King Duncan Eulogy Essay

Say not in grief; â€Å"he is no more†, but live in thankfulness that he was. Kings men and friends, today, with heavy hearts we bid adieu to a remarkable man. As we stand here today to reminisce in our fond memories of our past king, though he only held the throne for a brief time. He has changed the lives of many. Today we gather to embrace his greatness, Macbeth will be dearly missed. Some may think Macbeth was a traitor, but we must not forget the greatness that shone within him his heroic acts; a brave soldier, a strong thane, and a loving husband. In battle, Macbeth, defeated two separate invading armies—one from Ireland, led by the rebel Macdonwald, and one from Norway. Macbeth is a brave soldier and a powerful man, to embrace his battlefield valor, a brave and capable warrior, defending his As thane Husband What is done is done, What’s done cannot be undone. The death of our past king Macbeth is a great loss indeed, however A death is not the extinguishing of a light, but the putting out of the lamp because the dawn has come. What is past is past, now we embrace the future and acknowledge the greatness of our past king. Restate the focus about your thesis Summerise points made Reword into simple messages Finish with a thiughful final sentence about the characters contribution to life and how those who are left behind are all the more richer for having knowin him. Macbeth: -he always stood by Scotland against traitors (malcolm, Macduff etc†¦) – valiant and heroic in battle -courageous -confident -loved lady macbeth, despite her being a little delusional -deserved the throne – no proof he murdered duncan the teacher listed various techniques we can use in our writing such as: -witty sayings -memories -stories -prayers -descriptive passage about macbeth -tone- positive at times, sad at others -justify/explain the controversial parts of their life (THE MOST IMPORTANT) As you can see, it can be biased You must consider one thing when reading this eulogy – you do not insult the dead! I couldn’t come out and tell the truth about Macbeth, and neither could I openly pass blame (â€Å"Yeah, Macbeth was a prick, but the witches made him do it!†). So basically, I had to write this positively, even though Macbeth was a despicable man, and I couldn’t tell any outright lies. The art is in twisting the truth, silencing events, or subtly making implications. That said, enjoy the eulogy. Bear in mind I am delivering it as the Thane of Ross. Today, I stand before a nation in mourning, grieving the passing of its King, Macbeth. He shall surely be remembered in history as a noble and courageous soldier and leader who fought with a fierce patriotism and belief in Scotland. Although his reign was not trouble-free or lengthy, Macbeth inspired a unique and individual pride in his country and made every decision with careful thought, holding firmly to his ideals and principles to the very end. Scotland has lost a distinctive and peerless leader and those of us who knew him personally are now without a friend whose character shall always be remembered. If there is one term worthy of Macbeth, it is ‘courage’. He was a shining  light on the battlefield, seizing opportunities in the bleakest of times and setting an admirable example to his troops, who knew him as â€Å"valour’s minion.† The monarch before him, Duncan, recognised Macbeth’s skills and honoured him as a â€Å"valiant cousin† and â€Å"worthy gentleman,† deserving respect and reward. Macbeth regularly led his nation into battle in Duncan’s stead, and it would be hard for any present to forget his daring and fearless attitude, particularly not on the day he defeated Sweno’s Norwegian invasion and Macdonwald, the rebellious Thane of Cawdor. I termed him Bellona’s bridegroom for his ferocious and splendid skill, and when Duncan was informed of Cawdor’s treachery, he saw Macbeth as deserving a higher status, proclaiming that what â€Å"[the former Thane of Cawdor] hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.† All will acknowledge he deserved such a status, for he fought with a stubborn determination that would never surrender, and no matter how many invaders flooded our shores, he never ceased to meet them with unforgiving steel. He was a hero to the Scottish nation and his example shall be followed by thousands of soldiers to come. Macbeth carried over his admirable battle qualities to his personal life, but brought none of the violence. Indeed, Duncan observed that his castle â€Å"hath a pleasant seat,† and Lady Macbeth remarked to me on several occasions that although her husband was seen by some as a warrior, he was nonetheless â€Å"full o’ the milk of human kindness.† I can attest to the truth in this statement as could many others seated here today, though it is with profound regret that we can all see evidence of how this kind nature was abused. Few are aware of the significant influence his now deceased wife had upon him, and in his devotion, he would seek her confidence and advice when contemplating options and making decisions. Though this may have led to fault, it also meant the Macbeths shared a strong bond based upon communication, a quality both of them treasured. Together, they were gracious hosts, renowned amongst other noble families for their much-anticipated banquets. If ever there was an enjoyable social event, Macbeth was sure to be the unparalleled host. His personality was much deeper than dinner parties, however. Macbeth was a man who thought about decisions seriously and deeply, rarely acting upon a thought he had not fully considered. On numerous occasions as a guest of Macbeth, I would encounter him pacing through his castle, lost in solemn contemplation, attempting to comprehend life and philosophical concepts. This led him to recognise that life is fragile and fleeting, labelling it â€Å"a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.† Despite this bleak outlook, he would always consider the consequences that lay before him, giving due respect to the Lord who had blessed him with his position. Although this virtue did not always lead him to the happiness he desired, Macbeth would always contemplate his actions, even in the most dire of circumstances. In his life, he faced many such situations, and once he made a decision, he stubbornly held to it. Despite criticism or hardship, he believed in himself and his information, and he sought to keep his dignity and strength regardless of what calamity he faced. At his death, he stood alone against an army of English who had moved Birnam Wood, choosing not to meekly surrender but instead to bravely fight to the end. With a call of â€Å"blow, wind! come, wrack! At least we’ll die with harness on our back,† he took up arms and fought as boldly as he ever had. He proclaimed that â€Å"bear-like †¦ [he would] fight the course,† and as was his manner, he made his word true, dying as a soldier and gallant fighter. One thing is certain, and it is that Macbeth will never be forgotten by any assembled here or by the Scottish nation as a whole. His courageous deeds as a hero of the nation’s military shone with brilliance and glory, never to dull with the passage of time, and none could honestly say that his time as national monarch was a bland or typical reign. Although famed for his skills as both a warrior and a host, his personality ran much deeper; his deep thought and loyal devotion to his wife did not always result in prosperity or universal delight, but he nevertheless made much philosophical contemplation and was capable of recognising his own failings. God gave Scotland a king unlike any other, of a standard never to be seen again, and may he rest eternally in a peace he forsook in his earthly life. While we mourn Macbeth’s passing, we should take due time to consider his life and the actions and characteristics that typified it. Everyone, from fellow nobles to peasants ekin g a living from distant land, could surely learn  valuable lessons Dear loyal subjects I would like to†¨thank you for coming out and gathering here to witness the burial of our latest†¨King. King Macbeth started as a strong, valiant and brave soldier; he was always†¨the best defender of our great Scotland. If you do recall he was named Thane of†¨Cawdor, after that traitor was taken out of power and executed. I hope that†¨somewhere deep in our hearts we can remember that man, and not the man we are†¨burying today. For Macbeths greed seemed to have gotten the best of him, for he†¨killed the honorable and noble King Duncan, his own cousin, just to have the†¨power of being king. This one simple act of wickedness set Macbeth on a†¨bloody-thirsty rampage, where he never stopped killing to keep his power, which†¨ultimately led to his down fall. Once†¨Macbeth was given the title of King of Scotland, Scotland started to fall apart†¨from the seams. In order to keep his power Macbeth killed his friend Banquo, in†¨fear that his sons would become king and steal his throne. As word got out that†¨Macduff was coming to me, to try and reclaim Scotland from Macbeth’s bloody†¨grasp, Macbeth’s murder spree continued. Macbeth then had Macduff’s wife and†¨entire family murdered; the poor souls never had a chance. Macbeth is a simple†¨example of what happens when the leader is corrupt that in turn the county†¨turns corrupt. For Macduff told me that under Macbeths rule the knell bell†¨never stopped ringing in Scotland. Macduff also told me that unnatural events†¨were happening in Scotland and that if we didn’t do something the entire†¨country would fall to pieces. So with the help of our ally England, I led†¨10,000 soldiers to take back Scotland. The honor for finally finishing Macbeth†¨goes to Macduff. Although honor must be given to the tyrant, for even in the†¨face of death he never stopped fighting. Even though we bury this evil king,†¨let us celebrate a new life for our home Scotland. -King Malcom Macbeth V: The Eulogy . What can I say about Macbeth? He was my distant relative, the Thane of Cawdor, and, once, King of Scotland. Yet, not a great King but I’ll give him that accomplishment. My father Duncan was a thousand times the man that agnostic fiend ever was, without even breaking a sweat! But, we’re not here to mourn the loss of my father; we’re here to say some final words about  Macfilth-† (cough) â€Å"-Macbeth. Before he completely lost his mind and began acting on sporadic impulses, he actually wasn’t that bad a person, if you can believe that. I do remember one particular evening though, when he took Duncan and me to go see the cargo ships at the docks. He convinced the captain to let us go on it and we pretended to be pirates, with wooden swords and everything! I started walking on a plank to the side of the boat with one foot in front of the other, you know, as children do. But, then Duncan came up behind me and scared me. In shock, I dropped my sword and as I jumped back, I slipped on it. My tiny legs hit the side of the plank hard and I feel from the tall ship face first into the water. I went in pretty deep and I tried to swim back up, but my legs wouldn’t give. They were throbbing from the hard hit I endured before falling and with every attempt to swim back up, I could feel myself being dragged deeper into the water. To top it off, I had gulped some water in my mouth and I was running out of air. My eyes began to close and the last image I remember before becoming unconscious was Macbeth swimming down to save me.† â€Å"When I learned what he’d done to my father, I refused to believe it. ’This couldn’t have been the same Macbeth that had been with me and my brother that day, could it?’ That’s why I left for England, to be surrounded by the sea, to reminisce about days past; it could have even been to disprove the ‘crooked Macbeth’ theory. But, when I fetched a ride on one of the war ships, I had an epiphany. Banquo, may he rest in peace, had spoken to me about his encounter with the witches before I left, and he told me that ever since the encounter with said witches Macbeth hadn’t been the same. He said he wasn’t even sure if this being was his old friend and that I should watch my back. I hadn’t thought of Banquo’s speech much until that day on the English war ship and as I watched the ocean’s harsh waves in the distance and the storm clouds approaching, something clicked in my head. The Macbeth that died yesterday really wasn’t the Macbeth from even a couple of months ago. This was a different Macbeth, one that had been effected by sources beyond his control, much like how the storm clouds affected the waves, Macbeth was affected by the witches; he was a different ocean. Now, I’m not saying we should take pity on this creature, I just think that we should remember him as how he was and not how he came to be. That’s why I proposed to speak this Eulogy before you, so that Scotland may be lead into a more humane and peaceful  era for years to come. Malcolm and Donalbain sons of king duncan Say not in grief; â€Å"he is no more†, but live in thankfulness that he was. Today, I stand before a nation in mourning, grieving the passing of its King, Macbeth. He shall surely be remembered in history as a noble and courageous soldier and leader who fought with a fierce patriotism and belief in Scotland. Although his reign was not trouble-free or lengthy, Macbeth inspired a unique and individual pride in his country. Scotland has lost a distinctive and peerless leader and those of us who knew him personally are now without a friend whose character shall always be remembered. What can I say about Macbeth? He was my distant relative, the Thane of Cawdor, and, once, King of Scotland. Yet, not a great King but I’ll give him that accomplishment. We’re here to say some final words about Macbeth. Before he completely lost his mind and began acting on sporadic impulses, he actually wasn’t that bad a person, if you can believe that. I do remember one wonderful evening though, when he took Malcolm and me to go see the cargo ships at the docks. He convinced the captain to let us go on it and we pretended to be pirates, with wooden swords and everything! I started walking on a plank to the side of the boat with one foot in front of the other, you know, as children do. But, then Malcolm came up behind me and scared me. In shock, I dropped my sword and as I jumped back, I slipped on it. My tiny legs hit the side of the plank hard and I feel from the tall ship face first into the water. I went in pretty deep and I tried to swim back up, but my legs wouldn’t give. They were throbbing from the hard hit I endured before falling and with every attempt to swim back up, I could feel myself being dragged deeper into the water. To top it off, I had gulped some water in my mouth and I was running out of air. My eyes began to close and the last image I remember before becoming unconscious was Macbeth swimming down to save me.