Cultural Competence Essay

The claim that every person is a product of his own cultural background which includes, among other things, his life experiences as well as family, religion, ethnicity and age (Kim, 2001, p. 207) reflects the idea that cultural competence inevitably requires an understanding of other people’s cultural background other than one’s own. While it is true that â€Å"our cultural inventory provides us with valuable insights for understanding our beliefs and attitudes† as well as our values and assumptions† (Kim, 2001, p.  207), it is also important to consider the need to fill that inventory with how other individuals perceive people from other cultural backgrounds. With respect to cultural competence, it is not always enough to satisfy the need to widen our cultural awareness solely through our personal knowledge of other cultures. Indeed, it is true that we should look into the different parts of â€Å"our own cultural identity and examine their positive and negative impacts on our professional and personal development† (Kim, 2001, p. 27). But more to that, we should also consider how other people see other people in terms of their cultural background. In essence, cultural competence can sustain cultural awareness and tolerance inasmuch as it can further foster interaction among cultures. According to Johnson, Lenartowicz and Apud (2006), cultural competence involves at least four elements: knowledge of personal cultural worldview, knowledge of other cultural worldviews and practices, perception towards differences in cultures, and cross-cultural skills. Assuming that we are the products of each of our own cultural backgrounds, it appears that to be culturally competent means to be able to recognize other cultures and to be able to interact with those cultures. Interaction can come in many forms, from simple hand and facial gestures to the more complex ones such as personal interaction on a verbal basis. Whatever way we choose to interact with people who belong to another culture, it is important to practice tolerance towards cultural differences. Cultural intolerance can very well lead to disagreement or, worse, to bigotry. Cultural competence presupposes cultural tolerance precisely because the latter allows individuals from distinct cultures to interact with one another without resorting to hatred or bigotry. Cultural tolerance can only progress if people begin to realize the idea that the belief-systems that each one of us subscribes to does not necessarily invoke the task to assimilate others into our own belief-systems (Persell, 1997). It can also progress if people are able to realize that various cultures can live side-by-side without necessarily interfering with the affairs of one another (Fischer, 2007). If communities of individuals are able to coexist and interact, the cultural landscape becomes one that is peaceful and lively. In a peaceful and lively society thriving with unique cultures, the task of obtaining and practicing cultural competence becomes an easy task. On the other hand, a society where racial bigotry exists among others is a society that pre-empts cultural competence right at the bud. One way to achieve cultural tolerance is through seeing and understanding how other people understand other people from other cultures. Additionally, it also helps to see and understand how other individuals interact with other individuals from other cultures. Like a third-person viewer, being aware of the dynamics of the cultural exchanges of people expands our mental horizons as we become more equipped with cultural knowledge that we may have hardly had in directly interacting with people from other cultures. Our cultural inventory becomes more comprehensive since we are able to gather more information about how people from different cultures communicate, for instance, with one another. Many different forms of cultural exchanges happen in ordinary life and to be able to bear witness to these different forms gives us a clearer picture of what it takes to be culturally competent. When we begin to realize that cultures do not essentially incite hatred and indifference, we become more convinced to study other cultures and to mingle with other people. Eventually, being culturally competent becomes an easy task to take. Another way to achieve cultural tolerance is through a theoretical study of the practices and beliefs of various cultures. This can be done with the help of academic institutions which offer formal ways to introduce and to educate people about the ways of other cultures. These institutions provide a pivotal role in enlightening people—presumably students—about unfamiliar cultures and their practices and beliefs. Armed with cultural insight, people can, in a manner of speaking, let other cultures be. Moreover, the education given by these academic institutions provide a fundamental block towards reaching the goal of cultural competence; for without at least an academic knowledge of cultures there can hardly be any individual progress towards any one of the four elements of cultural competence. Perhaps the most effective and yet most difficult way of achieving cultural tolerance is through the study and practice of the languages of other people. Interestingly, it is argued that language holds the most useful key to understanding other cultures (D’Andrade, 2002). The setup and function of the linguistic component of culture appears to be universal. That is, every language in the world regardless of cultural distinctions involves the receiver and the sender of the message of the medium, language being the medium. Language regardless of cultural distinctions is essentially used for communication, which is why learning a ‘foreign’ language is a crucial step in learning a ‘foreign’ culture because it enables us to penetrate linguistic barriers. Having the language of another culture as part of our so-called â€Å"cultural inventory† is a formidable advantage in dissolving the hindrances towards a comprehensive cultural awareness and, ultimately, cultural competence. How is it possible that cultural tolerance leads to cultural competence? For the most part, a person who is tolerant of other cultures is a person who has already satisfied the need to know one’s own culture and other cultures. An individual cannot be tolerant of a culture which he or she is not even aware of. Moreover, the culturally tolerant person is also someone who has already formed his own perceptions towards other cultures including his own. The only thing missing in all of these is the actual practice of that tolerance into reality. A person who is fully tolerant of other cultures is one who is already able to interact with other individuals who belong to another race or religion, for instance. As a case in point, expatriates are people who have been absorbed into another culture in more or less the same way as they have absorbed such culture into their lives. They are culturally tolerant individuals because, at the least, they are able to mingle and live with people of what used to be a different culture. More importantly, expatriates are also individuals who possess cultural competence not only as a result of their cultural tolerance but also as a product of their interest and inclination in becoming ‘one’ with another culture. They become thoroughly attached to another culture to the point that they are already able to speak the native tongue, subscribe to and practice the dominant religion or even adapt the general lifestyle of that culture. In any case, cultural competence and cultural tolerance go with one another in most, if not all, instances. It may be noted, however, that our reflection on â€Å"the various aspects of our own cultural identity and [our examination of] their positive and negative impacts on our professional and personal development (Kim, 2001, p. 207)† may not necessarily lead to cultural competence. It may only lead us to cultural tolerance to a certain degree without ever reaching the stage of putting into practice what we have learned from our acts of reflection and examination of our cultural identity. Even though â€Å"each of us is a product of our cultural background (Kim, 2001, p. 2007),† we are not naturally inclined to be culturally competent. The fact that there are people who struggle to become culturally competent and that there are those who deny themselves of the chance to become one suggests the same thing—human beings are not naturally inclined to know other cultures and to interact with them. However, what it entails on a positive note is the idea that there is the possibility of an overlap among the many different factors involved in determining the cultural identities of individuals. Perhaps the biggest struggle towards achieving cultural competence is overcoming the possibility of treating one’s personal cultural worldview or even one’s culture as superior to the rest. In submitting to such risk, we become more prone to cultural intolerance as we tend to put down cultures other than our own. We may eventually lose interest in knowing other cultural worldviews and in observing people of different cultures interact with one another from an outsider’s perspective. Our â€Å"cultural inventory† becomes filled only with our own cultural worldviews and our reflection and examination of culture may hardly extend towards other cultures. Nevertheless, people can overcome all these risks and struggles as part of the task of becoming culturally competent. A person’s level of cultural competence may hardly be quantified (Fischer, 2007) but it does not mean that there is no such thing as cultural competence. The fact that cultures exist and the fact that each person is the product of his own cultural background (Kim, 2001) suggests that interaction among cultures is possible, if not highly likely. Obtaining cultural competence may be a laborious task but, in the end, it poses large benefits in sustaining cultural tolerance on both personal and group levels. REFERENCES D’ANDRADE, R. (2002) Cultural Darwinism and Language. American Anthropologist, 104, 223-232. FISCHER, M. M. J. (2007) Culture and Cultural Analysis as Experimental Systems. Cultural Anthropology, 22, 1-65. JOHNSON, J. P. , LENARTOWICZ, T. & APUD, S. (2006) Cross-Cultural Competence in International Business: Toward a Definition and a Model. Journal of International Business Studies, 37, 525-543. KIM, E. Y. (2001) The Yin and Yang of American Culture: A Paradox, London, Intercultural Press. PERSELL, C. H. (1997) The Interdependence of Social Justice and Civil Society. Sociological Forum, 12, 149-172.

