Rhetorical Analysisi free essay sample

Rhetorical Analysis Essay The work that I chose to write about is â€Å"The Homeless and Their Children† taken from Jonathan Kozol’s book, â€Å"Rachel and Her Children†. This is a story of a woman whom Kozol calls Laura and her four children that lived in a run-down hotel room in 1985. The intended audience for this piece was pretty much anyone interested in reading this particular book. He wrote it for the general American public. I believe that Kozol felt bad for the women and their families that had to live in this government sponsored hell-hole. He describes Laura as a â€Å"broken stick† and says that Laura, â€Å" is so fragile the I find it hard to start a conversation when we are introduced a few nights later†. Then he later describes her children as â€Å"having the washed-out look of the children Walker Evans photographed for Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. † and having â€Å"dark and hallowed eyes†. We will write a custom essay sample on Rhetorical Analysisi or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page (1) Kozol also describes the hotel and the rooms that these families were living in. He seems to have a sympathetic tone. He talks about how there is sludge running down the walls, beds with mattresses that did not fit correctly, there was a radiator that spewed out hot water at the kids’ eye level at any time and how this could do damage to the more than twelve hundred children living there. Kozol also brings up the fact that there are guards in the hotel, but they let the drug dealers walk right in like they own the place. Laura states, â€Å"I don’t know the reason for the guards. They let the junkies into the hotel. When my mother comes, I have to sign† (Kozol 2). He brings up the fact that Laura’s children do not get Christmas presents and how this upsets her. Laura states, â€Å"Christmas, they don’t get. For my daughter I ask a Cabbage Patch. For my boys I ask for toys. I got them stockings. † (Kozol 3). She feels bad and the fact that Kozol dedicates an entire paragraph to it, tells me that he feels for these kids and their parents. Kozol also discusses the fact that Laura is illiterate and how this affects their daily lives, such as Laura having to spend more money on groceries due to the fact that she can only buy the products with pictures on them. Also, he talks about how she has trouble looking for a place to live, which is required by the welfare system because they pay her rent, due to the fact that she cannot read the newspaper. The fact that Laura could not properly care for the health of her children seemed to bother Kozol as well. There are several occasions during their interview where Laura asks him to read letters and most of those letters are about how she needs to bring her oldest son Matthew in for treatment for lead poisoning. There was also a letter telling her that her daughter has scabies. Overall, this excerpt has a sympathetic tone. The way he describes the hotel and the things that these families have to deal with tells us that he feels bad for them. Kozol is a very credible writer for this particular story because he is directly interviewing the people that live in this hotel. He takes what these people tell him and what he sees with his own eyes, such as the way the rooms looked, and lays it out. Kozol was not only trying to get the audience to feel sorry for these people, but trying to educate the American public as well. He wanted to let us know that there were, and still are, people right here in America having to live in places like Martinique Hotel. He also was letting us know the reasons why certain people have trouble getting out of these kinds of situations, once they get in (i. e. the fact that Laura was illiterate). At the very end of this excerpt Kozol asks Laura how she relaxes. Laura replies that she â€Å"turns out the lights and lies down on the bed†. She also talks about how the room is gloomy with no pictures or flowers and how she wished that she had a dog. She states, â€Å"A brown dog. Something to hug† (Kozol 3). This shows us that wanted this pet so badly that she has thought about every detail, even down to the color of the dog. The last few paragraphs had a somewhat different tone than the rest of the excerpt. He seemed to be feeling down and depressed for Laura. He describes how there is a â€Å"spindly geranium plant† in the window of Laura’s room and how â€Å"the blowing snow hits the panes and blurs the dirt† (Kozol 3). It just seems that the reality and sadness of the situation are really setting in. The detailed descriptions, such as when he describes Laura and her children, as I mentioned in paragraph two of this paper, that Kozol puts into his piece also help him to set this sympathetic tone. Kozol is also very descriptive about the way the hotel looks and the management of the hotel. He wants us to be right there with him, Laura and her children. He wants this so that we feel what he feels for her and also to feel what Laura is feeling. On a personal note, I would like to read the rest of this book and possibly other works that Mr. Kozol did. In discussion with other classmates, I discovered that he did a lot of work with homeless and illiterate people. I do not know if he still writes, however, I would like to do some research and find out how long of a time period he did write for and compare some of the stories to see if and how situations changed over the years.

Janis Joplins Porsche essays

Janis Joplin's Porsche essays Janis Lyn Joplin was born on January 19, 1943 and died in October 1970. She climbed to the peak of her success during the 60s, a time of chaos, revolution and excitement. It was a turbulent an colorful period of social change in the country, where America was ripped between those who died for war and those who carved for peace. An era of baby boomers, drugs and rebellions, young adults fought for their beliefs and views to be heard in the society. They expressed themselves through rallies, uprisings and music. Janis Joplin expressed her opinions through her music and her 1965 Porsche that Dave Richards painted for her. Her car represented symbols that both defined her as an individual and the period in which she lived in. When looking at the car, one is mesmerized be the bright colors and the great details that can be seen. Dave Richards used vivid colors like yellow, orange, pink and turquoise. The cars hood has varieties of butterflies and small blue flowers (might be Forget-Me-Nots flowers). In the middle front, there are two faces, one looking to the right and the other to the left. In the middle of the two faces, there is an eye looking straight ahead. It is a gods-eye symbol that the band has identified with. On the right side of the front of the car, there is an image thats very hard to make out. It might be a womans body with veins running through it or thin rivers of blood. On the front left fender there is a Big Brother portrait. On the left side of the car, there are little brown shapes. The impression that some may get is that it is a wall. On the same side of the car, there are drawings of mushrooms. In addition, theres a drawing of people in love. On the back, theres a U.S flag with stains of red paint on it as well as two faces united with a rainbow. Richards also painted a sun face with the Capricorn symbol on it and a letter J. On the right side of the car, t...

