Alison Gopnik’s Kiddy Thinks: Analysis

â€Å"Kiddy Thinks† illustrates the significance of parental involvement in a young child's life and the ability children(clarify) have to build(use infinitive) rational thoughts of how their parents view and do things in the world. Coping(use last name) reveals (omit) a new way of looking at early childhood growth. (comma splice) She explains(signal verb) that young children from newborns to four-year-olds have a very complex process of thinking and go through experiments and theories to figure out what is rational and what is not.This is a generally fair introduction, but you don't specify her thesis. You also want to look up how to correct a comma splice. ) This narrative essay covers the 3 new elements of evidence which have been found through research about the early psychological development of young children. First, the things the child already knows from the point they are born. Secondly, the rapid ability a child has to learn. Thirdly, the role a parent has in the psy chological development of the child.Allison discusses that a newborn is capable of imitating another as â€Å"early as being 42 minutes old† (Coping 238), and by the time the child is nine months old, they are able to detect emotion. While younger children like to observe, two year-olds will begin to explore, and the more something is forbidden from a child the more they will want it. By the time children are 36 months old, they start to learn very quickly through observing the behavior and reactions their parents have to certain objects and alter their own views based on the views of the parents.

Reaction Paper About Martial Law

Reaction Paper about Martial Law On September 21, 1972, President Ferdinand E. Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law. The declaration issued under Proclamation 1081 suspended the civil rights and imposed military authority in the country. Marcos defended the declaration stressing the need for extra powers to quell the rising wave of violence allegedly caused by communists. As I watched the 11 clips of Martial Law, different feelings showed up in me. Related reading: Martial Law ReflectionAt first, knowing that a bright Filipino would take over the president’s position during those times, I feel contented because my impression regarding how he would rule the Philippines will be on a good state. However, as I continued watching the clips, my contentment feeling became anger because as he proclaimed that the Philippines will be under Martial Law, my good impression about him was ruined. Benigno Aquino Jr. ssued a warning during his speech since he is a newly elected senate; he stated that the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos was slowly being in a â€Å"garrison state† wherein the country will be under the control of militarist forces. When I saw this scene, I was actually agreeing with what Sen. Aquino said. During the early 1970s, the anti-government started doing rallies concerning the increase of price of gasoline and basic commodities, presence of US Military bases in the Philippines, foreign control over econom y, corruption in the government and widening gap between rich and poor.In this kind of scene, the government should start having reform movements so that the protests of the people will not be wasted but instead of this, violence is the government’s response. The government should understand the side of the mass but they were contradicted to what they are supposed to be doing. I also recalled in the film was the Plaza Miranda which was the symbol of democracy and freedom of speech since the activists and politicians gathers here.

Critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical thinking - Essay Example The relationship between education and gender during eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries is also explored by the author. The paper also demonstrates rejection that women faced in the early days. They were rejected by their male counterparts as seen in Cambridge University. Gender issues as embedded in social structures have dramatic impacts on access of knowledge by women. The paper uncovers array of neglected issues affecting hierarchical social structures. Furthermore, the article indicates that women are capable of learning and accessing all forms of knowledge just as men can. The discussion below portrays factors that limited the accessibility of relevant education by women around the world. In addition, the discussion reveals some radical developments that have occurred over time which have opened up opportunities for women to explore and exploit their abilities and talents. Intellectual development has been a very long and tedious process among women in the world. During eighteenth century, women were not allowed to learn scientific subjects as their male counterparts. Mind development was regarded as unimportant to women. They were allowed to access moral and religious teachings but not scientific ones. Religious precepts did not entail elite languages which were allowed for men. Conversations on chemistry during late eighteenth century reveal excitement of discovery and new knowledge amongst women in the world. Adoption of conversations and experiments by Marcet indicates progress in knowledge development which was not expected of girls hence it limited their ability to display their unique understanding of concepts. In the early eighteenth century, scientific ideas, as revealed by the case of Aristotle, show the opposition that women based in discovery of scientific ideas faced. Philosophies were associated with men and superiority in which

Policy implications Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Policy implications - Research Paper Example In addition, there is a need to have staff selection and recruitment process put in place. This goes hand in hand with training and quality control process. Focusing on viability of the proposed program, there will a challenge to expand and develop the existing body of research evidence, so the effective elements of the cognitive behavioral models can be specified, and then used to improve the program models further.   Implementation of the programBefore implementation of the program at Birmingham Community Base Facility (female facility), interpreted time series design will be utilized. This will be used to strengthen before-and-after designs. Data will be collected at multiple instances over time before and after the intervention is introduced in order to detect whether the intrusion has an effect considerably greater than the existing programs. This design has an advantage in that it allows the statistical examination of possible biases in the approximation of the effect of the interventions. Some of the potential biases may include:Secular trend- the outcome may be in a way decreasing or decreasing with time. This can be in terms of having observations increasing before intervention and this can wrongfully attribute the experimental effect to the intrusion if a before-and-after study was to be performed. Duration of the intervention- it is possible that the intervention may have an effect for the first two or three months only after its introduction; data obtained yearly would not identify this effect.  ... It is also apparent that the policy makers and the directors will also have to assess how suitable the proposed program is to their clients and program environment. Another apparent program challenge is on how to promote technology transfer in order to make the program most effective model. For example, the policy makers and program directors will have to establish the suitable technology to employ in order to support the program. This may come in terms of assessing necessary software to be used by the program staff. In addition, there is a need to have staff selection and recruitment process put in place. This goes hand in hand with training and quality control process. Focusing on viability of the proposed program, there will a challenge to expand and develop the existing body of research evidence, so the effective elements of the cognitive behavioral models can be specified, and then used to improve the program models further. Implementation of the program Before implementation of the program at Birmingham Community Base Facility (female facility), interpreted time series design will be utilized. This will be used to strengthen before-and-after designs. Data will be collected at multiple instances over time before and after the intervention is introduced in order to detect whether the intrusion has an effect considerably greater than the existing programs. This design has an advantage in that it allows the statistical examination of possible biases in the approximation of the effect of the interventions. Some of the potential biases may include: Secular trend- the outcome may be in a way decreasing or decreasing with time. This can be in terms of having observations increasing before

CAPM and Fama French Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

CAPM and Fama French - Coursework Example The report uses the Eviews for the data analysis and hypothesis testing for CAPM & FAMA French Model (Dougherty, 2011) The paper is bifurcated into two parts. Part 1 is based on the test of Capital Asset Pricing Model and Fama French Model using the factors for US stocks for the period of 1963 to 2013. Part 2 of the report is based on the audit fees to evaluate whether the firm characteristics explain the cost of audit or not. The capital asset pricing model is referred to as the model that describes the relationship between the risk and return, which determines the appropriate required rate of return on assets. (Sharifzadeh, 2010) The formula for capital asset pricing model is as follows Βi = Beta , which refers to as the sensitivity of the risk premium to the expected return. The risk premium is referred to as the excess ret urn of the market over the risk free return .i.e. (E (Rm) – Rf) Fama & French model is referred to as the extension of capital asset pricing model. The model adds the size and value factors in addition to the market risk factor in capital asset pricing model. The model considers the fact that whether the small cap stocks and value stocks outperform markets on regular basis. This is the reason; Fama French model is referred to as the three factor model. (Bodie, et al., 2009) The section of the report identifies the fact that why should we test CAPM and Fama French Model? The answer is that the CAPM is used to assess the impact on expected return on asset exclusively by the movement in market risk premium. The CAPM gives an ideal situation of how to price securities that are traded in financial markets to determine the expected return on asset. The major reason to use the CAPM model is that the model gives the objective nature of cost of equity, which the model can yield. (Besley & Brigham, 2007) The Fama French model supplements the CAPM model to further evaluate the cost of equity in terms of return on

Community education in context in Ireland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Community education in context in Ireland - Essay Example In Ireland, community education need not be confused with adult education. A community school in Ireland is subsidized entirely and directly by the government. In community schools, both academic and vocational programs are available, but at the same time, the facilities are also used by adult education and community education. On the other hand, adult education denotes many things. It is virtually worldwide and the fastest-growing facet of education. In third world countries, adult education is utilized to enhance literacy among the adult populace and at the same time, acquainting them with jobs and with knowledge on how to uphold community development. Most frequently, adult education is rampant among depressed or impoverished areas where higher education is not in proximity or cannot be afforded. They offer an alternative yet efficient education to bring a halt to illiteracy, unemployment and underemployment. And although governments of countries play a significant role in the promotion of adult education and community education, the United Nations' UNESCO and the International Bureau of Education play the worldwide regulator and promoter of it. According to the Anne Ryan of the Department of Adult and Community Education of the National University of Ire

Assignment 2 Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Assignment 2 Case study - Essay Example Nurses are becoming overworked and underpaid and more often than not, this burnout will eventually lead to a bigger issue – an increase in medical errors and a decreased quality of health care services. This paper shall discuss the issue of nurse burnout and stress, including its causes and its effects. This paper shall also attempt to come up with appropriate solutions to this issue in the hope of effectively applying leadership skills and patient-centred solutions. Burnout or stress often manifests in various ways. But the most common manifestations include the following: insomnia, fatigue that does not go away with sleep, colds, headaches, backaches, nausea, allergies or difficult breathing, and skin problems (Sahota & Bruin, 2009). Symptoms of burnout may also include chronic exhaustion, frustration, anger, depression, irritability, cynicism, bitterness, and negative feelings towards colleagues and other people in general (Sahota & Bruin, 2009). These manifestations of burnout are also sometimes seen by patients as they are at the opposite end of such negative feelings. In an article by Fagin, et.al. (2006), authors discuss that many nursing graduates being initially fielded in the hospitals experience severe burnout in the first two years of their work most especially because of heavy workloads. A major paper conducted on the subject matter covered 225 junior hospital nurses working in different hospitals in Ontario and the study was able t o establish that about 66% of these nurses were experiencing burnout, emotional exhaustion and even depression (Laschinger, as quoted by Fagin, et.al., 2006). In the study, nurses were also one in expressing that work overload, unfair workplaces, poor relationships with other staff, and weak leadership cause nurse burnout. This burnout among new graduates has a potentially heavier effect on nurses because these