School Kills Creativity †Ken Robinson

1. I agree with this statement, my explanation is that everybody got an education since they was born. First, you have to define the word â€Å"education†. In my opinion education is same as imitation because everyone learns by imitate from what people have done. Students learn mathematic by the method that ancient people made, baby or kids learn everything from what they have seen. You can see that when we were young, we imitated the way we speak from our parents, and we drew the picture from what we see. In that time, we enjoyed that moment.So, we can say that education is in our instinct. 2. 3. What he say happen to us because we have been taught to live in the same pattern, we have to do something in the same way, we have to do something in the same pattern, to make mistake is prohibited. If you learn from history, many things come from the mistaken; Alfred Nobel found Dynamite when he tries to make other thing. Another reason why I agree with his word is that we’re all taught by the same way, so after graduated, we’ll be something like a textbook that you can find it easily.Creativity is the thing that can’t be taught. It has in everyone but education system obstruct it. School kills creativity – Ken Robinson In his speech at the TED conference in February 2006, Sir Ken Robinson claims for a reformation of the current creativity retarding worldwide education system. His point of departure is that children are born with huge talents, wasted by the contemporary education system. While children are not afraid of being wrong, school and the ecological system eliminate this attitude. Read also  How Powerful Do You Find Atticus Finch’s Closing Speech?Robinson thinks that this, making mistakes, is the only way to develop new ideas, although getting on in life means not making mistakes. People, especially children, should have more space to be wrong, accordingly to possibilities of creating something new. Being developed in the 19th century, the education system is focused on providing the requirements for a job in the industry and academic ability. The orator points out that the hierarchy of subjects around the world is the same: first comes math and languages, followed by humanities and concluded by the arts, especially usic and art, after that drama and dance. In Robinson’s opinion this is the right order of priorities for a scientific career, but not for people of the future which have to solute the world problems in a more creative way. Talented people do not get the sense of achievement, because things they are good at are not valued at school; hence, their high creative potentials are wasted. Furthermore Sir Ken Robinson mentions an â€Å"academic inflation† around the world, since conditions for job entrance referring to one’s academic degree are raised.Intelligence is diversely based on visual, tonal, kinesthetically, dynamic and abstract influences as a result it is the interaction of different disciplinary ways of seeing things. That is why the whole body has to be educated to use the whole spectrum of human capacity. Therefore fundamental principles of the education system have to be changed in order to send the next generation into a better future. In my personal experience, around two years ago when I was in high school, I lost all of my confidence and didn’t know what I have to do. My score were lower than other students in the class.The teachers used to ignore me and treated me as a troublemaker. After finishing some internship in America, I’ve realized that I was not that kind. Peopl e who I had met in America, especially my boss and my co-worker, encourage me to do what I really want to do. And finally I have a confidence that I can do everything if I want to. Good morning. How are you? It's been great, hasn't it? I've been blown away by the whole thing. In fact, I'm leaving. (Laughter)  There have been three themes, haven't there,  running through the conference, which are relevant  to what I want to talk about.One is the extraordinary evidence of human creativity  in all of the presentations that we've had  and in all of the people here. Just the variety of it  and the range of it. The second is that  it's put us in a place where we have no idea what's going to happen,  idea how I have an interest in education —  actually, what I find is everybody has an interest in education. Don't you? I find this very interesting. say you  actually, you're not often at dinner parties, frankly, if you work in education. (Laughter) You're not asked . And you're never asked back, curiously. That's strange to me.But if you are, and you say to somebody,  you know, they say, â€Å"What do you do? †Ã‚  and you say you work in education,  you can see the blood run from their face. They're like,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oh my God,† you know, â€Å"Why me? My one night out all week. † (Laughter)  But if you ask about their education,  they pin you to the wall. Because it's one of those things  that goes deep with people, am I right? Like religion, and money and other things. I have a big interest in education, and I think we all do. We have a huge vested interest in it,  partly because it's education that's meant to  take us into this future that we can't grasp.If you think of it, children starting school this year  will be retiring in 2065. Nobody has a clue –despite all the expertise that's been on parade for the past four days —  what the world will look like  in five years' time. And yet we'r e meant  to be educating them for it. So the unpredictability, I think,  is extraordinary. And the third part of this is that  we've all agreed, nonetheless, on the  really extraordinary capacities that children have —  their capacities for innovation. I mean, Sirena last night was a marvel,  wasn't she?Just seeing what she could do. And she's exceptional, but I think she's not, so to speak,  exceptional in the whole of childhood. What you have there is a person of extraordinary dedication  who found a talent. And my contention is,  all kids have tremendous talents. And we squander them, pretty ruthlessly. So I want to talk about education and  I want to talk about creativity. My contention is that  creativity now is as important in education as literacy,  and we should treat it with the same status. (Applause) Thank you. That was it, by the way. left.Well I heard a great story recently — I love telling it —  of a little girl who was in a drawing lesson. She was six  and she was at the back, drawing,  and the teacher said this little girl hardly ever  paid attention, and in this drawing lesson she did. The teacher was fascinated and she went over to her  and she said, â€Å"What are you drawing? †Ã‚  And the girl said, â€Å"I'm drawing a picture of God. †Ã‚  And the teacher said, â€Å"But nobody knows what God looks like. †Ã‚  And the girl said, â€Å"They will in a minute. †Ã‚  (Laughter) When my son was four in England —  actually he was four everywhere, to be honest. Laughter)  If we're being strict about it, wherever he went, he was four that year. He was in the Nativity play. Do you remember the story? No, it was big. It was a big story. Mel Gibson did the sequel. You may have seen it: â€Å"Nativity II. † But James got the part of Joseph,  which we were thrilled about. We considered this to be one of the lead parts. We had the place crammed full of ag ents in T-shirts:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"James Robinson IS Joseph! † (Laughter)He didn't have to speak, but you know the bit  where the three kings come in. They come in bearing gifts,  and they bring gold, frankincense and myrhh.This really happened. We were sitting there  and I think they just went out of sequence,  because we talked to the little boy afterward and we said,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"You OK with that? † And he said, â€Å"Yeah, why? Was that wrong? â€Å"They just switched, that was it. Anyway, the three boys came in —  four-year-olds with tea towels on their heads —  and they put these boxes down,  and the first boy said, â€Å"I bring you gold. †Ã‚  And the second boy said, â€Å"I bring you myrhh. †Ã‚  And the third boy said, â€Å"Frank sent this. † (Laughter) What these things have in common is that kids will take a chance. If they don't know, they'll have a go.Am I right? They're not frightened of being wrong. Now, I don't me an to say that being wrong is the same thing as being creative. What we do know is,  if you're not prepared to be wrong,  you'll never come up with anything original —  if you're not prepared to be wrong. And by the time they get to be adults,  most kids have lost that capacity. They have become frightened of being wrong. way. We  where mistakes  And the result is that we are educating people out of  their creative capacities. Picasso once said this —  he said that all children are born artists. The problem is to remain an artist as we grow up.I believe this passionately,  that we don't grow into creativity,  we grow out of it. Or rather, we get educated out if it. So why is this? I lived in Stratford-on-Avon until about five years ago. In fact, we moved from Stratford to Los Angeles. So you can imagine what a seamless transition that was. Actually, we  just outside Stratford, which is where  Shakespeare's father was born. Are you struck by a ne w thought? I was. You don't think of Shakespeare having a father, do you? Do you? Because you don't think of  Shakespeare being a child, do you? Shakespeare being seven? I never thought of it.I mean, he was  seven at some point. He was in  somebody's English class, wasn't he? How annoying would that be? (Laughter) â€Å"Must try harder. † Being sent to bed by his dad, you know,  to Shakespeare, â€Å"Go to bed, now,†Ã‚  to William Shakespeare, â€Å"and put the pencil down. And stop speaking like that. It's confusing everybody. †Ã‚  (Laughter) Anyway, we moved from Stratford to Los Angeles,  and I just want to say a word about the transition, actually. My son didn't want to come. I've got two kids. He's 21 now; my daughter's 16. He didn't want to come to Los Angeles. He loved it,  but he had a girlfriend in England.This was the love of his life, Sarah. He'd known her for a month. Mind you, they'd had their fourth anniversary,  because it's a long t ime when you're 16. Anyway, he was really upset on the plane,  and he said, â€Å"I'll never find another girl like Sarah. †Ã‚  And we were rather pleased about that, frankly,  because she was the main reason we were leaving the country. (Laughter) But something strikes you when you move to America  and when you travel around the world:  Every education system on earth has the same hierarchy of subjects. Every one. Doesn't matter where you go. You'd think it would be otherwise, but it isn't.At the top are mathematics and languages,  then the humanities, and the bottom are the arts. Everywhere on Earth. And in pretty much every system too,  there's a hierarchy within the arts. Art and music are normally given a higher status in schools  than drama and dance. There isn't an education system on the planet  that teaches dance everyday to children  the way we teach them mathematics. Why? Why not? I think this is rather important. I think math is very important, b ut so is dance. Children dance all the time if they're allowed to, we all do. We all have bodies, don't we? Did I miss a meeting? Laughter) Truthfully, what happens is,  as children grow up, we start to educate them  progressively from the waist up. And then we focus on their heads. And slightly to one side. If you were to visit education, as an alien,  and say â€Å"What's it for, public education? †Ã‚  I think you'd have to conclude — if you look at the output,  who really succeeds by this,  who does everything that they should,  who gets all the brownie points, who are the winners —  I think you'd have to conclude the whole purpose of public education  throughout the world  is to produce university professors. Isn't it?They're the people who come out the top. And I used to be one, so there. (Laughter)  And I like university professors, but you know,  we shouldn't hold them up as the high-water mark of all human achievement. life, another   them. There’s  not all of them, but typically — they live in their heads. They live up there, and slightly to one side. They're disembodied, you know, in a kind of literal way. They look upon their body  as a form of transport for their heads, don't they? meetings. If  by the way, get yourself along to a residential conference  of senior academics,  and pop into the discotheque on the final night. Laughter) And there you will see it — grown men and women  writhing uncontrollably, off the beat,  waiting until it ends so they can go home and write a paper about it. Now our education system is predicated on the idea of academic ability. And there's a reason. The whole system was invented — around the world, there were  no public systems of education, really, before the 19th century. They all came into being  to meet the needs of industrialism. So the hierarchy is rooted on two ideas. Number one, that the most useful subjects for work  are at the top.So you were probably steered benignly away  from things at school when you were a kid, things you liked,  on the grounds that you would  never get a job doing that. Is that right? Don't do music, you're not going to be a musician;  don't do art, you won't be an artist. Benign advice — now, profoundly mistaken. The whole world  is engulfed in a revolution. And the second is academic ability, which has really come to dominate  our view of intelligence,  because the universities designed the system in their image. If you think of it, the whole system  of public education around the world is a protracted process  of university entrance.And the consequence is that many highly talented,  brilliant, creative people think they're not,  because the thing they were good at school  wasn't valued, or was actually stigmatized. And I think we can't afford to go on that way. In the next 30 years, according to UNESCO,  graduating through  combinati on of  technology and its transformation effect on work, and demography  and the huge explosion in population. Suddenly, degrees aren't worth anything. Isn't that true? When I was a student, if you had a degree, you had a job. If you didn't have a job it's because you didn't want one.And I didn't want one, frankly. (Laughter)  But now kids with degrees are often  heading home to carry on playing video games,  because you need an MA where the previous job required a BA,  other. It’s  And it indicates the whole structure of education  is shifting beneath our feet. We need to radically rethink  our view of intelligence. We know three things about intelligence. One, it's diverse. We think about the world in all the ways  that we experience it. We think visually,  we think in sound, we think kinesthetically. We think in abstract terms, we think in movement.Secondly, intelligence is dynamic. If you look at the interactions of a human brain, as we heard  yest erday from a number of presentations,  intelligence is wonderfully interactive. The brain isn't divided into compartments. In fact, creativity — which I define as the process  of having original ideas that have value —  more often than not comes about through the interaction  of different disciplinary ways of seeing things. The brain is intentionally — by the way,  there's a shaft of nerves that joins the two halves of the brain  called the corpus callosum. It's thicker in women.Following off from Helen yesterday, I think  this is probably why women are better at multi-tasking. Because you are, aren't you? There's a raft of research, but I know it from my personal life. If my wife is cooking a meal at home —  which is not often, thankfully. (Laughter)  But you know, she's doing — no, she's good at some things —  but if she's cooking, you know,  she's dealing with people on the phone,  she's talking to the kids, she's painting the ceiling,  she's doing open-heart surgery over here. If I'm cooking, the door is shut, the kids are out,  the phone's on the hook, if she comes in I get annoyed.I say, â€Å"Terry, please, I'm trying to fry an egg in here. Give me a break. † (Laughter)  Actually, you know that old philosophical thing,  if a tree falls in a forest and nobody hears it,  did it happen? Remember that old chestnut? I saw a great t-shirt really recently which said, â€Å"If a man speaks his mind  in a forest, and no woman hears him,  is he still wrong? † (Laughter) And the third thing about intelligence is,  it's distinct. I'm doing a new book at the momentcalled â€Å"Epiphany,† which is based on a series of  interviews with people about how they discovered  their talent.I'm fascinated by how people got to be there. It's really prompted by a conversation I had  with a wonderful woman who maybe most people  have never heard of; she's called Gillian Lynne —  have you heard of her? Some have. She's a choreographer  and everybody knows her work. She did â€Å"Cats† and â€Å"Phantom of the Opera. †Ã‚  She's wonderful. I used to be on the board of the Royal Ballet in England,  as you can see. Anyway, Gillian and I had lunch one day and I said,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Gillian, how'd you get to be a dancer? † And she said  it was interesting; when she was at school,  she was really hopeless.And the school, in the '30s,  wrote to her parents and said, â€Å"We think  Gillian has a learning disorder. † She couldn't concentrate;  she was fidgeting. I think now they'd say  she had ADHD. Wouldn't you? But this was the 1930s,  and ADHD hadn't been invented at this point. It wasn't an available condition. (Laughter)  People weren't aware they could have that. Anyway, she went to see this specialist. So, this oak-paneled room,  and she was there with her mother,  and she was led and sat on this chair at the end,  and she sat on her hands for 20 minutes while  this man talked to her mother about all  the problems Gillian was having at school.And at the end of it —  because she was disturbing people;  her homework was always late; and so on,  little kid of eight — in the end, the doctor went and sat  next to Gillian and said, â€Å"Gillian,  I've listened to all these things that your mother's  told me, and I need to speak to her privately. †Ã‚  He said, â€Å"Wait here. We'll be back; we won't be very long,†Ã‚  and they went and left her. But as they went out the room, he turned on the radio  that was sitting on his desk. And when they  got out the room, he said to her mother,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Just stand and watch her. † And the minute they left the room,  she said, she was on her feet, moving to the music.And they watched for a few minutes  and he turned to her mother and said,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Mrs. Lynne, Gillian isn't sick; s he's a dancer. Take her to a dance school. † I said, â€Å"What happened? †Ã‚  She said, â€Å"She did. I can't tell you how wonderful it was. We walked in this room and it was full of  people like me. People who couldn't sit still. People who had to move to think. † Who had to move to think. They did ballet; they did tap; they did jazz;  they did modern; they did contemporary. She was eventually auditioned for the Royal Ballet School;  she became a soloist; she had a wonderful career  at the Royal Ballet.She eventually graduated  from the Royal Ballet School and  founded her own company — the Gillian Lynne Dance Company —  met Andrew Lloyd Weber. She's been responsible forsome of the most successful musical theater  productions in history; she's given pleasure to millions;  and she's a multi-millionaire. Somebody else  might have put her on medication and told her  to calm down. Now, I think †¦ (Applause) What I think it comes to is this:  Al Gore spoke the other nightabout ecology and the revolution that was triggered by Rachel Carson.I believe our only hope for the future  is to adopt a new conception of human ecology,  one in which we start to reconstitute our conception  of the richness of human capacity. Our education system has mined our minds in the way  that we strip-mine the earth: for a particular commodity. And for the future, it won't serve us. We have to rethink the fundamental principles  on which we're educating our children. There was  a wonderful quote by Jonas Salk, who said, â€Å"If all the insects  were to disappear from the earth,  within 50 years all life on Earth would end.If all human beings disappeared from the earth,  within 50 years all forms of life would flourish. â€Å"And he's right. What TED celebrates is the gift of the human imagination. We have to be careful now that we use this gift  wisely and that we avert some of the scenarios  that w e've talked about. And the only way  we'll do it is by seeing our creative capacities  for the richness they are and seeing  our children for the hope that they are. And our task  is to educate their whole being, so they can face this future. By the way — we may not see this future,  but they will. And our job is to help  them make something of it. Thank you very much.

