Tuesday, August 25, 2020

What Is the SAT Adversity Score What Does It Mean for You

What Is the SAT Adversity Score What Does It Mean for You SAT/ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Last Thursday, the College Board reported by means of the Wall Street Journal that it has been trying out an undertaking where, alongside understudies' SAT scores, universities see every understudy's General Disadvantage Level, or their affliction score. In this article, we'll go over what we know so far about the affliction score and how it may influence school affirmations. We'll additionally give a few hints on the best way to restrain what data about you the College Board can use to ascertain your misfortune score. We'll keep this article refreshed as new data comes out on the affliction score, so make certain to inquire occasionally. What Is the SAT Adversity Score? The SAT affliction score, otherwise called an understudy's Overall Disadvantage Level, is a number that the College Board computes from data it has about various parts of a SAT test taker's life about the burdens they've faced.This score is obvious to schools and institutional score report beneficiaries just; in case you're a test-taker and you take a gander at your SAT scores in your College Board account, you won't see this data. The College Board expresses that the affliction score is on a size of 1 to 100, with 100 indicating test takers with minimal measure of difficulty and 0 the test takers with the most measure of difficulty. Exactly what data goes into the affliction score figuring, however? The Wall Street Journal at first recorded 12 factors that were utilized to decide a test taker's affliction list. Further elaboration about how this misfortune score is imparted to universities can be found in the screen capture posted by the College Board: In the above picture, you can see that the General Disadvantage Level (otherwise known as the affliction score) shows up as a feature of a Natural Context report, which is only one of a few reports appeared on the dashboard through which schools see test takers' scores in setting. From this screen capture, it's additionally conceivable to see that the Weakness Level determined by the College Board draws from information in general classes like school participation, family steadiness, middle family salary, lodging soundness, instruction level, and wrongdoing, for both the candidate's secondary school and neighborhood. The main data on the Environmental Context Dashboard dependent on data about test-takers as invididuals is their SAT score. According to the College Board, the Environmental Context Dashboard (counting affliction scores) was first utilized in a pilot investigation of 50 schools 2018-2019, with extension to 150 schools got ready for Fall 2019 and an increasingly broad discharge in the next year. Explicit schools named as having approached the difficulty score for this previous year's confirmation cycle incorporate Florida State University, University of Michigan, Trinity, and Yale. How the SAT Adversity Score Is Calculated Rather than the underlying revealing from the Wall Street Journal, the difficulty score doesn't take things like whether test-takers are English Language Learners or have contrasting AP openings into account. The accompanying data is remembered for the Environmental Context Dashboard however isn't really used to ascertain an understudy's General Disadvantage Level (otherwise known as difficulty score). SAT Score in High School Context Candidate's SAT score contrasted with the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile scores from their high school* Secondary School General Information Senior class size Free/marked down value lunch rate Provincial/urban Normal SAT score of universities understudies from that secondary school attend* %age of seniors taking an AP Exam* Normal number of AP Exam taken* Normal AP score from that high school* Number of novel AP tests regulated at that high school* Rather, the difficulty score is determined utilizing the accompanying 31 openly accessible information focuses on test-takers' neighborhoods and secondary school environments*: Pay and Family Structure middle family pay neediness rate % of families with youngsters in neediness % of families that are single-parent families with youngsters % of families that are single-parent families with youngsters in neediness % of families with food stamps Lodging % of lodging units that are rental % of lodging units that are empty what % of pay lease is Instructive Attainment % of grown-ups with not exactly a 4-year advanced education % of grown-ups with not exactly a secondary school certificate % of grown-ups with agribusiness employments % of grown-ups with nonprofessional employments % jobless school going conduct Likelihood of being a casualty of a wrongdoing (neighborhood-level as it were) *As of this current article's distribution, it's not so much clear how the College Board is computing things like level of lodging units that are empty for test-takers' secondary school conditions (since when all is said in done, educators don't in reality live in schools). We'll refresh with more data as it opens up. For what reason Did the College Board Create the Adversity Score? In light of statements from the College Board's CEO David Coleman, obviously the principle explanation behind this score is that the College Board is attempting to show that the exertion and genius expected to get a specific score contrasts definitely between test takers, contingent upon specific favorable circumstances or disservices the test taker begins with. This isn't the first run through the College Board or the SAT's maker ETS has attempted to contextualize SAT scores for schools. As indicated by the Wall Street Journal, one endeavor to do this occurred in the mid 1990s, when Winton Manning (an ETS scientist) dealt with making a changed SAT score that took foundation factors into account called the Measure of Academic Talent. Undeniably more extraordinary a change than the present misfortune score, the MAT wound up being rejected apparently because of absence of assets. In 1999, the ETS chose to take another break at giving universities more data about how SAT scores ought to be gauged. Through the Wall Street Journal, ETS reported that it was making a program called Strivers, which would recognize understudies whose real SAT score surpassed their normal SAT score by at least 200 as strivers. This normal SAT score was determined utilizing 14 distinct classifications, including family pay, guardians' training level and secondary school financial blend (Wall Street Journal). (Sound natural?) After open objection, ETS chose not to go ahead with the Strivers program in 1999. Authentic film of ETS around 1999 preceding they declared the Strivers program. In 2019, it's not so much amazing that the College Board is once more evaluating the possibility that they should give more data to universities about SAT test takers than only a solitary grade. As an ever increasing number of universities are turning out to be test-discretionary or test-adaptable and occasions like the ongoing school confirmations embarrassment and the more standard SAT/ACT bamboozling outrages keep on happening, it bodes well that the College Board would need to give schools motivation to keep utilizing the SAT as a component of school affirmations. While the data that the College Board is utilizing to compute the misfortune scores for understudies is accessible to universities in any case, having the option to utilize a solitary score to analyze understudies will spare schools a ton of work; it's a piece of the rationale behind utilizing state sanctioned grades in any case, all things considered. Or then again to take a gander at it from an increasingly hopeful perspective, the new affliction score will make it simpler for schools to recognize understudies whose got the score against the chances, as opposed to with them. Since we've examined a portion of the general reasons why the College Board may have chosen to actualize the misfortune score, we're going to proceed onward to going over explicit positive and negative parts of the program. Stars of the SAT Adversity Score Despite the fact that it's anything but difficult to excuse as futile or senseless, the SAT affliction score has some positive highlights. #1: It's a Sign the College Board Is Trying Lately, the College Board has made generous strides towards attempting to level the SAT prep playing field. By giving the whole Official Guide to the SAT, including eight authority practice tests, for nothing on CollegeBoard.org, the College Board quickly turned out to be increasingly open to test takers around the globe of changing pay levels. School Board's association with Khan Academy is another progression toward expelling monetary obstructions from SAT prep (regardless of whether a few parts of the organization implies that depending on Khan Academy alone to prepare won't really be sufficient for everybody). As positive as they may be, however, none of these measures so far have brought about taking out the hole between understudies of various races, pay level, and guardians' training level. So the way that the College Board is looking to represent this distinction by giving test takers an unequivocal score that says gracious, this is the reason there may be that distinction could be viewed as another endeavor to dispose of SAT score holes. #2: More Data = More Robustness The College Board routinely discharges information on how certain elements like race and family unit pay can influence SAT scores, in any event, controlling for different components. Notwithstanding, these reports don't generally get into increasingly confused impacts of how various variables cooperate (for example sex, family salary, and most elevated level of parental instruction accomplished), likely in light of the fact that it is hard to clarify these connections and on the grounds that the impacts probably won't arrive at measurable importance. For the misfortune score, in any case, factual hugeness isn't generally pertinent. Instead of legitimizing why the 31 elements utilized in the difficulty score significantly affect SAT scores, the College Board is simply figuring the affliction score and giving it to schools with a Here, this is the Overall Disadvantage Level of the test taker. The colle

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Effects of Discrimination and Reverse Discrimination in United States Research Paper

Impacts of Discrimination and Reverse Discrimination in United States Politics - Research Paper Example During an ongoing location to Congress, a Republican Representative Joe Wilson (South Carolina) yelled â€Å"you lie!† at the President when he said that undocumented laborers would not get free social insurance as a major aspect of the Administration’s human services upgrade. This kind of conduct is incomprehensible during a Presidential location to Congress and the repercussions for this Representative ought to have been blistering. Strangely, they were definitely not. CNN reports that inside 24 hours, Joe Wilson had gotten more than $200,000 in political gifts. Trying to address the inconceivable measure of insolence Barack Obama, the main African-American President of the United States, needs to confront currently, just as needed to confront while battling in the primaries, previous President Jimmy Carter marked the practically day by day attack on President Obama as â€Å"racist†. Is bigotry fit as a fiddle in US legislative issues? Provided that this is tru e, what are the impacts of separation and opposite segregation on governmental issues in this nation? Looking to address these inquiries and some more, the accompanying will investigate separation in legislative issues in this nation. We currently go to an intensive yet compact review of what is implied by segregation and converse separation (CNN, 2009; BBC, 2009). Separation in governmental issues is lamentably substantially more predominant than a great many people think. This type of segregation implies that specific gatherings of people face boundaries, both covered up and clear, to their dynamic support and consideration in the political theater. Slippery yet unavoidable, segregation influences a wide range of individuals yet is especially unsafe to certain gathering of people. In like manner, non-white individuals, ladies and individuals with handicaps face an assortment of hindrances to their full interest in the public eye. Concerning work segregation, governmental policy regarding minorities in society has been executed in the United States to