† â€Å"When I learned what he’d done to my father, I refused to believe it.’This couldn’t have been the same Macbeth that had been with me and my brother  that day, could it?’ That’s why I left for England, to be surrounded by the sea, to reminisce about days past; it could have even been to disprove the ‘crooked Macbeth’ theory. But, when I fetched a ride on one of the war ships, I had an epiphany. Banquo, may he rest in peace, had spoken to me about his encounter with the witches before I left, and he told me that ever since the encounter with said witches Macbeth hadn’t been the same. He said he wasn’t even sure if this being was his old friend and that I should watch my back. I hadn’t thought of Banquo’s speech much until that day on the English war ship and as I watched the ocean’s harsh waves in the distance and the storm clouds approaching, something clicked in my head. The Macbeth that died yesterday really wasn’t the Macbeth from even a couple of months ago. This was a different Macbeth, one that had been effected by sources beyond his control, much like how the storm clouds affected the waves, Macbeth was affected by the witches; he was a different ocean. Now, I’m not saying we should take pity on this creature, I just think that we should remember him as how he was and not how he came to be. That’s why I proposed to speak this Eulogy before you, so that Scotland may be lead into a more humane and peaceful era for years to come. MACBETH AS A TRAGIC HERO Tragic heroes are within everyone, but cannot be fully exposed or understood without the essential tragic qualities. One must be a potentially noble character who endures heroic qualities and has respect and admiration from the society. Consequently, they must be essentially great. Also within the character must be a flaw or weakness that leads to a fall. Lastly, one is required to possess an element of suffering and redemption. Remorse and regret is a necessity for ones wrong doings or deeds. One’s pays for their wrong doings because of failure to find happiness and regrets for actions taken. Therefore they die heroically. In the play â€Å"Macbeth† this quality of a tragic hero is portrayed though the character Macbeth. The quality of  a tragic hero in Macbeth is portrayed first by his position in society and his establishment of greatness. Macbeth is appreciated as a noble character and endures a high rank in the country of Scotland. He aided King Duncan in several victorious battles and his ranking was increased as a result of this. He was crowned Thane of Cawdor in addition to the Thane of Glamis. Macbeth’s position was also seen as high to the Scotish citizen’s because of his relation to the king. However, Macbeth’s bravery on the battlefield was great. â€Å"Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chops, and fixed his head upon the battlements.† (Act 1, Sc.2) And for his victory he receives lavish praise in reports from the Captian and Ross, a Scotish Nobleman. â€Å" †¦As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion. I must report they were as cannons overcharged with double cracks.† (Act 1, Sc. 2) Macbeth is shown as extravagant on terms of what they say. He was also complemented several times by the Thane of Fife, Macduff. Furthermore, he was labeled several strong and brave animals on the battlefield, throughout the play. These many assessments and evaluations contribute greatly towards Macbeth’s appearance as a hero. Macbeth’s relationship with his wife, Lady Macbeth, also confirms his innate goodness and suggests well for him. Lady Macbeth highly respects and admires her husband as the Thane of Cawdor and refers to him as â€Å" †¦my dearest partner of greatness.† (Act 1, Sc.5) She constantly demands that she understands Macbeth more than any other. This results in the others being expected to believe her. However, she incessantly declares that he is much too kind, â€Å"Yet I do fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act 1, Sc 5) Lady Macbeth acknowledges that he has ambition but maintains that he lacks the evil that should attend it. Furthermore, Macbeth yearn for the crown but would as though he is riding high on the crest of the wave and endures the potential to furthur but his flaw of incessant kindness prevents his yearning. It is those strong brave qualities that rise him high in not play foully for it. It is society and Lady Macbeth wishes he would apply them appropriatly. Their stable relationship is yet another feature that brings forth Macbeth’s potential. Despite Macbeth’s great potential he endures an overriding flaw that he constantly gives in to. This overbearing flaw is his excessive ambition. He wishes to only get the crown, but demands to do nothing to rightfully achieve it. He refuses to kill his beloved king Duncan. For he belives he  too kind and nice a man to deserve such a punishment. Macbeth initially fights agianst his dark and evil impulses, but he evenutally surcomes to them. It was his wife, Lady Macbeth, who convinced Macbeth to obey his evil urges by her clever manipulation. However, Macbeth’s fall begins when he starts to doubt his untold victory of the crown. â€Å"What if we should fail?† (Act 1, Sc. 7) It is the unpleasant deed of Duncan’s murder that stirs his mind. After his job of comitting the deed he shows immediate regret and remorse for what he had done. Nevertheless, his fall is far from complete, it continues. His ambition â€Å"takes reason prinsoner†. Macbeth’s fall continues gradually when he soon grasps the idea that he had not earned his yearning of the crown. â€Å"We have scorched the snake, not killed it.† (Act 3, Sc.2) There was still a great problem. It was Banquo who would reieve hier to the throne before Macbeth. It was essiential, according to the witches, that he immediately kill Banquo and his descendants. At that demand, the deed was done. However, his attempted murder of Fleance, Banquo’s son, was not achieved. Consequently, a transition begins in Macbeth. He is acknowledged as a â€Å"hell-hound†, â€Å"butches†, â€Å"tyrant† and a hell kite† (Act 3). These were great turning point for Macbeth. For it is now his evil side that he obeys. He simply resolves his remorse by acting on his initial impulses. â€Å"The very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.† (Act 4, Sc.1) Therefore, Macbeth’s habits became so terrible that he finally reaches his lowest ebb, the murders of the Macduffs. For he had no reason for their murders, it was simply an impulse that he immediately acted upon. He then caused Scotland suffering, famine, death and disease. This was so because of his absence of the king becoming graces. Macbeth had now lost his â€Å"good† reputation. His downfall was now complete. Macbeth, however, is shown throughout the play with an element of suffering and redemption. The murders that he comitted deeply cause this remorse and guilt. In result, Macbeth is found unable to sleep, pray or even eat because of the murder of his beloved king Duncan. â€Å"Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more!Macbeth does murder sleep†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act 2, Sc.2) Macbeth is also seen a sense of remorse when he was found seeing the ghost of Banquo. He repetedly demanded that he did not murder him. This is a deep symptom of redemption. However, this sorrow does not compare to the large extent he receives of it towards the end of the play. He sees the future as pointless and  unthrilling. He decides that his life is not worth living. â€Å"I have lived long enough.† (Act 5, Sc.4) He is in complete despair. He soon realizes that there is nothing fo rim but curses, mouth-honor and breath. However, there is an element of self-knowledge. He recognized that he received his yearning, the crown, but it did not bring him happiness. His life becomes completely meaningless when his wife, Lady Macbeth, dies. Macbeth had lost everything and everyone who was important to him. He is alone and alienated. Despite his lonliness and shame, he still has a conscience. Enduring the strength he has, he does not quit. He continuously falls back on the hopefull predictions of the witches. â€Å"Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.† (Act 4, Sc.1) He deeply relies on this apparition, which makes him feel invinsible, until he soon finds out that Macduff was not technically born of woman. â€Å"†¦Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripped.† (Act 5, Sc.6) For now Macbeth could be easily defeated. From this he is paying for his sins and regreat. Even when the last prop of life is removed, he fights. He decides he will not play the suicidal Roman fool. So, he does fight bravely and heroically. His wounds were to the front ,theredore he was not killed running away from death. He was killed fighting. Tragedy fell only upon Macbeth because of his inner most yearnings, to be king. However, he would not have been considered a tragic hero without his admiration, flaw and redemption. These are all parts of the long downfall in which he endured. His life became tragic just to be king. Even when he received his wish he was not happy. He had too much guilt and regret to continue. His life was no longer worth living. So, he fought to the bitter end and died bravery. Say not in grief; â€Å"he is no more†, but live in thankfulness that he was. Today, I stand before a nation in mourning, grieving the passing of its King, Macbeth. He shall surely be remembered in history as a noble and courageous soldier and leader who fought with a fierce patriotism and belief in Scotland. Although his reign was not trouble-free or lengthy, Macbeth, a tragic hero who inspired a unique and individual pride in his country. Scotland has lost a distinctive and peerless leader and those of us who knew him personally are now without a friend whose character shall always be remembered. What can I say about Macbeth? If there is one term commendable of Macbeth, it is ‘bravery’. No greater man have I had the privilege to charge into battle with, side by side, his courage not only fueled mine, but the rest of the army with it. Macbeth was always courageous, his bravery in battle was evident to all, He was a shining light , seizing opportunities in the bleakest of times and setting an worthy example to his troops, who knew him as â€Å"valour’s minion.† it would be hard for many to forget his daring and fearless attitude, particularly not on the day he defeated Sweno’s Norwegian invasion and Macdonwald, the rebellious Thane of Cawdor. I termed him Bellona’s bridegroom for his ferocious and splendid skill, and when Duncan was informed of Cawdor’s treachery, he saw Macbeth as deserving a higher status, proclaiming that what â€Å"[the former Thane of Cawdor] hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.† All will acknowledge he deserved such a status, for he fought with a stubborn determination that would never surrender, and no matter how many invaders flooded our shores, he never ceased to meet them with unforgiving steel. Macbeth represented the essence in strong and courageous leadership. This is what his lasting legacy to those who fought along with him would feel and perhaps, he had his flaws but what human does not? No matter what, Macbeth always had the will to achieve greatness, and that he did. Macbeth carried over his admirable battle qualities to his personal life, but brought none of the violence. Indeed, Duncan observed that his castle â€Å"hath a pleasant seat,† and Lady Macbeth remarked to me on several occasions that although her husband was seen by some as a warrior, he was nonetheless â€Å"full o’ the milk of human kindness.† I can attest to the truth in this statement as could many others seated here today, though it is with profound regret that we can all see evidence of how this kind nature was abused. Few are aware of the significant influence his now deceased wife had upon him, and in his devotion, he would seek her confidence and advice when contemplating options and making decisions. Though this may have led to fault, it also meant the Macbeths shared a strong bond, a quality both of them treasured. Together, they were gracious hosts, renowned amongst other noble families  for their much-anticipated banquets. If ever there was an enjoyable social event, Macbeth was sure to be the unparalleled host. Even in the last moments of his life, Macbeths courage and spirit remained as valiant as ever, in the face of death he declared, â€Å" Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Macbeth was indeed a fearsome soldier and a deer friend, however evidence shows that his good will and trust was unfortunately taken advantage of. It is said, that had been effected by sources beyond his control, clouding him from God’s watch and leading him to his own tragic demise. Indeed his fascination with the supernatural caused much distress. There were whispers of witchcraft and the supernatural, and I would not have believed it had I not witnessed with my own two eyes the affects these forces had on Macbeth. At one of his renowned banquets. What is done is done, what’s done cannot be undone. The Macbeth that died yesterday really wasn’t the Macbeth from even a couple of months ago. This was a different Macbeth, one that had been effected by sources beyond his control, Macbeth was disturbed by the witches. We shall remember him as how he was and not how he came to be.. Macbeth is a great loss indeed, however a death is not the extinguishing of a light, but the putting out of the lamp because the dawn has come.

