Charles Dickens Essays - Charles Dickens, David Copperfield

Charles Dickens Essays - Charles Dickens, David Copperfield Charles Dickens Something about Charles Dickens and his ability to take his reader to unbelievable places with his imaginative powers allows him the honor of being the most popular English novelist of the 19th century. Dickens has thrilled his readers for many years with his down-to-earth stories about real people forced into real situations. Charles Dickens has the ability to tell his stories from personal experiences. He fine-tuned his ability to tell his own story through the life of another character or cast of characters. Born on the evening of February 7, 1812, Charles Dickens was the second child of his parents, John and Elizabeth Dickens.. Although he was a solitary child, Dickens was observant and good natured . Looking back on this period of his life, Dickens thought of it as the golden age (Carey 6). In the first novel that he wrote, The Pickwick Papers, Dickens tries to bring back the good old times as he remembers them with their picturesque nature. Gary Carey believes that this novel displays the happiness of innocence and the playful spirit of the youth during the time of Dickens's youthful days (7). Overtaken by financial difficulties, the Dickens family was forced to move into a shabby suburb of Camden Town. This move must have shown the family how good they had it back in Chatham. There Dickens was removed from school and forced to work degrading menial jobs in an effort to help his struggling father put food on the table. Dickens was put to work in a blackening factory among many rough and cruel employees, probably the worst job in town. Shortly after Dickens started working in the factory his father was thrown into jail for failure to pay his debts, only to be released three months later. This period of time affected Dickens greatly as he went into a period of depression. He felt abandoned and destroyed by this evil roller-coaster ride of life he was on. From this time period come many of the major themes of his more popular novels. Perhaps the most popular of these novels is David Copperfield. In this novel Dickens depicts a young man who grows up in a very similar way to that of his own (Allen 28). Dickens' sympathy for the victimized, his fascination with prisons and money, the desire to vindicate his heroes' status as gentlemen, and the idea of London as an awesome, lively, and rather threatening environment all reflect the experiences he had during his time on his own. On his own at the age of twelve, Dickens learned many necessary life skills which also developed in him a driving ambition and a boundless energy that transferred into every thing that he did (28). It would be a mistake to think of Charles Dickens as an uneducated man just because he had little formal schooling. Dickens did what everyone should do, learn from life. His entire writing career was a continuing process of development and experimentation. Many of his themes keep repeating themselves throughout his pieces and those themes most certainly stem from his early life. From his early Pickwick Papers to his one of his last pieces The Mystery of Edwin Drood Dickens never ceased to develop his writing abilities and skill, establishing himself as the major and primary Victorian novelist (Bloom 189). The journey from boyhood into manhood is a momentous one, and definitely something that has a lasting effect on one's person. Charles Dickens in his novel David Copperfield describes the journey into manhood by telling a story similar to his own life through the life of David Copperfield. There isn't one underlining theme in this novel there are many. The journey is one that along with David's is longing for what is lost in the past and the humiliation he feels from being an orphan. Dickens has written an excellent novel describing the troubles of growing up and the benefits of having a rough childhood. Through the rough experiences that he had, Dickens was able to look back on his early life and write world-famous stories about them. Calvin Brown feel that these experiences also helped shape the man the Dickens became, as do all experiences in