Thursday, July 30, 2020

SEEDMATCH

SEEDMATCH © Shutterstock.com | maximmmmumSeedmatch is the biggest crowdfunding platform in Germany. The website is growing swiftly and in this article, we will look at 1) what is Seedmatch?, 2) benefits of using Seedmatch, 3) why and when to use Seedmatch, 4) options to raise funds fees on Seedmatch, 5) how to be successful on Seedmatch, 6) Seedmatch success stories.WHAT IS SEEDMATCH?Seedmatch is a German crowdfunding website that was launched in 2011. The company supports young companies with innovative ideas and products by connecting them to investors. Instead of investment opportunities being available only to a small group of wealthy businesses, angel investors or venture capitalists, the platform allows anyone to invest any amount in a startup with an innovative idea.Seedmatch is an equity based crowdfunding platform rather than a reward based one. This means that instead of a receiving a gift or an early version of the product or service in question, the investor can receive a share i n the company. This makes the products on offer more interesting to serious investors as well as smaller scale ones. The startups are under no obligation to give any voting rights to any investors that makes this an attractive opportunity for them as well.In addition, startups can use the crowd’s intelligence and opinion to test their business idea and make relevant changes to the final offer. The company has a success rate of 95 percent with over 70 rounds of successful funding. There are over 35,000 registered users on the website and total invested capital in projects is over 21 million Euro.Though there is no restriction on the type of project that can be launched for crowdfunding on the website, there are some categories that are more popular with investors than others. These include projects that have a detailed business plan, and areas such as big data, consumer electronics, e-commerce, energy, food, health, mobility, 3D printing, mobile, and IT security.HistorySeedmatch is the biggest crowdfunding or crowd investing platform in Germany. The company was launched in 2011 and by 2012, collected over 100,000 Euro in financing through successfully funded startup projects. The first project to collected 1 million Euro successfully was the “Projekt AoTerra” Today, it is known as Cloud and Heat and focuses on providing heat through the operation of cloud servers. Patented technology helps the company achieve its aim, and it is now in its second phase of crowdfunding. This was in the second quarter of 2013 and November 2013; the e-Volo collected 1.2 Million Euro.One of the biggest crowdfund generators has been a Hamburg startup by the name of Protonet. This company managed to collect 1 million Euro in just four hours on Seedmatch and then managed to collect 3 million Euro in total for their project. Though not the most money collected through a crowdfunding campaign, it is currently the record holder for the fastest million collected.Germany has a smaller venture capital presence than the United States or the United Kingdom, and the Investors are traditionally more averse to risk. The founders had to work hard in the beginning to establish credibility with these investors. The initial two projects took time to close but since then the pace has picked up considerably. The platform aims to create transparency and present each startup in the most detailed way possible through a business plan as well as videos and provide QA sessions for investors. BENEFITS OF USING SEEDMATCHSome of the benefits of using Seedmatch for crowdfunding include:Market Leader: The company is the leading crowdfunding platform in Germany. This early initiation into the crowdfunding arena has ensured that the company can understand the market and leverage existing structures to make an impact for startups and investors.Smart Investors: The pool of investors registered on the website are an intelligent swarm and take active part in the entire process from actual f unding to providing valuable feedback to the startup. This can help tweak the offering and the product to improve chances or long term success.Transparent Proces: The company has made it a point to provide a transparent process for both investors and the startups that list their products for funding. There are high standards for quality information that startups need to meet. Information provided to the crowd includes total amounts to be collected and already collected as well as information on yield potential and potential risks.Investor Privacy: Since there is a minimum investment limit of 250 Euro per investor, often investors put in larger amounts than usual for crowdfunding models. Keeping this in mind, the company aims to provide security to these investors. This is done by a strict privacy policy that protects the investor data from third parties.WHY WHEN TO USE SEEDMATCHThe website has certain criteria in place for the kind of ideas that can be put forward for funding on Se edmatch. Though there may be many creative projects and ideas put forward by startups, they may not all be appropriate for crowdfunding or even crowdfunding through Seedmatch. In general, the idea needs to be from a young and innovative company that is not yet established but has a sustainable and scalable business model. Some of the most important criteria for a Seedmatch startup include:Inspiring Idea: The idea needs to be able to generate enthusiasm among potential investors and inspire these investors as well as potential customers.Innovation: The idea being brought forward by the startup needs to be an innovative product or service with clear points of differentiation and value addition for potential customers.Trends: Often, popular ideas follow a current trend or attractive categories in both business-to-consumer markets as well as business-to-business ones. Some popular categories include education, big data and IT security, consumer electronics, e-commerce, energy, food, hea lth, mobile, and mobility.Facts and Proof of Concept: Empty marketing phrases and terminology are not acceptable, and startups need to prove that the idea will work and deliver as promised.Strong Founding Team: The team presenting the idea needs to be competent in terms of both the product development side and the sales and marketing side.Scalability: Any business idea presented needs to be sustainable over the long term and scalable over time.Strong Communication: The startup needs to be able to develop a strong and sustained channel of communication with investors during the crowdfunding campaign and beyond it. This communication should be a two sided critical exchange between the startup and its potential and final investors.Minimum Investment Goal: A startup looking to list its project for funding needs to have a minimum capital requirement of 100,000 Euro.Other Factors: Other important factors for the startup include a current website for the business, a headquarters in Germany and necessary legal documentation for the startup.OPTIONS TO RAISE FUNDS FEES ON SEEDMATCHAs mentioned briefly before, the startup listing its project on Seedmatch needs to have a minimum capital requirement of 100,000 Euro. The minimum amount that can be invested is 250 Euro and on average each investor puts in about 600 Euro. This minimum investment amount ensures that even an amateur investor takes the time to assess the viability of the project itself. This is also why the company needs to provide detailed information about its business model and viability backed by facts and figures and not just marketing jargon.A commission fee is charged by Seedmatch on all successful crowdfunding rounds. This fee is between 5 and 10 percent of the total funded amount. Any transaction costs for the transfer of funds is also charged only if a round of funding was a success.HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON SEEDMATCHStarting Crowdfunding on SeedmatchApplicationThe first step to listing a campaign on Se edmatch is to send the company introduction to the pitch desk. There are specific structures and formats to follow for this pitch. Once the pitch is sent in, it is evaluated internally first to assess whether the idea is viable for a crowdfunding platform. A response is usually received within 10 to 15 business days. If the feedback is positive and the idea deemed viable, the next step is to send in detailed documentation. This includes a business plan among other information. Once this is also approved, the startup is then invited to Seedmatch for a physical meeting where the business concept is discussed along with the details of the funding execution. The aim of the meeting is also to get to know the startup and for a startup to get to know the team at Seedmatch. When there are no further issues to clarify or work on, work is done on closing a funding agreement and the 4 to 6 week preparation process is initiated.Setting Up the CampaignThe point of the campaign is to tell investo rs the story of the company. The website provides support here by providing comprehensive structures that can be used to introduce a business concept. An important aspect of this introduction is a presentation video which can help give an authentic and enthusiastic image of the startup team to the investors. Seedmatch helps startups develop these if needed.Inviting People Once a profile page of information is created, funding can begin. It is up to the startup team to create a buzz and invite people to the fund page. This can be done through friends and family networks on social media outlets. The more people that hear about the campaign, the more likely the chances of reaching funding goals.Funding ConclusionOnce the target amount is reached, or a specific period of time passed, the funding round will be concluded. Investor relations can be managed through the same account on Seedmatch for the long term. It is important to keep the investors in the loop for your achievements, succe ss and even setbacks through regular reports. Continued advice and feedback can also be sought as different stages of the project are achieved. These investors should not be treated merely as a source of capital but as members of an extended team for the project, whose belief in a project is rewarded through involvement.Finding Investors on SeedmatchInvestors are generally attracted to startups that are able to:Showcase a product or service that is unique, innovative and with a clear USP.Provide accurate statements and facts about the business idea, business model and potential viability of this idea.Provide structured information in a clear and engaging way with the right graphics, the right photos and the right videos. Differentiation is key to remaining foremost in the minds of a potential investor as they go through multiple projects on the website.Demonstrate the advantages of their project and business model.Mistakes to AvoidA few basic mistakes to avoid when using Seedmatch t o fund a project include the following:Don’t make claims without facts â€" Users who donate to projects tend to question what they read and there should not be claims or marketing phrases that cannot be supported by facts.Don’t give unnecessary details â€" There is often a tendency by the project team to put too much information and long descriptions in their introduction. It is a better practice to keep the information provided brief and relevant. This can help capture and retain investor interest.Don’t forget to communicate with investors â€" More successful crowdfunded projects have usually had teams that were able to build a relationship through relevant communication with the right investors and potential customers.Don’t make errors in spelling and grammar â€" The profile presented by a project or startup is the investment offer to the outside world. This offer should be as perfect as possible and any errors in this presentation can end up separating the successes from the failures.SEEDMATCH SUCCESS STORIESSome of the most successful campaigns on Seedmatch include:ProtonetThe Product.  Protonet is a small server and private cloud. The product is targeted towards individual consumers and small businesses. Both a hardware and software solution, the product aims to help make the setup of a home network and server easier. According to the company, Protonet is a ‘one button social infrastructure and private cloud.’ The company has placed a lot of emphasis on design and usability of their product.The Campaign.  The project was listed on Seedmatch for crowdfunding. It managed to generate a record amount of 1 Million Euro in just 4 hours, unbeaten as of now on any crowdfunding platform. The total amount generated for the product was 3 Million Euro.Current Situation.  The company managed to raise money beyond expectations during its crowdfunding campaign. This means that there is more chance of a quicker product development and international expansion. The company had planned to push beyond German speaking countries in the middle of 2015, but are now in the financial position to do so much sooner. More on the Protonet success can be found here. BonaverdeThe Product.  The product is described as the world’s first roast-brew-grind coffee machine. The product claims to turn green, unroasted beans into freshly brewed coffee in under 14 minutes. Unroasted beans stay fresh longer than pre roasted ones. Therefore, the company is basing its business proposition on this enhanced flavor. When it launched officially, the company also aims to serve as an online marketplace for raw beans, connecting farmers to the end user.The Campaign.  The company is running several crowdfunding campaigns across various platforms. Their campaign on Seedmatch is ongoing, with over 1.2 Million Euro already collected.Current Situation.  The company has preorders worldwide through its other reward based crowdfunding campaigns. With capital still being raised, progress has yet to be seen. There has been some recent unhappiness from backers because of post campaign redesign of the product. Details can be found here. AoterraThe Product.  The product aims to provide heating and hot water using wasted heat from running servers. The end result is a powerful, decentralized, green solution. The project is now known as Cloud and Heat. The company identified two sources of revenue for itself: the sale of the heating equipment for free heat output and cloud services.The Campaign.  The campaign raised 1 million Euro in 2013. This was the first project to raise a million Euro for Seedmatch.Current Situation.  The company is now on its second round of funding via Seedmatch to further grow the business. The details of this campaign can be found here.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Edgar Allan Poe And The Cask Of Amontillado - 2158 Words

