Reflection Paper About the Movie “Every Child Is Special” Essay

REFLECTION PAPER FOR THE MOVIE â€Å"EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL† Ishaan Awasthi an eight-year old whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate and who were always getting in trouble at school for being so misbehaving and out of focus from his lessons. Too often, he would be caught by his teacher daydreaming and getting low grades. He even cannot read nor write, for him letters and numbers are his enemy. For the people around him, Ishaan is a naughty and lazy boy because of this, his father sent him to boarding school, all alone and homesick with the hope of disciplining him, but the academic status of Ishaan did not still improve. Instead, he became withdrawn and lonely, far from the Ishaan who was active and fun-loving. Then came a new art teacher Ram Shankar Nikumbh who infects the students with joy and optimism. He breaks all the rules of â€Å"how things are done† by asking them to think, dream and imagine, and all the children respond with enthusiasm, all except Ishaan. But with Ram Shankar Nikumbh’s time, patience, care, and some awesome motivation he ultimately helps Ishaan find himself and change the way Ishaan would act towards school and learn to appreciate himself even more. Ishaan Awasthi is not an ordinary student. He has a very wild and creative imagination that brings him to different worlds, to worlds unknown to his classmates, teachers and family. He usually plays and does things on his own, he has his own special perception on things. Though his talent in painting and creativity is exceptional, he is just like every other kid, he loves to play and goof around. But the problem was, he cannot not cope with school the way other kids does. He has repeated the third grade, and still he did not show any improvement. He fails to read and write properly that’s why he was unable to pass his subjects. At the same time, he cannot attend to himself; buttoning his shirt or tying his shoe lace. A kid at the age of 9 is capable of all th ose things, unfortunately for Ishaan he is not, because he suffered from dyslexia. The teacher-student relationship here is just so heartwarming. In fact, it’s more touching than Ishaan’s relationship with his parents. On his first day of school, Ishaan’s teachers were upset by his poor performance in class. His Art;s teacher even whacked his knuckles five times. Ishaan was overwhelming and traumatized at the same time because of  how strict the teacher. He became depressed and sad. There is also a scene where Ishaan runs away from school and loiters on the road for the whole day – for the fear of being punished for not having done his homework. I never did anything like that in school. The comparison might not be warranted but this is just one of those scenes which made me relate to Ishaan’s plight in the movie. The incidents involving the teacher-student interactions depicted in this movie are so relevant in today’s times when you get to see and hear on television at regular intervals innovative punishments like whipping and punching done to students. He once complained that â€Å"The letters are dancing!† when he was asked to read. Teacher threw him out of the class and the student who passes by the hall mocked him for being punished. Moreover, Ishaan rev ersed letters when he wrote and demonstrated a poor understanding of mathematical concepts. Sometimes if he commits mistakes everybody laughs at him or will shout on him. A scenario that was related to me during my elementary year that was related to Ishaan, is being bullied and put to shame by my teacher. Everyone is challenged by obstacles in his or her life – serious problems to deal with. Some people are defeated by the obstacles in their lives, while others find way to overcome them. I believe that everyone has problems or challenges to overcome. Even people who think that they are perfect have problems or challenges to overcome. Life is beautiful but not always easy, it has problems, too, and the challenge lies in facing them with courage, letting the beauty of life act like a balm, which makes the pain bearable, during trying times, by providing hope. As a student, who burns mid night oil, makes sacrifice and resists temptations so that I can perform well. Similarly, a successful executive has to face the ups and downs of life, not forgetting the life is a mix of success and failure, joy and sorrow. I overcome my problem by means of self-steam and through the help of other people I meet in this world. Ishaan overcome his problem through the help of Ram Shankar Nikumbh. Difficulties test the courage, patience, perseverance and true character of a human being. Adversity and hardships make a person strong and ready to face the challenge of life with equanimity. There is no doubt that there can be no gain without pain. It is only when one toils and sweats it out that success is nourished and sustained. Thus, life is and should not be just a bed of roses; thorns are also a part of it and should be accepted by us just as we accept the  beautiful side of life. And those, who think that good times last forever, succumb to pressure during difficulties. They do not put in required hard work and efforts because they break down easily.

Imperialism and Colonization Essay

Colonization and imperialism are inherently associated with an economic model that is meant to boost the economy of the colonizing power (herein referred to as benefactor state) by providing target market for manufactured goods and source of raw materials. During the twentieth century most colonies gained independence or autonomy resulting in a disruption of the economic model associated with colonization and imperialism. A current trend is globalization which necessitates a complete reversal of the economic role of states. The role has changed from serving as a market for the benefactor state to manufacturing products using inexpensive labor that are then sold back to the benefactor state. Many states (particularly in Africa) have not been able to adjust to this change and have, thus, been caught between colonization and globalization without strong economic ties to other nations. To minimize conflict within a state and between states, the respective nations must have ties that are strong enough to transcend national boundaries. This is evident when examining global trends such as colonization and globalization which tend to focus nations that would normally be at odds on a common goal. In the case of colonization, natives of occupied territories are inclined to unite against the occupying power. A current trend towards globalization has forced nations to unite because of an increased economic dependence between states. The claim (albeit untrue) that there has never been a war between two countries having McDonalds underscores the importance of economic ties that can transcend national boundaries. A History of Imperialism and Colonization During the height of colonialism, Britain controlled over a quarter of the land and one third of the population. Combined, Britain and eight other European countries controlled approximately 84% of the earth’s surface. (Conklin: 1) What factors allowed Europeans to exert such a strong influence on other parts of the world? More importantly, what were the motivations for subjugating the rest of the world that have made such a profound impact even in the modern world? J. A. Hobson describes the driving force behind olonization as â€Å"the investor who cannot find at home the profitable use he seeks for his capital, and insists that his Government should help him to profitable and secure investments abroad. † (Hobson: 15) On the practical side of colonization, armies are needed and colonization can’t occur until an industrial revolution begins. Industrialization requires cheap labor, a navy, a target market to buy surplus p roducts and raw materials. Without a large enough target audience for selling goods, the industrial revolution would have been stymied and Britain’s economy and industry could not have advanced as rapidly. Essentially, raw materials are shipped out of colonies to the colonizing country, manufactured into a finished product using cheap labor and then sold back to the colonies at profit. (Kollenbroich) Undoubtedly, there are other factors that motivated European powers to colonize; Christianity, national pride and civilizing those perceived as savages to name some. However, there is no denying that most colonies became economically dependent on the colonizing country. This implies that economic reasons, regardless of other motivating factors for colonization, were a driving force in colonization. In fact, the factors such as Christianity, national pride and the mission to civilize would often go hand in hand with the economic motivation and serve to conceal the economic reasons from the general public. (Kollenbroich) M. K. Ghandi agrees with that statement, â€Å"England is a nation of shopkeepers,† (attributed to Napoleon) and goes on to describe how the British, â€Å"hold whatever dominions they have for the sake of their commerce. † (Ghandi: 25) Continuing on the same note, Ghandi explains that the British view the world as a vast market for their goods. According to Ghandi, the British didn’t conquer India per se; rather the acceptance of British commerce, lifestyle and law allowed the British to govern India. For this very reason, Ghandi promotes a lifestyle lacking in machinery. â€Å"What did India do before these articles were introduced? Precisely the same should be done today. † (Ghandi 28-29) In Ghandi’s opinion, removing economic ties to Britain and rest of Europe, India would eventually attain sovereignty. Clearly, the economy plays a vital role in colonization and is a strong motivation by providing raw materials and markets to sell finished goods. The question that begs to be asked is: How were Europeans able to convince or force other parts of the world to accept colonization? The answer has everything to do with image. If natives didn’t believe that the Europeans were superior, revolts would have been much more widespread. In turn, European militaries would have been spread too thin and outnumbered. The key to preventing this lies in creating the illusion for natives that the Europeans are superior in every way and resistance is futile. The style of rule is as important as the fact the Europeans are in control of the colony. Typically the French would use a divide and conquer strategy. They would bring in French administrators and subject the natives to French culture. This was effective because the French often grouped tribes or groups of natives that didn’t get along. Instead of fighting the French, the natives would fight amongst themselves. On the other hand, the British would preserve parts of the local system and choose natives leaders. This was effective for the British because it gave the natives the illusion of a certain level of autonomy while the British remained in control. Kollenbroich) The socio-economic model in most colonies was noticeably lacking a middle class. On one hand there are the natives who are often dirt poor by European standards and on the other hand there are the business and elite classes that are continually sucking profit out of the colonies. This is somewhat true of even Europe because of industrialization which left a large lower class working in the factories fo r minimal wages. The Trend of Globalization The push towards a more global economy has several important consequences. Many states that were once colonizing powers have seen their role shift to that of economic powerhouses with global cities that serve as command and control centers for the economy. (Sassen, 4) In the wake of globalization, an increasing number of firms have centralized their business presence in the downtown areas of global cities and placed numerous factories in foreign states to take advantage of lower labor prices. The placement or acquisition of factories in other states is known as foreign direct investment (FDI). The five major exporters of capital (United States, United Kingdom, Japan, France and Germany) account for 70 percent of FDI (Sassen 11). According to Sassen, â€Å"the growth in FDI has been embedded in the internationalization of production of goods and services. † (Sassen: 10) This is readily evident when considering the number of factories being built in Latin American and Southeast Asian. The semiconductor explosion coupled with other industries choosing to locate in Asia has led to an â€Å"emergence of Southeast Asia as a crucial transnational space for production. (Sassen: 11) Prominent American companies have increasingly moved the manufacturing of products offshore to take advantage of more lax labor laws and significantly lower wages. The transition from colonization to globalization has seen the role of foreign countries move from buying products to creating products cheaply. The economics of intervention has played a more dominant role in foreign policy and will continue to do so in the future. For decades the United States and Soviet Union struggled to see capitalism and communism spread, respectively. The struggle played out both economically and militarily in many countries throughout the world and is important because more often than not decolonized countries would be in need of economic and sometimes military intervention. More recently, the United States and other countries have faced decisions about whether to intervene in situations such as Somalia and other African states. Interventions such as these are often viewed by the much of the public as too little too late and this can be attributed, at least in part, to a lack of economic interest in the conflict. In fact, intervention costs millions and sometimes billions of dollars which, in many politicians’ eyes, is not justified. To make matters worse, politicians are very careful about labeling conflicts as massacres or genocide because as soon as a conflict is labeled as such, it ethically requires intervention. What happens then to a state caught between colonization and globalization that has little or no economical tie to the global economy? If the conflict receives enough attention on the world stage and there is enough bloodshed, then there is a good chance that a peacekeeping force will intervene. However, the chance of intervention in a conflict with little or no bloodshed is much slimmer and may never materialize. Case Study: Zimbabwe According to the International Crisis Group, â€Å"Zimbabwe’s economy is hemorrhaging. † (Zimbabwe: 5) Zimbabwe’s economy has shrunk approximately 25 percent since 1998, inflation is more than 228% percent (Zimbabwe: CIA) and unemployment is higher than 60 percent. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has decreased from 436 million USD in 1998 to 4. 5 million USD. The FDI alone is indicative of an ever increasing gap between today’s global economy and the economy of Zimbabwe. Any economic ties that Zimbabwe has with the rest of the world are slowly wasting away with a decrease in gold production and decreased foreign aid. In fact, reducing hours and production volume is now the norm and has led to a scarcity of basic commodities within the country. To make a poor situation even worse, the government of Zimbabwe has been directing farm seizures that have led to 95 percent of large scale farmers either stopping operations or being severely disrupted. The food production has declined by 40 percent and prompted a United Nations (UN) report that warns of the potential of famine. If predictions hold true, Zimbabwe’s harvests will not be enough to feed the entire population Zimbabwe will be forced to import food. The government has gone as far as deploying army and police units to deal with riots, should they break out. (Zimbabwe) The ruling ZANU-PF party has been systematically eliminating opposition from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The ZANU-PF has been accused of distributing food to party members rather than equally which means that even children of MDC supporters have food withheld. ZANU-PF supporters, civil servants and traditional leaders are blocking MDC supporters from acquiring maize †¦ It is clear that some schemes have been discriminatory for months without the donor being aware. (Zimbabwe: 7) Thus far, the rest of the world has been passive about the happenings in Zimbabwe. In part, this can be attributed to the need to intervene if a country or countries declare a humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. As noted earlier the FDI has dramatically declined resulting in essentially no economic ties between Zimbabwe and the rest of the world. More than likely, aid or intervention will not take place without a crisis that places Zimbabwe in the center of the world stage. Zimbabwe is just one former colony of many (in Africa and other parts of the world) that gained independence and left behind the imperialistic economy. Unfortunately, Zimbabwe has stepped out of one economic model and failed to step into the global economy. This is evident in the dramatically decreased FDI and production as well as the lack of intervention from other states. Focus on Former African Colonies World War II left the European powers (with the exception of Portugal) scrambling to leave Africa. As alluded to earlier, colonizing is an expensive business that takes enormous resources and ultimately is profitable for a relatively small number people. Most European colonies in Africa were never as profitable as had been hoped for couldn’t be justified like India and some other colonies. The bad name given to imperialism by Hitler helped accelerate the process in Africa as well as other parts of the world. Due to a lack of economic motivation capable of transcending national boundaries, many former colonies have descended into civil wars and other disputes between nations within the state. As demonstrated with Zimbabwe, this conflict is not necessarily militarily (although this is often the case) carried out and may be something as appalling as withholding food or other basic commodities from a portion of the population. Countless other African states such as Somali, Uganda, Liberia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Congo have had or continue to have conflicts between nations. Many countries in Africa are lacking a solid economy that isn’t dominated by a single sector such as agriculture.