Mispronunciation Definition and Examples in English

Mispronunciation Definition and Examples in English Mispronunciation is the act or habit of pronouncing a word in a way that is regarded as nonstandard, unconventional, or faulty. Words and names are sometimes deliberately mispronounced for comic or malicious purposes. The traditional term for incorrect pronunciation is cacoepy (the opposite of orthoepy, the customary pronunciation of a word). Because the pronunciation of a word or name is often determined by dialectal or regional conventions (which may vary widely), most contemporary linguists avoid the terms correct or incorrect in reference to pronunciation. Examples of Mispronunciation   The word I had used to describe the Liberal lust for power was insatiable, which I mispronounced as insat-eye-able. To this day, I cringe in embarrassment as I reflect upon the gentle public correction by Governor General Bob Higgins and the look of undisguised dismay on the face of Prime Minister Murray.(Brian Mulroney, Memoirs. McClelland Stewart, 2007)I had to mock her Australian accent, and she had to mock my American one, because she looked at me and my mouth and saw the corollary of what I saw, and we fought violently over how to spell aluminum, which she pronounced aluminium, and when she ran off into the bamboo and came back shaking a British dictionary that spelled it her way, I was utterly defeated.(Jane Alison, The Sisters Antipodes. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009) Local Pronunciations One thing visitors will notice in the Ozarks is the odd pronunciation of certain words. If youre used to hearing the state pronounced Mis-sour-EE, you may be surprised to hear some natives say Mis-sour-AH. Bolivar, Missouri, is BAWL-i-var, while out on the edge of the Ozarks, Nevada, Missouri, is Ne-VAY-da, and nearby El Dorado Springs is El Dor-AY-duh.(Fodors Essential USA, ed. by Michael Nalepa and Paul Eisenberg. Random House, 2008)If its the first Sunday in April, its Brougham Horse Trials. Thats Brougham pronounced broom. We have a tradition for odd pronunciation in Cumbria; its why Torpenhow is pronounced not tor-pen-how but Trappenna. I know. I cant work that one out either.(Jackie Moffa, Shipwrecked. Bantam, 2006) Exercise: Is There a Right Way to Say It? Think of some words that have more than one common pronunciation (coupon, pajamas, apricot, economic). Practice transcribing by writing each pronunciation in phonemic transcription. After you have done the transcription, discuss the varying pronunciations and the characteristics you associate with each pronunciation. What factors (age, race, gender, class, ethnicity, education, etc.) correlate with each pronunciation, and why do you think you have those associations? Are there some words for which you adopt the pronunciation of the person youre speaking with?(Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck, Linguistics for Everyone: An Introduction, 2nd ed. Wadsworth, 2013) Mispronunciations in Language Acquisition One very productive approach to the language of under-fives especially is to study apparent mispronunciations. These can appear to be idiosyncratic mistakes but, as with inflectional errors, many children display similar patterns, and they are considered to be part of normative development unless they persist for too long.(Alison Wray and Aileen Bloomer, Projects in Linguistics and Language Studies, 3rd ed. Routledge, 2013) Mispronunciations in English Language Learning (ELL) First is the foreign accent factor: ELLs may mispronounce a word because some of the sounds do not exist in their first language and they have not learned to say them in English, or because the letters they are trying to pronounce map to different sounds in their native language.(Kristin Lems, Leah D. Miller, and Tenena M. Soro, Teaching Reading to English Language Learners: Insights from Linguistics. Guilford Press, 2010) Speech Perception In speech perception, listeners focus attention on the sounds of speech and notice phonetic details about pronunciation that are often not noticed at all in normal speech communication. For example, listeners will often not hear, or not seem to hear, a speech error or deliberate mispronunciation in ordinary conversation, but will notice those same errors when instructed to listen for mispronunciations (see Cole, 1973). . . .[S]peech perception [is] a phonetic mode of listening in which we focus on the sounds of speech rather than the words.(Keith Johnson, Acoustic and Auditory Phonetics, 3rd ed. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012) A Word That Cant Be Mispronounced Banal is a word of many pronunciations, each of which has its outspoken and often intractable proponents. Though it may pain some to hear it, let the record show that BAY-nul is the variant preferred by most authorities (including me). . . .Opdycke (1939) says banal may be pronounced [BAY-nul] or [buh-NAL) (riming with a pal), or [buh-NAHL] (riming with a doll), or [BAN-ul] (riming with flannel). It is, therefore, one of the few words in English that would appear to be impossible of mispronunciation. . . .Although BAY-nul is probably the dominant pronunciation in American speech, buh-NAL is a close runner-up and may eventually lead the pack. Four of the six major current American dictionaries now list buh-NAL first.(Charles Harrington Elster, The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations: The Complete Opinionated Guide for the Careful Speaker. Houghton Mifflin, 2005) Deliberate Mispronunciations As well as making history, [Winston] Churchill also wrote it. His deep historical sense was evident in his many books and in his brilliant speeches in which he used his speech impediment to great effect. One example was his deliberate mispronunciation of the word Nazi, with a long a and a soft z, in order to show his contempt for the movement to which it referred.(Michael Lynch, Access to History: Britain 1900-51. Hodder, 2008)Singapore culture may be considered pro-West in many ways. This pro-West attitude is implied in the Singlish word cheena, which is a deliberate mispronunciation of China. It is an adjective used to describe anything that is considered Chinese and old-fashioned (e.g. so/very cheena). The word can be used to describe the way a person looks or does things.(Jock O. Wong, The Culture of Singapore English. Cambridge University Press, 2014) Mock Spanish and the Mispronunciation of Spanish Loan Words [T]he sociolinguist Fernando Peà ±alosa (1981), working in southern California, identified the racist functions of hyper anglicization and bold mispronunciation of Spanish loan words as long ago as the 1970s. Spanish speakers object to the use of offensive words like caca and cojones in public English, and many also object to the ungrammaticality of expressions like No problemo, and misspellings like Grassy-Ass as showing disrespect for the language...Bold mispronunciation . . . yields bilingual puns like Fleas Navidad, which shows up every year on humorous Christmas cards with pictures of dogs, and that hardy perennial Moo-cho with a picture of a cow. The opposite treatment is Much Grass from Muchas gracias.(Jane H. Hill, The Everyday Language of White Racism. Wiley-Blackwell, 2008) The Lighter Side of Mispronunciation Ann Perkins: Seniors can get pretty ornery.Andy Dwyer: I think thats pronounced horny.(Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt in Sex Education. Parks and Recreation, October 2012) Donald Maclean: Hullo.Melinda: Hi. Youre English.Donald Maclean: Does it show?Melinda: You say hello with the letter u where the letter e oughta be.Donald Maclean: Well, youre American.Melinda: You noticed.Donald Maclean: You say hello with the letter i where the e and the l and the l and the o ought to be. . . . I hate America.Melinda: Are you gonna tell me why?Donald Maclean: For the way you treat workers, the way you treat black people, the way you appropriate, mispronounce and generally mutilate perfectly good English words. Cigarette?(Rupert Penry-Jones and Anna-Louise Plowman in Cambridge Spies, 2003)