Ancient Spartan Public Education

Ancient Spartan Public Education T. Rutherford Harley (The Public School of Sparta, Greece Rome, Vol. 3, No. 9 (May 1934) pp. 129-139.) uses Xenophons Polity of Lacedaemon, the Hellenica, and Plutarchs Lycurgus for evidence of the Spartan education system. The following is a summary of the relevant sections of his article with a few more recent references. Upbringing of Children to Age 7 A child deemed worth raising is given to its mother to be cared for until the age of 7, although during the day, it accompanies its father to the syssitia (dining clubs) where it sits on the floor picking up Spartan customs by osmosis. Lycurgus instituted the practice of appointing a state officer, the paidonomos, who puts children in school, supervises and punishes. Children are barefoot to encourage them to move swiftly, and they are encouraged to learn to withstand the elements by having only one outfit. Children are never satiated with food or fed fancy dishes. Schooling of 7-Year-Old Boys At the age of 7, the paidonomos organized the boys into divisions of about 60 each called ilae. These were groups of peers of the same age. Most of their time was spent in this company, according to Figueira. The ilae were under the supervision of an eiren (iren) aged about 20, at whose house the ilae ate. If the boys wanted more food, they went on hunts or raids. So seriously did the Lacedaemonian children go about their stealing, that a youth, having stolen a young fox and hid it under his coat, suffered it to tear out his very bowels with its teeth and claws, and died upon the place, rather than let it be seen.From Plutarchs Life of Lycurgus After dinner, the boys sing songs of war, history, and morality or the eiren quizzes them, training their memory, logic, and ability to speak laconically. The Iren, or under-master, used to stay a little with them after supper, and one of them he bade to sing a song, to another he put a question which required an advised and deliberate answer; for example, Who was the best man in the city? What he thought of such an action of such a man? They used them thus early to pass a right judgment upon persons and things, and to inform themselves of the abilities or defects of their countrymen. If they had not an answer ready to the question Who was a good or who an ill-reputed citizen, they were looked upon as of a dull and careless disposition, and to have little or no sense of virtue and honor; besides this, they were to give a good reason for what they said, and in as few words and as comprehensive as might be; he that failed of this, or answered not to the purpose, had his thumb bit by his master. Sometimes the Iren did this in the presence of the old men and magistrates, that they might see whether he punished them justly and in due measu re or not; and when he did amiss, they would not reprove him before the boys, but, when they were gone, he was called to an account and underwent correction, if he had run far into either of the extremes of indulgence or severity.From Plutarchs Life of Lycurgus Spartan Literacy It is not clear whether they learn to read. [For more on the issue of literacy in Sparta, see Whitley and Cartledge.] Physical Training The boys play ball games, ride, and swim. They sleep on reeds and suffer floggings silently, or they suffer again. Spartans study dance as a kind of gymnastic training for war dances as for wrestling. This was so central that Sparta was known as a dancing place from Homeric times. [For more on the importance of dancing in Sparta, see Dionysiac Elements in Spartan Cult Dances, by Soteroula Constantinidou. Phoenix, Vol. 52, No. 1/2. (Spring - Summer, 1998), pp. 15-30. ] Foster Sons Allowed in Spartan Schools Not only were the schools for the sons of the Spartiate, but also for foster sons. Xenophon, for instance, sent his two sons to Sparta for their education. Such students were called trophimoi. Even the sons of helots and perioikoi could be admitted, as syntrophoi or mothakes, but only if a Spartiate adopted them and paid their dues. If these did exceptionally well, they might later be enfranchised as Spartiates. Harley speculates that guilt may be a factor here because the helots and perioikoi often took in the children that the Spartiates had rejected at birth as unworthy of rearing. From Agoge to Syssitia and Krypteia At 16 the young men leave the agoge and join the syssitia, although they continue training so they can join the youth who become members of the Krypteia (Cryptia). Krypteia The passage from Plutarchs Life of Lycurgus: Hitherto I, for my part, see no sign of injustice or want of equity in the laws of Lycurgus, though some who admit them to be well contrived to make good soldiers, pronounce them defective in point of justice. The Cryptia, perhaps (if it were one of Lycurguss ordinances, as Aristotle says it was), Gave both him and Plato, too, this opinion alike of the lawgiver and his government. By this ordinance, the magistrates dispatched privately some of the ablest of the young men into the country, from time to time, armed only with their daggers, and taking a little necessary provision with them; in the daytime, they hid themselves in out-of-the-way places, and there lay close, but, in the night, issued out into the highways, and killed all the Helots they could light upon; sometimes they set upon them by day, as they were at work in the fields, and murdered them. As, also, Thucydides, in his history of the Peloponnesian war, tells us, that a good number of them, after being singled out for their bravery by the Spartans, garlanded, as enfranchised persons, and led about to all the temples in token of honors, shortly after disappeared all of a sudden, being about the number of two thousand; and no man either then or since could give an account how they came by their deaths. And Aristotle, in particular, adds, that the ephori, so soon as they were entered into their office, used to declare war against them, that they might be massacred without a breach of religion. Sources: The Public School of SpartaT. Rutherford HarleyGreece RomeVol. 3, No. 9 (May 1934) pp. 129-139.Cretan Laws and Cretan LiteracyJames WhitleyAmerican Journal of ArchaeologyVol. 101, No. 4. (Oct. 1997), pp. 635-661Literacy in the Spartan OligarchyPaul CartledgeJournal of Hellenic StudiesVol. 98, 1978 (1978), pp. 25-37.Mess Contributions and Subsistence at SpartaThomas J. FigueiraTransactions of the American Philological Association (1974-) Vol. 114, (1984), pp. 87-109

Cause and Effect Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Cause and Effect Assignment - Essay Example This paper intends to discuss trust as the cause of development of self-esteem in children; and, the development of self-esteem, confidence and emotional competence as effects. The thesis statement of the paper is: When parents rely on trust as a major disciplinary measure, it results in the development of self-esteem and emotional competence in children. Parents who trust their children use many strategies that spare their need for using secret surveillance tools. Communication is the biggest technique. Keeping the channels of communication open awakens the sense of self-confidence and emotional competence in children. Nelson (qtd. in Rutherford 410) states that â€Å"elite parents today rely on constant communication and a set of shifting possibilities rather than either confinement or pre-established rules when dealing with their children.† Clear-set rules and no communication about flexibility in rules leads to mistrust. In an article, Parenting: The Case for Keeping Out, Nancy Gibbs talks about her relationship with her daughters. She discusses that she belongs to the generation of parents who are extra worrisome about their kids’ hygiene, food, and security, when the kids are exposing themselves over the internet without parents ever knowing it. This extra worry leads to lack of trust between the two generations. Although it is a very good thing to be concerned with kids’ activities, however it is of no use securing them under helmets, and making them stay wrapped up in hypoallergenic sheets all the while. The need for securing the children brings with it different gadgets that help parents make sure that they are protecting their children from danger. Nelson (qtd. in Rutherford 410) mentions that parents use automobile tracking devices, key stroke recorders and drug-testing kits to maintain surveillance upon their children. They use these techniques until their trust is broken. Moreover, There is a tool that â€Å"lets you sneak a few strands of hair

Comparative evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comparative evaluation - Essay Example Simply relying on the idea of watching horror movies does not in any way make all of us to be abnormal. In fact, I am aware of a good number of people who dislike watching horror movies. In my view, his generalizations give those with contrary opinion enough reasons to counter his argument. On the other hand, Shanker Vedantam is exploring the manner in which our brains process tragedy and empathy by considering the â€Å"telescope effect†. The main argument present in this text is that telescope effect in human brain is responsible for human behaviour where a person would care so much for the good of a few rather than the good of the many. The choice to use real life examples in countering possible counterarguments makes the claim that the author makes believable. Finally, Sheila McClain, in her article Fitness Culture: A growing Trend in America, is discussing how celebrity endorsements of fitness centres is gradually increasing but doing very little to maintain the motivation of those clients. The arguments she is presenting here is on how human minds can easily be manipulated. It is shocking people end up doing things simply because a celebrity has endorsed only to feel less motivated after a while. She handles counterarguments by presenting examples in real