Edgar Allan Poe; a famous all American Poet, short story writer and critic. Some of his most famous writings include Raven and The Cask of Amontillado. His writings all include horror or some type of mystery. Edgar did not have the â€Å"white picket fence† type of life. His was like riding on a rollercoaster, full of difficulties, but he turned out to be a writing genius. But I think that alcohol, and unsupportive family impacted Poe’s writing style, as well as the difficulties in his life. Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 to Eliza and David Jr, who were traveling actors, members of a repertory company in Boston. Before Edgar was three, both his parents passed away. John Allan, a wealthy tobacco farmer from Richmond, Virginia, raised him from there on, even though Allan never officially adopted him. By age 13, he had written enough poetry to publish a book, but his headmaster persuaded him not to. However, Poe attended the best schools available and went to University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1825. Although Poe was academically distinguished, he was forced to leave after less than a year due to bad debts and no financial support from Allan. He returned to Richmond to his fiancà ©s home but found out she was engaged to someone else. In 1827, Poe published his first book, â€Å"Tamerlane† and a few other poems at age 18. Then the only mother he had ever known had died of tuberculosis. Poe enlisted in the US Military Academy at West Point. AllanShow MoreRelatedThe Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe888 Words   |  4 PagesThe Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe In ?The Cask of Amontillado?, Edgar Allan Poe takes us on a trip into the mind of a mad man. Poe uses certain elements to convey an emotional impact. He utilizes irony, descriptive detail of setting, and dark character traits to create the search of sinful deceit. Poe also uses first person, where the narrator is the protagonist who is deeply involved. The purpose is to get the reader to no longer be the observer. He wants them to see with MontressorRead MoreThe Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe836 Words   |  3 Pagesqualities in the story. In the story many things are used as symbols such as the actual cask of amontillado, the trowel, the jester costume and the setting in which there is two in the story. Another literary technique used significantly in the story is irony. Irony is the expression of ones meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite. In the short story â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† Montresor a very troubled man who plans to seek revenge on another man named FortunatoRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe And The Cask Of Amontillado1384 Words   |  6 PagesWhat makes Edgar Allan Poe work unique? Other than being a strange individual, Poe has become a remarkable literature writer. The Raven, Annabel Lee, and The Cask of Amontillado are just a few of Poe’s work that staples the theme of gothic literature. This essay will allow you to see the gothic elements Edgar Allan Poe uses through his most common poems. Gothic literature has many elements which play into its definition. The actual definition is a style of writing that is characterized by elementsRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe906 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† was written in 1846, by Edgar Allan Poe. Born in 1809, Poe never knew any of his parents. At the age of three, his mother died of tuberculosis, and his father deserted the family before he was born. Taking care of him was his foster parents in Richmond, Virginia. They loved Poe, but were not supportive of his decisions and kept Poe poor. Having debt and not being able to provide food and clothes for himself caused Poe to quit school. Later, heRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe920 Words   |  4 Pageswhen that trust no longer exists? In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† written by Edgar Allan Poe, Fortunato is about to find the answer to this question. On the surface, Montresor seems friendly with Fortunato, but deep down he feels nothing but hate for him. Could this hatred have an irrationality that only Montresor understands? In different ways, both of these men are proud and affluent, yet both have downfalls that will l ead to a tragic ending. Edgar Allan Poe’s use of language contributes to the understandingRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe1555 Words   |  7 PagesIn his writing, Edgar Allan Poe has multiple uses of direct and indirect characterization. In The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor had rules such as â€Å"I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong† (Poe, 2). Poe used indirect characterization to show the reader that Montresor is an unreliable narrator because he justified hisRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe1303 Words   |  6 PagesIn Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† the narrator recalls an extremely significant time in his life, and takes the reader along with him. Throughout the story, one experiences a perfectly planned murder which took place over fifty years ago, and still no one has discovered what truly happened to poor Fortunato as he was chained to a wall in a room that was then closed off, and torched to death due to all the nitre in the walls. As the story goes on, the reader can see some of Poe’s unfortunateRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe1076 Words   |  5 PagesThe short story, The Cask of Amontillado, written by Edgar Allan Poe is a story of terror and betrayal. Like many of Poe’s literary works, the story has a dark undertone with a theme of terror and depression. More than half a century ago, Marshall McLuhan argued that though Poe was fascinated by evil, the evil that he had in mind was not that of Calvinism, but that of the split man and the split civilization. In general, McLuhan was right, but in this instance Calvinism, and its God, provided a darkRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe707 Words   |  3 PagesIn the short story of The Ca sk of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe writes in first person point of view from the perspective of Montresor who seeks revenge against Fortunato. Montresor began to develop the perfect plan for revenge. During the carnival season, Montresor meets with Fortunato and decides to implement his plan carefully through irony. Poe s story describes the murderer s mind which has lived as a memory of Fortunato s death for fifty years. Poe uses different types of irony and symbolismRead MoreThe Cask Of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe985 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allen Poe is a well known author of short stories and poetry from the 19th century. He is known especially for his stories of horror and suspense. The Cask of Amontillado is one of his more famous pieces. The story follows the narrator, Montresor, as he exacts revenge on Fortunato. Montressor draws Fortunato into the wine cellar where eventually he chains Fortunato to the wall and encloses him inside it. Throughout the story the narrator continually proves that he is not the most reliable source

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Things You Should Know About Informal Essay Topics List

Things You Should Know About Informal Essay Topics List It's possible to find more topic ideas by obeying the suggested link. You are able to also have the views of experts on the subject. Just keep in mind that while you're supposed to present the topic objectively, you still ought to use a sophisticated style. The topics aren't restricted to the above topics only, you can always locate an inspiration from different sources and write about them. Before studying the top rated informative essay topics, it is necessary to ask what makes a great topic. In case the topic isn't assigned, you'll need to select your own topic. Your subject of choice dictates the period of your body section. In as far as choosing the appropriate essay topics is concerned, the guideline is normally to try and be sure that your subject of choice is the one which does interest you. It is vital to know what kind of essay you're going to write and what's the very best approach to write it. In truth, it's quite simple to conserve a life and it takes just a small bit of your time. You need to be able to thoroughly cover this issue in the quantity of time you're given. You could also add an appropriate example to create your point clear. The Secret to Informal Essay Topics List Do not be concerned, EssayPro is here in order to teach our students everything they will need to learn about crafting an informative essay! Students who find it challengin g to compose an informative essay after reviewing examples and suggestions from experts don't need to panic. If you're not fond of essay writing, or you've got zero time for it, you could always request assistance of our professional group of specialists in multiple hundred subject fields. Essay writing is a significant aspect in the life span of a student since there'll be more than 1 essay that you must write during your school life. Informative essay is an opportunity to explain important facts. Once you get your proposal essay ideas, it's the right time to begin writing. Certain informative essay issues demand a lengthy period to finish a last paper. Much like the essay type name suggests, it's intended to inform. The standard of your topic will find out the grading of the paper. You could begin by listing terms concerning your subject of choice. In some instances, you will be supplied a topic or list of choices from which to pick. The process isn't easy if you don't have enough info. There are several different topics that you can use in writing process essays. While informal essays don't need specific understanding of particular topics, we recommend that you look at the info you use while writing. If you still struggle to find something which it is possible to write about, you always have the option to consider our professional quick essay writing service. Writing quality essays is the principal role of our services. If at all possible, have another person read your essay and provide their tips for improvement. A methodical strategy is necessary to compose a process essay. You won't have the ability to fully grasp how to compose an informative essay without a crystal clear comprehension of its outline and structure. Even though it's an informal essay you're working on, becoming too informal might force you to get rid of a steady grip. You are able to also learn the way your essay should look. The essay needs to be informative and encourage at the exac t moment. If your essay is complex and is challenging to dissect, it's a failure. You shouldn't find it particularly hard to compose an informative essay. A thesis has to be arguable like in an argumentative or persuasive essay to create the readers wish to debate. Most the topics utilized for writing process essays are associated with academics. To begin with, you have to comprehend what distinguishes informative essays from some other varieties of academic papers. Also, be certain that you take a look at good examples of informative essays before you get started writing yours.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty Free Essays