Childhood Obesity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Childhood Obesity - Research Paper Example It is believed that having an overweight parent doubles the risk of childhood obesity while obesity in both parents increases the risk of child obesity further. Socio-economic status of the family increases the child obesity risks further due to the behaviors and lifestyles involved (Perry et.al, 2012). With the rising prevalence of child obesity of the age of 9 years across the globe, it is important for researchers to understand all underlying pathways which may be the cause of the child obesity. The study also aims at determining the correlation that exists between the family socio-economic status, parental weight status and childhood obesity for children at the age of 9. Sampling method is the statistical method used in this research. In this method, the sample size was obtained from the study group randomly. Experimental method was used to obtain the required data. The sampling method was used prior to the research where the researchers used it to obtain the sample size for use while the experimental method was used in carrying out the actual survey. STATA Software is the statistical tool used in the statistical analysis. A study sample of 8,568 nine year children growing up in Ireland was used. Initially 1,105 primary schools out of 3200 were selected at random by the use of the sampling method. A random sample of 8,568 children was then obtained from the selected schools. ... The experimental method was used in the collection of the data from the sampled size in order to obtain all indicators of obesity in children (Perry et.al, 2012). Descriptive or parametric method of statistical analysis was used in the research. This type of statistical analysis helped the researchers to obtain the required data which is through the description of the observed data. This type of statistical analysis helped the researchers come up with numerical data of weights to determine the obesity indicators. The statistical methods used in the research are not that tiresome and are appropriate for this kind of study, and this is another reason as to why the researchers chose them. These statistical methods are also accurate in terms of the data obtained, and the use of them in research will see to a valid research findings and results. STATA is the statistical tool which has been employed in this study. In this tool, the probability weights were applied using the survey data com mand in order to account for complex survey design. The researchers chose this the descriptive or parametric method as it helps in the summarization of a sample data. The method also sets descriptive coefficients of the given data which are then used in summarizing the numerical data obtained. The data in this case is numerical since the researchers obtained numerical figures on the risk factor indicators of obesity in children. The tool used also helped the researchers to obtain the social demographic variables required for the study, helped them to perform unadjusted multinomial logistic regression which would then be used to determine the risk of childhood overweight compared to their family’s

Evaluating benefits of networks and performing network management Essay

Evaluating benefits of networks and performing network management responsibilities - Essay Example Local Area Networks (LAN) can be described in various configurations and layouts referred to as Network Topology. Network topology determines the connectivity and communications mode of nodes on a network. Topologies are described as either physical or logical.The most popular network topologies are:Bus topology provides the simplest network connection. A single cable connects all the computers and network peripherals. Each node communicates with any other node by using the physical address of the network card of the destination node. This physical address is called the Media Access Control (MAC) address. The cables are terminated at both ends. All network equipment or nodes are connected by cables to a central connection unit, or hub. The nodes communicate with each other via the hub. The hub could be a Server or a Router. The figure below shows a star network wiring.In a ring topology, all the nodes are linked in a logical circle. Data circulates from node to node via a connection unit known as Multi-station Access Unit (MAU). Note that a closed loop is formed with the cable returning to the first device.Devices are connected with many redundant interconnections between network nodes. In a true mesh topology every node has a connection to every other node in the network. As the number of nodes increases, so does the complexity and cost. They are not popular with LANs but are often used in WANs. 1.1 Advantages & Disadvantages of Networks in an Organization The following advantages follow from installing and managing efficiently, a LAN in an organization. Increased productivity: According to Forbes.com a 20% increase in productivity can be attained since less time is wasted searching for files or managing files manually. Data loss reduced :LANs server software provides facilities for automatic file backup and easy retrieval in accidental deletion. Protection of Business Information: Built-in firewall protection and secure remote access guards your network. Other security software are available to protect your network from Internet intruders: spam, e-mail attachments and spammers. Business Access anytime, anywhere: A LAN allows you to connect to your business anytime and from anywhere you have access to the Internet. Improved Team Performance: Your workers can work better as a team when they can share information resident on the LAN and collaborate anytime. Resources Sharing and Costs Reduction: LANs enable your organization to share resources such as Internet access and business software; equipment such as printers. Some of the disadvantages of LANs include the risk of exposure to the evils of the Internet , namely Internet fraud, identity theft, and loss of useful data that was not backed up before a network fails. 1.2 The OSI Reference Model A discussion on networks and network

E †Marketing of the Music Products Essay Example for Free

E – Marketing of the Music Products Essay The success of music marketing traditionally has been determined by the power of the musicians artists and the consumers. However there had been a quantum change in the power recently thanks to the increased use of information and communication technology. The music industry had long held the power to control the development of the marketing, but the advent of the internet and the technological advancement in the information and communication technology has allowed the artistes and consumers to take power of their own. There were initial apprehensions about the impact of the internet on the marketing of the music industry due to the presence of file-sharing and peer-to-peer networks that might hinder the growth of sales of the music products. However it so happened that the internet has opened up a sea of chances for the growth of the marketing of the music products through the development of new retail channels for consumers as well as for the artistes to take advantage of the increased customer net work. This marketing channel has made much more music available to a much wider and larger set of audience and consumers. Punjabi music and songs have been estimated to originate between the 14th and 15th century, as folklore with the farmers composing songs in their own dialects and tunes. There are different varieties of Punjabi music that enthrall the music lovers. The Punjabi music market had grown with the time by selling the products through recorded cassette tapes and then through the medium of compact discs. With the passage of time the internet marketing has taken over the reins and the industry developed with newer and improved technological means of marketing the ancient cultural treasure. The internet marketing has proved to be an effective platform for the Punjabi music to gain popularity not only in India but throughout the world. There is a huge difference in the marketing strategy and approaches of the Punjabi music industry before and after the introduction of internet as a marketing medium. Internet marketing has made the industry to constantly work on finding new strategies to develop the marketing efforts. While originally it was apprehended that features like file sharing and peer-to-peer networks will hamper the growth of the sale of Punjabi music products, there were no such hindrances in reality and the industry is growing day by day with the introduction of new and improved music themes. With the help of internet marketing the purchasing of music products has improved considerably and this has increased the customer needs and preferences. In this context this study looks at the contribution of internet marketing to the growth of sale of Punjabi music products and how internet has helped the music industry to introduce new and improved methods of marketing. The scope of the study is to review the development of the Punjabi music industry over the period of time along with the development of the internet marketing concept. The study also analyses the problems in the music industry associated with the development of the internet market. 1. 1 Research Objectives While looking at the overall development of the internet marketing of the Indian Punjabi music the study has other objectives like 1. Comparing the differences in the marketing approaches prior to the introduction and development of the internet marketing and the present day approaches backed by internet marketing. 2. Exploring the available present and future technologies that can help the music industry grow 3. Analysing the impact of these technologies on the conduct of business and development of marketing for the music industry in general 4. Reviewing the response of the music industry to the technological developments 5. Assessing the impact the internet marketing had on the consumer preferences and tastes in the context of the music industry in general and Punjabi music in particular 6. Assessing the impact of file sharing and peer-to-peer networks on the internet marketing of the music products. 7. Assessing the possibility of turning the illegitimate music routes to legitimate saleable propositions. 1. 2 Research Scope The study intends to review the development of the marketing concept of the music industry in general and the Punjabi music in particular over the period of time till the introduction of the concept of internet marketing and how the marketing concepts have changed over time. This can be seen from the changes in consumer preferences over the time in them asking new and more improved ways of listening to the music without losing the quality of the music. Examples in this connection are the I-pods and MP3 concepts. The findings of this study will greatly interest the music lovers as well as the music industry because some interesting information on the E-marketing strategies would be evolved which can help them to adapt to the latest developments in the technology. The study will also extend to the analysis of the reasons and extent of piracy prevalent in the music industry and the scope for converting such piracies to saleable propositions. Overall the study aims at reviewing the growth of the music industry over the period of technological improvements. 1. 3 Research Questions This study attempts to answer the following research questions among other things: 1. What is the impact of technological developments in the marketing growth of the music industry in general and Indian Punjabi music in particular? 2. What are the changes in the consumer preferences in respect of the music products with the development of internet marketing in the music industry? 3. What are the chances that piracy in the E-marketing can be contained with respect to the music products? 1. 4 Structure of the Dissertation In order to make a cohesive presentation this dissertation has been divided in to different chapters. Chapter 1 makes a brief introduction to the readers about the background of the Punjabi music and the internet marketing being the subject the thesis is going to deal. This chapter also outlines the objectives of the research and sets the questions that the research intends to find answers. Chapter 2 makes a detailed review of the available literature on the internet marketing of the music products and the associated issues with a view to familiarize the readers to the discussions on the core subject of the paper ‘Impact of Internet on Indian Punjabi Music Industry: An overview on the Internet Marketing of the Music Products’ . Chapter 3 presents an account of the research methodology that was adopted to gather the information and data needed for the completion of the research along with a justification for the chosen method of research. The findings of the research and an analysis there of constitutes Chapter 4. Some concluding remarks recapitulating the issues discussed forming the content of the text is presented in the final chapter 5. There were certain limitations of this research which are mentioned in the concluding chapter. Chapter 2 Literature Review The scope of this chapter extends to the presentation of a review of the available literature on the subject of the impact of the internet marketing on the Indian Punjabi music industry. While reviewing the literature on this particular subject the study also extends to an analysis of the impact of E-marketing on the music industry and its products. 2. 1 Indian Punjabi Music – a Background As observed earlier the origin of the Indian Punjabi music dates back to the 14th or 15 the century. Developed as folklore the music had the exquisite character of instilling energy and rhythm in to the lives of those who sing these songs. There are a number of varieties of Punjabi songs like â€Å"bhangara, jhumar, luddi, giddha, julli† and so on. The music had a vibrant style which made it popular in the world and with the migration of the people the music also travelled westwards. With the fascination for this kind of music the Punjabi music and songs have acquired a greater significance in the international world of music. Music charts are being prepared with the flavor of this Asian culture. The Punjabi music has developed to such an extent that it is compared with other popular music like rock and reggae. Even European songs are infused with the mixture of the Punjabi music and songs and have attracted music lovers all over the world. (Indian Child) 2. 1. 1 Development of Indian Punjabi Music ‘Bhangra’ one of the traditional forms of Indian Punjabi music has become increasingly popular in the Western music cultures over the period. With a tradition of more than 500 years old ‘bhangra’ which was performed during harvest festivals was increasingly being performed in weddings and other joyous occasions like New Year celebrations. According to Asia Today though the Indian Punjabi music ‘bhangra’ is still performed in its traditional form, in recent years the music has taken new versions in the form of ‘remixes, film songs, hip-hop, reggae and house music’ and through these new forms has developed a growing Western audience in the regions of Europe and North America. The music has seen its developments in the UK during the 1970s when it started influencing the British club scenes. The development of the music has been accelerated due to the presence of a large section of South Asian Diaspora especially belonging to the second generation youngsters in the whole of Europe and more specifically in the UK. In the recent past ‘bhangra’ has reverted back to its original drum beats and it is sure that this music will enthrall more audience world wide in the years to come (Asia Today)