George Washington and Benjamin Franklin Essay Example for Free

George Washington and Benjamin Franklin Essay George Washington is a revered figure in history. He was the first President of the United States and one of its beloved Founding Fathers. He was â€Å"Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army upon whose victory the thirteen colonies depended to secure their separate and equal station among the powers of the earth† (Rediscovering George Washington, 2002, Introduction, para. 2). The usual facts aside, George Washington is a study of contrasting character traits, modesty and pride. Washington lived up to his legendary self with an immense awareness of who he was. In the book, Portrait of America (Oates Errico, 2003), Gordon S. Wood points that Washington’s greatest asset is his character; that he was representative of the 18th-century iconic image of a great man of virtue (Essay #10, II, para. 7 8). The eighteenth century was a very different era in many respects from the present that his personal concerns then may sound preposterous now. For example, Wood (2003) detailed that Washington was notoriously aloof in keeping with the image of a classical hero (III, para. 5), something that is bane nowadays for someone who occupies or dreams of coveting the highest office of the land. Wood (2003) exposed that Washington was very meticulous of himself especially in the company of others constantly cultivating the ideals of being a proper gentleman from his physical bearings to his personal manners(II, para. 15). He certainly considered his reputation his treasure and he protected it all his life (III, para. 6). There lies his enigma, the possession of two contrasting traits, modesty and pride. Wood (2003) further emphasized that it was his moral character that set him off from other men (II, para. 7). This moral steadfastness has served him well in tempting moments. It is worthy to know that Washington acknowledged but was quite insecure about his lack of formal education compared to his learned peers. Self-criticism impeded his actions like his refusal to travel to France finding to have a conversation through an interpreter indignant to a man of his stature, as Wood (2003, II, para. 16) pointed out. This shortcoming produced a very modest man who had the humility to surrender his powers and retreat from public life, an unprecedented act in the Western world (Wood, 2003, III, para. 2) and which only enhanced his image of greatness. Throughout history, the intoxication of power has often cultivated greed out of its possessors. Coming out of retirement and leading the Philadelphia Convention in 1787, Washington’s untarnished reputation was crucial to the ratification of the proposed Constitution. His reputation then at stake, he worked hard to have it ratified (Wood, 2003, IV, para. 1). This was the typical Washington work ethic: a concern for validation of his deliberate act in the eyes of his peers then and for the future generation. Being the President of a young nation, Wood (2003) pointed that â€Å"Washington was keenly aware that everything he did would set precedents for the future† (V, para. 1). His political contributions are still pervasive today, a testament to his leadership endurance. Wood (2003) concluded that Washington was responsible for establishing the president’s independent role and for making him a dominant figure in the government. He also set the Senate’s limited advisory role to the president in the making of treaties and the appointment of officials. Most importantly, he single-handedly institutionalized the two-term limit of the presidency that it was included in the 22nd amendment to the Constitution in 1951 (V, para. 2, 3, 7). Another outstanding Founding Father who is best known for his scientific pursuits than his understated political contribution is Benjamin Franklin. In Portrait of America (Oates Errico, 2003), Richard B. Morris (Essay #6) described Franklin at the beginning of his essay as â€Å"deceptively simple and disarmingly candid, but in reality a man of enormous complexity†. Like George Washington, Franklin was also concerned about living a virtuous life although he was a much more relaxed character than the famous general. Franklin is one who â€Å"seems made of flesh rather than of marble† (Isaacson, 2003). Both bettered themselves through purposeful self-improvement to make up for their lack of formal education. Franklin was blessed with a myriad of talents he used wisely: he was a writer, printer, entrepreneur, skilled negotiator, diplomat, scientist. He espoused such virtues of diligence, frugality, self-discipline, honesty. He loved making lists and the most significant of such is â€Å"as a young man, he made a list of personal virtues that he determined should define his life† (Isaacson, 2006). Franklin used his pen for his causes proving the commonly known expression, the pen is mightier than the sword. As a prolific writer Franklin wrote under the pseudonyms Mrs. Silence Dogood, a character that showed â€Å"the quintessential genre of American folksy humor† (Isaacson, 2006) then later showed more of his humorous side as Poor Richard Saunders for his annual almanac. Satirical writing is still in practice today especially in the criticism of public figures. His affable nature enabled him to successfully temper dissension during the heated deliberations of the proposed Constitution. He was against tyranny especially slavery despite him having black slaves in 1757. He never hesitated to promote his advocacy for freedom of the press and expression, still very much one of the prevalent rights issues in society today. References Isaacson, W. (2003, June 29). Citizen Ben’s Great Virtues. Time Magazine Online. Retrieved October 16, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www.time. com/time/2003/franklin/bffranklin. html. Morris, R. B. (2003). Meet Dr. Franklin. In Oates, S. B. , Errico, C. J. (Eds. ), Portrait of America: Volume One: To 1877 8th Edition (Essay # 6). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Rediscovering George Washington (2002). PBS. Retrieved October 16, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www. pbs. org/georgewashington/father/index. html. Wood, G. S. (2003). The Greatness of George Washington. In Oates, S. B. , Errico, C. J. (Eds. ), Portrait of America: Volume One: To 1877 8th Edition (Essay # 10). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Apple iPod from Business Perspective Essay examples -- mp3 digital mus

Technology has changed in the terms of portable music and with the invention of the Apple iPod in 2001, the ease and accessibility to download and listen to music has never been easier. Apple has developed a device that weighs no more than 6.2 ounces (and as few as 3.6 ounces) and can hold up to 10,000 songs. Despite the weak market overall, the market for digital media is undeniably hot and barring a consumer spending meltdown, it should stay that way. In light of current computer market conditions, Apple is wise to leverage a moderately priced consumer product like iPod to generate revenue. The iPod is an excellent opportunity to drive an additional revenue stream. Despite current global economic conditions, information technology is forecast to grow significantly over the next several years. Importantly, many experts believe that IT innovations like the iPod will particularly help drive consumers to electronic stores to purchase ground-breaking technologies due to the cost. Being in business for almost 30 years, Apple Computers started with two friends in high school; considered outsiders because of their love of electronics. Steven Wozniak â€Å"had been dabbling in computer-design for some time when, in 1976, he designed what would become the Apple I.† His friend, Steven Jobs, â€Å"who had an eye for the future, insisted that he and Wozniak try to sell the machine, and on April 1, 1976, Apple Computer was born.† (http://www.apple-history.com/frames/). It was not until the Apple II was introduced at a tradeshow in 1977 that the business started to take off. One of the most recent products developed by Apple which has become very successful has been the iPod. The iPod is a slick, tiny device that allows users to download songs from a specific website and this unit â€Å"holds† the songs in which they can be played at any time. The iPod is thought of as a handheld jukebox. It has not been any easy success ride for this product. First launched in October 2001, at a cost of $399, many skeptics were uncertain that this product would become an item that would be found in homes. The concern was the fact was that â€Å"only Macintosh users, less than a twentieth of the marketplace, could use it.† (www.msnbc.mcn.com/id/5457472/site/newsweek/). Strictly for personal entertainment, this product has recently been remodeled to allow holding more songs and now is facing stric... ... when a consumer's income goes up, consumers will buy a great deal more of that good. Very low price elasticity implies just the opposite, that changes in a consumer’s income have little influence on demand. The demand for the iPod continues to grow despite consumer’s income and selling price. This is a hot product that is receiving great word of mouth exposure and sales will continue to sky rocket. References http://www.apple-history.com/frames/ http://www.conference-board.org/economics/stalk.cfm http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1094/is_n2_v24/ai_7544055 http://www.hometoys.com/releases/jan03/cea_01.htm http://www.imagingnetwork.com/article.asp?id=645&Issue=July/August%202004 www.indiana.edu/~ipe/glossry.html www.msnbc.mcn.com/id/5457472/site/newsweek/ http://news.com.com http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/hist-c.html http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2001912647_paul26.html http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/sv/20040807/tc_sv/takingontheipod www.technewsworld.com/story/35313.html http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/25/hitachi_storage_plant