â€Å"YOU’RE NOT MOROI!† HE CONTINUED. He wasn’t shouting, but we’d definitely gotten the attention of the people standing near us. â€Å"You’re Rose Hathaway, aren’t you? How dare you and your impure blood invade the sanctity of our–â€Å" â€Å"That’s enough,† a lofty voice suddenly said. We will write a custom essay sample on Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"I’ll take it from here.† Even with her face covered, there was no mistaking that voice. Tatiana swept in beside the guy, wearing a silver flowered mask and a long-sleeved gray dress. I’d probably seen her earlier in the crowd and not even realized it. Until she spoke, she blended in with everyone else. The whole room was quiet now. Daniella Ivashkov scurried up behind Tatiana, her eyes widening behind her mask when she recognized me. â€Å"Adrian–† she began. But Tatiana was seizing the situation. â€Å"Come with me.† There was no question that the order was for me or that I would obey. She turned and walked swiftly toward the room’s entrance. I hurried behind her, as did Adrian and Daniella. As soon as we were out in the torch-lit hall, Daniella turned on Adrian. â€Å"What were you thinking? You know I don’t mind you bringing Rose to certain events, but this was–â€Å" â€Å"Inappropriate,† said Tatiana crisply. â€Å"Although, perhaps it is fitting that a dhampir see how much the sacrifices of her people are respected.† That shocked us all into a moment of silence. Daniella recovered herself first. â€Å"Yes, but tradition states that–â€Å" Tatiana interrupted her again. â€Å"I’m well aware of the tradition. It’s a bad breach of etiquette, but Rosemarie being here certainly doesn’t ruin our intentions. Losing Priscilla†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Tatiana didn’t choke up, exactly, but she lost some of her normal composure. I didn’t think of someone like her as having a best friend, but Priscilla pretty much had been. How would I act if I’d lost Lissa? Not nearly so controlled. â€Å"Losing Priscilla is something I’ll feel for a very, very long time,† Tatiana managed at last. Her sharp eyes were on me. â€Å"And I hope you really do understand how much we need and value you and all the other guardians. I know sometimes your race feels underappreciated. You aren’t. Those who died have left a gaping hole in our ranks, one that leaves us even more undefended, as I’m sure you must know.† I nodded, still surprised Tatiana wasn’t shrieking for me to get out. â€Å"It’s a big loss,† I said. â€Å"And it makes the situation worse because numbers are what harm us half the time–especially when the Strigoi form large groups. We can’t always match that.† Tatiana nodded, seeming pleasantly surprised we’d agreed on something. That made two of us. â€Å"I knew you’d understand. Nonetheless†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She turned toward Adrian. â€Å"You shouldn’t have done this. Some lines of propriety need to be maintained.† Adrian was surprisingly meek. â€Å"Sorry, Aunt Tatiana. I just thought it was something Rose should see.† â€Å"You’ll keep this to yourself, won’t you?† asked Daniella, turning back to me. â€Å"A lot of the guests are very, very conservative. They wouldn’t want this getting out.† That they met by firelight and played dress-up? Yeah, I could see them wanting that kept a secret. â€Å"I won’t tell anyone,† I assured them. â€Å"Good,† said Tatiana. â€Å"Now, you should still probably leave before–is that Christian Ozera?† Her eyes had drifted back toward the crowded room. â€Å"Yes,† both Adrian and I said. â€Å"He didn’t get an invitation,† exclaimed Daniella. â€Å"Is that your fault too?† â€Å"It’s not my fault so much as my genius,† said Adrian. â€Å"I doubt anyone will know, so long as he behaves himself,† said Tatiana with a sigh. â€Å"And I’m sure he’d take any opportunity he can to talk to Vasilisa.† â€Å"Oh,† I said, without thinking. â€Å"That’s not Lissa.† Lissa had actually turned her back toward Christian and was speaking to someone else while casting anxious looks out the door at me. â€Å"Who is it?† asked Tatiana. Crap. â€Å"That’s, um, Mia Rinaldi. She’s a friend of ours from St. Vladimir’s.† I’d almost considered lying and giving her a royal name. Some families were so big that it was impossible to keep track of everyone. â€Å"Rinaldi.† Tatiana frowned. â€Å"I think I know a servant with that name.† I was actually pretty impressed that she knew the people who worked for her. Yet again, my opinion of her shifted. â€Å"A servant?† asked Daniella, giving her son a warning look. â€Å"Is there anyone else I should know about?† â€Å"No. If I’d had more time, I probably could have got Eddie here. Hell, maybe even Jailbait.† Daniella looked scandalized. â€Å"Did you just say Jailbait?† â€Å"It’s just a joke,† I said hastily, not wanting to make this situation worse. I was afraid of how Adrian might answer. â€Å"It’s what we sometimes call our friend Jill Mastrano.† Neither Tatiana nor Daniella seemed to think that was a joke at all. â€Å"Well, no one seems to realize they don’t belong,† said Daniella, nodding toward Christian and Mia. â€Å"Though the gossips here will no doubt be running wild with how Rose interrupted this event.† â€Å"Sorry,† I said, feeling bad that I might have gotten her in trouble. â€Å"Nothing to be done for it now,† said Tatiana wearily. â€Å"You should leave now so that everyone thinks you were severely chastised. Adrian, you come back with us and make sure your other ‘guests’ don’t raise any attention. And do not do something like this again.† â€Å"I won’t,† he said, almost convincingly. The three began to turn away, leaving me to skulk off, but Tatiana paused and glanced back. â€Å"Wrong or not, don’t forget what you saw here. We really do need guardians.† I nodded, a flush of pride running through me at her acknowledgment. Then she and the others returned to the room. I watched them wistfully, hating that everyone in there thought I’d been kicked out in disgrace. Considering it could have gone a lot worse for me, I decided to count my blessings. I removed the mask, having nothing more to hide, and made the trek back upstairs and outdoors. I hadn’t gotten very far when someone stepped out in front of me. It was a sign of my preoccupation that I nearly leapt ten feet in the air. â€Å"Mikhail,† I exclaimed. â€Å"You scared me half to death. What are you doing out here?† â€Å"Actually, I’ve been looking for you.† There was an anxious, nervous look about him. â€Å"I went by your building earlier, but you weren’t around.† â€Å"Yeah, I was at the Masquerade of the Damned.† He stared at me blankly. â€Å"Never mind. What’s up?† â€Å"I think we might have a chance.† â€Å"Chance for what?† â€Å"I heard you tried to see Dimitri today.† Ah, yes. The topic I definitely wanted to think more about. â€Å"Yeah. ‘Try’ is pretty optimistic. He doesn’t want to see me, never mind the army of guardians blocking me out.† Mikhail shifted uncomfortably, peering around like a frightened animal. â€Å"That’s why I came to find you.† â€Å"Okay, I’m really not following any of this.† I was also starting to get a headache from the wine. Mikhail took a deep breath and exhaled. â€Å"I think I can sneak you in to see him.† I waited for a moment, wondering if there was a punch line coming or if maybe this was all some delusion born out of my wound-up emotions. Nope. Mikhail’s face was deadly serious, and while I still didn’t know him that well, I’d picked up enough to realize he didn’t really joke around. â€Å"How?† I asked. â€Å"I tried and–â€Å" Mikhail beckoned for me to follow. â€Å"Come on, and I’ll explain. We don’t have much time.† I wasn’t about to waste this chance and hurried after him. â€Å"Has something happened?† I asked, once I’d caught up to his longer stride. â€Å"Did†¦ did he ask for me?† It was more than I dared to hope for. Mikhail’s use of the word sneak didn’t really support that idea anyway. â€Å"They’ve lightened his guard,† Mikhail explained. â€Å"Really? How many?† There had been about a dozen down there when Lissa visited, including her escort. If they’d come to their senses and realized they only needed a guy or two on Dimitri, then that boded well for everyone accepting that he was no longer Strigoi. â€Å"He’s down to about five.† â€Å"Oh.† Not great. Not horrible. â€Å"But I guess even that means they’re a little closer to believing he’s safe now?† Mikhail shrugged, keeping his eyes on the path ahead of us. It had rained during the Death Watch, and the air, while still humid, had cooled a little. â€Å"Some of the guardians do. But it’ll take a royal decree from the Council to officially declare what he is.† I almost came to a halt. â€Å"Declare what he is?† I exclaimed. â€Å"He’s not a what! He’s a person. A dhampir like us.† â€Å"I know, but it’s out of our hands.† â€Å"You’re right. Sorry,† I grumbled. No point in shooting the messenger. â€Å"Well, I hope they get off their asses and come to a decision soon.† The silence that followed spoke legions. I gave Mikhail a sharp glare. â€Å"What? What aren’t you telling me?† I demanded. He shrugged. â€Å"The rumor is that there’s some other big thing being debated in the Council right now, something that takes priority.† That enraged me too. What in the world could take priority over Dimitri? Calm, Rose. Stay calm. Focus. Don’t let the darkness make this worse. I always fought to keep it buried, but it often exploded in times of stress. And this? Yeah, this was a pretty stressful time. I shifted back to the original topic. We reached the holding building, and I took the steps up two at a time. â€Å"Even if they’ve lightened the guardians on Dimitri, they still won’t let me in. The ones that are there would know I was ordered to keep away.† â€Å"A friend of mine’s covering the front shift right now. We won’t have long, but he’ll tell the guardians in the holding area that you were authorized to come down.† Mikhail was about to open the door, and I stopped him, putting my hand on his arm. â€Å"Why are you doing this for me? The Moroi Council might not think Dimitri’s a big deal, but the guardians do. You could get in big trouble.† He looked down at me, again with that small, bitter smile. â€Å"Do you have to ask?† I thought about it. â€Å"No,† I said softly. â€Å"When I lost Sonya†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mikhail closed his eyes for a heartbeat, and when he opened them, they seemed to be staring off into the past. â€Å"When I lost her, I didn’t want to go on living. She was a good person–really. She turned Strigoi out of desperation. She saw no other way to save herself from spirit. I would give anything–anything–for a chance to help her, to fix things between us. I don’t know if that’ll ever be possible for us, but it is possible for you right now. I can’t let you lose this.† With that, he let us in, and sure enough, there was a different guardian on duty. Just as Mikhail had said, the guy called down to tell the jail guardians Dimitri had a visitor. Mikhail’s friend seemed incredibly nervous about it all, which was understandable. Still, he was willing to help. It was amazing, I thought, what friends would do for each other. These last couple of weeks were undeniable proof of that. Just like at Lissa’s visit, two guardians showed up to escort me downstairs. I recognized them from when I’d been in her head, and they seemed surprised to see me. If they’d overheard Dimitri adamantly saying he didn’t want me to visit, then my presence would indeed be shocking. But as far as they knew, someone in power had condoned me being here, so they asked no questions. Mikhail trailed us as we wound our way down, and I felt my heartbeat and breathing grow rapid. Dimitri. I was about to see Dimitri. What would I say? What would I do? It was almost too much to comprehend. I had to keep mentally slapping myself to focus, or else I was going to slide into dumbstruck shock. When we reached the hallway that held the cells, I saw two guardians standing in front of Dimitri’s cell, one at the far end, and two others by the entrance we’d come through. I stopped, uneasy about the thought of others overhearing me talk to Dimitri. I didn’t want an audience like Lissa had had, but with the emphasis on security here, I might not have a choice. â€Å"Can I get a little privacy?† I asked. One of my escorts shook his head. â€Å"Official orders. Two guardians have to be posted at the cell at all times.† â€Å"She’s a guardian,† pointed out Mikhail mildly. â€Å"So am I. Let us go. The rest can wait by the door.† I flashed Mikhail a grateful look. I could handle having him nearby. The others, deciding we would be safe enough, moved discreetly to the ends of the hall. It wasn’t total and complete privacy, but they wouldn’t hear everything. My heart felt ready to burst from my chest as Mikhail and I walked over to Dimitri’s cell and faced it. He was seated almost as he had been when Lissa arrived: on the bed, curled up into himself, back facing us. Words stuck in my throat. Coherent thought fled from my mind. It was like I’d totally forgotten the reason I’d come here. â€Å"Dimitri,† I said. At least, that’s what I tried to say. I choked up a little, so the sounds that came out of my mouth were garbled. It was apparently enough, though, because Dimitri’s back suddenly went rigid. He didn’t turn around. â€Å"Dimitri,† I repeated, more clearly this time. â€Å"It’s†¦ me.† There was no need for me to say any more. He’d known from that first attempt at his name who I was. I had a feeling he would have known my voice in any situation. He probably knew the sound of my heartbeat and breathing. As it was, I think I stopped breathing while I waited for his response. When it came, it was a little disappointing. â€Å"No.† â€Å"No what?