Citing particular examples, discuss how far pop music can be Essay

Citing particular examples, discuss how far pop music can be considered textual poachers (Henry jerkins) - Essay Example Apparently, a topic that attempts to capture the dynamics of any culture within the context of social icons and the mentality of their followers, could not adequately incorporate and interact with the controversies thereon as textual poachers does with pop music. Originally, Henry Jerkins did a lot of studies surrounding television entertainment with shows and movie series as the centre of interest for many fans. The provocative interaction that the television fan base makes with the ideal universe created by the shows that they faithfully follow blind them such that they fail to conceptualize the idealism involved in the productions. The author states that this creates a culture that tries to fit in the idealism provoked by the entertainment culture (Jenkins, 1992, p277). In a similar manner, the pop music industry can be assessed for a possibility of a similar idealism generated within the music setting and consequential spilling over to the real life of the fans to the extent that they â€Å"live† the idealism. In an attempt to explain the role of fans in the generation of new idealistic cultures, Jenkins (1992, p23) reports that fans find it fashionable and defensive to relate to a certain mass following of an entertainment platform. Further in the description of the behaviour of the fan group, the author reports that the identity and associating with the common following accords the group a manipulative force that enables it to form a culture. Producers of the original text from which the apparent poaching happens voice their displeasure by referring to the fans as cultural dupes or even senseless customers of the literary piece. Works of art that are presented to the audience commonly through the media are initially meant to be just entertainment content; but the audience blow off the balance between the text intention and imaginations not intended by the producer. There is an eventual loss of the art intention

THE ARGUMENTS SURROUNDING ROLE OF WOMEN IN CHURCH LEADERSHIP Essay

THE ARGUMENTS SURROUNDING ROLE OF WOMEN IN CHURCH LEADERSHIP - Essay Example However, the dissenting side of this argument takes texts such as Galatians 3:28 which states, â€Å"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus† (NIV). Such a text stands in stark contrast to the other previously mentioned texts which seem to speak out with regards to the role of women in positions of church leadership (Shade 2008, p. 25). As such, in order to reconcile such differing interpretations, the role of the Christian should be to seek to find the common ground that Christ’s example led while on earth. Whereas the disciples were merely representations of the Holy Spirit’s voice, Christ during his earthy ministry was the ultimate representation of the will of the Father. However, during his time on earth Jesus ultimately refrained from making broad or sweeping judgments that would segregate the sexes with regards to what functions they could perform (Bates 2011, p. 7). Instead, there are numerous instances in which he actively sought to promote the equality of women throughout a very tribal and primitive culture to which he ministered. For such a reason, it is the belief of this author that texts such as Galat ians 3:28 should be held as the ultimate standard for whether or not women should be able to be considered for positions of church leadership (Hamman 2010, p.

Supply-Chain Flow Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Supply-Chain Flow Management - Case Study Example   Gaining customer loyalty is a corporate challenge today in this increasingly competitive and crowded marketplace because of the eventual profitability it will provide. The changing business world allowed customers to change as well. Company management had shifted their focus on their clients or customers so as to stay successful in business with the need to completely reformulate their conventional business aims and purposes from being process-focused to customer-centred. With the advent of technological innovations, logistical decisions about delivery operations, stockholding, warehousing and economies of scale get more complex solutions in today's business environment. According to Bowers, Martin and Luker (1990), supply chain management is considered as one of the most important strategic aspects of any business enterprise where decisions about coordinating of production of goods and services, store inventory, list of suppliers, and cost-effective and timely distribution are made. Supply chain management functions in order to design and manage the processes, assets and flows of material and information to answer the needs and demands of the customers and clients. The supply chain is traditionally characterized as a stable system in which components and goods move smoothly from supplier to assembly customers. In addition, supply chain refers to the suppliers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers that involved in manufacturing a product and getting it to consumers (Lee & Billinton, 1995). A supply chain is also defined as a network of independent or semi-independent corporation bodies collectively accountable for procurement, developing and or manufacturing and distribution scheme connected with one or more groups of related products (Janyashankar et al, 1996). Research study shows that supply chains increase in their complexity as the number of nodes increases (Bacharach and Lawler, 1980). They also argue that genetic algorithms can be an efficient method to locate a good solution quickly in one to fifty node networks. Supply chain design models are making decisions worth millions of dollars, usually without integrated analysis of the variability of the proposed system (Hane & Sudar, 1998) McKinnon's interview study found that Supply Chain managers are responding to such pressures by such actions as increased backloading, improved vehicle routing, greater load consolidation, the redesign of packaging and changes in the ordering system (McKinnon, 1998). As such, companies at present are deploying supply-chain management (SCM) systems to enhance efficiency across the product lifecycle by streamlining procurement, production, fulfilment, and distribution processes. To help ensure that an SCM solution provides the intended return on investment, the enterprise network infrastructure must work together seamlessly since its effectiveness depends on the ability of users to access up to the minute information across the supply chain. Organizations usually share proprietary corporate data with external suppliers and partners while ensuring maximum security. This requires integration of applications and data across multiple geographically dispersed supply chain partners, as well as internal integration with legacy systems.  

