A Discussion of The Wound-Dresser and Leaves of Grass Essay -- Wound-

A Discussion of The Wound-Dresser  and  Ã‚  Leaves of Grass During the late romantic period, two of history’s most profound poets, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, emerged providing a foundation for, and a transition into Modern poetry.   In its original form, their poems lacked the characteristics commonly attributed to most romantic poets of the mid to late nineteenth century who tended to utilize â€Å"highly stylized verses, having formal structures, figurative language and adorned with symbols† (worksheet).   Unique and â€Å"eccentric use of punctuation† as well as â€Å"irregular use of meter and rhyme† were the steppingstones for this new and innovative style of writing (worksheet).   Even though these two writers rejected the traditional approach, both remained firmly dedicated to their romantic idealism of the glass of water being â€Å"half full† opposed to â€Å"half empty.† Noted for his frequent practice of catalogs and parallelism, Whitman stirred up much controversy with his fir st edition of â€Å"leaves of Grass† in 1855.   Many critics responded negatively to the ...

Education and Typical Public School

Another problem pestering the quality of Philippine education is the quality and proficiency of the teachers. According to a recent article (Gerochi, 2002), Filipino teachers lack proficiency in English, Science and Mathematics. Many said that these areas should have been trained comprehensively since as teachers, they should be able to teach the students with a more quality for future growth. But with what I see, the teachers have problems of their own. One example, and the most obvious, is the low salary and terrible working condition. Many public school teachers opt to have â€Å"sidelines† during class that sometimes the teacher simply forgets to teach. But who can blame them if their salaries of around 8000-10,000 pesos, plus deductible, who can a teacher provide for his/her family? And with the rising cost of living, these figures are not enough. Others cannot teach well in class because of the ratio of students to a teacher. In a typical public school, in every one teacher there are 50-60 students in a class! The school facilities can also be a factor of the problem. The Philippines, both in private and public, lacks sophisticated laboratories and facilities to cater the needs of the students. For example, many public schools are still lacking the basic computer laboratories and it is so ironic that computer nowadays, computer education is crucial for future Computer Studies student. Without proper training in computer, how can a student be competitive and computer literate? Jose Rizal reminds us how modern and latest technologies are important in a student’s development in his novel El Filibusterismo. Like in the novel, the laboratory equipment are stored shut in a cabinet and never to be used in class because of the insufficient number of equipment. And when it is shown in class, it is presented like a monstrance of a priest! And prophetic as it seems, Rizal’s time is happening all over again in our contemporary times. Lastly, a common problem of our Philippine education is the rising cost of sending a child to school. Private schools charges skyrocketing tuition and miscellaneous fees to a student that parents are having a hard time to cope with the rising cost of education. Even sending a child in a public school doesn’t fare better since even the poorest of the poor cannot afford to send a child in school. I remember vividly a story of a public school teacher with a pupil of him. He said that this student was so poor that teachers pay for everything so she can go to school. The teachers don’t mind this sacrifice because the student is so bright and intelligent. She never went to college after high school since she cannot really afford it anymore. What saddened the teachers is that this student passed UP but with no scholarship. Right now, many see education not as necessity but a luxury they cannot afford (Reyes, 2002). The state of Philippine education is indeed sad and disheartening. We probably are all asking who’s to blame for all this mess. But we cannot simply point finger since we all have responsibilities to solve these problem. The government tries its best to give the country and it seemed not enough. But we should not blame the government entirely since it is just not the government’s problems. It is the problem of each and every one of us. If we want the highest quality of education in the country, we should work together to solve this problem. As a teacher, these problems will be a big cross to bear. But if I can help solve this problem in my own little way, the cross can be lighter and easier to bear. This is the bitter cup of a teacher to bear. But we must remember that the teacher and every one of us will determine the course of our country’s development through education. Even Rizal said that for a country to progress, education is the key to that success. Solving the problems of Philippine education is a long way to go but if we work for the better, we can attain that quality education we all hope for the best.