† I asked. â€Å"As in, no, it’s not me?† He exhaled in frustration, a sound almost–but not quite–like the one he used to make when I did something particularly ridiculous in our trainings. â€Å"No, as in I don’t want to see you.† His voice was thick with emotion. â€Å"They weren’t supposed to let you in.† â€Å"Yeah. Well, I kind of found a work-around.† â€Å"Of course you did.† He still wouldn’t face me, which was agonizing. I glanced over at Mikhail, who gave me a nod of encouragement. I guessed I should be glad that Dimitri was talking to me at all. â€Å"I had to see you. I had to know if you were okay.† â€Å"I’m sure Lissa’s already updated you.† â€Å"I had to see for myself.† â€Å"Well, now you see.† â€Å"All I see is your back.† It was maddening, yet every word I got out of him was a gift. It felt like a thousand years since I’d heard his voice. Like before, I wondered how I could have ever confused the Dimitri in Siberia with this one. His voice had been identical in both places, the same pitch and accent, yet as a Strigoi, his words had always left a chill in the air. This was warm. Honey and velvet and all sorts of wonderful things wrapping around me, no matter the terrible things he was saying. â€Å"I don’t want you here,† said Dimitri flatly. â€Å"I don’t want to see you.† I took a moment to assess strategy. Dimitri still had that depressed, hopeless feel around him. Lissa had approached it with kindness and compassion. She’d gotten through his defenses, though a lot of that was because he regarded her as his savior. I could try a similar tactic. I could be gentle and supportive and full of love–all of which were true. I loved him. I wanted to help him so badly. Yet I wasn’t sure that particular method would work for me. Rose Hathaway was not always known for the soft approach. I did, however, play on his sense of obligation. â€Å"You can’t ignore me,† I said, trying to keep my volume out of range of the other guardians. â€Å"You owe me. I saved you.† A few moments of silence passed. â€Å"Lissa saved me,† he said carefully. Anger burned within my chest, just it had when I’d watched Lissa visit him. How could he hold her in such high regard but not me? â€Å"How do you think she got to that point?† I demanded. â€Å"How do you think she learned how to save you? Do you have any idea what we–what I–had to go through to get that information? You think me going to Siberia was crazy? Believe me, you haven’t even come close to seeing crazy. You know me. You know what I’m capable of. And I broke my own records this time. You. Owe. Me.† It was harsh, but I needed a reaction from him. Some kind of emotion. And I got it. He jerked around, eyes glinting and power crackling through his body. As always, his movements were both fierce and graceful. Likewise, his voice was a mix of emotions: anger, frustration, and concern. â€Å"Then the best thing I can do is–â€Å" He froze. The brown eyes that had been narrowed with aggravation suddenly went wide with†¦ what? Amazement? Awe? Or perhaps that stunned feeling I kept having when I saw him? Because suddenly, I was pretty sure he was experiencing the same thing I had earlier. He’d seen me plenty of times in Siberia. He’d seen me just the other night at the warehouse. But now†¦ now he was truly viewing me with his own eyes. Now that he was no longer Strigoi, his whole world was different. His outlook and feelings were different. Even his soul was different. It was like one of those moments when people talked about their lives flashing before their eyes. Because as we stared at one another, every part of our relationship replayed in my mind’s eye. I remembered how strong and invincible he’d been when we first met, when he’d come to bring Lissa and me back to the folds of Moroi society. I remembered the gentleness of his touch when he’d bandaged my bloodied and battered hands. I remembered him carrying me in his arms after Victor’s daughter Natalie had attacked me. Most of all, I remembered the night we’d been together in the cabin, just before the Strigoi had taken him. A year. We’d known each other only a year, but we’d lived a lifetime in it. And he was realizing that too, I knew, as he studied me. His gaze was all-powerful, taking in every single one of my features and filing them away. Dimly, I tried to recall what I looked like today. I still wore the dress from the secret meeting and knew it looked good on me. My eyes were probably bloodshot from crying earlier, and I’d only had time for a quick brushing of my hair before heading off with Adrian. Somehow, I doubted any of it mattered. The way Dimitri was looking at me†¦ it confirmed everything I’d suspected. The feelings he’d had for me before he’d been turned–the feelings that had become twisted while a Strigoi–were all still there. They had to be. Maybe Lissa was his savior. Maybe the rest of the Court thought she was a goddess. I knew, right then, that no matter how bedraggled I looked or how blank he tried to keep his face, I was a goddess to him. He swallowed and forcibly gained control of himself, just like he always had. Some things never changed. â€Å"Then the best thing I can do,† he continued calmly, â€Å"is to stay away from you. That’s the best way to repay the debt.† It was hard for me to keep control and maintain some sort of logical conversation. I was as awestruck as he was. I was also outraged. â€Å"You offered to repay Lissa by staying by her side forever!† â€Å"I didn’t do the things†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He averted his eyes for a moment, again struggling for control, and then met mine once more. â€Å"I didn’t do the things to her that I did to you.† â€Å"You weren’t you! I don’t care.† My temper was starting to burn again â€Å"How many?† he exclaimed. â€Å"How many guardians died last night because of what I did?† â€Å"I†¦ I think six or seven.† Harsh losses. I felt a small pang in my chest, recalling the names read off in that basement room. â€Å"Six or seven,† Dimitri repeated flatly, anguish in his voice. â€Å"Dead in one night. Because of me.† â€Å"You didn’t act alone! And I told you, you weren’t you. You couldn’t control yourself. It doesn’t matter to me–â€Å" â€Å"It matters to me!† he shouted, his voice ringing through the hallway. The guardians at each end shifted but didn’t approach. When Dimitri spoke again, he kept his voice lower, but it was still trembling with wild emotions. â€Å"It matters to me. That’s what you don’t get. You can’t understand. You can’t understand what it’s like knowing what I did. That whole time being Strigoi†¦ it’s like a dream now, but it’s one I remember clearly. There can be no forgiveness for me. And what happened with you? I remember that most of all. Everything I did. Everything I wanted to do.† â€Å"You’re not going to do it now,† I pleaded. â€Å"So let it go. Before–before everything happened, you said we could be together. That we’d get assignments near each other and–â€Å" â€Å"Roza,† he interrupted, the nickname piercing my heart. I think he’d slipped up, not truly meaning to call me that. There was a twisted smile on his lips, one without humor. â€Å"Do you really think they’re going to ever let me be a guardian again? It’ll be a miracle if they let me live!† â€Å"That’s not true. Once they realize you’ve changed and that you’re really your old self†¦ everything’ll go back to how it was.† He shook his head sadly. â€Å"Your optimism†¦ your belief that you can make anything happen. Oh, Rose. It’s one of the amazing things about you. It’s also one of the most infuriating things about you.† â€Å"I believed that you could come back from being a Strigoi,† I pointed out. â€Å"Maybe my belief in the impossible isn’t so crazy after all.† This conversation was so grave, so heartbreaking, yet it still kept reminding me of some of our old practice sessions. He’d try to convince me of some serious point, and I’d counter it with Rose-logic. It would usually earn me a mix of amusement and exasperation. I had the feeling that were the situation just a little different, he’d have that same attitude now. But this was not a practice session. He wouldn’t smile and roll his eyes. This was serious. This was life and death. â€Å"I’m grateful for what you did,† he said formally, still struggling to master his feelings. It was another trait we shared, both of us always working to stay in control. He’d always been better at it than me. â€Å"I do owe you. And it’s a debt I can’t pay. Like I said, the best thing I can do is stay out of your life.† â€Å"If you’re part of Lissa’s, then you can’t avoid me.† â€Å"People can exist around each other without†¦ without there being any more than that,† he said firmly. It was such a Dimitri thing to say. Logic fighting emotion. And that’s when I lost it. Like I said, he was always better at keeping control. Me? Not so much. I threw myself against the bars, so rapidly that even Mikhail flinched. â€Å"But I love you!† I hissed. â€Å"And I know you love me too. Do you really think you can spend the rest of your life ignoring that when you’re around me?† The troubling part was that for a very long time at the Academy, Dimitri had been convinced he could do exactly that. And he had been prepared to spend his life not acting on his feelings for me. â€Å"You love me,† I repeated. â€Å"I know you do.† I stretched my arm through the bars. It was a long way from touching him, but my fingers reached out desperately, as though they might suddenly grow and be able to make contact. That was all I needed. One touch from him to know he still cared, one touch to feel the warmth of his skin and– â€Å"Isn’t it true,† said Dimitri quietly, â€Å"that you’re involved with Adrian Ivashkov?† My arm dropped. â€Å"Wh–where did you hear that?† â€Å"Things get around,† he said, echoing Mikhail. â€Å"They certainly do,† I muttered. â€Å"So are you?† he asked more adamantly. I hesitated before answering. If I told him the truth, he’d have more ground to make his point about us keeping apart. It was impossible for me to lie to him, though. â€Å"Yes, but–â€Å" â€Å"Good.† I’m not sure how I expected him to react. Jealousy? Shock? Instead, as he leaned back against the wall, he looked†¦ relieved. â€Å"Adrian’s a better person than he gets credit for. He’ll be good to you.† â€Å"But–â€Å" â€Å"That’s where your future is, Rose.† A bit of that hopeless, world-weary attitude was returning. â€Å"You don’t understand what it’s like coming through what I did–coming back from being a Strigoi. It’s changed everything. It’s not just that what I did to you is unforgiveable. All my feelings†¦ my emotions for you†¦ they changed. I don’t feel the way I used to. I might be a dhampir again, but after what I went through†¦ well, it’s scarred me. It altered my soul. I can’t love anyone now. I can’t–I don’t–love you. There’s nothing more between you and me.† My blood turned cold. I refused to believe his words, not after the way he’d looked at me earlier. â€Å"No! That’s not true! I love you and you–â€Å" â€Å"Guards!† Dimitri shouted, his voice so loud that it was a wonder the whole building didn’t shake. â€Å"Get her out of here. Get her out of here!† With amazing guardian reflexes, the guards were down at the cell in a flash. As a prisoner, Dimitri wasn’t in a position to make requests, but the authorities here certainly weren’t going to encourage a situation that would create a commotion. They began herding Mikhail and me out, but I resisted. â€Å"No, wait–â€Å" â€Å"Don’t fight it,† murmured Mikhail in my ear. â€Å"Our time’s running out, and you couldn’t have accomplished anything else today anyway.† I wanted to protest, but the words stuck on my lips. I let the guardians direct me out, but not before I gave Dimitri one last, lingering look. He had a perfect, guardian-blank look on his face, but the piercing way he stared at me made me certain there was a lot going on within him. Mikhail’s friend was still on duty upstairs, which let us slip out without getting in–much–more trouble. As soon as we were outdoors, I came to a halt and kicked one of the steps angrily. â€Å"Damn it!† I yelled. A couple of Moroi across the courtyard–probably coming home from some late party–gave me startled looks. â€Å"Calm down,† said Mikhail. â€Å"This was the first time you’ve seen him since the change. There are only so many miracles you can expect right away. He’ll come around.† â€Å"I’m not so sure,† I grumbled. Sighing, I looked up at the sky. Little wispy clouds moved lazily about, but I barely saw them. â€Å"You don’t know him like I do.† Because while part of me thought that a lot of what Dimitri had said was indeed a reaction to the shock of returning to himself, there was another part of me that wondered. I knew Dimitri. I knew his sense of honor, his adamant beliefs about what was right and wrong. He stood by those beliefs. He lived his life by them. If he truly, truly believed that the right thing to do was to avoid me and let any relationship between us fade, well†¦ there was a good chance he might very well act on that idea, no matter the love between us. As I’d recalled earlier, he’d certainly shown a lot of resistance back at St. Vladimir’s. As for the rest†¦ the part about him no longer loving me or being able to love anyone†¦ well, that would be a different problem all together if it were true. Both Christian and Adrian had worried there would be some piece of Strigoi left in him, but their fears had been about violence and bloodshed. No one would have guessed this: that living as a Strigoi had hardened his heart, killing any chance of him loving anyone. Killing any chance of him loving me. And I was pretty sure that if that was the case, then part of me would die too. How to cite Spirit Bound Chapter Twenty, Essay examples

