The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock - Characteristic Downfall Essays

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock - Characteristic Downfall In T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," the author is establishing the trouble the narrator is having dealing with middle age. Prufrock(the narrator) believes that age is a burden and is deeply troubled by it.. His love of some women cannot be because he feels the prime of his life is over. His preoccupation with the passing of time characterizes the fear of aging he has. The poemdeals with the aging and fears associated with it of the narrator. Prufrock is not confident with himself mentally or his appearance. He is terrified of what will occur when people see his balding head or his slim and aging body. He believes everyone will think he is old and useless. They will talk about him behind his back. (They will say"How is hair is growing thin!") My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin, My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin-- [They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!"] This insecurity is definitely a hindrance for him. It holds him back from doing the things he wishes to do. This is the sort of characteristic that makes Alfred into a tragic, doomed character. He will not find happiness until he finds self-assurance within himself. The repetition of words like vision and revision, show his feelings of inadequacy in communicating with the people around him. J. Alfred Prufrock's self esteem affects his love life greatly. The woman he is in love with is younger than he is and this distresses him. He does not believe that some younger women could possibly accept him or find him attractive. Expressing any kind of affection to her is awkward and difficult. Prufrock knows what he must say but cannot bring himself to say it. "Should I, after tea and cakes and ices, Have the strength to force the moment to it's crisis?"(79-80) His apprehensiveness in his love life, is very troublesome for him indeed. He wishes greatly to express his affection but it becomes suppressed within him. He compares himself to Lazarus who was an aged man restored to life by Jesus. He feels that it will take a miracle to make him feel young again. Prufrock sees his age as the end of his romantic zeal. He assumes the response to his love will be snappy and heartless. Prufrock believes that women do not find older men attractive or see a possibility of romance in them. The rhyme scheme Elliot uses in this poem depicts the disenchanted and confused mind of the narrator. The poem is written using a non-uniform meter and rhyme. Various stanzas are not of uniform length. This method is used to represent the mood and feelings in the verse. Prufrock is feeling confused and overwhelmed by the adversities of life so it is logical that his thought will have the same types of characteristics. His thoughts lead to ambiguity such as at the start of the poem. "There you go then, you and I"(1) This could be referring to Prufrock and himself, or Prufrock and his lover. Elliot wrote this poem in a time when social customs were still considered an issue. Everyone had their place and did not vary from that. Stereotypes of groups were lived up to and nobody tried to change it. Elliot uses blatant images of different classes in order to show these dissimilarities. The lower class lived a meager, dull and predictable life. They spend "restless nights in one-night cheap hotels."(6) The rich on the other hand are educated and enjoy life every day. They are busy and bustle around joyfully in order to get things done. In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.(13-14) Unfortunately, because of his age Prufrock feels that he does not belong to any of these classes. He has similarities pertaining to each of them but as a whole feels that he simply exists in his own classification. The debate in Prufrock's mind finally comes to a close when he compares himself to Prince Hamlet from William Shakespear's masterpiece Hamlet. Hamlet was able to express his love and J. Alfred was envious

Word Choice Fewer vs. Less - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog

Word Choice Fewer vs. Less - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog Word Choice: Fewer vs. Less Confusions between â€Å"fewer† and â€Å"less† can provoke fury among pedants: In the UK, one store even changed its signs after a campaign to enforce correct grammar! The difference between â€Å"fewer† and â€Å"less† is subtle, though, so it’s easy to mix them up in your written work (or on your shop signs) if youre not careful. Fewer (Countable Quantities) The word â€Å"fewer† means â€Å"a smaller number of people or things.† More specifically, â€Å"fewer† applies to things you can count or number, like stones or apples: There were seven apples in this bowl, now there are four; that’s three fewer than yesterday. We say â€Å"fewer† here because â€Å"apple† is a countable noun (i.e., apples can be counted out as individual apples). Less (Uncountable Quantities) The word â€Å"less† simply means â€Å"not so much† or â€Å"smaller in amount.† It differs from â€Å"fewer† by applying principally to uncountable nouns, usually substances or concepts that cannot be counted individually, such as water or pain: My shoulder still aches, but I’m in less pain than I was. The use of â€Å"less† indicates the pain has reduced. However, it doesn’t imply a severe pain is an accumulation of smaller pains in the same way that a bowl of apples contains several apples. Fewer or Less? A good tip for knowing when to use â€Å"fewer† or â€Å"less† is to consider whether the word modified is singular or plural, since singular terms take â€Å"less† and plural terms take â€Å"fewer.† This can be judged by whether the word would usually be followed by â€Å"is† or â€Å"are.† For instance, we say â€Å"water is wet† rather than â€Å"waters are wet† because water is a singular noun. Likewise, we say â€Å"apples are delicious† rather than â€Å"apples is delicious† because â€Å"apples† is plural. By working out whether were describing a singular or plural noun, we determine which of â€Å"fewer† or â€Å"less† to use: Singular/Countable Nouns = Fewer Plural/Uncountable Nouns = Less Time, Money and Distance One more thing to keep in mind is that quantities of time, money and distance usually take â€Å"less† rather than â€Å"fewer.† This is because we treat measurements as singular rather than plural. For example, although $100 could be counted out as one hundred individual dollars, we usually think of it as a single quantity of one hundred dollars. Hence we say â€Å"$100 is too much to pay,† not â€Å"$100 are too much to pay.† Likewise, when it comes to â€Å"fewer† and â€Å"less,† we usually say â€Å"I have less than $100,† not â€Å"I have fewer than $100.†