Efficient market theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Efficient market theory - Essay Example This information may make them perceive that a stock may rise or its price may decline and they may take decisions accordingly. Efficient market theory is of the idea that individuals within the market have similar information and rejects the idea that different individuals may have different information. This even means that the investor that first receives the information will benefit more than those who have received the information later. For example: some investors of the stock market receives information that the sales of Procter & Gamble have increased by 100% as compared to the figures of last year. As a result of this the trader may end up purchasing the stock. If the trader had received this information later as compared to other traders, then the trader may not have purchased the stock at the right price since other traders may have already purchased the stock and the stock prices may have

Funding Sources For Action Research Project On At-Risk Children For Essay

Funding Sources For Action Research Project On At-Risk Children For Literacy In First Grade - Essay Example The children develop effective reading and writing strategies so that they can continue to work independently, and meet grade-level expectations. (Center for Reading Recovery Website). FEDERAL FUNDS: Title 1, Part A: This program provides financial assistance through State Education Agencies (SEAs) to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and schools with large numbers of poor children, to ensure that all children meet state academic achievement standards . Some federal grants are awarded to the LEAs directly by the United States Department of Education. Title 1, Part B: Reading First: This is a focussed nation-wide effort to enable all children to become successful early readers. Funds are dedicated for establishing high quality comprehensive reading instruction in kindergarten through grade 3. Building on a solid foundation of research, reading programs are developed to help the teachers, and to ensure accountability through ongoing valid and reliable screening, diagnostic and classroom- based assessment. State Education Agency awards sub- grants to Local Education Agencies on a competitive basis . In the Reading First initiative, participation is voluntary, no timeline is indicated and funding level Is FY02- $900 million. States participating in Reading First have to submit Annual Reports and show significant progress in the program.

