Wole Soyinka Death And The Kings Horseman Essays - Yoruba Culture

Wole Soyinka: Death and the King's Horseman Wole Soyinka: Death and the King's Horseman In his play, Death and the King's Horseman, Wole Soyinka would have us examine every clash and conflict, save for the one involving culture. Certainly this may seem the most obvious part of the play, but we would do the general understanding of Death a disservice if we ignored one of the central conflicts in the play. Every element of the play is placed in terms of two extremes, and the cultures must be considered one of those pairs. Suicide is no exception to this examination; it must be seen in the conflicting lights that Soyinka gives us: British vs. Yoruban, physical vs. metaphysical, personal vs. social; and an expression of failure vs. a form of redemption. In examining how the play divides suicide so completely through these lenses, we can better understand the actions of Elesin and Olunde. In the Yoruban world, it is clear that everything exists in a large backdrop of history and awareness of the gods and the universe. While living is a personal experience, everyone is a fragment of reality. Thus every action has an impact on everything. All Yorubans and the entire world are interconnected. This is why the community is so close and so attentive when it comes time for Elesin to follow his king to the afterworld. Elesin's suicide is a communal act. It affects everyone, alive or dead, because it has little to do with Elesin personally. It is not his choice or decision; it is something that will happen. So, on one hand, suicide is a social act in this play. However, if we examine the lenses that Soyinka gives us to see his play, we can see the conflicts develop. In the Western world, suicide is mainly seen as a personal experience. Although there is religion - Christianity - there is nothing that ties the death of one person to another in the supernatural world. If you kill yourself, that's it. You face God separately from everyone else; your life is viewed by itself. This is closely connected to the Western belief of free will. No one forces anyone to commit suicide; the definition tells us that this is a voluntary situation. So this is clearly the personal part of suicide that is present in Death. And we can see the line that divides personal and communal aspects of suicide in the tenuous position of British occupation of the Yoruba. But there is still a similarity - suicide is seen to affect everyone involved. However, there is a stark difference even in this similarity. The power of suicide on the living is physical in the Western world, and metaphysical in the Yoruban world. In Britain, the sadness comes from missing someone who clearly left the world too early - before God called them. In Africa, the sadness comes from worrying about the destruction of the universe because tradition has been broken. So we arrive back where we started; the Yorubans consider everything in terms of a larger consciousness; Westerns in terms of personal freedom and experience. When all these ideologies are forced to coalesce during the colonial occupation, Elesin's situation is bound to happen. The clash of all these opposing ideas creates the conflict that makes Death and the King's Horseman. When Elesin's mind is given a taste of the English belief of free will, he is tempted away from his birth culture. The idea that the world does not rest on his shoulders, that the afterlife of the Yoruba might be false, and that he might continue to live until God chooses to strike him down (and enjoy the splendors of life and sex) creates a hole in his core beliefs. The taste is too much and too little; it nags in the back of his mind and eventually causes his downfall at the time of his expected suicide. Suicide becomes personal, physical, and scary. And so he runs away recklessly to the Westerners. Yet the fact that Elesin lives is a failure to the Yorubans and, although a momentary success, eventually becomes a failure as well to the British. He is forced to make a bad decision because he does not fully understand the conflicting views on life and death. British beliefs are barely understood by him, and never closely scrutinized. And thus ignorance is the real catalyst for Elesin's downfall. However, as with every pair of opposites, there is also an enlightened man in Soyinka's work. Olunde is the only person in the play who seems to fully