Cold War Literature – The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Waiting for Godot, and Red Alert

The period of Cold War literature dating from the second half of the twentieth century is distinctly seen as a time of enduring relevance; marked with a deep moral questioning of morality and the institution, a heightened sense of paranoia, as well as with a firm shattering of religious persuasion. Significant texts arise from particular ways of thinking to reflect both a societal loss of innocence and social naivety, presenting a widely pessimistic picture of a civilisation awaiting imminent annihilation. A strong reaction to the context of After the Bomb, which created a sense of fragmentation and social alienation, the Cold War texts of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John Le Carre, Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, and Peter Georges’ Red Alert all arise from particular ways of thinking evident in the philosophical, religious, economic and technological paradigms of the period and thus they possess an enduring relevance.Could Cold War Have Been Avoided? The questions surrounding both the reasoning and necessity of the dropping of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki arguably surround the most significant moral debate of the twentieth century and it is in this context, that George’s Red Alert and The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by Le Carre, explore the philosophical reasonings of morality. The Spy who came in From the Cold raises such concerns as it shatters illusions of the previously perceived ‘noble cause'. This is evidenced as Control briefs Leamus when he rationalises that â€Å"the ethic of our work†¦ we do disagreeable things†¦ we are defensive†. This not only causes the reader to question the â€Å"ethic† of intelligence operations but also to compare the actions of both the East and the West throughout the novel. Additionally the emphasis of the italicised â€Å"defensive† highlights the belief that such operations cause concern, as the manipulation and deception of others by the Circus causes the readers to weigh up the â€Å"ethics†. This is highlighted especially as it becomes apparent that the British are instigating the protection of a former Nazi, another scenario raising concerns of morality. Control then says that â€Å"intelligence work has one moral law – it is justified by results†. Control, as suggested by his title, hold considerable power which The use of â€Å"law† suggests a concrete framework of standards and expectations, which is not only unrealistic within an intelligence setting, but also a complete untruth, Control having just said that they are â€Å"defensive†. Additionally the issue of amorality surfaces within the conversation between Control and Leamus as the reader questions whether the â€Å"results† justify the means. Likewise, when Fielder interrogates Leamus there is a discussion about philosophical and ideological beliefs of British and East German intelligence agents. Fielder believes in that â€Å"the whole is more important than the individual†. This statement, explicit and direct, emphasises options of morality for both. Similarly, perhaps as a justification, it is also said that â€Å"it is expedient that one man should die for the benefit of many†. Apart from a criticising intelligence work, Le Carre also questions both the direction and morality/amorality of humanity itself. Through the use of â€Å"benefit†, the reader is forced to ask if any death is a â€Å"benefit† to society, allowing contextual components to come into play. Similarly, George’s Red Alert as a text is characterised by intensified questioning of humanity and human values. The sustained metaphor likening General Quinten to the mongoose who kills the snake from Rudyard Kipling’s Rikki Tikki Tavi spans most of the novel. The juxtaposition of Rikki Tikki Tavi with General Quinten highlights the debate surrounding â€Å"aggression for self-defence†, which juxtaposes both scenarios in irony. Another philosophical facet of Red Alert is the validity and morality of the institution. This is a particularly potent issue shown through the rare satirical undercurrent of the Pentagon War Room. Satire is used by George throughout the meetings of â€Å"big bomb diplomacy† as leaders from East and West throw around moral questions of whether there is a difference in killing â€Å"thirty millions or sixty millions†. This, in addition to the granting of permission to destroy an un-evacuated Atlantic city so that â€Å"few would have to suffer for the sake of many† highlights contempt for political institutions making decisions for the world, who through the use of alliteration are â€Å"powerless to prevent†. This also relates to Fiedler’s belief in that it is â€Å"expedient that one man should die for the benefit of many†. Thus through the questioning of morality in Cold War society, both Le Carre and George, present texts which both depict highly differing perspectives of their surrounding world and which are, to a large