Social, economic and political factors of crime

Social, economic and political factors of crime For many, there is the belief that the existence of punishment is linked to the problem of crime, and that the extent of crime is the key factor in determining the level of punishment. But some of the most important sociologists (and penologists) such as Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Michel Foucault argue that crime is relatively trivial, and that the form and degree of punishment in society must be understood through its relationship with other greater social, economic and political factors. Karl Marx was a 19th century sociologist and economist whom were interested in the role punishment held in class-based social and economic regulation. He criticized the failure of penal theory to consider the social factors, especially economic inequality and poverty, which underlay criminal activity. Using this framework, others such as Georg Rusche and Otto Kirchheimer, in Punishment and Social Structure (1939), looked at the formation of different forms of punishment in the context of the labor markets fluctuating needs, from the Middle Ages through to contemporary society. For example, imprisonment serves as both a practical source of inexpensive labor for the state and, during periods of high unemployment, as a method of incapacitating dangerous offenders from doing public harm. These Marxist ideals influenced historical changes in penology in Western Europe beginning in the Middle Ages into the Mercantilist Era. During the early middle ages, there was a bot (betterment) paid by the criminal to the offended party which gave rise to the idea of compensation and a wite was a fine paid to the King. These fines were forms of tiered punishments that varied depending on ones socioeconomic class. For upper-class/freed citizens, punishment was given in compensation fines, but for lower-class/slaves punishment was much more brutal in the form of corporal death. These practices carried into the late middle ages and into the Mercantilist Era (1400-1700s). As middle-age feudalism declined, capitalism (as focused on by Marx) and international trade rose and expanded to new heights. These economic changes influenced the creation of new, wealth merchant class and the vagabond poor. Vagabonds were displaced workers from the former agricultural-run society of feudalism, who were now non-productive in a commercially dominant Western culture. This led to the widespread belief that work was to be associated with morality (17, BL). The poor, criminal vagabond social class we re exploited and sentenced as laborers. Karl Marx asserted that punishment could be used to force people to work as here in the case where vagabonds worked in galleys as reliable workforce, served in workhouses in Great Britain to help change and reform their character, and transportation where criminals were sent away for manual labor to help meet the needs of growing American and European colonization. Durkheim The Father of Sociology published several works during his time, however, none has had more impact than his book, The Division of Labor in Society written in 1893. Here he rejected the idea that punishment must break away from either vengeance or the emotional satisfaction it gives. Durkheim believed that the social function of punishment was to give effect to the moral and emotional outrage of a society whose norms have been violated by the criminal act. A criminal act is therefore identified as that which affects the communitys collective conscience; criminality serves as a way to explain the moral limitations of the social group. Punishment is the reciprocal effect of a collective moral outrage, creating and sustaining a type of solidarity crucial to the existence of a functional society. From these ideas arises Durkheims theory of social solidarity, as shown in his work The Two Laws of Penal Evolution, (1902) whereby he states that despite changing penal methods overtime , the underlying mechanisms and functions of punishment remain constant. Social solidairty insisted that rather than focusing on either the crime (or the criminal), one should observe the after-affect of crime on victims and the community as a whole. Offenders must be held accountable to these victims, and part of their penalty may involve direct restitution. The goal is begin a process of restoring the trust and solidarity that is broken by criminal activity by focusing on the social relationships that have been harmed as a result of crime. Durkheims scientific study of penology led to the conclusion that the severity of punishment was diminishing, and that solidarity could be broken into two categories: mechanical and organic solidarity. He called mechanical solidarity the solidarity of sameness which organic solidarity was made up of differences. The idea behind this is that organisms are made up of parts that serve different functions but manage to work together. In relation to society, Durkheim stated society was based on the division of labor, and is reliant on the communitys mutual dependency on one another. Although before the time of Durkheim, these same theoretical ideas can be seen in Colonial and Federalist America. This period included the early settling of colonists in areas such as Massachusetts and Virginia (17th and late 18th centuries), where society was dominated by the institutions of church, family and most importantly community. While religion played an important role in determining punishment, punishment was more so based on the social reaction to crime. Crime was religiously reflected as sin and as a moral matter of right versus wrong. Methods of punishment included fines (to victims most commonly), whippings, mutilation, shaming and banishment. Discipline and punishment held a significant role in social solidarity by publicly demonstrating rules, and expressing moral outrage over wrongful acts in a collective manner. These principles can also be applied to provide insight in the American Temperance Movement of the 1830s. As democratization increased as the nation expand ed economically and socially, religion still held a high importance that reflected in how crime was seen. Crime was viewed a moral disease, and more specifically alcoholism was becoming a national epidemic. The American Society for the Promotion of Temperance declared that, all temperate people should remain so and that the others should kill themselves off (50 BL). Alcoholism was collectively viewed as having a linkage to crime that caused labor to decrease which consequently affected American economic prosperities. These abolition and temperance movements of the 1800s were representative of social and moral reform going on within American culture. Michel Foucault was a 20th century French sociologist who argued that punishment is a threat to society, and that discipline is power-knowledge mechanism for domination. Foucault is well-renowned for his 1977 book entitled, Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, where he questioned how penology has changed in the way criminals are punished (in France) and introduces disciplinary punishment as the dominating practice in the modern world. He identified a qualitative shift in punishment from 1750 and 1820 in Europe and the U.S, pointing out three major changes: (1) punishment changed from body to soul/psyche, (2) from vengeance to transformation and (3) from punishment to corrections. In the second part of his book, Foucault marks the prison as the template for the technology of modern discipline. Disciplinary punishment gives professionals (psychologists, program facilitators, parole officers, etc.) power over the prisoner, most notably in that the prisoners length of stay dep ends on the professionals judgment. Foucault goes on to argue that Disciplinary punishment leads to self-policing by the populace as opposed to brutal displays of authority from the earlier eras. He utilized supervision, assessments, timetables and detailed attention to efficiency as tools for his studies of penology. Such ideas influenced the technology used in prisons such as Jeremy Benthams Panopitcon. The Panopticon, usually located in the center of a prison floor consisted of a single guard who could watch over many prisoners while remaining hidden. Ancient prisons have been replaced by clear and visible ones, but Foucault cautions that visibility is a trap. It is through this visibility, Foucault claims, that modern society exercises its controlling systems of power and knowledge. Increasing visibility leads to power located on an individualized level as shown by the possibility for judicial institutions to monitor individuals throughout their lives. Foucault suggests that a carceral continuum or a carceral archipelago runs through modern society, from the maximum security prison, through secure accommodation, probation, social workers, police, and so on into our daily working and home lives. All are joined together by the supervision (surveillance, application of social/moral norms of acceptable behavior) of some humans by others. Although the methods in which these sociological theorists approached penology, their ideas helped influence and change the way in which we [as society] view crime and the correlation it holds with punishment. These dominant theories shaped the evolution of American and European penal history which reflected the social, cultural and moral reforms of their times in relation to crime and the administration of punishment. Essay Two Punishment in Ancient European society was brutal and based primarily on private vengeance. Retaliation was violent and often community participation was encouraged. These tribal communities settled their conflicts through blood feuds held in public areas. These feuds, however, did not follow every crime. By 700 A.D. people mediated their offenses through fines. These were called bots (meaning betterment) and were paid to the offended party, while wites referred to fines paid to the King. These fines were highly discriminatory based on social-class structure. Penology practices then began to evolve as attempts were made to match the severity of offenses with the severity of the punishment itself such as in the Roman Justinian Code of 529 A.D. Punishment served as a way to uncover the truth behind crimes, sometimes through compurgation where witnesses were presented on behalf of the accused through trials by ordeal. Punishment was administered through torture if found guilty. The Early Middle Ages (700-1000) was defined as a power struggle between the church and society. The church was so powerful at the time that it had its own system of justice governed by the bishops and clergy. During this time, the church introduced the benefit of the clergy that gave protection from prosecution for church members and leniency to other related groups. Punishment was issued in the form of confinement rather than corporal punishment because the church believed that, such punishment would inevitably lead to the offenders despair, which impeded the ability to repent (15, BL). Only secular courts had the right to executions or any blood shed. Mutilation was popular to match the sanction with the crime (e.g. liars tongues cut out). Banishment and fines were still present. The Late Middle Ages (1100-1300s) signified a time of change in European history as the Church (sacred) power began to decline in daily social life, and with this, began the rise of the secular State pow er. Despite this decline, the church continued to use even more torturous, brutal punishment especially during the period of the Inquisition (13th-15th centuries) to weed out heretics. The end of the medieval period is marked within the social and economic changes brought on by the Mercantilist Era from 1400s-1700s. This era represented a decline of feudalism amongst society hierarchy, and gave birth to the rise of capitalism. Capitalism spread as globalization and commercial activity and trade increased. Power passed into the hands of the wealthy, known as the merchant class. This dissolution of feudalism and a once, agriculturally dominated society brought forward a number of displaced, non-productive people who were very poor called the vagabond poor. These people were focalized in crime and punishment, which gave rise to the understanding the conditions of this social class by learning how they became to be vagabonds. This questioning reflected the importance of work, for work was associated with morality. These vagabonds thus threatened society as a result they were exploited to working within the galley, workhouses and transportation. Transportation especiall y served as a means for states to solve crime problems by sending criminals away to the new colonies for indentured labor. There are several historical trends that can be identified from Ancient society to the end of the Medieval ages. First, there was a decline in direct participation by the community and by victims in primitive European societies. Secondly, there was a direct shift from private vengeance to church power during the Early Middle Ages. The Middle-Ages was a time where general deterrence was essential to preventing crime by instilling fear within the people after witnessing brutal, torturous penal practices. The Late Middle Ages through the Mercantilist Era was characterized by the growing popularity of state and secular justice over the church, and the rise of crime and punishment focused on labor. By the end of the 1700s, secular authorities controlled social classes by transporting criminals and vagabonds overseas to colonies, or by holding them in galleys and workhouses where they were incapacitated to extensive labor. Changing gears from Europe to Colonial America (1600-1790), the new nation was dominated by three primary social institutions which included church, family and community. Crime was viewed as sin and punishments mostly served religious ends, directly or indirectly in nature to reflect the laws and morals of the time. Colonial American society was centered on religion, where there was the mentality of, God wants people to behave a certain way, and it is the peoples job to set morality and justice. Punishment was administered for many common offenses and resulted in fines, shaming, whippings and sometimes exile. Executions were made public in order to have an educational purpose where community was intended to learn, however, intentional cruelty behind corporal punishment decline. The rise of the new nation could not have evolved without the presence of European Enlightenment Ideas in the American colonies. The prominence of human reason served as a tool to battle ignorance, superstition and tyranny targeted mainly in religious and hereditary aristocracy. Crime and punishment evolved to becoming a philosophy of understanding the offender. This gave birth to the first modes of classical criminology that assumed all people were rational beings that must be equated with a balance between crime and punishment. Ideas such as these enlightened moderation of punishment to focus on rationality and more importantly, efficiency. Punishment was concealed behind bars in prisons where criminals were to be held separate from society as a means of incapacitation. Early prisons and other penal institutions, such as the penitentiaries increased incarceration in America. Together the Colonial Ages and American Federalist period (1790-1830) marked a time of social reform where there was the suppression of the emotional purposes of punishments and execution to a newfound emphasis on their instrumental purpose instead. Criminals were to be understood rationally taking into account human reason, and crimes were to be administered fairly with a balance between offense and sanction. Punishment was morally defined. Punishment and reform in 19th century America (1830-1880s) prospered with the shift from prison-to-penitentiary. Societal influences included: alcoholism, gangs, and immigration. The