Building Positive Teacher Student Relationships

Teacher-student relationship has numerous benefits for the teacher and the student in the classroom. There are different types of relationships between the teachers and the students. They include that of being a mentor, being friends or a parental figure. However, in the recent decade, a new type of relationship that is unlawful and illegal has developed. When the connection between the student and the teacher starts being that of more than friends, it disadvantages the student. The teacher-student†¦ 2. Student-teacher relationships-To improve my student-teacher relationship the first thing I will do is get to know my students. I need to find out what they like and dislike, and become approachable. This will help me and the student in the long run because we will have some goodwill built with each other, and they may be able to come to me with personal issues that are hindering their learning. The second thing I would do is listen to my students. It is a sort of dictatorship in the classroom†¦ will begin to normalize certain aspects of ideology. â€Å"The social roles that we occupy throughout our lifetime, like child, student, or employee place us in relationships of unequal power and as a result of ideological value hierarchies†(139). This though is considered norm just like a student is supposed to/expected to do their homework. The relationship between teacher and student is a common one. The next function is privileging basically states that people of power are more important than others.†¦ collaborate with colleagues. Collaboration between colleagues build relationships among teachers and plays a significant role in the growth of an educator. There are many positives to collaboration but communication is essential. We all have different perspectives, and ideas and when people meet, conflict can arise because of the many differences. Furthermore, the personality of teachers can also clash when a group meets. As a teacher leader, it is important to understand colleagues and that can be†¦ Teaching a specialism of any matter requires the teacher themselves to be competent and confident with their own abilities first. To be a competent carpenter requires lots of experience, dedication and time – without dedication, you will not put in the time and in turn not gain the experience. Hence dedication is a fundamental element, which is expressed to all the construction students at Harlow College, in order for them to succeed. Dedication goes hand in hand with motivation, motivation is developed†¦ are three examples of ways a teacher can build a positive relationship with students: a. Making clear relationship between student and teacher is one of respect. This important so the student knows that you are their mentor and you are on their team. You want them to be successful and see it through that they are successful. Always be the student’s personal cheerleader! b. Knowing about the student’s home life is important when building a relationship with the student. By knowing about the student’s†¦ Teacher relationship and the effects on students At a young age, children are molded by the adults around them, shaping how they socially develop and their cognitive development. Once the child is at a school age, the most important adult around them beside family is their teacher. Thus the teacher-student relationship is formed and it must be a positive atmosphere to ensure the child to grow mentally and emotionally. Student-teacher relationships are studied and is found to have a correlation with†¦ Student-Teacher Relationships Create Positive Learning Environments When it comes to the topic of education, most of us will readily agree that a positive connection with a teacher is an essential part of learning and growing as a student. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of will positive student-teacher relationships improve student behavior? While administrators are convinced that strict discipline is the only answer for classrooms, psychologists believe that positive†¦ Student teacher relationship is very important inside of a classroom. With this relationship students and teachers will most likely do great inside of the class, but without this relationship students are more likely to not do well. Throughout this semester, I have learned a lot about how any why these relationship is key to the success of both students and teachers. Successful student-relationship enables good outcomes for both students and teachers. According to Mester et al. we must first see†¦ The teacher student relationship is very important for children. Children spend approximately 5 to 7 hours a day with a teacher for almost 10 months. We ask ourselves what is considered a good teacher? All of us have gone through schooling, and if fortunate had a favorite teacher. A positive relationship between the student and the teacher is difficult to establish, but can be found for both individuals at either end. The qualities for a positive relationship can vary to set a learning experience†¦

National Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

National Policy - Essay Example According to our UNIT 7 lecture notes, public policy â€Å"refers to the actions taken by government — its decisions that are intended to solve problems and improve the quality of life for its citizens.† In this case, public policy is actually formed following these three processes: policy formulation and adoption—this is where an approach is come up by different political stakeholders in solving a certain problem; implementation—this is where the decision of government is put into effect; and evaluation and termination evaluation—this is where a specific public policy is reviewed and evaluated based on a cost-benefit analysis. In this case, a particular problem is actually identified through something that attracts attention of the government, especially when the welfare of the public is harmed or threatened. In determining solutions for this problem, different political stakeholders actually present their approach on how the problem is solved†”including congress, the executive and the judicial branches of government, civil society groups, political parties, and even the citizens most affected. Works Cited Unit 7: Politics and the Economy (Lecture Notes)

How violent video games have positive and negative effects on children Essay

How violent video games have positive and negative effects on children - Essay Example Harmless games like Pac-man started catching the child’s attention for hours and this was the beginning of game addiction in kids. With time, development of graphics and better appealing games started appearing in the market. With rapid increase of the gaming market, the genres of games started to change and new eon was set, where games did not look harmless anymore and the violence level inhabited by these games started becoming pretty alarming. One of the first high violent games that caught the world by storm was ‘Mortal Kombat’, a unique two player fighting game. The violence however was the nature of fighting and the brutal moves that were incorporated by each character. The game also showcased extreme violence in the end of each level, in which the losing game character would die a sadistic death by getting his body parts ripped by the other character. Due to this attribute of the game, it became an instant rage especially amongst teenagers. Media has played a major part installing ideas of violence amongst children and teenagers. Violence filled games has taken this to the next level. The following study of comparison between a violent game and a non violent game indicates the impact they can have on teenager’s mind: â€Å"They also found (Study 2) that participants who played Wolfenstein 3D (a violent game where the player â€Å"walks â€Å"through a castle, armed with various weapons, and attempts to kill people) in the lab behaved more aggressively than participants who played a nonviolent game† (Bruce D. Bartholow & Craig A. Anderson. Page 2.2001) The question that arises is can we co-relate extreme violence in schools with violence in video games. Pre-teens boys are always using the techniques and moves shown in the games on each other. However the alarming part comes, when these school kids decide to kill their classmates and teachers in similar game fashion. The one player shooting games has a deep effect on teenagers and if the child is

Strategic Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Accounting - Essay Example One of the major developments in the area of managerial accounting is the product life cycle costing which has gained serious recognition during recent periods to meet the challenges of changes in the production systems and procedures. Product life-cycle costing being the new development in the management accounting system has been defined as "a new area of reporting in cost management systems which is the accumulation of costs for activities that occur over the entire life cycle of product"(Hilton, 1994, p.230). Product life cycle examines the life of the product from its development stage to the stage till the removal of the product from the usage. According to Horngren & Foster (1991), product life-cycle covers the life of the product from the time of initial research and development to the time when sales and support of the product to the customers is withdrawn. Burstein (1988) observes that the life cycle costing becomes more and more crucial and important in the light of rapid changes in technology and the shortening of the product life cycle. There is a sharp distinction between the product's life cycle costs and the whole life cycle costs. Life cycle costs cover all the costs that the manufacturer will have to incur and whole life cycle cost includes the costs at the hands of the consumer like installation, operation, maintenance, revitalization and disposal (Shields & Young 1991.) Adamany & Gonsalves (1994) have identified the following seven stages in the life cycle of a product: 1. Analysis Stage - involving a critical assessment of the concept and the effects of investing on the concept 2. Start Up Stage - comprising of prototyping, dedication of the manufacturing facilities and practical assessment of the effects of the investment 3. Entry Stage - where the entry into the market with a new product or service is planned 4. Growth Stage - during which the firm receives back the returns on investment as potential sales revenues 5. Maturity Stage - at which the firm harvests the profit from the product or service 6. Decline Stage - signifying the tampering down of the sales which necessitates moving to the withdrawal stage or revitalizing the product 7. Withdrawal Stage - the product is withdrawn from the market It is also vitally important that the managers gather all the required information at the different stages of the life cycle and the life cycle concept introduces an integrated approach to planning and budgeting. Mapping of Key Information Requirements Life Cycle Phase Time Customer Requirement Satisfaction Target Pricing Resource Requirement Continuous Improvements Cash Flow Analysis Critical Critical Critical Critical Critical Start up Critical Critical Critical Critical Critical Entry Critical Critical Critical Critical Critical Growth Critical Critical Critical Critical Critical Critical Maturity Critical Critical Critical Critical Decline Critical Critical Withdrawal Critical Source: (Adamany & Gonsalves 1994) Actions under Life Cycle Costing for Generating Revenue and Reducing Costs Revenue Generation Cost Reduction Product Improvement: New Processes Features Cumulative Volume Performance Experience

Power and Politics Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Power and Politics - Term Paper Example 160). However, power manifests in situations in which one imposes actions or interests toward another and does not exist only in political organizations. The objective of the research is to compare and contrast power and politics in organizations. The discourse includes an analysis of organizational management and leadership practices that influence organizations. Finally, a minimum of two real-world examples of the relationship between power and politics provide information on how this relates to management and leadership practices. Power and Politics in Organizations Robbins and Judge (2007) define power as â€Å"the ability to get someone to do something you want done or the ability to make things happen in the way you want them to. The essence of power is control over the behavior of others† (p. 214). On the other hand, organizational politics means â€Å"the management of influence to obtain ends not sanctioned by the organization or to obtain sanctioned ends through non sanctioned means† (p. 227). The common elements for both power and politics are the presence of an influencing factor or control toward the achievement of some predefined goal. For essence and measurement of power is toward determining the ability to make others move toward the desired objective in which leaders could exemplify as the medium to possess power. On the other hand, politics in organization sometimes presume some negative aspect in terms of identifying conflicting elements in the organization (self-interest versus organizational goals, nonsanctioned methods to achieve goals) to effect a change or transformation. Otherwise, organizational power is seen as a neutral force that aims to resolve differences and conflicts. Organizational Management and Leadership Practices Power in organizations practices a more predominant transformational leadership style. Empowerment is implemented when leaders exercise willingness and capabilities of influencing subordinates and auth orizing them to be involved in strategies or in decision-making processes. Diverse researches have supported the benefits of power in organizations in which participation and involvement have contributed to improved productivity, motivation, and financial performance. The feeling of fulfillment, acknowledgement of job well done and recognition as rewards for exemplary achievement satisfies an individual’s self-actualization needs; especially when employees are given appropriate motivation to enhance their overall performance. Likewise, leaders who have empowered others are found to gain benefits in terms of: personal satisfaction, enhanced self-worth and confidence, perceived increase in personal value and power, reinforces improved ability to choose, and proactively accepts the repercussions of potential outcomes from empowering others (Holistic, 2000). Politics in organization, on the other hand, have benefits in terms of managing change and conflicts through addressing ina dequacies in leadership skills. As emphasized by Robbins and Judge (2007), â€Å"organizational politics can help identify problems and move ambitious, problem-solving managers into the breach. It is quicker than restructuring. It allows the firm to meet unanticipated problems with people and resources quickly, before small headaches become major problems. Finally, when a person’s formal authority breaks down or fails to apply to a particular situation, political actions can be used to prevent a loss of influence†

Spirituality in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Spirituality in Nursing - Essay Example The possibility of death makes a person fearful and his inclination towards spirituality grows to a great extent. Hence, spirituality plays an essential role in life of a person who is undergoing medical treatment. It has been found that the rate of recovery and attitude towards treatment is strongly affected by the spiritual and religious beliefs of a person. According to Baukhardt and Jacobson, spirituality provides meaning and inner strength to a person. Also, the introduction of the concept of alternative Eastern medicine and therapies to the Western people have changed the whole paradigm of medical treatment. People have started believing in the power of Eastern therapies and spiritual practices to heal their diseases and suffering. Moreover, it has been proved by the researches that spiritual and religious people respond more positively to medical treatment and show better outcome. The positive relation between spirituality and medical recovery has made it essential to include spirituality and religion as a part of treatment. Hence, it is essential for the nurses to understand and fulfill the spiritual needs of the client, as it not only helps in gaining the trust of the clients and building a healthy relationship with them, but also helps in curing the diseases completely, as spirituality is known to have the potential to heal the emotional and psychological problems, which are the root cause of the diseases. Definition Defining spirituality is not an easy thing as it encompasses different views, experiences and beliefs that are held sacred by different religions, cultures and traditions. According to Vink (2003), spirituality can be defined as â€Å"that aspect of every human being, rooted in our unique createdness that is on a sacred journey of completeness, sometimes seeking to connect with and trust in the divine being† (Shives, 2008, p.34). The definition shows that the need of spirituality arises from the emptiness that people feel inside th eir heart despite of having everything in their life. Moreover, this emptiness and powerlessness is felt more strongly when a person is suffering from physical or mental disease. Spiritual practices help people to feel connected with God and remove the feeling of emptiness. Hence, human elements like â€Å"love, compassion, caring, transcendence, relationship with God, and the connection of mind, boy and spirit† are used to define spirituality in the nursing literature (O’Brien, 2011, p.6). Different theories of nursing have aimed at helping the nursing professionals to assimilate spirituality in their care of the clients. However, the nursing theory that comes close to including all the spiritual aspects of caring into nursing practice is the â€Å"Theory of Human/Transpersonal Caring† by Jean Watson. Theory Of Human/ Transpersonal Care Jean Watson (1985), in her theory of nursing and spirituality, has given immense stress on importance of spirituality in the p rocess of nursing and care of a patient (Daniels, 2004, p. 1502). According o Watson, human being’s essential part is his soul and hence, if a person suffering from illness is to be healed, then connecting to a person on a level of soul is extremely important for a nurse (Daniels, 2004, p. 1502). Watson says that soul being the essence of human spirit, it provides human being with inner strength and helps him to