How to Become an Editor

How to Become an Editor If your email inbox is jammed with friends and family sending you little projects like resumes, reports, or other documents to review, you might already be an unofficial editor. If finding grammatical issues in public places makes you cringe, and you want to bust out your red pen every time someone uses â€Å"supposably† on Facebook, it might be time to take your hobby to the next (professional) level. Or, if you’re like me, you have an English-type degree and aren’t sure what you want to do with, but you do know that you love reading and writing, it could be the right path for you. What Does An Editor Do?There are lots of different kinds of editors. At the most basic level, an editor is someone who ensures the quality of writing- either print or digital. They may also:manage projects from start to finish.review topics in specialty areas (like medical, technical, or legal writing) for accuracy.make decisions about what content should be included in a book, public ation, or website.select books for publication.organize writing into a coherent structure.copyedit and proofread material for grammar, style, and proper usage.factcheck content before publication.work with writers to shape, develop, and refine their writing- fiction or nonfiction.rewriting content, or writing supplemental material, like introductions, headlines, notes, etc.hire content writers.consult on layout and design.develop content strategies for publications or publishers.You find editors wherever there are words presented to the public, basically. They’re employed by book publishing companies, newspapers, magazines, companies in all industries for in-house and corporate communications, websites, and other places that need to deal with content. Think of an editor as a content wrangler, in all of its many forms. Let’s look at some of the more common career paths for editors: [via PayScale]What Skills Do Editors Have?Editors are multitaskers. They have to be write rs, judges, fix-it-fast technicians, managers, and shepherds.These are some of the most crucial skill sets that you’d need as an editor:Editors are organizational enforcers. They work on deadlines (often short and unforgiving ones) and with sets of rules (like page limits or layouts) to make sure the writing is as good as it can be for the target format.Strong writing  and verbal skills are a must for editors. Sure, you may be working with other people’s writing instead of your own, but you need to be able to recognize good writing if you’re going to fix writing that needs a little help. That means you need to be able to understand what others are putting out there, and be able to revise/refine that as necessary. It also means you should be able to express your own thoughts clearly as well. Communicating back and forth is an essential part of any editor’s job.Part of being an editor is not only making tough decisions about content or writing, but also c ommunicating to the writer why you think these changes are important. This means being able to navigate sometimes difficult conversations with a broad array of personalities. Some writers are open to constructive feedback. Others†¦are not. True story: I once had an author email me on Christmas Eve, and let me know that I’d ruined her holiday by communicating a change to her book. Part of being a professional editor is being able to manage the writer/editor relationship with diplomacy and patience.Always one of the bedrock freelance careers, freelance editing is one of the best ways to dip your toes into the career if you’re new to the field, or not quite sure this is what you want to do full-time. That means you need to have some hustle in you, networking and always on the lookout for potential new jobs.You’ll need attention to detail. â€Å"Close enough† should not be in your professional vocabulary as an editor. Whether it’s a fact that seem s questionable or a stray comma, a pair of eagle eyes is one of your biggest professional assets as an editor.Being an editor often means being able to roll with new technologies. Knowing the latest design and layout programs, or editing software, will be key in finding and keeping editorial jobs. Basic coding skills are a huge plus for your resume as well. Content is a fast-moving industry, so a red pen alone just won’t cut it anymore.Content expertise is a must. There’s a big world of writing out there, and no one can be an editor for all things. Whichever lane you’re in, make sure you’re as knowledgeable as you can be. For example, if you specialize in editing medical writing for journals, read as much as you can in your field. Know your trends. If you’re an editor for an online food site, know what the latest foodie trends are.What Education Do Editors Need?There’s no hard-and-fast rule about how much education editor should have. You do n’t need any special licensing or certification to be an editor. However, most editorial jobs do require at least a college degree. A degree usually assures a base line of reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, but you don’t necessarily have to have a degree in English, Literature, Creative Writing, or similar disciplines (though those do help if you want to go into traditional book editing). The most important part is having strong writing, verbal, and communication skills, and developing experience. And in fact, if you want to specialize in an area like legal editing or medical editing, a degree in one of those subject areas might be just as useful as English or Communications.Editors should always be open to continuing education as well. Many schools, like New York University, Emerson College in Boston, and the University of Denver offer graduate programs in publishing. Many online schools, community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, and techni cal schools also offer individual classes in types of editing, proofreading, or other skill-building areas for editors. Editors may also want to take classes in graphic design, publishing software, web design, or project management to develop their supplemental skills as well. Sites like Mediabistro (which will become your new best friend, BTW, if you’re an editor) have great information about classes and training opportunities available to writers and editors.Many editors start with internships at publishing companies or specific publications, to build skills and gain experience in the field.To Freelance or Not to Freelance?While there are traditional full-and part-time jobs out there for editors, many people opt to go the self-employment route, and create a freelance editing career path for themselves. This is also the way to go if you’re adopting editing as your side hustle before you make it your career. If you’re interested in becoming a freelance editor, t wo of the first things you should do are 1) build a great resume packed with strong experience bullet points, and 2) keep growing your network.How Much Do Editors Get Paid?Let’s just say that editing is a career you choose for love, not necessarily money. That’s not to say you can’t earn a living as an editor (you can!), but, well, when was the last time you heard anyone referred to as â€Å"millionaire editor So-and-So†? (If you have heard that recently, definitely let me know. Asking for a friend.) Because there are so many different kinds of editors working on different types of projects, the compensation levels vary too.As a general group, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics pegs the median editorial salary at $56,010 per year, or $26.93 per hour. PayScale puts editor salaries in an even broader range, from $32,810 to $80,595Here are some of the median pay stats for different kinds of editors:Magazine Editor: $48,509Copy Editor: $41,325Associate Book Editor: $42,761Content Manager: $53,575Book Editor: $49,332Web Editor: $48.030Variable factors include level of experience, location (cities like New York and Chicago are often hot spots for editorial jobs), and full-time salary vs. freelance or project-based rates.What is the Outlook for Editors?While the field isn’t expected to grow as much as some industries (particularly tech and healthcare), editors are a perennial need, especially as people push to have quality content available in every conceivable print and digital form.So what do you think? Are you ready to pick up your red pen (or red pen app) and start content-managing for your supper?