Temperance and Abolitionist movement deemed alcohol use as moral failings/disease in society. Punishment revolutionized out of Enlightenment ideals that focused on democratization where society was governed by the people. Crime was spreading and was soon viewed as moral and social pathology. It was believed that crime could be combated with the help of penitentiaries. The goals of these institutions were to reform criminals through routine, surveillance and discipline. Blomberg and Lucken best define crime as: criminal activity was attributed to human interactions with a morally depraved environment (61). This penal ideology spread into Progressive America where crime and punishment were studied with science to understand criminality through biological, psychological and sociological reforms. From the Pr ogressive Movement into 20th century America, there flourished the proliferation of penal services (parole, probation, indeterminate sentencing, prison specialization min., med., max.). This ideology focused on social and moral reform as well by introducing reformatories (not vengeance), specializing and professionalization in prisons and a growing focus on juvenile and female offenders. Academic and medical questioning ruled criminology, the understanding of offenders and how to treat prisoners which lasted until the 1960s. The 1970s is best defined as a time of American Liberalism. Within society there were cultural changes taking placing as social activism and protest amongst all groups civil rights, women, prisoners, etc. Growing emphasis was put on prisoners issues and rights and through this we [society] made attempts to understand the internal and external relations of offenders with society. Decentralization emerged with the idea of Less is Better where importance was aimed at the criminal justice system through reforms such as net-widening that identified people who were at high risks to commit crimes, and deinstitutionalization of juveniles (not behavior that determines crime, age status instead). The 20th century was a change to rehabilitative and specific deterrence amongst criminals. From the 1980s to the present, crime increased as political and social turmoil grew in America. The war on crime that evolved with the staggering drug use of the 80s was counteracted with the conservative backlash by the government that installed harsher prison sentences focused on retribution, deterrence and incapacitation (three-strikes rule, mandatory minimums, etc). Increasingly so, social inequality is the underlying factor of high imprisonment rates amongst the poor and minorities. Privatization of prisons and companies led to a culture of greed that resulted in growing crime rates. This soon led to the collapse of the rehabilitative ideal into the era of get tough punishment and law and order punishment that was termed Neo-Conservative criminology. Essay Three Jails and prisons were among the first public structures built in colonial America. Besides serving as a place for emigrants, jails were an essential part of the system of bondage that existed in America. At a time where the dominating institutions consisted of the church, community and family, any crime committed was viewed as sin. Criminal activity was reflecting religiously onto the community as a whole. Executions were carried out for ordinary crimes other than murder, under local rather that state authority, and were made public. Punishments focused on retribution rather than understanding the crime, or the criminal. There began a shift from the 18th century to 1789 after the ideas of the Enlightenment reached the western world. The belief in human reason and rationality governed all aspects of life, especially penology. As a new nation emerged, penal practices changed to view criminals as rational beings, and an increased notion that there should be a balance between crime and punishment so it can be efficient. In regards to capital punishment, people felt it did not equate with the democratic ideals founded within our nation and it was in fact ineffective as a deterrent. From this point until the 1900s into the Progressive Era, crime changed and adapted according to the cultural changes that corresponded. Americas growing population boom, immigration increase, industrialization and urbanization were all factors in growing incarceration rates. Over time, prisons trended towards becoming more pervasive, more secure, and more permanent. In contemporary America there is a growing sense that the cost of fighting of crime, incarceration and rehabilitative services is spiraling out of control. There are more criminals, more courts, more prisoners and more anger as society focuses on the criminal as the cause for the economic collapse and downturn. The most recent historical factors that have led to todays conditions begin in the 1960s the age of disconnect where many significant changes to societal norms started. These included the civil rights movement, freedom of the individual, increased used of illegal substances, changing attitudes to sex and sex education, and in general, a focus on a more liberal and less-controlled societal model. During this period America experienced a debilitating military conflict (Vietnam), a break-down of the family unit as defined in separation statistics, and a core change in the role of women in society. At this time there was substantial focus upon prisoner rights, focus upon rehabilitative rather than punitive punishment ideals and a number of inside-prison demonstrations and even rioting against the methods of incarceration being used. Americas death penalty collapsed after the Furman v. Georgia decision where it was nullified and made unconstitutional. By the end of the 60s and 70s this era of liberalism was being pointed to as the cause of other significant societal problems crime being one of the most prominent. The 1980s witnessed a major shift back towards a more conservative America. The war on crime changed from one focusing on rehabilitative and (what caused) criminal activity to one that called for substantially-increased reliance on incarceration and an almost sole focus upon stopping the activities of criminals. Through a combination of sentencing guidelines (mandatory minimums, truth-in sentencing, three strikes) the aim was clear. By incarceration, clearly, the activities of the individual criminal were curtailed through incapacitation. There was little, if any concern, on rehabilitation and many argue upon humane treatment. Against this trend American society experienced large swings towards materialism, a lifestyle of financial improvement without concern for the morality of society as a whole (Boesky). These changes led America to become entrenched in a culture of greed where inequality between social and economic classes rose enormously, and so began the widespread politicization of criminal justice as crime was brought to political form. Beginning with the Reagan administration, the political goals, reflecting societys attitudes were quite evident. There were to be more incarcerations for more criminals for more offenses with greater sentences and less focus on parole provisions and rehabilitative treatments. These Get Tough penal philosophies exploded after the war on drugs invaded America as more people (many minorities) were being arrested and placed in prisons for much harsher sentences. Because of the increased prison population numbers, there was the need to specialize prisons based on the type of crime/the incarceration period imposed. This included a tiering, or separation of prisons into three divisions: minimum, medium and maximum facilities. The societal shift continued through the Bush (senior) administration and into the 1990s, where theories of penology are characterized by culture of control (BL). Control, in this context means: reinforcing more rigid guidelines for sentencing, more inflexible guidelin es towards rehabilitative treatments, and in general, a harsher, punitive mindset towards criminals. The changing economic climate has now introduced a move towards privatization. Privatization is a desire to outsource the management of prisons and criminals away from the state. Because the goals of private enterprise are profit-based, this suggests a shift to penology model with even less of a concern upon prisoners rights, rehabilitative treatments and any actions outside strict profit-based incarceration. Essay Four From colonial times to contemporary society, American penal history has undergone significant changes. Various penal innovations have been presented, some of which have had major impact on penology as a whole. Many of the thoughts and beliefs from Europes Age of Enlightenment carried onto the new-world, which helped birth the flourishing democratic ideals founded in the United States. The Enlightenment (18th century to 1789) was characterized by the belief in human reason and rationality. In regards to judicial reform, the goals of this era were to form a better world by using human reason to combat the negativities of ignorance, susperstition and tyranny that governed old monarchial practices. It also sought to target religious and hereditary aristocracy to create a more socially and economically equal society. The Enlightenment gave American penal policy and practices the push it needed to moderate punishment on the basis of rationality and efficiency. As a result most notably criminals were viewed as rational beings; punishment was to be efficient and logical, discipline changed from being public to conceal all factors which led to the early emergency of the prison and growing incarcer ation. The presence of enlightenment ideas in America influenced sociologists of the early 20th century such as Max Weber and Norbert Elias. Both sociologists studied the science of punishment by observing penal and other worldly changes from 19th century onwards leading towards rationality. Elias in particular held the notion that Western societies have become more civilized. This notion followed the trends of punishment, which he believed were reflected in the changing sensibilities in the civilizing evolution of Western culture. Despite there being a tension between moral imperative and bureaucratic management of the more highly privatized modern world, discipline was starting to be rationalized in a scientific, logical manner for means of justifying penal practices. Such social and moral reforms influenced the rise of one of the most prominent penal innovations the American penitentiaries of the 1800s. During such times crime was seen as a moral and social pathology. In the 1820s, two variants, the Pennsylvania System and the Auburn System competed for the role of best in the handling of the incarcerated population in America. The silent method of the Pennsylvania System required absolute silence, complete lock down in a solitary environment and produced mental problems at a rapid rate. It was espoused by the religious zeals such as the Quakers who felt that prisoners would be rehabilitated by that system. The belief was that silence and isolation helped criminals reflect on their crime alone. The Auburn System was seen as more cost effective because it required labor which offset the cost of prison housing. Auburn introduced uniforms, the lockstep and harsh punishment for minor infractions. The idea in the Auburn system was that silence, working together and discipline could yield reform in criminals. These two great penitentiaries were based on the ideas enveloped within each giv en region in America. In the North, rehabilitative ideals aimed to change/transform individuals, while the South adopted a convict lease system built on the slavery model that influenced penal reform to exploit labor to satisfy economic and political means. In truth, neither penitentiary created a model prisoner or one that entirely rehabilitated. The debate continues today between those that argue in long sentences and those that want reform. The importance in such an innovation was that it reflected the beliefs and ideals of democratization and moral reform of the 19th century. It exemplified the prisoner as a rational being that could and must be studied to explain criminality, diagnose and treat and then correct the criminal through rehabilitation. The second penal innovation grew out of former rehabilitative penal practices into the Progressive American Era (1880s-1930s) that theorized crime through biological, psychological and sociological factors for better understanding. These beliefs introduced positivist criminology, which asserted faith in the scientific study of criminals and crime through classification. In relation to penal ideology, it created reformatories, indeterminate sentencing, parole and probation. Punishment was less punitive and searched for the causes, treatment and corrections of criminals, especially juveniles. This movement led to the Juvenile Court Reform Movement. The Juvenile Court Movement lasted for nearly sixty years, beginning in 1900. Juveniles were seen as lost children who required guidance and whose crimes were subject to indeterminate sentencing to show leniency on the behalf of courts in hopes that treatment could help transform the characters of such offenders. This movement revolved around the rehabilitative ideal centralized in society as this time that claimed human behavior was a product of antecedent causes which could be identified, classified in accordance to specific scientific treatment, which could then be treated therapeutically. The importance behind the juvenile court movement is that it launched the specialization of penal practices. For example, the term prison guard expired and advanced to corrections officer. The term corrections emerged as professionalization and bureaucratization was introduced (as seen in Weber). Next, the treatment of offenders was individualized and penal services were broadened to accompany f or the various causes of criminal behavior, and was more accessible than ever before. Prison specialization led to the classification and division of these institutions into minimum, medium and maximum facilities governed by corrections officers with the aid of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, vocational counselors, etc. Although the innovations of the juvenile reform movement and the progressive era were promising, by the late-20th century, America was headed towards decentralization. Criminologists and penologists created labeling theories that took focus away from the offender and onto the criminal justice system as an entity. Net-widening occurred in penal reforms that formed programs that identified people who were considered at high-risk to commit crimes. There began an academic focus on social control that influenced the contemporary penal model characterized by Get Tough punishment. Policy makers have implemented multiple-strategies approach to combat crime including: retribution, incapacitation (search for habitual offender), deterrence (escalation of penalties), restoration and rehabilitation (214). Present-day America has evolved to become a culture of control and greed (211, BL). Truth-in-Sentencing standards and Three-Strikes Laws were some of the few penal methods introduced in the 1980s to curb crime rates and put habitual offenders away for longer periods of time. Truth-in-sentencing refers to policies and legislation that aim to abolish or curb parole, so that convicts serve the period that they have been sentenced to. Three-Strikes law statutes enacted by state governments in the UHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_StatesS require the state courts to hand down a mandatory and extended period of incarceration to persons who have been convicted of a serious criminal offense on three or more separate occasions. Restorative justice has also been implemented recently that puts criminals up against the state, holding the criminal accountable through highly retributive means. These various methods comb