Part Four Chapter IV

IV The post about Parminder on the council website had driven Colin Wall's fears to a nightmarish new level. He could only guess how the Mollisons were getting their information, but if they knew that about Parminder †¦ ‘For God's sake, Colin!' Tessa had said. ‘It's just malicious gossip! There's nothing in it!' But Colin did not dare believe her. He was constitutionally prone to believing that others too lived with secrets that drove them half-demented. He could not even take comfort in knowing that he had spent most of his adult life in dread of calamities that had not materialized, because, by the law of averages, one of them was bound to come true one day. He was thinking about his imminent exposure, as he thought about it constantly, while walking back from the butcher's at half-past two, and it was not until the hubbub from the new cafe caught his startled attention that he realized where he was. He would have crossed to the other side of the Square if he had not been already level with the Copper Kettle's windows; mere proximity to any Mollison frightened him now. Then he saw something through the glass that made him do a double-take. When he entered their kitchen ten minutes later, Tessa was on the telephone to her sister. Colin deposited the leg of lamb in the fridge and marched upstairs, all the way to Fats' loft conversion. Flinging open the door, he saw, as he had expected, a deserted room. He could not remember the last time he had been in here. The floor was covered in dirty clothes. There was an odd smell, even though Fats had left the skylight propped open. Colin noticed a large matchbox on Fats' desk. He slid it open, and saw a mass of twisted cardboard stubs. A packet of Rizlas lay brazenly on the desk beside the computer. Colin's heart seemed to have toppled down out of his chest to thump against his guts. ‘Colin?' came Tessa's voice, from the landing below. ‘Where are you?' ‘Up here!' he roared. She appeared at Fats' door looking frightened and anxious. Wordlessly, he picked up the matchbox and showed her the contents. ‘Oh,' said Tessa weakly. ‘He said he was going out with Andrew Price today,' said Colin. Tessa was frightened by the muscle working in Colin's jaw, an angry little bump moving from side to side. ‘I've just been past that new cafe in the Square, and Andrew Price is working in there, mopping tables. So where's Stuart?' For weeks, Tessa had been pretending to believe Fats whenever he said that he was going out with Andrew. For days she had been telling herself that Sukhvinder must be mistaken in thinking that Fats was going out (would condescend, ever, to go out) with Krystal Weedon. ‘I don't know,' she said. ‘Come down and have a cup of tea. I'll ring him.' ‘I think I'll wait here,' said Colin, and he sat down on Fats' unmade bed. ‘Come on, Colin – come downstairs,' said Tessa. She was scared of leaving him here. She did not know what he might find in the drawers or in Fats' school bag. She did not want him to look on the computer or under the bed. Refusing to probe dark corners had become her sole modus operandi. ‘Come downstairs, Col,' she urged him. ‘No,' said Colin, and he crossed his arms like a mutinous child, but with that muscle working in his jaw. ‘Drugs in his bin. The son of the deputy headmaster.' Tessa, who had sat down on Fats' computer chair, felt a familiar thrill of anger. She knew that self-preoccupation was an inevitable consequence of his illness, but sometimes †¦ ‘Plenty of teenagers experiment,' she said. ‘Still defending him, are you? Doesn't it ever occur to you that it's your constant excuses for him that make him think he can get away with blue murder?' She was trying to keep a curb on her temper, because she must be a buffer between them. ‘I'm sorry, Colin, but you and your job aren't the be all and end – ‘ ‘I see – so if I get the sack – ‘ ‘Why on earth would you get the sack?' ‘For God's sake!' shouted Colin, outraged. ‘It all reflects on me – it's already bad enough – he's already one of the biggest problem students in the – ‘ ‘That's not true!' shouted Tessa. ‘Nobody but you thinks Stuart's anything other than a normal teenager. He's not Dane Tully!' ‘He's going the same way as Tully – drugs in his bin – ‘ ‘I told you we should have sent him to Paxton High! I knew you'd make everything he did all about you, if he went to Winterdown! Is it any wonder he rebels, when his every movement is supposed to be a credit to you? I never wanted him to go to your school!' ‘And I,' bellowed Colin, jumping to his feet, ‘never bloody wanted him at all!' ‘Don't say that!' gasped Tessa. ‘I know you're angry – but don't say that!' The front door slammed two floors below them. Tessa looked around, frightened, as though Fats might materialize instantly beside them. It wasn't merely the noise that had made her start. Stuart never slammed the front door; he usually slipped in and out like a shape-shifter. His familiar tread on the stairs; did he know, or suspect they were in his room? Colin was waiting, with his fists clenched by his sides. Tessa heard the creak of the halfway step, and then Fats stood before them. She was sure he had arranged his expression in advance: a mixture of boredom and disdain. ‘Afternoon,' he said, looking from his mother to his rigid, tense father. He had all the self-possession that Colin had never had. ‘This is a surprise.' Desperate, Tessa tried to show him the way. ‘Dad was worried about where you are,' she said, with a plea in her voice. ‘You said you were going to be with Arf today, but Dad saw – ‘ ‘Yeah, change of plan,' said Fats. He glanced towards the place where the matchbox had been. ‘So, do you want to tell us where you've been?' asked Colin. There were white patches around his mouth. ‘Yeah, if you like,' said Fats, and he waited. ‘Stu,' said Tessa, half whisper, half groan. ‘I've been out with Krystal Weedon,' said Fats. Oh God, no, thought Tessa. No, no, no †¦ ‘You've what?' said Colin, so taken aback that he forgot to sound aggressive. ‘I've been out with Krystal Weedon,' Fats repeated, a little more loudly. ‘And since when,' said Colin, after an infinitesimal pause, ‘has she been a friend of yours?' ‘A while,' said Fats. Tessa could see Colin struggling to formulate a question too grotesque to utter. ‘You should have told us, Stu,' she said. ‘Told you what?' he said. She was frightened that he was going to push the argument to a dangerous place. ‘Where you were going,' she said, standing up and trying to look matter of fact. ‘Next time, call us.' She looked towards Colin in the hope that he might follow her lead and move towards the door. He remained fixed in the middle of the room, staring at Fats in horror. ‘Are you †¦ involved with Krystal Weedon?' Colin asked. They faced each other, Colin taller by a few inches, but Fats holding all the power. ‘†Involved†?' Fats repeated. ‘What d'you mean, â€Å"involved†?' ‘You know what I mean!' said Colin, his face growing red. ‘D'you mean, am I shagging her?' asked Fats. Tessa's little cry of ‘Stu!' was drowned by Colin shouting, ‘How bloody dare you!' Fats merely looked at Colin, smirking. Everything about him was a taunt and a challenge. ‘What?' said Fats. ‘Are you -‘ Colin was struggling to find the words, growing redder all the time, ‘- are you sleeping with