An Overview of the Popular Festival of India, Diwali

An Overview of the Popular Festival of India, Diwali India is a country of festivals. People, in India, celebrate festivals from all religions such as Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Sikh. Therefore, it is like there is at least one festival to celebrate every month. Each festival is celebrated with exhibition and happiness, and each of them has religious or mythological significance behind them. One of the most celebrated of all festivals is Diwali- The festival of lights. It is known as `the festival of light because during this festival each street, house, mall, and store are decorated with colorful lights. It usually comes in October or November. The date is not fixed because it is celebrated according to Hindu calendar. People start the preparations for Diwali about a month before it comes. They clean their houses; and they also decorate their houses with good-looking and decorative things. In addition, they also make some traditional sweets and snacks. Diwali is a five day long festival, and each day has its own tradition and impor tance. First day of Diwali is called `Dhanteras in which `Dhan means wealth and `teras means thirteenth because it falls on the thirteenth day of the month of the Hindu calendar. On this day people worship Lord Yamraj, the God of death. They offer prayers to him to bless them with prosperity, well being, and protection. They also purchase a new utensil, a silver or gold coin or some other precious metal as a sign of good luck on the day of `Dhanteras. The story behind this day is about a 16 years old son of king Hima. His horoscope predicted his death by snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage, so his newly wedded wife did not let him to sleep. She laid out all her ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a stack at the entrance of the sleeping chamber and lit lamps all over the place. Later that night, she narrated stories and sang songs to keep her husband from falling asleep. When Yama, the god of Death, arrived at the princes doorstep in the appearance of a Serpent, his eye s were dazzled and blinded by the brightness of the lamps and the jewelry. Yama could not enter in the princes chamber and went away. Thus, the young prince was saved from the clutches of death by the cleverness of his new bride, and the day came to be celebrated as `Dhanteras. The second day is `Choti Diwali. Choti means `small, and thus Choti Diwali is celebrates just like Diwali only on a smaller scale with lesser lights and lesser fireworks. It is also known as the `Narak Chaturdashi. According to Hindu mythology Lord Krishna destroyed the demon Narakasura on this day. The demon Narakasura was the evil king of Pragjyotishapura, near present-day Assam in India. Narkasuras power made him arrogant, and he became dangerous to everyone and even to the Gods. He empowered the kingdom of Lord Indra, and he imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of the gods and snatched the earrings of Mother Goddess Aditi, who was also the relative of Satyabhama, Lord Krishnas wife. Satyabhama was really angry about what Narakasur did, so after her request Lord Krishna empowered Satyabhama, and she was able to murder Narakasur by beheading him. She then rescued the sixteen thousand women prisoners from the clutches of Narakasur and even found Mother Goddess Aditis earrings. In order to save the women from embarrassment, Lord Krishna married all the sixteen thousand women and accepted them as His wife. Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with blood as a sign of victory over Narakasur and returned home with his wives on the morning of Choti Diwali. The next day is known as `Diwali. `Laxmi Pooja is one of the most important things in Diwali. Laxmi, the Goddess of light, beauty, good fortune and wealth is worshipped on the occasion of Diwali to bring prosperity in the family. She is also worshiped to achieve success and fortune. Business men also do `Chopda Pujan meaning worshiping of the account books on this day. According to the columnist Deepak Verma from Times of India in some states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, Diwali represents the new business year so all businesses close their accounts and present them to Lakshmi and Ganesh during Chopda Pujan. Moreover, people light up beautiful `diyas (candles) inside and outside of their houses, and everyone enjoys fireworks. The reason behind the celebration of Diwali is because Lord Ram came