The Host Chapter 29: Betrayed

Maybe I should have run the other way. But no one was holding me back now, and though his voice was cold and angry, Jared was calling to me. Melanie was even more eager than I was as I stepped carefully around the corner and into the blue light; I hesitated there. Ian stood just a few feet ahead of me, poised on the balls of his feet, ready for whatever hostile movement Jared might make toward me. Jared sat on the ground, on one of the mats Jamie and I had left here. He looked as weary as Ian, though his eyes, too, were more alert than the rest of his exhausted posture. â€Å"At ease,† Jared said to Ian. â€Å"I just want to talk to it. I promised the kid, and I'll stand by that promise.† â€Å"Where's Kyle?† Ian demanded. â€Å"Snoring. Your cave might shake apart from the vibrations.† Ian didn't move. â€Å"I'm not lying, Ian. And I'm not going to kill it. Jeb is right. No matter how messed up this stupid situation is, Jamie has as much say as I do, and he's been totally suckered, so I doubt he'll be giving me the go-ahead anytime soon.† â€Å"No one's been suckered,† Ian growled. Jared waved his hand, dismissing the disagreement over terminology. â€Å"It's not in any danger from me, is my point.† For the first time he looked at me, evaluating the way I hugged the far wall, watching my hands tremble. â€Å"I won't hurt you again,† he said to me. I took a small step forward. â€Å"You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to, Wanda,† Ian said quickly. â€Å"This isn't a duty or a chore to be done. It's not mandatory. You have a choice.† Jared's eyebrows pulled low over his eyes-Ian's words confused him. â€Å"No,† I whispered. â€Å"I'll talk to him.† I took another short step. Jared turned his hand palm up and curled his fingers twice, encouraging me forward. I walked slowly, each step an individual movement followed by a pause, not part of a steady advance. I stopped a yard away from him. Ian shadowed each step, keeping close to my side. â€Å"I'd like to talk to it alone, if you don't mind,† Jared said to him. Ian planted himself. â€Å"I do mind.† â€Å"No, Ian, it's okay. Go get some sleep. I'll be fine.† I nudged his arm lightly. Ian scrutinized my face, his expression dubious. â€Å"This isn't some death wish? Sparing the kid?† he demanded. â€Å"No. Jared wouldn't lie to Jamie about this.† Jared scowled when I said his name, the sound of it full of confidence. â€Å"Please, Ian,† I pleaded. â€Å"I want to talk to him.† Ian looked at me for a long minute, then turned to scowl at Jared. He barked out each sentence like an order. â€Å"Her name is Wanda, not it. You will not touch her. Any mark you leave on her, I will double on your worthless hide.† I winced at the threat. Ian turned abruptly and stalked into the darkness. It was silent for a moment as we both watched the empty space where he had disappeared. I looked at Jared's face first, while he still stared after Ian. When he turned to meet my gaze, I dropped my eyes. â€Å"Wow. He's not kidding, is he?† Jared said. I treated that as a rhetorical question. â€Å"Why don't you have a seat?† he asked me, patting the mat be-side him. I deliberated for a moment, then went to sit against the same wall but close to the hole, putting the length of the mat between us. Melanie didn't like this; she wanted to be near him, for me to smell his scent and feel the warmth of his body beside me. I did not want that-and it wasn't because I was afraid he would hurt me; he didn't look angry at the moment, only tired and wary. I just didn't want to be any closer to him. Something in my chest was hurting to have him so near-to have him hating me in such close proximity. He watched me, his head tilted to the side; I could only meet his gaze fleetingly before I had to look away. â€Å"I'm sorry about last night-about your face. I shouldn't have done that.† I stared at my hands, knotted together in a double fist on my lap. â€Å"You don't have to be afraid of me.† I nodded, not looking at him. He grunted. â€Å"Thought you said you would talk to me?† I shrugged. I couldn't find my voice with the weight of his antagonism in the air between us. I heard him move. He scooted down the mat until he sat right beside me-the way Melanie had hoped for. Too close-it was hard to think straight, hard to breathe right-but I couldn't bring myself to scoot away. Oddly, for this was what she'd wanted in the first place, Melanie was suddenly irritated. What? I asked, startled by the intensity of her emotion. I don't like him next to you. It doesn't feel right. I don't like the way you want him there. For the first time since we'd abandoned civilization together, I felt waves of hostility emanating from her. I was shocked. That was hardly fair. â€Å"I just have one question,† Jared said, interrupting us. I met his gaze and then shied away-recoiling both from his hard eyes and from Melanie's resentment. â€Å"You can probably guess what it is. Jeb and Jamie spent all night jabbering at me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I waited for the question, staring across the dark hall at the rice bag-last night's pillow. In my peripheral vision, I saw his hand come up, and I cringed into the wall. â€Å"I'm not going to hurt you,† he said again, impatient, and cupped my chin in his rough hand, pulling my face around so I had to look at him. My heart stuttered when he touched me, and there was suddenly too much moisture in my eyes. I blinked, trying to clear them. â€Å"Wanda.† He said my name slowly-unwillingly, I could tell, though his voice was even and toneless. â€Å"Is Melanie still alive-still part of you? Tell me the truth.† Melanie attacked with the brute strength of a wrecking ball. It was physically painful, like the sudden stab of a migraine headache, where she tried to force her way out. Stop it! Can't you see? It was so obvious in the set of his lips, the tight lines under his eyes. It didn't matter what I said or what she said. I'm already a liar to him, I told her. He doesn't want the truth-he's just looking for evidence, some way to prove me a liar, a Seeker, to Jeb and Jamie so that he'll be allowed to kill me. Melanie refused to answer or believe me; it was a struggle to keep her silent. Jared watched the sweat bead on my forehead, the strange shiver that shook down my spine, and his eyes narrowed. He held on to my chin, refusing to let me hide my face. Jared, I love you, she tried to scream. I'm right here. My lips didn't quiver, but I was surprised that he couldn't read the words spelled out plainly in my eyes. Time passed slowly while he waited for my answer. It was agonizing, having to stare into his eyes, having to see the revulsion there. As if that weren't enough, Melanie's anger continued to slice at me from the inside. Her jealousy swelled into a bitter flood that washed through my body and left it polluted. More time passed, and the tears welled up until they couldn't be contained in my eyes anymore. They spilled over onto my cheeks and rolled silently into Jared's palm. His expression didn't change. Finally, I'd had enough. I closed my eyes and jerked my head down. Rather than hurt me, he dropped his hand. He sighed, frustrated. I expected he would leave. I stared at my hands again, waiting for that. My heartbeat marked the passing minutes. He didn't move. I didn't move. He seemed carved out of stone beside me. It fit him, this stonelike stillness. It fit his new, hard expression, the flint in his eyes. Melanie pondered this Jared, comparing him with the man he used to be. She remembered an unremarkable day on the run†¦ â€Å"Argh!† Jared and Jamie groan together. Jared lounges on the leather sofa and Jamie sprawls on the carpet in front of him. They're watching a basketball game on the big-screen TV. The para-sites who live in this house are at work, and we've already filled the jeep with all it can hold. We have hours to rest before we need to disappear again. On the TV, two players are disagreeing politely on the sideline. The cameraman is close; we can hear what they're saying. â€Å"I believe I was the last one to touch it-it's your ball.† â€Å"I'm not sure about that. I wouldn't want to take any unfair advantage. We'd better have the refs review the tape.† The players shake hands, pat each other's shoulders. â€Å"This is ridiculous,† Jared grumbles. â€Å"I can't stand it,† Jamie agrees, mirroring Jared's tone perfectly; he sounds more like Jared every day-one of the many forms his hero worship has taken. â€Å"Is there anything else on?† Jared flips through a few channels until he finds a track and field meet. The parasites are holding the Olympics in Haiti right now. From what we can see, the aliens are all hugely excited about it. Lots of them have Olympic flags outside their houses. It's not the same, though. Everyone who participates gets a medal now. Pathetic. But they can't really screw up the hundred-meter dash. Individual parasite sports are much more entertaining than when they try to compete against each other directly. They perform better in separate lanes. â€Å"Mel, come relax,† Jared calls. I stand by the back door out of habit, not because I'm tensed to run. Not because I'm frightened. Empty habit, nothing more. I go to Jared. He pulls me onto his lap and tucks my head under his chin. â€Å"Comfortable?† he asks. â€Å"Yes,† I say, because I really, truly am entirely comfortable. Here, in an alien's house. Dad used to say lots of funny things-like he was speaking his own language sometimes. Twenty-three skidoo, salad days, nosy parker, bandbox fresh, the catbird seat, chocolate teapot, and something about Grandma sucking eggs. One of his favorites was safe as houses. Teaching me to ride a bike, my mother worrying in the doorway: â€Å"Calm down, Linda, this street is safe as houses.† Convincing Jamie to sleep without his nightlight: â€Å"It's safe as houses in here, son, not a monster for miles.