Retirement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Retirement - Assignment Example A number of people venture into different fields of work because they desire extra engagement. Reconciliation is the final stage. Ages of individuals at this stage range from the late 70s to early 80s (Schieber, 2012). The imagination stage is core because it dictates the stability of life after retirement in light of finances. In the midst of contemplating retirement, it is important to consider the amount of service credit earned for the total fiscal years of service. Age is another factor of consideration. From the age of 50 to 63 years, for every quarterly of a year there is an increase in retirement benefit (PLANNING YOUR RETIREMENT: Your Retirement Checklist). After the age of 63, the benefit remains constant. The average salary earned is the third factor to consider before retirement. The highest twelve months of salary earning determine the latter factor. Well-being of an individual, that is, health condition greatly influences retirement. An individual ailing from a life threatening illness is unlikely to encounter the five stages of retirement. Retrenchment is another factor that influences retirement in that there is an interruption to a person’s retirement planning. The role one plays in the structure of an organization is a factor that affects retirement in light of benefits earned from service. As mentioned above the average salary of an individual dictates the retirement benefit. The government funding of an employee’s retirement plan guarantees one a particular benefit every month while on retirement. The plan is a defined benefit plan (What You Should Know About Your Retirement Plan). Benefit computation at retirement considers average salary, duration of service to the organization and age. The current level of the planning process is working on full time and on the imagination stage of retirement. In planning retirement, it is

Leader of a Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Leader of a Business - Research Paper Example One more thing that justifies the discussion about the person in this paper is that the hotel belonging to this group (Taj Mahal, Mumbai, India) has born the brunt of terrorist attacks and has been reopened within a month. As a result, the author of this paper felt that one can find organizational behavior/management as well as conflict management techniques in the actions of the person mentioned in this paper; Ratan Tata, who succeeded the group as part of the legacy of Tata's family. The personality of Ratan Tata is reflected in his activities as he developed management of Tata Sons into a think tank that contemplates group's vertical as well as horizontal expansion. His leadership prompted the directors of the company as well as heads of various industries to innovate the products and to reach a common man as well as middle-class people in third world countries as well as targeting the rich customers. Regarding personality development of this person, he has transformed a lot from the date he received his bachelor degree in 1962 and transformed his company to a strategic think tank from just a manufacturing think tank. The important trait in Ratan Tata is that he inherited the fact that the holding company can manage with minor share along with the fact that enables a company to expand through acquisitions. With the revenues of his group companies, his group successfully acquired Corus Group Plc for 6.2billin GBP, which demonstrates his cash utilizing techniques for expansion of the business. Hence, one can state that he has good management techniques as his group is able to manage the companies with a minor stake and he is able to convince the group companies to mobilize cash for acquisitions. This demonstrates his planning that is able to convince the majority shareholders and directors, who have real control over the company with a major amount of shares. As a result, his personality is a mix of organizational management (managing the group with minor share) and planning future endeavors.

Multinational strategies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Multinational strategies - Research Paper Example McDonalds is one of the leading restaurants that have been able to incorporate itself in the international market. It also has taken down local restaurants that are well established in foreign countries. In each country that McDonalds has a restaurant, it also has offices and subsidies that assist it to penetrate the market. Subsidies assist the firm in advertising its products in an international market (Terpstra, 2009). They can communicate with the head offices, in this case McDonalds U.S.A, and advise them on what products the country they wish to venture in would prefer. Strategic issues that face multinational managers today are: poor competencies in marketing and poor sales and distributions in foreign countries (Wilkinson, 2007). Multinational managers face challenges of incorporating into international markets because most of them shy away from employing experienced personnel in the global divisions. Therefore, they make poor decisions. They should, however, avoid incompetent personnel and employ people who have good knowledge of the international market. McDonalds Corporation can benefit from local responsiveness since it occurs due to change in the customers’ preferences (Wilkinson, 2007). They could use this to determine what their customers want and hence use it to their

Mitsubishi believes in EEO Now Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mitsubishi believes in EEO Now - Case Study Example Sexual and racial discrimination are some of the central concerns that organizations have to confront. It then appears that managing the human resources should therefore be taken as an integral aspect of the organizational performance. Equal Employment and Opportunity (EEO) created the need for organizations operating in the United States to consider abiding by the fundamental equity issues that confront the world (Heitmann 2009). The case of sexual and racial discrimination evidenced at Mitsubishi was certainly a low ground for the organization. In any case, it occurs that the company instituted several changes in the American division after the occurrence of these disheartening events. The changes that were thereby made at Mitsubishi were therefore much imperative and necessary given that they were driven by need and time. The HR management therefore did the most appropriate thing upon the launch of investigations to determine the authenticity of the claims and the extent of the whole situation. The performance of the organization is much dependent on the morale of the employees and the pride they demonstrate towards their particular jobs. If employees are disheartened on the account of the presence of discrimin ation in the organization, it certainly implies that performance will automatically be altered. The decision reached to settle the sexual harassment lawsuit is a positive connotation on the commitment of the organization toward addressing its core concerns. More importantly, Mitsubishi compensated all the workers who had complained of racial discrimination in the organization. These radical decisions serve to demonstrate the much regard that the organization bestowed upon the workers. Indeed, such a strategy became quite imperative considering that productivity of the American plant had greatly dwindled and the company’s headquarters even

Crevecoeur in America Essay Example for Free

Crevecoeur in America Essay Hector St. John Crà ¨vecoeur is certainly not one of the greatest figures of American history, but he can at the very least be credited with having been witness to a great deal of some of the key events that lead to the inception of the United States of America in the 18th century.1 Crà ¨vecoeur saw the burgeoning nation under many different angles during different periods of American history2. This coupled with the fact that as a foreigner who lived in the colonies he was able to step back and appraise American life and culture and be also able to see it from the inside. This essay will focus on the American life of Hector St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur and attempt a sketch of how his life took place and how the colonies and the new American nation affected him. Firstly we will examine Crà ¨vecoeur’s life in the colonies, including his living conditions, regions he inhabited and his overall situation during his time there. Secondly, we will review his experiences in the colonies and North America. Thirdly we will attempt to see how, when and by whom was Crà ¨vecoeur influenced during his time in America and what effects this had on both the United States of American and Crà ¨vecoeur himself. Michel-Guillaume Jean de Crà ¨vecoeur – or St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur as we would later know him – would first set foot in North America in Canada in 1754. Fighting under the Montcalm during the French-Indian War, Crà ¨vecoeur left Canada for the English colonies where he worked as an itinerant merchant allowed him to envision many aspects and parts of North America. In 1759 he eventually settled down in Orange County in New York and became a citizen of the colony, changing his name to John Hector St. John.. Crà ¨vecoeur took up a life of farming and raised a family, while still keeping in touch with the outside world albeit staying out of its affairs almost entirely. After the upheaval of the Revolutionary War and a five-year long return to France, Crà ¨vecoeur eventually returned to New York in 1783 in the capacity of First Consul of his Christian Majesty to the State of New York. In this lofty position Crà ¨vecoeur toiled to establish trading between the American  colonies and the French crown. In addition he also informed France and through France, Europe of what the lives, people and the continent of North America was truly like. Although Crà ¨vecoeur’s sojourns in the colonies were no doubt a source of great pride and accomplishment, they were also a time of hardship, suspicion and uncertainty. St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur’s experiences in North America and the colonies within were varied. In turn his life there was filled with successes. After being a competent soldier for France he became a farmer and raised a family that he loved and was proud of. He eventually reached a position of at least symbolic power where he found himself in a position to both help his motherland as well as foster greater understanding, appreciation and maybe even prosperity for a land and a nation that had been his home for most of his life. However, if one were to equate Crà ¨vecoeur’s experiences on the continent to be purely idyllic one would be sorely mistaken. In addition to the hardships of rural life he also had to experience suspicion and imprisonment during his time there. Crà ¨vecoeur, although naturalized as an American, was still very much a Frenchman. Although very much liberal for his times Crà ¨vecoeur still retained a healthy respect for religion and monarchy, twin pillars of the French elite. He was also enamored with English society and government, considered far more liberal and egalitarian by the French philosophers still under the reign of an absolute monarchy. His first book was in fact dedicated to Abbot Raynal whose work â€Å"Histoire philosophique et politique des à ©tablissements des Europà ©ens dans les deux Indes† (1770) inspired him to think about America and his situation. Furthermore, Crà ¨vecoeur’s own experiences and his reading of instilled him with the idea that the American colonies, with their religious tolerance. Although ultimately addressed to the higher strata of society, designed as a sort of quaint picture of pastoral utopia, his works are ultimately a celebration and an accolade to the workingman a nd the lower classes of the time. Crà ¨vecoeur is even sometimes credited with being the inventor of what would become the American Dream. Colonial American shaped Crà ¨vecoeur. The hardships of the rural life began to change his view of the rural idyll that we first see in his writings. The dangers of that life and the unrelenting and often unjust vagaries of the elements, neighbors and country life bore down on him. Although still somewhat in awe of some of the leaders that permitted the Revolution some of his writings tell a tale of disillusion with great leaders and the hero worship that resulted with some of the heroes of the American Revolution, namely Washington. The Revolution further marred Crà ¨vecoeur’s utopian take on the colonies and also the English themselves. To say that Crà ¨vecoeur is an interesting character of American history is an understatement. Having been witness to three distinct phases of colonial America. These are the pre-revolutionary period, the actual American Revolution itself and its aftermath. These various periods and stages in his life affect him deeply and modified his writings and his views. In conclusion, Hector St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur embodies many things that characterized colonial America as both a land brimming with opportunity and a place and time steeped in brutality and harshness. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Patchell, Thomas â€Å"J. Hector St. John de Crà ¨vecoeur† in Early American Nature Writers ed. by Daniel Patterson (London: Greenwood Press 2008), 103 Plotkin, A. Saint-John de Crevecoeur Rediscovered: Critic or Paneygyrist? French Historical Studies, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Spring, 1964) 403-404 Plumstead, A. W. â€Å"Crevecoeur: A â€Å"Man of Sorrows† and the American Revolution† The Massachusetts Review, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Summer, 1976) 287-288 St. John de Crevecoeur, John Letters from an American Farmer, 1783, ed. Albert Stone (New York, NY: Penguin American Library, 1981), 226-227 St. John de Crevecoeur, John Qu’est-ce qu’un Amà ©ricain? (ed. Howard Rice) (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1943