Comparing Ideology in Emersons Self Reliance and Catcher in the Rye Es

Non-conformist Ideology in Emerson's Self Reliance and Catcher in the Rye      Ã‚   Human beings all around the world are different in many ways. They all have their unique and physical characteristics, as well as different personalities. They each also have different ideas and thoughts on different topics. America is made up of a great amount of diverse people with diverse, even conflicting opinions and ideas. Diversity is a major component of the foundation of our country. The clichà © of American as a salad bowl is extremely true. Every person is different and every person in his or her own way makes up a small part of America. Without the diversity of ideas and beliefs of Americans, the nation would not be nearly as successful as we are. A major similarity between Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self Reliance and J.D Salinger's Catcher in the Rye is a non-conformist ideology that both exhibit, and the idea that one should choose their own individuality above confomity.    Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye portrays Holden as a character who views conformity as evil. Conformist is a word associated with people who dismiss their own ideas and opinions and act the way most others do. In doing so, they believe others will respect them more because they are more like the majority of the population, Holden saw all those who tried to conform to society as `phonies'. He stated, "At the end of the first act, we went out with all the other jerks for a cigarette. What a deal that was. You never saw so many phonies in all your life, everybody smoking their ears off and talking about the play so that everybody could hear how sharp they were." (Salinger 126) Almost everyone in the novel acted as phonies according to Holde... ...his own mind. No one should be afraid of what society believes they are or what they believe in. One should decide what is good for him/her, not act according to what humanity as a whole believes is good for him/her.    The roles of diversity and uniqueness are a crucial part of society today. Without these qualities being enforced into the American character, people won't produce thoughtful ideas that could help shape America. Both authors illustrate the evil effect of conformity in society and support how one should be self reliant, not phony, and confident in their own beliefs and ideas.    Works Cited       Emerson, Ralph. "Self-Reliance." The American Tradition in Literature. Eighth Edition. Ed. George Perkins. New York. McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1994.    Salinger, J.D.   The Catcher in the Rye.   Boston: Little, Brown, 1991.   

e e cummings :: Biographies Poet Poetry Biography Essays

e e cummings   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  e e cummings (no, this is not a typographical error, take note to the way he writes his name) was an unusual, yet highly acclaimed writer of the 20th century. His style of writing was much different than that of any other contemporary or even 18th and 19th century writers. Although difficult to understand at times, e e cummings is a very profound and inventive writer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  e e cummings was born Edward Estlin Cummings on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge Massachusetts. His parents were Edward and Rebecca Haswell Clarke Cummings. In 1911, at the age of 17, cummings entered Harvard University. It was there at Harvard where he first published his poetry in 1912 in Harvard Monthly. Then, in 1915, cummings graduated Harvard as Magna cum Laude with a B.A. It was at his graduation where he gave his commencement speech, "The New Art." In 1916, cummings received an M.A. for English and Classical Studies at Harvard. After completing his college education, he volunteered to be an ambulance driver with Norton Harjes Ambulance Corps (The American Red Cross) in France in 1917, during World War I. It was while he was overseas when he was imprisoned falsely for three months in a camp on suspicion of French disloyalty. Although this was an unpleasant time in his life, it was there in the camp that changed his life. He was already an excellent writer, but this experience added fuel to his ability. He was released from prison on January 1, 1918. Cummings then returned to New York City, but was drafted by the United States Army in 1918 until Armistice. On December 20, 1919, e e cummings and his girlfriend, Elaine Orr Thayer, welcomed their daughter, Nancy, into the world. Later, on March 19, 1924 cummings married long-time girlfriend Elaine Orr, but they are divorce just a short while later on December 4, 1924. In 1920, after his time in the war and the birth of his daughter, cummings decided to move to Paris, France to study art, but he frequently returned home for visits to the United States. He remained living there only until 1923, when he returned to the US and had his aforementioned wedding and divorce later the next year. While in the US, cummings resided at 4 Patchin Place, Greenwich Village in New York City. In 1925, tragedy struck cummings' life when his father died.

Allen Sapp :: essays research papers fc

Allen Sapp is a famous Indian artist. He was born in 1928 on the Red Pheasant Reserve near Battleford, Saskatchewan. He was raised and cared for by his grandmother, Maggie Soonias because his mother died of tuberculosis. He was a sickly child who was often picked on by other children. He took great pleasure in painting and drawing, beginning at age eight. Sapp married and in 1960 his son David was born in a tuberculosis sanitorium where his wife was sick. In 1961 she got out and they moved to Battleford. Allen tried to live off his art and tried to paint waht he thought the white man would like, often calendar art of places and animals he’d never actually seen. He dressed as he thought the white man would accept, and he knew little English. One morning in 1966 Sapp walking into the North Battleford Medical Clinic to sell his paintings. Here he met Dr. Allan Gonor, who liked his work. On his second visit Dr. Gonor saw a painting of Cheif Sam Swimmer and liked it. He bought it and asked for more. Allen began painting what he knew from the reserve. He turned out many paintings at a tremendous rate. Dr. Gonor arranged for him to see an art professor from the U of S. The little instruction he got form her was the only formal instruction he has ever had. In September 1968 she showed some of Allen’s paintings in her backyard. The show was a great success. On the Easter weekend of 1969 Allen had his first major exhibition. The people loved him. He became a great success. The value of his paintings went way up in the next little while as his popularity streadily increased and he did shows all over Canada and in the US and England. He once again became proud of his Indian heritage and began to dress the part. By 1974 h e even had a book written about him. In 1977 Sapp’s son, David, died. In 1985 Dr. Gonor died while visiting Thailand In December 1985 Sapp was elected to the Royal Canadian Acadamy of Arts (R.C.A.A.). He also became one of the first eight receipants of the Saskatchewan Award of Merit. In 1986 he was recognized as one of the Senior Native Artists in Canada. In January 1987 the Governor General of Canada appointed Sapp as an Officer to the Order of Canada.