Krystal Weedon?' ‘It wouldn't be a problem if I was, would it?' Fats asked, and he glanced at his mother as he said it. ‘You're all for helping Krystal, aren't you?' ‘Helping – ‘ ‘Aren't you trying to keep that addiction clinic open so you can help Krystal's family?' ‘What's that got to do – ?' ‘I can't see what the problem is with me going out with her.' ‘And are you going out with her?' asked Tessa sharply. If Fats wanted to take the row into this territory, she would meet him there. ‘Do you actually go anywhere with her, Stuart?' His smirk sickened her. He was not prepared even to pretend to some decency. ‘Well, we don't do it in either of our houses, do – ‘ Colin had raised one of his stiff, clench-fisted arms and swung it. He connected with Fats' cheek, and Fats, whose attention had been on his mother, was caught off guard; he staggered sideways, hit the desk and slid, momentarily, to the floor. A moment later he had jumped to his feet again, but Tessa had already placed herself between the pair of them, facing her son. Behind her, Colin was repeating, ‘You little bastard. You little bastard.' ‘Yeah?' said Fats, and he was no longer smirking. ‘I'd rather be a little bastard than be you, you arsehole!' ‘No!' shouted Tessa. ‘Colin, get out. Get out!' Horrified, furious and shaken, Colin lingered for a moment, then marched from the room; they heard him stumble a little on the stairs. ‘How could you?' Tessa whispered to her son. ‘How could I fucking what?' said Stuart, and the look on his face alarmed her so much that she hurried to close and bar the bedroom door. ‘You're taking advantage of that girl, Stuart, and you know it, and the way you just spoke to your – ‘ ‘The fuck I am,' said Fats, pacing up and down, every semblance of cool gone. ‘The fuck I'm taking advantage of her. She knows exactly what she wants – just because she lives in the fucking Fields, it doesn't – the truth is, you and Cubby don't want me to shag her because you think she's beneath – ‘ ‘That's not true!' said Tessa, even though it was, and for all her concern about Krystal, she would still have been glad to know that Fats had sense enough to wear a condom. ‘You're fucking hypocrites, you and Cubby,' he said, still pacing the length of the bedroom. ‘All the bollocks the pair of you spout about wanting to help the Weedons, but you don't want – ‘ ‘That's enough!' shouted Tessa. ‘Don't you dare speak to me like that! Don't you realise – don't you understand – are you so damn selfish †¦?' Words failed her. She turned, tugged open his door and was gone, slamming it behind her. Her exit had an odd effect on Fats, who stopped pacing and stared at the closed door for several seconds. Then he searched his pockets, drew out a cigarette and lit it, not bothering to blow the smoke out of the skylight. Round and round his room he walked, and he had no control of his own thoughts: jerky, unedited images filled his brain, sweeping past on a tide of fury. He remembered the Friday evening, nearly a year previously, when Tessa had come up here to his bedroom to tell him that his father wanted to take him out to play football with Barry and his sons next day. (‘What?' Fats had been staggered. The suggestion was unprecedented. ‘For fun. A kick-around,' Tessa had said, avoiding Fats' glare by scowling down at the clothes littering the floor. ‘Why?' ‘Because Dad thought it might be nice,' said Tessa, bending to pick up a school shirt. ‘Declan wants a practice, or something. He's got a match.' Fats was quite good at football. People found it surprising; they expected him to dislike sport, to disdain teams. He played as he talked, skilfully, with many a feint, fooling the clumsy, daring to take chances, unconcerned if they did not come off. ‘I didn't even know he could play.' ‘Dad can play very well, he was playing twice a week when we met,' said Tessa, riled. ‘Ten o'clock tomorrow morning, all right? I'll wash your tracksuit bottoms.') Fats sucked on his cigarette, remembering against his will. Why had he gone along with it? Today, he would have simply refused to participate in Cubby's little charade, but remained in bed until the shouting died away. A year ago he had not yet understood about authenticity. (Instead he had left the house with Cubby and endured a silent five-minute walk, each equally aware of the enormous shortfall that filled all the space between them. The playing field belonged to St Thomas's. It had been sunny and deserted. They had divided into two teams of three, because Declan had a friend staying for the weekend. The friend, who clearly hero-worshipped Fats, had joined Fats and Cubby's team. Fats and Cubby passed to each other in silence, while Barry, easily the worst player, had yelled, cajoled and cheered in his Yarvil accent as he tore up and down the pitch they had marked out with sweatshirts. When Fergus scored, Barry had run at him for a flying chest bump, mistimed it and smashed Fergus on the jaw with the top of his head. The two of them had fallen to the ground, Fergus groaning in pain and laughing, while Barry sat apologizing through his roars of mirth. Fats had found himself grinning, then heard Cubby's awkward, booming laugh and turned away, scowling. And then had come that moment, that cringeworthy, pitiful moment, with the scores equal and nearly time to go, when Fats had successfully wrested the ball from Fergus, and Cubby had shouted, ‘Come on, Stu, lad!' ‘Lad.' Cubby had never said ‘lad' in his life. It sounded pitiful, hollow and unnatural. He was trying to be like Barry; imitating Barry's easy, unself-conscious encouragement of his sons; trying to impress Barry. The ball had flown like a cannon ball from Fats' foot and there was time, before it hit Cubby full in his unsuspecting, foolish face, before his glasses cracked, and a single drop of blood bloomed beneath his eye, to realize his own intent; to know that he had hoped to hit Cubby, and that the ball had been dispatched for retribution.) They had never played football again. The doomed little experiment in father-son togetherness had been shelved, like a dozen before it. And I never wanted him at all! He was sure he had heard it. Cubby must have been talking about him. They had been in his room. Who else could Cubby have been talking about? Like I give a shit, thought Fats. It was what he'd always suspected. He did not know why this sensation of spreading cold had filled his chest. Fats pulled the computer chair back into position, from the place where it had been knocked when Cubby had hit him. The authentic reaction would have been to shove his mother out of the way and punch Cubby in the face. Crack his glasses again. Make him bleed. Fats was disgusted with himself that he had not done it. But there were other ways. He had overheard things for years. He knew much more about his father's ludicrous fears than they thought. Fats' fingers were clumsier than usual. Ash spilt onto the keyboard from the cigarette in his mouth as he brought up the Parish Council website. Weeks previously, he had looked up SQL injections and found the line of code that Andrew had refused to share. After studying the council message board for a few minutes, he logged himself in, without difficulty, as Betty Rossiter, changed her username to The_Ghost_of_Barry_Fairbrother, and began to type.