Quakers Are Known As The Society Of Friends Religion Essay

Quakers Are Known As The Society Of Friends Religion Essay The Quakers, also known as the Society of Friends, are a group of Christians that are tolerant of other religions. They do not believe in sexism, racism, or war. As a society they preach love, truth, and tolerance. They believe in treating every person as a best friend, yet this peaceful group of Christians was viewed as one of the largest threats to Christianity and the Puritan way of life during the mid-17th century. They were persecuted, whipped, and hung by the Puritans in the Early American Colonies. Why would the peaceful Society of Friends be so greatly feared that it would drive the Puritans to persecute them so? Were the Quakers that large of a threat, or was this just another example of antagonism that existed between other Christian bodies in the past? This paper will argue that the Quakers were feared only because they had a different religious view than the Puritans and that throughout history Christians, having a different view points on Christianity has led to persecut ions. First I will cover a short history of how the Quakers and Puritans came to New England. Next I will cover some of the similarities and differences between the Quakers and Puritans. Then I will detail some of the persecutions that the Quakers endured from the Puritans in New England. Finally I will compare the hostility that the Puritans held towards the Quakers, with hostilities that other Christians and groups of Christians faced throughout history. The Puritans started out as a group of Christians who sought to purify the Church of England, during the early 17th century. They felt that the Church should be separate from the rule of the King. The Puritans wanted to be free to worship God how they saw fit, without the King of England telling them how they should worship (Woodman 22). The Puritans also wanted to correct certain practices and ceremonies of the Church of England, which they viewed as Anti-Christian. They wanted to return the Church back to how it was during the apostolic times, before the Church adopted practices that they felt strayed from Gods glory. Unfortunately the Puritans did not have much luck in purifying the Church of England, instead they had stiff opposition to any changes and the Anglican Church ended up passing laws against them (Sweet 18). Since the Puritans were persecuted and unable to change the Church of England, they instead went to the New World in order to create a pure Church that was not controlled by any kind of government (Abbott 232). They viewed New England as a place where they could create their perfect church. They wanted to build a Church that warned against pleasures of the flesh, one that was very plain so as not to detract from the glory of God, and one that promoted a very strict way in which to live. They also wanted to ensure that the government would not be able to control their Church. This would allow them to worship as they saw fit, without government interference. The Puritans thought by doing this that they would be able to live their simple life that was completely devoted to God in every aspect without the fear of persecution (Sweet 21). The Quakers, like the Puritans, also saw the Church of England as being corrupt. They believed that the Anglican Church had strayed from the correct path of God and that it needed changes. They also felt that the church should not be controlled by the King. The Quakers also met stiff resistance, just like the Puritans, and were persecuted for standing up to the King and the Church of England. Laws were quickly passed to try and suppress them, their meeting houses (similar churches) were burned, and the jails were quickly filled with Quakers. Despite this opposition the Quakers were not deterred, instead they continued to preach in England despite the fact that they were constantly persecuted and the Church refused to change (Woodman 22). The Quakers felt the urge to spread their religion around the world, so unlike the Puritans, they did not come to New England to start a new church nor to escape persecution. Instead they traveled to New England in order to spread their religious beliefs. They went to New England as missionaries, but instead of being accepted with open arms by the Puritans, they were immediately thrown in jail. The Puritans then burned the Quaker missionarys books and arranged for their deportation shortly after (Hamm 23). A short time after the first two Quakers were deported, more Quakers began to arrive and the Puritans felt they must stop the Quaker invasion immediately. Soon the Puritans passed laws to fine the ships captains that brought any Quakers to New England. The Quakers soon found it very hard to get a ship to take them to New England. Instead of being deterred, the Quakers simply built their own ship to take them to New England. The Puritans continued to persecute the Quakers as they would arrive. They would whip, brand, and sometimes even mutilate the Quakers who came to Massachusetts. Then the Quakers would be banished and all of their property confiscated by the Puritans. When the Quakers were departing New England, the Puritans would give them a strict warning that promised the Quakers death if they ever returned again. Despite these strict warnings and punishments, the Quakers still continued to return to New England (Hamm 23). What could have caused the Puritans to act so violently towards the Quakers? After all, there were many similarities between the Puritans and the Quakers. They both had suffered persecutions from the Anglican Church and the King of England. They both believed that the government should not control the church and they both thought that the Church of England was had become corrupt and needed to be fixed. Also both the Puritans and Quakers believed that people should avoid the natural pleasures of the world and the pleasures of the flesh, as well as any fashions or customs that could lead to pride and/or selfishness. They both believed in having a simple church so as not to detract from the glory of god and they both disliked the idea that a priest was needed to communicate with God (Jones xx). Despite these similarities between the Puritans and Quakers, there were also many differences. The Puritans, like many religions, had a minister to lead the church services, whereas the Quakers had no ministers or priests (Abbott 232-233). The Quakers believed that every Christian could be a minister in his or her own way and that the Holy Spirit could move any person, whether man, woman, rich, poor, royalty, or peasant, to speak on Gods behalf. For their church services, instead of a person leading the sermon, the Quakers would gather together and wait in silence until the Holy Spirit would move through a person. That person would then be compelled by God to speak for God and to reveal new revelations. Another difference was that the Puritans believed that only a select few were selected by God, whereas the Quakers believed that every individual had an inner light in themselves. This inner light could show every person the way to salvation. It could illuminate sin and show how to avoid anything that was contrary to what God would want a person to do. This inner light also allowed each person to communicate directly with God, without the need for a minister or priest (Hamm 21). The Puritans also believed that reading the Bible was the best way to understand what God wanted. The Puritans believed that the Bible was the inspired word of God and that it held all of Gods truths (Sweet 98). They stressed that studying the Bible was of the utmost importance. The Quakers on the other hand, believed that following the inner light was of the utmost importance, with the Bible coming in second. The Quakers still believed that the Bible was Gods word, but they also believed that God could reveal new things to each person through their individual inner light that may not have been revealed through the Bible (Jones xxi xxii). The Puritans also viewed the sacraments as outward signs of Gods invisible grace, while the Quakers view of the sacraments is purely spiritual. For example, the Quakers do not have baptisms or take Holy Communion. Instead they believed that true communion was gathering together to worship Christ. Also, they believed that the only true baptism was when a person was baptized with the Holy Spirit moving through them. The Quakers then viewed Gods grace not as a visible sign, but one that you could not see. It was a sign that went directly into a persons heart and only that person could sense that they had Gods grace (Abbott 252 Hamm 21). Another difference was equality. The Puritans had a very strict social order, but the Quakers, believing that all men and women were equal, did not have a social hierarchy. The Puritans believed that women should not have public roles, but the Quakers would often give women public roles and allow women to play important roles within their Church (Hamm 23). Also the Quakers viewed every person as if he was a beloved brother. They believe that all life is a sign of Gods grace and every person should be treated as if they were your best friend. This meant that the Quakers did not view any person as outranking another person, even if that person happened to be a King or a Bishop (Woodman185). Persecution of the Quakers in New England Before the arrival of the first Quakers to New England, the Puritans had received anti-Quaker pamphlets. These pamphlets led the Puritans to believe that the Quakers may be a threat to their way of life. Because the Puritans believed that they had set up a perfect society and church in Gods eyes, they did not want anyone to threaten their way of life. Therefore the Puritans viewed all other religions as a potential threat (Sweet 144). When the Quakers did arrive, they immediately viewed them as a potential threat for civil disorder. Because the Quakers did not believe in authority, but that every person was equal, the Puritans viewed this as contempt and disorder in their society. This in turn allowed the Puritans to use state laws to punish Quakers. When the first Quakers came to New England, the Puritans claimed that the Quakers were creating civil unrest and immediately had them arrested and thrown in jail (Chu 6-7). After the first deportation of the very first two Quakers to arrive in New England, the Puritans thought they may have stopped the problem. However when more and more Quakers began to arrive, the Puritans felt threatened by the change the Quakers were trying to bring. The Puritans decided they had to put an immediate stop to anymore Quakers coming to New England. This led to the fines on ships captains for bringing Quakers to New England, but the Quakers continued to arrive and spread their religion. This led to the Puritans fining anyone who even possessed any of the Quakers books or pamphlets. In fact the Puritans were so protective of their society that these fines were not limited to only Quaker books, but to any material from a religion other than the Puritan religion (Wills 19). Despite these fines, the Quakers continued to come and spread their religious beliefs, even though it meant building their own ship to get from England to New England. This constant influx of Quakers only helped to convince the Puritans that Quakerism was definitely one of the greatest threats to their society. They were revolted by the Quakers views on the Bible, direct revelation, giving women public roles, the sacraments, their opposition to taking oaths, and the fact that the Quakers seemed compelled to go where they were not wanted. To the Puritans it seemed as if the Quakers must surely be possessed by demons and that they were out to destroy the Puritans way of life (Hamm 23). They could not fathom anyone in their right mind who would keep going where they were not welcome. The Quakers however, were stubborn. They, like the Puritans, believed that their religion was the correct religion and that God was on their side. At first the Puritans felt that the fines, jail time, and banishment would stop the Quakers from coming, but the Quakers continued to return again and again. When these punishments failed, the Puritans then set up stricter laws to try and keep the Quakers out. They declared that if a male Quaker returned after being banished, he would have his ear cropped. Then if he returned again, the other ear would be cropped. After a third return, the Quaker would have his tongue bored through with a hot iron. For women Quakers, they would be whipped for the first two times they returned and then they would have their tongues bored through for the third offense. When these punishments proved to be ineffective, the Puritans felt that they must set up the death penalty to try and deter the Quakers from coming (Sweet 146). Still the Quakers would kept coming back to try and spread their religion. They would claim that visions and dreams urged them to go to New England and to spread the good word of their religion. Because the Quakers were so persistent on going to New England, despite the punishments inflicted upon them, many more people converted to Quakerism. Once people would see how devoted the Quakers were to their religion and that they would willingly die for what they believed in, it end up drawing many more people to the Quaker religion. This led to the Quaker religion spreading fast and far (Fox 34). Other Christian Persecutions These hostilities between the Quakers and Puritans werent just an isolated incident between these two religions. It has been going on for centuries between Christians and non-Christians, as well as between Christian groups that have different beliefs. Christianitys history is littered with persecutions and individuals who have died for their faith and beliefs. When Christianity was first starting, the Roman Empire had persecuted Christians on and off over the first few centuries. Starting with Jesus who was viewed as a threat to the Empire and therefore was persecuted and eventually killed for his beliefs. Then his followers were also persecuted for following him. For example Paul the apostle, who was a big influence in spreading early Christianity, was persecuted, thrown in jail, tortured, and driven out of towns for spreading the Christian faith. Then in 64 C.E. the Roman Emperor, Nero, blamed Christians for burning the city of Rome, to which he ended up persecuting many more Christians. Many Christians were also persecuted for refusing to pay homage to the Roman Emperors genius or divine spirit. These Christians had viewed paying homage to the emperors genius as idol worship and refused to participate in the act. Christians were also persecuted by the Roman Empire for refusing to perform sacrifices. These Christians were often executed by fire, wild animals, or gladiators in public arenas, in order to send a message to other Christians that they should comply with the rules of the empire (Moore 58-59). The early Christians were persecuted because they had different beliefs than many of the Romans and therefore were viewed as a threat even though they may have been peaceful. This however, did not keep them from persecuting others as time went on. Other groups of Christians that also faced opposition and hostilities, during the first couple of centuries that Christianity came into existence, were the Ebionites, Gnostics, and the Marcionites. These three groups were Christians that had different views on Christianity than the proto-orthodox Christians. For this they were persecuted and completely destroyed by the proto-orthodox Christianity. For example, the Ebionites believed that in order to be Christian a person must be Jewish and follow all of the Jewish traditions from eating a kosher diet to circumcisions. They also believed that Jesus was the adopted son of God and did not result from a virgin birth. Because of these beliefs the Ebionites were not popular with other Christians that wanted to get away from the Jewish traditions, which led to them being persecuted and eventually their religion was wiped out (Ehrman 100-102). The Marcionites were also considered heretics and persecuted for having different beliefs than the proto-orthodox Christians. They were seen as a significant threat and even had five volumes of books written against them in order to attack their beliefs. Their beliefs differed because they believed in two Gods, one was the evil Old Testament God and one was the good New Testament God. They also believed that Jesus was not actually human, which greatly contrasted with proto-orthodox Christianity. (Ehrman 103-108). The Gnostics also had different views than the proto-orthodox Christians, which led to them being harassed and persecuted. The Gnostics believed that Jesus wasnt actually human, that the material world was completely evil and the spirit world was good, that there were multiple Gods, and that only certain people had a divine spark in them that would allow them to go to heaven. These ideas caused the Gnostics to be considered heretics and another threat to Christianity. Christians were even warned on how to spot possible Gnostics in order to try and drive them out of the proto-orthodox Christian churches (Ehrman, The New Testament 197-201). Persecutions among different Christian orders continued, but persecutions even occurred within the same Christian order. Whenever there was a split in beliefs, Christians would often argue over who was right and who was wrong. This would often lead to more persecutions. One such example was around the 8th century when there was a huge conflict over icons of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints. Christianity split into two groups, each of who thought their views were correct. One group was the iconoclasts, who believed that all icons should be destroyed, and the other group was the iconodules, who believed that icons where just simple glimpses of what heaven may be like. This difference in beliefs led to violent conflicts over who was right and who was wrong. Constantine V, Emperor Leo IIIs son, had some of the greatest and harshest persecutions of this time. He had hundreds of iconodule monks tortured by gouging out their eyes, cutting off their tongues and noses, setting their be ards on fire, and even executing those that stood against his iconoclast view. These hostilities between the iconoclasts and iconodules lasted from 726 until 787 C.E. (Nystrom 134-235). Another example of hostilities between Christian orders was between the Protestants and the Catholic Church. The Protestants were persecuted because they interpreted the Bible differently than the Catholics. The Protestants then used these new interpretations of the Bible to try and change the Catholic Church. Some of the changes they wanted were to eliminate indulgences, reduce the sacraments from the seven to only baptisms and communion, and to use scripture alone as the primary guide for faith. The Catholic Church on the other hand wanted to keep indulgences, all seven sacraments, and to continue using scripture in conjunction with church teachings as the ultimate authority for faith (Moore 182-183). These differences led to an irreparable split between the two Christianities, with the Catholic Church declaring that the Protestants were. Conclusion In conclusion, these hostilities between Christian groups and between Christians and Non-Christians were very similar to the hostilities between the Puritans and Quakers. All of the hostilities had to do with different views on Christianity resulting in persecution of one of the Christian groups. These persecutions ranged from imprisonment, to excommunication, to banishment, or even to death. The Quakers had very different views on Christianity than the Puritans. Because the Puritans felt threatened by these differences, they persecuted the Quakers. This was very similar to many other persecutions throughout the history of Christianity. Christians when they were first forming had different viewpoints than non-Christians. Then as Christianity grew, factions of Christians separated because they had different viewpoints on how Christianity should be. This in turn led to the new groups of Christians, with the new viewpoints, who were often persecuted by the original group of Christians. While it may seem that the Puritans were especially harsh on the Quakers, it is obvious that they were not the only ones to use death and punishment to deter what they viewed as a threat to their way of life. When two groups of Christians have opposing viewpoints, and they both believe very strongly that they are right and the other group is wrong, this inevitably leads to hostilities between the two groups. If the hostilities are strong enough, there were likely to be punishments and maybe even death to deter and stop the spread of the opposing groups beliefs. These hostilities are likely to continue in the future as new revelations come about over what Christianity should be and what practices should be followed. Only time will tell what new Christianities will branch off of the vast array of Christian orders that are already established, but it is almost certain that new branches of Christianity will meet opposition and persecution from one or another of the already established br anches of Christianity.