The Reality of Juvenile Delinquency

Juvenile delinquency can be described as a situation whereby a young person commits a crime. Juvenile delinquents are usually teenagers who are under eighteen years old. Juvenile delinquency can also be defined in terms of behavior that is in contrast to the norms of the society (Roberts, 2000). To be classified as a juvenile delinquent, a youngster must commit a crime through breaking either a state of federal law. Juvenile crime has become one of the most serious issues plaguing the nations and societies globally. There is wide range concern that has become mutual to the public, state as well as the government at large. The rate of juvenile crime has dramatically reduced since the mid-1990s (McCord, Widom, & Crowell, 2001). However, teenagers in the 21st century are still more prone to committing a crime as they are still immature and are not yet capable of thinking like adults. Despite the drastic decline in delinquency crime among the youth, the public and states are still concerned over the trends in crime among the youth. Morgan (2017) states that majority of the crimes which youth engage in includes minor vandalism as well as shoplifting. In addition, a small number of youth engage in crimes that are severe or violent such as rape or aggravated assault.Factors that lead to Increase in Juvenile DelinquencyAccording to Islam (2017), there are numerous reasons that may drive young people to take part in delinquent behavior. They include:Lack of communicationChildren may be tempted to find solace in other activities other than their houses if there is lack of communication between them and their pa rents. Lack of proper communication between members of the family may lead to the young people feeling the lack of unity, understanding or trust. These feelings may lead to a lower self-esteem or confidence in themselves. As a result, the teenager may lose their sense of individuality and may, in turn, participate in activities that are frowned upon just to boost their confidence. The teenager may follow peers blindly which results in them adopting a lifestyle that are unhealthy. Some of these lifestyles include shoplifting to get items that they cannot afford or they are not supposed to use such as cigarettes. Although the teenagers are aware that these behaviors are wrong, they still do them in the hope that they will be accepted by their peers.Brocken familyThe family plays an essential role in shaping the behavior and characters of their children. The parents are also responsible for mentoring the personality of their children. The teenager may embrace the ethical as well as moral values from the parents or other relatives in the family. In addition, teenagers may demonstrate traits of juvenile delinquency if they are experiencing problems at their homes. Families that are broken or have bad relations can result in teens going astray or even becoming violent. Furthermore, homes that have single parents have children who are more likely to become juvenile delinquents since the parent is always busy working and is not able to spend more time with their children. As a result, the teenagers may seek attention from their peers or other groups who may contribute to their delinquent behavior.Lack of Moral and Social TrainingParents and guardians are responsible for teaching their children the moral and ethical values. Parents may pay more attention in their works in attempts of earning more money for the family and, as a result, neglect their children. Since parents are always working and rarely have time to spend with their children, the children may turn to other people who are willing to spend more time with them. Thus, they may end up in bad company that is likely to lead them to delinquency as they seek for attention. Teenagers who have not gone through the process of moral and social training are often caught up in the web of juvenile deli nquency as they are unable to identify what behaviors are wrong or right. In addition, teenagers will be unable to properly interact with others as they lack skills in social and moral values. As a result, they may be perceived as arrogant and selfish. Thus, they may end up having a lower sense of confidence in themselves. Additionally, teens that lack training in moral and social conducts may be unable to respect the rules of the nation and thus commit delinquency crimes.Lack of FinanceTeenagers, as well as young adults, may take part in criminal activities in an attempt to improve their conditions financially. As a result, they may become juvenile delinquents because of lack of finances to sustain their lives. Teenagers may also engage in delinquent activities to try and help their families financially. For instance, a teenager may engage in activities such as selling drugs or stealing in order to improve their financially stability.Role of the Society in Prevention of Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile delinquency requires the combined efforts of all sectors of the society. These sectors include the family, school, public, and even the government. Each of these sectors plays a key role in the prevention of delinquency crimes.Role of the familyThe family can be considered as the central institution in the society whose function is to nurture the socialization of their children while they are still young. Parents have delegated majority of their child-rearing responsibilities to babysitters, providers in the daycare and even to nannies. The changes are big. However, some families are able to adjust and function as healthy units. On the other hand, some families have unable to adjust to the changes and end up crumbling under the stress and pressure, in turn, damaging the lives of their children. Even though the family is unable to control the influences from outside, they are still capable of significantly influencing the extent to which children are exposed to the agents of socialization. Children are socialized at home first where they learn the values, behavior and beliefs from their parents and guardians. If a disconnection occurs in a family that was once orderly, the children will be most affected in a negative way. One of the major disconnections may include divorce where control over the children shifts from both parents to one parent. Thus, a home that is broken could be a strong factor which will determine the child's behavior of violating the law. The parents have the ultimate control over their children's behaviors. Social Solutions (2016) explain that there is a higher chance of positive results if parents spend more time with their children and in turn reduces the rate of delinquency. They further state that a study from the University of Columbia indicated that there was a lower likelihood of delinquency from teenagers who spent dinner with their parents between five to seven times in a week as compared to those who rarely spent time with their parents. In addition, the study found that teenagers were more likely to engage in bullying behavior if their parents were not involved actively in their lives. This activity may further lead to the teenagers joining gangs or taking part in violent behaviors. Thus, parents may help greatly in reducing the rate of delinquency by taking part in the lives of their children. However, parents are not the sole solutions to delinquency as they are not even aware of the abilities they possess in reducing the delinquent behavior.Role of the SchoolMajority of the life of the child is spent at school. There are some relationships that exist between the activities in the classroom and delinquent behavior. Dedmon (2017) explains that delinquency is connected to achievement in academics where the child's nature and quality of experiences in school are directly linked with the issues of delinquency. Schools can be identified as the foundations where the influences of the adults and the society are incorpora ted into a teenager. Education that is obtained in schools is the direct path in which young people can be able to get prestigious occupations. Thus, if the teenagers feel disadvantaged in this sector through poor performance in school, they are likely to develop deviant behavior. In addition, there are students who have been labelled as â€Å"bad students† as they have a habit of disobeying figures of authority directly. These students may also demonstrate signs of aggression or hyperactivity. Thus, the labelling may influence the teenager to act in accordance with the label they have been given. Therefore, teenagers may engage in delinquent behaviors as ways of self-fulfilling the expectations that come with labelling. Majority of the delinquency prevention responsibilities fall on the school as it provides a situation that juveniles can socialize. The officials in education sector need to come up with more programs that will enhance the effectiveness of the school as an instrument of delinquency prevention. These programs should seek to address the serious issues among teenagers in school such as stereotyping, tracking, and even labelling. The schools should take on a proactive technique in improving the self-image as well as the psychological assets of the students. Schools should also facilitate the necessary resources that students need to succeed as well as be able to repel any behavior that is antisocial. In addition, schools should also emphasize on the constant development of the student's cognitive sector through increasing the awareness of the student on the dangers of substance abuse, violent behaviour or even delinquency. Schools should also provide counselling services that will be available to assist students who have started to demonstrate the deviant behavior. However, it is vital to realize that the school did not generate delinquency. In addition, the solution to delinquency is not guaranteed even with the implementation of the educational programs. Thus, implementation of these educational programs will either reduce or increase the issue through the way the school issues punishments and rewards.Role of the PublicThe public has an essential role in preventing delinquency through standing against youth violence. Adolescents who indicate delinquent behavior are more likely to have experience violence when they were at a young age. This violence may have been from their home s, schools through bullying. Violence may make the teenagers to become delinquents in order to escape or as revenge against violence. Therefore, the public should collectively address the issue of youth violence starting from their individual homes. Members of the public should also condemn any acts of youth violence before they destroy the whole society (SecureTeens, 2015). SecureTeens (2015) identified that there is a definite link between the difference in ethnic, social and class and youth crimes. The differences in social class and ethnicity may make the young people feel inferior to others in the society. As a result, they are unable to develop the sense of belonging, trust, end even empathy from the community. Thus, the unavailability of these feelings may make the teenagers feel like they have been rejected by a particular group thus leading to their rebellion. The teenagers may act out their frustration through disobeying the laws and breaking the rules. Therefore, members of the public should be cautious so as to not drive the teenagers to towards these destructive thoughts. Through appreciation and accepting teenagers as they are and the differences they have, the public can greatly help in reducing the rate of juvenile delinquency.Role of the GovernmentThe government, through the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (CCJJDP), is responsible in coming up as well as coordinating the programs for preventing delinquency. The main responsibility of this council is to coordinate the programs on federal juvenile delinquency. It is also the duty of the council to determine how the state, federal as well as the local programs can best be applied in order to help youth that is at risk (Social Solutions, 2016). The Government is also responsible for training law enforcement officials on how to approach the sensitive issue of juvenile delinquency in ways that will not spark more rebellion from the teenagers. Through the combined efforts of the government, the public and the Approaches that can be taken to deal with Juvenile Delinquency There are two main approaches which can be used to deal with preventing the issue of juvenile delinquency. These methods include Individual Program and Environmental Program.Individual ProgramAccording to (McCord et al. (2001), individual program consists of using counselling, proper education as well as psychotherapy to prevent deviant behavior among the young people. This program is made up of other programs such as the clinical program, mental hygiene, education curriculum and activities and removing inferiority complex. Programs such as parental education and recreational programs are also included in the individual program. The clinical program is where clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and also social workers are employed in various sectors to try and understand the personality disorders which delinquent teenagers may have an attempt to provide the appropriate counseling. On the other hand, the educational curriculum and activities program is whereby the preventive programs are incorporated into the curriculum and activities of the school. Teachers also take part in preventive measures such as equal treatment of students as well as the provision of moral education together with the required social norms that will be applicable in the student's future. Mental hygiene program is an essential part of preventing as well as treating delinquent behavior among the young people. This program involves mental therapy which is vital in avoiding mental instabilities and facilitating the mental modification in childhood. Mental hygiene also helps in the development of a high level of sentiments as well as values in young people thus reducing delinquency. The parental education program, similarly, ensure that parents fulfil their responsibilities of providing education that will help teenagers avoid committing any crimes. Every society should guarantee that there are educational programs as well as opportunities where parents will assist in enhancing the relationship that exists in homes. In addition, this program will guide parents on the appropriate education and the right way to take care of their children. The recreational programs include activities that are meant for recreation such as dancing, karate, sports and even art among others. These activities facilitate the mix up of different youths with adults, and even youth and develop friendships. These friendships help in developing the personalities of teenagers as well as boosting their self-confidence. Finally, the removal of inferiority complexion involves the diminishing of feelings such as fear and anxiety. This program involves supporting children in order to build their good characters and confidence.Environmental ProgramThis program is whereby the main focus is on adjusting the socioeconomic conditions that are responsible for promoting deviant behavior among the youth. This program involves activities such as publicity, community programs, family atmosphere and parental care, love and affection. Community programs involve activities that attempt to connect to an individual who needs help. This program is more effective as compared to the individual approaching the workers with the wish of participating in the community activities. Publicity, on the other hand, includes the media channels such as television and magazines which present the real information on different offences. The media should protect the young people from the news that is misleading and false. In addition, publicity should not be given to delinquent teenagers in order to protect them from social stigma and give them an opportunity to get their life back on the right path through rehabilitation that is not publicized. Parental care, love and affection is a factor whereby both of the parents shower their children with the love, attention, care and affection that the children need. Provision of these factors from both parents may prevent disappointment and frustration that children may feel due to being neglected by their parents. The feelings of disappointment and frustration from parental neglect are among the main factors that lead to delinquency. Finally, family atmosphere involves factors that promote a healthy family atmosphere where there is a healthy attachment between the parents and their children. Through these activities, the parent will be more involved with their children's lives. As a result, the rate of delinquency will reduce as the children will be able to communicate with their parents as they share mutual trust and they feel like they belong to members of the family.ConclusionJuvenile delinquency has become a peril to the community. As a society, we have to be prepared to prevent this issue of juvenile delinquency. This preparation includes learning how to deal with youths and children who are maladjusted socially, those who are causing trouble at school as well as those who are involved in breaking the rules. If delinquency among the young people is not addressed, the teenagers will become habitual offenders which may become a menace to the society. Although the government has recognized juvenile delinquency as a problem that needs to be addressed, the programs initiated by the government cannot be successful unless all sectors of the society including the family, school, public and even the individual fulfill their roles.