Evaluating alternative sources of energy of the US

Evaluating alternative sources of energy of the US The energy situation of the United States is currently worse, an unimaginable situation for the country. This is because of the increasingly large demand for these resources in the daily lives of Americans. As the country reaches its peaks in development and technology, it is suffering from a deficit in the energy division, wherein the demands for it are not met, and the supply isn’t enough. The demand for resources like oil has stably increased in the past years, and the country depends much on imported oil so that they could reach the increasing demand.This also increases the price of these resources. According to Kouchi, â€Å"Since 2003, the unregulated price of natural gas has been very high and volatile – sometimes doubling in a matter of months (Kouchi). † With the continuously increasing needs of the people, even the importation of these resources will not be able to provide for the demands. Our needs con tinuously increase but the supply doesn’t. Even though we turn towards exporting these important energy resources, the costs greatly hurt the pockets of the people. According to Walker, â€Å"Residential energy use in the United States will increase 25 percent by the year 2025, according to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) forecasts (Walker). † Because of energy source problem we are experiencing, we are turning towards various alternative sources of energy. Our natural source is slowly getting depleted so we must find another source of the energy we need so much in life. These alternative sources of energy would provide us of the power we need to run business, fuel our transportation, and cook our meals, everything that are essential for us to live. The environment is abundant of these possible resources; it just depends on the people on how we would be able to put it into more useful forms.These alternative resources include renewable and nonrenewable resources. The r enewable resources are wood/biomass, hydropower, solar power, wind energy, wave energy, tidal power and fusion, while the nonrenewable includes oil sands, coal, shale oil, gas hydrates, nuclear fission and geothermal energy. These resources all have the potential to provide us of our needs but there are limitations for every one of them and that they pose underlying effects when they are used, so proper evaluation should be done in order to do so. The most feasible of these resources would be the solar power and that of nuclear energy.Since sunlight is a free source for the people, and for a certain time of the day it is available, we will all be experiencing abundance in its supply here on earth. It will depend on how the person would convert the raw solar energy to become a useful form of energy. The other one would be the Nuclear energy, wherein it could really provide a lot of energy but the drawbacks are very dangerous, thus adopting this technique would really mean taking a lo t of risk for the consumer. Nuclear energy is proven to generate a lot of energy for the country but risks are still there in doing so.It has been tried and tested, and we have even paid the price of failure, and it was really big. A closer look on solar power Solar energy is derived from the light of the Sun and has already been proven useful in energy forms in a lot of traditional technologies and techniques. It has seen widespread use especially in the places which doesn’t have any means of energy available, since sunlight is readily available, even in remote places. It is also a big energy source in the outer space, wherein the sun gives off its rawest form of solar energy, wherein it gives off high intensity power that you need to process it to make it usable.The solar energy that reaches us here on earth has undergone various activities as it passes through the atmosphere. It actually starts as a very powerful solar radiation upon entering the Earth’s atmosphere, wherein it boasts more than a thousand watts per square meter of pure energy, solar power at its rawest form. As the solar radiation enters the atmosphere, some of it gets reflected backwards and only a portion proceeds and gets absorbed by the Earth. The atmosphere acts as a buffer and a barrier, filtering energy until what gets left is the usable energy for the people.Clouds, dusts particles, and certain pollutants contribute to the rate of reflection and absorption of the atmosphere, thus regulating the amount of solar energy that reaches the surface of the Earth. Considering the rate of conversion of this energy, the photovoltaic panels, the ones used to capture and convert useful solar energy, could distinctively convert and transform some 15% of the incoming sunlight to electricity, wherein the average delivery of a solar panel in the United States would turn out to be around 19 to 56 watts per square meter or about 0. 45 to 1.35 kilowatt-hour per square meter on each day. So lar energy could provide sufficient energy for the United States, but the turnout would still depend on the local conditions of a potential specific site, that is why it is hard to speak in a generalized manner. It is dependent on the areas where you would want to setup a solar power collection plant. Setting up a solar energy collection and conversion plant would be possible in some strategic areas. This includes most of the United States dry lands, the desert areas where there is the abundance of sunlight and has a predictable weather.These are mostly effective in states which have enough sunlight all throughout the year. However, it is difficult to acquire solar energy on some parts of the year, especially during winter, where there is scarcely any appearance of the sun. You could not depend on the solar energy as a source all throughout the year. You would need to have another alternate source, especially when it comes to the wet seasons where there is no sufficient supply of su nlight to fuel our needs. Practical uses and applications of Solar Energy There are a lot of possible uses and applications of solar energy.It depends on the nature of the demand for energy, since solar energy can be stored in solar cells. It could be modified to suit the situation. The main uses of solar energy would include heating, electricity generation, and desalination of seawater. The different applications include solar heating systems, solar cooking, solar lighting and photovoltaics. A solar heating system uses solar energy to heat various materials. There are some solar heating systems for heating water, wherein solar heaters may heat domestic water, or for heating swimming pools.This is essential for people living in the United States because they are used to warm baths during the cold season. It would be the main function of solar thermal collectors, to make sure that there is warm water in case it is really needed. Solar cooking could also be done with the use of a sola r box cooker, but it is not necessary and practical in the United States. Another important concept is solar lighting or daylighting, wherein it utilizes the natural light in order to illuminate a certain area or place. It literally saves natural light so that you could save on minimal usage of electric lighting systems.Photovoltaics uses photovoltaic or solar cells in order to generate electrical currents directly from sunlight, and the generated electricity will be stored in power cells for future usage. Photovoltaic cells are also the ones that power those solar powered calculators with LCD’s, because it only uses low power. In its early years of introduction, the cost of manufacturing was high, so there were fewer experiments that explores its possible uses. But when the cost of production lessened, it became more cost-effective to the users, thus making it a practical tool for the power savers. Pros and Cons of Solar energy Pros.According to Youngquist, â€Å"This is a favorite source of future energy for many people, comforted by the thought that it is unlimited (Youngquist). † Classifying solar power, it is a renewable source, meaning we will not seize to enjoying its benefits as long as the sun continues to shine and reaches Earth. It doesn’t emit any kind of pollution, like air or water pollutants, because there is no combustion that is happening, so there are no by products that causes pollution. It provides electricity to far flung places, which are too far to be reached by cables and lines from a certain power plant or generator. Cons.It is not stable and predictable because it requires or depends on a certain amount of sunlight that needs to reach Earth. The amounts vary at certain lengths of the day, and at some instances, when the weather is cloudy or rainy, sunlight may be too weak to provide solar energy. Also, photovoltaic power stations are very cost-ineffective, wherein it is only about 10% efficient, not really practic al to establish one in order to provide energy for a certain area. Nuclear energy as an alternative source Nuclear energy is created or is the energy which is emitted from atomic nucleus, wherein it requires various processes in order to do so.There are various processes involved in order to release nuclear energy from atomic nucleus. This includes radioactive decay, endothermic nuclear reactions, fusion or the combining of two atomic nuclei, and fission, or separating of the nucleus into two separate, equal parts. The United States are open into using and adopting Nuclear means in order to provide energy sources, especially when there is a great need arising from American states. Because of that increasing necessity, the natural resources could not provide all the energy requirements of the people.Since nuclear energy is an almost limitless resource, it is a good candidate as an alternative source of energy. Nuclear power in its most useful form, really promises a lot as a source o f energy. The process of attaining and extracting the energy itself does not produce any carbon dioxide, which we know that if there is excess of it, will be harmful to the environment. The nuclear power that the US is using today comes from the fission or splitting of the nucleus of uranium, plutonium or thorium, or the fusion of hydrogen into helium, wherein these processes emit a certain amount of energy.The most common means of acquiring nuclear power is through the fission of uranium. The ratio of the energy outputs of nuclear fission of uranium is great, wherein the fission process of its atom produces roughly about ten million times the energy output of combusting the atom of carbon from coal. Talking about the duration of a nuclear power plant, the present Uranium-235 reactors are projected to last for more than a hundred years time, providing enough energy for the needs of the world.These power plants generates roughly more or less than one million kilowatts of electricity, far greater than that of other power generating plants. But the underlying issue would be about the nuclear waste that these power plants produce. Surely, it is unavoidable not to have any waste byproducts produced. The fuel rods which is the core of these power plants, when already became spent, poses a great environmental risk, a problem being addressed by many, yet still has no concrete solution. These fuel rods are highly radioactive and dealing with this is very costly.Fuel rods lasts about two years, until when enough of the Uranium-235 has been changed into fission products, and when these builds up, the fuel rods should already be replaced. The problem would then be about properly disposing these nuclear wastes. When the fuel rods are used to produce heat to which raises or creates steam to generate or produce electricity, it also produces the unnecessary wastes from spent fuel items. They maybe reused for a number of times, but eventually, they would be useless and the nee d to dispose it will arise.If they don’t dispose it, it will decay in the environment, and since it is radioactive, it is highly hazardous to the health of living organisms. Possible solution. According to Fleming, â€Å"Various ideas about how to deal with them finally are current, but there is no standard, routinely-implemented practice. One option is to pack them, using remotely-controlled robots, into very secure containers lined with lead, steel and pure electrolytic copper, in which they must lie buried for millions of years in secure geological depositaries (Fleming).† A solution to this problem would be sealing these radioactive materials in a container with various elements that serves as its linings, like lead, steel and electrolytic copper. After that it would be buried in geologically secure places around the world so that it will not be disturbed while it undergoes the decaying process. But doing so is very impractical, especially now that we lack resource s for energy. It is not practical because the energy costs of making the containers made up of various metals is very great, wherein the energy usage will be equal to the same amount of energy required to build the nuclear reactor itself.For America, it is very impractical, and the problem would be where to burry those potentially dangerous containers, wherein most places in the country are inhabited by people, and they would surely disagree with the idea of doing so. The people would fear for their health the most. Pros and Cons Pros. Nuclear fission promises tremendous energy outputs, producing large amounts of energy with only a small amount of fuel. Comparing coal and uranium, it is said that one kilogram of uranium would be equal to that of about 3. 5 million kilograms of coal; the discrepancy between the two is very big.In terms of the cost in creating energy, nuclear power is as cheap as using and making coal power. Also, air pollution is not produced during the production, l ikewise with carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, thus contributing to the worsening case of global pollution. According to McCarthy, â€Å"A major advantage of nuclear energy (and also of solar energy) is that it doesn't put carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere (McCarthy). † So we could clearly say that they’re not responsible for global warming or acid rain. Cons.Along with the usefulness of nuclear energy, underlying disastrous effects would come about. Nuclear fission of Uranium would create a lot of toxic substance that are very risky for living things. It creates poisonous wastes which are highly radioactive. Disposing of these wastes would require efficient planning and monitoring, and a hefty amount of budget. The Chernobyl accident, wherein a nuclear reactor have reached melt down was just a picture of the devastating effects of establishing nuclear reactors, especially those who are uncontained, near human settlements and establishments. It is a safety hazard for the people living near it. Establishing a nuclear reactor or power plant would require a lot of budget, even though it promises of cheaper energy, the costs of maintaining it and taking care of it until it is useless is very big. This is also prone to exploitation from those who seek power, since nuclear power is really scary and equally devastating, it could be an easy target for wrong doers and terrorists (Fleming). Summary and Integration The United States is undeniably running out of energy resources.We are being forced to import fuel for our machineries and technologies, which is why venturing on other possible sources of energy could be a move that could turn around the tables. Both Solar and Nuclear power promises and abundance of energies acquired from various means. But we shouldn’t take each other separately, since we could use both of them hand and hand. Having a lot of sources of energy could mean stability for the coming years. Applying both solar and nuclear power to the country could mean diversification in the use of resources, thus help in preserving our natural resources.We people are the ones who will benefit everything that these resources offer, provided that we use them properly. References: â€Å"Energy Situation†. 1996. March 12 2007. . â€Å"Solar Not Nuclear†. 2004. March 12 2007. . â€Å"The U. S. Press: Top Ten Nuclear Lies â€Å". 2004. March 12 2007. . Fleming, David. â€Å"Why Nuclear Power Cannot Be a Major Energy Source†. 2006. March 12 2007. . Kouchi, Roger.â€Å"Fact Sheet on Energy Situation†. 2006. March 12 2007. . McCarthy, John. â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions About Nuclear Energy†. 1995. March 12 2007. . Walker, Cameron. â€Å"The Future of Alternative Energy†. 2004. March 12 2007. . Youngquist, Walter. â€Å"Alternative Energy Sources – Myths and Realities†. 1998. March 12 2007. .