Uncle Toms Cabin Analytical Essay Essay Example for Free

Uncle Toms Cabin Analytical Essay Essay Critic Moira Davison Reynolds describes Uncle Toms Cabin as skillfully and artistically constructed propaganda that contributed mightily to massive reform (ix). As such, its author, Harriet Beecher Stowe has been placed among the greatest Americans that ever lived and at one time was the most famous woman in the country (Reynolds 146). Born on June 14, 1811, to a remarkably accomplished family of orators, educators and pioneering social activists, Harriet Elizabeth Beecher followed in the footsteps of her politically active family and took up the banner of anti-slavery reform. Her passion for the cause is said to have come to her as a result of her time spent in Ohio observing the results of the fugitive slave laws (Reynolds 159). Uncle Toms Cabin is a text intended to shock its readers into rejecting Slavery. At the same time, it is intended to raise the sympathy of its audience by humanizing the slave. This paper discusses how Stowe achieves each of these things in her novel and how effective she was. This paper also investigates the role of family feeling in Stowes novel: it serves the conflicted purpose of motivating white Americans to fight against slavery while also providing the basis for imagining the nation as a reassuringly racially pure family home. The Family Feeling in Rejecting Slavery and Humanizing the Slave At the center of Stowes abolitionist argument is the fact that slavery destroys families. The separation through sale or death by neglect of children from parents, husbands from wives, sisters from brothers, receives her harshest and most consistent criticism throughout the novel. In her final appeal to her readers, Stowe writes, The writer has given only a faint shadow, a dim picture, of the anguish and despair that are, at this very moment, riving thousands of hearts, shattering thousands of families, and driving a helpless and sensitive race to frenzy and despair (384). The two precipitating events that set the novel in motion are framed as instances of slaverys disregard for any family feeling. Mr. Shelby is driven by financial concerns to separate Tom from his wife and children and George Jr. from his parents, regardless of any claims to affection for his slaves or promises he has made for their manumission. In addition to following the diverging fates of Tom and Eliza, the novel produces what James Baldwin called a catalogue of violence (496), providing numerous examples of familial destruction at the hands of ruthless slave traders and vicious owners. One illustrative example is the story of Lucy, a woman purchased by the slave trader Haley as he takes Tom down to the New Orleans market early in the novel. When Haley sells her son, Lucy waits until dark and throws herself into the river. Her suicide is never mentioned again, but the tragedy of her death is one element of the constant backdrop of familial destruction as Tom travels deeper into slave territory. In addition to feeling horror at these and other stories throughout the novel, the reader is meant to feel particular distaste for those characters who are not so moved by such willful destruction of family ties. For example, Mr. Shelby describes Haley the slave trader as someone who would sell his own mother at a good percentage not wishing the old woman any harm, either (30). Haleys villainy is expressed not just through his actions, but through his lack of proper familial affections. Marie St. Claire, Evas deeply self-absorbed mother, is almost as much a villain as Haley, not least because she refuses to believe that her slaves love their families in the same way that white women do. She complains, Now, St. Claire really has talked to me as if keeping Mammy from her husband was like keeping me from mine. Theres no comparing in this way. Mammy couldnt have the feelings I should. Its a different thing altogether as if Mammy could love her dirty babies as I love Eva! (151). The corruption of families by slavery is more than a series of individual tragedies; it is a blight on both the civic and spiritual life of the nation as a whole. Stowe writes, Nothing of tragedy can be written, can be spoken, can be conceived, that equals the frightful reality of scenes daily and hourly acting on our shores, beneath the shadow of American law, and the shadow of the cross of Christ (384). The scenes of family destructions to which Stowe refers in the passage picture the worst travesties of maternal care she can imagine infanticide and suicide of mothers who chose death for themselves and their children over slavery. The solution to the crisis of slavery lies in a restoration of proper family feeling, a call which Stowe frames in national terms. In her most extended direct address to the reader in the last chapter of the novel, she writes an incantatory call to the men and women of America, and particularly the mothers of America to draw on their own experience of parental love as a means through which to fight for the end of slavery. She writes, And now, men and women of America, is this a thing to be trifled with, apologized for, and passed over in silence? And you, mothers of America, you, who have learned, by the cradles of your children, to love and feel for all mankind, by the sacred love you bear your child; I beseech you, pity those mothers that are constantly made childless by the American slave-trade! And say, mothers of America, is this a thing to be defended, sympathized with, passed over in silence? (384) In the logic of her call, to fight against slavery is to fight for not just individual families, but for the duty and love that families are divinely sanctioned to inspire and protect. To love anyone properly, to be moved to defend the rights of other mothers to love their own children, one must first draw from their own experience. If that familial love is as strong as it is supposed to be, then slavery would be unconscionable. The tactic of mobilizing sentiment is used throughout the book to force the reader to consider slavery in light of her own family life. When Tom is separated from his children at the beginning of the novel, the narrator breaks from the event to address the reader and call up his or her own feelings over lost children. After describing Toms tears, she writes, just such tears, sir, as you dropped into the coffin where lay your first-born son; such tears, woman, as you shed when you heard the cries of your dying babe. For, sir, he was a man, and you are but another man (34). By seeing Tom as but another man, the reader must temporarily abandon the distinctions that make slavery if not racism possible, although this temporary suspension is challenged by the novels resolution. Stowe also calls on the readers to shift their frame of reference when considering the sale of human beings by addressing those slaves for sale at the New Orleans auction through the nominal forms of family: Then you shall be courteously entreated to call and examine, and shall find an abundance of husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, and young children, to be sold separately, or in lots to suit the convenience of the purchaser' (283). The reformist impact of the image is meant to lie in the use of affectionate names for family juxtaposed to the utilitarian language of commerce. Such moments call up the readers indignation; other moments are meant to inspire the readers admiration. Another method through which Stowe humanizes slaves is stressing their familiar bonds and characteristics. In many ways, George and Eliza are ideal parents and spouses. Eliza, described as beautiful, educated, and kind, risks her life to prevent losing her son to Haley, the slave trader. Her dedication is distilled in the famous dash across the ice floes to get into Ohio from Kentucky (52). George, also handsome and intelligent, is willing to risk his life to protect Eliza. When they are being pursued by Haley and Tom Loker, George exclaims, And now, Eliza, Ill give my last drop of blood, but they shall not take you from me. Whoever gets you must walk over my dead body (165). George defines his masculinity through his marriage, telling Eliza, your loving me, why, it was almost like raising one from the dead! Ive been a new man ever since! (165). Conversely, Elizas femininity is framed through her ability to tame to proper proportions Georges occasional violent and irreligious impulses by enclosing them within domesticity. In their first scene together in the novel, George comes to Eliza in a rage, telling her about the numerous offenses committed by his masters. He hints several times that he might retaliate with violence, and Eliza urges him to control his temper through prayer: What are you going to do? O, George, dont do anything wicked; if you only trust in God, and try to do right, hell deliver you. I aint a Christian like you, Eliza; my hearts full of bitterness; I cant trust in God. Why does he let this be so? (15) George can only respond to Elizas influence when they have escaped slavery and are able to establish as sense of home while living with the Quakers. Home is described as a circle within which proper family and religious sentiment can develop. This, indeed, was a home, home, — a word that George had never yet known a meaning for; and a belief in God, and trust in his providence, began to circle his heart, as, with a golden cloud of protection and confidence, dark, misanthropic, pining, atheistic doubts, and fierce despair, melted away. (122). This passage describes the kind of familial sentiment that Stowe continually tries to incite in her readers throughout the text. According to Stowe, white families fail most consistently throughout the novel. Her calls for the readers to sympathize with the suffering of African American families under slavery is in part an attempt to move them to action, but it is also an attempt to get them to reform their own family feelings and connections to feel right not just about the issue of slavery, but about how to behave as a member of a white Christian family and nation. After all, the first scene of the novel shows us the tactless slave trader sullying the white family parlor, and throughout the novel, white family feeling fails, despite the best intentions of their members. The Shelbys provide an example. Mrs. Shelby treats her slaves with kindness, and imparts to them the value of domesticity. When she finds out that Mr. Shelby has contracted to sell George Jr. , she exclaims, I have taught them the duties of the family, of parent and child, and husband and wife; and how can I bear to have this open acknowledgement that we care for no tie, no duty, no relation, however sacred, compared to money? (29). She does her best to protect both Tom and Eliza, but in the end she cannot change her husbands decision. But the Shelbys failures are not unique. Husbands like Shelby and St. Claire mismanage money or die prematurely and the familys slaves must be sold down the river. Mothers are either ineffectual like Mrs. Shelby or actively awful like Marie St. Claire: as a result, families are separated and beatific children die of consumption. Two of the most powerful figures of maternal influence in the novel the dead mothers of St. Claire and Simon Legree can be read as symbols of retribution and reform. Legree is driven mad by the thought of the perfect love that his mother once had for him (323), but that perfect love is only a fearful torture, and in fact it drives him to redouble his efforts to rape Emmeline. He declares, Curse me, if I think theres any such thing as forgetting anything, any how, — hang it! Im lonesome! I mean to call Em. She hates me the monkey! I dont care, —Ill make her come! (323). St. Claire describes his mother as divine (195), and it is under the influence of her spirit that he begins to take the legal steps to manumit his slaves. But her influence arrives too late; St. Claire is stabbed to death while out on a walk, and Tom is sold down the river once again. The novel is plagued by such incidents, and at each stage they elicit sympathy from the readers, sympathy explicitly structured by the family form. The tragedy we are meant to feel most strongly is the failure of white families to function properly. Conclusion It can be concluded that Uncle Toms Cabin was effective in rejecting slavery and raising the sympathy of its audience by humanizing the slave. Stowe achieves each of these things in her novel through investigation of the role of family feeling: it serves the conflicted purpose of motivating white Americans to fight against slavery while also providing the basis for imagining the nation as a reassuringly racially pure family home. The restoration of George and Eliza Harris’ family after their harrowing escape from slavery and their decision to repatriate to Liberia are rendered in the service of the novels desire to rehabilitate white domesticity on both the familial and the national scale. Works Cited Baldwin, James. Everybodys Protest Novel. 1955. Harriet Beecher Stowe s Uncle Toms Cabin. Ed. Elizabeth Ammons. A Norton Critical Edition. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1994. 495-501. Reynolds, Moira Davison. Uncle Toms Cabin and Mid-Nineteenth Century United States. North Carolina: McFarland, 1985. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Toms Cabin. 1852. Ed. Elizabeth Ammons. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1994.