Compare and contrast societies of medieval China, Arabic Caliphate, Essay

Compare and contrast societies of medieval China, Arabic Caliphate, and Christendom (Western Europe) - Essay Example The discussion of class structure shall encompass status symbols and interactions between members of different social classes. Utilizing such literature as â€Å"Po Hsing-chien,† â€Å"Su Shih,† â€Å"Ssu-ma Kwang,† â€Å"Marco Polo,† â€Å"The Hunchback† and â€Å"The Man who Never Laughed Again† from 1001 Nights, the Qu’ran, â€Å"Al-Farabi,† the Black Death reading, Matthew, Acts, Romans, The Life of Charlemagne, Chaucer’s Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, and the Magna Carta, conclusions can be drawn that will aid in the comparison of these three societies.. First to be compared among the previously stated societies is religion. One determining factor of any religion is the belief in the metaphysical or supernatural, such as a God or Gods. In medieval China, common was the belief in a multitude of spirits with different powers. For example, Miss Li and her lover in Po Hsing-Chieng visited the spirit of the Bamboo Grove in order to receive assistance in conceiving a child. (Po Hsing-Chieng, 303). Arabic Caliphate embraces a belief in one God, known as Allah. (Qu’ran). According to the Biblical book of Acts, Christendom encompassed a belief in a holy trinity, which included the Holy Spirit, God the Father and God the Son. (Acts, 2). Both Arabic Caliphate and Christendom were considered monotheistic religions, meaning they believed in one God, while medieval China seemed to embrace a belief in many spirits. It is also practical to examine each society’s members’ relationships to their God(s). Evidence from literature provides that people in medieval China thought they were consistently being watched and judged by the gods in terms of honor and morale. In â€Å"Po Hsing-Chien,† Miss Li tells her mother that they need to help the young man because the spirits would not be on their side for the bad things they had already done to him. (Po Hsing-Chien, 305). In Arabic Caliphate trust was placed in the will of

Home birth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Home birth - Essay Example A low risk women can plan a home birth supported with all the medical care, can be transferred to hospital if needed rather, than planning hospital birth initially. Women find labor very easy to deal; since they feel control over the delivery and they have to use less drugs to cope with pain. They use methods like massage or births pools; moreover, at home she is at ease and can use any positions she likes. For the first time mothers, the need of transferring to hospital is very high compared to the mothers who have had already one delivery. But there is small chance of transferring the mother and baby to hospital after the baby is born; the problem might arise with the delivery of placenta or if the baby has problem in breathing. The most common reason for transfer is a long labor or slow progress, when either the mother or the baby gets tired and further monitoring or assistance is needed. (Briefing the Journalists, March 2006) Women who desire to have home birth will know their midwife well and if she is attended by community midwives then they team upto eight. She also meets the midwife during pregnancy. Many hospitals provide a list of midwives that can be contacted if the expecting mother requires midwifery help. (Briefing the Journalists, March 2006), (Vedam, 2003). Most women who give birth in hospital say that making journey to the hospital have to make a journey to hospital during labor is a matter of routine. Most home births also cause very little mess, a waterproof sheet on the floor is sufficient and moreover, midwives bring supplies of large absorbent pads to protect surfaces and they clear up everything after the birth (Briefing the Journalists, March 2006), (Vedam, 2003). If the women doesn’t find the local community midwife care upto the mark or has difficulty in booking a local midwife, she can book and an independent midwife. Independent midwives are equipped with experience of

Is a Publicly Funded Transit System Reasonable Essay

Is a Publicly Funded Transit System Reasonable - Essay Example The essay "Is a Publicly Funded Transit System Reasonable?" talks about a transport agency Toronto Transit Commission which operates streetcars, rapid transit, and transit bus services in Canada, Ontario and Toronto. It is the quickest and most convenient way to get into Toronto. Currently, the public sector runs this commission. As much as many people may prefer running institutions privately, public good funded systems are better managed. Public or common good as defined by John Rawls as a general condition that is equally advantageous to everyone. By using public good, affordable and accessible services are available to both workers and consumers of the service. It also promotes a political and just legal system in the country. Public good in a transport system actively creates a better environment that may be defined, creates justice, and a liberal, fair social infrastructure that permits the pursuit of virtue. Publicly funded transit system provides competitive advantages. An ar gument for the public good in the transport system is based on the philosophy of John Rawls of Justice is fairness. Any person participating in a practice or is affected by it poses an equal right to a more general liberty compatible with liberty for all. Inequality is arbitrary unless it is illogical to expect that it will work out as an advantage to everyone, and provided the offices and positions to which it attaches is open to all. It is always a right of any person in Toronto to get access to inalienable good public transportation.