The Truman Show Essay Example

The Truman Show Essay Example The Truman Show Essay The Truman Show Essay Whether it was intentional can be debated, but the makers of the movie â€Å"The Truman Show† made an effective argument against structural-functionalism as a theory of social development. On the show within a movie, Truman was the lead character in a television show that revolved around his life. He was placed into the show and the surrounding stage/town at birth, and all the decision regarding other actors’ reactions to him were scripted based on his actions. Truman, of course, believed that this was real life. In the movie, product placement within the town was based on the shows advertisers and every need that Truman had was met in some way by the show’s producers. The problems that are the core plot of the movie develop when it becomes clear that the need the producers cannot meet is his need for self and for happiness. This shows us the core failings of the structural-functionalism theory of social development. In the structural-functionalism theory of social development, a person’s physical and social development are reliant on the social institutions in their lives. The theory asserts that society meets the biological and social needs of the individual through institution. Thus, Truman’s need for warmth, love, and protection could be met through his family. His need for faith and a spirit of community could be met through his church and even his need for self-fulfillment could be met through his work. The major failing of the theory is that it does not address the needs of the spirit or the soul or possibly the intellect. Each of these hard to define portions of what makes a human being a person and vice versa were ignored in â€Å"The Truman Show†. Though Truman occasionally had conflicts when warranted by the ratings war, he never was forced to resolve conflicts in a manner that leads to personal development. The solution was either given to him or taken out of his hands, leading to a deep-seated unhappiness that Truman can neither explain nor define. Truman has been taught that his life is meant to be ordinary, that he is successful, in a fashion, as an insurance clerk and married to a beautiful woman. He has had the best friend since he was seven years old. It appears that producers have met all of Truman’s needs. But much like the theory of structural-functionalism does not take into account personal desires, Truman’s world begins to crumble and he begins to suspect something is up when he meets Lauren on the street and falls in love with her. The character Lauren is quickly written out when her family moved to Fiji and Truman develops a desire to go to Fiji to find her. The show and the theory met his needs for companionship and for a sexual relationship with his â€Å"wife† Meryl, but never accounted for the something else that is the spark of love. The theory in essence dismisses human emotion as an impact on social development and relies on the most physical state of social needs, not the emotion that accompanies them. The â€Å"producer† of the television show within the movie did the same thing. He made certain that Truman’s physical needs were met, but never considered the need for other forms of stimuli. Another prime example of this is the manner in which they deter Truman’s efforts to explore. Though it seems like a basic human need to understand and possibly control their environment, the producers induced such fear in Truman that he could not even explore the island that was his set. When he attempted to do so, producers used a viscious dog to scare him back into the controlled environment. They also had his â€Å"father† drowned in an early season to ensure that Truman would develop an unreasonable fear of water and thus be confined to the imaginary â€Å"Seahaven†. In fact, producers were so interested in controlling Truman’s environment that they had an environmentally controlled dome, regulating temperatures and the weather. In his mythical home of â€Å"Seahaven†, Truman never had to worry about anything, even the weather. This utter lack of conflict in his life lead to a very status quo existence, another of the key criticisms of structural-functionalism. The person is never challenged, never able to or even desiring to, improve themselves or their situation. Perhaps the most telling failure of the Truman television show and of structural functionalism is the failure to understand the desires of the heart. Truman wants to explore his world and eventually, even fear cannot hold him back any longer. In addition, after meeting Lauren, his desire to see her again upsets his world view and helps him to overcome his fears. Ultimately, the structural-functionalism employed by the show failed to me his transcendent needs. If we were discussing Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we would be talking about the need for self-fulfillment. Up until that state, it is beleiveable that the world around us could provide for our basic needs and development. However, ultimately that need for self-fulfillment is internal and cannot be controlled or aided by outside forces. By meeting all of Truman’s basic needs, food, shelter, sex, etc. they allowed him to develop to the point where he could consider self-fulfillment and nothing in structural-functionalism or in the Truman show allowed for that. In essence, the lack of conflict in his early life, which was dominated by structural-functionalism lead to the need for conflict; the need to be challenged, to compete and to win and to fail. In the end, â€Å"The Truman show† demonstrates very vividly that a single sociological theory cannot be used to describe a development process completely, but may be used to explain some stages of that development.