Will Eastern Europe become the New Periphery to the Prosperous Nations

Will Eastern Europe become the New Periphery to the Prosperous Nations of the West? "Enlargement is one the most important opportunities for the European Union as it prepares for the 21st century. It is a unique, historic task to further the integration of the continent by peaceful means, extending a zone of stability and prosperity to new members." www.europa.com/ec/enlarge European Union Enlargement ========================== At its summit in Luxembourg in December 1997, the European Commission decided that the enlargement should encompass: ÂÂ · the European Conference, a multilateral framework bringing together ten central European countries, Cyprus and Turkey, launched in 1998 on the 12 march; ÂÂ · the accession process, covering ten central European countries and Cyprus, launched in the same year on the 30th march; ÂÂ · the accession negotiations, which the European Council decided to open on the 31st march 1998 with six countries recommended by the European Commission: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia. The European Union has already had many successful enlargements such as the United Kingdom in 1973 and also Greece in 1981 and most recently Sweden in 1995. So therefore there should not be any problems with expansion again. However the expansion under consideration today is different then before. It is unique because the area would increase by 34% and also the population would increase by 105 million that will also involve the membership of different cultures and histories. Eastern Europe and the Balkans would benefit significantly by the enlargement because of the single ... ... prosperous and also more likely to merge with the European Union without many problems and mainly be able to keep most of their workers there or even pull new investors into the area. So in conclusion as long as the integration and the European Union Accession Partnership before integration takes place and is followed carefully and all goes well then the Balkan area and even all of Central and Eastern Europe could integrate and not become peripheral but prosperous memberstates instead. Word Count: 2,100 References Peter Coffey "The Future of Europe". Agenda 2000 for a Stronger and Wider Union Brian Hill, "The European Union", 2nd edn, Heinemann Educational, 1994 1991-1999 EU assistance to South-Eastern Europe & Western Balkans - Figures www.europa.com/ec/enlarge www.europa.com