The “Ohlone Way”

The Ohlone are native peoples who, prior to Spanish colonization, inhabited the coastal region of Northern California. Although regarded as one group, the Ohlone, also called Costanoans, were in truth composed of small, independent groups with members ranging from 100-250 (Cartier, 1991). Their values and perception of the world gave rise to a subsistence economy, communal culture and equalitarian leadership structures. Unlike other larger native Americans who settled down into elaborate cities and developed complex economies, the Ohlone tradition was largely communal (Cartier, 1991).They viewed the land and all resources in nature as sacred. Nature was not something to be individually owned because man not superior to nature but is part of it. Man then has the common responsibility to take care of it for the welfare of future generations. As such, their economy was largely subsistence based which means they worked to obtain what was just enough to keep them alive. There was no conce pt of accumulation of wealth or private property (Margolin, 1978). The tools used in production were crude. They moved their communities a lot in order to follow the bounty of nature ready for harvest.These movements also allow the regeneration of the resources they have used. Because of these factors, their activities were limited to hunting, horticulture, fishing and gathering (Cartier, 1991). A group activity, animals were hunted, trapped or poisoned to be eaten. By pruning, reseeding and burning, the availability of plants extremely necessary for their survival were ensured. They picked medicinal herbs, shells, nuts, eggs and other items they needed. This economy gave rise to a politics that is equalitarian. Leadership was not based on property but on wisdom, capacity and character, the determinants of social status (Margolin, 1978).Although there were wealthier members in the group, they did not take advantage of those who are poorer. Rather, it is the wealthy who were obligate d to provide the resources needed for festivities or to contribute the most during the death of another member. In summary, the Ohlone, may seem backward compared to other indigenous groups or to the present society. However, their economy, politics and culture were the products of their interaction with nature. Because lifeways change over time, population growth and the discovery of better tools and technology would have no doubt contributed to their development as a people.

Comparison between the benefits of Vegetarian and Meat Diets Essay

Comparison between the benefits of Vegetarian and Meat Diets - Essay Example Plant foods are generally cheaper to obtain compared to animal foods. This is because of the reduced cost of production in plant foods. Going vegetarian can be beneficial for the environment. This is because of the reduced and none toxic waste associated with processing plant foods. According to Jaminet et.al; â€Å"†¦.vegetarian diets ensure vitality† (p.12). There are also aesthetic benefits associated with an all plant diet like better breath. DisadvantagesStrict vegetarians risk suffering from a deficiency of some essential nutrients like Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and Iron. Vitamin B12 and D, for example, are only found in animal products. There are questions about the bioavailability of the B12 in algae. Strict vegetarians, therefore, require supplementation to meet their body needs. The iron in plants is not easily absorbed because of the presence of anti-nutrients that bind iron. Therefore, a vegan needs to take plants rich in iron combined with those rich in vitamin C to counter this effect. Access to complete proteins may be limited in plant based diets. A complete protein is one which contains all the essential amino acids that are not produced by the body. It is, therefore, necessary to pair foods together. A meat free diet does not necessarily mean a healthy diet. The elimination of meat does not necessarily mean one has done away with sugar or fat. Few restaurants serve vegetarian dishes which means for one to main tain this lifestyle, they need to be committed and adapt to preparing food for themselves.

How Ballet can help a Football player Improve his skills Thesis

How Ballet can help a Football player Improve his skills - Thesis Example There is certainly a commonality between the coordination of ballet dancers as they swap position, move in and out, to the front and to the back of the stage, and the coordination of football players as they coordinate defense and offense, position themselves vis-a-vis the opposing team, etc. Further, both activities share immensely similar physical skills. Both require poise, balance, grace, rhythm, coordination, timing, and lower body strength. Further, male ballet roles involve lifting a partner while themselves often being one leg or on tiptoes, a skill that is directly fungible to tackling. Swann agrees: â€Å"[Ballet and dance] helped a great deal with body control, balance, a sense of rhythm, and timing† (Time, 1999). In fact, ballet might be more beneficial to football players than to dancers. Anyone who has seen a large, muscular person struggling to do a pull-up knows that, pound for pound, it is actually easier to raise a smaller body than a larger body up the way a ballet dancer does. For someone weighing two hundred to three hundred pounds to be able to put all of that weight onto tiptoes is an incredible feat. Indeed, the usage of many disciplines like ballet, dance, yoga, mixed martial arts, karate and Tai Chi has become entirely commonplace among football for the last twenty years (Pollack, 2005). It is a little bit of a clichà © among sports-writers to write a story on this topic, in fact (Pollack, 2005). However, there is a surprising dearth of actual comparative evidence for these claims, as sensible and plausible as they might be. Pollack notes that, while football players have embraced yoga, dance and karate/MMA, so has everyone else. These are common in the broader culture. How much better are they than comparable bodybuilding techniques like weightlifting, running exercises and football drills? My proposal for a study to test the efficacy of ballet versus other types of football training is to study two teams

Week 7 Assignments Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week 7 Assignments - Assignment Example Leaders are good listeners and are able to elicit information by constantly asking questions (Burns 2012). Good communication skills enable leaders to create good relationships with their subordinates, business partners and customers. These are the skills that will enable a leader to meet the objectives of an organization. Leaders also need to be self-motivated, have high integrity levels, be team players, have emotional intelligence and be able to think critically. Thinking critically will enable a leader to delegate duties effectively and also be able solve day to day problems facing the organization. Leaders also need to be charismatic and have excellent personal skills to enable them to deal effectively with customers. Charisma will enable a leader to influence subordinates to follow them without much struggle (Burns 2012). Managers can develop leadership skill by learning the art of communication, how to solve problems, how to manage their time effectively. Managers can also develop leadership skill by learning to trust their subordinates and encouraging their subordinates. Managers now are able to deal with employees working in international locations. Management is also tasked with transferring employees to other organizational branches and determining compensation offered for relocating. There have also been increased opportunities for management as globalization has made the world a global village and this has led to more competition for goods and services. Management has also been forced to adapt to the constantly changing environment. Management has to make sure that their organization is able to meet the tastes and preferences in a foreign country. Many countries have their own cultures, ethics, customs and management has to adapt to the above so as to be successful in a foreign country. Managers also have to be having knowledge on what is happening through the world. Through globalization managers can be

Process-Flow Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Process-Flow Analysis - Term Paper Example The Advanced Products Department (APD), which produces the specialty goods, has reformulated its corporate policy. In the early years, this company has built up and manufactured Echo Weather Satellites, which were launched into space. Three major diversified divisions of this company are: the material division, electrical goods, and advanced goods division. This study consists of company overview, SWOT analysis conclusion and recommendation regarding the company. Company Overview: Shipper Manufacturing Company has commenced its business in 1984 as a small organization, manufacturing bare copper wire in Missouri and Sikeston. With only a small number of workers the company started to market goods to electrical distributors in the area of Midwest. From this small beginning, they have developed as a large scale copper wire producer, offering a wide range of wire and cable merchandise to wholesale electrical dispensers across the nation. Nowadays, they also produce laminated equipment an d specialty products such as connectors’ conduits etc. Shipper Manufacturing Company holds a â€Å"Voice of the Consumer Exercise† where interval and external consumer expectations and needs are brainstormed, communicated. Thereby, they make endeavors to guarantee consumer satisfaction and integrate client specifications into the merchandise engineering procedure by doing a â€Å"House of Quality Exercise†. Shipper manufacturing business possesses a manual scheme in its procedures that adds the human ingredient. Frequently, this human ingredient entails mix up or incompetence by causing delays in the manufacturing process as a result of operator mistake and negligence. â€Å"Companies that previously made decisions based on the likelihood that enough defense business would be available to justify ongoing investment in plants, equipment, technology and skilled personnel face the prospect of little or no business. Loss of a single competition could drive a compan y out of a line of business entirely or prompt it to leave the defense sector† (Blakey, 2011, p. 4). SWOT Analysis: Identifying the Strengths and Weaknesses before tackling the Opportunities and Threats is the best method to approach the analysis. The more dominant the Strengths and Opportunities the better they can both be seen as the better achievement of this company. The purpose is to be in a position where it can decide a plan for the future to improve their overall performance. Strengths: Present financial position is quite stable. Availability of skilled labor force. Most recent machinery installed Own properties Outstanding transport links Non-threatening/little competition Weaknesses: Producers take indirect ways to reach their warehouses. The lack of feasible alternative routes when normal routes are blocked during manufacture. Stock problems Opportunities: Advancing globalization More flexible tax regimes Increasingly mobile workforce â€Å"New corporate strategies and processes are required to deal with an industry which is being reshaped through market consolidation and shifts in the balance of world trade† (Opportunities and Challenges for the Shipping Industries, 2007, para. 1). Threats: A high level of financial expansion would normally lead to high demand for manufacturing raw materials, which in turn will increase exports and imports. The shipper manufacturi

Chicano History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chicano History - Essay Example The positive significance of the Southwest can be explained by the fact that the present states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and parts of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma and Kansas were at one time Mexican territory. Mexico inherited this vast territory when it acquired its independence from Spain in 18211. Furthermore, these Southwest Mexicans never acquired a strong link to Mexico. Mexicans in some of these regions, in New Mexico primarily, maintained a strong link with their past and a heritage that they traced to the Southwest and to colonial New Spain. Mainstream society promoted a separate identification of Mexicans, even as they were being incorporated into the Union. The positive impact was that Chicano were the only national groups which kept Spanish language traditions in the U.S. territory. Spanish authorities and officials established written traditions in this land before the first English colonies penetrated this region. Also, they established Spanish as a n official language and provided education on Spanish2. Churches and church schools were also crucial vehicles in preserving Spanish. In the nineteenth century, when Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy took control of the Catholic Church in New Mexico, he attempted to wrest control away from local Hispanic leaders; nonetheless, he had to allow the use of Spanish in Catholic schools. Also in nineteenth-century New Mexico, schools newly established by Baptist churches taught Spanish along with English so that future ministers could be effective in proselytizing New Mexicans. In California, mission churches ministered in Spanish, offering a continuity lasting from the colonial period until the end of the nineteenth century3. In the process of these territorial severances, many Southwest Mexicans felt insecure that provisions protecting Mexicans would be honored; others were embittered because they felt Mexico had betrayed them. As a consequence, out of the tens of thousands of Mexicans living in the Southwest, about three thousand took advantage of official Mexican attempts to repatriate marooned Mexicans in the newly acquired American territories. The experience of oppression of Mexicans who remained behind in the U.S. was cited regularly by Chicano Movement activists as a basis for charges of historical mistreatment4. In essence, it is true that, because of an Anglo-American unwillingness to accept Mexicans as equals, they often ignored treaty agreements that gave Mexicans all the rights of citizens. But as Anglo domination increased, Spanish was pushed out of areas dominated by Anglos; at times it was vilified and almost always subordinated by them. Immediately after the war with Mexico, for example, most official and economic activity was conducted in English. In the political arena, Mexican Americans promoted bilingualism in the legislatures of New Mexico and California, yet proceedings almost always took place in English. As Spanish-speaking politicians improved their English or lost their power, Spanish was eradicated. The American acquisition threatened identity and ethical unity of the population, their cultural traditions and values. The Mexican population opposed this influence speaking Spanish language at home and preserving their cultural traditions. The break that immigration brought to the mainspring ideal of the Chicano Movement, a claim to the Southwest heritage, presented movimiento ideologies with a

An Analysis of the Movie Syriana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

An Analysis of the Movie Syriana - Essay Example From the research it is clear Quicksand is an academic book written by one Geoffrey Wawro. The author’s academic background on military matters and the long-term experience as a teacher of the Naval War College grants him an ability to write from a political perspective. He gives a historical perspective of the incidences that have been pioneered by the American government in the Middle East and relates the incidences to the political and economic significances that are the driving forces behind the involvements. This paper seeks to give an analysis of the movie Syriana and in turn give a relation between the main theme communicated by the movie and the propositions given by Wawro in his book Quicksand. As the study presents Syriana is a 2005 film written by Stephen Gaghan. The film focuses on the interplay that exists between political and economic drivers in the world today. The influences of the United States in the oil industry are addressed in the movie. The movie begins with a major US oil company, Connex, losing drilling rights to a Chinese company in the Middle East oil fields in a kingdom ruled by the Al-Subaai family. This turns out to be a great disappointment to US oil industry. Connex, therefore, settles on establishing a merger with Killen, a comparatively smaller oil company that has recently won the rights to drill oil in Kazakhstan. The position of Connex in the oil industry is hence greatly affected and its position in the world among the oil drilling companies drops to twenty-three.