extent shaped by the particular ways of thinking present at the time. Thus both texts possess an enduring relevance through the challenging of ideas such as morality and the presence of seeming amorality. The Cold War era was one of permeating anxiety, vulnerability and fear especially pertaining to the fatal flaws of science, as well as to those attributed to the human condition as conveyed in Peter George’s Red Alert and Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Winston Churchill’s 1946 Sinews of Peace alleged that â€Å"with cooperation†¦in science†¦there will be an overwhelming sense of security†[1]. Red Alert is a text, seemingly devoted to the disproving of this affirmation. The novel invalidates the â€Å"safety† of the machine, particularly through the ironic repetition of the acronym for Mutually Assured Destruction, MAD. Similarly, the religious imagery of explosives â€Å"crossed and recrossed in a lethal pattern† is both symbolic of the danger and fatality of nuclear technology, and foreboding of the â€Å"self-immolation [of] their destined end† – a reference to the perceived martyrdom of the appropriately named Alabama Angel bombers. In 1961, John F Kennedy stated â€Å"the world is living under a nuclear sword of Damocles which can be cut by accident, miscalculation, or madness. †[2] It seems the fatal flaw of technology, as conveyed in Red Alert, is human nature. This is particularly evident as â€Å"no system yet devised is proof against any and all human failings†¦the human element has failed us† which again plays on the threat of technology as well as alludes to the existing atmosphere of paranoia prevalent throughout both the novel, and the Cold War period. Similarly, in Waiting for Godot â€Å"Beckett is concerned with†¦demythification, with exposing myths such as†¦science†[3]. Through absurdism, Beckett conveys the â€Å"dark summation† of the human condition with compassion and humour. The seeming nothingness of the existence and experience of all characters in the play can be distressing for the audience, who are presented with a disillusioned, harsh depiction of their world. This is somewhat symbolic of the realities of the human condition in relation to despair, fear and loneliness in an alien and hostile universe. Additionally, the relentless cycle experienced as Vladimir says â€Å"we’ll be back tomorrow†¦ then the day after†¦and so on† creates both pity but also fear for the audience especiallyu as Estragon asks â€Å"why don’t you help me? , thus appealing to Vladimir but also the audience who are both powerless to offer help and protection. It is thus evidenced in both Waiting for Godot and Red Alert, that the fear and paranoia depicted in both texts is to a large extent a reflection of the ways of thinking of the time. The impact of the political context of the Cold War in clearly evident in Le Carre’s The Spy Who Cam e in from the Cold, however, in Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot, although still existent, the political influence and ways of thinking is somewhat more subtle. The Cold War era is often characterised by deceit, manipulation and betrayal, thus challenging values of honour and loyalty as society learnt of defections and double agents. The idea of manipulation, perhaps an illusion to political manipulation, is conveyed strongly in The Spy who came in from the Cold particularly through the use of repeating images of children, which appear throughout the text as symbols of innocence, easily swayed by others. The manipulation of Liz in the courtroom â€Å"like a blind child† conveys the potential control over interpretation through the suppression of context. The simile not only likens Liz to the ideas of innocence and naivety but also raises the question of whether there can be truth without context. Similarly, the novel sustains repetition of an image haunting Leamus; that of a â€Å"small car smashed between great lorries and the children waving cheerfully through the window†. The obvious conclusion drawn by readers is of the lorries as a metaphor for the ideological conflict between East and West, communism and democracy. The small car on the other hand has numerous connotations potentially being Leamus, society in general as a helpless unit, or even the opposing nations caught in between the ideological forces. The â€Å"children waving cheerfully† presents an image of innocence, and lack of awareness, a stark contrast to the looming lorries. Thus, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold reflects, to a very large extent the political atmosphere of the Cold War, and thus possesses enduring relevance as a depiction of reality for many throughout the era. Thus, the particular ways of thinking present throughout the Cold War period largely influenced the composition of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Waiting for Godot, and Red Alert. The permeating philosophical, scientific, political and religious paradigms give all three texts an enduring relevance in the modern, twenty-first century context.