A Comparison of Piaget, Freud, and Erikson

A Comparison of Piaget, Freud, and Erikson Essay A Comparison of Piaget, Freud, and EriksonbyRandy HartenstinePsychology 1513-51Extra Credit PaperApril 8, 1999Hartenstine 1The field of psychology has grown to be respected as a science. Objectivity and the scientific method are both part of the psychologists mode of operation. However, even the greatest of psychologists can only theorize about what makes human beings act the way they do. Absolutes are not part of psychology. Everything is relative and open to speculation. Theorists give us their views or ideas about life. In the field of psychology, there have been many different areas of interest. Human development is one of the most popular areas of interest for those who study psychology. Freud, Erikson, and Piaget are all great theorists with different ideas concerning human development. Each theorist developed ideas and stages for human development. Their theories on human development had human beings passing through different stages. Each theory differed on what these stages w ere. These theories also differed with their respect towards paradigmatic assumptions, learning and development, and relationship towards educational practice. Freud is known as the father of psychology. Although some of his work has been dismissed, most of it still holds weight in the world of psychology today. Freud believed that inner forces fueled human development. He believed the most powerful of all inner forces was our sexual being. Freud linked everything with sex. This includes any bodily pleasure whatsoever. Thus, when Freud discusses the sexual needs of children, they are not the Hartenstine 2same kind of sexual needs that an adult would experience. Children experienced sexual gratification in different ways. Sucking their thumbs or retaining their excrement could be seen as sexual gratification for small children. Freud also specified certain areas of our body as erogenous zones. Those areas included the mouth and genitals. This all fit in to Freuds obsession with sex. An obsession that could be linked to the era that Freud lived in. It was a very conservative period in history. Sexual feelings were often repressed. Freuds theo ry on human development could be labeled the psychosexual stages of development. Freud believed human beings passed through different stages in their life based on which part of their body gratified them. Freuds psychosexual stages of development are five in total. The Oral stage takes place from birth to about one year. During this stage, a child is orally oriented. The mouth is the childs erogenous zone. Everything a child touches is put in his mouth. Freud believes children do this because it gives them pleasure. When a child sucks his thumb, it does so because it gratifies them. According to Freud, the gratification is sexual. The second stage in Freuds psychosexual development theory takes place between the ages of two and three years of age. The erogenous zone shifts location, thus moving from one stage to another. The second erogenous zone in Freuds stages of human development is the anal region. Freud believes childrenHartenstine 3experience sexual gratification during bowel movements and when they withhold bowel movements. Some children may even experience pleasure handling, looking at, or thinking about their own feces. Once the Anal stage of development has been completed, the next stage of development for Freud is the Phallic Stage. This usually occurs at about three years of age. The shift in erogenous zones moves from the anal region to the genital organs. This stage is also known as the Oedipal Stage of psychosexual development. This name comes from the legendary king, Oedipus, who killed his father and married his mother. During this stage, children take interest in their sexual organs. Soon they notice differences and similarities between themselves and their parents. Each sex wants to be with the parent of the other sex, for girls this is referred to as theelektra complex. Once the children realize they can not be with their mother or father, they identify with the parent of the same sex. The next stage is called the stage of Latency. A lack of change or absence of erogenous zones characterizes this stage. After the realization that the child can not be with a parent sexually, the child shifts its attention to same-sexed relationships. Boys will shift their sexual urges and drives to something acceptable, such as sports. This is a time of relative calm. The last stage of Freuds psychosexual development is the Genital Stage. The erogenous zone returns in a very powerfulHartenstine 4way in the genital organs. This stage takes place from puberty into adulthood. True sexual desire and sexual relationships mark this stage. Erikson took Freuds ideas and enhanced them. He added stages for the adult years. He also shifted his attention to identity rather than sexuality. Erikson developed the psychosocial stages of development. He is known for his eight stages of life. Eriksons first stage is during infancy. It deals with trust versus mistrust. The child develops an outlook on life and whether the world can be trusted or not. Th e child develops trust if the parents give the child something it can rely on. According to Erikson, the child develops a sense of optimism or pessimism during this stage. The next stage in Eriksons psychosocial development is during early childhood and is known as autonomy versus shame and doubt. The child becomes autonomous and realizes he can say yes or no. This stage will determine whether a child develops a sense of self-certainty. Eriksons next stage takes place during the ages of three to six years. This stage is marked by initiative versus guilt. This stage is important in developing the childs sense of enterprise. The child develops initiative when trying out new things and is not scared of failing. The fourth stage of Eriksons developmental theory takes place at about six years of age and lasts till puberty. This stage deals with industry Hartenstine 5 versus inferiority. The child learns skills of the culture and must deal with feelings of inferiority. Adolescence brings about the next stage for Erikson. This stage is known for identity versus identity confusion. During this stage, Erikson believes adolescents must develop a sense of self-awareness or knowing who they are. They develop a sense of identity. The sixth stage for Erikson is known for intimacy versus isolation. READ: WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN AND HIS MARCH TO THE SEA William Tecumseh She EssayThis stage takes place during young adulthood. The person seeks commitments from others. If he is unsuccessful, he may take on isolation. Erikson believes this stage is important in learning love. The seventh stage for Erikson takes place during adulthood. It is marked by generativity versus stagnation. During this stage, the adult is concerned with guiding the next generation. This stage according to Erikson gives the adult a sense of caring. Eriksons last and eighth stage takes place at a mature age. Old age is marked by integrity versus despair. During this time, the people may achieve a sense of acceptance of their own life, which in turn allows for the acceptance of death. When one passes through this last stage, Erikson believes that a person has achieved wisdom. Piaget also believed in developmental theory. Her stages were cognitive stages. These stages were based on what the child can do. Acc ording to Piaget, a child passes through four stages in its life. Piaget was interested in the childs Hartenstine 6abilities and senses, not sexual desires like Freud was. Piaget believes the first stage of development should be a cognitive one. Her first stage is known as the sensorimotor stage. It takes place from birth to about two years of age. During this time, a child learns motor meaning, object permanence, and the th beginning of symbolic representation, also known as language.The child will change from someone who responds only through reflexes to one who can organize his activities in relation to his environment. It does this through sensory and motor activity. The next stage in Piagets cognitive development theory is the pre-operational stage. This takes place from about two to seven years of age. During this stage, the childs language develops. They develop a representational system and use symbols such as words to represent people, places, and events. From about seven t o thirteen years of age, Piaget believes children enter the concrete operational stage. They can solve problems logically. They can understand rules and form concepts. Some children become moralistic. The last stage Piaget believes is the formal operational stage. This stage takes place from about twelve years of age through adulthood. Once someone has reached this stage, one should be able to think abstractly, manipulate abstract concepts, use hypothetical reasoning, and use creative language. These three theories on human development each have their Hartenstine 7own good and bad points. One problem all theories must deal with is paradigmatic assumptions. These are ideas that the theorist has taken for granted as facts. An example is Freuds notion that women suffer from a lack of self-esteem or self worth all their lives because of penis envy. Freuds assumption could have derived merely because of the time when he lived, and it was a time when women were treated as second class citizens. Freuds assumption that sex is the driving force behind everything could also be a product of his times. Sexual feelings were often repressed. The problem with paradigmatic assumptions is that each person grows up in a different culture and some theories dont apply to everyone. The problem with psychology remains that it is not an exact science. It is difficult to develop good paradigmatic assumptions because of that. Erikson assumes a child must learn these virtues or skills in this order. But, what if a child does not? Someone may never have a meaningful relationship, but they may develop wisdom. This would undercut Eriksons assumptions that everyone must pass through these stages in this order. Piaget also has some assumptions in her theory. A person that never learns to add may be able to think hypothetically. These mistakes only show that psychology still has its flaws. Each of these theories has some value because they are Hartenstine 8not totally wrong. These theories have withstood criticism and are some of the best. Each theory is similar by time and their sequence of life events; where they differ is in their focus. Freud focuses on sex, Erikson focuses on the self and social orientation, and Piaget focuses on the childs abilities and senses. Each theory is also useful when applied to its relationship to educational practices, and these different ideals guide teachers in the mystical theories of forever trying to understand human development, the mind, and its behaviors. READ: Human Resource Management Of Standard Chartered Bank EssayHartenstine 9Work CitedCoon, Dennis. Introduction to Psychology: Exploration andApplication, 7th Edition. Minnesota: West PublishingCompany, 1995. Freud, Sigmund. The Basic Writings of Sigmund Freud. Brill, A. A.: Dodd, Mead and Company, Inc., July 1979. Piaget, Jean, et al. The Psychology of The Child. Berkeley andLos Angeles: University of California Press, Ltd., 1972.

Music in our life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Music in our life - Essay Example Music gets viewed as type of language or speech. Vocal or instrumental music has the ability to deliver messages to the targeted listeners. Music has the power to poses subtler shades of meaning when compared to the spoken word but yet can display much more emotive forces. The innate ability of human beings to respond to musical tones, beats, rhythm, and pattern makes it possible for music to get used as a form of communication to them (UniOrb, 2011). Different music can communicate various messages to the listeners such as those of love, peace, unity, and even aggression. Music has the ability to produce a variety of positive trends on its listeners. Recent research studies pay tribute to the role of music in a modern branch of medicine called music therapy. This branch in medicine is getting notoriety over its therapeutic claims that music assists in accelerating the pace of recovery among patients undergoing either physical therapy, and or post-operative recuperation. Stimulating or relaxing music has the power to accelerate the recovery pace of patients. However, the ability of music to aid in such recovery relies on the ability of the patient to respond to the music and thus music becomes a form of supplementary recovery. Music has been shown to improve creativity among human beings. Music can serve as a muse and inspire to stimulate and activate individuals’ creative processes. A number of artists credit listening to music as having helped them to produce ingenious creations that they would have not been able to come up with on their own. Multiple studies have also linked music studies to academic achievement. A number of topflight professionals make a connection between their passion for music training and success in professional lives (Lipman, 2013). They credit music for opening up pathways to creative thinking. Music training suggests