Prior Knowledge Deficit Essay Example for Free

Prior Knowledge Deficit Essay Prior knowledge comes from visual experiences, seeing those mental pictures of a subject. Prior knowledge comes before understanding what readers read, or understanding the subject. A deficit in prior knowledge inhibits student learning by taking away their educational experiences and replacing them with standardized testing. To begin with, prior knowledge plays an important role in enabling students to learn to read, and to read to learn. First, learning to read starts in kindergarten and continues through third grade, where teachers use books called primers. Primers teach students how to read because they tell stories about subjects that students already have visual experience with, such as family, friends, food, pets, or games. Since students know the basic information about such subjects, when they are being taught how to read, they understand the primers. Finally, when students enter fourth grade, they begin reading textbooks to learn about science and social studies. These students developed prior knowledge of science and social studies from kindergarten through third grade, when they attended field trips to zoos and museums, watched educational films, and completed science projects. If they learned this basic information about the natural world of science, and about the human world of social studies, students are able to understand their textbooks. As a result, they can add new knowledge to further their education. Additionally, many students struggle with the prior knowledge deficit because of standardized testing. First of all, standardized testing takes time away from educational experience by using all the time and money on the tests. Teachers use the time on teaching students how to become test takers, instead of educating them in different experiences of the world. In the past, schools would take students on field trips to teach them mostly about science, and social studies. However, such field trips cost a lot of money; money that is currently being used on standardized tests. On one hand, traditional education consisted of students reading and writing to understand and explain the knowledge of the world. On the other hand, now day’s students are test takers, and they use their reading and writing skills for the test, just like knowledge is used to memorize all the information without understanding it. Teachers need to focus on this method because they are evaluated by the student s test scores. To summarize, prior knowledge deficit hinders students learning by taking away their educational experiences and focusing their time on standardized testing. A solution to the prior knowledge deficit is for teachers to dedicate more time on teaching students about subjects that will be used later on in further education, rather than teaching students how to become test takers.