back to Ayodhya, a town in India and also his home town. He returned on this day after 14 years of exile after his victory against evil Ravan. The king of Lanka (Sri Lanka) Ravan, kidnapped Lord Rams wife (Sita) from the forest, where they were staying as per the instructions of King Dashratha, father of Lord Ram. After then, Ram attacked Lanka and killed Ravan and released Sita from his custody. He returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and younger brother Lakshamana after fourteen years. Therefore, the people of Ayodhya decorated their homes and the town itself, by lighting tiny `diyas, in order to welcome their beloved prince Shri Ram. Ram is considered the symbol of good and the positive things and Ravan represents the evil. Therefore, Diwali is considered the festival, which established the victory of good over the evil. On the night of Diwali, people light diyas, which is again an icon of positive energy to conquer darkness. Following day of Diwali is the New Years of Hindus according to the Hindu calendar. People wake up early on this day and usually wear new clothes that are specially bought for this day. Later on, they head to the temple to pray to God for prosperity and good health for themselves and their family. There is always a family get together for the celebration of New Years. Family membranes exchange gifts, thoughts and New Years resolutions. Chhavi Bhatia from Indian Express supposed Diwali gifts [are] replaced by plants and books instead of sweets in 2009. Plants convey the concept of a green Diwali and books are good gesture to encourage the habit of reading. Furthermore, younger kids take the blessings from their elders, as it is considered respectful to the elders. People decorate their houses with `Rangoli which is the design made of different powder colors. Some people also decorate their houses wall with different kind of designs and make the small foot prints on the door steps of their house which resemble Goddess Laxmis foot prints. People also perform `Govardhan Puja on this day. Govardhan Puja is worshipping of the mountain Govardhan which is in the city of Vrindavan in India. Lord Shri Krishna once performed the Govardhan Puja along with the people of Vrindavan for their protection from heavy rains. Since then it became a tradition for Hindus to worship Govardhan to honor that first Puja on this day. They also offer fifty-six different dishes to Govardhan on this day which is called `Chappan Bhog. Lastly, the fifth day of Diwali is known as Bhai Beej Brothers Day, in which sister invites her brother over for dinner. It is called Bhav-Bij in the Marathi-speaking communities, and people in Nepal know this festival by the name of Bhai-Tika. There are various distinct ways in which this beautiful festival is solemnized, but the features that are common in all rituals is the act of smearing a tilak (a holy mark) of roli (vermilion), kesar (saffron) and ric e on the brothers forehead by their sister as a mark of their love and protection. It is considered a big day for the sister, she cooks brothers favorite dishes, and prays to God for her brothers good health and fortune. At the time of dinner, brother presents his sister with a toast and a gift. Bhai Beej is based on an old story written in mythological books over 5000 years old. This day is an auspicious day for both the brother and the sister because it is believed to strengthen their relationship. According to a tale, on this auspicious day of `Bhai Beej Lord Krishna, after slaying the Narakasura demon, goes to his sister Subhadra where she welcomes her brother with a diya (candle), sweets, flowers, and put the holy protective `tilak on his forehead. Keeping this tale in mind, people celebrate the festival of `Bhai Beej with great enthusiasm and dedication. All in all, Diwali is the most celebrated festival in India that unites every Indian with joyous sentiment. Even though it is a five day long festival, celebrations start over a month ago. Everyone enjoys food and fireworks during this festival. People consider this festival very important, and they celebrate it with open heart and happiness. The important events that occurred during the time of Diwali is what created the most enjoyed festival in India. Every day of Diwali has its own significant story and the reason for its celebration. It seems coincidental that every event that occurred fell into one same period which now we know as Diwali. Nevertheless, the coincident seems to be liked greatly by everyone with enthusiasm.