† Then overnight the world turned into a hideous nightmare, and the phrase became a black joke to Jamie and me. Houses were the most dangerous places we knew. Hiding in a patch of scrubby pines, watching a car pull out from the garage of a secluded home, deciding whether to make a food run, whether it was too dicey. â€Å"Do you think the parasites'll be gone for long?† â€Å"No way-that place is safe as houses. Let's get out of here.† And now I can sit here and watch TV like it is five years ago and Mom and Dad are in the other room and I've never spent a night hiding in a drainpipe with Jamie and a bunch of rats while body snatchers with spotlights search for the thieves who made off with a bag of dried beans and a bowl of cold spaghetti. I know that if Jamie and I survived alone for twenty years we would never find this feeling on our own. The feeling of safety. More than safety, even-happiness. Safe and happy, two things I thought I'd never feel again. Jared makes us feel that way without trying, just by being Jared. I breathe in the scent of his skin and feel the warmth of his body under mine. Jared makes everything safe, everything happy. Even houses. He still makes me feel safe, Melanie realized, feeling the warmth where his arm was just half an inch from mine. Though he doesn't even know I'm here. I didn't feel safe. Loving Jared made me feel less safe than anything else I could think of. I wondered if Melanie and I would have loved Jared if he'd always been who he was now, rather than the smiling Jared in our memories, the one who had come to Melanie with his hands full of hope and miracles. Would she have followed him if he'd always been so hard and cynical? If the loss of his laughing father and wild big brothers had iced him over the way nothing but Melanie's loss had? Of course. Mel was certain. I would love Jared in any form. Even like this, he belongs with me. I wondered if the same held true for me. Would I love him now if he were like this in her memory? Then I was interrupted. Without any cue that I perceived, suddenly Jared was talking, speaking as if we were in the middle of a conversation. â€Å"And so, because of you, Jeb and Jamie are convinced that it's possible to continue some kind of awareness after†¦ being caught. They're both sure Mel's still kicking in there.† He rapped his fist lightly against my head. I flinched away from him, and he folded his arms. â€Å"Jamie thinks she's talking to him.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Not really fair to play the kid like that-but that's assuming a sense of ethics that clearly does not apply.† I wrapped my arms around myself. â€Å"Jeb does have a point, though-that's what's killing me! What are you after? The Seekers' search wasn't well directed or even†¦ suspicious. They only seemed to be looking for you-not for us. So maybe they didn't know what you were up to. Maybe you're freelancing? Some kind of undercover thing. Or†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was easier to ignore him when he was speculating so foolishly. I focused on my knees. They were dirty, as usual, purple and black. â€Å"Maybe they're right-about the killing-you part, anyway.† Unexpectedly, his fingers brushed lightly once across the goose bumps his words had raised on my arm. His voice was softer when he spoke again. â€Å"Nobody's going to hurt you now. As long as you aren't causing any trouble†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged. â€Å"I can sort of see their point, and maybe, in a sick way, it would be wrong, like they say. Maybe there is no justifiable reason to†¦ Except that Jamie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My head flipped up-his eyes were sharp, scrutinizing my reaction. I regretted showing interest and watched my knees again. â€Å"It scares me how attached he's getting,† Jared muttered. â€Å"Shouldn't have left him behind. I never imagined†¦ And I don't know what to do about it now. He thinks Mel's alive in there. What will it do to him when†¦?† I noticed how he said when, not if. No matter what promises he'd made, he didn't see me lasting in the long term. â€Å"I'm surprised you got to Jeb,† he reflected, changing the subject. â€Å"He's a canny old guy. He sees through deceptions so easily. Till now.† He thought about that for a minute. â€Å"Not much for conversation, are you?† There was another long silence. His words came in a sudden gush. â€Å"The part that keeps bugging me is what if they're right? How the hell would I know? I hate the way their logic makes sense to me. There's got to be another explanation.† Melanie struggled again to speak, not as viciously as before, this time without hope of breaking through. I kept my arms and lips locked. Jared moved, shifting away from the wall so that his body was turned toward me. I watched the movement from the corner of my eye. â€Å"Why are you here?† he whispered. I peeked up at his face. It was gentle, kind, almost the way Melanie remembered it. I felt my control slipping; my lips trembled. Keeping my arms locked took all my strength. I wanted to touch his face. I wanted it. Melanie did not like this. If you won't let me talk, then at least keep your hands to yourself, she hissed. I'm trying. I'm sorry. I was sorry. This was hurting her. We were both hurting, different hurts. It was hard to know who had it worse at the moment. Jared watched me curiously while my eyes filled again. â€Å"Why?† he asked softly. â€Å"You know, Jeb has this crazy idea that you're here for me and Jamie. Isn't that nuts?† My mouth half-opened; I quickly bit down on my lip. Jared leaned forward slowly and took my face between both his hands. My eyes closed. â€Å"Won't you tell me?† My head shook once, fast. I wasn't sure who did it. Was it me saying won't or Melanie saying can't? His hands tightened under my jaw. I opened my eyes, and his face was inches away from mine. My heart fluttered, my stomach dropped-I tried to breathe, but my lungs did not obey. I recognized the intention in his eyes; I knew how he would move, exactly how his lips would feel. And yet it was so new to me, a first more shocking than any other, as his mouth pressed against mine. I think he meant just to touch his lips to mine, to be soft, but things changed when our skin met. His mouth was abruptly hard and rough, his hands trapped my face to his while his lips moved mine in urgent, unfamiliar patterns. It was so different from remembering, so much stronger. My head swam incoherently. The body revolted. I was no longer in control of it-it was in control of me. It was not Melanie-the body was stronger than either of us now. Our breathing echoed loudly: mine wild and gasping, his fierce, almost a snarl. My arms broke free from my control. My left hand reached for his face, his hair, to wind my fingers in it. My right hand was faster. Was not mine. Melanie's fist punched his jaw, knocked his face away from mine with a blunt, low sound. Flesh against flesh, hard and angry. The force of it was not enough to move him far, but he scrambled away from me the instant our lips were no longer connected, gaping with horrorstruck eyes at my horrorstruck expression. I stared down at the still-clenched fist, as repulsed as if I'd found a scorpion growing on the end of my arm. A gasp of revulsion choked its way out of my throat. I grabbed the right wrist with my left hand, desperate to keep Melanie from using my body for violence again. I glanced up at Jared. He was staring at the fist I restrained, too, the horror fading, surprise taking its place. In that second, his expression was entirely defenseless. I could easily read his thoughts as they moved across his unlocked face. This was not what he had expected. And he'd had expectations; that was plain to see. This had been a test. A test he'd thought he was prepared to evaluate. A test with results he'd anticipated with confidence. But he'd been surprised. Did that mean pass or fail? The pain in my chest was not a surprise. I already knew that a breaking heart was more than an exaggeration. In a fight-or-flight situation, I never had a choice; it would always be flight for me. Because Jared was between me and the darkness of the tunnel exit, I wheeled and threw myself into the box-packed hole. The boxes crunched, crackled, and cracked as my weight shoved them into the wall, into the floor. I wriggled my way into the impossible space, twisting around the heavier squares and crushing the others. I felt his fingers scrape across my foot as he made a grab for my ankle, and I kicked one of the more solid boxes between us. He grunted, and despair wrapped choking hands around my throat. I hadn't meant to hurt him again; I hadn't meant to strike. I was only trying to escape. I didn't hear my own sobbing, loud as it was, until I could go no farther into the crowded hole and the sound of my thrashing stopped. When I did hear myself, heard the ragged, tearing gasps of agony, I was mortified. So mortified, so humiliated. I was horrified at myself, at the violence I'd allowed to flow through my body, whether consciously or not, but that was not why I was sobbing. I was sobbing because it had been a test, and, stupid, stupid, stupid, emotional creature that I was, I wanted it to be real. Melanie was writhing in agony inside me, and it was hard to make sense of the double pain. I felt as though I was dying because it was not real; she felt as though she was dying because, to her, it had felt real enough. In all that she'd lost since the end of her world, so long ago, she'd never before felt betrayed. When her father had brought the Seekers after his children, she'd known it was not him. There was no betrayal, only grief. Her father was dead. But Jared was alive and himself. No one's betrayed you, stupid, I railed at her. I wanted her pain to stop. It was too much, the extra burden of her agony. Mine was enough. How could he? How? she ranted, ignoring me. We sobbed, beyond control. One word snapped us back from the edge of hysteria. From the mouth of the hole, Jared's low, rough voice-broken and strangely childlike-asked, â€Å"Mel?†