Bourdieus Theory of Capital, Habitus and Field

Bourdieus Theory of Capital, Habitus and Field How Useful are Bourdieu’s Concept of Field, Habitus, and Capital for Understanding Contemporary Social Theory? Introduction Pierre Bourdieu (1930-2002) developed his theory of cultural capital, with Jean-Claude Passeron, as part of an attempt to explain differences in educational achievement according to social origin (Robbins, 2005: 22-24): to show ‘that social exclusion is a continuous process’ (Ibid. p 23). In his theory, the cultural and social forms of capital are based on, without being determined by, the amount of economic capital possessed and thus hide or mask the way in which social hierarchies are reproduced. The three forms of capital combine, and are embodied, to produce an individuals habitus, or set of predispositions, whilst the field refers to the arena in which a specific habitus is realised or deployed. For Bourdieu, then, the concepts of capital, field and habitus were ultimately embedded in relations of power (Burkett, 2004: 236) and were part of a complex theory that sought to explain the way that social inequality is reproduced. Many have debated the usefulness of Bourd ieu’s theory to contemporary research (see, for example, Fine in Burkett, 2004; Tooley and Darby in Nash, 1999), while others have debated the degree to which he drew on the founding fathers of sociology, with some concluding that his theory of practice is ‘strongly Weberian’ (Keyes, 2002: 233), or that his concepts draw on the work of Durkheim (Camic, 2000). Here I attempt to asses the degree to which he drew on Marx, Weber and Durkheim when constructing the key concepts of capital, field and habitus, and the usefulness or otherwise of them to contemporary research. In the first section, I outline Bourdieu’s concept of Capital, demonstrating its role within his overall theory before showing the key ways in which his usage differs from that of Marx. Next I examine the debate surrounding the use of the concept within contemporary political science, notably in the work of Robert Putnam (1995). In the second section, I examine Bourdieu’s concept of Habitus, demonstrating its role within his overall theory of cultural capital, before showing the key ways in which his usage differs from that of Durkheim and Weber. Next, I examine the usefulness of the term by examining the debate surrounding its use in educational research in the work of Diane Reay (1995). In the final section, I outline Bourdieu’s concept of the field, discussing its role within his overall theory before finally examining its usefulness to those undertaking feminist examinations of the way that power is experienced as differentiated, especially within the reprodu ction of patriarchy (McNay, 1999). In the conclusion, I attempt to assess the overall usefulness of Bourdieu’s key concepts to the social sciences, arguing that he raided the concepts of the founding father but without having any ideological commitment to them; that his usage reflected his focus on them as tools of practical research. That, however, it is this practical focus that may have contributed to the difficulty experienced by those who now seek clarification as to their meaning. The Forms of Capital In this section I outline Bourdieu’s concept of Capital, demonstrating its role within his overall theory before showing the key ways in which his usage differs from that of Marx. Finally, I examine the debate surrounding contemporary use of the concept within political science, notably in the work of Robert Putnam (1995). For Bourdieu capital can be divided into different forms: social capital, cultural capital and economic capital. By social capital he refers to the network of ‘useful relationships that can secure material or symbolic profits’ (Bourdieu, 1986: 249): the amount of social capital that an individual can draw upon is thus the sum of the number of people in their network and the amount of capital so possessed. Bourdieu further divides cultural capital into three forms: ‘embodied’, ‘objectified’ and ‘institutionalised’: embodied capital is imbued during socialisation, and is ultimately tied to the social location of the individual (Nash, 1999: 185). Embodied capital represents ‘external wealth converted into an integral part of the person’ (Bourdieu, 1986: 244-5). Objectified capital refers to goods or artefacts – including paintings and sculptures which ‘are defined only in the relationship with cultural capital in its embodied form’ (Bourdieu, 1986:246): in other words, the goods themselves and the ability to consume them. Institutionalised capital refers to those academic qualifications which enable an individual to directly convert between cultural and economic capital: ‘a certificate of cultural competence which confers on its holder a conventional, constant, legally guaranteed value with respect to culture’ (Bourdieu, 1986:248). Thus, the different forms of capital are based upon, but not determined by, economic capital. We can see that Bourdieu’s use of ‘capital’ is very different from that employed by Marx. Whereas K arl Marx (1818-1883) had paid little attention to the cultural sphere, believing it to be little more than ‘false consciousness’, Bourdieu sought to use the language of Marx and economic theory (Robbins, 2005: 20) to develop a ‘marxisant’ (Moi, 2000: 322) theory of culture. Like Marx, for Bourdieu capital has the capacity to reproduce ‘in identical or expanded form’ (Bourdieu, 1986:241), becoming part of the structure of society that enables and constrains individual’s lives (Bourdieu, 1986: 242). However, Bourdieu’s use of the term may therefore be viewed as being closer to power (Bourdieu, 1986: 243) than as it was used by Marx. In Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of American Community (2000)[1] Robert Putnam utilised the concept of social capital, transferring it from sociology into the realm of political science. Putnam argued that increasing individualism had led to the decline of community ties, political participation and therefore ‘good governance’ (Russell, 2005: 557). Putnam defined social capital as ‘features of social organisation such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit (Putnam, 1995: 67). However, Putnams’ definition is very different from Bourdieu’s; whereas for Bourdieu social capital was held by the individual (Walters, 2002: 387), for Putnam it is a collective capacity (Ibid. p. 379). Further, within Bourdieu’s conception it would be difficult to see how there could be a reduction in social capital. William Walters (2002) argues that Putnam’s use of the concept differs from Bourdieu’s in that whereas Bourdieu argued that social capital is transferable with economic capital but not reducible to it (Bourdieu, 1986: 243) Putnam’s use is more liberal; he assumes ‘a self-maximising individual for whom associative activity can, under certain circumstances, be an investment’ (Walters, 2002: 379). Ben Fine argues, convincingly, that academia has been gripped by a ‘social capital fetish’ (in Burkett, 2004: 234): that the concept has been so stretched as to render it meaningless (Burkett, 2004: 238). However, the weakening of Bourdieu’s concept of capital has occurred since his death, and so reflects on contemporary theorists and not on the usefulness or otherwise of the concept itself. Habit: Habitus The forms of capital as outlined above combine to produce a persons habitus, or set of predispositions: in this section I first provide a brief summary of the use of habit/ habitus in sociological thought, before next outlining Bourdieu’s use of the term. I examine the concepts role within his schema and demonstrate how his conception draws, but differs from, the work of Durkheim and Weber. Finally, I examine the debate surrounding the use of the concept in educational research, notably by Diane Reay (1995, in Nash, 1999). Charles Camic (200) describes how the term habit was extensively used by the Ancient Greeks, and medieval scholars and theologians. During the 18th century it continued to be used by Enlightenment thinkers as diverse as Helvà ©tius, Acquinus, Rousseau and Kant (Camic, 2000: 329; Nash, 1999: 180-182) to describe a range of behaviour from those ‘virtually automatic’ actions to ‘more involved patterns of conduct’ (Camic, 2000: 327). W ithin the work of Durkheim the term assumed a central importance, concerned as he was with the development of the collective conscience, or secular moral code (Camic, 2000: 334). For Durkheim human action could be divided into two poles, with ‘reflection on the one side, and that of habit on the other side, with the latter pole being the stronger’ (Durkheim in Camic, 2000: 333). For Durkheim primary education was therefore benign, for here the child can be imbued with ‘the habitual basis of social morality’ (Camic, 2000: 33). Yet despite this assertion of the central role of habit in the social world, Durkheim assigned the study of it to psychology, and not sociology (Camic, 2000: 337). However, for Bourdieu social inequality, or differential access to the forms of capital, becomes part of the very bodies and predispositions of the individual via the habitus (McNay, 1999: 99). Marx argued that ‘men make their own history, but [†¦] they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered, given, and transmitted from the past’ (Marx, 1852, quoted in Coates, 1990: 265): for Bourdieu, the individual is constrained by the amount and quality of cultural, economic and social capital that they possess: it is ‘discrimination embodied as dispositions’ (Nash, 1999: 177), it is thus a sociological concern. Further, whereas Durkheim’s conscience collective sought to explain the way in which meaning is given to emotional experiences (Shilling, 1997: 204) and so focuses on the collective, for Bourdieu the habitus is a possession of the individual (Nash, 1999: 182). For Weber, ‘custom’ designated that range of behaviour that is the ‘unreflective, set disposition to engage in actions that have been long practiced’ (Camic, 2000: 337): being both conformity with and the generator of social norms (Camic, 2000: 338). This is similar to Bourdieu’s ‘sociology of practice’: following Weber, Bourdieu believes that the purpose of the social sciences is to explain action, yet where Weber was more interested in the ‘larger social and cultural conditions under which general societal patterns of habitual action wax and wane’ (Camic, 2000: 341), Bourdieu remains tied to the individual, actual, practical affects of power and history (Bourdieu in Nash, 1999: 179). For Weber, habit falls at the border of meaningful action, and therefore outside of sociology (Camic, 2000: 345), for Bourdieu it is precisely the doxic nature of habit that renders it socially important. Diane Reay (1995) used habitus as a method when conducting fieldwork in the classroom (in Nash, 1999). For Weber, an ideal type is ‘a construct developed to make sense out of a chaos of facts’ (Keyes, 2002: 240). Likewise, for Bourdieu habitus helps us to make sense of ‘that part of practices which remains obscure in the eyes of their own producers’ (Bourdieu in Keyes, 2002: 240): it is a conceptual tool, something to ‘think with’ (Nash, 1999: 185). Roy Nash (1999) charts the difficulties that arise, when such a conceptual tool is utilised in practical research, but concludes that it is ‘worthwhile, just because to do so forces one to think’ (Nash, 1999: 185): the habitus ‘offers explanations’ (Nash, 1999: 185), by examining whether the habitus can explain social differences in education we have gained a deeper understanding of these inequalities. The concept of habit had previously been a ‘staple’ of weste rn social thought, from medieval times to the thought of Weber and Durkheim, but fell outside of sociology and into psychology due to the scramble to assert disciplinary boundaries (Camic, 2000: 355); Bourdieu sought to revive the concept as part of his search for concepts which would aid our understanding of the limits to individual action: it is ‘a conceptual tool for comprehending that the capacity to project forwards which people really posses is understandable as a function of their prior social condition rather than in terms of abstract mathematical models’ (Robbins, 2005: 26). In other words, habitus allows Bourdieu to mediate between agency and structure without relying on the atomised, rational individual of liberalism, instead situating the actor within extant power relations. The Field In the final section I outline Bourdieu’s concept of the field, discussing its role within his overall theory before finally examining its usefulness to those undertaking feminist examinations of the reproduction of patriarchy (McNay, 1999). The ‘field’ refers to the arena, or social context, in which a specific habitus may be realised; knowledge regarding the use of particular machinery may be of little use in the world of show jumping, but of uppermost importance to those involved in car manufacture. Likewise, maintaining a network of engineers would be of little use to those outside this specific field: society in total constitutes a field, and is ‘structured according to relations of domination’ (Peillon, 1998: 215), but also society is comprised by a range of distinct fields: Fields will vary according to how much autonomy they acquire from the entirety of the social field. An autonomous field is characterised by a high level of specificity: it possesses its own history; a particular configuration of agents operate within it and struggle for a distinctive stake; it induces its own habitus and upholds a distinctive set of beliefs. Such an autonomous field is highly differentiated and marked by sharp boundaries, beyond which the field ceases to have any impact on practice (Peillon, 1998: 215). Bourdieu recognised that academia is such a field and therefore is embedded in and reflects social relations. For Bourdieu, then, the field refers to the different arenas or social spaces in which capital is deployed or the habitus acts: ‘the embodied potentialities of the habitus are only ever realized in the context of a specific field’ (McNay, 1999: 109), further, each field is distinct and therefore operates according to its own logic (McNay, 1999: 114): knowledge of sociological theory would be of little use to our aforementioned show jumper. As it is deployed, therefore, habitus is both determined and generative as it is able to constitute the field from which it emerges (McNay, 1999:100); it is the ‘feel for the game’ that also reproduces the game (Bourdieu, 1990: 52) as each individual is positioned within the field by their possession of specific types of capital and their strategies so contribute to its reproduction. When comparing Bourdieu’s conceptualisation of the field with that of Foucault’s work on the body, Lois McNay (1999) finds that Bourdieu’s is the more developed as he is better able to theorize the differentiated nature of the constraints which act to limit the individuals ability to create their own identity (McNay, 1999: 95). For McNay, Bourdieu’s concept of the field is useful within feminist theory when considering the differences within women’s experiences of gender, as well as those differences between men and women (McNay, 1999: 114): ‘as a relational concept the field yields an understanding of society as a differentiated and open structure and provides a framework in which to conceptualise the uneven and non-systematic ways in which subordination and autonomy are realized’ (McNay, 1999: 115, my emphasis). For example, in relation to the production of knowledge this might explain the early marginalization of much feminist resear ch and the way it was the thought of a particular group of women – white, heterosexual, middle class women – that came to dominate second wave feminism, as opposed to the feminisms of other groups: in short, Bourdieu’s concept of the field enables us to consider the way that power is not a monolithic concept but is experienced differentially. Conclusion In conclusion, when assessing the overall usefulness of Bourdieu’s key concepts to contemporary research and theory it is important not to forget the intention of Bourdieu himself: Bourdieu intended capital, habitus and the field to be tools used to aid such empirical research (Peillon, 1998: 241) and not as constituent parts of a ‘grand theory’: he had no interest in ‘speculative philosophy’ (Robbins, 2005: 15). Bourdieus’ theory has been criticized as being essentialist and deterministic, however others have embraced its potential to explain the way in which such social inequality is reproduced (such as Reay, 1995 in Nash, 1999). Derek Robbins argues that Bourdieu had ‘no sympathy for the mystery of Durkheim’s conscience collective’ but was enough a product of the ‘Durkheimian legacy’ to wish to encourage a future society based on the positive unity of equality (Robbins, 2005: 19). For Robbins then, Bourdieu: regarded the discourses of the sciences as contrived language games which are alienated from natural culture. This did not cause him to be reductive or sceptical but it did cause him to deploy these discourses, varying them imaginatively, so as to isolate essences which are contingently changeable socially, geographically and historically (Robbins, 2005: 20). In other words, the language of the sciences were the tools that Bourdieu used in his practical attempt to construct a fairer world. However, it is this practical focus of his concepts that may have contributed to the difficulty experienced by those who now seek clarification as to their meaning, as he had varied their meaning to aid understanding of the particular instance under scrutiny. Having drawn on the work of the founding fathers of sociology – Marx, Durkheim, Weber – he felt no ideological commitment to these concepts, but instead felt free to move between discourses to better understand (Robbins, 2005: 20). Thus the concept of habit and/ or habitus that had been a ‘staple’ concept in western social thought, (Camic, 2000: 355) which Bourdieu sought to revive as part of his search for concepts which would aid our understanding of the limits to individual action. Keyes argues that Bourdieu’s use of habitus is as a Weberian ‘ideal typeâ⠂¬â„¢ (2002: 239), I argue that his use of capital and the field are as similar ‘ideal types’. His concept of capital may have been weakened, as Ben Fine argues, by academia’s subsequent stretching (Burkett, 2004: 238), however this weakening occurred after his death, and so should not reflect negatively on the usefulness of the concept. Indeed, it is this flexibility that renders it an appropriate tool. Finally, his notion of the field is useful when considering the differentiated affects of power: Bourdieu remains good to ‘think with’ (Nash, 1999: 185). Bibliography Bourdieu, Pierre (1990) The Logic of Practice, Cambridge: Polity Press. Bourdieu, Pierre (1986) ‘The forms of Capital’, Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education, Richardson, J (Ed.), London: Greenwood Press, pp241-258. Burkett, Paul (2001) ‘Book Review: Social Capital versus Social Theory: Political Economy and Social Science at the Turn of the Millennium’ by Ben Fine, London: Routledge, Historical Materialism, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 233-246. Camic, Charles (2000) ‘The Matter of Habit’, Pierre Bourdieu: Volume One, Robbins, Derek (Ed.), London: Sage, pp. 323-366. Coates, D (1990) ‘Traditions of Social Thought’, Social and Cultural Forms of Modernity, Anderson, J Ricci, M (Eds.), Milton Keynes: Open University Press. Keyes, Charles F. (2002) ‘Weber and Anthropology’, Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 31, pp. 233-255. McNay, Lois (1999) ‘Gender, Habitus and the Field: Pierre Bourdieu and the Limits of Reflexivity’, Theory, Culture and Society, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 95-117. Moi, Toril (2000[1991]) ‘Appropriating Bourdieu: Feminist Theory and Pierre Bourdieu’s Sociology of Culture’, Pierre Bourdieu: Volume IV, Robbins, Derek (Ed.), London: Sage, pp. 314-341. Nash, Roy (1999) ‘Bourdieu, Habitus, and Educational Research: Is it all Worth the Candle?’, British Journal of Sociology of Education, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 175-187. Peillon, Michel (1998) ‘Bourdieu’s Field and the Sociology of Welfare’, Journal of Social Policy, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 213-229. Putnam, Robert (1995) ‘Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital, An Interview with Robert Putnam’ in Journal of Democracy, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 65-78. Robbins, Derek (2005) ‘The Origins, Early Development and Status of Bourdieus Concept of ‘Cultural Capital’’, The British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 13-30. Russell, Andrew (2005) ‘Political Parties as Vehicles of Political Engagement’, Parliamentary Affairs, Vol. 58, No. 3, pp. 555-569. Shilling, Chris (1997) ‘Emotions, Embodiment and the Sensation of Society’, The Sociological Review, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 195-219. Walters, William (2002) ‘Social Capital and Political Sociology: Re-imagining Politics?’ Sociology, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 377-397. Footnotes [1] New York, N.Y.: Simon Schuster.

Battle Of Long Island :: essays research papers

The Battle of Long Island took place on August 27, 1776. The American outpost of Colonel Edward Hand's sent word that the British were preparing to cross Long Island from Staten Island on August 22, at dawn. There were three frigates, the Phoenix, Rose, and Greyhound, and two bomb ketches named Carcass and Thunder, in Gravesend Bay. The frigates were anchored in the Namews. British generals Cornwallis and Clinton had a force of 4,000 men that included Von Donop's corps of jaegers and grenadiers. The force started crossing to Denyse Point and they were covered by the guns of the H.M.S. Rainbow. Two hundred men of Edward Hand's withdrew to Prospect Hill, destroying the property and supplies that the British might use. The British boats returned to Staten Island and landed in Gravesend Bay with more then 5000 men. By noon, they had landed almost 5,000 men and about 40 cannons safely on shore. The Americans couldn't defend themselves and were pushed back. The American forces were distributed on the evening before the battle. Their forces had a total strength of 550 in the area of Gowanus Road. To the left in the Flatbush Pass there were 1,000 troops, and to the right at Bedford Pass there was a force of 800 men with only 3 guns. In the early morning hours on August 27, the Americans fired on a few British soldiers who were near the Red Lion Inn. A few hours later, the Americans were attacked by 200-300 British troops. These attacks started the battle. General Howe was trying to distract the Americans so that Grant could attack; the plan worked. This lead to a battle between Grant and Alexander. Though Alexander only had 1,600 men, he was smart to organize his men into the open, European style, rather than just hiding them behind cover. Grant, on the other hand, had 7,000 men, which meant that they were superior to the Americans. At the end of this battle, there were only 12 dead, and 5 wounded. The Americans were waiting to be attacked again. The British had marched to Bedford, and were now behind the Americans. They had marched over 9 miles, with 10,000 men, and the Americans never detected them. Somehow the Germans (Hessians) on the British side began attacking the Americans. The Americans traveled along Port Road to Brooklyn because it was one of the few roads still open.

