellency: George Washington; and many more. Ellis earned his B.A. from the College of William and Mary in 1965. He then received a Master of Arts, a Master of Philosophy, and a PhD from Yale University. Ellis is also a regular contributor to several notable publications including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New Yorker. His Excellency: George Washington was published in 2004, Ellis intended to seek the major periods of Washington's life in order to offer a profile of the man "first in War, first in Peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Ellis sta tes that his goal in writing His Excellency was to not produce a work that examined not George Washington's life, but his personality and how his life shaped it. Ellis focuses on very specific questions here, namely how George Washington’s character influenced his public decisions, and how he came to be the symbol of not just American leadership but, earlier, of the entire Revolutionary cause. He traces Washington's life from his youthful, energetic, impulsive military decisions and a string of near-catastrophic mistakes, to his later, steady leadership of the fledgling American republic. Ellis demonstrates the parts of Washington's character such as his ability to turn down offered powers, which then he turns into not just his own personal success bu... ...uccessful in his initial strategy for the War of Independence, losing almost every engagement fought against the British and their Prussian allies. He serves throughout the entire war unharmed by bullet, blade, or bomb, seemingly lucky or perhaps protected by divine providence. The colonists are joined by France and win a critical battle at Saratoga, New York. Overall 8 long years would pass and the Continental Army would suffer from disease (smallpox), lack of supplies, low morale, and no pay before finally striking the winning blow at Yorktown, Virginia against General Cornwallis. Washington, weary and much aged from the years of battles and deprivation, he then â€Å"retired† to his landholdings and slave labor estates. Despite his previous withdrawal from public life Washington accepts the Presidency when elected and cements his legacy as the â€Å"father of our country.†

TIME :: essays research papers

T I M E â€Å"Time, what time is it? Is it time for class already? No, we still have some time.† It is time that we have totally forgotten about, and have taken it for granted for so long. But does time really exist? Does the 24 Hours of the day mean anything? Or does 12 months? Time means different things to different people. According to â€Å"COLLINS COBUILD Learner’s Dictionary† ( ©HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.1996) time is defined as ‘the measurement we measure in minutes, hours, days, and years.’ Seems rediculously simple, but does it have more to it? ‘Time’ actually have a more scientific meaning, which will later be explained. The basic definition of time comes down to â€Å"1. What we measure in minutes, hours, days and years. 2. Time is what we use to specify a certain point in the day or refer to the period which something has been happenining.† (Stephen Bullon – TIME – Collins Cobuild Learner’s Dictionary – 1999 – Pg 1155) From that definition, how long is a day? It is the amount of time taken for the earth to rotate its axis once, containing two 12hour periods. Telling the difference between the two periods, the notations AM and PM are used (Ante and Post Meridiem). We cannot literally see or tuch time, but time seems to be all around us, from waking up with an alarm clock to watching your dinner eaten away. However, reversing this process can be another concept that raises many questions. As we all are living, we are also time travellers, since time goes by as we live our lives day by day. But since this topic seems to capture our vivid imaginations, it has also become the origin of many science fiction books, movies and even cartoons. The idea of time has been thought of for so long yet, but he first evidence of the existence of time appeared in Homer’s Iliad. In this historical Greek epic, Homer stated â€Å"Now Dawn the saffron-robed was spreading over the face of all the earth.† Homer mentioned the start of a new day allowing us to know that the idea of time has been around even before 700BC. In early years, people used to record the beginnings and ends of seasons and noticing that they do come in cycles. With the advancement of astronomy, Ancient Greek started to utilize heavens and stars for designing calendars.

Extraterrestrial Visitation - The Truth is Out There :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Extraterrestrial Visitation - The Truth is Out There Look up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's...a UFO?! For many years, the question of extraterrestrial visitation is one that has puzzled everyone from the media crazed public to the most ingenious scientists. An excerpt from the 1996 summer's sci-fi thriller, Independence Day , reflects how some of the public feel about the validity behind extraterrestrial visitation: PRESIDENT. Sir, regardless of what you might have read in the tabloids there have never been any spacecrafts recovered by your government. Take my word for it. There is no Area 51. There is no recovered spaceship. AIDE. Uhh... Mr. President... That's not entirely correct... Maybe aliens have visited us in the past. But if so, it has only been on the big screen. Though many avow that they have come in contact with alien visitors, these sightings have been like a cocktail; a mixture of hoaxes, hallucinations, misinterpretations of natural phenomenon, and paranoid imagination. In fact, the probability of intelligent life outside of our planet is almost nil. Reports of extraterrestrial visitation have never been scientifically confirmed. Because the alien topic has been exploited for all it's worth by the market, the argument for the existence of extraterrestrial visitation seems watered down. But still, many people have seriously defended the existence of UFOs through the decades. Some claim they have caught a glimpse of them. Others say the government is covering up information about aliens they have discovered. Still others go as far as to say they were abducted. However, one thing is a non-variable: the firmness of their belief. Many are enthusiastic, almost obsessed, about their interest. Some wander about in search of UFOs, while others lead normal lives. They say that they know what they saw. The pro-UFO argument has always been one that was suspicious and inconsistent. In spite of this disorganization, the theory, like even the most separated arguments, has common threads that links everything together. The first thread is that, intelligent extraterrestrial life exists and their technology is far more advanced than our own. The second thread is that the government has supposedly found alien spacecrafts and alien bodies, and they are covering up the story by keeping critical information from us. Believers seem to think the rest of the world is hostile to this idea because others are not open-minded enough to see the truth.