Minimum Wage and Unemployment Rate †A Direct Relationship Essay

In any labor market, free or regulated, there is friction and rigidity that result in labor issues. With 11 million people unemployed, and millions more discouraged or underemployed, there is justification to believe that these high population levels represent a glitch in the American labor market (1). These basic statistics, coupled with the elementary economic theory of supply and demand, demonstrate that minimum wage regulation has not only proven to be unsuccessful, but should be eliminated immediately. Although compulsory wage levels may be problematic in our contemporary labor market, the theory supporting a minimum wage dates back to over three centuries ago. The earliest evidence of a mandatory minimum wage could be found in New Zealand when in 1894 there was an effort to extinguish sweatshop labor. Also during this time, Australia made amendments to the Factories Act which created a wage price floor in six industries that were considered to have low paying wages. Although this amendment began as an experiment, within a few years additional amendments were created to expand minimum wage to over 150 different industries (2). It took until the early 1900’s for the minimum wage model to appear in the United States. In 1912, Massachusetts set up a commission not to demand minimum wages, but to recommend them – especially for women and children. Within eight years, 13 US states and Washington DC implemented their own compulsory minimum wage laws (3). Due to challenges from the Supreme Court during the Lochner Era – a time where the Supreme Court exercised its power to protect economic liberty and private contracts – it took until 1938 for federal minimum wage laws to manifest in the United States. Presented under the Fair Labor Standards Act under the scope of the Commerce Clause, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had the power to regulate employment. As a result, the first ever federal minimum wage entered the market at 25 cents an hour (4). Today we have a federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour and even higher in some states like Washington where the minimum wage is over $9/hour. Aside from the role minimum wage laws play in our current market, they’ve also made prominent news headlines and been in the minds of many laborers as of recently. Many of these headlines reveal a desire by workers and politicians alike to raise the minimum wage. Organized protests by workers in the fast food industry have assembled in the streets of major cities to bring to attention not only their demand for a much higher minimum wage, but for union representation as well. Additionally politicians like Barack Obama and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn have spoken publicly about their desire for an increased minimum wage. While the President has put pressure on Congress to legislate a $9/hour minimum wage, Mayor McGinn has expressed his support for a $15/hour minimum wage by his respective legislators (5). Aside from the strong political appeal that may encourage politicians to propose minimum wage increases, on the surface this type of legislation seems like a well-intentioned effort to raise the standard of living of people working for relatively low wages. This is not only because people naturally desire better things for themselves, but it also seems like a productive way to align wages with levels of inflation that the Federal Reserve is primarily responsible for (6). To make minimum wage theory even more confusing, there have been multiple studies on the issue only to garner completely opposite results. David Neumark, an economics professor at UCI and William Washer, an economist on the board of governors at the Federal Reserve wrote a descriptive 155 page monograph that elaborately detailed the negative effects that minimum wage laws created. Conversely, David Card an economics professor at UCB and Alan Krueger, a professor at Princeton University, published a highly renowned study that concluded minimum wage laws would only cause minimal job loss and in some instances could even raise employment levels (7). However, when studying economic phenomena mixed results are completely common due to the failure to meet the cetaris paribus condition, which stresses the concept of keeping variables constant. Not surprisingly, there were very few constant variables between these two studies. So rather than fill this essay with the observations of others, I plan to mainly use deductive reasoning to discuss the logical consistency of my argument. Because minimum wage laws are not only self-defeating but also make society poorer, it is in everyone’s best interest, especially those the law is intended to help, to abolish minimum wage laws immediately. In rudimentary economic studies, we learn about the affects supply and demand have on market clearing prices and that where supply meets demand is price equilibrium. We also learn that when prices are arbitrarily set above equilibrium, the result is a surplus. Wage labor is no different, and when analyzing this data, the surplus can be expressed as unemployment. These surpluses (unemployment) result when the productivity of a laborer is not high enough to warrant the new minimum wage. Now an economic burden to the company, the employer will have no choice but to terminate the employee(s) in order to remain profitable in their endeavors. Because these compulsory created economic burdens will generally be people already earning relatively lower wages, wage price floors actually hurt the people they are intended to help. Even if one was to claim that the terminations resulting in raising the minimum wage were offset by the new people making higher nominal wages, this person would be committing an arbitrary value judgment. Additionally, minimum wage laws have a dampening effect on inner city youth (8). After spending time in subpar public schooling, many underprivileged adolescents are forced to turn to the streets instead of taking a low paying position where he would be able to acquire skills on the job. Rather than gain working experience, he is more prone to a perpetual cycle of poverty and violence. When viewed from a more macro approach, there are even worse social ramifications. Unemployment is universally agreed upon as a bad thing. This is because the negative effects have no offsetting benefits, rather they are considered a dead loss. When unemployment levels rise, people tend to crave acts of protectionism, which is are strives to restrict the immigration process and limit imports from competing countries. Not only can these actions lead to retaliatory actions from other countries, but can also impede the influx of cheaper goods, which will directly hurt the unemployed (9). Not only will unemployment lower total national output, but it also creates a demand for costly federal and state services such as the unemployment program. Furthermore, the logic behind the minimum wage legislation seems to contain not only many dissenting opinions on what the nominal wage should be, but many faults in logic as well. Down to the cent, there are thousands of people who all support the minimum wage but at different amounts. Although most main stream public figures seem to restrain a wage price floor from exceeding $20/hour, wouldn’t consistent logic prevail for compulsory wages of at least $100/hour or even $1,000/hour? Clearly, this is absurd. Rather than having economists design the economy, evidence prevails that it would be better for people to decide respective wage levels on their own. While it may be true that â€Å"moderate† rises in the minimum wage may not lead to substantial changes in the rate of unemployment, this is exactly why these laws are self-defeating. This price floor only affects a small sect of the economy, making some of it unemployed. When laborers compete for a job, they have two tools. On one hand is productivity and ingenuity. On the other hand is the wage at wish they are willing to work for. If a relatively unproductive worker wants to compete with a highly productive worker, then he or she must naturally accept a lower wage. In doing this, the worker gains a form of payment through knowledge and information that can be taken with them throughout life. Denying this ind ividual the right to do so, with arbitrary government price floors, removes his or her ability to compete and to find employment. Not only will this disarm the very people the laws were intended to help, but it also blocks a person from a basic right to work at whatever wage he or she chooses to do so at. Through the use of deductive reasoning, it is quite clear that although well intentioned, minimum wage laws have created a disturbing effect on our contemporary labor market and have had negative effects on the people they were designed to help. It should come as no surprise then that the urban areas of our nation experience the highest levels of unemployment. Works Cited 1) â€Å"Employment Status of Displaced Workers : The Editor’s Desk : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.† U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1 Sept. 2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. 2) â€Å"History of the Minimum Wage.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 08 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. 3) â€Å"Minimum Wage in the United States.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. 4) â€Å"Lochner Era.† LII. Cornell University Law School, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. 5) Associated Press. â€Å"Seattle Mayor Would Support Minimum Wage above $15.† USA Today. Gannett, 9 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. 6) Casey, Chris. Killing the Currency. Ludwig Von Mises Institute, 27 May 203. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. 7) MacKenzie, D.W. â€Å"The Ludwig Von Mises Institute.† Minimum Wage Laws: Economics versus Ideology. N.p., 14 June 2007. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. 8) Caldwell, Roger. â€Å"Inner City Black Male Unemployment At 50 Percen t.† West Orlando News Online 2013 ® Central Florida News, Info, Sports. N.p., 15 Nov. 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. 9) â€Å"The Cost Of Unemployment To The Economy.† Investopedia. N.p., 9 Aug. 2011. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.

At the Turn of a Dime

The only thing I could think of as I stood at the end of the vault runway were my sweaty feet. As a nervous habit, I fidgeted, making it obvious that I felt a little uneasy. It seemed silly that I had trained so many demanding hours to perform this one vault skill, and that I was still anxious. Once I saluted the judge indicating I was ready, I thrust all negative thoughts to the back of my mind and launched into an aggressive sprint hurtling towards the vault. The next two seconds consisted of me holding my breath as I pushed off the vault table and completed a full 360 degree flip until I landed on my feet almost with ease. Immediately, I felt joy swell inside of me as I knew I had just performed the best vault I had ever done in my entire gymnastics career. As I walked back to the end of the running strip, my teammates clapped me on the back giving encouragement and support. The exhilaration I had felt after my first vault supplied me with adrenaline. When I began my second vault, I pounded down the runway with new energy and power. However, once I was in the process of flipping, I knew something was wrong. I ended up landing short, causing my ligaments to jam and tear within my left ankle. The audience that was once before bubbling with exuberance, instantly became deflated and silent as I lay there motionless on the mat. But I didn’t cry, I just gritted my teeth. I didn’t scream, I just shook my head. And I didn’t get up, I just sat there clutching my ankle with one hand while resting my head on the other, face down. Sharp pains exploded through my ankle and I could feel everyone’s stares burning a hole right through me. Needless to say, I probably scared the pants off my parents. From success to disappointment, I had learned that life could change on a dime. After this incident, I dedicated my time to my recovery and I began to understand that in the real world, people experience ups and downs too. Whether it may be about losing a job or going through a heartbreak, it’s the recuperation process that helps strengthen our character. While I was frustrated at first with my injury, I learned to cope with it and began to feel optimistic about how it could help me in the long run. I was determined to not let this slow me down, but rather build it up as a motivation and an extra push. Gymnastics has been my building blocks for life that I will continue to carry with me into the future. All the countless hours toiling away in the gym have given me the basic fundamentals for achieving accomplishments in life. I have been able to utilize these skills that I have learned, such as determination, perseverance, and time management, and use them to my advantage in school and work experiences. Getting home at a late hour every night has forced me to efficiently get my homework done since I know I don’t have a minute to spare, and when I help my parents in their flower shop, I make good use of my time. The principle of time management has been drilled into my head after so many years of steadily keeping my busy schedule on track. I have attained the qualities of patience, dedication, and focus patience in the way that I can accept the drawbacks along the way to achieve something greater, dedication in the way my willingness can persevere challenges without giving up, and focus in the way I can accomplish anything by being mentally tough. I intend to employ these attributes that I have gained from gymnastics as I begin my quest into the real world.

MIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

MIS - Essay Example ent of the Company are deeply convinced that the new product will increase the profits of the Company by 100 of millions as 100 million shoppers buy from the Wal-Mart every week (Girard, 2003). The reason behind the Wal-Mart’s decision to sell Jeans to Wal-Mart was to target the rich customers and attracting well-off customers requires big brands, the Company, therefore, needed big brands. Levis is a famous high prestigious brand. The customers of Wal-Mart are people from all walks of life and through Levis, the company shall be able to meet the demands of all their customers, including the demands of the new affluent customers. Wal-mart has a high bargaining power. This fact can be attributed to the fact that Levis is facing tremendous pressure on the sales front as its revenue has decreased because of the changing preferences of the customers. The Wal-Mart company, therefore, really needs to target a new customer group through its new product line so as to boost the company earnings and make profits of 100 million dollars. Walmart Company has a well-established supply chain management system that enables it to track the inventory right from the supplier factory up to the warehouse. Suppliers of Wal-Mart need to be upgraded in IT system so as to enable them to track inventory management. 4.What generic strategy (among the following four: (1) broad target / cost leadership, (2) broad target differentiation, (3) focused target / cost leadership, and (4) focused target / differentiation) is Wal-Mart following? Justify your answer. Wal-Mart is guided by the broad target and cost leadership strategy. The company targets a broad range of customers that come from all walks of life. The company distinguishes itself from its rivals on the basis of low costs. An entry barrier is defined as an advantage of established sellers in an industry over potential entrant sellers that is reflected in the extent to which established sellers can easily raise their prices above

Essay Evaluation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evaluation - Essay Example The ideas are also portrayed with a lot of clarity and with the right diction. The details are presented in a way that all persons can comprehend. However, the work can be questioned on its originality. A lot of direct quotes have been indicated in the work and with no in-text citations. Actually, the author quotes different articles in a different sites leaving the reader to question which article in that site. At the end of the work, one cannot tell the author of the articles that were used in the essay. One can get mixed up when reading when the author uses examples that are not comprehensive like when he says that Ryan was killed (Tapia 4). I would be better if the author gave more details on the events that ensued before the victim was killed. The conclusion would also have been made more inclusive and stronger. A lot also needs to be done on the Work Cited page in terms of paragraphing, indenting and including the authors’

Research Articles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Articles - Assignment Example The variable being measured is the perceived loving attitude of mothers between children of working and non-working mothers. The research question in this t-test analysis was that; is there a significant difference between the mean of the working mothers and the mean of non-working mothers in the perceived loving mother attitude? One way analysis of variance showed that, based on perceived punishing father, there was a significant interaction between mother’s work status and gender [perceived punishing father: ()]. In this case the test is trying to determine, based on perceived punishing father attitude, whether there are significant difference among the means of the four different groups i.e. male children from working mothers, female children from working mothers, male children from non-working mothers and female children from non-working mothers. In the article, Chi-square test indicated that the mother’s education was effective in mother’s working status (). In this example, chi-square was used to test whether there was a significant statistical association between the working status of the mother and her education level. A correlation test was done between perceived loving mother attitude and perceived loving father attitude. The correlation reports was that there was a positive and highly significant relationship between the two variables (r= 0.472, p=.001). The research question; is perceived loving mother attitude and perceived loving father attitude correlated This value gives a p-value of .000. This p-value is lower than the critical p-value hence the null hypothesis which says that the two variables are independent is rejected. This shows that the test was significant. 6. According to the selected test, the working status of the mother () was insignificant in terms of the score for perceived loving mother attitude. In the perceived punishing father attitude, the mother’s

The current and future role of localised charitable organisations in Essay

The current and future role of localised charitable organisations in Birmingham - Essay Example This paper focuses on the current health of the three localised charitable organisations in the city of Birmingham who deliver housing support and care services and how they are responding to the current business climate. It explores their experiences from the historic grant funding arrangements to the current contracting culture. It compares each organisation using a detailed analysis process with emphasis on examining the rational where the qualitative data highlights similarities and disparity. The key research components of the dissertation are: how each organisation has changed financially and whether this has impacted on structure and size; and whether this has seen a change in direction in relation to business planning and strategic management. It also measures how far each organisation has diversified within their service provision in order to remain viable and goes some way in answering whether such diversification is perpetuating a move away from their traditional roots and charitable aims. It also observes and provides comment on how the organisations are planning and preparing for the future using their abilities to assess and respond to the perceived threats and opportunities within an open social care market and what they perceive will be their futures and that of the charitable sector in Birmingham. The dissertation analyses the impact marketisation and business-like approaches being adopted by the three organisations and whether such changes are an inevitable consequence of having to remain competitive and strengthen the sector.

Education and Economic Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education and Economic Growth - Essay Example In other words we can say that the overall well being of people depends upon its economic growth. Therefore the objective of any nation is to increase the size of its GNP. The economic growth of any country depends on various factors such as higher capital and infrastructural investment, better technology and social welfare. The effect of social welfare on growth is a debatable issue. Social welfare includes better health, education, employment and social security. GNP is calculated using the value of final goods and services produced in an economy .The measurement of GNP thus does not include social welfare however according to many economists social welfare is one of the stepping stone for any nation's growth. This study deals with the effect of education on economic growth. There are two arguments, one says that education generates human capital and thereby leads to growth while another says growth leads to development of educational facilities and thus increases education. Human is one of the basic factors which helps a country to achieve its macroeconomic aims i.e. growth and stability. The world today is undergoing rapid change in almost every field be it technology, financial markets or management. The people of different nations therefore need to adapt themselves to this change by upgrading their knowledge and generating creative ideas. In conclusion we can say, a country's human resource is one of the important determinants of growth. The human capital of a country depends upon its education level, flexibility of people and teamwork. In the excel sheet "Country consolidated" Graph 1 shows the relationship between per capita GNP and primary enrollment. Studying the graph carefully we see that low income countries have low primary education and high income countries have high primary education. However in the lower and upper middle income countries primary education does not have much impact on the GNP. The level of primary education in lower and u pper middle income countries are almost same, although there is a significant difference in their level of per capita GNP. The second graph i.e. Graph 2 studies the relationship between per capita GNP and secondary enrollment. In this graph also we see that low income and high income countries have a positive correlation between per capita GNP and secondary education. However the lower and upper middle income countries are showing some variations. The lower middle income countries are showing higher secondary enrollment than the upper middle income countries. Let us understand the reason for these variations. The contribution of human capital to growth depends upon the availability of inputs such as physical capital and technical know how. The availability of these inputs varies with the level of development i.e. low income countries have low physical capital, suggesting that the growth effects of education will be different for low and middle income countries. The graphs clearly su ggests that primary education have positive effects on growth for both low and lower middle income countries where as secondary education has positive effect on the growth of upper middle and high income countries. The third Graph i.e. Graph 3 we find that for the high income count

Cultural Artifact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cultural Artifact - Essay Example Both of the abovementioned countries have Muslim population in abundance (Murayama and Murayama pp.75). The Muslims on the other hand, constitute more than half of the total workforce of the entire world. The cultural and normative outlook of Muslims is significantly different and divergent from the population of developed nations. The culture of South Asia is strictly based on collectivism while, the individuals are bounded to fulfill the expectations of others. The code of honor is severely rigid when it comes to dealing with the females. The companies that are operating in the featured part of the world are strongly suggested to uphold cultural realities by modifying their practices (Stern 120). The companies are required to hire the male professionals for the leading jobs whereas; the females’ participation should be kept limited to subordination. The people of South Asia are not accustomed to seeing a female as a leader and therefore, she will not be able to exercise cont rol and assertiveness that are essence of leadership. The basic and fundamental purpose of this study is to highlight and advocate the role and value of hijab in the aforementioned cultures and societies. In short, hijab is the license for females to work. The senior citizens of the area need their girls to be covered before leaving the homes. The instrument of hijab is the essence of providing freedom to the females. Additionally, it is important to note that hijab has served as a means for supporting female participation in the societies. The male population was outnumbered and outgunned by the available corporate opportunities in the form of foreign production facilities. The Islamic scholars were contacted and asked to help stimulate the societal and corporate participation of females (Spivak pp.261). The move was a strategic one as it was designed to increase professional and labor supply. The Islamic scholars of the area had conducted a detailed research and found that Prophet Mohammad requested females to play a supportive role in the battles. The females at that time were responsible for taking care of the injured. This event provided the Islamic scholars with a vital argument that they have used to convince people that Islam permits females to participate in the society. However, the core Islamic order that requires females to cover themselves while getting out of their homes created a conflict in conventional religious scholars and modern ones. The debate carried out for number of years before it is observed that Iranian females use scarf in order to cover themselves. The scarf is the ultimate source of engaging females in the society. The use of scarf bridged the conflict and then, both schools of thought agreed upon that a female wearing a scarf meets the minimum hijab requirement and therefore, it is acceptable for the females to wear scarf that helps them in covering their hair and breasts. According to psychology males are attracted to femalesâ €™ physical attributes such as breasts and hair (Chew-Graham, Bashir and Chantler pp. 336). The Islamic law purposely ordered the females to take concrete measures towards ensuring that their sexual centers are appropriately covered before they leave for work. The females are known to wear gowns on the streets. They prefer to wear scarf in the offices. The scarf is a piece of cloth weaved in such a way that it assists females in covering their

Real or imaginary child with disabilities into a general education Essay

Real or imaginary child with disabilities into a general education class - Essay Example The most suitable model to use is a Response to Intervention (RTI) model. This an academic intervention method used to help children with needs such as difficulty learning or learning disabilities. It is an early intervention, which prevents failure in academics by measuring progress of such a child frequently, and inducing interventions that are research based to instruct and aide children with such difficulties. Some children do not respond to such interventions, and their problem is deep rooted in that the children could have disability stemming from the biological make-up (Vaughn, 2010). Unlike the discrepancy model that is common for the normal children with ability, this model will be an alternative to Frank who is in need of supplementary education. Personnel The personnel who will handle the process will be three normal classroom teachers, who will teach mathematics, a language subject, and a science subject respectively. The teachers who will handle Frank will be individuals who are highly qualified and trained adequately to implement this model. They will be individuals who understand Frank better and will be able to connect with him in order to get the required results. The selected teachers will compile a comprehensive report within a period of five weeks and will use the report to provide the child with the supplementary three-tier program. This is as recommended by Phaneuf (2008). Accommodations and modifications Accommodations and modifications will focus on changing the teaching techniques, and assessment on Frank’s progress. The accommodations the teachers will consider into the curriculum include one-on-one quizzes, group discussion with the other children, large print materials to enable Frank see and comprehend well, colored charts, extended or shortened assignments and assessments. They will also use pictures, animation, colors, and sounds to help Frank grasp and understand the content quickly. Some of the modifications that the teac hers will consider include, changing the grading scale particularly if Frank fails to compete with the rest and introduction of special education and special education teacher in tier three if Frank utterly fails to improve. Strategies School screening Assessment This is the first strategy that will help identify Frank’s strengths and weaknesses. Screenings will last for a period of five weeks (Phaneuf 2008: 54).The first thing the teachers will carry out is to assess whether he requires such interventions. This will take place in a normal classroom where he will get academic surveillance. This will enable evaluation of the Frank’s performance based on the basic subjects in the curriculum such as mathematics, sciences, and languages. His ability to perform tasks such as reading and comprehending, solving mathematical sums and carrying out practical tasks will undergo evaluation and the report will contribute significantly towards identifying his strengths and weaknesse s. The teaching will follow the curriculum of the classroom. It will be research based, one tested in the field and proved effective and containing all the fundamentals of teaching a normal child with able faculties. This screening will establish a specific criterion, which will rank the Frank’s performance in various categories. The percentile score will show whether his performance is poor, average, above average or excellent. Comparison of the