Literary Review: Philippine Fashion Essay

Introduction: For this research paper, I decided to dig deeper into my Filipino heritage. The history of the Philippines has been an up and down roller coaster. From being colonized by the Spanish for 300 years in 1565, to being captured by the British in 1762, to being in Japanese hands, to being under the power of the United States, the Philippines eventually established their independence on July 4, 1946. Considering the Philippines is somewhat â€Å"new†, their government system hasn’t had nearly enough time to advance and develop like other countries in the world. One third of the Filipino population lives below the poverty line. This lack of independence has had a huge effect on the Filipino economy. Their economy is based solely on their agriculture. The Philippines has a very tropical climate with a long rainy season, and an incredibly mountainous landscape. Important crops include rice, corn, coconut, sugarcane, abaca, and tobacco. The Philippines also have an endless list of tropical and tasty fruits. Although the Philippine islands have been through a more than complicated time, the people inhabiting the land have stayed strong and taken advantage of their land’s newly gained independence . After gathering this general information, that was when I developed my thesis: How has the unstable history of the Philippines affected their overall fashion and textile industry? I chose this topic because not only does it give me a chance to expand my knowledge in textiles and fashion, but it also allows me to further educate myself in my own personal ethnic background. Methodology: When I first began my research process, it wasn’t very difficult to get started considering the abundance of resources FIDM provides us with. My first step to developing a stable basis of sources was to sit at the  computer in the FIDM library and gather as much material as possible using the help they give us such as EBSCO, the Berg Fashion Library, Culture Grams, and of course books from the shelves themselves. The first source I found that initially helped me develop my thesis was an article I found using the Berg Fashion Library entitled â€Å"‘Ukay-Ukay’ Chic: Tales of Second Hand Clothing Fashion and Trade in the Philippine Cordillera†. This was the source that helped me make the decision to center my paper around Filipino fashion. Not only was this source credible due to the process I used to find it, but it was also extremely beneficial. Once I knew exactly what I would be writing about, I knew that I needed to dig deeper into the history of the Philippines. I initially started by using Culture Grams, which helped me gather some information, but I needed more. That was when I came across the article â€Å"Nation Building and the Crafting of a Usable Past in the Philippines† using the EBSCOhost database. This source really came in handy because it gave me an incredibly detailed and dramatic breakdown of everything the Philippines went through, and how being tossed around by other countries for hundreds of years has had an effect on the land today. Next, I wanted to learn more about the people of the Philippine’s, and their lifestyle and values. I had no luck finding this using the library sources, so that was when I switched to google. I found a website called contriesquest.com. After browsing the information the site gave me, and relating a lot of it to information I had seen before, I decided that it was a credible source to use. The section I used was called â€Å"Population, Way of Life†. This brief article really helped me understand how a regular Filipino person lives. It covered everything from the food they eat the the sports they play. The next source I found was more specifically about the history of filipino fashion. I found the article using the Berg Fashion Library. The was when I came across the amazing article â€Å"Snapshot: Revival of Pià ±a Cloth and Dress: Southern Luzon and Central Philippines†. This was one of my favorite articles because I learned about an amazing way that the people of the Philippines used their natural resources to create a beautiful fashion trend. For my last source, I decided to use the most credible source of all,  a book. The book I chose is entitled the Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. I flipped to the section entitled Asia, Southeastern Islands and the Pacific: History of Dress. I used this source to get a breakdown of the development of filipino fashion throughout the years. 1. Milgram, B Lynne, â€Å"‘Ukay-Ukay’ Chic: Tales of Second Hand Clothing Fashion and Trade in the Philippine Cordillera.† Summary: This article focuses on the new and upcoming bargain shopping trend in the Philippines called â€Å"Ukay-Ukay†, which when translated means secondhand clothing. The Philippine’s have been receiving exports of used goods and clothing from America, and Europe since the 1990’s. Milgram, the author of this article, talks about how the people of the Philippine’s have brilliantly taken these exported used goods and repurposed them to their own advantage. The article also discusses how this new shopping trend has benefitted the sales women of the Philippines, and has helped modernize their way of consumerism and trade. The article then expands on Ifugao, an area in the Grand Cordillera mountains, the area in which the people of the Philippines decided to set up their â€Å"Ukay-Ukay† system. The author tells us that this setting was chosen due to its economic activity. Considering that agriculture is the main component of the filipino economy, Ifugao is unable to produce many crops due to its climate and landscape. Instead, the people inhabiting this area focus on producing other sorts of goods such as crafts for the tourist market, operating dry goods stores, and now engaging in the sale of second hand clothing. The next section of this article focuses on the process in which the exported clothing is distributed from the hands of clothing brokers, regional suppliers, to the citizens of the Philippines. The last part of the article talks about the people who make a living off of the sales of second hand clothing, and how the market is slowly beginning to get more and more competitive. Critical Evaluation: This article is an incredible source of information for my essay. The author of the article convinced me that she was very educated in the topic by using personal examples, facts and statistics, pictures,  quotations, and citations throughout the article of other sources she collected material from as well. Another thing that really made this article easy to break down was that the author put a notes list at the bottom of the document. This contained a list of words and terms that were mentioned throughout the article that a person that wasn’t well aware with filipino slang could find the english translations. The sole purpose of this article was to break  down and educate the reader on an amazing and rapidly growing fashion trend in the Philippines and the world behind it. 2. Hazard, Elizabeth. â€Å"Nation Building and the Crafting of a Usable Past in the Philippines†. Summary: This article provides me with a detailed breakdown of the history timeline of the Philippines. This paper examines the uses of history in the Philippines over the past century as it was enlisted to serve varying social and political agendas. In the first part of this article, the author discusses the long awaited time when the Philippine’s finally gained their independence. Hazard elaborates on the celebratory ceremonies that took place, and the development of the Centennial Commission. The centennial commission is a group of elected filipino people with one mission-to revive the love of the country, and true appreciation for the filipino identity. The article then continues on to discuss the background of its current weak economic state. The author makes sure that we know that the Philippines took a very hard beating throughout the years. The author then goes on to breakdown the confusing history of the Philippines before they gained their independence. She covers the 300 years they were under the rule of Spain, the Japanese occupation in 1943, and when the Americans granted autonomy in 1946. The second purpose of this article was to focus on how the history of the Philippine’s is being displayed today. The author focuses on the textbooks that students in the Philippine’s are given, and states that the authors of these textbooks are excluding important details. This article is a good source of information that discusses the brutalities that the  Philippines went through, and their eventually gained independence. Critical Evaluation: I believe that this is a very reliable and educational source to use for informational purposes for this essay. Although I am focusing my essay on fashion, the history behind the Philippines is equally as important. Considering how intense their history is, and the state that their never ending battle left them in, it is safe to say that this has had a direct effect on their fashion industry. This was a very credible source. Not only did I find it using one of the search engines that the school provides us with, but it was actually a conference paper written for the University of Maine. The author wrote this essay to persuade the listeners and readers to have hope that the Philippine’s can be restored and modernized. The author provides us with lots of statistics and factual information. She also gives us direct quotes from people that she talked to personally, and for those reasons, I decided that this article would help improve my essay. 3. â€Å"Population, Way of Life†. Summary: This website was full of small paragraphs about every single aspect of the Philippines. I decided that I wanted to gather more information on the daily life of a Filipino person, so I chose this section to use for my paper. This section gives us a straightforward description of their society. The author starts off by mentioning Filipino’s emphasis on on family and building a strong community. Filipino’s are very big on traditions. They use the traditional concept of â€Å"utang na loob†, the concept in which voluntary acts of kindness towards others creates an obligation in which the receiver must reciprocate. The article goes on to discuss how the concept of â€Å"utang na loob† is what shapes almost all Filipino relationships. The article then continues to talk about important Filipino values such as respect for the elderly, loyalty, and trust. Paragraph two talks about the average Filipino living conditions. In tradition Philippine villages, houses are mainly constructed of bamboo or wood. Excluding rural areas, most houses are equipped with standard electricity and plumbing. In the more modern parts of  the Philippines, it is mentioned that there is a very obvious Western influence. The standard Philippine diet consists of fish, rice, veggies, fruits, and ground corn. They also have a drink called tuba, which is a fermented coconut wine. The next part of the article talks about how most people in the Philippines work as farmers and fishers. Middle class citizens in more urban cities usually work as teachers and small business owners. The last part of the article focuses on certain sports that Filipino people participate in such as arnis (similar to fencing) and (much like volleyball). Critical Evaluation: I was unsure about the credibility of this source at first, because I couldn’t find an author or any sort of publishing information to begin with. Then, after I clicked on the â€Å"Privacy† link in the bottom corner of the page, I learned that the website was published by Microsoft as a sort of search database for information on different parts of the world. Knowing that it was developed by such an elite corporation made it much more credible. This website provided me with well-defined information on the Philippine’s and made it very easy to understand. When I went to the homepage of the website, I learned that you could click on any region you want and it would give you a list of sections on that area that you could click on. For these reasons I felt like it was an appropriate source. I was also able to relate a lot of the information I found on this website to prior research I did with other sources. 4. Milgram, Lynn. â€Å" Snapshot: Revival of Pià ±a Cloth and Dress: Southern Luzon and Central Philippines† Summary: This article focuses on pià ±a, filipino cloth woven from the fibers of the leaves from a pineapple. It is believed that the pineapple, a very popular fruit found in the Philippines today, was brought over by Spanish settlers in the 16th century. Pià ±a cloth first started producing when the spanish realized that philippine artisans were already skilled at utilizing other local resources, such as the banana, and making into cloth. This was when pià ±a weaving began to spread. The main items of dress tailored from  pià ±a cloth include the baro (woman’s blouse), worn with a detachable paà ±uelo (shawl collar), the saya (skirt), the barong Tagalog (man’s shirt), and handkerchiefs. The next paragraph of this article discusses when pià ±a production reached its peak in the early 19th century when people started realizing that it had a similar appearance to luxury lace. People then began to realize that there were cheaper garments out there that looked similar to pià ±a, which was very expensive due to its complex weaving process. Pinà £ began to fade away and become a smaller business again. The next paragraph discusses the labor inducing process of extracting the pineapple fibers and weaving the pià ±a cloth. The next paragraph talks about the development of â€Å"pià ±a-seda†, the use of silk yarns in the weft instead of pià ±a in order to meet growing demand. Filipino’s also incorporated pià ±a cloth in religious garments. Critical Evaluation: I found this source using the Berg Fashion Library, so its credibility is easy to prove. Not only did the author use accurate historical information, but she also mentioned popular Philippine designers. This source educates the reader on such an interesting and beautiful  invention developed by the Philippines, and really shows you how resourceful they really are. This author also proved her credibility by citing her sources at the bottom of the page, and including pictures to give you a visual of what a pià ±a garment really looked like. I also noticed that the author Lynne B. Milgram is the author of numerous articles found using the Berg Fashion Library. The author makes this article fun, and educational at the same time by relating the art of pià ±a to the early ages of the Philippines. The article was published in the year 2010, but considering it is about a topic that was developed in the 16th century, I don’t believe that needs to be taken into much consideration. 5. Arthur, Linda. â€Å" Asia, Southeastern Islands and the Pacific: History of Dress† Summary: This article focuses on the evolution of fashion garments throughout the years. It starts by mentioning the earliest fashion staple, the bark cloth. The bark cloth was made from the bark of a mulberry tree,  and originated before Spanish settlement. As years continued, Philippine dress transformed due to multicultural influences from the portuguese, the dutch, the spanish and more. When the spanish settlers came, they were shocked by the philippine people’s lack of clothing, and helped them develop the modesty they have in their dress today. The article then continues to mention the names of certain garments worn by regular philippine people such as the baro’t saya, an ensemble of a loose, long-sleeved blouse over a wide skirt that fell to the floor. This article mainly focuses on the impact that westernization had on their clothing. The author mentions that the Spanish also taught filipina women embroidery, cutwork, and threadwork. The use of pià ±a cloth, hand loomed using the fibers of pineapple leaves and jusi cloth, machine made using the fibers of pineapple leaves, were also mentioned as the favorite choice of fabric throughout the 20th century. Critical Evaluation: I found this information in a book called The Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Considering all of my other sources were found using credible databases provided by the school, a book found on the library shelves has to be 100% credible, especially since it came from an encyclopedia. The encyclopedia covers almost everything in the fashion world from ancient egypt, to famous runway moments, to the technology behind design, to the worlds most  admirable designers today. Not only does the author of this section, Linda Arthur, provide us with the evolution of traditional dress in the Philippines, but she also mentions the other westernized areas such as the rest of asia, the southeastern islands, and the asian pacific islands. She covers as early as the beginning of the 16th century before the Spanish colonized the Philippines, all the way up to the 20th century and present day traditional dress. This source was a definite contributor to my research because the author provided me with fascinating facts and terms that have helped me further my understanding and knowledge of Filipino fashion. Although this encyclopedia was published in 2005, the time period the text covered was large enough to extract information from. Conclusion: Before I began breaking down the information I needed to gather to form my thesis, all I knew was that I wanted to relate this essay to my Filipina heritage in some way. Once I began my literature review research, I began to develop the desire to focus my paper more specifically on the Filipino fashion. When I had the main structure of what I wanted to write my essay on, I thought that I would just travel through the years and discuss the fashion evolution. As my research continued, and the FIDM databases provided me with more and more information, I realized that that the Philippines have been through so much throughout centuries, and have advanced and developed so much, that I had to focus on more than just the fashion itself. Before the Philippines gained their independence, they were under the rule of multiple different countries. From each and every one of those countries that the people had to abide to, the Philippines adopted small aspects of their cultures, and ways of life. How has the unstable history of the Philippines affected their overall fashion and textile industry? After writing this Literature review, and expanding my knowledge on the aspects behind this topic , I feel as if I am prepared to answer that question. Works Cited Arthur, Linda B. â€Å"Asia, Southeastern Islands and the Pacific: History of Dress.† Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2005. 93-97. Print Hazard, Elizabeth. â€Å"Nation Building And The Crafting Of A Usable Past In The Philippines.† International Studies Association. EBSCO, 2004. Web. 3 Aug. 2014. Milgram, B Lynne â€Å"Snapshot: Revival of Pià ±a Cloth and Dress: Southern Luzon and Central Philippines.† The Berg Fashion Library. The Berg Fashion Library, Sept 2010. Web. 3 Aug. 2014. Milgram, B Lynne, â€Å"‘Ukay-Ukay’ Chic: Tales of Second Hand Clothing Fashion and Trade in the Philippine Cordillera.† The Berg Fashion Library. The Berg Fashion Library, 2004. Web. 4 Aug. 2014. â€Å"Population, Way of Life.† Countries Quest. Microsoft Corporation, 2004. Web. 4 Aug. 2014