Humour in Don Quixote

Humour in Don Quixote Don Quixotes initial reception in the Seventeenth Century was as a work of humour; Cervantes ability to reflect and imitate reality through the ironic juxtaposition of his two main characters played a focal role in both driving the plot and attracting the attention of his readers in the Golden Age. The existence of humour is undeniable throughout the novel, and Henry Fieldings attempts to attract readers to his comic romance Joseph Andrews by linking it to Don Quixote, claiming that he had written it in imitation of the manner of Cervantes places the work as an exemplary novel, from which humour can not only be taken, but utilised to inspire and promote other works. However, humours level of importance becomes clouded with time, as the novels distinct link to the circumstances in which it was created and the effects of cultural change could perhaps affect its level of significance in the modern mind. Daniel Eisenburgs claim that The humour of Don Quixote is the most understudied topi c of the work can be seen throughout the novels later reception, as the emergence of Romanticism in Europe saw a radical reconsideration of the traditional view of Don Quixote as merely a humorous book. The romantics recognised the straightforward amusement that drove the plot, but viewed humour as less important than the moral values and literary instruction offered and humour was conceived as a vehicle through which Cervantes was able to satirise the overstated chivalric romances of the time and engage with topics of importance. The use of parody in Don Quixote becomes a literary technique that pervades the adventures and experiences of the characters, amplifying the importance of humour in the novel. Russells assertion that Any serious study of Cervantes book†¦must start from the fact that it was conceived by its author as an extended parody of romances of chivalry illustrates the importance of the humour of parody in the novel. Cervantes uses the inherently humorous picaresque form as a basis from which he can explore the quest of a man of a low social class in a fraudulent society; satirising the artificial chivalric age in which he was writing. Don Quixote transforms his view of Maritornes, following the language and customs of chivalric romance, her hair was like a horses mane, but he saw it as strands of gleaming Arabian gold to which Cervantes narrates, Neither touch nor smell nor any of the good maidens other attributes could make him notice his mistake, even though theyd have made anyone but a muleteer vomit. Similarly, the ironic use of archaic language, an elevated style often used to dignify the hero in chivalric romance, is evident when addressing his Dulcinea, O princess Dulcinea, mistress of this hapless heart! Great injury have you done me in reproaching and dismissing me, with the cruel command not to appear in the presence of your wondrous beauty. Vouchsafe, my lady, to be mindful of this your subject heart, which suffers each sorrow for love of you. Literary voice is key to humour and Cervantes employment of numerous voices, both depicted and defined the importance of social classes, allowing the audience to derive much of their enjoyment from the way in which the author disclosed the different voices. Sanchos colloquial and informal speech is important in emphasising his difference from Don Quixote; his use of contractions youll, wont and Ill in the line, Youll be sure, wont you, sir knight, not to forget what you promised me, about the island. Ill be up to governing it all right, however big it is is set in complete contrast to Don Quixotes high styled, formal response, I would have you know, my good friend Sancho Panza, that it was a custom much in use among the knights errant of old to make their squires the governors of the islands or kingdoms that they conquered, and I have determined that such an ancient usage shall not lapse through my fault. However, the depth of Cervantes humouring of chivalric romance could be conside red a moot point, and thus the importance of humour as a faà §ade through which real topics may be discussed, is strengthened, as the allusion to one of the original chivalric epics, the Valencian novel Tirant Lo Blanch, is one of admiration, in which it is claimed that As far as style is concerning this is the best book in the world. In addition, Cervantes uses his novel in a more negative way, to explore his frustration at literature in society; the highly ironic allusion to the works of one of the most successful playwrights of the time, Lope de Vega, infers that there is further depth to Cervantes discussion in the book, as he uses the priest as an outlet to explore the critical view that these modern plays are just mirrors of absurdity, exemplars of folly and images of lewdness. Cervantes intentions for humour in Don Quixote are illustrated in his Prologue, in which his friend reveals the books comedic objectives: Ensure that the melancholy man is moved to laughter when he reads your story, the jovial man laughs even more. However, one must consider that the role of humour becomes of greater significance than a mere stimulus endeavouring to invoke a humorous response; it is through the medium of humour and comedy that Cervantes is able to reveal himself as an illustrious author, through his exploration of genuine views of society and culture; Schmidt explains that Cervantes has created †¦characters who, although funny, transcend humour in their nobler qualities. The elevation of the character Don Quixote is necessary for the ennoblement of the author Cervantes. The basic allegory of Don Quixote is central to Cervantes exploration of society through humour. Cervantes attacks the conventional notion that those in high society were respectable and noble an d creates disparities between worth and class. In comparison to medieval comedy, humour in Don Quixote has a significant intention to explore social function, suggesting that through the means of humorous self-imposed madness, the characters can response to the institutionalised madness of their society at the time. This seems to be a theme that Cervantes wished to discuss thoroughly through literature, as it is also explored in his novel The Glass Graduate; many parallels can be drawn between