Writing as a Career Essay -- Informative

Many writers would like to categorize there reasons for being writers, and there are different reasons according to the kind of writing the writer does. The author can be viewed for the reasons of loving what they write about, then they could be viewed as one who likes to write novels, or bigger books, and then there is the ones who do it because it means a lot to their lifestyle. There are many reasons for becoming a writer, which are included in some of the authors’ thoughts. A writer is viewed as someone who is looking for subjects inquires, but not after what he loves best, but in what he thinks he loves at all (Dillard 1). Many writers wonder the reasons for which they write by wondering why, what, and how do they do it, but the writers like to write on part of the idea that they can share what they are doing at that very time and place, be it walking up and down in a little room or something similar (Kincaid 1). Although these two authors categorize there reasons for be ing writers in a similar fashion, they have some differences. There are some authors whom like to stay anonymous, when they do their work. They may appear to want their work to be anonymous, but by all fashion the work is later on published anyways (Sanders B4). Some authors can also view how writings has effected there lifestyles, because of their writing. There’s always a mystery behind the creative writing process, but it’s a boring mystery and some look at it differently (King 1). Some others believe that there writing in turn teaches others in multiple states and they can benefit from some of the hard-won benefits (Cubberly A4). There is always different reasoning behind authors’ ideas of writing, but these are many of the categori... ...ject of inquiries, but this would not be seen until they think about it (Dillard 1). Most of the writers wonder the reasons for which they write by thinking why, what and how do they write it. Some think about what they are doing everyday be it walking up and down in a room or something of that matter (Kincaid 1). Even with the amount of categorizes that you can place authors into they all have similarities, and differences. Some also would like to appear anonymous when they do their work (Sanders B4). But some wonder about the mysteries that hide behind the creative writing process, as it is a boring mystery for many but not to the author (King 1). This is how the authors could be categorized into the reasons in which the writers write about what they do, and how there are always differences between the authors themselves that can prove why authors are different.

Analysis of Tess of the DUrbervilles by Thomas Hardy Essay -- Thomas

Analysis of Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy The depth of artistic unity found in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles pervades every chapter of the novel. No one chapter is less important than another because each is essential in order to tell the tragic tale of Tess Durbeyfield. There is never an instance in Hardy's prose that suggests frill or excess. Themes of the Industrial Revolution in England, the status of women during Victorian England, Christianity vs. Paganism, matters of nobility, and the role that fatalism plays in life weave together with various symbols to create an amazing flow to his novel. At the beginning of chapter thirty-one, Joan Durbeyfield has just sent a letter with her advice to Tess. She tells Tess to keep her past from Angel a secret. Tess' mother is a practical woman who knows that Angel will be like most men and will reject Tess once he discovers the truth. It is important that Joan makes an appearance in this chapter because Tess' parents' influence on their daughter is integral to the plot of the novel from the beginning. In fact, a line can be traced from Tess to her parents to the effect of the Industrial Revolution on the peasantry of England. At the beginning of the novel, Tess offers to go Casterbridge to deliver the beehives that her father was supposed to deliver. John Durbeyfield is unable to make this delivery because he has yet again inebriated after having made a visit to Rolliver's Inn. Tess' father is just one example of the many victims of the Industrial Revolution. He and Joan are "representatives of the disaffected and drunken villagers whose houses will soon fall to larger farms mass-producing crops for mass consumption."[1]The villagers... ...By Thomas Hardy. N.p.: Unversity of Michigan, n.d. 417-427. Shaw, Bernard. Man and Superman. Cambridge, Mass.: The University Press, 1903; Bartleby.com, 1999. www.bartleby.com/157/. Tess of the D'Urbervilles. 37th ed. New York : Penguin Group, 1980. Tess of the D'urbervilles/ HARDY. Masterplots. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Thomas Hardy." Critical Survey of Long Fiction. N.p.: n.p., n.d. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Bishnupriya Ghosh, "Critical Evaluation" Tess of the D'Urbervilles/HARDY, Masterplots [2] Charles E. May, "Thomas Hardy," Critical Survey of Long Fiction [3] May 1509 [4] George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, August 1999, November 10, 2003, http://www.bartleby.com/157/100.html [5] Donald Hall, Afterword on Tess of the D'urbervilles, Tess of the D'urbervilles, Peguin 1980 ed.

Metonymy and Euphemisms

In the previous chapter I presented the default cases of metonymy and how cognitive and communicative principles govern the selection of a preferred metonymic vehicle. These principles enable us to understand why we choose certain entities to access a target and why some vehicle-to-target routes have been conventionalized in the language. However, it sometimes occurs that cognitive and communicative principles are overridden because of the speaker’s expressive needs or a particular social situation. The violation of the principles in question may result in the use of metonymy – based euphemisms which I will try to explore in the following discussion. As it was mentioned before, there are certain cognitive and communicative principles which account for the choice of preferred metonymic vehicles. Among cognitive principles we distinguish for example, the HUMAN OVER NON-HUMAN, the CONCRETE OVER ABSTRACT, the GOOD GESTALT OVER POOR GESTALT or the SPECIFIC OVER GENERIC principle. Kovecses and Radden (1998: 45-50) notice that cognitive principles mainly contribute to human experience, perceptual selectivity and cultural preference. Most of the people’s conceptualizations is affected by our human experiences and perceptions. Thus, we attach greater importance to things that we can easily perceive and interact with. Cultural preferences are also significant factors in determining our choice of certain vehicles in metonymy. Therefore, we often select the stereotypical, ideal or typical members of a category to stand for that category. In the example He has a great heart the cognitive principle CONCRETE OVER ABSTRACT is applied. The hearer encounters no difficulty in understanding the metonymy since we tend to refer to concrete physical object which are more salient than abstract entities. Thus the hearer knows that the speaker is talking about a person who is very kind and not about one whose heart has a large size. The default selection of a metonymic vehicle is also determined by two communicative principles, namely the principle of clarity and the principle of relevance. Entities that are clear and relevant are more preferred to those that are less clear and relevant. Therefore, in a sentence   people achieve the intended target effortlessly since the principle CLEAR OVER OBSCURE governs the understanding of the metonymy. Yet, as Radden and Kovecses (1998: 53) state, cognitive and communicative principles account for the choice of default routes, they are unable to explain the selection of non-default cases of metonymy. One of the examples of non-default routes are metonymic euphemisms. Radden and Kovecses (1998: 53) suggest that what may account for the non-default selection is social considerations. It means that the speaker refrains from uttering a clear, literal expression because he does not want to sound vulgar or indiscrete. The authors (1998: 52) also propose that rhetorical effects may be another reason for choosing a non-default route. The examples of these strategies will be presented later in the discussion. First, however, the term euphemism has to be explained and reasons for its occurrence in language explored. The word ‘euphemism’ is of a Greek origin and it means ‘good sounding’, ‘good auguring’, ‘mild’. In dictionaries it is defined as a rhetorical device. Since Polish and English examples of metonymy-based euphemisms will be presented in the paper, I will give some explanations of the term in question coming from Polish and English linguistic sources. Dictionary of Contemporary English (1990: 346) gives the following definition: ‘the use of a pleasanter, less direct name for something thought to be unpleasant’. Allan and Burridge (1991: 14) propose that euphemisms are ‘alternatives to dispreferred expressions’ and are used to ‘avoid possible loss of face: either one’s own or, by giving offense, that of the audience, or of some third party’. Another explanation comes from Polish. All in all, as Dabrowska (1993: 51) summarizes euphemisms are all those words or phrases that bring positive or neutral connotations. They are used to avoid or soothe a name of dispreferred expression and the reasons for the occurrence of euphemisms are paralinguistic (psychological, social, ideological or political). That is to say, euphemisms are widely employed in language in response to taboos. Generally speaking, a taboo is prohibition of certain behaviours (including language ones) that can bring harm or embarrassment to the hearer. As there is a wide spectrum of areas where the term ’taboo’ operates, different definitions of this phenomenon exist. Nevertheless, as Dabrowska (1993: 17) points out, almost all the explanations which appear in dictionaries, encyclopaedias and linguistic papers define ‘taboo’ as a prohibition of a certain type, a phenomenon which should be avoided or treated carefully because of the possession of harmful, dangerous powers. A taboo guards certain human values and social norms. Since a taboo is a ban of certain behaviours it also refers to the linguistic behaviour. It means that some words are forbidden to be communicated or preferred to be avoided. The reasons for the avoidance are mainly connected with religious beliefs, superstitions, death, sex or politics. Thus, what the speaker can do is either not to use a prohibited expression or to substitute it for another one – euphemism. In other words, a euphemism is a linguistic response to a ban of uttering certain words. Let us now discuss the reasons that stand behind the appearance of a linguistic taboo and therefore, the occurrence of euphemisms. In the past, people were afraid of referring directly to the names of certain supernatural beings and to the names of certain animals. They believed that those creatures possessed some magical and supernatural powers. Thus, people felt fear and anxiety for them and did not mention directly the names of God or such animals as a bear or a lion. It resulted in expressions the Lord or the All-Mighty. Ullmann (1967: 205-6) calls this phenomenon ‘taboo of fear’. Dabrowska (1993: 27-8) observes that this kind of motivation was stronger in the past but it cannot be stated that it is not present currently. Nowadays, euphemistic expressions motivated by fear are those associated with the devil. Holders (1987: ) gives such instances as Lord of the flies, black gentleman, Old Scratch and Ullmann (1967: 205) lists Nick and Hangie. Many scholars notice that the use of euphemisms is determined by courtesy, kindness and delicacy. The speaker avoids expressions that can offend or distress the hearer. Ullmann and Kany (1967: 206-7) call this phenomenon ‘taboo of delicacy’. Due to the existence of ‘taboo of delicacy’ we do not talk explicitly about death, diseases, physical and mental defects or criminal actions, especially when they directly involve our interlocutors. For example, instead of adopting very explicit verb ‘to die’ we may substitute it for a euphemistic phrase ‘to pass away’ which seems to be a milder and more appropriate form in many cases. In other situations the use of euphemisms is motivated by ‘taboo of propriety’ (Ullmann, 1967: 207-8). Norms of decency make people avoid a direct reference to such topics as sex, swearing or certain body parts and their functions. The speaker’s decency, modesty and sometimes his embarrassment refrain him from mentioning troublesome subjects directly. Therefore, one can talk about having sex using a euphemistic expression to sleep with. It is also very common that people ask about the location of a place where they can wash their hands or powder their nose, meaning a toilet. Leszczynski (1988: 22) observes that avoiding certain expressions is caused also by the speaker’s disapproval of some words or phrases. Thus, the speaker does not use these words or tries to communicate them in a milder and more pleasant way. Leszczynski (1988: 22) emphasizes that a very significant factor which motivates the use of euphemisms is on the one hand, the protection of hearer’s feelings and sensitivity and on the other, the protection of the speaker himself. The former situation results from the speaker’s real care about his interlocutor or his false concern which only aims at avoiding people’s disapproval. With respect to the protection of the speaker, he either believes in what he is saying or wants to meet with the acceptance of society. As Dabrowska (1993: 26-7) points out, the speaker’s use of euphemisms in response to the ‘taboo of propriety’ may be an effect of hypocrisy. The author (1993: 26-7) claims that people sometimes do not make a direct reference to certain body parts and bodily functions not because of their real need but because of being prudish. Dabrowska (1993: 27) also observes that the speaker’s cunning and his self-interest is a highly common factor for euphemizing. In order to induce the hearer’s positive attitude, that is necessary to attain certain goal, the speaker emphasizes the value of certain things. He presents himself and his actions in the most favourable light and raises their prestige. This kind of behaviour aims at bewitching hearers and making them, for instance, to buy certain advertised products or, in politics, to believe in politician’s good intentions. Motivation based on cunning and the speaker’s self-interest is characteristic for euphemisms present in the language of advertising, politics, propaganda and diplomacy. For example, it is politically correct to use an expression excess of labour force instead of unemployment. In the language of politics we frequently hear about price regulation which is a gentler phrase for rise in prices. As it was presented, there are numerous factors that condition the use of euphemistic expressions. Similarly, a wide spectrum of linguistic ways for euphemizing exist. One of them is metonymy which is commonly used to employ euphemisms in language. Just to remind, Webster’s Third New International Dictionary ( ) defines metonymy as a substitution of the name of one entity for the name of another entity on the condition that these entities are related to each other. Radden and Kovecses (1999: 18) add that the substitution of entities is not enough. What is essential is that metonymy interrelates these entities to â€Å"form a new, complex meaning†. Langacker (1993: 30) perceives metonymy as a reference-point phenomenon in which a reference point – an entity evoked by a metonymic expression – makes possible accessing the desired target.