Drought Causes, Stages, and Problems

Drought Causes, Stages, and Problems Every year as summer approaches, areas around the world grow concerned about seasonal drought. Throughout the winter, many places monitor precipitation and the snowpack to prepare for what the warmer, drier months may bring. In addition, there are areas where drought is a regular year to year occurrence that lasts longer than just the summer. From hot deserts to the freezing poles, drought is something that affects plants, animals, and people worldwide. What Is a Drought? Drought is defined as a period in which a region has a deficit in its water supply. Drought is a normal feature of climate which happens in all climate zones from time to time. Usually, drought is talked about in one of two perspectives- meteorological and hydrological. A drought in terms of meteorology takes into account deficiencies in measured precipitation. Each years measurements are then compared to what is determined as a normal amount of precipitation and drought is determined from there. For hydrologists, droughts are monitored by checking stream flow and lake, reservoir, and aquifer water levels. Precipitation is also considered here as it contributes to the water levels. In addition, there are agricultural droughts that can impact crop production and cause changes to the natural distribution of various species. The farms themselves can also cause droughts to happen as the soil is depleted and therefore cannot absorb as much water, but they can be impacted by natural droughts as well. Causes Because drought is defined as a deficit in water supply, it can be caused by a number of factors. The most important one though relates to the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere as this is what creates precipitation. More rain, sleet, hail, and snow can occur where there are moist, low-pressure air systems. If there is an above average presence of dry, high-pressure air systems instead, less moisture is available to produce precipitation (because these systems cannot hold as much water vapor). This results in a deficit of water for the areas over which they move. The same can also happen when winds shift air masses and warm, dry, continental air moves over an area as opposed to cooler, moist, oceanic air masses. El Nino, which affects the oceans water temperature, also has an impact on precipitation levels because, in years when the temperature cycle is present, it can shift the air masses above the ocean, often making wet places dry (drought prone) and dry places wet. Finally, deforestation for agriculture and/or building combined with the resultant erosion can also cause drought to begin because as the soil is moved away from an area it is less able to absorb moisture when it falls. Stages of Drought Since many areas, regardless of their climatic region, are prone to drought, different definitions of the stages of drought have developed. They are all somewhat similar, however, usually ranging from a drought warning or watch, which is the least severe. This stage is declared when a drought could be approaching. The next stages are mostly called drought emergency, disaster, or critical drought stage. This final stage begins after a drought has occurred for a long period and water sources begin to be depleted. During this stage, public water use is limited and oftentimes drought disaster plans are put into place. Short and Long Term Consequences Regardless of a droughts stage, there are short and long term consequences with any drought because of nature and societys dependence on water. Problems associated with drought can have economic, environmental, and social impacts on both the areas where they occur and areas that have relations with those where the drought happens. Most of the economic impacts of drought are associated with agriculture and the income generated from crops. In times of drought, the lack of water can often cause a decline in crop yields, and thus a reduction in income for farmers and an increase in the market price of products since there is less to go around. In a prolonged drought, unemployment of farmers and even retailers can occur, having a significant impact on the economy of the area and those with economic ties to it. In terms of environmental problems, drought can result in insect infestations and plant diseases, increased erosion, habitat and landscape degradation, a decrease in air quality and that of what water is present, as well as an increased risk of fire because of drier vegetation. In short-term droughts, natural environments can often rebound, but when there are long term droughts, plant and animal species can suffer tremendously, and over time desertification can happen with an extreme lack of moisture. Finally, droughts have social impacts that can cause disputes between users of available water, inequalities in water distribution between wealthy and poor, disparities in areas in need of disaster relief, and a decline in health. In addition, in rural developing countries population migration can begin when one area experiences drought because often people will go to areas where water and its benefits are more prevalent. This then depletes the natural resources of the new area, can create conflicts among neighboring populations and takes workers away from the original area. Over time, increased poverty and social unrest are likely to develop. Drought Mitigation Measures Because severe drought is often slow in its development, it is relatively easy to tell when one is coming and in areas that are capable, there are several mitigation measures that can be used to reduce the impacts felt by drought. The most important steps in lessening the effects of drought though are soil and water conservation. By protecting soil, it is better able to absorb precipitation, but it can also help farmers to use less water because it is absorbed and not as much run off. It also creates less water pollution by the pesticides and fertilizers present in most farm runoff. In water conservation, public use is often regulated. This mostly includes watering yards, washing cars and outdoor fixtures such as patio tables, and swimming pools. Cities such as Phoenix, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada have also implemented the use of xeriscape landscaping to reduce the need to water outdoor plants in dry environments. In addition, Water conservation devices like low-flow toilets, shower heads, and washing machines can be required for use inside the home. Finally, desalination of seawater, water recycling, and rainwater harvesting are all things that are currently under development to build on existing water supplies and further reduce the impacts of drought in dry climates. Whatever method is used, however, extensive monitoring of precipitation and water usage are the best way to prepare for a drought, inform the public on the problem, and implement conservation strategies.