Shabanu Essay :: essays research papers

Shabanu Essay In the novel Shabanu, by Suzanne Fisher Staples, women are portrayed in two distinct ways: obedient and rebellious. The obedient women would include Phulan, Mama, and Auntie. Rebellious women would consist of Sharma, Fatima, and, of course, Shabanu. The protagonist Shabanu, portrays herself as a rebellious woman. Shabanu constantly disobeys her father. In the beginning of the novel, Shabanu attempts to retrieve her camel Mithoo so he will not be harmed by Tipu, another camel. Dadi tells her No several times but she insists. Dadi is furious, ?Don?t ever disobey me? (27). Dadi shakes her so hard that her head flies back and fourth. Shabanu gets home and while she is making chapaties Auntie says to her, ?Shabanu, you are wild as the wind, you must learn to obey. Otherwise?I am afraid for you? (28). Another example of Shabanu?s rebelliousness is when she throws water on the landlord. Nazir Muhammad and his men say the want to ?claim? Shabanu and her sister, Phulan. Shabanu becomes disgusted and decides to throw her head forward, causing the water jug on her head to spill over the embankment and Nazir Muhammad. Sharma, Shabanu?s aunt, is a very rebellious woman as well. Sharma is described as bold, ?Most men don?t like her and are afraid of her? (98). Sharma cares about Shabanu and tries to look out for her. Although Sharma had no intentions of causing Shabanu danger, she gave her some very dangerous advice. ?You try to make him happy so he can?t bare to be away from you a single moment. If he treats you badly, come stay with us? (209). Auntie, unlike Sharma and Shabanu, portrays an obedient woman, with morals. Auntie is traditional, and often criticizes Mama for having no sons in the family. ?If God had blessed you with sons, we wouldn?t have to break our fingers over wedding dresses? (3). Auntie looks down on Shabanu for being ?boy like?. ?A young lady shouldn?t go with her headdress uncovered. You?re too old to act like a boy? (33). Mama is obedient as well. Mama slaps Shabanu as a consequence to non-traditional views. Mama accepts that Dadi takes care of the ?manly? problems such as the selling of the camels. Being the man, Dadi also takes care of the dangerous situations, like getting grandpa after the sandstorm.