Smoking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Smoking - Essay Example Bernard (2011) claims that the smoke has very high toxicity levels so harmful to the human life given the amount of chemicals contained in the cigarette. He goes ahead to quite cite the actual fact that toxicologists and health care professionals have gone a long way in finding several harmful chemicals in the cigarette. Cigarettes are the most popular, most addictive and the deadliest form of tobacco ever to be used (World Health Organization). These contrasting ideas between smoking enthusiasts (revelers) and the equally enthusiastic dissidents create an interesting discovery of facts about smoking. If there is proof that smoking kills, with health professional’s strong campaigning against the ‘vice’, then why is the number of smokers increasing day after day? The US National Cancer Institute brings out the observation that some of the facts leading to someone talking up smoking may just be a social issue as opposed to personal or medical issue. Actually, smokin g has never been proved to cure any health problem apart from allegations by some health researchers that Cannabis has some medical content. The review of this work therefore seeks to point out the effects of smoking to the body of the smoker and those who are physically close to him/her. This will also seek to establish whether smoking in public should be Okayed as a legal aspect of life or be deemed illegal by the law. A report on smoking was released on September 17th 2009 by Dr. Jen Doe and Dr. Chris DeSanto had very comprehensive information about effects of smoking. These two medical professionals are members of the Georgetown Hospitals Community Pediatrics Program and have served as campaigners for Tobacco Free Kids in America. Their work was seconded strongly by the American Medical Student Association having produced accurate reports on kids and smoking (Doe and DeSanto). This article about children and smoking reflects on effects of smoking by elucidating critical aspects. The authors

His202 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

His202 - Essay Example This movement aimed at destroying the political power of the saloons’ based local bosses. It promoted suffrage of women to a more pure female voting in the arena. The activists involved in this movement came together to reform the local government. During that period, corruption during made politics a very dark activity and the nation responded by having a progressive movement. The cities were overcrowded with very many laborers who were very poor as a result of very poor working conditions. There were growing issues or challenges such as very fast economic changes and social changes which resulted from the revolution in industries in the entire America. This movement established itself outside the government and later on forced the whole entire government to take control and deal with the vital challenges facing America. This movement started in the year 1896 and this was before America entered into the World War 1 which commenced in the year 1917. The people in the middle class social ladder and supporters such the lawyers, business persons, teachers, ministers and physicians were the main people where the movement drew its support from. The people namely the progressives who were the activists supported scientific methods of operating the economy. These scientific methods involved applied economics, schooling, theology, education, finance, industry and the families also. The progressives felt that this way of operation was the best and more efficient and saved on time unlike the traditional way of operation which was a waste of time and a ground for inefficiency. The commitment of the progressives focused on changing the manner in which the state operated, changing the society’s lifestyle and finally improving the economy. Investigative journalists also referred to as Muckrakers type of journalists were among the people who helped in making the movement a success were. Muckrakers were those journalist who