A comparison of manned missions to space and robot missions essays

A comparison of manned missions to space and robot missions essays Since the Soviets put Sputnik into space, there have been many missions into space. Robots have done some missions and people have done others. Robots do not possess human judgment or the abilities necessary for solving problems. However, manned space missions are much more costly than robot missions and they have more risk. In space, there are lots of unpredicted variables and things that we do not expect to occur. Due to this, it is important to have manned space missions. Humans are capable of solving problems, whereas robots only know what theyve been programmed to do. Apollo thirteen would have been destroyed if it were a robot, but since it had a human crew on board, it survived. They were able to solve their problems because they were capable. Also, in space, it is necessary for on the spot judgment. Humans possess the capability make decisions, but robots can only do a limited amount of tasks. This is a large con to sending robots into space. On the other hand, manned missions are much more expensive than robots. A single flight of the space shuttle costs around $420 million dollars. In addition, manned shuttles need places to stay. The International Space Station has already cost $16 billion to build and the price is expected to reach over $40 billion. The expected price was $8 billion. Robots are much cheaper. The Mars Pathfinder cost only $265 million and it brought back lots of useful scientific data. Robots are more economical than manned space flights. Furthermore, manned space missions have greater risk than robot missions. As in the case of Apollo 1 and Apollo 13, accidents occurred on manned space missions. That puts peoples lives in danger as well as space shuttles. If a robot malfunctions or breaks somehow, not as much is lost. When astronauts are lost, new ones have to be trained and prepared for space flight. When a robot is destroyed, a new one can be made and any problems wi...