Hypothesis Testing Essay Example for Free

Hypothesis Testing Essay In today’s world of statistical research there is a multitude of ways to make new discoveries and formulate new ideas; one way to accomplish this is for researchers to have inquiring minds that need to have their questions answered. To do this they must develop their hypothesis. Then researchers can develop a verbal and numerical hypothesis in which they will be able to test this hypothesis. In patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), there seems to be a malfunction in the brain cells to soak up dopamine, which can lead to ADHD, it causes the patient to lose the ability to focus or retain any attention span (Allan, 2012). Team A will show the statistical outcome of diet versus traditional medications. Common treatments and side effects will be discussed in another slide, along with the importance of eating a balanced diet with â€Å"clean† foods. Results show that eating a high-protein diet with complex carbohydrates and foods with Omega -3 fatty acids seem to play a role in alleviating ADHD symptoms. What seems to do good things for our brains seems to do good things for those that suffer from ADHD. Avoiding foods that are simple carbohydrates like candy, sugars, and foods made with white flour is a good idea, as these foods seem to make matters worse. ADHD and Diet Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is a developmental disability that usually presents in early childhood and results in a persistent and chronic pattern of learning impairment in school, in social settings, and in daily adaptive functioning. The lasting pattern of inattentiveness and/or uncontrollability or recklessness is more often exhibited and more relentless than which is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of physical and emotional development. In adulthood, ADHD can affect an individual’s work, behavior, social life, and relationships. ADHD tends to reflect an individual’s normal behaviors but at an exaggerated level. This causes difficulty focusing, following through on tasks, meeting deadlines, and the ability to stay motivated especially during tasks that are tedious and extraneous (Duca, 2010). Some research has shown that diet can have an effect on the symptoms of ADHD. In the past 15 or more years more information has been found linking nutrients with ADHD. Researchers are considering multiple etiologies in regards to the development of ADHD and it has become more evident that diet does play a major role in the foundation of ADHD. Studies have shown that the brain abnormalities that individuals with ADHD have been shown to have are not preprogrammed but instead are a manifestation of genetic susceptibilities to noted risk factors including diet and malnutrition. Particular individuals may be genetically heightened necessities for certain nutrients. When these individuals do not receive these nutrients in their diet they are more vulnerable to the brain abnormalities associated with ADHD (Duca, 2010). Conventionally ADHD is treated with stimulant medications such as Ritalin, Focalin, Dexedrine, and Adderall. These medications work by enhancing the transmission of nor epinephrine and dopamine in the brain but they do not come without side effects such as loss of appetite, insomnia, irritability, depressive symptoms, headaches, fatigue, and nausea. Most of the psychological and conventional medical community does not support nontraditional treatments such as nutrient supplementation, diet manipulation, and environmental and food elimination because they do not feel that there is enough research to show that these methods can permanently alter the symptoms of ADHD (Duca, 2010). From a dietary viewpoint ADHD prevention begins early in life during the first three years when brain growth is rampant. Diet plays an important role during this time to support brain health. Research has shown that the underlying contributor to the etiology of ADHD is imbalances in a child’s diet. A balanced diet free of preservatives, processed sugars, and potential food allergens is helpful in the prevention and intervention of ADHD. A diet rich in organic whole foods, fresh vegetables and fruits, abundant in mineral and phytonutrients, and rich in essential fats are important (Duca, 2010). Numerical and Verbal Hypothesis Statement Based on previously acquired research on how a healthy diet of clean non processed foods can help to lessen the symptoms of ADHD Team A has decided to test this theory to see if it is accurate. The research hypothesis that Team A has created is that: Eating a healthy â€Å"clean† diet can help to lessen the symptoms of ADHD. On the other hand the null hypothesis would claim that a healthy diet has no effect on the symptoms of ADHD and would be just as effective as if the subject ate a diet of 100% processed foods. In order to complete this test Team A will have two populations of people to research, population one will be made up of six people who are all on a diet of pre-chosen healthy foods. Population two will be made up of six people who are not following the specified healthy diet and instead eating what could be considered â€Å"junk† food or â€Å"bad† food. Team A’s hypothesis written in numerical form has to start with identifying  µ=the mean symptoms present in those eating healthy. We will also have to restate the hypothesis which would be written out as (H1)  µ1  µ2, simply meaning that the mean of population one will be less then population two. This should be able to prove that population one (the healthy eating group) will have less symptoms than population two (non healthy eating). The null hypothesis states (H0)  µ1 =  µ2 which means that population one will equal population two and there will be no difference between the groups symptoms as a result of changing their diets. Using this information we will be able to properly show a breakdown of the five steps of hypothesis testing that Team A will follow. Five Steps of Hypothesis Testing Five steps are involved in hypothesis testing. The point of the steps is to either prove or to disprove the questions involved. They are useful in evaluating the solutions of an issue or research opportunity. An example is a possible correlation between attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and diet. The first step of process includes identification of a null hypothesis and variables involved, or more simply, stating the issue being studied. This is a comparison of two categories. Step one is this case claims that poor diet or malnutrition partnered with genetic susceptibilities potentially do not influence brain abnormalities which are associated with ADHD. The independent variable is diet and is categorical. The dependant variable is ADHD symptoms which are continuous (Davis 2007). The second step of the process involves specifying an alternative hypothesis which suggests a difference of the variables. Our null denied symptoms of ADHD influenced by diet. The alternative to this is that ADHD symptoms decrease with improved diet. Therefore, the two groups of our sample, or the two categories of diet are poor diet and good diet (Davis 2007). Step 3 of this process involves setting a significance or alpha level. In other words, determine the degree to which error is allowed. Type I is alpha and Type II is beta. The confidence level involves type I or type II errors. Whether or not diet influences ADHD symptoms is the question. When the truth is that diet indeed does influence (H0), selecting does not (Ha) would be a Type I error. If the truth is diet does not influence (Ha), then selecting that it does (H0) would be a Type II error (Davis 2007). The fourth part of the process involves calculating the probability of the hypothesis occurring. If this probability ends up being equal to our significance level (alpha/beta) then our null hypothesis that poor diet does not influence brain abnormalities associated with ADHD. If the null is rejected then the alternative is accepted but never with 100% certainty. The fifth and final step is simply describing the results of the study and stating our conclusion in relation to the original question (Davis 2007). Team A’s researcher referenced a study linking dietary needs to improve the functions and abilities for children that suffer with ADHD. Research shows that a contributing factor with ADHS is dietary imbalance in children beginning at a young age of around 3 years old. A balanced diet is said to help improve this imbalance, when the dietary needs are met using whole foods rich in mineral and phytonutrients with rich essential fatty oils (Duca, 2010). Being that the research showed underlying contributions this motivated Team A to further our investigation. Team A already had the knowledge that healthy eating led to proper body function and mechanics, but how dietary could needs improve the functions and abilities of children that suffer with ADHD is what Team A wanted to research further. Team A found that the side effects from medications lead to some disturbing results such as loss of appetite, insomnia, irritability, depressive symptoms, headaches, fatigue, and nausea. This is no way for a child to live and if symptoms can or even have the slightest ability to controlled, then proper diet with â€Å"clean† foods should be the way to proceed. References Allan, S. (2012). The Brain, Nutrition and ADHD. Retrieved from http://www.sevencounties.org/ website. Duca, R. (2010). Nutritional Considerations in the Management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Nutritional Perspectives: Journal Of The Council On Nutrition, 34(4), 5-16. Davis, B.L. (2007). Decision Rule for Hypothesis Testing. Retrieved from http://home.chpc.utah.edu/ website.