Social Policy stigma

Social Policy Theories and Concepts Essay What do you understand by ‘Stigma' and do you agree that social policies can stigmatize people? If so, what is the solution? In this essay I will discuss what my understanding of the word ‘Stigma' is, whether I agree or not if social policies stigmatize certain groups of people and if so, what are the solutions to these stigmas attached to these groups. â€Å"Stigma is a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart. When a person is labelled by their illness they are seen as part of a stereotyped group. Negative attitudes create prejudice which leads to negative actions and discrimination† (www. entalhealth. wa. gov. au). In modern society, stigmas are nearly almost of a negative kind. They have a negative effect on those being stigmatized and can cause experiences and feelings such as; shame, blame, hopelessness, and distress. â€Å"In every branch of the social services, some provisions are stigmatizing and others are not; but the reasons for the pattern of stigmatization are not immediately clear† (Spicker, Stigma and Social Welfare p. 36). Because stigma is socially onstructed, it varies from setting to setting, there are many different types of groups in society which all react differently to the stigmas which are appointed.All of these different reactions must be considered when planning social policies. In every different society not everyone is going to be content with policies that are made, some may stigmatize groups of people and the groups who have been victims of certain stigmas will also have feelings of discontent, hopelessness and distress. Erving Goffman, one of the most important sociologists of the twentieth century, efined stigma as â€Å"the process by which the reaction of others spoils normal identity'. (Nettleton, 2006: 95).Goffman believes that there are three types of social stigmas, including: 1 . Stigma of character traits 2. Physical Stigma 3. Stigma of group identity Goffman considers the stigma of character traits to be â€Å"blemishes of individual character perceived as weak will, domineering, or unnatural passions, treacherous and rigid beliefs, and dishonesty, these being inferred from a known record of, for example, mental disorder, imprisonment, addiction, alcoholism, homosexuality, nemployment, suicidal attempts, and radical political behavior. The physical stigmas he refers to are different bodily formalities. When Goffman refers to the ‘stigma of group identity he is referring to being of a particular race, nationality, religion etc. whether or not a person understands or agrees with stigmas, they are passed on from one generation to the next, thus there will always be certain stigmas associated with certain groups of people. Stigma nowadays, would be considered a central issue in relation to social welfare and social policy. When discussing stigma, it s important to mention the Poor Law. The stigma of the Poor Law is renowned. In the past and in many cases still today, people often Judged others who claimed money trom the state in the torm ot benetl ts and there was a policy that mar ed k these people off from others in society. This left us with the debate whether or not welfare should be provided, to whom it should be provided and what kind of welfare? This concept of the â€Å"undeserving† and â€Å"lazy' public who refused to work was thought to be ethically corruptible by people relying on the state and not seeking to improve their ndependent source of income or by any policy of substantial kindness. The last remnants of the Poor Law were scrapped in 1948. The stigma of pauperism, which had seemed to be the result of a conscious policy, has proved resilient to eradication. † (Spicker, Paul, Stigma and Social Welfare, 1984, p 9) over the past few years, people have begun to move away from the idea of the Poor Law and have begun to accept how social policies deal with groups of people who do not receive adequate independent income, although there will always be slight stigmas attached o these groups. It is hard to understand why this is so, when cautionary policies have been deserted, right to benefits established, and the administration of benefits has significantly changed.As Goffman has explained, stigmas can be carried in two different ways; stigmas can be discredited or discreditable. Discredited stigmas are those that a person cannot stop everyone else from knowing, for example stigmas that may be associated with a certain race or the use of a wheelchair whereas, discreditable is when a person believes that the general public do not know about heir stigma, due to the fact that it cannot be seen and is not distinctively obvious, for example, their sexual orientation or their religion. Kennedy, P (2013) Key Themes in Social Policy). I believe that social policies do and do not stigmatize certain groups of people. I think that the majority of the time the social policies that some may say attach stigmas to groups are Just highlighting the stigmas that already exist. I think that the Irish government have created a durable system so as to prevent negative stigmatization. Unemployment benefit in Ireland is very generous, for this reason eople often attach negative stigmas to those who receive it.Many believe that those who receive unemployment benefit have little motivation to find employment because they are so well funded, this also leads to many of them being stuck in the poverty trap. The government started an initiative to encourage unemployed people to seek work. This initiative is a government-funded agency known as ‘F†¦S'. The government creating this agency and many unemployed people using it to gain training for future employment should reduce the negative stigmas that are attached o those receiving unemployment benefit.Thus I consider that this initiative is a good solution to the stigmatization of unemployed people in I reland. People may often feel stigmatized if the way in which they act is different to what are known as ‘norms'. This is definitely not fair or Just but it will always exist within society. For example, although our society is changing and gay people are becoming more and more accepted in society, there are most definitely those who see them as different and do not accept them. Whether this is right or not does not take away from the fact that it appens.As a result, gay people will feel stigmatized because of their sexual orientation. This can be because of social policy because it is not the way in which we are told to behave and is not seen as a ‘norm'. As regards to these sort of stigmas, they will always exist within society for the first number of years until it becomes a more regular and frequently occurring thing. Thus I believe that there are not any solutions to these torms ot stigmatizations . For the reasons that I nave discussed, I would agree that some soci al policies have caused stigmatism.

Research Paper “Eragon”