Harrison Bergeron Essay Example for Free

Harrison Bergeron Essay Kurt Vonneguts short story â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is about a futuristic society where beauty is destroyed to create equality. It centers around the highest official, appropriately named, the General Handicapper. His only role to to seek out and find to people who are skilled, pretty, or good at sports and forced them to hide away these talents through masks and waits. It is through basic literary elements that Vonnegut creates and develops the theme that general conformity leads to the deformation of humanity. The short story begins in the future, The year was 2081† and Vonnegut immediately puts out the benefits of this futuristic society, stating â€Å"everybody was finally equal† and not just equal â€Å"before God† but in â€Å"every way† possible (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 7). Vonneguts description foreshadows what is to come in the novel and certainly this forced equality can only lead to a dangerous and potentially deadly ending. Conformity and the effects of uniformity is a common theme in the bulk of science fiction literature and Vonneguts short stories are no different. However, in â€Å"Harrison Bergergon† not just the theme of uniformity is explore but also the stripping away of humanity. This short story, the government forces everyone to be equal nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 7). Government agents force people who are beautiful to wear ugly masks and people who are thin are forced to carry around weights. The goal of all this control is to make sure that everyone has the same handicaps, the same features, and the same feelings. Even odder is that smart people were forced to wear radios which interfered with there brain functional creating a human society where everyone was equally stupid. By eliminating the the issues, which modern society still deals with, of racism, sexism, and discrimination based on looks, Vonneguts future society should be healthy and happy because everyone is the same. However, in the pursuit of equality the loss of humanity took place. Humanity is based on the idea of independence and individualism. The featured protagonist of this short story and namesake is Harrison Bergeron. He is a bright and friendly boy who has the most hated qualities in his society. He is intelligent, handsome, tall, and strong. Due to Harrisions features he is required to do several things to compensate for all his good quality. He is subject to radio noises which stops his concentration and focus. He has to carry hundreds of pounds of extra weight. He also have to wear sun glasses which gives him a head and he has to undergo surgery fort o make him ugly. While awaiting his surgery he escapes and takes over a news station. On air he takes off his handicaps and is revealed to society. When enters the station he is looks like a walking junk yard, required to wear a red rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off, and cover his even white teeth with black caps at snaggle-tooth random ( Vonnegut, 1968, p. 21). He also meets up with a ballerina and she too casts off her imposed disabilities. When the couple dances they shrug off the law of gravity and the laws of motion as well, leaping to kiss the thirty-foot ceiling until finally they remained suspended in air inches below the ceiling, and they kissed each other for a long, long time. It is then that Glampers enters with her shotgun† (Vonnegut, 1968, p.  22). Unfortunately both are killed by the General Handicapper. As a sub plot his parents are watching the news station but once everything is said and done they can not remember what has happened due their forced handicaps. Irony is another literary device that Vonnegut uses in this short story. Vonnegut comments on the look-ism which is apparent in American society. Vonnegut even appears cynical about what passes as average in America. Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldnt think about anything except in short bursts (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 20). The observation on the ballerinas continues the undercutting humor: They werent really very goodno better than anybody else would have been, anyway (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 20). Heavy irony emerges in the plodding Hazels missing the point, as when she sympathizes with the stuttering announcer for trying real hard to do his best or suggests George might remove some of his weights in the evenings. Compounding the irony she says, I think Id make a good Handicapper General. Good as anybody else, said George. The range of sounds and the comic brutality of their effect provides another source of comedy. One of Georges winces prompts Hazel to ask the cause. Sounded like somebody hitting a milk bottle with a hammer, he replies. Another sounds like a twenty-one gun salute that leaves George white and trembling and leaves two of the ballerinas on the floor clutching their temples. The final one is a riveting gun. GeeI could tell that one was a doozy, said Hazel. You can say that again, said George. Gee said HazelI could tell that one was a doozy. (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 41) Hazels stupid behavior and mindset symbolizes the dumbing down of America. In addition the television is equally symbolic. When this book was written, the television was now found in every home throughout the country. It became the way that people communicated and received news. Reading, literature, and human interaction decreased and was replaced by the mindless chatter of television shows and governmentally run news broadcasts. Hazels aversion to the old days when she could be made to feel like something the cat dragged in (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 22) obviously is not very persuasive The narration in â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is also interesting. This is because the narration is third person, as if person is looking back on the events that just happened. Third person omnipresent is an interesting choice for narration because it allows the reader into the minds of all characters. For example Vonnegut reminds the readers, in third person narration Nobody can be in any way superior to anybody else, as guaranteed by the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of the agents of the United States Handicapper General (Vonnegut, 1968, p. 20). In particular, the motivations of each character which inspire their actions and words. â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is a very unique short story because Vonnegut manipulates basic literary elements and creates a satire of American ideals and societal norms. Vonnegut is able too, in a tongue and cheek manner, show how the government can create a society which lacks humanity. A government that is left uncontrolled can exert such great power that it can destroy what makes human unique creatures on this planet. In doing so, people become mindless and vulnerable to the governmental propaganda that tells the citizens of a society that these rules are for their own good.

Facundo or Civilization and Barbarism by Domingo R. Sarmiento Essay

Facundo or Civilization and Barbarism by Domingo R. Sarmiento "Facundo or, Civilization and Barbarism," by Domingo F. Sarmiento is a book which talks about the many topics of government and political situations in which Argentina was involved. Mary Mann is the translator of the book and the introduction is by Ilan Stavans. The time period the story takes place in is the nineteenth century, but the book was written in 1845. The geographic areas in which the events take place are Argentina, Chile, and most of the southernmost part of South America, such as Uruguay and Paraguay. To add to the setting, the book talks about the terrain, which includes the Andes Mountains, the plains, and the forest. The principal characters in the book are Domingo F. Sarmiento, Juan Facundo Quiroga, a caudillo, and Argentina's dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas. Sarmiento's main points for writing this book were to discredit the caudillos and Rosas. Also, to show the truth about how things were in Argentina. When taking a look at this book, a person must take a look at the society and politics of the area to see how these things go hand in hand in Argentina. First of all, Rosas was the presidential dictator at the time and had the reputation of a tyrant. The Inhabitants of the land where mostly Spanish, Indian natives. Most of Argentina’s land was filled with deserted areas due to the low population, and the fact that not many people lived in Argentina's vast mountains and plain areas. This vast land was so large, that most governments could not control it, and criminals could basically do, as they wanted. Most of these criminals, gauchos, barbarians, or call them what you will overran these plains and mountains. It was the behavio... ...n good. Just like that of Facundo, when he took over Argentina and implemented his own governing and caused chaos. Both of these gauchos show you that they just strive to do what they want for themselves to make them happy and not the people of nation. The final comparisons is how one can see the liberal ideas of Sarmiento fighting against the more conservative ideas of the gaucho which were going against the civilization in Argentina. For example, Sarmiento wants to end the dictatorship and caudilloism, for these two held down the people’s individual rights and caused obstacles to the advance of civilization. The leaders in the dictatorship and caudilloism try to retain their own ideas and force them on everyone, not allowing for freedom of ideas or rights. In the end Sarmiento wins over the gauchos in Argentina and causes an advance in Argentina’s civilization.