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

The Lost Generation in The Sun Also Rises Essay Example

The Lost Generation in The Sun Also Rises Paper As World War I ripped through many European countries in the early twentieth century, the population suffered not only physically, but mentally. In addition to the many lives lost in this war, the youth of the world was greatly affected by this relatively new idea of death. Consequently, the Great War caused a lapse in values and standards in the generation who suffered through it, permanently damaging the remainder of their lives. Earnest Hemingway takes a glimpse into the lives of the people of this so-called lost generation in his novel The Sun Also Rises. Set in this post World War I age, The Sun Also Rises shows the physical and emotional wounds, the religious abandonment, and the way in which members of the lost generation escape from their lives that were greatly affected by the first World War. Every character in The Sun Also Rises has been affected by World War I in some way. Some wounds show outwardly, while others are internalized, producing an even greater emotional and often psychological trauma on the character. The narrator of this novel, Jake Barnes, is a character whose physical wounds from the Great War cause him both emotional and psychological grief. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Generation in The Sun Also Rises specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Generation in The Sun Also Rises specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Generation in The Sun Also Rises specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer While fighting in the War, Jake suffers an injury that leaves him impotent, but still desiring sexual activity. This wound causes him not only pain, but a great deal of confusion in regard to his relationship with Lady Brett Ashley: both partners know they love each other, but Jakes inability to sexually fulfill Lady Brett Ashley causes her to reject him. In his book on Hemingway, critic Earl Rovit asserts that [Jakes] wound still throbs and gives him pain (157). He cannot escape from his war injury and it continues to haunt him everyday he lives. Using his situation with Brett as a basis for all future relationships, Jake decides that he cannot please anyone and he must instead be content with wandering aimlessly through life without a true love. The severity of the emotional side of Jakes wound is in this belief that he cannot hope to find a mate. His interaction with a French prostitute shows the hopeless feeling that Jake receives from his War injury and how it has changed his life forever. When the prostitute simply lays her hand on Jakes, he pushes her away and tells her that he is sick. This emphasizes Jakes truly hopeless notion that he can never have any type of a physical relationship with a woman due to his wound. The French prostitutes response to Jakes revelation that he is sick emphasizes even more the hopelessness of the entire generation of the post-World War I era. Everybodys sick. Im sick too, replies the prostitute (Hemingway 21). Although she does not specify exactly how she herself is sick, the prostitute believes that the Great War has caused everyone a certain degree of sickness and suffering. Michael Friedberg states that the prostitutes statement is no doubt also a reference to the state of the world itself (176). The state of the world, including the other characters in The Sun Also Rises, is as lost and hopeless as Jake, predominantly because of the War. The truth of the prostitutes statement comes in the form of other characters in The Sun Also Rises including Lady Brett Ashley and Count Mippipopolous. Critic E. M. Halliday speculates that Jake Barnes war-wound impotence[is] a kind of metaphor for the whole atmosphere of sterility and frustration which is the ambiance of The Sun Also Rises (303). The other characters of this novel experience grief, frustration, and pain from the situations the War has dealt them, just as Jake does. The Count is a character who has been physically wounded by the Great War and war in general. The scars of arrow wounds pierce the Counts torso from a battle in Abyssinia when he was a young man. His involvement in seven wars and four revolutions (Hemingway 61) including World War I gives him the aged disposition of a person who has been through very hard times. Brett Ashley is an additional example of a character whose war-time experiences greatly affect her life. During the Great War, Lady Ashley orked as a nurse and was heart-broken when her true love was killed in battle. She consequently had a series of bad relationships in which she was physically and verbally abused and emerged with only her title, Lady Ashley. She recognizes her love for Jake as fruitless and is instead content with wandering aimlessly from one man to another. The effects of the War on Brett are seen in her loose, discorded relationships [that] reflect the shattered unity ( ) of the modern world (Martin 69). Lady Ashleys post-war position in The Sun Also Rises symbolizes the death of aristocracy that was suffered through the war. According to Richard Lehans essay on Hemingway, the post-War Lady Ashley represents the purposelessness and moral abandonment of the [aristocracy] (197). Her values and lifestyle were both destroyed when the Great War ended, and in essence, so was Lady Ashley. The Great War causes the characters of The Sun Also Rises not only physical and emotional suffering, but moral and religious abandonment as well. Although none of the main characters in this book professes true devotion to their religion, it is the contrast among characters that illustrates the morally lost state of the generation. Essayist John Pratt points out that, [E]ach major character represents one religious attitude (151). Hemingways novel contains a semi-pious Catholic, a detested Jew, and a pagan who combine to portray the religious abandonment that World War I essentially created. Jake Barnes is the semi-pious Catholic. Although Jake is deemed one of the more religious characters in the novel, his attitude towards religion and the Catholic faith in general show that the War affects him in this way too. Once again it is his relationship with Brett that causes his religious hopelessness. Jake admits that when he first met Brett, he sought advice from the Catholic Church on how to handle their relationship while dealing with his injury. He knew that he and Brett would not be able to have children because of this injury that left him impotent, but Jake went to get advice from a religion that sees marriage as first a procreative and then a unitive sacrament. The Catholic Church had an awfully good way of handling that. Not to think about it (Hemingway 35). Therefore, Jake is bitter toward what he thinks to be the Churchs unacceptable attitude toward his wound (Pratt 153). This very advice causes him much pain in his relationship with Brett that came as a result of the War. Lady Brett Ashley is the pagan. It is clear from the very beginning of The Sun Also Rises that Brett lacks certain beliefs and values that other people normally possess. During her stay in Pamplona, Spain, however, Brett makes it clear that she also lacks morals and any kind of religious beliefs. During the Pamplona fiesta, Brett tells Jake that she wishes to hear him confess. Jake, however, tells her that if she listens to him confess, it will be in a language she does not know. The obvious reason for this is that Jake will confess in Latin or Spanish, but it is also possible that it means she will not understand the language of the Christian religion (Baker 89). After Brett meets Pedro Romero, the absence of God in her life can be seen again. Brett asks Jake to take her to a cathedral so she can pray for her new beau, but she soon becomes uncomfortable. After trying to pray for only a couple of seconds, Brett leaves the cathedral. Im damned bad for a religious atmosphere, Ive got the wrong type of face (Hemingway 188). Brett, therefore, knows that she has rejected God and she accepts this. She re-emphasizes her pagan state at the end of the novel when she commends herself for deciding to end her relationship with Romero in an effort to save him. Brett tells Jake that her decision makes her feel good and that her goodness is what she has instead of God. Jake tells her that many people have God to which Brett replies, He never worked very well with me (Hemingway 221). Lady Brett Ashley, then, is most likely a pagan due to her War-time experiences, but she believes that her being so has worked to her advantage. Robert Cohn represents the detested Jew in a more symbolic sense than the rest of the characters in The Sun Also Rises. During the course of the novel, not much is said about Roberts religious preferences, but it is in fact his religion that makes him the scapegoat for the anger of his so-called friends. Jake states that Robert is a Jew within the first few pages of the novel. Jake also states that until Robert went to college, no one made him feel that he was a Jew and therefore different from anyone else. The significance of this statement lies in the fact that Jake, and other members of their circle of friends, do see Robert as different just because of his religion. While Brett is never referred to as the pagan, Robert is often called the Jew, with a variety of derogatory terms attached to it. The first fault that Jake and his friends find with Robert is that he did not fight in the War. They attribute this to the fact that Robert is Jewish so right from the beginning, the Great War causes problems in Robert Cohns life. Throughout the remainder of the novel, Robert suffers a variety of insults pertaining to his religion. When he becomes upset in Burguete because Brett has not yet arrived, Bill and Jake attribute this to his Jewish superiority. Well, let him not get superior and Jewish, remarks Bill at one point (Hemingway 92). During the fiesta in Pamplona, Mike Campbell calls Robert a steer. By using this term, Mike is saying that Robert is inferior to the rest of the bulls (he, Jack, and Bill) because steers lack not only testicles, but also the ability to inspire passion (Quieto sec. 1). In this statement, Mike emphasizes his dislike of Cohn simply because of his religion. Mike sees that Cohn can become Jewish and superior at times so he feels that he must make him feel inferior in all other ways. Although Robert never discusses his religion anywhere in the novel, he is detested by the majority of the characters for the simple fact that he is a Jew. By not fighting in the War, Robert receives further criticism from his friends and this emphasizes the idea that the Great War ruined religion for many people. The War wounds suffered by the characters in The Sun Also Rises cause a variety of responses in each character. While heavy drinking seems to be one of the ways in which these characters find solace for their miseries, traveling seems also to be a popular trend. The very book itself is an example of this in that Jake Barnes narrates from Paris, completely detaching himself from the Kansas City life in which he once lived. The gaiety and entertainment associated with Paris serves as a means by which he tries to forget his unfortunate station in life caused by the Great War. In an attempt to forget his wound, Jake submerges himself in a seemingly care-free life of habitual drinking and dining as a French expatriate. Youre an expatriate. Youve lost touch with the soil Fake European standards have ruined you (Hemingway 109). One of Jakes friends makes this remark to him, proving that Jake has in fact adopted the standards of a completely different continent to leave behind the world that he holds responsible for his current situation. Jake also uses travel later on in The Sun Also Rises to escape from a variety of people and situations that remind him of his hopeless state. When his relationship with Brett becomes too much, Jake accepts Roberts invitation to join him on a fishing trip in Spain. Jake and his friend, Bill Gorton embark for this trip and immediately the tone of the book becomes lighter and happier. Aside from their frequent disagreements with Robert, Jake and Bill manage to have a good time fishing in Burguete, a small town in the Pyrenees mountains. Instead of obsessing over his relationship with Brett, Jake concerns himself only with fishing, drinking, and enjoying himself. We stayed five days at Burguete and had good fishing There was no word from Brett or Mike (Hemingway 117). It is on this trip to Burguete that Jake and Bill become good friends through their mutual desire to get away from the petty and noxious tribulations of Robert Cohn and company (Baker 84). Their camaraderie also stems from their shared need to escape from the world that the Great War has created from them and Burguete is the closest each character comes to experiencing this. Robert Cohn is another character who uses travel as a way to escape from the harsh realities of the times. The novel begins with Robert in a somewhat disastrous relationship that he was forced into by his lady. Things begin to go awry in the relationship and this, combined with Roberts new interest in the book The Purple Land cause him to yearn for a change of scenery. He suggests a trip to South America to Jake who cynically replies, You cant get away from yourself by moving from one place to another (Hemingway 18). Jake speaks from experience for his current place of habitation is a desperate attempt to get away from himself and the way he has become. Robert, however, does not take Jakes advice and after ending his relationship of four years, he sets off for San Sebastian, Spain. More than half of The Sun Also Rises is set in Pamplona, Spain where Jake, Brett, Robert, Bill Gorton, and Mike Campbell attend the summer fiesta. Although Jake attends this fiesta almost every year to watch the bullfights, this year he cannot truly escape from himself because his past haunts accompany him on the trip. Therefore, he must resort to a lifestyle of perpetual drunkenness to deal with his problems, as do many of the other characters. The world of The Sun Also Rises is a world of drunken promiscuity, shot through with streaks of pity (Wagenknecht 374). Although Jake turns to alcohol frequently on this trip, his relationship with Brett manages still to tear at his emotions. After he and Bill discuss the idea of irony and pity, Jake feels especially low as he realizes that irony and pity are the combination he used whenever he thinks about Brett (Baker 92). Their relationship is ironic in that they both love each other but can never be together, and pitiful in the same sense. The trip that is supposed to help Jake escape reality actually makes him realize his hopeless state even more. He proves his own advice to others during the course of this trip; You cant get away from yourself by moving from one place to another (Hemingway 18). Jake knows this from experience, but he also keeps reliving it every time he goes away. The characters of The Sun Also Rises never do manage to get away from themselves. The Great War, it seems, has caused permanent damage to the lives of those who suffered through it. At the end of the novel, Jake attempts to rescue Brett after she runs off with Pedro Romero. Once he arrives, Brett begins to speak nostalgically of their relationship, saying that they could have had a good life together. Yes, isnt it pretty to think so? is Jakes reply (Hemingway 222). This is true for the entire lost generation affected by the War. It is quite possible that any of the characters in The Sun Also Rises could have led normal lives, but the influence of World War I was too much. According to Rovit, World War I had been the catalytic agent in releasing the stark factor of nothingness and absurdity at the very root of traditional values (159). The Great War destroyed the traditional values of love, faith, and hope and consequently, the characters of The Sun Also Rises wander aimlessly through their resultant lives, constantly seeking ways to escape.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Free Essays on Idle Hands