the two works, as both novels encounter men who are thought to be mad and who serve, unintentionally, as some means of entertainment. Whilst The Glass Graduates lunacy originates from the unfortunate ingestion of a toxic quince, Don Quixotes madness is rooted in his literary interest in chivalric romances, a more realistic and solid source. Similarly, Umberto Ecos later novel The Island of the Day before is reminiscent of Don Quixotes immersion within literary works, as the protagonist Roberto becomes so captivated with fiction that he becomes unable to separate his written words from the external reality. The methods of humour used by Cervantes in Don Quixote are vital in reflecting, summarising and exploring the ordinary, yet inverted, world of the novel. The comedic inversion and transformations of chivalric codes are fruitful throughout the novel and Don Quixotes imagination is expounded in ordinary terms by Sancho, who provides a second perspective on his masters wild claims, What you were attacking wasnt armies, it was flocks of sheep. The appearance of the characters provides the first notion of humour, as the old and physically unattractive Don Quixote provides direct contrast to the young, handsome and strong knight to which Cervantes audience would be accustomed. Similarly, Sanchos role as the young assistant sees him as a middle aged man on a donkey, which is far removed from the original picture of a knights young aspirant. The two characters are juxtaposed in physicality; one being long and weak, and the other plump and unhealthy, yet the mental contrast is more severe, as Sanchos traditional materialism, practically enquiring about monetary support (QUOTE) is set against Don Quixotes idealism and imagination, Consider, ladies and gentleman, the sheer impudence of this squire claiming that this is a basin and not the helmet I have specified. Cervantes use of bawdy humour is reminiscent of Chaucers Canterbury Tales, in which the humour descends to the exploration of bodily functions and nudity; for example, scenes such as Absolons kissing a naked ers in a practical joke in The Millers Tale are reinvented in Sanchos efforts to thrust two ample buttocks in the air in an attempt to relieve himself in silence without waking Don Quixote, who humorously later asked What murmuring is that, Sancho?. Similarly, the bawdy humour is later evident in Sanchos experience with the precious balsam, which Don Quixote later reveals it seems to me that this liquor does not benefit those who are not knight†¦.the poor squire began to gush at both ends. Cervantes also employs an element of slapstick humour, which is not only scripted blatantly in the sub text of a title, Which related to the amusing way in which Don Quixote had himself knighted, but through the mockery of individual characters and creation of ridiculous scenes; the description of the proud Don Quixote in battle as attacking them, chased around in circles and achieved nothing is evidence of the former and the scene in which The barbed made a long beard from a pale oxtail certainly encompasses that of a absurd incident. Nevertheless, each scene does not simply serve as an effort to provide hilarity; scenes of equal absurdity such as his MONK QUOTE, could be examined as exposing Cervantes own biases against important topical issues, such as the mistrust of foreigners following the present of the Algerian pirates on the Spanish coast in the early Seventeenth Century. However, despite the outrageous situations in which the characters are involved, it could be argued that the common interpretation of Don Quixote as a tender satire is mistaken and that the work is in fact an attack of viciousness on a man who is entirely without malice and trustful as a child. Byron supports this claim in Don Juan, claiming that, Of all tales tis the saddest and more sad, because it makes us smile. It is evident that Don Quixote is a parody of the romances of Cervantes time, yet the code of honour that both Don Quixote and Sancho follow is one that was once admired, and is perhaps an historical suggestion that could serve as an example for Spain. At a time in which the country was caught in the disorder of a new age, this could be viewed as Cervantes effort to place sturdy values in an ever-shifting society. Don Quixotes naivety, believing the convicts would obey his wishes to be grateful for benefits received†¦present yourselves before the Lady Dulcinea is pe rhaps a characteristic that Cervantes hoped would stimulate empathy, which was certainly the stance occupied by Nabokov, His blazon is pity, his banner is beauty. He stands for everything that is gentle, forlorn, pure, unselfish and gallant. The Parody has becomes a paragon. David Quint responded to this claim directly, maintaining that The deficiency may partially explain Nabokovs contempt for Don Quixote as an unfunny work of fiction, since his preferred English translation was Putnams, a translation that is plain and readable, but (perhaps consciously) hardly very funny. It is possible that as a result of its conversion to English, much of the humour Cervantes intended has been misplaced in translation; thus, our conception of the importance of humour in England could differ greatly from that of the indigenous reader. John Ormsby supports this concept in his claim that, the sententious terseness to which the humour of the book owes its flavour is particular to Spanish, and can at best be only distantly imitated in any other tongue. In conclusion, Nabokovs reflection that Don Quixote has ridden for three hundred and fifty years through the jungles and tundras of human thought is of great significance when considering the importance of humour in the novel, as it is perhaps due to inconclusive translations and cultural change that all of Cervantes intended humour was not fully recognised. Cervantes exploration of humour through situation, action and description are all perfectly interwoven to produce a novel that stands in a exclusive position between the chivalric romance and the modern novel. It is undeniable that humour (however present) plays a significant role in Don Quixote, as it not only entertains, but holds a profound and liberating importance as a means of communicating issues of great social and literary significance.