Brave New World Essay Example for Free

Brave New World Essay Aldous Huxley was a writer of several novels, including the most famous Brave New World. He was born on 1894 and died on 1963. His interest includes politics, philosophy, parapsychology, psychology and mysticism. He was known to have close relationship to several people who have inclinations towards science. He has a botanical father and had worked in a chemical plant. Brave New World was written during an era where psychology and genetics play a vital role in explaining human behavior and reactions. It is then not impossible that there will come a time that humans will be experimented using psychology and genetics to be able to determine the extent of its effect. 1)Identify the characteristics (dimensions) of the narrative. A narrative is about telling stories, thus, it consist primarily of a plot structure, conflict, characters, setting, theme and point of view. The plot structure is basically the outline or the framework of the whole narrative; it includes the introduction followed by the rising action and the climax and then the falling action and finally the resolution. The conflict on the other hand is the disagreement in the narrative; usually it is where the whole plot revolves. The characters are the players or those who perform in the narrative. The setting is where the narrative takes place. The theme is the topic or the issue/s being portray or shown as the narrative progresses. The point of view is what the characters or the author seems to think from their perspective. 2)Discover an explanation for how the narrative creates meaning. The narrative creates a meaning by putting all of its dimensions together. Weaving one with another, it generates an idea that later result to a series of story which are connected with one another. 3)What is the setting? Where does the story takes place? Brave New World starts in ‘Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre’, there is a tour in the Hatcheries. The director is explaining to the students the process of reproduction of ‘customized’ human beings. The story takes place during A. F. otherwise known as After Ford. 4)Who are the characters? Are they human? Fleshed out? Known and unknown traits. The first character to be shown was the ‘Director’ Tomakin. He was the director of Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre. As the story succeeds, he was shown to be a part of a scandal involving his impregnation of Linda, a second caste or Beta and having a son with her named John, some 25 years ago. The next character was Linda Crowne, she is another Beta which depicts the typical female in the Brave New World. She is nineteen years old and is a lab worker at the Conditioning Center. She is Bernard’s love interest and she also like Bernard. Bernard is the main character in the story, he works as a psychologist in the Conditioning Centre and belongs to the Alpha class or the first class. He is the one to expose the son and wife of Director Tomakin. John or more commonly known as ‘the savage’ is the son of Linda and Tomakin. He lives in the savage Reservation along with her mother. He causes the big embarrassment for the director. He found his mother in the dying bed. He serves as the character who lives in the old world or something like that. Mustapha Mond is one of the World Controller. At the beginning of the narrative he told the students who are touring the Control Center about monogamy and the bond between mother and child, which he remarked as ‘horrifying’. Helmholtz Watson looks like Bernard’s Bestfriend and adviser. He like Bernard is not in favor of the ‘new order’ he thinks that there is something that is not right in the system. Ford is another term or shortcut for Freud which serves as the new ‘God’ as revealed in the story by Mond. Other characters are just minor characters. Among the characters, ‘the savages’ are the only one who is really humans’ or those who become humans in the natural sense. Other characters are fleshed out. Although they are till humans are homo sapiens, they are not created in the normal process. As stated above, they are somehow, customized. 5)Who is the narrator? Attitude toward story? Powers available to narrator? Characteristics? Trustworthy reliable? The narrator is actually not among the characters thus he/she have the capability to tell the readers what is actually taking place in the narrative. The narrator’s attitude is somehow against the world order but it seems that the narrator is curios of what will happen after things are going this and that way. I could not say for sure if the narrator is trustworthy and reliable since there are instances wherein he/she tries to guess part of the story. Also, since the narrator is not an actual character it is hard to tell how much is his/her if his/her interpretations are coherent. 6)What are the events? Which are important for the story’s development? Which flesh out the story? The first three chapters generally describe that ‘brave new world’. The tour in the Control Center gives us a brief overview of the workings involved in the conditioning and reconditioning of the people, from conception to old age. Then the presentation of Lenina as the typical human being during that time in contrast with Bernard who seems to deviate with what is foreseen as natural. The visit to the Savage Reservation which shows the members of the old world and how they live corresponds to the presentation of a small part or population who still live in the ‘old system’. Meeting John and Linda who turns out to be the Director’s family, John being a child conceived through normal sexual intercourse which the new society or the Fordian society believes to be obscene. The presentation of John as the son followed by the fame of Bernard that was only short-lived since John did not show up in the conference which was arranged to confirm his identity. Then it shows the Shakespearean love that John felt for Lenina while Lenina shows the love she knows, this leads him to beat her. It was then followed by Linda’s death which leads to a riot at the hospital. This leads to the arrest of Helmholtz, Bernard and John. Bernard and Helmholtz were sent to another island far from England. John on the other hand was permitted to live n England. The people in England seems to drive John crazy, thus at the end, he killed himself. 7)How are events related in time? How are they told in the story? (Flashbacks? ) What is the speed or pace of the story? The events are related as the story progresses however there are indeed some flashbacks especially the scenes with John in the savage Reservation. The speed of the story is fast paced but there are enough explanation for every scenes. 8)What are the causes and effects? Are causes human? Supernatural? Are effects caused by accidents? Forces of nature? The Causes are the humans as can be seen since it is the humans who create the ‘brave new world’. Accordingly, the world is patterned to how Freud had conceived family as a disintegration of individual. The new order also aims to promote happiness by controlling everything in the human life. The effects are not merely accidents but an understanding of a ‘utopian’ view. 9)Who is the audience? What can we tell about the audience’s knowledge, personality, and abilities, on the basis of the speaker’s attitude toward audience? The audience is basically the reader which is also the spectators who are looking forward the development and progress in the narrative. The speaker speaks of the audience as someone who wants to join or be included in the ‘utopian like’ world where everything is equal yet individuality is missing. 10)What is the theme? It may be an underlying truth or saying. How obvious and clear is the theme? â€Å"Community, Identity and Stability has been the central theme of the whole novel since it is even the motto of the ‘new order’. The theme is very obvious since it is discussed in the novel. Stability is always mentioned with its reference to control and less conflict. Science seems to be the central source of power in the ‘brave new world’, science is used to provide less conflict through conditioning and minimizing conflicts. 11)Does the narrative fulfill its creator’s purpose? I believe it has fulfilled its creator purpose of delivering a novel that shows a future society if it will be designed or patterned to a ‘communal, scientific capital system’. Everyone will be treated in the same way. People do not experience loneliness because they are conditioned to be like this and do that. People are treated as mechanisms and/or things that can be rejected if it does not suffice its purpose. People live and die with the purpose of living together harmoniously in a fake reality. 12) Does the narrative provide useful ideas for living your life? Yes, it had me thinking of my own view regarding Utopia. It also gives me an insight about the way society has effects on the individual. The way the society can shape and somehow manipulate what an individual will think and how he/she will react. Also, it shows that although science, in general and genetic engineering in particular, may be used to treat illnesses and can improve life, it might also result to artificial human beings which are created in laboratories. Reference: Huxley, A. (1958). Brave New World.