Power and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Power and Politics - Essay Example Researchers typify these arenas as a set of activities (Ferris, Frink, Bhawuk, et al., 1996; Mintzberg, 1985) in which few of the involved individuals are not known, and in which most of the rules are ambiguous. Organizational politics and power influence pits some individuals or employees of the organization against other similar entities or even against the organization itself, causing harm to the individuals, organizations and the growth prospects. However, politics and power influence remain an integral part of organizations, which the management personnel have long tried to reduce if not eliminate it from the company culture. The structure of a team is important in determining how the team will perform. Each team member should contribute skills to enhance the team's overall performance. Individual work habits and leadership styles will determine if the team has the ability to join together and complete their common goals. Teams create environments that bring out the best in each team member. A commitment to effectively communicating information and ideas is a characteristic of an effective team. That is why the usage of coercion and politics to gain advantage over team members can be very destructive to team dynamics. Coercion is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary is to force one to act or think in a certain manner, to dominate, restrain, or control by force. Often at work or in a group environment one might utilize this form of power to control dominance over the group. This usage of power can often make other team members conform. In a successful team conformity is not a useful tactic. The usage of politics and coercion to gain advantage over team members is a danger to the success of the project. Once team members realize that their input is not wanted more than likely they will withdraw from the process altogether. The USA today states, "offices dynamics often change from the usage of intimidation". (Bartol, 2008) For example a team must work together to process information for the desired results. Once a member takes advantage of a situation and use coercion to gain advantage it often leads to disaster. An example of such disaster happened recently within our team. A couple classes ago we had a member that was an extremely dominant person. The person was very smart and well educated but had a problem understanding the syllabus. Everybody in the team would understand the group assignments one way but she would always play devil advocate on the simplest details. She would use coercion to gain advantage over the other team members when we would meet to complete group assignments. The entire team was guilty of just going with the flow, not wanting to cause any problem. She was so convincing we felt she had to be correct! The result was a low grade, because the content was not correct. So the team from that moment on did not allow that dominant personality use politics and power to manipulate the group any more. Information Power is define as power through information as; Information power is the access to and/or the 'control' of information. It is one of the most important

Economic Growth in US Spurred by New Innovative Technologies Essay

Economic Growth in US Spurred by New Innovative Technologies - Essay Example The essay "Economic Growth in US Spurred by New Innovative Technologies" talks about the last 30 years of the 19th century which was a time in the United States history that was defined by economic growth spurred by new innovative technologies. The greater overall levels of prosperity lead to a massive population growth in this country.For example, the city of New York had a population of 468,492 in 1869, twenty years later the population had grown to 1,093,701 inhabitants. The cities became overpopulated and there was a need to expand away from the cities into the suburban areas. Society was in need of more housing for the new residents that were entering the country either through immigration or through natural birth. The most influential factor that spurred the economy during this era was the construction industry.There were big changes during this era in the capability humans had to travel longer distances in shorter periods of time. New technological breakthroughs in transportat ion systems shorten the distances between rural areas and cities. Some of the key transportation technologies that appeared during this era were the cable street car, the electric trolley, and elevated railroads. With the ability to travel further distances the population and families were able to move away to intermediate regions between the city and rural space, thus the suburban neighborhood was born. At this time construction of homes picked up and enter into the middle class was defined by ownership of a home.

Underlying Causes of Power Struggle in Marriage as Gleaned from Literature Essay Example for Free

Underlying Causes of Power Struggle in Marriage as Gleaned from Literature Essay In   the movie, Sylvia, talented poet and writer Sylvia Plath drives her husband intot he arms of another woman.   Fed up with her recurring bouts of jealousy and insecurity, and the ensuing rounds of arguments and quarrels, he breaks free to preserve his sanity.   Her world crumbles and she eventually commits suicide.   A closer look points to indubitable flaws not just from the female but from the male, moreso from society around which their world revolves.   The life story of the legendary Sylvia Plath, highlighted by her tumultuous relationship   with husband and fellow poet Ted Hughes, provides a clear-cut illustration of marital power struggle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Elisabeth Bronfen , a specialist in 19th and 20th century literature and a professor of English and American Studies, noted that the culprit in the tragic conflict between Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes was her â€Å"unbroken dependence on her perfect mate (which) lets her fall prey to jealousy, envy, anger, humiliation and burning loneliness when her trust in him is called into question†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bronfen 46). Indeed, nothing perhaps can agitate or vex a man more than a woman’s constant nagging, mistrust, and fault-finding, especially when has not done anything yet to deserve it.   To aggravate the situation, and as portrayed in Henrik Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House†, society dictates that a man must be the dominant individual in a marriage.   The uneasiness of most men that arises when this is not followed is often what leads to fights (blatant outward sign of the power struggle) and worse, the eventual collapse of the partnership and, in Sylvia’s case, the worst tragic consequence – death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The power struggle between husband and wife, or other similar pair of individuals in a relationship has, since time immemorial, existed not just in movies and books but in real-life settings.   A power struggle in marriage emerges somewhat like `art imitating life’ and vice versa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the part of female partners, one must consider that there are other factors that account for the tangled web of emotions and personalities that women assume and drive them to engage in a â€Å"power struggle† with their mates.   Women have been portrayed countless times in literature as being compassionate or easily taken advantage of, but able to put up (or attempt to) put up a fight when pushed too far.    In some instances, belonging to a clique has also been depicted in classic literature as a threat to a couple’s union.   When constant interaction from the male or female’s side breeds contempt, jealousy and rivalry, it tends to destroy a couple’s relationship, as illustrated in Jane Austen’s sequel to Pride and Prejudice, â€Å"Mr. Darcy Presents his Bride written by Helen Halstead. In the latter’s book, Elizabeth Bennet’s prestigious clique posed a threat to her new marriage to Fitzwilliam Darcy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Society undoubtedly plays a major part in heightening the power struggle between man and woman in a marital bind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antoinette Stafford in â€Å"The Feminist Critique of Hegel on Women and the Family† cited 18th century thinker Mary Wollstonecraft’s argument, â€Å"If women are in fact often frivolous, swayed by emotion and lacking in `the manly virtues of moral courage and disinterestedness, then this is not their natural character.   Rather, it arises solely because of educational practices and social expectations which prevent them from perfecting their latent rational capacities.† In The Internet Encyclopedia   of Philosophy, James J. Delaney referred to   Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s treatise on education pertaining to â€Å"Women, Marriage, and Family†: â€Å"Hers is not as focused on theoretical matters, as men’s minds are more suited to that type of thinking. Rousseau’s view on the nature of the relationship between men and women is rooted in the notion that men are stronger and therefore more independent. They depend on women only because they desire them. By contrast, women both need and desire men. Sophie is educated in such a way that she will fill what Rousseau takes to be her natural role as a wife. She is to be submissive to Emile.† Reacting to J.J. Rosseau’s abovementioned treatise, which also envisions an education for the boy that will foster an independent mind and spirit, autonomy and self-sufficiency, while his female counterpart is to be educated to please the male companion-to-be and in the process fulfill her womanly potential, Wollstonecraft argued that â€Å"..a separate standard of excellence for woman undermines the universality of rational freedom.† This rational   freedom is at the core of   the existentialist theory that is also among the larger causes of the power struggle occurring in a marriage.   As Simone de Beauvoir expressed, â€Å"It is the individual who bears responsibility for the world†¦ It is the individual’s responsibility to create meaning through her choices† (Andrew 26). Existentialism, in essence, pertains to â€Å"ideas of choice, meaning and the limits of existence.†Ã‚   It is up to each individual to use his freedom to choose his actions and interactions in the world (Andrew 25), even if it is bound to instigate a power struggle at some point in a relationship.   If someone opts to subjugate or be subjugated, often it arises from that person’s free will. In â€Å"The Feminist Critique of Hegel on Women and the Family,† Stafford cited how Simone de Beauvoir and subsequent thinkers set forth: â€Å"Lives circumscribed by domesticity and child-rearing are not fully human and women who accept the socially constructed belief in a pre-given female nature, and hence in a determinate female destiny, are accomplices in their own enslavement.   The only means beyond this self-imposed oppression is actively to seek a reversal of roles, accepting and identifying oneself with the male model of transcendence†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In many parts of Asia and elsewhere in the world, one will see such reversal of roles widely practiced, both in literary pages and in real life.   The â€Å"Good Woman of Setzuan† by Bertolt Brecht encapsulates such reversal of roles.   The heroine, Shen Te, strives hard to love a good life in brutal pre-Communist China. She disguises herself as a man and finds her compassionate persona transformed into a violent, unconquerable character which allows her to cope better with the world around her.   Indeed, assuming the male’s `strong, stern and aggressive’ characteristics often works in the male-dominated society.   When women rise to the challenge of being co-equals with their mates over and on top of their preordained role as nurturer of family values, in some cases overshadowing their male counterparts, the power struggle is ignited. Many great works of literature have shown how women either succumbed or fought their way out of enslavement by the male species.   Henrik Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House† is a much studied work that gives light to how a woman achieves self-liberation by leaving the confines of the home. The online study guide by   SparkNotes: A Doll’s House, Themes, Motifs Symbols draw attention to how the instability of appearances within the main character’s household at the play’s end results from the main male character’s obsession with status and image. Most men’s preoccupation with status and image, including having a ‘trophy wife† by their side, may be commonplace, but feminists have not let this vision of male superiority go by without much lamentation.  Ã‚   Emily Friedman, in an article posted in ABCNews.com on   July 13, 2007, departed from stereotypes and provided a positive connotation to the phrase, `trophy wife’ when she quoted author Anne Kingston (who wrote â€Å"The Meaning of Wife†): The idea of the trophy wife has progressed so that men want a woman who has some social equality, and its not a dominant-submissive relationship†¦ Increasingly, its not simply the decoration that a truly accomplished man wants, but an equal. Nonetheless, the Hegelian belief that `nature has assigned woman to the family’ may still be embraced by certain societies in the contemporary era, but the woman we find now has certainly metamorphosed to am multi-tasking and active participant in community affairs and national life.   What well-meaning quarters caution, though, is the possibility that society’s basic institution – the family – may tend to be overlooked when both husband and wife assume a place in civil society and doggedly pursue their careers and personal aspirations.   Herein lies another major issue of debate between husband and wife, especially when they fail to compromise. â€Å"The Feminist Critique on Women and Family† by Stafford also noted how women vary in their perception of what is `oppressive† and what is not.   While serving as housewife may be denigrating and limiting (in terms of personal freedom) for some, â€Å"it may be regarded as a chosen instrument for creative self-expression† in others. Infidelity , whether imagined or actual, and argued by most as being part of the inherent nature of men, is another major source of friction between husband and wife.   Whether infidelity, though, arises from protracted oppression from, or a form of assertion by, the husband, or the wife herself, is open to debate.   During the Elizabethan Age, a wife’s fidelity was regarded more as an obligation foisted by society and circumstances.   In The Literary Encyclopedia, classical literary critic and lecturer Ros King noted how William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew â€Å"reasserts male dominance†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another online site, Academic Forum, Sherri Thorne’s article, â€Å"Shakespeare: Advocate for Women in The Taming of the Shrew† noted how it was Shakespeare’s intention to show that family and society have contributed to the circumstances that make the female character, Katherina, the shrew she is. Her male counterpart in the story, Petruchio, recognizes that Katherina’s shrewish behavior is a societal response. â€Å"Shakespeare uses Petruchio to present his definition of the proper relationship between a husband and his wife†¦ At their first meeting, Petruchio and Katherina engage in an energetic and emotionally charged verbal exchange. Katherina strikes Petruchio when her verbal attacks are ineffective. Generally, Katherina’s words are effective artillery to keep her adversaries sufficiently subdued†¦ Petruchio gains control of the situation, keeping their sparring verbal rather than letting it escalate into physical violence† (Thorne 59) This exemplifies the genteel demeanor observed by most during the Elizabethan age. In the Comprehensive Online Educational Resource, Anne Parten noted the significance of   another   Shakespearean work, Merchant of Venice, citing the a ring as symbolism for man’s potential for fidelity, and the lead female character, Portia, is shown to have superiority over all the male characters. Whatever the underlying causes pointed out by perceptive literary minds as instigators of the power struggle occurring in marriages or relationships, men and women will continue to be at odds with each other on matters ranging from trivial and absurd to highly complex, simply because that is just how differently they are wired.   In the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, â€Å"Marriage is like life   in this – that it is a field of battle and not a bed of roses.† Works Cited Andrew, Barbara S. â€Å"Beavoir’s Place in Philosophical Thought.† The Cambridge Companion to Simone de Beauvoir. Ed. Claudia Card. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003. 25-26. Bhatia, Praveen.   Macbeth. New Delhi: UBS Publishers’ Distributors Pvt. Ltd., 2007. Brecht, Bertolt. Good Woman of Setzuan. England: Penguin Books Ltd., 2007. Bronfen, Elisabeth. â€Å"Trophy Wife: Just Hot or Smart Sexy?† Sylvia Plath. 2nd ed. UK: Athenaeum Press Ltd., 2004. Friedman, Emily. 13 July 2007. ABCNews.com. 28 January 2008 http//www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3372209page=1. Halstead, Helen. Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride. California: Ulysses Press, 2007. Ibsen, Henrik.   A Doll’s House and Other Plays. Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,  1973. King, Ros. â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew.† The Literary Encyclopedia. 2 November 2004. Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. 28 January 2008 http//www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=trueUID=7887. Parton, Anne.   Comprehensive Online Educational Resource. eNotes.com, Inc. 28 January 2008.   http://www.enotes.com/merchant/portia. Shakespeare, William. Merchant of Venice. New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1994. Shakespeare, William. Taming of the Shrew. New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1995. Stafford, Antoinette. â€Å"The Feminist Critique of Hegel on Women and the Family.†Ã‚   25 January 2008 http//www. mun.ca/animus/1997vol2/staford1.htm. Thorne, Sherri. â€Å"Shakespeare: Advocate for Women in The Taming of the Shrew†Ã‚   2003-04.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Academic Forum. 28 Jan 2008

Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court (Book Report) Essay Example for Free

Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court (Book Report) Essay Mark Twain is often thought of as the most cynical writer in American literature. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court is perhaps one of greatest works. In this amusing story, Twain takes an American entrepreneur from his own day and age, and thrusts him back to the age of King Arthur. The novel is therefore about how a nineteenth-century American industrialist might act if he found himself in medieval England. Mark Twain sees the Industrial Age in which he lived as a rabid attempt to exploit everyone and everything. And, thats exactly what Hank Morgan, also known as the â€Å"Boss†, does when he gets to Camelot. Hank uses science and technology to exploit Camelot. Threatened with execution, Hank remembers that an eclipse is supposed to occur in the near future, and he uses this knowledge to convince King Arthur and the rest of Camelot that Hank is a stronger magician than Merlin. Once Hank gains King Arthurs trust, he is able to do whatever he wants with Camelot and its people. Hank quickly goes about improving Camelot with industries and technologies that are common to nineteenth-century America. One of his schemes is to invent soap and making it available to all of the people of Camelot (since the people didn’t bathe as frequently in the third-century as they did in the nineteenth). Hank is appalled at how much power that the Established Church has over the people. So he decides that the people need to be educated, which will, naturally, weaken the churchs hold. Of course, being an entrepreneur at heart, Hank cant help but look on Camelot as an opportunity for exploiting people with his superior knowledge. In a very memorable scene, Hank describes the religious devotions of many of the monks of the time as, a monk who expresses his devotion to God by bowing over and over again, all day long, without stopping. Rather than being impressed by the monks passionate display of faith, Hank notes the astounding amount of energy the monk puts out every day. Not to see this wasted, he hooks up a sewing machine to the monk, using his bowing motions to run the machine. In this manner Hank manufactures and sells garments as religious souvenirs, and tells the readerwith not a little satisfactionabout the wild success of these garments. Beyond Twains customary critiques on slavery and religion, the book also  offers a somewhat different brand of cynicism Twains critique of science and progress. When Hank Morgan arrives in Camelot, it is a fairy-tale city that has long represented both nobility and weaknesses. Then, in his quest to improve the city, he destroys it. Everything that defines the time from the smelly, unwashed people to their superstitions and religious fervor is exploited in the name of progress. Here, then, we see Hank Morgan as an expression of Twains dislike with the value of modern progress.