Encounters with peope of different cultures

Encounters with people of different cultures in their own countries or communities 2 3 4 5 Coping with the customs of host countries or communities, e. g. rules and courtesies that local people observe and may expect me to observe. Encountering the different customs of people from other cultures, e. g. dress, spec al occasions, etc. Adapting to the rhythm of life in other cultures, e. g. getting used to different meal times etc. Integrating with the customs or behaviour of host countries, e. g. eginning to use forms of greeting that is very different from my own. Encounters with different cultures in the host university Clarifying areas of uncertainty about university arrangements, e. g. describing what I am used to and asking what happens in the other culture. Adapting to other administrative and academic practices, e. g. using unfamiliar procedures to complete a work task. Coping with different formal ties, e. g. learning new ways of showing respect to senior colleagues from other cultures.Relating to fellow students from other cultures, e. g. learning what they like to talk about during breaks. Being aware of issues to be avoided with a different cultural group, e. g. learning what opics seem to be avoided and what the group's views are likely to be about a current political situation. Building bridges between colleagues ot my own culture and those ot a ditterent culture, e. g. sensing that someone of my culture has said the wrong thing and explaining the misunderstanding to both sides.Section 3 A continuing record of intercultural encounters In this section you can record many kinds of intercultural experiences and encounters that you feel have helped you develop your intercultural skills. In each record, describe what happened and how this enabled you to advance your nowledge and understanding of – or attitude to – intercultural ‘events' ( interactions with people from other cultures, etc). Date: 31109/2012 As soon I arrived at the rent ed place, I found out that my flatmates were both Spanish and I feared that I would be left apart due to my level of Spanish,.However, to my surprised they were both very welcoming and even try their best to understand my poor Spanish and were willing to show me around and give me very helpful tips in relation, to transportation, nightlife and food consumption. Place: Pozuelo de Alarcon The suggestions made by flatmates were quite helpful, on the next day I went to rder my student travel card wish made really easier to travel around Madrid. Their travel system is very similar London travel system which actually work base on the zones you have to move around. However, the store was closed from 12 to 14 0'clock as well as every store around.Such thing was very strange to me and as my flatmates explained it is common thing in Spain for stores to be close at such time due to their weather conditions is too hot work there for thy take a break. It is at that point were a have notice that weather conditions have a huge effect on Spain Culture. Place: Groningen University The team work experience with the guys, gave me the opportunity to improve my communication skills, because we could express one's need, wants and opinion without offending the sensitiveness of the other guys.In addition, I believe I strengthen my Teambuilding skills, as I was the person who motivated the others. The members recognised that, and I was the point of communication between the others. From this experience I realised how much I would like to work for the Human Resources, as I believe to be able to maintain group cooperation and support, and to keep a group updated how it is moving forward to the achievement of the goals. Date: 31/10/2012 On 31/10/12 1 had a presentation to be done together with 3 more students. It was me, a Spanish girl, a Romanian guy, and a Dutch guy.The Dutch guy most of the times we had meeting was quite rude with the other guys. He wanted the work to be done, and he was actually the first not to do it. The day of the presentation, I had a small argument with him. The presentation went well, we scored 7. 2. This guy, during the conversation with our coach said that he was the best and that the other guys, us, did not have the competencies to do the presentation. Place: At first, I got really upset and offended, as he should not dear to say these bad things to his team member.Secondly, I believe he should have told us in a private conversation, as all of us were really embarrassed, and we all thought that what he was saying was not actually true. Finally, I spoke with him and he apologised about what happened with the guys and l. I hope he understood that he should not criticise others, when he is the first person who makes mistakes. Date: 03/11/2012 In these days I was reflecting how the Dutch academic semester works so differently trom the English semester. Here, every semester is made trom two periods.In each period there are at least three mo dules to study, therefore exams, reports, group works and presentations to do. At my university, we only have four modules for semester, whilst here there are at least six for each semester. I could see how I improved time management planning and organizational skills. Place: Groningen My skills improved because the amount of work to do was higher than my expectations. In fact, I had to develop goals for my personal achievements, and identify tasks to be accomplished. In addition, I learnt how prioritise tasks and take esponsibilities for the decisions I made.Based on the above please prepare a SWOT analysis of the stage that you believe are at in terms of cross cultural competence; (i. e. strengths and weaknesses) and where you would like to get to by January. What are the opportunities for enhancing your competence and what are the threats which may thwart your endeavours if left untackled? Studying the first semester of the second year in ESIC located in Madrid, Spain enables me to break down barriers as well as communicate and interact with people from different cultures in ways beyond no lecture room or university hall can.

Death Penalty in India Essay

Short Essay on the Capital Punishment in India – Capital punishment has been a matter of debate for long now, and across the world public opinion is, by and large, in favour of abolishing it, as it is increasingly seen as a barbaric measure to check crime. Modern abolitionist jurists are of the view that if killing is wrong, no amount of legal or social sanction can make it right. If it is wrong for a man to kill another man, so it is even for the State to do. Besides, citing statistics, they argue that capital punishment has had no visible effect as a deterrent and has utterly failed to bring in a dip in the number of murders, which, according to them, makes capital punishment completely useless. Why kill the killers when it helps none and nothing, seems to be the belief. To them, capital punishment is a barbarous measure of no avail that has its place in the annals of history and not in modern statute books. Abolition of death penalty is largely seen as a step in the interest of human dignity in line with Article 5 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 and its protocol in 1989, besides, of course, Article 3 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on December 10, 1948 and Article 21 of our own Constitution. The arguments on the side of the retentionists are equally strong. However, in India the Supreme Court has made death penalty applicable only to the rarest of rare cases – the cases where the act is no less than shocking to human conscience. The landmark cases where the death sentences were awarded in India are Ranga Billa case, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi Assassination case, Laxman Nayak case and most recently in 2004 Hatab case of West Bengal where accused Dhananjoy Chatterjee was hanged on 14 August, 2004, on his birthday, after Supreme Court affirmed the death sentence awarded by the lower courts. The President also declined his plea for pardon. In the year 2003 government laid a Bill in the Parliament, which proposed to add a provision of death penalty in Drugs and Cosmetics Act. After the new government came in power in June 2004, President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam suggested that Parliament should consider the abolition of death sentence altogether.