Peaceful Pond :: essays papers

Peaceful Pond My Pond an escape, a release, an excursion from normal day to day activities. The Pond is no more than 3/10ths by 1/10th of a mile in dimensions. It is set back among luscious green and yellow pine and maple trees and surrounded by regularly mowed green grass. The mixes of green shades are similar to a young child's drawing using 5 different bright green and yellow markers. You can spend many hours simply thinking on top of a rock protruding from the ground towards the east side of the Pond. A thinking rock, as you could sit next to the pond for as long as you can remember. The rock is about 5 feet tall off the ground and about 20 feet in circumference around the base. The top of the rock is leveled, forming a level bench. This flat bench has provided a good seat over the years allowing you to peer out across the Pond. You could look around yourself and ponder the questions of life and become fascinated with everything around you as well as listen to the sounds of nature. I hear many sounds; the ribbit of a dirty-green plump frog hidden amongst the underbrush, chirps of birds high in the sky, and the soft wind as it rustles leaves on the trees. The most amazing scene you can witness many times along this pond is the ducks. Every few days, you can see a family of ducks traveling across the green grass. The smallest duck, no more than 4 inches tall, would march proudly near the end of the pack. You see sparse, thin clumps of down over his otherwise bare self as he bellows, with his newborn duckling voice, a high pitched quack. As your eyes follow the family towards the frond of the line, the elder ducks appear covered with stiffened slick feathers. Being the more grown and mature ducks in this family, their quacks are extremely sharp and given off in a shrill loud pitched voice.

Women’s Right to be Educated

Before the Revolutionary War education was undergoing many changes. One of these changes was that many people, like the Puritans, felt that education was the key to help a person be successful in life. The idea was that if you were successful in life, then you would be spiritually successful also. The only problem with the Puritan's ideas was that it left out women. For a woman, in order to be successful, she had to raise her family in the way of the Church, and obey her husband. If she were to do this, she would achieve spiritual success. But the philosophy was mainly focused on the breadwinners of the family. A woman's role in society was not as noticeable to achieve merit. Their primary role was to stay at home and take care of the children. Also, they would help their husband in many of his daily activities. Women were being excluded from education, society, and power. The turning point for women though, was the Revolutionary War. Many women were left at home to take care of all of the responsibilities around the house or farm. With this new set of responsibilities, women began to think a little bit. They began to wonder why they hadn't been able to obtain any sort of social power. The fact remains that women had no power at this time because of historical reasons. Historically men had been the heads of the household. And with the strong religious beliefs of the time women couldn't change that. The Bible was a clear-cut answer to who should run the home. A woman's function from the perspective of the Bible was to be a mother and to be obedient to their husbands. Women didn't need education in order to be mothers and or to be obedient. Women had been educated before the turn of the Revolutionary War. But the education they were getting was not equal to that of the men or clergy. Really, the only education they were getting was the education that was taking place in the Church, separated from men. Before the War, women had a 40% literacy rate. This meant that 40% of the women's population could sign their name. They were only allowed to learn about the Bible and their religion. So historically women only needed enough education in order to stay at home and do domestic labor, and also to take care of their children. Secondly, men had been supporting the family for centuries. So all in all women had no power whatsoever. They had no voice in society, except for the raising of the children and the instillment of morality over their children. This would later be helpful as women started teaching. Before the War women had been dependent upon men. Now that the men were gone fighting, the women had no choice but to take over the responsibilities of supporting the family. This caused women to start thinking about their situation. They started to wonder why it was that they could do everything a man could do now, but they weren't being treated as though they were equal. They had no education, no power, no voice, and were now supporting the family. After the War was over some very interesting social groups popped up. One of these groups was called the Loyal Citizens. The Loyal Citizens group was a woman's group that was formed in order to uphold the â€Å"Republican Motherhood†. The basic idea here was that women should shape their sons in the image of the Republic. Also, the mothers should shape their daughters to become good Republican Mothers. This and other groups would be a powerful influence on the unification of women. For one of the first times we see women joining together in a common voice. Women are starting to understand that they aren't going to get anywhere unless they are unified. Meanwhile many schools were developing with the intention to educate women. The economy was booming which created many job openings for men. This left a void to be filled in the schools. For the private schools this meant that they weren't going to be able to stay open unless they were able to fill the open spots. So in order to fill the need, many women were educated in Proprietary schools. The education in these schools was not the same as the education in an all-male school. These schools were actually beauty and technical schools. Although, women were not receiving the same education as men, the education they were receiving would also have a large impact on the unification of women. Education at this time was responsible for unifying the country and shaping children as talked about in previous papers. With the education of women starting to be accepted, there was an explosion of girls schools called academies. This was around 1807-1808. The purpose of the academies was to teach grammar and etiquette. Some of them were actually finishing schools. Academies were a huge step for women's education. Women finally had a school that they could call their own. As women became educated, men started to wonder if women's education would interfere with their opportunities. The argument was made that education would not make women discontent with their roles in life, but instead would lead them to accept their place in society more easily. Here it is obvious to see that the women are having to justify their education to the men in order to continue. Women's education is still not accepted among society because the people in power, who were men, heavily influenced society. Hence, women still had little opportunity to do anything with this newfound education. In the early part of the 19th century, many of the common schools were undergoing dramatic changes. With such an onslaught of women becoming educated, there would soon be a large percentage of women who would need jobs. As the common schools began to increase in size, the demand for teachers rose. The women that had recently found education would soon meet the demand for teachers. One of the reasons for this was that women could be given less pay than men. And education was in great demand with the signing of the Northwest Ordinance. The majority of women's teaching was at the elementary school level. They would have approximately 40 to 100 kids all of whom were between the ages of 3 and 16. The only qualification that a woman needed to teach was that she had to have graduated from elementary school. With little education, women would start teaching with as little as 1 week of training in etiquette. In 1839 Horace Mann would come back from Europe and start to influence the way teachers were being educated. He developed the Normal School. It would teach the basic methods of teaching. He borrowed these methods from the Prussian education system. Later, in 1861 the Oswego Normal School would be a forerunner of all of the Normal Schools by placing even more emphasis on the learning of teaching methods. Normal Schools became an outlet for women. They could be educated to become teachers because society's views were changing. Finally in 1837, Oberlin College started accepting women and African Americans. Economically it had become cheaper to educate both the girls and boys. Society had become more egalitarian because of this push for women to educate themselves. But equality was far away. Society had changed. There was a need for women to come out of the home and into the workplace. But was this for the best. Women today still struggle to find equality in the workplace. Society, which was run by men, allowed women to come out of the home and to teach. So women did make a great stride in the right direction, but only because they were let to go there. Margaret Haley was an activist for women's power and a vehement supporter of teacher's unions. She noticed that women had no power and were still confined by the bounds that were placed upon them by men. Examples of this were that women would have to report to male administrators and were constantly scrutinized by men. She wanted to level the playing field by empowering women. She was also responsible for the American Federation of Teachers, which would later be known as the AFLCIO. With women being educated, the only thing left for them to do was to gain power and to someday give society the gentle touch of a woman. Women had learned the role of the Republican Mothers. There was no better way to teach a child than to have a woman who already understood their role as a mother. This role would be to shape the children they would teach into sons and daughters of America. Women were the perfect teachers. They had been teaching their own children for years how to be moral and responsible citizens. Through their struggle women eventually won their suffrage and would have a larger voice in the country. But even today there are still ripples from the pond that reach us. Women still struggle daily with trying to achieve total equality. Hopefully, they will win their fight!