The Impact Of School Phobia On Education Psychology Essay

The Impact Of School Phobia On Education Psychology Essay Phobia, which is a type of anxiety or fear, is a basic human emotion usually considered to be a response to objects or situations that threaten physical safety or emotional well-being. School phobia is a situational phobia found in early childhood whereby the child refuses to attend school due to a certain overwhelming fear. Many youngsters at some time in their school years might actually experience different forms of fears be it anxiety, phobia from games, answering a question in class, or even reading out loud in front of their peers. Furthermore, studies have shown that there are particular symptoms associated to school phobia that could vary from stomachaches, nausea, fatigue, shaking, racing heartbeats, to going on frequent trips to the toilet. Children who suffer from school phobia are exposed to panic attacks especially when the parent forces them to attend school without even realizing that there might actually be a critical problem which needs to be dealt with properly, inc reasing the youngsters worries and the guardians frustrations even more. Not only do children miss home while being away in the school setting, but they are also faced with a whole new world of brand new genuine experiences, challenges and pressures, be it social or academic; this sudden change will undoubtedly leave them feeling down, suffering from separation anxiety. Moreover, they are probably not so used to having so many rules set for them, that they will feel scared, exhausted or depressed. School phobia, School Avoidance, and School Refusal are terms used to describe children who avoid attending school. Persistent nonattendance at school has been the subject of considerable concern among educationalists for well over a century. Fears of the dark, birds, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are socially and legally more acceptable than avoidance of school. Certainly, school phobia generates massive anxiety in both parents and teachers. School refusal symptoms occur most often on school days, and are usually absent on weekends and during the summer holidays. On the other hand, the older children who are new attendees in a new school, the situation could leave them not to adapt to the new place and environment, since they may no longer feel comfortable due to the sudden change in their friendships, teachers, and classrooms. School phobia is also due to the feelings of insecurity; a child who is used to being at home around his/her parents all day will feel threatened or torn away from his/her beloved ones. The youngster will feel so worried and panicky that he/she will even experience fear from school buses if they had to return home in one. School phobia must be treated directly, however, if the child is severely affected, then it is best to ask for professional help such as a referral to his/her doctor or head teacher. For these reasons it was important to study this problem and find ways to solve it in order to help phobic children. 1.2 Purpose of the Study: This study talks about Childrens Phobia in Preschools because it will enlighten a positive issue and it will serve the society in a positive way, by helping parents as well as teachers solve a problem which has not been given enough importance in the past years. In order to be able to deal with children and help them with their problems and overcoming them and to be capable of reaching high objectives, one certainly need to carry out serious research and learn professional methods for dealing with certain dilemmas. In this research the researcher will be able to identify school phobia, learn more about school phobia and its nature, recognize the causes of school phobia, recognize the warning signals of school phobia, recognize the typologies of school phobia, identify the way to deal with phobic children, and identify the treatment of school Phobia. 1.2 Research Questions School phobia affects the childs education as well as his/her future. The problem usually starts with the child complaining or finding the silliest excuses just to keep him/her away from school. Some questions need to be answered such as: -What is a phobia? -Who is the phobic child? -How does the child develop phobia? -What is the role of the teachers and parents in identifying school phobia? -How can a phobic child be helped to overcome his phobia? Chapter Two Literature Review 2.1- Identifying School Phobia: Early investigations of persistent nonattendance talked only in terms of truancy; however, this simple view failed to explain the condition. Early pioneer studies found evidence that clearly linked truancy with delinquency. They realized that poor parental control, mental dullness, temperamental instabilities and broken homes were cited as important factors contributing to truancy. However; the first man to describe a form of absence that was later most commonly referred to as school phobia or school refusal was Dr. Broadwin in 1932, p 5: The child is absent from school for periods varying from several months to a year. The absence is consistent. At all times the parents know where the child is. He is near the mother or near the home. The reason for the truancy is incomprehensible to the parents and the school. This classical description has practically has practically become the very definition of school phobia. Other findings by Partridge (1939) noted a group of children he labeled as psychoneurotic. These children appear to differ from other truants in that they were obedient, reasonably well-adjusted and liked school. He regarded them as victims of an emotional bond between parent and child. In order words, these children suffer from s different type of school phobia, which is mainly derived from a poor or nil relationship of the parents with the child. It is basically then, an emotional problem that causes absences. 2.2- The Clinical Presentation of School Phobia: The clinical representation of school phobia has been extremely well described by Hersov in 1977: The problem often starts with vague complains of school or reluctance to attend progressing to total refusal to go to school or to remain in school in the face of persuasion, entreaty, recrimination and punishment by parents and pressures from teachers, family doctors and education welfare officers. The following are the best ways to tell whether the child is or is not school phobic: Severe difficulties in attending school, often amounting to prolonged absence, severs emotional upset shown by such symptoms as excessive fearfulness, undo tempers, misery, etc. Staying home with the knowledge of the parents when should be at school at some stage of the course of the disorder. Absence of significant anti-social disorder such as stealing, living, and wandering. Children suffering from psychosis, gross physical illness, asthma, truancy and neurotic disorders other than school phobia are not considered suitable for investigation on the subject. All other factors need to be ruled out. 2.3- Causes: Peer difficulties, learning problems, depression, or parents who are overly anxious about these perceived physical ailments are common causes of school avoidance. Separation anxiety is another common diagnosis for school phobia but there can be other problems, too. School phobia is usually a symptom of other problems. If physical causes have been ruled out and the behavior is continuing, then parents might want to have an evaluation by a psychiatric specialist. A school-phobic child is usually afraid of leaving home in general, rather than afraid of anything in particular at school. For example, he may experience homesickness when staying at a friends house. Often the first test of a childs independence comes when he must attend school daily. Aside from poor attendance, these children usually are good students and well behaved at school. The parents are typically good parents who are conscientious and loving. Such parents are sometimes overly protective and close, and the child finds it difficult to separate from them (separation anxiety). He may lack the self-confidence that comes from handling lifes normal stresses without his parents help. Sometimes a change of schools, strict teacher, hard tests, a learning problem, or a bully may appear to be causes of childs fear of going to school. But such factors may be only part of the problem, and your child should still go to school while these problems are being resolved. 2.4- Symptoms of School nonattendance warning signals Children who fear school send warning signals that are hard to ignore. Mysterious illnesses that surfaced as excuses to escape school in the lower grades resurface in middle school, resulting in tardiness, cut classes, and unfinished homework assignments. Often a childs normal living patterns, including eating, sleeping, and school success, are disrupted. 2.5- Typologies of School Phobia Many people have attempted to classify phobia; however, Coolidge, Hahn, and Peck (1975), in a study of 21 cases, presented evidence of two times of school phobia that they called neurotic and characterological. The neurotic group was mostly young girls. The primary conflict in this group seemed to be centered on the childs symbiotic tie to the mother. The characterological group consisted mainly of older boys who were regarded as being generally more disturbed. This comparison was developed by Kennedy. He included parental characteristics and communication patterns to differentiate between the two different types. Another very interesting finding was that of Yule, Hersov and Treseder in the 80s; they found that there may be sub-types of school phobia and they outlined a crude classification based on likely treatment implications. Separation anxiety at first school entry complicated by poor parental management. It is argued that in such cases some form of in vivo (carried out inside a living organism, like in a test or experiment) desensitization is the most appropriate first step. School phobia occurring in a vulnerable child following a major change in schooling: usually, the problem is sparked off or started by additional home-related anxieties. Systematic desensitization alongside attention to practical issues in the childs physical and social environment is likely to be the most effective treatment option. 2.6 Theories of School phobia: 2.6.1 Psychoanalytic Theory It was obviously advanced by Freud in the early 1900s and subsequently modified and interpreted by others such as Klein, Arieti, Sperling, and Renik. As we all know, Freud developed his theory of personality development by proposing three interacting structures; the id, ego, and super-ego. The id referred to impulsive, instinctual trends within the personality concerned with the satisfaction of the basic emotional needs, in other words it referred to the libido. Freud argued that phobias arose from conflict of psychic energy (libido). However, later psychoanalysts felt that aggression and dependence also played a role in phobias. According to the psychoanalytic theory, this is how it develops: An early, poorly resolved dependency relationship between mother and child. Inadequate fulfillment of the mothers emotional needs, usually because of a poor marriage. A temporary threat to the childs security causing a transient increase in the childs dependency needs. Exploitation of this situation by the mother. A similar relationship between the mother and her own mother. Expression of hostility to the child, not only making him more dependent, but also by direct inhibition of any opportunity for the child to express aggressive or hostile feelingsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and also seductive behavior towards the child. Moreover, Development of strong hostility toward the mother, largely unconscious, and express by exploitation of the mothers guilt toward him and also by fears of the mothers safety cause by unconscious destructive wishes, thus forcing him to be with her to assure himself of her safety (Chiland and Young, 1990). The theory implied by this line of reasoning involves bringing the unconscious conflicts into open within the context of a therapeutic relationship. The conflicts are analyzed and a more mature way of satisfying dependency needs is sought. There has been great disagreement among psychotherapists, however, about whether the mother and child should be separated or treated together and how quickly a child should be made to confront reality and return to school. 2.6.2 Self Concept Theory: Leventhal and Sills point out that many of the descriptive findings associated with school phobia do not seem to support an explanation based solely on separation anxiety. They emphasize that many of these children maintain normal lives outside school hours. They proposed that the main feature relevant to school phobia is the finding that: These children commonly over-value themselves and their achievements and then try to hold on to their unrealistic self-image. When this is threatened in the school situation, they suffer anxiety and retreat to another situation where they can maintain their narcissistic self-image. This retreat may very well be a running to a close contact with mother. So, in other words, what Leventhal and Sills thought is that children with a superiority complex, when put down in any way, would avoid going to school and would rather stay in a safe environment. The treatment emphasized by self concept theorists involves bringing the home and school environment into balance. The parents need to be more realistic and her teachers more accommodating and at the same time the child needs confronting with reality by returning him to school as soon as possible. The therapist deliberately precipitates a crisis by forcing the family to address the issue of immediately returning the child to school. The therapist uses this situation therapeutically by helping the parents to resist the childs manipulative demands and win the power struggle. Anticipation and detailed planning is called for to ensure that the parents are successful. 2.6.3 Learning Theory: The principles underlying behavioral treatment are derived from learning theory. Learning theory has evolved from experimental studies in the laboratory. There theories explaining how phobic behavior is learned to compete for attention: Respondent, Conditioning, Operant Conditioning, and the Two-Stage Theory of Fear and Avoidance. Respondent Conditioning Theory: Phobic are regarded as conditioned fear and avoidance responses to specific stimuli. Repetition of the feared situation in association with the newly created phobic stimuli will strengthen the fear and avoidance responses to the stimuli. Operant Conditioning Theory: its main principle is that behavior is influenced by its consequences. Behavior that is rewarded is likely to occur more often whereas behavior that is punished will decrease in frequency. On the basis of this theory, one can argue that phobias and associated behaviors like temper; tantrums are maintained through positive reinforcements in the childs environment. Two-Stage Theory of Fear and Avoidance: Suggested that fear could motivate behavior and was not merely a conditional reaction to stimuli associated with pain. He further argued that fear reduction became an operant reward for avoidance of the noxious stimulus. A wide variety of behavioral techniques have been developed arising out of classical and operant paradigms as well as social learning theory, however, although behavioral approaches concern themselves with the immediate problem of returning the child to school, arguments surrounding the preparation for and the timing and pacing of the return parallel those in the psychodynamic camp. Increasingly therapists employ a mix of approaches tailored to take account of the unique range of child, family and school related issues that may be involved in any one case. Nonattendance at school is not a distinct, but rather, it is comprised of multiple syndromes; prominent examples are truancy, childhood phobia, and separation anxiety disorder. An intriguing aspect of school nonattendance syndromes is that their form and features are modeled by the varying contributions of causative factors, including genetic endowment, brain dysfunction, family psychopathology, and individual symptoms. This makes school nonattendance an especially useful model for the study of the development of psychopathology in childhood (Martin and Greenwood, 1995). . This suggests that the study of this group of disorders from socioeconomic and cultural viewpoints would provide a new understanding of the disorders and their causes, and how cultural influences on the development of the child are mediated. Childrens rejection of school will in turn bring societys rejection of children. The society has a great role this whole issue, since children will not be able to overcome the phobia so easily if the society shows rejection and disapproval. 2.7- Psychodynamic Treatment of School Phobia Early treatment of school phobia was largely psychoanalytically based. Two studies were mostly implemented, the traditional psychodynamic treatment and the family therapy. Traditional Psychodynamic Studies, these studies are interpreted as those focusing treatment on the individual child or the mother-child relationship. The analytic treatment was focused entirely on the child, but they realized the importance of treating both the mother and child. Treatment with respect to the father was felt to be most efficiently handled by helping the mother clarify and restructure her feelings about her husband rather than dealing with the father direct. The dilemma in this study is whether the child should or shouldnt return to school immediately. Studies showed a slight difference in percentages when it came to decide which method was more effective, hence it remains undecided (Blagg, 1987). Family Therapy (By Skynner): These approaches transcend the parent-child dyad in addressing the entire family system. School phobia is regarded as symptomatic and sometimes protective of faulty family functioning. Treatment approaches consistently emphasize the importance of early return to school although the manner by which this is achieved varies greatly from therapist to therapist. Skinner refers to his approach as a conjoint family psychotherapy. The central problem within school phobia is seen as the parents failure to help their child relinquish omnipotent demands for exclusive possession of the mother. Skinner argues that school phobic children are protected from the challenges of reality by their mothers. Skynner claims that bonds within these families run vertically from parent to child with a consequent weak relationship between spouses. The main elements are stressed in this treatment: The whole nuclear family is included in treatments as well as other family members where necessary. An emphasis is placed upon non-verbal communication and confrontation of the parents over the hidden rule system. Attention is directed to the here and now of family interactions although past events may be considered as and when they arise There is a focus on an early return to school. An effort is made to weaken the mother-child bond and strengthen the marital bond. In the more straightforward cases, interpretation of the problem develops insight in parents enabling the family to marshal its own resources and solve the problem. Skynner advocates the use of medicine to help in the confrontation stage. In addition, excessively timid pupils are helped by attendance at psychotherapy groups. Only minimal attention is paid to school factors Skynner feels that school phobia is best understood as a psychosocial problem rather than a purely medical intra-psychic or even intra-familial disorder. It is interesting to note that the early traditional study emphasize the importance of the conformation of the feared situations; however, the later studies favored immediate, even forced, return to school. 2.8 Behavioral Approaches and Treatment of School Phobia: The behavioral approaches are divided into three: treatment based on classical conditioning, treatment based on operant conditioning paradigm and treatment based on social skills training. Systematic Desensitization: This approach involves working the child through carefully graded fear hierarchy starting with the least feared situations, building up to most feared situations. At each stage the child is helped overcome any anxiety by concentrating on a behavior that is antagonistic to the anxiety. Emotive Imagery: It is a technique that some behavior therapists have found to be very powerful. They use normal relaxation procedures in conjunction with systematic desensitization. In this approach the therapist develops imagined scenes that conjure up feelings of excitement, self-assertion and general positive effect as means of inhibiting anxiety. Flooding or implosion: These procedures involve immediate confrontation of the maximally feared situation without any careful preparation via graded exposure to less threatening circumstances. The subject is maintained in the intense feared situation until the anxiety shows visible signs of waning on the classical extinction model. The assumption here is that the subject feels anxiety as a result of prior classical conditioning the vivid presentation of the condition stimuli and the absence of any primary unconditioned stimuli will eventually lead to the extinction of the anxiety response (Sharpe, 2000). Operant-based treatment approaches are concerned with changing the reinforcement contingencies affecting an individuals behavior. It involves maximizing the incentives for being in school by building into the school program extra positive reinforcement and minimizing incentives for remaining at home during the school day by removing positive reinforcement (like greater personal freedom, extra adult attention): This treatment is based in reinforcement. Natural reinforcement is added in the individuals life in preference to the introduction of more artificial reinforcement like sweets. Nevertheless, in certain cases, tangible reinforcements may be necessary in the early stages of the treatment program. Many children who suffer from school phobia have major problems in relationships with bodes language and posture. It is true that many children may need sheltering from ridicule but others need help in improving their bodily skills. This treatment involves attention in many areas such as: Body posture especially the subjects stiffness and lack of mobility in the trunk and limbs. Nervous mannerisms such as giggling, facial grimacing, and tone of voice, eye contact