Healthy living Essay

Healthy lifestyle for both adults and children is more important than anything else. Healthy lifestyle habits will reduce your risk of getting diseases; you will feel better, have more energy and prevent the risk of chronic diseases. Living healthy also helping you to feel happy and have more self confidence which results in a better quality of life . in today’s The term healthy lifestyle encompasses several factors that need to be brought together in order to gain the benefits, namely exercise, healthy eating and a body mass index (BMI) in a normal range. Healthy lifestyle, particularly for children is their insurance policy for a lifetime of good health, and as research has shown, may significantly reduce the chance of contracting chronic illnesses and diseases. Regular physical activity is important for a healthy growth, development and well-being of children, the British Heart Foundation has carried out research into the fact of living a healthy lifestyle, eating healthy can stop you gaining weight, which means reducing the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. It can also help lower your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of some cancers. Chronic illnesses associated with obesity, lack o exercise and a poor diet include the following * Coronary heart disease * Cancer * Stroke * Diabetes * High blood pressure (Hypertension) * Chronic Obstructive pulmonary Disease (COPD) 2. Healthy Eating along with a healthy BMI and exercise is the third element of a healthy lifestyle for children is eating a healthy diet. A healthy diet is again protective against a whole host of chronic illnesses, eating fruit and vegetables everyday helps children’s grow and develop, boosts their vitality and can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases And children are especially susceptible to behavioural problems due to deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals that are derived from the food that we eat. Educations by example in the young child greatly improve their chances of eating a wide variety of nutritious foods as they move from childhood into adolescence. Children who eat meal around the table with others are more likely to try different foods, therefore lowering the possibility of them becoming picky eaters. In order to eat healthily food should be selected from the various different groups to make up a nutritionally balanced plate. These groups are * Carbohydrates – potatoes, rice, bread, pasta and other starchy food * Protein – meat, eggs, fish, beans, milk, cheese, and other dairy products * Fat – butter, oil, spreads * Fruit and vegetables * Sugars – sugary drinks, sweets 3. Activities for young children, Regular physical activity are important for the healthy growth, development and wellbeing of children and young people Physical play and leisure activities can have a hugely positive effect on children’s healthy living. Even though IT and computer games are becoming more popular with the children instead of traditional exercises, they still need physical exercises into their everyday routines. In 2006 professors in Glasgow identified through a study of 545 nursery school children, that one hour of exercise a day was required for children to maintain a healthy BMI, in addition to eating healthy diet. Play is an essential part of a Childs development and we are focusing here particularly on the physical and mental wellbeing aspects. There are many opportunities in the local community for involving children in physical exercises for example of these * Trips to the local park * Indoor children’s play centres * Specialist activities for children at leisure and recreation centres Creative in add ion to the physical activities as a means of promoting a healthy lifestyle, cookery demonstrations and activities can have a profound effect on children encouraging them to prepare and taste healthy foods that they may not have previously been introduced to. The use of different colours and textures of food in recipes can fuel a child excitement and interest where it may not have previously been held. Games displays and the creation of posters can all assist with the promotion of a healthy lifestyle for young children. 4. Wellbeing is the state of being comfortable healthy and happy. In child it is necessary to evaluate children regularly to identify any children who may be displaying sings of emotional or social difficulties affecting their wellbeing. Children should feel comfortable enough to be able to express themselves in an environment that they perceive as positive and safe, and this should be encouraged. Wellbeing for families there are many public and private courses that run including the triple p programs (positive parents programs) which runs nationwide offering invaluable support to parents. Courses are available for different age groups of children and are delivered by experienced and appropriately trained practitioners. These courses have proved a lifeline for some parents who have been struggling in silence to conquer various emotional, physical or behavioural aspects of their children’s lives. This is a fantastic tool for improving parent’s wellbeing and offers an opportunity for parents to meet in secure non judgemental and confident environment where they can discuss their own issues that they are experiencing with practitioners and fellow parents †¦