Individual Assignment Essay

Question 2: Define the distinctions between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources in a secondary search. Primary sources are data that has not been interpreted and are the original research performed. These sources are from the source of the information. The data given from a primary source has not been translated into information by another person. Primary sources are the source of the data given. Many books of law are primary sources. A court transcript would be a primary source for an appealed case. Jane Goodall would be a primary source about chimpanzees because of here extensive first-hand research. Secondary sources have been interpreted from primary data. This textbook is an example of a secondary source because the authors gathered the information from many primary sources. They translated that data too this secondary source. Almost all research found falls into secondary sources category. Most information on the Internet has been translated from a primary source. Tertiary sources take secondary sources and interpret them. These can be guide books, timelines, and almanacs. They have condensed primary and secondary sources to create an index. Bibliographies are also an example of a tertiary source. Question 3: What problems of secondary data quality must researchers face? How can they deal with them? There are five problems of secondary data quality: Purpose, scope, authority, audience, and format. When evaluating purpose of a secondary source a research must discover why this data exist. The researcher must also evaluate if the research is relevant to his or her research. When deciding if the information meets the purpose it is trying to achieve. The research must also determine if it is biased in the way it is presented. Authority of research tells the researcher how well the author knows the subject. For instance the researcher would not go to Jane Goodall about what type of minerals found on Mars. Also the information needs to give cites to show where it got the information. Cites also need to have an authority on the subject. The data also needs show from where it originated. Scope shows the researcher the age of information, and whether or not it has been updated. It should show the amount of information available on subject. The data should also show whether it narrows the subject or encompasses the subject totally. It should also show why information was included. The scope should also be similar to other sources. Audience shows that the information was intended. Also what experience a researcher reading the source is assumed to have. Format shows the research how easy the information was to find. The ease with which the researcher can locate relevant information for his or her research question. Also the information needs to be easily translated into useable information. Chapter 7 Discussion Questions 1, 2, and 5 Question 1: How does qualitative research differ from quantitative research? Quantitative research needs a large number of participants. This information can only be objective and measured statistically. Quantitative research is only about the numbers, data that can be measured. This data can be calculated by mathematics, to determine the needs of a larger population. Qualitative research is translating data from observing, analyzing, and interpreting data from what people say or do. The researchers can analyze a small test group of people and determine why they like the red widget better than the blue one. This research is very subjective compared to quantitative research. Qualitative tries to find the meaning behind the outcome of a decision. Question 2: How do data from qualitative research differ from quantitative research? Quantitative research data consists of number and statistics. These are hard facts with a large number of participants. This data can be measured either by counting or fitting numerical data in an equation. This data will show exactly what occurred. The red widgets out sold the blue widgets 20 to one. The data will always be measurable, and is a strait forward method of research. It gives direct answers that are easy to interpret. Qualitative research is not measurable. This is how a consumer believes about a product. The consumer may feel that the color red makes the widget look better than the color blue. There is no measurement for this type of research. Finding out what makes the red widget more pleasing to consumers is the driving force for qualitative research. This type of data is not strait forward and involves a large amount of interpretation from the researcher. Experts are needed to translate the data. Question 5: Assume you are a manufacturer of small kitchen electrics, like Hamilton Beach/Proctor Silex, and you want to determine if some innovative designs with unusual shapes and colors developed for European market could be successfully marketed in the U. S. Market. What qualitative research would you recommend, and why? I would recommend a group interview because I would want to find a group consensus for these European products. The group will give me a wider variety of praise or concern for these products. They could also give feedback about what they like and dislike about the products. The company could also find a group of people most likely to buy these products. The company could get a feeling of how the test market would feel about these products. Also the company would want to find a non-bias interviewer, so they can get the most accurate data possible. The company can take these small group interviews and analyze the data collected to make a decision on whether or not to continue with the plan to introduce these products to the U. S. market. By interviewing participants from the products test market the company can a feel for how their product will be received.