Health Service Adminstrator Example

Health Service Adminstrator Example Health Service Adminstrator – Article Example The article, ‘Medicare Fraud: A $60 billion Crime’ on CBSNews is hugely relevant because it shows how the quality of healthcare is adversely impacted by the increasing fraud in the Medicare services. With about $60 billion a year, it has turned into the most profitable crime in America. The small clinics and pharmacies in the low rent strip malls are the dens from where the crooks operate. The fraud is committed by by the various service providers like doctors, chemists, laboratory tests, medical goods supplier etc. The claims for number of eligible patients may be exaggerated or the consultancy may be charged for inflated number of hours. There is misappropriation of accounting for the supply of medicines or medical equipment to the hospital. People also benefit through kickbacks that are received by the concerned party when the goods and services are over-billed to the government department and the profit is shared by the vested interests. As a Health Service Administr ator, I sincerely believe that Medicare is vital part of healthcare imperatives that must be passed on to the eligible patients who need it. There should be transparency and ethical consideration in the area of Medicare services. Hence, I would ensure that state of the art information system is maintained with electronic records of all patients with their medical history. I will also ensure that data pertaining to sale and purchase of all goods and services provided by the various service providers is kept in a transparent manner. These are important issues that undermine the accountability and considerably influence performance outcome.(words: 260)Reference CBSNews. (September 5, 2010). Medicare Fraud: A $60 billion Crime. Retrieved from cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/23/60minutes/main5414390.shtml

Free Essays on The Roll Of HRM At FedEx

William R. Tracey, in The Human Resources Glossary defines Human Resources as: â€Å"The people that staff and operate an organization †¦ as contrasted with the financial and material resources of an organization. The organizational function that deals with the people ...† (Heathfeild, M. Susan, 2004) The roll Human Resource Management at FedEx Trade Networks Transport Human Resources effect the total output and quality needed to reach the goals set by the organization. After speaking with my Human resource manager, John Young, he pointed out some of these Human Resource Management Functions: human resource planning, recruitment, and selection; human resource development; compensation and benefits; safety and health; employee and labor relations; and human resource research (Young, John 2004). Human resource planning is the process of reviewing the human resource requirements to ensure that the required numbers of employees, with the required skills, are available when needed. Recruitment is the process of attracting individuals to apply for jobs with the organization. Selection is the process though which the organization chooses, from a group of applicants, those best suited for the open positions and the company. Human resource development helps individuals, groups, and the entire organization become more effective. Compensation and Bene... Free Essays on The Roll Of HRM At FedEx Free Essays on The Roll Of HRM At FedEx William R. Tracey, in The Human Resources Glossary defines Human Resources as: â€Å"The people that staff and operate an organization †¦ as contrasted with the financial and material resources of an organization. The organizational function that deals with the people ...† (Heathfeild, M. Susan, 2004) The roll Human Resource Management at FedEx Trade Networks Transport Human Resources effect the total output and quality needed to reach the goals set by the organization. After speaking with my Human resource manager, John Young, he pointed out some of these Human Resource Management Functions: human resource planning, recruitment, and selection; human resource development; compensation and benefits; safety and health; employee and labor relations; and human resource research (Young, John 2004). Human resource planning is the process of reviewing the human resource requirements to ensure that the required numbers of employees, with the required skills, are available when needed. Recruitment is the process of attracting individuals to apply for jobs with the organization. Selection is the process though which the organization chooses, from a group of applicants, those best suited for the open positions and the company. Human resource development helps individuals, groups, and the entire organization become more effective. Compensation and Bene...