Act utilitarianism vs Rule utilitarianism Essays

Act utilitarianism vs Rule utilitarianism Essays Act utilitarianism vs Rule utilitarianism Paper Act utilitarianism vs Rule utilitarianism Paper Essay Topic: Utilitarianism Although Utilitarianism as a whole is a complicated and flawed ideology, Rule Utilitarianism (the more sympathetic concept of the two) tends to be more plausible than Act Utilitarianism. However Rule Utilitarianism is not without its own flaws that critics of JS Mill indicate. Critics of JS Mill say that Act Utilitarianism is more plausible because with Rule Utilitarianism, moral laws conflict, for example, the right to be free from hunger and want seems logical but destroying the rainforests to provide food goes against other Utilitarianism principles, whereas in Act Utilitarianism, according to Sidgwick, it is possible that an act may be moral and immoral at the same time. For Sidgwick, when making a moral decision you must respond to the immediate consequences of your actions but not the long term effect, as it isnt possible to be certain about the long term effects. Critics of Bentham and Sidgwick however would say that Rule Utilitarianism is more plausible because Rule Utilitarians believe that it is the quality of an act that is more important and not the greatest good for the greatest number as suggested by Bentham. Mill also believed that without individual liberty, societys happiness is not possible, which makes Rule Utilitarianism more plausible as it coincides with human rights whereas Bentham thinks that Human rights are ridiculous. According to Bentham, Act Utilitarianism is more plausible because it provides the greatest goo for the greatest number through the use of the hedonic calculus. By using the Hedonic calculus, one is able to maximise pleasure and minimise pain. The Hedonic calculus Is the test for all practical decisions and is an easy way to provide the greatest overall happiness for all sentient beings such as humans. The concept of the Hedonic Calculus for philosophers such as Mill, Brandt and Austin was far too complex and they considered it to be an impossible ideal to apply the hedonic calculus when making all decisions, especially when there is not time to carefully think about making a decision. Furthermore, Act Utilitarianism consider maims to be rules of thumb that can be disregarded in certain circumstances, whereas rule Utilitarians believe all moral laws must be obeyed. Rather than following the Hedonic Calculus, Rule Utilitarians instead made a set of general rules selected on the basis of whether they will maximise general good or welfare in society. These general rules apply the Principle of Utility so it is easier to apply them in everyday life, therefore making moral decision making a much easier and less complicated situation. In conclusion, Both act and Rule Utilitarianism have their flaws but overall, Rule Utilitarianism is more plausible than Act Utilitarianism because through Rule Utilitarianism it is easier to apply rules and moral laws and one focuses on the quality of happiness rather than the quantity, which can often lead to impractical decision making (for Act Utilitarians.)