A CHARACTER SKETCH OF THE PROTAGONIST IN CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI’S ERAGON A Research Paper Presented to the High School Department Holy Angel University by Zwitsel P. SuarezCristle Yumul Alyssa Joy S. SomeraLorenz A. Zamora Pamela Joy P. Sotto Mark Louie S. Venzon Aira Joy Teopaco Ian Jasper Villena to Mrs, Anna Ruby S. Perez 1 March 2011 â€Å"Eragon† Controlling Purpose: To show the traits of the protagonist in Christopher Paolini’s â€Å"Eragon† through character analysis. 1. Introduction 1. 1. Background of the author 1. 2. Summary of the novel 1. 3. Definition of terms 1. 3. 1. Protagonist 1. 3. 2 Character analysis . 3. 3. Trait 1. 3. 4. Dragon Rider 1. 3. 5. Urgal 1. 3. 6. Varden 1. 3. 7. Ra’zac 1. 3. 8. Alagaesia 1. 3. 9. The Spine 2. Body 2. 1. Background of Eragon 2. 2. Traits of Eragon 2. 2. 1. Brave 2. 2. 2. Vigilant 2. 2. 3. Kind 2. 2. 4. Responsible 2. 2. 5. Determined 2. 2. 6. Persevere 3. Conclusion References Chapter 1 Introduction Erag on is chosen to be the focus of the study because he is the main character of the story. And the researchers will brainstorm and share some ideas how to present the character of Eragon creatively. The story talks about dragons and dragon riders who live in a magical kingdom. People live peacefully there until one day, a young dragon rider betrays his race. His name is Galbatorix. He kills all dragons and riders because he wants to be the most powerful in the kingdom. Becoming successful, he rules the kingdom of Alagaesia. But there is this Elven lady, who is a princess, taking care of the last dragon egg, which is their last and only hope. She sends it to the Spine and there, a young farm boy sees it in the middle of the forest. This young poor boy named Eragon thinks it was a precious blue stone. He tries to sell it but no one gets it. Until one ay, he sees the egg cracking. He is amazed because he sees a cute little dragon coming after him. Without knowing, Eragon’s fate with the dragon is now starting. They are destined to beat Galbatorix’s reign and be the last dragon and rider. The adventures of Eragon will show his different traits, which are being highlighted in this study. Background of the author Christopher Paolini (born November 17, 1983 in Southern California) is an American novelist. He is best known as the author of the Inheritance Cycle, which consists of the books Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and a currently untitled fourth book. He lives in Paradise Valley, Montana, where he wrote his first book. Christopher Paolini was raised in the Paradise Valley, Montana area. His family members include his parents, Kenneth Paolini and Talita Hodgkinson, and his sister, Angela Paolini. Home schooled for the duration of his education, Paolini graduated from high school at the age of 15 through a set of accredited correspondence courses from American School of Correspondence in Lansing, Illinois. Following graduation, he started his work on what would become the novel Eragon, the first of a series set in the mythical land of Alagaesia. In 2002, Eragon was published by Paolini International LLC, Paolini's parents' company. To promote the book, Paolini toured over 135 schools and libraries, discussing reading and writing, all the while dressed in â€Å"a medieval costume of red shirt, billowy black pants, lace-up boots, and a jaunty black cap. † Paolini created the cover art for the first edition of Eragon, which featured Saphira's eye. He also drew the maps on the inside covers of his books. In summer 2002, the stepson of author Carl Hiaasen found Eragon in a bookstore and loved it, and Hiaasen brought it to the attention of his publisher, Alfred A. Knopf. Knopf subsequently made an offer to publish Eragon and the rest of the Inheritance cycle. The second edition of Eragon was published by Knopf in August 2003. At the age of nineteen, Paolini became a New York Times bestselling author. Eragon has since been adapted into a film of the same name. Eldest, the sequel to Eragon, was released August 23, 2005. The third book in the cycle, Brisingr, was released on September 20, 2008. Although the Inheritance Cycle was planned as a trilogy, the details for Brisingr had to be expanded to include a fourth book, that has yet to be titled(http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Christopher_Paolini). Christopher Paolinis’s abiding love of fantasy and science fiction inspired him to begin writing his debut novel, Eragon when he graduated from high school at fifteen after being home schooled all his life. He became a New York Times best selling author at nineteen. Christopher Paolini lives in Montana, where the dramatic landscape feeds his vision s of Alagaesia(www. Alagaesia. com). Summary of the novel The 15 year old resident of Carvahall, Eragon, starts the book by finding a strange blue stone while traversing The Spine, a mountainous area outside his home. The world in which this novel takes place is known as Alagaesia, under the control of Galbatorix, a fallen Dragon Rider, now evil. These dragon riders used to be the peace keepers of the world, but when his dragon died, Galbatorix went mad and killed his fellow riders. Eragon’s blue stone hatches eventually and from it emerges a dragon. Because of the rarity of the birth (dragons are supposed to be extinct), Eragon keeps his find secret and raises his dragon away from prying eyes, until two dark Ra’zac enter the town looking for the stone. The dragon, named Saphira, leaves the town with Eragon to hide in the forest. While Eragon is away, the Ra’zac kill Eragon’s Uncle Garrow and burn his house down. In response, Eragon declares himself a new Dragon Rider in the vain of those past, the peace keepers, before Galbatorix betrayed them. Eragon takes with him on his journeys Brom, a weaver of stories from his town with knowledge on everything Eragon needs to protect himself and defeat the Ra’zac. The three finally reach the town of Teirm where Brom learns that the Ra’zac are in Helgrind, the four-peaked mountain near the city of Dras-Leona. The three travel there and are lured into a trap set by the Ra’zac, failing to find the revenge that Eragon so desparately seeks. Rescued by Murtagh, an unknown stranger, Eragon and Saphira survive, but his mentor Bram is hurt and soon dies. He reveals before his death though that he was once a Dragon Rider, betrayed by Gaslbatorix like the others, his dragon murdered. After Galbatorix’s coup, Brom became a member of Varden, and sniped the unhatched egg that Eragon eventually found, Saphira’s blue stone. Along with Murtagh, Eragon and Saphira set out to find Varden to help them. Along their journey, Eragon begins to have odd dreams of a mysterious female elf in trouble. When Eragon is captured, he finally meets her, both of them imprisoned together. Murtagh and Saphira strike the prison though and manage to resuce both Eragon and the elf. During the rescue, the three encounter Shade, a horrible creature that should not be awake. The revalation of such a horrible creature loose upon the world causes the three to assume that Galbatorix is in league with darker forces yet. On the way to the Varden, Eragon must deal with an immense influx of foes and dangers, including an army of Urgals chasing them all the way there. The Vardens’ fortress, located in the depths of the Beor Mountains, is host to groups of dwarves, elves, and Varden, who are in league, having sent Saphira’s egg to The Spine where Eragon found it. Given a short rest, the three along with the Varden and their allies must prepare for the arrival of the Urgal as the approach the mountain. They learn for sure that Galbatorix is in league with the dark forces from a stolen messenge and soon they are in a battle with the Urgal. During the battle, the Urgals are close to defeating the Varden until Eragon defeats the Shade they encountered earlier. However, the battle with the Shade leaves him horribly disfigured and in pain. When the battle ends, closing the first chapter in the Inheritance trilogy, Eragon is preparing to go study with the elves(http://www. wikisummaries. org/Eragon). Definition of terms Protagonist- A protagonist (from the Greek protagonistes, â€Å"one who plays the first part, chief actor†) is the main character (the central or primary personal figure) of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to share the most empathy(http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Protagonist). Character Analysis- a systematic investigation of the personality of an individual with special attention to psychologic defenses and motivations, usually undertaken to improve behavior(http://medical-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/character+analysis). Trait- A distinguishing feature, as of a person's character(http://www. thef reedictionary. com/trait). Dragon Rider- A Dragon Rider is a person, Elf or Human, bonded by thought with a Dragon. A Dragon Rider is identified by the â€Å"shining palm,† the Gedwey Ignasia. In the Ancient Language â€Å"dragon rider† is Shur'tugal(http://www. shurtugal. com/wiki/index. hp5/Dragon_Rider). Urgal- Urgals were a race of sentient creatures that inhabited Alagaesia. Forced by Durza into the service of Galbatorix, they were considered evil by most humans, but were not inherently so. Though most were uneducated, they made up with brute force, exceptional fighting and commanding skills. They were used as expendable â€Å"shock troops† of Galbatorix's army. The Urgal language was a simple, guttural language. Only a few phrases were known to outsiders, and most of them were related to war and fighting. Also, they were one of the races capable of using magic(http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Urgal). Varden- The Varden were members of an alliance that opposed the rule of King Galbatorix and his Empire. They consisted mainly of men and dwarves, though there was a conjunction between the Varden and the elves, as well. The Varden also enlisted the aid of a group of magicians known as the Du Vrangr Gata (translated â€Å"The Wandering Path†). The Surdans are also known to aid the Varden in transporting supplies and shelter those who wish not to fight(http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Varden). Ra’zac- The Ra'zac (or Lethrblaka when full-grown) were one of the several ancient races that followed the humans across the sea to Alagaesia. They were a race that fed on humans and likely came from the same homelands. Ra'zacs' breath have the power to paralyze humans in a dream-like state, however, it barely clouds the minds of dwarves and is ineffective against elves altogether(http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Ra’zac). Alagaesia- Alagaesia is a large continent with variegated climate and terrain, home to a wide number of creatures such as humans, elves, dwarves, Urgals and dragons. Several of the races inhabiting Alagaesia, including humans, elves, and Urgals, were not native to the land, having migrated to Alagaesia in centuries past(http://inheritance. ikia. com/wiki/Alaga%C3%ABsia). The Spine- The Spine was a mountain range that ran down the west coast of Alagaesia. It had only one major pass, along the Toark River, which isolated the coast. Most people in the Empire feared the Spine and the danger it represented, especially since Galbatorix lost nearly half his army in it during his campaign against the Dra gon Riders. After this incident, hardly anyone dared to venture near to this dangerous mountain range(http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/The_Spine). Chapter 2 This part of the discussion highlights the different traits of Eragon. Background of Eragon Eragon is the main protagonist of the Inheritance Cycle, written by Christopher Paolini. Eragon is a male, the first in a new generation of Dragon Riders. He was trained by Brom an old story teller from his village and Oromis, and was chosen by Saphira, a blue dragon, to be her Rider. Traits of Eragon Brave Bravery is the condition or quality of being brave; courage(http://www. thefreedictionary. com/bravery). As a Spanish matador once said, â€Å"Bravery is believing in yourself, and that thing nobody can teach you. † (El Cordobes, 1936), being brave is having trust in yourself. It is the ability to confront fear, pain, risk/danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Eragon is a brave person. The deer he was hunting had led him deep into the Spine, a range of untamed mountains that extended up and down the land of Alagaesia. Strange tales and men often came from those mountains, usually boding ill. Despite that, Eragon did not fear the Spine—he was the only hunter near Carvahall who dared track game deep into its craggy recesses. Eragon’s bravery is also proven when he battled with his enemies like Shade, Urgals, and Ra’zac which aren’t easy to kill. Vigilant Vigilance the ability to maintain attention and alertness over prolonged periods of time(http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Vigilance). Being vigilant is being alert. One of Eragon’s trait is being vigilant. It is proven in the first chapter of the novel. When Eragon saw a polished blue stone and decided to pick it. But before he picked the stone, he watched for danger for several long minutes, but the only thing that moves was the mist. Cautiously, he released the tension from his bow and moved forward. Moonlight cast him in pale shadow as he stopped before the stone. He nudged it with an arrow, then jumped back. Nothing happened, so he warily picked it up. This only proves that Eragon is vigilant in his actions. He makes sure that nothing dangerous will happen to him if he picks up to blue stone he saw in the Spine. Kind Being kind is a way of living that keeps giving long after the kind thoughts, words, and actions have taken place. Kindness is a force without force, and it goes well beyond manners to the very heart of how people respect and treat one another. Kindness is the act or the state of being kind —ie. arked by goodness and charitable behavior, mild disposition, pleasantness, tenderness and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions(http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Kindness). Eragon is kind. It is proven in the 5th chapter of the story, when he spent a long time with the dragon. He untied it, set it on his shoulder, and went to explore the woods. The snow-laden trees watche d over them like solemn pillars of a great cathedral. In that isolation, Eragon showed the dragon what he knew about the forest, not caring if it understood his meaning. It was the simple act of sharing that mattered. Eragon kept the dragon, he fed her, took care of her, and treated her like in a nice way even if he doesn’t know anything about the dragon. Responsible Responsibility is a duty or an obligation to satisfactorily perform or complete a task (assigned by someone, or created by one's own promise or circumstances) that one must fulfill, and which has a consequent penalty for failure(http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/responsibility. html). Responsible—it is one of the words that best describes Eragon. As he accepted his fate onto being a dragon rider, he also accepted its responsibilities, to care for Saphira, to rescue Arya, to help the Varden, and to fight the Empire. All of these responsibilities as the dragon rider were fulfilled through his trait of being responsible. Determined â€Å"A determined soul will do more with a rusty monkey wrench than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools in a machine shop. †(Robert Hughes, 1978). Determinedness is devoting full strength and concentrated attention to(http://www. thefreedictionary. com/determinedness). Being determined is being strongly motivated to succeed. It is having a strong desire for success or achievement Eragon is determined to fulfill his mission as the dragon rider that will save Alagaesia from the evilness of King Galbatorix. And because of his determinedness, he works hard to learn about sparring, his enemies, the ancient language, and how to use his magic properly through his teacher, Brom in order for him to be successful in his mission of killing his enemies. Persevere â€Å"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.. †(Dale Carnegie, 1981). Perseverance is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc. , especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement(http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/perseverance). Perseverance falls under the larger category of courage because it often involves continuing along a path in the midst of and after having faced opposition and perhaps failure. Perseverance involves the ability to seek a goal in spite of obstacles. Eragon is a persevere dragon rider. Being persevere, he continues his journey to fulfill his mission even if there are many obstacles along his way. In the first part of the story, Eragon was attacked by the opponents which caused him to get a lot of wounds. There was also a time when Urgals under the command of the Shade, Durza captured Eragon and imprisoned him. In spite of facing these challenges/obstacles, Eragon still continues to stand and doing his best for his duties to be fulfilled. Chapter 3 Conclusion Through character analysis, the researchers have shown the traits of the main protagonist in Christopher Paolini’s â€Å"Eragon†. The traits of Eragon are proven through the use of different references. He is brave for having the courage to confront fear or danger. He is vigilant for maintaining attention and alertness over prolonged periods of time. He is kind for sharing the goodness in his heart and having concern to others. His sense of responsibility is shown through the tasks that were given to him because he fulfilled those tasks. He is determined for devoting his full strength and attention to his mission and for desiring success to it. And lastly, he possesses perseverance because he continues to go on to fulfill his tasks even if there are many obstacles along the way. Eragon is the protagonist or hero in the story. The researchers therefore conclude that he possesses good traits as the main character. References Paolini, C. (2002). Eragon. New York: Alfred A. Knopf publishing house. â€Å"Christopher Paolini† Retrieved February 10, 2011, From http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Christopher_Paolini. â€Å"About the Author† Retrieved February 10, 2011, From www. Alagaesia. com. â€Å"Eragon Summary† Retrieved February 10, 2011, From http://www. wikisummaries. org/Eragon. â€Å"Protagonist† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Protagonist. â€Å"Character Analysis† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://medical-dictionary. hefreedictionary. com/character+analysis. â€Å"Trait† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://www. thefreedictionary. com/trait. â€Å"Dragon Rider† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://www. shurtugal. com/wiki/index. php5/Dragon_Rider. â€Å"Urgal† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://inh eritance. wikia. com/wiki/Urgal. â€Å"Varden† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Varden. â€Å"Ra’zac† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Ra’zac. â€Å"Alagaesia† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Alaga%C3%ABsia.