Idle Hands? In Sherwood Anderson’s â€Å"Hands,† the character of Wing Biddlebaum subconsciously expresses the emotions he is feeling through the actions of his hands. He is a very sheepish and timid character. Anderson feels that â€Å"the story is a story of hands,† which play an enormous role in Wing’s life (217). Nervous and â€Å"fiddling about† swiftly, Wing’s hands also demonstrate confidence through firm and assured movements. He rarely uses these solid motions, but when he does, it is when he is with his only friend George Willard. Wing seems to become disdainful toward his hands when later they seem to always find him trouble. Throughout Wing’s life, he is faced with many problems that his hands cause him to overcome. Wing’s hands are what place him in his state of solitude. Being a school teacher, Wing touches the shoulders of the young boys and plays with their hair, yet Wing means no harm. He loses his job as a school master and almost loses his life, all because he uses his hands to comfort the young boys. He has altered his lifestyle to avoid everyday problems, concerning his hands. He does not know why he resents his hands, but he knows that his hands are to blame for his everyday predicaments. Wing lets his hands control almost every aspect of his life. In the past, Wing’s hands have caused him to lose his job and his pride. In order to regain a strong sense of self and live a normal life, Wing must overcome the past. Society shuns him and he wonders everyday what he has done to deserve this mistreatment. He tries things as futile as changing his name, yet he cannot seem to satisfy his need to be content. Wing presently lives in constant dismay, desperately trying to realize or remember what his hands did to force him to live in such misery and solitude. In this certain time, it is rare that a man holds the position of an elementary school teacher. This shows that Wing is a caring and ... Free Essays on Idle Hands Free Essays on Idle Hands Idle Hands? In Sherwood Anderson’s â€Å"Hands,† the character of Wing Biddlebaum subconsciously expresses the emotions he is feeling through the actions of his hands. He is a very sheepish and timid character. Anderson feels that â€Å"the story is a story of hands,† which play an enormous role in Wing’s life (217). Nervous and â€Å"fiddling about† swiftly, Wing’s hands also demonstrate confidence through firm and assured movements. He rarely uses these solid motions, but when he does, it is when he is with his only friend George Willard. Wing seems to become disdainful toward his hands when later they seem to always find him trouble. Throughout Wing’s life, he is faced with many problems that his hands cause him to overcome. Wing’s hands are what place him in his state of solitude. Being a school teacher, Wing touches the shoulders of the young boys and plays with their hair, yet Wing means no harm. He loses his job as a school master and almost loses his life, all because he uses his hands to comfort the young boys. He has altered his lifestyle to avoid everyday problems, concerning his hands. He does not know why he resents his hands, but he knows that his hands are to blame for his everyday predicaments. Wing lets his hands control almost every aspect of his life. In the past, Wing’s hands have caused him to lose his job and his pride. In order to regain a strong sense of self and live a normal life, Wing must overcome the past. Society shuns him and he wonders everyday what he has done to deserve this mistreatment. He tries things as futile as changing his name, yet he cannot seem to satisfy his need to be content. Wing presently lives in constant dismay, desperately trying to realize or remember what his hands did to force him to live in such misery and solitude. In this certain time, it is rare that a man holds the position of an elementary school teacher. This shows that Wing is a caring and ...

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

How to Treat Gummosis, or Bleeding in Tree Bark

How to Treat Gummosis, or Bleeding in Tree Bark Bleeding bark on  trees and other woody plants  often leads to concern when its discovered by tree growers and yard tree owners. Gum or sap draining from a tree trunk or limbs is common in trees in the genus Prunus, which includes peaches and cherries, but it can happen in many species. This sap flow can be caused by biotic diseases, which are triggered by living organisms such as fungi, and abiotic injury, caused by non-living factors such as sunlight and temperature change. One textbook definition gummosis is the copious production and exudation of gum by a diseased or damaged tree, especially as a symptom of a disease of fruit trees. But it also can be an early symptom of other problems, not only in orchards but in prized landscape trees in yards, parks, and forests.   Gummosis can weaken a tree, but it isnt the end of the world. Bleeding or oozing of sap from a tree, although not normal, wont necessarily permanently harm a tree or woody plant; most of them will survive. Its also important to remember that there are many causes for free-running sap from trees, including insect borers, cankers, bark injury, and a variety of diseases. Controlling these sources of damage will control gum deposits and sap flow, but there usually is no cure. Causes Gum exuding from cherry, peach, and sweetgum trees is common, so keep an eye on these species. Gummosis isnt a pathogen in itself but the response to environmental stress from pathogenic, insect, or mechanical injury. Pathogenic infectious diseases and cankers that result in bleeding sap can become problematic in fruit orchards. Particularly, the  cytospora canker, or perennial canker, commonly causes fungal bleeding in stone fruited trees such as apricot, cherry, peach, and plum. This infection can be distinguished from insect damage and mechanical injuries because sawdust or pieces of bark arent mixed in the sap, as would be the case with insect or mechanical damage. It isnt vital for you to identify the specific cause or causes involved, but its very important to differentiate between insect infestation, mechanical injury, and infectious disease for diagnosis. Prevention and Treatment There are management practices you can follow to lower the risk of gummosis: Be careful when using lawn and garden equipment to avoid tree tissue injury, which can harbor fungal spores.Prevent winter cold injury to your tree by planting cold-hardy species within their hardiness zones and outside isolated wind  avenues.Maintain a trees health to discourage boring insects.Prune and dispose of limbs during late winter.Try to identify whether the tree has been injured mechanically, been attacked by insects, or infected by a disease. Typically, mechanical injury and insects will leave exposed sapwood or sawdust. Treat the  causes as best you can while increasing the most comfortable tree conditions for optimal health. Increasing tree vigor is important and will yield great results. One helpful treatment is applying several pints of garden lime under the tree drip line if your site has a low to moderate PH. Raising soil Ph to 6.5 can do wonders for tree health.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Max Weber Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Max Weber - Essay Example (Kilcullen, 1996) This important belief is said to have made the Calvinists quite anxious about their Salvation, and this led to the fact that they attempted to console themselves and get rid of their anxiety by making concerted attempts to succeed in all their economic and other undertakings. The widespread belief may have been that God would quite naturally demonstrate his favor by bestowing prosperity and wealth on the various enterprises and undertakings of the elect. In addition, no Calvinist believed in self indulgence, and this meant that all the finances generated and raised by their present undertakings would perforce be put back into future undertakings, or 'callings' as they were referred to, both by the employer as well as by the employee. The small reward that they expected was a mere earthly one, but this was sufficient for the Calvinist. (Kilcullen, 1996) It was also Max Weber's opinion that Protestant doctrines believed in the fact that men must accept a humbler sort of station in their lives, and that they must devote their energies into performing mundane tasks and duties. Weber also believed that since there was no hierarchical Church structure present, it meant that there would be no episodes of upward mobility and a need for acquisition. however, it was because of the 'work and save' ethic that was being followed by these people that the phenomenon of 'Capitalism' was brought into the picture, and since there is absolutely no doubt that a dedication and a devotion and a deep commitment towards one's work would inevitably bring forth the desired productivity, especially on the part of the Calvinists, who believed in the dedication to one's own 'beruf', or duty, or calling. (Max Weber, 1864 to 1920) It is widely acknowledged everywhere that Max Weber had an ingrained concept of 'rationality and rationalism' in all his works, and according to Rogers Brubaker, it was veritably a 'great unifying theme' in his work, even though it has been stated by some others that the concept was at times 'evasive'. It was Weber's opinion that the very history of 'rationalism' has revealed that it does not follow any type of parallel lines in life in general, and also that the very idea of rationality is both multi directional and multi dimensional. Rationality was, for Weber, the manifestation of individual freedoms, and also another meaning for conceptual lucidity, among various other meanings. (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) According to Max Weber, sociology as such meant that it was nothing but a 'comprehensive science of social action', and it must be also noted that most of Max Weber's ideals stem from the idea that human beings attach a great many subjective meanings to all their manifold actions and interactions within any specific social context. Therefore, in this context, rationality means that most human beings restlessly strive for a goal, which in itself may not be rational, but for which most people strive through rational means. As most people have diverse numbers of motivational factors, it would mean that most human behavior as such is caused by a mixture of all these motivations. This was in