Students vs. The System Essay -- essays research papers fc

Students vs. the System Education has always been a great factor in determining human survival and success. Whether it is learning to live in a harsh environment or learning to manage a company, education is and always will be incredibly significant. Education is so important in modern society that a system of grades has been developed to evaluate students of all ages and levels. In Paul Goodman’s essay â€Å"A Proposal to Abolish Grading† he argues that the grading system that is commonly used in our society is ineffective and should be done away with. This idea is wrong since there are many positive outcomes that result from the current grading system. Goodman opens up his piece by making his claim that grades have take precedence over everything in classrooms. He also mentions that some authorities in the educational field agree with and support this statement. â€Å"I think that a majority of professors agree that grading hinders teaching and creates a bad spirit, going as far as cheating and plagiarizing† (Goodman 206). Here, he talks about how grading has lost its power, and has been reduced to a meaningless letter on paper that tempts students to cheat in order to receive a passing grade on their assignments. He also goes on to declare that, â€Å"†¦grading is inevitable; for how else will the graduate schools, the foundations, and corporations know whom to accept†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Goodman 206). By expressing these ideas in such close proximity, it can be inferred that Goodman believes grades are unreliable sources of data due to cheating. Although cheating is a prevalent problem in all places of work, it should not be a reason to disregard looking at grades when considering an applicant for hire. Letter grades from all schools simply represent the work ethic of that particular student. The threat that a person who received high grades could be a cheater is always present, but the characteristics of a cheater can easily be recognized by other workers and by the employer. So the belief that grades are unreliable due to cheating is erroneous, due to the fact that not all students are cheaters. The grading system simply provides a standard that all students should fall under, which implies that all applicants be educated. This is just a small sample of what Goodman includes in this essay. Two other topics that Goodman covers in good detail are the purpose of a test and the self-awar... ...defend and help people, but when used in the wrong hands, it becomes a weapon for evil. This grading system, much like a gun, is a tool just as capable of being used for evil in the sense that teachers abuse their power to grade by forcing lazy students to work. By abusing the system and threatening students with grades is what prompts them to cheat, steal, and copy, not the grading system itself. The current grading system implemented in schools today is a great thing, where students are able to monitor their own progress, and be rewarded for their hard work with high grades. Goodman makes some good points in his proposal by mentioning the somewhat unreliability of grades, and by acknowledging the strength of a self-aware student, but they are outweighed by his weak, one-sided arguments accusing the modern grading system of being useless and bad. Education is a powerful tool in the present day and age, and although what people are being taught has changed significantly, one can never learn too much to prepare for future success. Works Cited Goodman, Paul. â€Å"A Proposal to Abolish Grading.† Elements of Argument. Ed. Ellen Rottenburg. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003. 206-209

Revenge Essay -- Literary Analysis, The Iliad

Throughout history, revenge, or vengeance, has been altered by several cultures and even the American culture. This is shown throughout many ancient greek epics. Throughout these two epics, what is just revenge and what the action of revenge is are much different than what Revenge is seen through today’s society. Revenge is the main theme in The Iliad, with Achilles’ revenge on Agamemnon and Hector, and in The Odyssey, with Poseidon’s revenge on Odysseus and Odysseus’s revenge on the Suitors, and these epics define how revenge was seen in the ancient Greek world. Revenge in The Iliad it the main theme and drives men to do things that they would not normally do. The main example of this is Achilles wanting revenge on Agamemnon. The first book of the Iliad explains that Achilles wants revenge because Agamemnon is forced to return Chryseis, his war bride, to her father, and he decides to take Achilles war bride from him. According to â€Å"Some Thoughts about the Origins of ‘Greek Ethics’†, by Nicholas D. Smith, â€Å"Agamemnon’s unjust affront to Achilles leads to and extraordinarily deadly retaliation, the ultimate outcome of which is that multitudes of these men’s innocent allies are killed unnecessarily†(smith 10). This is out of character for Achilles, who would normally be the first man into battle, not sitting one out. By â€Å"rejecting even the most earnest and impressive entreaties Agamemnon offers, and increasingly making decisions which are rationally indefensible†, he shows how much hi s wanting of revenge has turned him into a madman (smith 10). His only desire is to get revenge for his loss. It takes the death of Patroclus, his dear friend, to bring him back to the war, which he has left. The death of Patroclus not only forces Achi... ...rses the murder of Agamemnon. As Dilworth states in â€Å"The fall of Troy and the Slaughter of the Suitors: The Ultimate Symbolic Correspondence in the Odyssey†; The slaughter of the suitors reverses and sets right the murder of Agamemnon. As the story is recalled in the Odyssey, Aegisthus used twenty men to ambush and kill Agamemnon. From Ithaca the chief suitor, Antinous, Sent twenty men to ambush and kill Telemachus. He would have suffered the fate of Agamemnon. So might Odysseus, for whom the story of Agamemnon is a warning. Instead the suitors die at a banquet, in corrective balance to the murder of Agamemnon at a banquet. (Dilworth) This shows that Odysseus’s revenge of the suitors is not only sets right what Odysseus knows it sets right, but it also sets right what has not been set right by anyone else, it balances the revenge throughout all of the Odyssey.