Your 2018 guide to asking for a promotionÂÂ

Your 2018 guide to asking for a promotion   New year†¦new job title? Many of us look upon a new year as a time for new opportunities, from setting and achieving new personal goals to exploring new passions and hobbies and reaching new professional milestones- including moving up the career ladder. Most of us have an ultimate professional goal that we one day wish to fully achieve, and many of us have plotted out a series of steps on our career ladder that will hopefully get us there. With the ushering in of a new year, we often hope that we’ll be able to take a bold step forward toward our goal- which means getting a promotion at work.Of course, in a perfect world, we’d never have to actually ask for a promotion- our bosses would simply recognize our undeniable talents and contributions over and over, resulting in a series of promotions. But for most of us, this is more of a pleasant dream than a tangible reality, and waiting for this to happen is like waiting for a sack of money to drop out of the sky and i nto your lap- not the most efficient use of your productive work years.The truth is, most of us who want a promotion are going to have to ask for one, which can be among the most stressful, anxiety-inducing, and nerve-wracking experiences we subject ourselves to. Asking for a promotion is no simple task, especially if you’re relatively new to your company or industry and may still be proving yourself. According to a recent article published by Forbes, â€Å"Asking for a promotion can be one of the most stressful experiences in your career- especially in today’s uncertain economy. Why?  Because you know you’re putting yourself at some level of risk†¦It should be no surprise that, in comparison to only a few decades ago, today’s average employee has larger workloads- and more (and better) competition to contend with. Add to this the highly evolved social and political networks one needs to master, and you have one tough road to travel†¦to move from employment offer to promotion without a single misstep is unlikely, and mistakes happen often enough.†Yes, the mere thought of asking for a promotion may send you into a panic and have you reconsidering the entire idea, but fear not! In the professional world fortune often favors the bold, and if you attack the â€Å"promotion situation† smartly and with a solid game plan, you can really increase your chances that things will go your way when you pop the big question!Use the following strategies to help you stack the deck in your favor, and to avoid the biggest mistakes most people make when gearing up to asking for a promotion.Read the signs.The first crucial step to determining if now is a good time to ask for a promotion or if you’re better off waiting is to â€Å"take the temperature† of the company. Was 2017 a good year, or were there lots of struggles and challenges? Did your company meet or exceed its annual goals, or did it fall short? Have th ere been a great deal of layoffs or employee turnover recently, or do things feel relatively stable. Or better yet, are signs of growth and new innovation in the air? It isn’t difficult to envision which of these scenarios are more conducive to asking for a promotion, so try to figure out if now is the right time for you to make the big ask.Also, be sure to take your own workplace temperature. Was 2017 a â€Å"hot† or â€Å"cold† year for you as an employee? Did you achieve or surpass your goals? Many of us have clearly defined performance metrics, which are often reviewed regularly with our bosses (often annually), so determining if 2017 was a good year for you shouldn’t be too difficult. If you had a banner year in 2017, then perhaps now is the perfect time to go after that promotion. If you struggled a bit over the year, perhaps it’s wiser to wait a few months and really work hard to establish yourself as a valuable employee before taking the pl unge.Build a good case.In many instances, asking for a promotion is like interviewing for a new job, and you’ll likely have to â€Å"make a case† for yourself- not just for why you deserve a promotion, but also, and perhaps more importantly, for how your company will benefit from promoting you. This is your opportunity to resell yourself to your company- this time in a new role with greater responsibility.So, approach the situation like you did when you first interviewed with the company. Convince them that you’re the perfect person for this new position and that your background, experience, and skill set are the perfect mix to handle the job effectively. You want them to think that promoting you will ultimately benefit the company’s bottom line.Choose your moment.Pop quiz: Do you think your chances for getting a promotion will be better when you ask your boss after a particularly tense and stressful morning or in the middle of a terrible workplace crisis , or when your boss is in a good mood, relaxed, and hopefully open to new ideas? Not the most difficult quiz, right? Well, you’d be surprised by how many unfortunate employees, who are so nervous and desperate to get the promotion question over with, just blindly jump in and ask their bosses for a promotion without determining if the timing is right. Not a good move. Don’t make this easily avoidable mistake.Mind the details.Perhaps just as important as the things you’ll say when asking for a promotion are the supporting details- the tone you use, the outfit you decide to wear when you ask, and your body language and facial expressions. You’ve already successfully interviewed with the company before, so you have a good idea of what works and what doesn’t. The key here is to take this opportunity seriously and to bring your â€Å"A game† when you do decide the time is right to ask for a promotion. Dress well, use a confident and positive tone, and make sure your body language reflects your best possible self.If it goes your way†¦If the stars align, things go your way, and fate looks favorably on you, then congratulations! Graciously and humbly accept your promotion and new role and be sure to use this as an opportunity to prove to your bosses that they made the right call- don’t forget, at some point in the future you might be facing the promotion question once again, and you want to make sure that you have a solid case for why it’s once again well deserved.If it doesn’t go your way†¦Putting yourself out there by asking for a promotion and meeting rejection can be incredibly difficult. If you don’t get the promotion you were looking for, you may leave the meeting with a wide range of conflicting emotions. The key here is to not do anything rash. Instead, listen carefully to the reasoning you were given for the decision. Was it based on something completely out of your control, or did it include things that you can work on? Were you given a timeline to make improvements and revisit the promotion question?Take the information you were given during the discussion, consider it carefully, and weigh your options for moving forward. The key here is to not consider this the final step on your career ladder- you’ll have many more professional opportunities in the future!Asking for a promotion can be a stressful experience- but it doesn’t have to be! Use the strategies provided here to ensure that when the time is right and you decide to ask for a promotion that you’re putting your best foot forward and setting yourself up for success.

Child Rearing in America Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Child Rearing in America - Case Study Example According to Annette Lareau, the central factors of family life cohere to form a cultural logic of child rearing which stresses the intensive nurturing of children in the contemporary social situation. "In this historical moment, middle-class parents tend to adopt a cultural logic of child rearing that stresses the concerted cultivation of children. Working-class and poor parents, by contrast, tend to undertake the accomplishment of natural growth. In the accomplishment of natural growth, children experience long stretches of leisure time, child-initiated play, clear boundaries between adults and children and daily confrontations with kin." (Lareau, 2003, p 3). Christopher Davis was born and brought up as the son of middle-class parents and his birth and nurturing demonstrate the state of affairs with child rearing in the contemporary America. Christopher Davis was born in 2004 while his mother, Susan, was eighteen years of age and was pursuing her Bachelor's degree. All through her pregnancy period, Susan attended college and she never dedicated time for the nurturing of the baby. ... The family under investigation belonged to middle-class Blacks and their experience with child rearing suggests the influence of class difference on the shaping of individuals in the families. "It is the class differences and how they are enacted in family life and child rearing that shape the ways children view themselves in relation to the rest of the world." (Lareau, 2003, p 4). Therefore, the paper undertakes an essential qualitative analysis of the case of Christopher Davis in an attempt to achieve a deeper knowledge of issues to educational practice. The research problem in this qualitative research case study is the issues connected with child rearing and the example of Christopher Davis illustrates these issues most effectively. The case study reported in the paper primarily focuses on parental involvement, child-rearing practices and academic achievement on the basis of the specific case of Christopher Davis. Research Design and Methods This research study undertakes an analysis of the specific case of Christopher Davis who confronts several pertinent issues of child rearing. The subject of this qualitative research case study Christopher Davis (Chris) who is son to Susan and John and they live in Brooklyn, New York. Chris has 2 bothers that look up to him. Christopher Davis is the perfect selection for an analysis of the pertinent issues concerning child rearing as he faced some of the most important nurturing problems in his short life. The research reported in this paper undertook personal interviews with the family of Chris. A reflective analysis of the life experience of Chris in his development and education suggests that child rearing is one of the most essential