Research about smoking habit Essay

Smoking is associaated with an increased overall mortality. It was recognized early in the area of indutrilized cigaratte production and mass use. Smokers will often says that they are not addicted to cigarrate. They thinl of smoking habit , which they can control and contai and would be able to stop at any time. The definition of smoking is the way , the act of smoking tobacco or other subtances. According to history of smokers , tobacco or scientifically call necotine is a herbal plant .The herbal plant is about 1.8 meters high . it has big leaf about 30 centimeters . The reason why , smoking is addictive becouse of it contain nicotine , a subtances that given to monkeys ,rats, dogs will precipitate chemical dependency . Cigarrattes firsts produced by Julep Cigarattes , and marketed by the Julep Cigarattes Company of Boston and Hahira about 1935 , then later by Pen Tobacco Company and finally atound !958 By Brown and Williamson . A commercial cigarattes manufacturing plant was built in Harira, Georgia in 1962 . When the factory first opened , it manufactured ‘’ Osteen ‘’ cigarattes until the depression hit in 1929. After the few years , the factory closed and all cigarattes making equipment was removed . Smoking accounts for one out of every five death in Malaysia . It is the most important modifiable cause of premature death , responsible annually for an estimated 120 000 years of potential life lost. About 10 000 Malaysians die each year becouse of smoking ( Tobacca 2003 ). According to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , there are about4.9 millions tobacco related deaths each year . This fegure makes tobacco use the leading cause of preentable death in the world . From 4.9 millions tobacco relateds death , 1.1 millions accur in the south east asia region , which is the largest producer of tobacco and tobacco products . The biggest increase in desease are in India . In the western Pacific Region, 62 percent of men and six percent of women smoking , leaving hte majority of non smokers exposed to second hand smoke ( WHO/WPRO , 2004 ) . The biggest Increse in tobacco related disease are expected in China , where an estimated two to three millions death will accur by 2020 ( WHO/WPRO , 2004 ). The Easten Madeteranian Region ( EMRO ) is not far from the current trends in China . Egypt has a rise in all tobacco related cancer including lung cancer which contributes over 90 percent of all death . Cigarretes smoking is a risk factor for stroke death . It is well known that cegirattes smoking is associated with an incresed risk of cardiovascular disease . manyepidemiological studies in Western populitions have identified smoking as an independent risk factor for stroke and this association has olso been found . However , epidemiological data regarding the relationship between smoking and stroke in Japanese people living in Japan remain inconclusive . In contrast , however , tobacco consumption in recent years been rising in developing contries including Malaysia . The prevalance of smoking among Malaysians adult aged 15 years and above had increased from 21 percent in 1985 to 31 percent in 2000 .Some 49 percent are all adult males and 5 percent of all adult females are now current smokers . 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT People are becoming much more sensetive to the smoking issues . In Malaysia , these are about 5 million smokers consuming an average of 14 cigarattes per day ( tobacco 2003 ) . Unfortunately , the number of hte smokers is too large. It will triple the next three decades from 10 000 million in 1998 to 30 000 millions by the year 2030. As long as smoking is seriously dificult habit to beak , very few smokers are able to succeed in their attemts to quit . Various contries have proven that healthcare proffesionals can play an active role in helping smokers to break free of their tobacco addiction through a properly arganized smoking cessation proframs. Otherwise , smoking also will affects the non smokers person who bestfirend with them . The porpose of this study is to understand smoking habit of UNISEL ( University Selangor ) . This study will help the decision maker to make  decision about smoking arounf the campus . the goeverment is undertaking serious ( anti-smoking campaign ) arounf Malaysia but the result is discouraging . This shows not everybody is concerned about their healthy lifestyle . The statistics revealed that about eight percent of the estimated 4.6 millions smokers in Malaysia were students . It is about 50 to 60 teenagers started smoking a day . According to article Jasudason 2005 , the goverment had allocated RM20 millions a year for the next year for the next ten years for the anti smoking campaigns to prove its commitment the curbs the smoking habits among Malaysians . 1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE This research is all about why the cigarette smoking is popular among the teenagers. The reseacher is aware that smoking is a major preventable cause of premature death . It does not only threaten young people’s currrent and future health but olso over the world a face the same problem nothing can change their perception . The objective of the research are :- 1. To find out why students involved in smoking at young age. 2. To understand what student think of smoking. 3. To know percentage of student who are involved in cigarattes smoking. 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY An important reason for carry out this study is to provide an understanding on the impact of smoking . The significance of this research is to show how, why student are involved in smoking . This study will provide usefull information for policy makers of the university for taking steps to reduce incidents of smoing in campus. This olso will by understanding the habits , more effective anti smoking campaign should be planned and launched effectively . Besides , this analysis will provide usefull information that will help to overcome smoking habits in UNISEL student 1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY This study limited to the survey of students in the Diploma Business Management under Faculty Of Business in UNISEL only . This is because of financial limitation and time contraints. 