10 Page Term Paper

10 Page Term Paper 10 Page Term Paper 10 Page Term Paper If you are writing a 10 page term paper, you must pay special attention to the quality of information and structure. In particular, you should use headings and subheadings to ensure a better flow of ideas. is a professional and legal site offering custom term paper writing help to students who care about their grades but have no time to write term papers. In addition, we have an absolutely free paper writing blog with numerous tips on writing and pre-written sample term papers. Sample Term Paper on Baby Boom A necessary step in scientific speculation is to specify precisely what is to be explained. At the demographic level, we have explained the baby boom mainly as an increase in the proportion of women having at least two children accompanied by a compression of fertility into a shorter, earlier period of time. (Another way of describing the same phenomenon is in terms of a significant decline in the average age of childbearing.) Being married and having a family (though not a large family) had become the norm during the decade after the war. Bachelorhood, childlessness and having only one child became increasingly unusual. What kinds of social change occurred during this period that might help explain this trend? One persuasive theory proposed by economist Richard Easterlin is that the postwar period witnessed a combination of two basic forces which encouraged optimism and relaxed earlier constraints on marriage and having children: an unprecedented demand for goods and services otherwise known as the postwar economic boom; and an accompanying shortage of labor. This shortage was caused by low birthrates in the twenties and early thirties which reduced the number of job seekers two decades or more later. In former periods, this demand for labor was met by immigration but the restrictive legislation of the twenties had effectively dried up this source of labor. Thus young people in the early 1950's were relatively few in number and were faced with many well-paying job opportunities in a rapidly expanding economy a particularly propitious set of circumstances for encouraging the formation of families. Other factors also contributed to what appeared to be a headlong rush into marriage and childbearing. Credit for home purchases and other consumer goods became widely available. With little investment and long amortization schedules it became possible for masses of people to satisfy home ownership aspirations, to escape the city and to have a better place for the kids to grow up. With little or no down payment required, suburban developments mushroomed and young couples with young children moved in, their homogeneous concentrations undoubtedly reinforcing the norm of fertility. Pregnancy and motherhood no longer signified a withdrawal from social life; on the contrary, pregnancy seemed almost fashionable at the time. In the new child-centered suburban life separated physically and psychologically from the work environment -childlessness was the deviant form of behavior. The pressures for conformity were such that sterility was probably a more socially acceptable justification of chi ldlessness than lack of interest in children. Term Paper Custom Writing If you need professional help with 10 page term paper writing, do not hesitate to use our custom term paper writing assistance at any time. We are open 24/7 and guarantee timely delivery. Our term paper writers are educated and you will be satisfied with the quality level!

The History of Love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The History of Love - Essay Example The novel has two main characters who also act as narrators of their specific sections. The first narrator is Leo Gursky, an 80year old Polish immigrant in New York. We are first introduced to Leo Gursky when he believes his life is coming to an end, living alone in a small apartment in Manhattan â€Å"I often wonder who will be the last person to see me alive. If I had to bet, I’d bet on the delivery boy from the Chinese takeout. I order in four nights out of seven. Whenever he comes, I make a big production of finding my wallet. He stands in the door holding the greasy bag while I wonder if this is the night I’ll finish off my spring roll, climb into bed, and have a heart attack in my sleep†(Krauss 3). He is scared of dying on a day when nobody has noticed him and says and believes he has to persuade himself of his existence by making himself noticeable. This drives him to mildly attention-seeking behavior like creating a disturbance by dropping his change in a shop or trying on shoes that he does not intend to buy. Gursky passes for a man without much of a life, but we later learn that he was once a man very rich in art and love. He was once in love with a woman called Alma back in Poland, but due to the chaos and tragedy of war while making his way to America, he is separated from his true love Alma who ends up marrying somebody else. Leo’s art is manifested when we are told of a novel he wrote in Poland, The History of Love, but entrusted it to his friend Zvi Litvinoff who later told him that it was lost. The second character is Alma Singer a fourteen year old girl living with her widowed mother, Charlotte and her brother. We later learn that Alma was named after the heroine of a book her father, David singer loved and that Leo Gursky’s book was not lost after all but it was published in Spanish in Chile and that’s how it ended up in the hands of David singer Charlottes’ husband. Alma’s mother is tran slating a novel called The History of love she was given by her husband from Spanish to English. Krauss’s novel centers on the book that was written by Leo in Yiddish, in which all the girls are named after his love Alma. According to Gursky, just the same way Eve was the first woman in the bible is the same way Alma will be the first girl (Krauss 38). As Alma grows up, she is determined to find the real life Alma whom she was named after. Her detective work spurred after a mysterious stranger sends her mum a letter requesting her to translate the Spanish version of â€Å"the history of love† into English. She sets out to bring back her mother into loving again and decides that the mysterious stranger who commissioned the translation of the history of love into English might be a love interest for her mother and she does sets to find out who the stranger could be. As the novel progresses, we start to get passages from Gursky's novel laid out within the Krauss’s novel. Krauss is able to connect the two levels of fiction - the novel within and the novel without. Gursky’s tone is a disappointed, dry voice while Alma's tone is more engaged and naive with most of her expedition written as a comedy. In the young Alma's story we find a charming girl emerging into adulthood