Racial and Ethnic Groups Essay

There are three sociological perspectives of race and ethnicity which are functionalist, conflict, and labeling perspectives. The first one I will discuss is the functionalist perspective. The functionalist perspective emphasizes how the parts of society are structured to maintain its stability. As also described in the reading the functionalist approach is an approach, if an aspect of social life does not contribute to a society’s stability or survival, it will not be passed on from one generation to the next. The functionalist perspective thinks that racial hostility is hard to be admired but the functionalist would point out that it serves some positive functions from the perspective group of the racists as described. In the dominant group there are five functions that racial beliefs have for the dominant group. As described they are the following: 1. A society that practices discrimination fails to use the resources of all individuals. Discrimination limits the search for talent and leadership to the dominant group. 2. Discrimination aggravates social problems such as poverty, delinquency, and crime and places the financial burden of alleviating these problems on the dominant group. 3. Society must invest a good deal of time and money to defend the barriers that prevent the full participation of all members. 4. Racial prejudice and discrimination undercut goodwill and friendly diplomatic relations between nations. They also negatively affect efforts to increase global trade. 5. Social change is inhibited because change may assist a subordinate group. 6. Discrimination promotes disrespect for law enforcement and for the peaceful settlement of disputes. The second perspective is the conflict perspective which is the perspective assumes that the social structure is best understood in terms of conflict or tension between competing groups. As described in the reading society is a struggle between the privileged (the dominant group) and the exploited (the subordinate group). There is competition that takes groups between groups with unequal amounts of political and economic powers. A difference is that functionalists are not necessarily in favor of inequality; their approach is helps to understand why such systems persist as described. The subordinate group is criticized for its low status. The dominant group is responsible for subordination which is often ignored. The third approach is the labeling approach. The labeling theory which is described in the reading is a concept introduced by sociologist Howard Becker, is an attempt to explain why certain people are viewed as deviant and other engaging in the same behavior are not. As said in the reading a crucial aspect of the relationship between dominant and subordinate groups is the prerogative of the dominant group to define society’s values. Minorities are believed to have the lack of ability to perform in important positions where subordinate group are locked into society’s inferior jobs. I feel that I can agree with the labeling perspective the most. The reason for this is that it still exists in today’s society. Companies are required to provide equal opportunity employment and cannot discriminate against religion, race, or age. We know that this is still not true. You see that most police officers and firefighters are still mostly men. You still see large amounts of families have stay at home mothers. Another example would believe that if a child is bad in school that it has to be his or her parents that make them that way. I believe that it truly is still an issue among individuals. Part II I choose African Americans and the creation of migration and the consequence of segregation. Migration is defined as a general term that describes any transfer of population. Segregation is described the physical separation of two groups, often imposed on a subordinate group by the dominant group. According to Wikipedia I choose The Great Migration. As described it was the movement of 2 million African American out of the Southern United States to the Midwest, Northeast, and West from 1910 to 1930. They migrated to escape racism and seek employment opportunities in industrial cities. When the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863 less than eight percent of the African American population lived in the northeastern or Midwestern U. S. As described, â€Å"Between 1910 and 1930, the African American population grew by about 40% in Northern states, mostly in the major cities. Cities such as Chicago, Detroit, New York, and Cleveland had some of the biggest increases in the early part of the century. Because changes were concentrated in cities, urban tensions rose as African Americans and new or recent European immigrants, both groups chiefly from rural societies, competed for jobs and housing with the white ethnic working class. Tensions were often most severe between ethnic Irish, defending their positions, and recent immigrants and blacks. † â€Å"African Americans moved as individuals or small family groups. There was no government assistance, but often northern industries, such as the railroads, meatpacking and stockyards, recruited people. The primary factor for migration was the racial climate and widespread violence of lynching in the South. In the North, they could find better schools and adult men could vote (joined by women after 1920). Burgeoning industries meant there were job opportunities. † (Wikipedia, 2010) This in turn caused African Americans to feel segregated and felt they had to be among other African Americans do to how they are treated. There were many fights and riots among different cultural groups due to segregation. Such as the example of African Americans who could not sit in the front of the bus because of their race. In today’s society this is ethnically not acceptable. References: Wikipedia. (2010, October 15). Wikipedia. org. Retrieved October 23, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Great_Migration_(African_American).