1.6 THE TIMESCLASE OF THE RESEARCH Date Details 30/10/14 Literature Review Community surveys of the areas Design the questionnaires- Collection of official and unofficial statistic 1/11/14 1st session participant observation of the area 2/11/14 Field work Interview the smokers 10/11/14 Field work 2st session participant observation of the area 7/11/14 Analysis of the data obtained from the field work 8/11/14 Write the thesis 1.7 RESEARCH QUESTION 1. What is the percentage of student In Diploma Business Management in UNISEL Shah Alam who smoker? The percentage of students who smokers is %. 2. What is the ratio of smoker between male and female student? The ratio of the smoker between male and female students is and out of respondents. 3. What is the average number and cigarette that student smoke? According to table 1.1 shows the average number of student smoker per day is between 5 – 15 sticks item How many cigarettes do you smoke per day Total Less than 5 sticks 5 – 10 sticks 10 – 15 sticks 15 – 20 sticks More than 20 sticks Are you smoker yes count % of Total 100 % 4. The amount of money spends on smoking every month. The amount of money they have spend on smoking cigarettes every month is RM for each person. Referring to the spending money of the week, the respondents usually spend about less than RM . 5. Of those smoke, what is the percentage of student who tried to stop  smoking? The percentage of students who tried to stop smoking is about % of them. CHAPTER 2  LITERATURE REVIEW The process of developing the competencies began with a literature review of other smoking cessation workforce competencies. The review question was What documents are available that will help in the development of the core competencies required for people providing evidence-based treatment of tobacco dependence in New Zealand? The international cessation competencies accepted by the Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence (ATTUD) 9 in April 2005 were used as the starting point, with more recent and more specific literature then investigated to ensure competencies were measurable and relevant to New Zealand. A variety of databases were searched for this review, using the following search terms: â€Å"smoking cessation†, â€Å"workforce competency†, â€Å"clinical competence†, â€Å"professional competence†, â€Å"competency- based education†, and â€Å"competency†. The databases included: Medline, Embase, Cinahl, AMED, Psy cINFO, PubMed, EBM Reviews – Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EBM Reviews – Database of Abstracts for Reviews of Effectiveness, EBM Reviews – ASP Journal Club, EBM Reviews – Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. A variety of other sources were searched for information, including the reference lists of all obtained articles, key websites, and by asking key informants for relevant documents. All studies that focussed on smoking cessation competencies were sought, irrespective of study design, type of participants, sample size, or outcome measures. Only English language publications were sought. The search was restricted to literature published from 2005 onwards, that is, after the international cessation competencies developed by ATTUD were approved. The final literature search was completed on 7 March 2007. A narrative review of the literature was undertaken. Competency development—A project team from the University of Auckland’s School of Population Health developed a draft set of smoking cessation competencies based on information obtained from: The 2007 New Zealand Smoking Cessation Guidelines;10 Consultation with an expert group comprising 14 people from throughout New  Zealand selected for their expertise in cessation service provision and/or training. Page 49 URL: http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/121-1276/3114/ CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH OF METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction The research employs quantitative research methods in conducting the study. In data collection , formal questionaires are prepared and the question are asked in a arranged order. 3.2 RESEARCH INSTRUMENT The research intrument of this study is questionares . the survey instruments measures the level of impact in smoking habit whether is good for health or not good for health for the young age . 3.3 DATA COLLECTION The research used thesurvey instruments to collect data research data . The research focuses on the opinion , when , why , how they involved in smoking cigarrates . The data collection selected randomly in Faculty of Business of Diploma Business Management . This information will be gathered in the following ways. Interview: Semi-structured interview technique Existing framework from previous research Gather detailed general information including: age & gender Taken before observations. CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS 4.1 INTRODUCTION After all data have been gathered and collected , it must be analyzed. This  process is called data analysis. As mentioned , 120 questionaires will be sent to respondent consist of 55 males and 65 females . 4.2 FREQUENCY ANALYSIS The analysis is based on the questionaires analysis is given to the respondents . The information in this part is divided in three parts as part A , Part B , part C 1. PART A : THE RESPONDENTS According to the study , there are eight question on students background 2. PART B : ABOUT HTE SMOKER This section shows the analysis of smoker who is involved in the cigarrates smoking and how much they spend in buying the cigarrates per week . 3. PART C : NON SMOKERS This section is mainly for the non smokers olso for a smoker who has stopped smoking and how they are motivated to keep away from smoking.