Sultry Days by Shobha de

SULTRY DAYS : A Tale of Struggle and Freedom Sultry Days is the fifth novel written by Shobha De published in the year 1994. With Sultry Days Shobha De has explored a different approach in her characters which had not been seen in her previous novels. Shobha writes in the front page of this novel; ‘For my children†¦ finally a book by me that they can read. ‘ L. Sonia Ningthoujam writes; ‘Sultry Days, takes us into the world of power, sex and guns, the shady side of Mumbai upper class society. [1] In this novel Shobha has realistically presented the lives of youth, their aspirations their attitudes, she mentions in her autobiography; ‘ The novel is littered with types from that mixed-up decade-the self-styled bohemians out to change the world but not their smelly underwear; the dirty old men of Mumbai, all gas and small turds; the corporate ladies with their ‘good life' hangs-ups; the intellectuals, pariahs and parasites who feed off the rich while s pitting on their ‘capitalist values'. It was a fun book to do.And for those of us who grew up in that era in Mumbai, there were a lot of familiar echoes and reference points that provided loads of amusement during the recounting. I consider ‘God' one of my better-etched characters†¦ I can only regret he wasn't for real. ‘ [2] Shobha De dazzles the reader with her frank and candid tales of the lives of males and females who are trying to carve a successful career in the field of literature and journalism in the city of Mumbai. Because of her own journalistic stint in Mumbai Shobha's Sultry Days emerges as a very realistic novel.Shobha says, ‘I rather liked doing this book with its simple tale of doomed love, simply because it took me back to my college days and to the edges of the pseudo-arty intellectual world I flirted with briefly before beating a hasty retreat. ‘ [3] The protagonist in this novel is also a female like other novels of Shobha De, but unlike her other novels Sultry Days also revolves around a male character. Nisha, the protagonist of the novel is a strong headed and career oriented female although the novel also deals very realistically with a male character who also becomes the central character as the novel unfolds.God or Deb is the central male character and Nisha is the narrator. It is through Deb that Nisha discovers herself. Nisha is a young college student who is sharp and focused towards studies, she comes from an upper middle class family. Nisha's parents do not have a very loving relationship. She always feels tense that father has no time for her mother and neglects his daughter. Nisha is a shy girl and she always hated the frown birthmark on her forehead which made her look tensed all the time. ‘ Was it my expression? Did I look troubled? In pain? Depressed? Maybe it was that birthmark of mine.It had to be that. I was born with worry lines between my brows. ‘ [4]——  page 2 Nisha thought that she may appear to Deb as a, ‘A prissy little good girl who carried far too may books around. Pretty enough, I suppose. But not special. ‘ [5]— page 2 From the beginning we become aware of Nisha's attraction for Deb who is also referred to as God by most of his college friends. Deb is the son of a communist and is also a communist himself, he often gets arrested while taking out Morchas. Nisha gets attracted to Deb because of his unusual personality.His appearance is shabby, wears days' old stubble, always scratches his ‘matted locks which were full of lice-nests,' smokes ‘beedies,' is a man of loose morals, ‘has had several girls by the time he reached college'. His attitude towards girls is also to – ‘use them and leave them. ‘ ‘ I learnt very quickly that I had to bury whatever little ego and pride I had if I wished to hang around God. His attitude towards girls was simple-use them and leave them†¦ As for me, I was plain moonstruck. And for once in my life I wasn't going to lose out by default. ‘ [6]— page 5Despite his shabby appearance, ‘God's hands and fingernails were surprisingly, neat and clean. ‘ He knows many languages such as German, French and Spanish. He had already read Chaucer and Karl Marx before leaving school. Deb fails to tolerate exploitation and hence revolts against injustice, tyranny and frivolities. In the beginning of the novel Deb asserts the importance of decent means and told Nisha that he was not interested in money as it is only ‘means to an end. ‘ Nisha is very impressed with his manners. Nisha is truly in love with Deb and tries hard to work their relationship.Deb however, is not very emotionally attached to Nisha or at least he pretends so. He mainly lives off Nisha's money. Nisha tells; ‘I loved buying things for God. It gave me a sense of belonging. Gifts were a bond-perhaps the only one. Gi fts-which he took entirely for granted. ‘ [7]— page 13 Nisha's parents disapproved of God as they felt that God is using their daughter for his own profit. But Nisha is totally smitten by Deb and tells them, ‘I'd like Deb to ruin my life. I want him to ruin it. I don't care if he wrecks it. I love him. [8]——– page 14 Nisha is very possessive about her mother and when Deb passes some nasty comments on her mother, Nisha screams at him in a fit of anger, ‘Oh, shut up! How dare you? ‘ I screamed, ‘You and your filthy mind. What would you know about the needs of ladies-you who have no background, no class, you filthy bastard. ‘ [9]– page 17 Nisha's father is a typical hypocrite husband. At home he had set rules for his wife and daughter to follow. He expected his wife to be dolled up in office parties according to his tastes. His wife had no choice.Nisha tells, ‘ My father's ideas of a well-dressed wife were pre tty fixed-she had to be draped in pastel-coloured chiffon worn with a sleeveless blouse†¦ Make-up, especially lipstick, was of vital importance since he firmly believed it was a sign of sophistication and no stylish woman should ever be seen without it. ‘ [10]— page 19 He expected his wife to look after the house and accompany him for occasional parties. She was never encouraged to do something worthwhile outside home. When Nisha's mother told her friends that she had no time for her personal interests her friend tells her; ‘That is your problem.But if I were in your place, I would just tell him that if he'd wanted to marry an ayah, he shouldn't have married you. We bring a lot of status to our husband and they should realize it. ‘ [11]—-page 24 Nisha's father did not approve of women going out of home for work. When Nisha's mother got an offer for work from her friend Pratimaben her husband denied it straightaway by saying; ‘In our company wives do not work†¦. They stay at home and organize dinner parties' [12]— page 147 For a large number of years after their marriage Nisha's mother use to give up without a fight with her husband.But when the artificial behavior of her husband started taking toll on her senses she told her husband in a fit of anger; ‘I have had enough of your bullying and hypocrisy. I have kept quiet for far too long. Go to hell with your corporate nonsense†¦. Why should you I? Why should I bother about you either? You can also go to hell with your pompous talk and empty boasts. I am sick, do you hear, sick of living this false life†¦ Well-it's my turn now. And you can listen to me for a change. I will go along with Pratimaben with anything I choose to do. She is my friend.She encourages me. She appreciates me†¦ Whether you like it or not, henceforth I will make the decisions about my life. And the first thing is that I'm taking a job. ‘ [13]——â⠂¬â€œ page 148 Shobha De satirizes the hypocritical couples who have extramarital relations and yet pretend to be faithful to each other. Deb broke the news to Nisha that her father is having an affair with a Sindhi woman. Even Nisha's mother confirms that her father has broken all ties with her. Inspite of their differences Nisha's parents throw an anniversary party for their friends.Nisha was tensed seeing all this and admits; ‘As for me, I was drwn into my mother's sad world, full of self-pity and doubt. I didn't know what to make of the bomb she ad dropped. My father continued to be ‘normal' and pretended nothing had happened. ‘ [14]——page 62 In this novel Shobha De throws light on the hollow life of film and modeling world. Deb gets no pocket money from his father, he does free lance reporting as well as proof-reading. After college Nisha joined an ad agency and she became a little busy in her life. Whenever she had time she met God and enjoyed h is company.As God became conscious of his creative powers, he started writing poems. Nisha felt delighted seeing God moving in the league of contemporary poets. God is also very proud of his poetic sensibilities. God started attending workshops in which amateur poets gathered and showcased their work. Shobha De gives a very realistic picture of this strata of upcoming talent. She refers to such workshops as; ‘The sessions were conducted I dingy halls where the organizers didn't have to pay any rent. Everybody sat around on uncomfortable folding chairs or on the floor†¦Others who were present regularly were a fairly motley lot of struggling writers, a Grande Dame of Verse, frustrated copy-writers and self-styled critics. ‘[15] – page 26 Nisha never felt at ease in the meetings of Anglo Indian Poets Association. There were some aspiring women members also in the group. Women like Chandni, Sujata, Pramila etc wanted to get name and fame in the field of journalis m. These women wanted to get away from the clutches of domesticity and wanted to breathe in the fresh air. One such character is that of Sujata. Sujata was also a member of God's poetry recitation group.She represents modern women who fulfills all her homely duties and also doesn't forget her own interests. Shobha writes; ‘All of them-her timid husband and four daughters, doted on her. However, she had made it plain that she had gone beyond them and that she'd stopped playing wife and mother long ago. ‘ After fulfilling her duties as a wife and mother, Sujata decided to live her life on her own terms. She told her family ; ‘ My duties are over. They are on their own now,' she would explain. ‘I have played the roles I was expected to at the appropriate times. Now†¦I'm on my own. And they are on their own. This is my life. I want to live it my way. ‘ [16]—- Page 31 God appreciated Sujata's behaviour, he tells Nisha; ‘What's wrong with h er behaviour? She is beautiful, man, just beautiful. She follows her instincts. She makes her own rules. She's not a coward. She cares two hoots for the so-called â€Å"society†. I admire her guts, yaar. ‘ [17]—page 31 Ultimately, God joined Plume magazine as sub-editor and felt delighted. The basic aim of Plume was to encourage young poets.Shobha de has very realistically portrayed women's protest against the prevalent system which limits the scope of a woman's life to mere day to day household chores. In this novel women like Sujata and Pratimaben do not accept their traditional roles in marriage. They detest being limited to the domestic chores. Extremely conscious of their changed role in family, they proclaim loudly, ‘We are not only housekeepers after all, ‘We are not mere housekeepers, after all. ‘ [18]—page 24 Some women are career conscious to the extent that they do not think in terms of a settled family.Manju, Vimla are the pro fessionals in marketing field and are career oriented females. They represent the ‘new age' females writes Shobha De; ‘ These were the no-nonsense women who had ‘take me seriously' written all over them†¦.. They took their jobs with an earnestness that was almost terrifying in its intensity. Even the married ones insisted on being addressed as ‘Ms' or stuck to their maiden names. Their male colleagues were not permitted to crack jokes or flirt lightly. ‘ She writes further, â€Å"Workaholism for women had become very fashionable. If men can pursue careers ruthlessly, so can we, women declared at seminars and workshops for senior managers†¦.. ‘ Postpone babies or ask your husband to share house work. ‘† [19]———–page 119 These characters in Sultry Days have an altogether different outlook towards family and social life. In this context, De's feminist concerns in her fiction come close to the ideas e xpressed by Veena Noble Dass, ‘Literature should show women in activities that are not traditionally ‘feminine' to speed the dissolution of rigid sex roles.It is not enough, however to simply place a female character in a new occupation, with no corresponding change in her personality and behaviour. ‘ [20] The modern woman aspire to exercise power and control the situation. Feroze and Kiki also fall in the category of the New Woman of the new era. Regarding Feroze Shobha De remarks; ‘Feroze was on her own in more ways than one. Enterprising manipulative and full of strange kind of charm, she got around to places most people only dreamt of†¦Feroze became a familiar and popular figure in filmdom in an incredibly short period†¦ She drove her own car-she smoked foreign cigarettes. She traveled by planes. ‘ [21]——page 150 Nisha met Anil Bhandari, a young marketing guy who'd just set up a hot-shop of his own after coming back from a l ong stint in America with one of the best marketing agencies. Anil was in his early thirties and mockingly referred to himself as a ‘first generation yuppie'. [22] —page 76 He was a fine example of a modern educated young man with refined international tastes.He smelt of Aramisor Drakkar and used Studio Line gel in his hair, wore Warren Beatty glasses. Soon Anil was going around with a supermodel model Shona. Shona and Anil perfectly complemented each other. Once they were engaged Anil emerged as a typical male from a hypocrite society. He told Nisha; ‘ In fact, I'm going to ask Shona to give up modelling once we're married. She won't need the money anyway. ‘ Nisha asked him; ‘Maybe there's more than money in it for her. Maybe she loves her career. She is right at the top now. Have you discussed it with her? ‘ ‘Not yet. I'm sure she'll agree. She's such an innocent docile girl. ‘ Anil said. What will she do with her time? ‘ Nish a asked him. Anil replied and asked Nisha; ‘What does any housewife do? There's so much to do around the house. ‘ [23] — page 109 As the novel progresses we see visible change in God's attitude. From a small time poem writer and proofreader Deb starts working for an art magazine Plume. Having tasted power and money during his association with Plume, God's sole interest is to acquire money and power. Although Nisha does not approve of God's new way of life. She explains her utter repulsiveness to God's new style of living which had begun sowing the seeds of discord and estrangement between them.She says; ‘No I didn't like what was happening to God at all. We were beginning to see less and less of each other now that he didn't need to touch me for cash that often†¦ God was behaving like a mortal, like all the other journalists in the town, a bum who shamelessly sold his pieces for a fews pegs of scotch and a five-star evening' [24] – page 100 Nisha always looked for a loyal partner in Deb which Deb ceased to be, not because of his alliance with other women but because of their varied interests. Deb and Nisha's relationship turned cold after the former starts caring less and less for his self-respect.He turned out to be a typical man from a male dominated society. Deb has moved to his own place and required somebody to cook for him and look after his house. Nisha suggested him to get a maid. Deb very casually told her; ‘These maids-shaids are a hassle, yaar. I need my own woman. If you want, I don't mind a shaadi-waadi-I know that will make you feel better. Theek hai-we can be burgeois and go through with that marriage rubbish. You can cook, can't you?†¦ Can you fry puris without burning your fingers? Can you make rice that isn't sticky?†¦ Better to get all this straight from the start, hai na?No lafda later on†¦ Give me my daal-roti, a warm bed, twice-a-week maalish and a daily screw. That's all I expect. ‘ Nisha was too stunned to respond to what she heard; ‘One part of me was laughing. The other, feeling sorry for this man. He was obviously deranged-or the world's biggest egotist. He actually expected me to jump at this offer. He looked so comic. So vulnerable, standing in the lobby, trying to look nonchalant and heroic. ‘ [25]—- page 160 God's sole interest in life was reduced to acquire money and power. Contrary to his attitude Nisha wants everything in life through sheer labor.Nisha had never expected this change in God and she failed to convince him as to he did not need to work for a political broker, he needed to trust the power of his pen, but all her efforts went in vain. As ill luck would have it, Deb became proud of his power and joins Yashwantbhai, a don. God's new life style began to sow seeds of discord and estrangement between them. Nisha realizes that God was no longer the same person she had fallen in love with. Nisha tried her best to refr ain Deb from associating with a criminal like Yashwantbhai but Deb had gone too far to come back.Nisha started exposing Yashwantbhai and his underworld connections in her write-ups. Nisha's bold action is supported by her mother and also by a social activist Pratimaben who unravels and brings to public notice Yashwantbahi's atrocities on his former mistress, Pramila. Pramila is a fine example of a new age woman. Pramila is a Nagpur woman, her husband is in a well paid job, they have three children. Pramila is a talented poetry writer and to pursue her career in writing she leaves her family and moves to Mumbai. She shots to fame as soon as her poems are published in English.She administers a shock to her husband when she divorces him and leaves the house along with her two daughters. She eventually meets Yashwantbhai and becomes her mistress. She becomes avictim of his lust. She becomes pregnant with his child, Yashwantbhai forces her to get a sex check done for the unborn baby as h e did not want a girl child. Knowing that the child is a girl Yashwantbhai abuses her and then it is God who helps her in going underground. Nisha, her mother, Pratimaben with Pramila's help expose Yashwant bhai.Ultimately, Deb has to pay for his association with Yashwant bhai, he is shot by Yashwantbhai's goons and God collapses after struggling for a couple of days in hospital. When Dev is shot and admitted in the hospital, Nisha analyzes the life of ignorant and uneducated women of Bombay who never think of higher issues of life such as- What are the fundamental rights of a citizen? What is the interpretation of women liberation movement? What is secularism? Will women be free from the drudgery of the kitchen? What is the meaning of democratic socialism? Is socialism going to help women in any way?What is the importance of L. I. C in the life of a family? Nisha thinks very realistically that these ignorant and simple-hearted women are not shot dead as they don't raise their voice against the underworld Dons. No threats are given to them as they don't interfere with the working of politicians. But the women in Shobha De's novels are strong and confident. These women know what they want from life and how to achieve it. Nisha's mother followed her husband's instructions through out her life but finally she raised her voice against his hypocrite nature and emerged a winner.Women in Sultry Days assert their free and autonomous existence, they struggle and fight against the established social order that threatens their existence. Bhaskar A Shukla observes; ‘It may be partly on account of her experience as a journalist that she is able to tell things interestingly and with a courage of conviction in a language uniquely her own. ‘ [26] Women in Sultry Days represent a modern, self-sufficient and financial independent woman. These women do not expect their male partners to provide them financial security.In fact, it is Nisha grants monetary favors to her boyfriend Deb for a long time. Sujata, Pramila, Pratimaben are women who do not wish to be enclosed in their homes, they wish to be free from the clutches of male dominated society. They show the courage to leave their houses and pursue their dreams and make a mark of their own. Binod Mishra remarks; ‘In De's novels women's desperate struggle for existence unfolds in their unconventional behaviour, their sexual escapades and their dream for a life free from male domination. ‘ [27] BIBLIOGRAPHY Sonia Ningthoujam, Image of the New Woman in the Novels of Shobha De. 2Shobha De, Selective Memory:Stories From My Life, page 336 3Shobha De, Selective Memory:Stories From My Life, page 336 4Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 2 5Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 2 6Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 5 7Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 13 8Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 14 9Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 17 10Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 19 11Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 24 12Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 1 47 13Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 148 14Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 62 5Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 26 16Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 31 17Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 31 18Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 24 19Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 119 20Veena Noble Dass, ed. , â€Å"Feminism and Literature†, Feminism and Literature (Delhi : Prestige Books, 1995), page 10 21 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 150 22 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 76 23 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 109 24 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 100 25 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 160 26Bhaskar A Shukla, Shobha de : The Writer and Feminism, page 114 27 Binod Mishra, Critical Responses to Feminism