The 1979 Revolution and Modern Day Iran Research Paper

The 1979 Revolution and Modern Day Iran - Research Paper Example This paper gives a detailed analysis of the history of Iran from the time of the revolution of the 1979 to the modern day Iran. The Shah The Rise of the Shah Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi came to power in 1941 after the allied forces forced his father to abdicate the throne to him fearing that the father would cooperate with the Nazi Germany (Rehan, 4). By doing this the allied forces hoped to develop a great influence in the region. However, in the early 1950s the allied forces got a rude shock when Shah’s hold on power was challenged by the Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh. Under the country’s constitutional monarchy the prime minister had a lot of powers and Mossadegh took advantage of this power and nationalized Iran’s petroleum industry without the knowledge of the British and the US (Rehan, 4). This move angered the two countries and in 1953 they organized a coup de tat that deposed Mossadegh and established the Shah who had been forced to flee after the first coup attempt against Mossadegh failed. After the success of this second coup, Pahlavi Shah was allowed to return to power but as a de facto autocrat who was sympathetic to both the United States and the United Kingdom. Shah remained in power until 1979 when he was overthrown. The Shah’s policies When Pahlavi replaced his father on the throne, he wanted to carry on with his father’s reforms but failed to do so because of a contest for control of the government that erupted between him and Mossadegh. He became involved with the affairs of the government and opposed the prime minister, and as a result established himself as a very important ally of the west (Rehan, 4). For example, in 1976 he disregarded the Islamic tradition by changing the Islamic calendar to imperial calendar when he marked Cyrus’ birth as day one as opposed to Prophet Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina. Nevertheless, in the country Pahlavi advocated reform policies, culminatin g in the 1963 white revolution, which included eradication of illiteracy, land reforms and the expansion of voting rights to women (Rehan, 5). He also allocated oil revenues to various agencies and projects, and directly supervised the Iran’s security organizations and armed forces. The Effects on the Shah’s Policies on the People Although some of the shah’s policies were of great benefit to the country, most of them especially the white revolution policy received great oppositions. The policies provoked religious leaders and caused civil unrest in the country. The religious leaders were against the policies because of the fear of losing their traditional authority over the shah. The growing uncertainty of the shah’s rule also provoked the intellectuals who were seeking democratic reforms. His ties with the United States and the British was also strongly opposed by the Iranians and considered as anti-Islamic (Rehan, 5). The Revolution Causes of the Revolu tion The causes of the 1979 revolution are unclear and remain a subject of historical debate. However, as indicated in most historical books, the revolution occurred as a result of the people of Iran being fed up with the Shah’s rule which was characterized by corruption, ill-conceived modernization programs, suppression of civil liberties and western loyalties (World Savvy Monitor, par 5). The Shah was considered by many to be a puppet of the western power, oppressive, corrupt,

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SOCIAL CONTRACT (OR NEGATIVE Essay

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SOCIAL CONTRACT (OR NEGATIVE FREEDOM)MODEL OF THE STATE AND HEGEL'S OWN MODEL OF IT - Essay Example The State is the form of expression of the people in an objective form that exists for them as knowers. Therefore possession under such a model of State would mean that property would belong to a person only to the extent recognized by others, and is a part of man’s struggle for recognition.(Hegel 439). The Hegelian model holds that the highest values and best traditions of a society can be politically embodied and expressed by the State. For Hegel, the State is universally altruistic, hence the interests of the State transcend those of the individual, because it is a means for a group of individuals to relate to each other out of a common will to live with other human beings in a community. (Avineri 134). The State is the ultimate embodiment of the amalgamation of the rational laws that govern a people and their subjective wills. The Social Contract Model is also founded upon the premise of recognition by others, however it is based upon those principles of social justice which individuals would adopt voluntarily in the absence of self interest. It does not view the State as the all encompassing, highest political expression of human interest; rather the laws that govern the State are formulated on the basis of principles that are commonly agreed to among people. In adopting principles to establish and govern their social institutions, certain limits will be set on individual freedom in order to ensure justice to everyone. However, within this framework, the model is formulated, consisting of initial conditions, the bargaining situation with actual proposals and the resulting social contract.(Rummel, 1981). Rawls articulates these principles of formulation of the State on the basis of social contract as follows: â€Å"No society can of course, be a scheme of cooperation which people enter voluntarily in a literal sense; †¦.yet a society satisfying the principles of justice as fairness comes as close as a society can to being a voluntary