Monday, February 3, 2020

Cultural Beliefs and Stigma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural Beliefs and Stigma - Essay Example Investigation of the impact of cultural beliefs and stigma on the treatment journey of infectious patients needs include the burden from the stigma of various health problems and cultural beliefs. In the course of examination of the stigma and its effects on the patient comparisons must be made. These comparisons include the magnitude and character of stigma for different conditions and in different social and cultural settings; identifying distinctive features of stigma that may guide intervention programs; and evaluating changes in the magnitude and character of stigma over time and in response to interventions and social changes. (leininger M (1991) Such research benefits by examining stigma from various vantage points, considering the experience of stigma among persons with a designated health problem, laypersons in the community, and health care providers or other designated subgroups of the community (eg, teachers and policymakers) that have a substantial impact on health. Research on stigma should also consider questions of social policy as they relate to human rights, access to health care, and social services for particular groups. Our review of health research issues and studies considers the role of stigma in specific mental health problems and tropical diseases, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. We also discuss the limitations of this research and the need for complementary quantitative, qualitative, problem-specific, and culture-specific approaches to study of stigma. (Weiss 2001-p 5) The reason hat health research is concerned with stigma is that stigma is an important consideration for health policy and clinical practice for several reasons. It contributes to the suffering from illness in various ways, and it may delay appropriate help-seeking or terminate treatment for treatable health problems. For diseases and disorders that are highly stigmatized, the impact of the meaning of the disease may be as great or a greater source of suffering than symptoms of a disease. An early presentations of paucibacillary leprosy as a painless depigmented or anaesthetic patch is an example. Hearing the diagnosis is more troubling than symptoms of the disease. Social science studies of stigma regard it fundamentally as a problem arising from social interactions. Goffman and other researchers have also recognized self-perceived stigma, which may also be troubling and responsible for diminished self-esteem whether or not it arises from an actual interaction, and whether or not t his perceived stigma accurately reflects the critical views of others. Stigma impairs the quality of life through concerns about disclosure, and it affects work, education, marriage, and family life. Although its impact is likely to be overlooked in the calculation of Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), stigma contributes to what WHO's Nations for Mental health Program calls the hidden burden of mental illness. In addition to the suffering it brings, research also shows that stigma and labeling may affect the

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Strategies for Entrepreneurship and Change Management

Strategies for Entrepreneurship and Change Management Raama Gabionza Entrepreneurship takes an important role in innovation. It is an agent of change. It involves creating new products, services, technologies, and businesses. It is about economic development and generating wealth for investors. It is also about developing business to address social problems and environmental issues. In the world of health, entrepreneurship also play a vital role. It corresponds with the revolution and changes in the state of health of the population and of the society. Like for an example, our world today suffers from distinct inevitable crisis like epidemiologic incidences and other uncommon situations affecting health of the economy. It is a threat to the population that could shake the health of every individual thus will lead to high rates in morbidity and mortality. Early detection and treatment of these illnesses or diseases are vital ways to decrease its incidences as well as morbidity and mortality rates. Invention and creation of medical treatment and therapi es as well as immunizations could lessen the possibility of acquiring the ailment. These interventions are brought by entrepreneurship which is an agent of change to both private and public health sectors. It provides interventions that are more developed, new, updated and better. It also provides more effective and efficient procedures, surgeries, and any other ways of treating specific threats to health. Entrepreneurship is essential in any situation as it could help in promoting and improving the well-being of the person and of the society as the whole. However, entrepreneurship may not always be successful as what anyone may think of it. There are major criticisms against entrepreneurship within the public and private health and social care sector. One example of this is the fear of change. People are afraid to change as it may be less effective and could lead to failure. They are afraid to loss their expertise and can’t adopt to the change. Like in surgeries, when new type of procedure is introduced, medical practitioners are afraid to change their usual practice into new procedure as it may cause danger and hazard both to the patient and the practitioners themselves. Another criticism against entrepreneurship is the quest for profits. People might think that the only reason why new services are being introduced because entrepreneurs always think about gaining profit. There could be uncertainty of services. People might doubt whether the service is really essential and necessary or not. They might feel that their ignorance are being taken for granted by the entrepreneurs presenting and introducing the new product or services. In addition, consumers may need to be aware that not all entrepreneurs are profit oriented. Entrepreneurs can be classified as either business entrepreneur or social entrepreneur. To clearly understand the difference between the two types of entrepreneurs, Abu-Saifan (2012), identified their unique characteristics. To start with, business entrepreneurs or the so called the profit oriented are characterized as the value creator. They provide value of the commodity or product and services being introduced. While social entrepreneurs or the non-profit, are social value creator. They provide what is beneficial to the society not for the benefit of their pockets. As for being a leader, they are opinion leaders. They consider the opinion of the society before they introduce the new product or services. They are also like the managers. They first look for the problems before they fix. Like for an example in the case of diabetes, they first assess the situation. They look for the cause of pr oblem and focus on repairing them before moving on to the treatment itself. They assess what could be the cause of the problem, may it be the diet of the person or their genetics or other factors. They see the problems first before they put things right. Unlike the business entrepreneur, they will just fix what is needed to be fixed. They often miss to foresee what is really the reason and cause of the problem. This is why they are characterized as the organizer. They just organize things. They are also strategic thinkers that they choose what strategy is best for them not considering the opinion of the population or of the society. They only aim for the best of their profit and interest. They focus on their goals and on what they wanted to reach. They are high achievers. They are the exact opposite of social entrepreneurs. Social entrepreneurs focus on their mission for the change beneficial to the society not for their pocket or to gain profit and interest which business entrepren eurs do. Moreover, in entrepreneurship, there are three strategies presented by Chin Benne, (1969) as general strategies effecting changes in human systems. These strategies could be helpful for the management in choosing who to employ to their organization considering changes as inevitable. This could also be helpful to the organization on how to manage and how to present or introduce changes to its people. The first strategy is the empirical or rational. In this strategy, people can be persuaded to change based on communication of information and by giving and offering them incentives. They have their reasons to comply to change being presented. Successful change is in accordance to logic and reasons that could be beneficial to organization and to the people. The change in this strategy centers on the balance of incentives and risk management. The second strategy is the normative or re-educative. This type of people are those that adhere to cultural norms and values. They normally go with the flow, conforming to what is being practiced, advertised or introduced by the management or by the organization. Redefining the present culture, norms, and values, and making commitments to new ones may initiate people to change. The strategy to encourage these people to change is to consider their culture, beliefs and their ways. People who are normative or re-educative are mostly willing to adapt to change as long as they see that their cultural values are respected and are in favor to the new system or product and services. Third is the power or coercive. In this strategy, the leader or the boss of an organization coerce people to change or to do new things. People are submissive and will do what they are told to do. This type of management is often used when there is a crisis in an organization or institution where change is a must. It could also be used when change should be done as soon as possible or as it is needed. People will usually adhere to change and will just follo w what the leader ought them to do. Furthermore, any type of management strategy may be used by the organization in handling changes. All of those strategies can be helpful in making changes successful but it may also be harmful when it is not properly addressed to the people’s need. Like for an example in the use of power or coercive strategy, it is good to be used in an emergency situations or crisis because according to Chin Benne (1969) it is assumed that people will do what they are told. Like in my own experience working as a health practitioner, there was an instance when our area was affected by typhoon. Some of us who are staying nearby the building of the institution were told by the management to do double shifts at work in order to make up the shifts of other employers who are affected by the typhoon and cannot make it to work. It was an order by the management that we, as an employers are ought to do. Considering the situation and the crisis happening, we have no other choice but to do the double s hifts. It might be shocking to us but we have to do it because it is an emergency and it was the only way that could ease the situation. Another strategy by Chin Benne (1969) is the normative or re-educative wherein people adopt to change when they see that the change conforms to their norms, values and culture. For example, in my home country, most of the people are Roman Catholic. When family planning was introduced in a catholic institution, like the use of contraceptives, not all members of team agree with the change. Roman Catholic are against with contraception. It is important for this people to consider their beliefs specially their religion and culture. In order for the change to be successful, leaders of the institution introducing contraception in the practice of health, addresses the opinions of the members of the team and people. It was agreed to make the change possible by pursuing the use of contraceptives by health education to the people but not forcing every indiv idual to do so or to comply. At least in that way, little by little, the change was made. In change management, there are four segments classified that could be present in an organization or in any group of people. These segments are the campaigners, initiators, opponents, and neutrals. These are important factors that could have direct or indirect effect in the system of change. In order to address properly these expected impact to the system of change, it would be helpful to identify the differences and similarities of these factors and at the same time, it would also help the manager or the leader on how to effectively deal with the different points of view and perspectives of every member of the team. Like for an example the introduction of the use of computer system in the health care facilities instead of the use of older method, paper documentations. People who advertise and advocate the computer system are called the campaigners. They see the new system as beneficial and that they will gain something positive from it. They are enthusiastic about change and they wi ll help to drive the change through. These people facilitate and give support to the trainings and education in order to promote change or the new system. Initiators, are those who would take the first step to change. They can be the creator or the designer. They are the prime movers and the ones who will take action to make the use of computer system possible. They are those who will make the change attainable. In order to initiate change, they educate the team about the computer system being introduced. They also facilitate, support and encourage participation and involvement of the team members to the trainings and teachings in relation to the system of change. On the other hand, some team members might disagree or oppose to the proposed system of change or the use of computer system. They are called as the opponents. They are the antagonists or the activists. They are those who are not convinced for the need of change and don’t see any justification for change. Education, negotiation and sometimes coercion are the effective way to communicate to these group of people. The fourth segment identified in change management is the neutral. Neutrals are the unbiased ones. They belong to neither side of the proposed change. They just go with the flow to change or not to change. It would be helpful communicate to these group of people by setting them what is really the vision of change, why it would be beneficial to change or not to change. They should also be involved to trainings and support groups in order for them to have a clear understanding of the change being introduced and for them to have an individualized decision as a member of the team. References: Abu-Saifan, S. (2012). Social Entrepreneurship: Definition and Boundaries. Technology Innovation Management Review, February 2013:22-27 Barton, J. (1991). Defining Entrepreneurship. Retrieved on 20 February 2015 from file:///C:/Users/raama.gabionza/Downloads/artikkeli_2.pdf Di-Masi, P. (n.d). Defining Entrepreneurship. Retrieved on 22 February 2015 from http://www.gdrc.org/icm/micro/define-micro.html Nickols, F. (2010). Four Change Management Strategies. Retrieved on 26 February 2015 from http://www.nickols.us/four_strategies.pdf Rouse, M. (n.d). Change Management. Retrieved on 25 February 2015 from http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/change-management Rubin, D. (2013). What is Entrepreneurship? Retrieved on 22 February 2015 from http://pinchot.edu/what-is-entrepreneurship/