Data Analysis Chapter Example

Data Analysis Chapter Example This chapter will focus on the results of the data analysis. The first section will discuss the descriptive statistics and in the second section the results of the Heckman two-step approach will be discussed. Descriptive statistics The descriptive statistics of the survey data will be discussed by comparing and characterizing the households that affected and do not affected by the climate change. The sample size used for the analysis is therefore 420 respondents. An uneven distribution of land ownership exists in coastal region of Bangladesh, with a significant proportion of land being owned by large landowners (Alauddin and Hamid 1997). Agricultural survey (1996 ) shows that 54% of families in coastal areas hold only 17% of the total agricultural land (PDO-ICZMP-2003). The majority of the rural population is either landless farmers (who sell their labor or cultivate others land)or marginal farmers (who have less than .2 ha of property) (Opstal 2006). Over the past decade the farmers are declined. Now a day in the coastal Bangladesh fishing is one of the most important economic activities. They are mostly landless or have a small plot of land to use for living purpose. In the study area total land size is changed due to climate change. It appears from the given table which shows the comparative analysis of land pattern before and after Aila. In 2008 the average amount is 157.02 hectare/year and in 2009 it is 99.89 hectare/year. Land is used for different purposes. In 2008, 159 respondents used their land for cultivation i.e they are the agricultural land owner and due to climate change only 75 respondents are the owner of the agricultural land. This amount is decreasing. In last 5 years 62 households lost their land in the study area. The total amount of damaged land is 36911.58 hectares. Most of the people depend on agriculture so this is a great loss for their survive. For this their income is decreased, expenditure is decreased and they have no enough money to buy the agricultural land. From this it is concluded that they live below poverty line. According to a recent (Oct09) study done by the South Asia Association of Poverty Eradication, each affected household has seen their income decrease by approximately 44% as a result of Cyclone Aila. The main independent variable is expenditures by household for a basket of basic needs, which is considered as a measurement of poverty. This expenditure measurement actually represents a poverty threshold value, which is derived from HIES (Household Income-Expenditure Survey 2009) by BBS and is equivalent to US$ 208/capita/year (BBS, 2008). It is referred as Basic Need Cost in the model. In 2009 we get only 84 respondents out of 420 do not live below poverty line. It is estimated by using our expenditure data from primary survey analysis. So due to climate change most of the households live below poverty line. Econometric Analysis Now we would like to continue with figuring out the nature and extent of relationship between agricultural land ownership pattern and poverty of Koyra. Hence, in this chapter we conduct econometric analysis. Variables used in econometric models With a view to identifying the relationship pattern between agricultural land ownership pattern and poverty we ran a number of econometric models. But before we proceed to the operation with econometric models, let us have a look at the variables used in the model. Dependent variable The dependent variable is total land owned by, which is considered to be affected by climate change. This variable indicates how much land was owned by the household in 2009. The values were taken in hectares for the entire household. Independent variables Below we have mentioned the independent variables, with short explanation, that we used in models. Variable household size refers to the total number of members in a household. Education refers to households average aggregate academic schooling year. It is the number obtained by summing up of formal schooling years of all members in a household and then dividing it with the number of total household members. This variable is considered as a proxy for capacity of households. The variable Duration with community refers to the number of years the respondent household living with the current community. Along with the above-mentioned dependent and independent variables, we used the following two independent variables for constructing correlation and regression. Econometric Methodology: We used a Heckman Two Step Model for dependent variable land ownership in order to find out if there is any sample selection bias in the model. This model consists of two processes that are addressed by two different equations: a selection equation and a conditional equation. The first probit equation is a selection process for the households having land-ownership or not. In the second equation the effects of independent variables on land ownership are examined. These processes are related to each other through their error terms which contain the unobservable. If there is no correlation between the error terms of the two equations, there is no need to perform a Heckman two step approach as there is no sample selection bias and an OLS regression provides the unbiased result (Dow and Norton, 2003). The Heckman two-step approach is based on the assumption that the selection equation and the conditional equation are related to each other through their error terms. When there is no relation between the error terms there is no need to perform a Heckman two step approach as there is no sample selection bias and an OLS regression will give unbiased estimators. For such a model, the bottom line in STATA output gives a value for Ï  (rho) with associated p-value. This Ï  is a likelihood ratio indicating the correlation between the error terms of the equations in Heckman model. The correlation between the error terms is indicated in table (Annex) by the selectivity parameter, Ï . The Heckmans lambda is included in the regression to control for the influence of unobserved characteristics of the variables. The regression coefficient of the control factor is an indicator for the covariance of the error terms. In the model the control factor is non-significant. The missing data problem can arise in a variety of forms. We can see that there are missing data in the sample. The number of missing data in is 3, but the problem is more severe for, where the number of missing data is 80. Since the data is missing mainly on the dependent variable, a nonrandom sample selection exists in this case. There is a possibility that due to some common pattern, the respondents did not provide any data. If that has happened, bias could always occur in OLS in estimating the population model. As a result, we use here the Heckman model. Our model is Empirical results This chapter will focus on the results of the data analysis. The first section will discuss the descriptive statistics and in the second section the results of the Heckman two-step approach will be discussed. Descriptive statistics The descriptive statistics of the survey data will be discussed by comparing and characterizing the households that affected and do not affected by the climate change. The sample size used for the analysis is therefore 420 respondents. An uneven distribution of land ownership exists in coastal region of Bangladesh, with a significant proportion of land being owned by large landowners (Alauddin and Hamid 1997). Agricultural survey (1996 ) shows that 54% of families in coastal areas hold only 17% of the total agricultural land (PDO-ICZMP-2003). The majority of the rural population is either landless farmers (who sell their labor or cultivate others land)or marginal farmers (who have less than .2 ha of property) (Opstal 2006). Over the past decade the farmers are declined. Now a day in the coastal Bangladesh fishing is one of the most important economic activities. They are mostly landless or have a small plot of land to use for living purpose. In the study area total land size is changed due to climate change. It appears from the given table which shows the comparative analysis of land pattern before and after Aila. In 2008 the average amount is 157.02 hectare/year and in 2009 it is 99.89 hectare/year. Land is used for different purposes. In 2008, 159 respondents used their land for cultivation i.e they are the agricultural land owner and due to climate change only 75 respondents are the owner of the agricultural land. This amount is decreasing. In last 5 years 62 households lost their land in the study area. The total amount of damaged land is 36911.58 hectares. Most of the people depend on agriculture so this is a great loss for their survive. For this their income is decreased, expenditure is decreased and they have no enough money to buy the agricultural land. From this it is concluded that they live below poverty line. According to a recent (Oct09) study done by the South Asia Association of Poverty Eradication, each affected household has seen their income decrease by approximately 44% as a result of Cyclone Aila. The main independent variable is expenditures by household for a basket of basic needs, which is considered as a measurement of poverty. This expenditure measurement actually represents a poverty threshold value, which is derived from HIES (Household Income-Expenditure Survey 2009) by BBS and is equivalent to US$ 208/capita/year (BBS, 2008). It is referred as Basic Need Cost in the model. In 2009 we get only 84 respondents out of 420 do not live below poverty line. It is estimated by using our expenditure data from primary survey analysis. So due to climate change most of the households live below poverty line. Econometric Analysis Now we would like to continue with figuring out the nature and extent of relationship between agricultural land ownership pattern and poverty of Koyra. Hence, in this chapter we conduct econometric analysis. Variables used in econometric models With a view to identifying the relationship pattern between agricultural land ownership pattern and poverty we ran a number of econometric models. But before we proceed to the operation with econometric models, let us have a look at the variables used in the model. Dependent variable The dependent variable is total land owned by, which is considered to be affected by climate change. This variable indicates how much land was owned by the household in 2009. The values were taken in hectares for the entire household. Independent variables Below we have mentioned the independent variables, with short explanation, that we used in models. Variable household size refers to the total number of members in a household. Education refers to households average aggregate academic schooling year. It is the number obtained by summing up of formal schooling years of all members in a household and then dividing it with the number of total household members. This variable is considered as a proxy for capacity of households. The variable Duration with community refers to the number of years the respondent household living with the current community. Along with the above-mentioned dependent and independent variables, we used the following two independent variables for constructing correlation and regression. Econometric Methodology: We used a Heckman Two Step Model for dependent variable land ownership in order to find out if there is any sample selection bias in the model. This model consists of two processes that are addressed by two different equations: a selection equation and a conditional equation. The first probit equation is a selection process for the households having land-ownership or not. In the second equation the effects of independent variables on land ownership are examined. These processes are related to each other through their error terms which contain the unobservable. If there is no correlation between the error terms of the two equations, there is no need to perform a Heckman two step approach as there is no sample selection bias and an OLS regression provides the unbiased result (Dow and Norton, 2003). The Heckman two-step approach is based on the assumption that the selection equation and the conditional equation are related to each other through their error terms. When there is no relation between the error terms there is no need to perform a Heckman two step approach as there is no sample selection bias and an OLS regression will give unbiased estimators. For such a model, the bottom line in STATA output gives a value for Ï  (rho) with associated p-value. This Ï  is a likelihood ratio indicating the correlation between the error terms of the equations in Heckman model. The correlation between the error terms is indicated in table (Annex) by the selectivity parameter, Ï . The Heckmans lambda is included in the regression to control for the influence of unobserved characteristics of the variables. The regression coefficient of the control factor is an indicator for the covariance of the error terms. In the model the control factor is non-significant. The missing data problem can arise in a variety of forms. We can see that there are missing data in the sample. The number of missing data in is 3, but the problem is more severe for , where the number of missing data is 80. Since the data is missing mainly on the dependent variable, a nonrandom sample selection exists in this case. There is a possibility that due to some common pattern, the respondents did not provide any data. If that has happened, bias could always occur in OLS in estimating the population model. As a result, we use here the Heckman model. Our model is We assumed that is observed if Where and have correlation Results: The results of our Heckman model are provided in Table (Annex). Using as a dependent variable in Heckman regression, we find and the constant term are significant while is insignificant. We also find positive relationship for and with . Considering the absolute values of the coefficients (table), the result shows that is the most influential between the two variables. A typical use of a logarithmic transformation variable is to pull outlying data from a positively skewed distribution closer to the bulk of the data in a quest to have the variable be normally distributed. In regression analysis the logs of variables are routinely taken, not necessarily for achieving a normal distribution of the predictors and/or the dependent variable but for interpretability. The standard interpretation of coefficients in a regression analysis is that a one unit change in the independent variable results in the respective regression coefficient change in the expected value of the dependent variable while all the predictors are held constant. Interpreting a log transformed variable can be done in such a manner; however, such coefficients are routinely interpreted in terms of percent change (Introductory Econometrics: A Modern Approach by Woolridge for discussion and derivation). Well explore the relationship between the landownership pattern and the per capita consumption expenditure. In this model we are going to have the dependent variable in its original metric and the independent variable log-transformed. Similar to the prior example the interpretation has a nice format, a one percent increase in the independent variable increases (or decreases) the dependent variable by (coefficient/100) units. In this particular model we take log with PCE and the coefficients on and represent the estimated marginal effects of the regressors in the underlying regression equation. So, an increase in the household size by one member increases land ownership by 6.30 hectares and an increase in the household consumption expenditure by one percent increases land ownership by 0.613 hectares. On the other hand, household size is the least influential variable. It is positively related with landownership pattern. So these two variables have greater influence on poverty. We used the Heckman two step models while taking land ownership as a dependent variable in the conditional equation of this model, along with other independent variables, result in model shows that PCE is positively related with landownership. The p value of lambda is 0.193 i.e. 19%. So this is not significant for the model i. e. there is no correlation between the error terms of the two equations in Heckman model. The lambda term is positively signed which suggests that the error terms in the selection and primary equations are positively correlated. So (unobserved) factors that make more observable tend to be associated with higher values of our independent variables in the selection equation. However, since the lambda term is not significant, we cannot come to any such conclusion and hence we conducted OLS. But if we use the OLS we get the following Table 1: OLS Result lnd_owners~p | Coef. Std. Err. t P>|t| [95% Conf. Interval] -+- lnpce | 58.21023 18.98437 3.07 0.002 20.86622 95.55423 hh_size | 4.660069 6.495749 0.72 0.474 -8.117666 17.4378 _cons | -204.742 97.52465 -2.10 0.037 -396.5819 -12.90203 We present the usual OLS regression in Table 1. As we can see from Table 1, and is both positive, while the former is not significant and the latter is significant. Similarly, the constant term is negative but significant. Table 2 From the above OLS table we consider the independent variables are per capita expenditure, education level, during with the community, household size and asset 2008 and the dependent variable is land ownership pattern of the respondents. In this analysis the model is significant in case of asset 2008 for dependent variable land ownership because in this case the value of P is 0%. We know if the value of P is less than 5% then the model is significant. From the regression we get per capita expenditure, education level, during with the community and asset 2008 is positive. But without asset 2008 all other variables are not significant. Similarly the constant term is also positive but not significant. Results from various OLS regression models are shown in Table 1 and.2. The former shows results when model is run with and while the latter shows results when land ownership is incorporated with other independent variables. Values of coefficient are different for the independent variables in the result tables. Using land ownership (i.e. our measure of poverty) as a dependent variable in OLS regression, we found without one, all the explanatory variables are not significant (Table 2). We also found significant positive relationship per capita expenditure, education level, during with the community and asset 2008 with land ownership whereas it is significantly negative for household size. Annex . heckman lnd_ownership lnpce hh_size, twostep select(lnpce edulevel duringwithcomty hh_size asst2008) rhosigma Heckman selection model two-step estimates Number of obs = 417 (regression model with sample selection) Censored obs = 80 Uncensored obs = 337 Wald chi2(4) = 9.83 Prob > chi2 = 0.0434 | Coef. Std. Err. z P>|z| [95% Conf. Interval] -+- lnd_owners~p | lnpce | 61.28878 20.67387 2.96 0.003 20.76873 101.8088 hh_size | 6.303549 7.203314 0.88 0.382 -7.814687 20.42179 _cons | -286.9731 123.3481 -2.33 0.020 -528.731 -45.21517 -+- select | lnpce | .0682579 .1348031 0.51 0.613 -.1959514 .3324671 edulevel | .0096151 .025462 0.38 0.706 -.0402896 .0595197 duringwith~y | .0161874 .005286 3.06 0.002 .005827 .0265477 hh_size | .007615 .046654 0.16 0.870 -.0838252 .0990552 asst2008 | -1.13e-06 7.34e-07 -1.53 0.125 -2.57e-06 3.12e-07 _cons | -.0686488 .6543009 -0.10 0.916 -1.351055 1.213757 -+- mills | lambda | 181.4302 139.4798 1.30 0.193 -91.94525 454.8057 -+- rho | 0.74328 sigma | 244.09453 lambda | 181.43021 139.4798