Language and Literary Techniques in Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework S

Language and Literary Techniques in Othello  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The language and literary techniques used in William Shakespeare's Othello enrich the settings, plot, characters, and themes. Othello is a complex tragedy about good versus evil, loyalty, love, sexual jealousy, appearance versus reality, and intrigue, told in a first person point of view. The play takes place during the Renaissance in Venice, Italy and in Cyprus over three days. It is written in blank verse, usually unrhymed iambic pentameter. The protagonist, Othello, is a Moor well respected by senators for his valiant service in war and married to Desdemona, a Venetian woman. The play is entitled Othello and the plot and action encompass him, thus supporting his position of protagonist. The antagonist, Iago, is an unscrupulous individualist who bitterly despises Othello. Iago's villainous and intricate scheme for revenge results in the deaths of Othello, Desdemona, Iago's wife, and Roderigo, a suitor of Desdemona.    The play begins in Venice where Othello and Desdemona are eloping. Othello is needed to lead the Venetian forces in Cyprus and must leave immediately. Othello is joined at Cyprus by Desdemona, Iago, Emilia (Iago's wife), Roderigo, and Cassio (Othello's lieutenant). Iago falsely informs Roderigo that if Cassio were to die, Desdemona could be Roderigo's wife. Iago then guilefully encourages Cassio to drink an excess of wine and in a drunken fight, instigated by Roderigo, Cassio wounds Montano, the governor of Cyprus, and Othello reprimands him.    Meanwhile, Iago continually plants thoughts of sexual jealousy and suspicion in Othello's mind. He tries to convince Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful to him and she is having an affair with Cassio. In t... ...oston: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1981. Bevington, David, ed. William Shakespeare: Four Tragedies. New York: Bantam Books, 1980. Bradley, A. C.. Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: Penguin, 1991. Campbell, Lily B. Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes. New York: Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1970. Di Yanni, Robert. â€Å"Character Revealed Through Dialogue.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Literature. N. p.: Random House, 1986. Mack, Maynard. Everybody’s Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993. Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.

Racial Identity in The Autobiography of an Ex-colored Man Essay example

Slavery was abolished after the Civil War, but the Negro race still was not accepted as equals into American society. To attain a better understanding of the events and struggles faced during this period, one must take a look at its' literature. James Weldon Johnson does an excellent job of vividly depicting an accurate portrait of the adversities faced before the Civil Rights Movement by the black community in his novel â€Å"The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.† One does not only read this book, but instead one takes a journey alongside a burdened mulatto man as he struggles to claim one race as his own. In Johnson's novel, the young mulatto boy is at first completely unaware of his unique circumstance, and lives life comfortably and oblivious to the oppression of the black race outside of his home in Connecticut. He is characterized as a bright, quick learning young man whose talents do not cease at intelligence; he is somewhat of a musical prodigy. The young boy's fingers could sweep across the ivory keys of a piano to produce the most beautifully captivating and enchanting sounds. At school he interacted well with his classmates, but was always somewhat of a loner. As his education continues, he begins to become somewhat fascinated with a negro boy, whom he calls Shiny, and begins to describe him in great detail. Shiny was smart, driven, and a quick learner, and the narrator later realizes that he was never given the credit he deserved because of his race. In an essence, Shiny and the narrator are no different from one another, other than what the narrator believes to be their et hnicity. At the age of eleven, the narrator learns of a secret that will forever follow him and essentially be the base of every decision he would e... ...ion placed on the black man in America, but society also made him the punchline a joke. He was in a sense a victim of society's cruel joke, for even though he passed and lived as a white man, he felt constant guilt for hiding who he really was to escape the fate he was born into. He chose to live his life with no definite racial identity. Johnson chose to only let the reader known the narrator as the â€Å"Ex-Colored Man,† and he could not have chose a more fitting name concerning racial identity. In an essence, the man was like a Van Gogh or Di Vinci painting after being restored; the original color is still underneath the outer coating. No matter how one tries to hide it, the original product is still there. Works Cited Johnson, James Weldon. The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Boston: Sherman, French & Company, 1912. Reissued by Dover Publications, 1995.

George Washington Carver :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  George Washington Carver, most referred to the â€Å"Peanut Man† was born into slavery around 1864 in Diamond, Missouri. His birth date is not known for sure because birth records were not properly kept by the slave owners. As a child, he was very sick and no one ever thought that he would grow to be one of the most distinguished agriculturists in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unfortunately, George never got to know his parents. His father was killed in an accident and his mother was kidnapped by night raiders. So, George was raised by his owners; Moses and Susan Carver. They treated George and his brother Jim as their own sons. As a child, George had exceptional observational skills and a keen curiosity. His love for nature and animals was beyond his age. Moses and Susan tried very hard to satisfy his needs. But, they realized that he needed to go to a regular school. Since colored children were not allowed in the schools for white children, George had to leave the town and go to Neosho, Missouri to attend school. Later he moved to Fort Scott, Kansas to attend High school.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  School was full of hardships and struggle for George. Since he never had enough money to pay his fees, he often had to drop out temporarily to earn and then enroll again. During this period he worked many odd jobs as a housekeeper, cook, gardener, and launder. He did every job with devotion and tried to achieve perfection. Thus he gained recognition everywhere he went. After finishing high school, he applied to Highland University and was accepted until the college later learned that he was black and therefore refused his entrance. Finally, at the age of thirty, Carver was finally accepted to Simpson College in Iowa. After a year there, he left to attend the Iowa Agricultural College where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1894, and his Masters Degree in 1896. George was the first black American to graduate from this college.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Carver was offered a number of jobs because of his wonderful work ethic, but he accepted the invitation of Booker T. Washington to teach at the Tuskegee Institute, where he accepted a position as an instructor at the Tuskegee Institute of Technology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Tuskegee, Carver developed his famous crop rotation method. Nitrate producing legumes like peanuts and sweet potatoes were planted during alternate years. The peanuts and potatoes put nutrients back in the soil that had been taken away when