Technology and Organizational Structure

Technology and Organizational Structure Wanda Armour University of Phoenix Technology and Organizational Structure This paper represents the research on how technology interacts with organizational structure. Two companies will be identified to compare and contrast their organizational structures. A matrix will be included to summarize the findings. Introduction Organizational structure in today’s complex multi-dimensional organizations is the connection that holds the infrastructure together to achieve the organizations goals.It is the patterns or arrangement of groups of jobs within an organization. It is also a process that requires organizational re-structuring as the company grows. Historically industry has shifted from the job-shop manufacturing to mass production, with innovative pioneers such as Frederick Taylor, Henri Fayol, and Max Weber ((Dristelzweig & Droege, n. d. ). These early pioneers were very different thinkers in terms of their principles to determine how t o structure organizations for maximum productivity.However, they all had a common view that it was like a machine and that power was in the position, not in the individual holding the position; clearly a vertical bureaucratic structural hierarchy ((Dristelzweig & Droege, n. d. ). This ‘one best way’ mindset gradually disappeared as concerns that the traditional organizational structure may hinder, rather than help promote creativity and innovation (Dristelzweig & Droege, n. d. ). Today, pressures in U. S. business structures to compete globally calls for a variety of organization structures.There is no ‘one fit all’ organizational structure that has proven effective in contributing to business success. Organizations operate in different environments with different opportunities, products, tasks, risks, strategies, constraints, strengths and weakness, and different organizational structures to meet those challenges (Reference for Business, n. d. ). There are two types of organizational structures found in business environments; centralized and decentralized. Centralized organizational structures rely on one individual to make decisions and provide direction or the company; decentralized organizations rely on a team environment at different levels of the business (Vitez, n. d. ). Organizational Structure Overview of Two Company’s Two very successful companies have been identified with different organizational structures; Toyota Motor Corporation and The Watson’s Creative Company. These two companies are on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of organizational structure. Toyota, a Japanese, multinational corporation, has a centralized matrix organizational structure (the combination of two or more different structures-organic/mechanistic) with a bureaucratic infrastructure.The Watson’s Creative Company, a New York based adverting agency, has a small-decentralized organic organizational structure (organizations that are flexible and effectively adapt to change) (Dorf & Byers, 2008). Toyota is considered by some as the world’s largest maker of automobiles, trucks, buses, and robots. Toyota has factories all around the world, that manufacture and assemble vehicles for local markets (Taneja, Pryer, & Sewell, 2012). Toyota has an interesting blend of mechanistic, organic and bureaucracy in a centralized organizational structure, which allows them to accommodate their versatile product line.This structure develops a workforce who believes in the company’s products, image, and vision; along with placing a high value on the welfare of its employees (Taneja et al. , 2012). A recent SWOT analysis shows that intense competition could pose a threat resulting in lower price pressures. A recent massive product recall (10 million worldwide) which could hurt the company’s brand image and sales ((Toyota, 2012). Toyota is a company that has a reputation for reliability; the challenge n ow is rebuilding the emotional ties of customers.A bureaucratic organizational structure could be the flaw as hindered information sharing, miscommunication; along with delayed response time to quality and safety issues have been sighted as the root cause of the recall (Taneja et al. , 2012). One of the disadvantages to a matrix organizational structure is keeping communication channels clear so that potential conflicts do not arise and hinder organizational functioning (Reference for Business, n. d. ). As corporations become worldwide the process of restructuring is inevitable, as they must respond to challenges on a global level.The foundation of Toyota is respect of its people and continuous improvement through the ‘Toyota Way’ which is summarized by five keywords; â€Å"Challenge,† â€Å"Kaizen,† â€Å"Genchi Genbutsu,† â€Å"Respect† and â€Å"Teamwork† (â€Å"The Toyota Way,† n. d). The Watson’s a Creative Company, is an ad agency. They have a decentralized organic organizational structure that is simple and low in formalization. All parts of the organization need each other as an interdependence relationship improves functioning.As an organic organization they need to stay flexible in dealing with customers and in creating concepts for television commercials and print advertisement (Field, n. d. ). I recently visited the Watson’s ad agency and I found a confortable informal environment with a small staff and their dogs. It seemed quite remarkable that a company with such clients as ‘Whole Foods’, ‘Metropolitan Home Magazine’ and many others could work as a community. However it is in line with their mission statement of building lasting relationships between great companies and the audiences they benefit (â€Å"The Watson’s,† n. . ). Their core competency is in their knowledge management and creativity. An organic organization such as The Watsonà ¢â‚¬â„¢s is a knowledge-based organization. Tacit knowledge is exchanged through interaction with other knowledge workers. This interaction facilitates the development of a knowledge culture within the organization, supporting decision making of various knowledge workers through collaboration (Hosnavi & Ramezan, 2011). How Structure Affects the use of Technology and Technology Decisions Technology plays a crucial role in today’s organizational structure.Toyota understood that the traditional understanding of centralization in organizational structure would fail to capture its vision of technological development, and value in the employee in the face of new challenges and demands. Toyota adopted a matrix organizational structure to facilitate technology decisions ((Hosnavi & Ramezan, 2011). The Watson’s on the other hand believe that technology decisions are based the decentralization of power and control and a higher level of informality and a organic organizational st ructure was the best fit for their company.Toyota’s superior technology was not enough in light of the recent recalls. As a result they had to reduce their organizational structure, which is no easy task. My observation is that Toyota could have closed a blind eye but instead decided to restructure and fix the problem without deviating from their core competency and mission. The Watson’s interaction with technology is equally exciting as visual displays of artistic genius are created and displayed through a variety of avenues. Technology gives expression to the endless possibilities of the mind and allows them to make decisions based on whatever idea they can dream of.Working on something they believe in helps them to focus on the effectiveness of their products and services. TECHNOLOGY AND ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE| Inquiry| Toyota Motor Corporation| The Watson’s a Creative Company| Organizational Structure| Centralized Matrix Organizational Structure| Decentraliz ed Organic Organizational Structure| Environment| Stable, highly efficient and orderly. | Constant change, simple, low formalization. | Control| Hierarchic| Network community. | Internal Communication| Vertical, between superior and subordinates. Lateral between people. | Core Competency| Lean Manufacturing Tools, Supply Chain Management, Product Development Technology, Branding| Creative Advertising /Knowledge worker| Core Technology| Conventional and Hybrid Vehicles, Hybrid Systems, Safety and Environmental Technologies. | Web based advertising systems, HTML, XML, SVG and Flash, Communications protocols, Video and audio technology. | Enabling Technologies| Toyota Technology Institute, Toyota InfoTechnology Center, Home Living Assistant Robotics, Personal Mobility. R&D product portfolio. iAd mobile app, Ad tracking, Banner Ads, Rich Media Ads, Tradeshows, Commercial Emails, Poster Ads, Social Media| Organizational Members| Task Oriented| People Oriented| Control-Stability and predi ctability. | High| Low| Flexibility-Quick response to changing conditions| High| High| Knowledge Management| Reinforcement of hierarchy| Anywhere in the company| Technology Interaction with Organizational Structure Based on these comparisons I believe that the interaction of technology must be accompanied with the right fit of the organizations structure to achieve sustainability.Toyota works on a technological scale far beyond that of the Watson’s. It uses manufacturing technology that is the cutting edge of science (Taneja et al. , 2012). It is doing an amazing work with its robotic technology that will help the handicapped, as well as the individual. Taneia et al. , (2012 believes that Toyota’s research and development accomplishments are making groundbreaking strides in the area of defense against energy starvation. The Watson’s Creative Company is using the Internet to extend their market reach far beyond what was once thought possible through conventional channels.According to Behboudi, Hanzaee, Koshksaray, Khirkhani Tabar, & Taheri (2012), â€Å"Creative advertising can provide a competitive edge for a brand, add to its value, and give it an advantage over its rivals in terms of more positive market response†(p. 140). The Watson’s advertising agency has achieved sustainability with their creative and innovative ads through the technology of the Internet. In comparison mechanistic and organic organizational structures are like two musicians, one who plays’ by ear and the other who has to read music; both however deliver a beautiful arrangement of music.Toyota is continuously focused on increasing its technological capabilities, while The Watson’s are continuously looking for more ways to use technology to create ads that are an experience for the consumer. Both are making contributions that will add value to organizational learning, and technological capabilities. References Behboudi, M. , Hanzaee, K. , Ko shksaray, A. , Khirkhani Tabar, M. , & Taheri, Z. (2012). A Review of the Activities of Advertsing Agencies in Online World []. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 4(1), 138-149. Retrieved from Ebscohost Dorf, R.C. , & Byers, T. H. (2008). Technology Ventures (2nd ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Dristelzweig, H. , & Droege, S. B. (n. d. ). Organizational Structure. Retrieved from http://law-journals-books. vlex. com/vid/organizational-structure-51758780 Field, R. (n. d. ). Organizational Effectiveness, Structure and Technology. Retrieved from http://apps. business. ualberta. ca/rfield/Organizational%20Effectiveness,%20Structure,%20and%20Technology. h Hosnavi, R. , & Ramezan, M. (2011). Intellectual Capital and Organizational Organic Structure How are these

Death of a Salesman: Symbolism

Langston Hughes's poem â€Å"Dream Deferred† is basically about what happens to dreams when they are put on hold. Hughes probably intended for the poem to focus on the dreams of African-Americans because he originally entitled the poem â€Å"Harlem,† which is the capital of African American life in the United States; however, it is just as easy to read the poem as being about dreams in general and what happens when people postpone making them come true.Overall, Hughes uses a carefully arranged series of images that suggest that people should not delay their dreams because the more they postpone them, the more the dreams will change and the less likely they will come true. In the opening of the poem Hughes uses a visual image that compares a dream deferred to a raisin. Hughes asks the question, â€Å"Does it [the dream] dry up, Like a raisin in the sun? † (2-3). Here you can see the raisin, which used to be a moist, healthy-looking grape, has shriveled up to becom e a raisin.Like the raisin, the dream has been on hold for a long time and eventually it has transformed into something very different than it once was. Because they look so different, few people would believe that raisins were once grapes unless they had been told. Similarly, a dream that continues to be postponed will go through a transformation as well-it won't be the same as the original. On the surface, readers may not view the outcome as negative because raisins are valuable on their own. However, Hughes does not stress the taste of the raisin; he emphasizes the fact that a raisin â€Å"dries up† or loses its moisture.The comparison of the dream to the withered raisin shows how a dream that is postponed changes dramatically and will not turn out as the person originally intended. The next image in the poem â€Å"fester like† a sore and then run† (3-4) gives you a sense of infection and pain. Comparing the dream to a sore of a body, Hughes suggests that unfu lfilled dreams become part of us, like a longstanding injury that has gathered pus. The word â€Å"fester† meaning something decay and â€Å"run† literally refers to pus in my opinion.From this perspective, it explains the pain that someone has when their dream always defers. A postponed dream is like a painful injury that begins to be infected. The next image â€Å"Does it stink like rotten meat†(5) intensified the sense of disgust. A dream deferred may also stink. If dreams are stashed away, will they haunt us like rotten meat haunts us when it sits too long in the refrigerator? If rotting meat didn't smell so bad, how much longer do you think it would sit in your fridge? The smell is often what reminds us to do something about it, to throw it away.What kinds of things crust or sugar over(6)? Honey; cheese or candy. Usually things that left out in the open and that aren't put away properly. Can dreams be put away properly? Can dreams be preserved if they aren' t pursued? Hughes compares dreams to sweet-tasting things, and comparing the bitterness of lost dreams. â€Å"Maybe it just sags like a heavy load† (8-9). Sagging things are things that are old, for example our skin, furniture or even curtains. I think Hughes is pointing out how important dreams are because they are heavy and if we ignore them, they grow to sag. Or does it explode† (10)? I think when Hughes uses the word â€Å"explode† he leaves it up to question. Explode could mean either from built up pressure or something more positive like fireworks or celebration. Whichever comparison, I think either are strong outcomes become your dream has some sort of result. Because of the time period Hughes wrote this poem, I think he wants the readers to question and think about their dreams, and what you are going to do with them; especially for African Americans.