curriculum essay essays

curriculum essay essays Over the past few years controversy of boys and schooling has emerged as a significant national issue and vigorously debated in the media. Issues related to boys education have been raised by education systems, schools and their communities. These concerns about the experience of boys in schools have increasingly been incorporated into discussions about gender equity in education. This has occurred amongst education practitioners, academics and policy makers, in Australia and other English speaking countries. In Australia, the opening of a more comprehensive policy debate about the education of boys through the 1990s is reflected by an increased number of research initiatives, conferences, and two official inquiries The current one Boys: Getting it right, (House of Representatives, 2002) is the basis of this essay. The extent of concern in the community about this issue is reflected in the number of submissions to the inquiry, media attention and the emergence of a plethora of popular literature on the theme. The report from Boys: Getting it right: Report on the inquiry into education and Training, looks at current patterns of boys participation and achievement in school. Evidence shows that boys have consistently poorer outcomes than girls on basic literacy tests, and are less likely to complete high school. While at school, boys tend to study a narrower range of subjects and their average Year 12 scores are lower than for girls. However, it is certain groups of boys rather than all boys who are more likely to perform poorly or become disengaged with schooling. Therefore it is important to explore how we arrived at this point in the education of boys and the complex social factors that impact upon it. The inquiry has concluded the way forward for both girls and boys is to identify their common and separate educational needs and to implement a policy framework with positive strategies to address ...

Affect of power relations on organizational change and development Essay

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

Design Patterns Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Design Patterns - Research Paper Example This notification can encompass particular information and facts regarding the topic of the notification. However, the subject can eliminate any of the observers from the list when there is no need for a specific observer to be informed regarding these events or changes with respect to the matter they are registered with the subject. They are used when there is need maintaining constancy and reliability between connected objects while not affecting coupling characteristics of classes. For instance, these patterns can be used when an object needs to be able to inform other objects without having suppositions on the subject of those objects. Moreover, the observer pattern consists of the following elements (Osmani, 2012): Subject: This component is responsible for managing the operation related to observers, such as facilitating, eliminating, or adding observers into the list (Osmani, 2012). Observer: This component is responsible for offering an up to date interface for observers that need to be informed regarding any change (Osmani, 2012). Concrete Subject: This component is responsible for managing transmission and notifications to objects regarding changes to state. It also maintains the state of ConcreteObservers (Osmani, 2012). ConcreteObserver: This component is responsible for establishing and maintaining a reference to the ConcreteSubject. In addition, it also implements a modern interface for the observer to make sure that state is compatible with the subject (Osmani, 2012). Advantages The observer patterns allow software development teams to think effectively about the associations among various elements of software application (Osmani, 2012; Toal, 2012). These patterns also allow software engineers to recognize what application layers have straight associations which could be alternatively replaced with a set of observers and subjects. In this scenario, these patterns can be effectively employed for splitting a software application into a number of sm aller, more freely joined components with the purpose of improving code maintenance as well as competency for re-use (Osmani, 2012; Sud, 2013). These patterns are useful for establishing and maintaining a one-to-many dependency between objects (Marakana Inc., 2013). These patterns provide an excellent communication mechanism for instance, when there is a change in the state all the related objects are notified automatically (Marakana Inc., 2013) Disadvantages As discussed above, these patterns support for decoupling however by decoupling various objects, it can frequently turn out to be hard to get assurance that specific components of a software application are working as they are expected to do (Osmani, 2012; Pierry, 2013). It is believed that in these patterns subscribers are relatively unaware of the subsistence of each other as well as are sightless to the price of switching publishers. Hence, because of this dynamic association between objects, it is difficult to track the upd ate dependence (Osmani, 2012; Sud, 2013). 2. The Factory Pattern The Factory pattern is also one of the most important creational patterns, which is concerned with the concept of developing objects. However, it differentiates with other patterns of the base of a property and that is it doesn't openly require software engineers to make use of use of a constructor. On the other hand, a Factory provides software engineers