William G. Morgan and Volleyball Essay -- sports, history, YMCA, net

Fundamentals of Volleyball Volleyball was originally meant for middle-aged men who weren’t able to move well enough to play basketball, but now it is a fast-paced and highly competitive sport for both men and women. Today, people dive and leap across the floor in order to keep the ball from hitting the ground on their side of the court. So it is safe to say that the game of volleyball has evolved from the relatively calm game it once was when it originated in Holyoke, Massachusetts in 1895. The fundamentals of volleyball include passing, digging, serving, attacking, setting, and blocking. It also involves the skills needed to do these things. Volleyball was invented by William G. Morgan. Morgan wanted to come up with an indoor sport that was better accustomed to the fitness level of older men. He invented the sport by looking at elements of other sports (basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball) and assorted them together to fit his needs. Volleyball was initially played with an inflated basketball bladder (the inner lining of the ball). However, Morgan found that this was too light and a normal basketball was too heavy. It was eventually decided that the ball would be a rubber bladder covered with leather or canvas. In the beginning, Morgan called the new game â€Å"mintonette† because it reminded him of badminton. According to Sherrow, â€Å"He presented an exhibition match for a group of YMCA physical education directors. One spectator, Dr. Alfred Halsted, suggested that Morgan change the name of the game from â€Å"mintonette† to â€Å"volley ball,† because the players were volleying the ball b ack and forth with each hit. The first official volleyball game was played at Springfield College on July 7, 1896† (14). Formerly, the game was organiz... ...see how all of the fundamentals come back together to compliment each other and form the game of volleyball. Works Cited â€Å"Basic Skills in Volleyball.† Basic Skills in Volleyball . N.p., n.d. Web. 30 April 2014 Kelly, Zachary A. Volleyball, Attacking to Win. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke, 1998. Print. Kelly, Zachary A. Volleyball—the Serve. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke, 1998. Print. â€Å"Rules of the Game of Volleyball.† Rules of the Game of Volleyball. Volleyball World Wide, n.d. Web. 01 May 2014 Sherrow, Victoria. Volleyball. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 2002. Print. â€Å"Special Olympics Oregon- Training for Life.† Special Olympics Oregon- Training for Life. Special Olympic Oregon, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. "TriState Volunteers ®: About/Home." TriState Volunteers ®: About/Home. Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, n.d. Web. 30 April 2014.

Perfect Storm Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger was an account of an immense storm and its destructive path through the North Atlantic. In late October of 1991, many a crew of several different fishing ships left their port for their final haul. Little did they know that they would soon cross paths with one of the greatest storms ever recorded. This particular storm would create huge swells, high winds, and hard rain. The system was said to be a â€Å"perfect storm† because all of the elements were just right to create the worst imaginable storm ever seen claimed some meteorologists. Such a storm left little room for rescue if one’s boat got into trouble. But there were those daring rescues from the Coast Guard during the storm that saved the lives of many and cost the life of one. These men risked their lives for the safety of others and have earned the title of â€Å"hero.† The Para rescue jumpers and pilots, our heroes in The Perfect Storm, had a re sponsibility to the well being of everyone at sea. When a distress call was made, it was their duty to answer it to the best of their ability. It seemed â€Å"to the best of their ability† meant do the job until they died trying. These men had undergone extensive training in their fields to prepare for such situations as the perfect storm presented them. The PJ’s had undergone a highly selective process that many Navy SEALS could not complete. And the pilots of the helicopters and jets showed tremendous skill as they navig...

Owen Meany Essay -- essays research papers

"Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean-make sure they know what they mean!" (572). In the novel written by John Irving, A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY, the protagonist, Owen Meany, developed an unusual religious significance. Owen experienced visions of future events, he had a unique type of faith in God that most do not attain, and Owen spoke endlessly to inform people about God. Throughout Owen's life he demonstrated the same characteristics as a prophet through his actions and his words. Thus one could conclude that Owen Meany is a prophet. Similar to a prophet, Owen was given precognitive powers that allowed him to see into the future. Owen's first prophecy came to him on New Years Eve 1953 during the community production of 'A Christmas Carol'. The most obvious inference concerning the play was that Owen played the part of the ghost of Christmas yet to come. In reaction to Owen's portrayal of this character, the audience's faces which were "so amused, so curious, so various-were rendered shockingly similar; each face became the model of each other's fear" (42). Owen had dehumanized this character to the point that children were leaving the theater crying and some were even wetting their pants. One reference which could be made concerning Owen and Scrooge was that "GOD HAS ALLOWED [them] TO KNOW MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE KNOW-†¦" (366). Both of them were told their futures, however Scrooge made an effort to change his, where as Owen did not. Owen's revelation came through a vision he experienc ed during the graveyard scene of the play. He immediately fainted. The curtains went down, and members of the production all ran to Owen's aid, yet he seemed ungrateful, "He appeared to be sullenly embracing his 'vision' like the typically doubtless prophet he so often seemed to be†¦" (246). Owen believed he had seen his name on a gravestone along with the date of his death. No one could convince him otherwise. The fact that Owen was correct about the date of his death confirmed that he had visions; this proved he had qualities of a prophet. A prophet uses prophecies to not only prove they have powers, but also to benefit others. The second prophecy came to Owen in his dreams when he envisioned the reason and the way his life woul... ...n God but knowing he exists to the point of putting love, faith and destiny in one power. Owen marked his place within the hearts of those who surrounded him with his teachings, strong words of advice and encouragement. Owen Meany demonstrated many characteristics of a prophet, and could be linked to a prophetic figure. On more than one occasion, he had visions of future events which affected other people around him physically and spiritually. Throughout his life he also maintained a special relationship and strong faith in God. Many of Owens morals and values that he voiced became strong teachings about life. Although everyone in the world did not know him, many believed he was special for his wisdom at such a young age. Through these accomplishments, Owen leads himself to the stage of being a prophet. Today, prophets could be all among us, yet society turns away from the idea. The idea of a teacher for the subject of life fascinates many, but the idea of God sending messengers to us repels those who lack faith. What would it take for you to recognize a prophet? Many prophets may go unrecognized in the world and yet the only way they can exist is if someone will believe in them. Owen Meany Essay -- essays research papers "Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean-make sure they know what they mean!" (572). In the novel written by John Irving, A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY, the protagonist, Owen Meany, developed an unusual religious significance. Owen experienced visions of future events, he had a unique type of faith in God that most do not attain, and Owen spoke endlessly to inform people about God. Throughout Owen's life he demonstrated the same characteristics as a prophet through his actions and his words. Thus one could conclude that Owen Meany is a prophet. Similar to a prophet, Owen was given precognitive powers that allowed him to see into the future. Owen's first prophecy came to him on New Years Eve 1953 during the community production of 'A Christmas Carol'. The most obvious inference concerning the play was that Owen played the part of the ghost of Christmas yet to come. In reaction to Owen's portrayal of this character, the audience's faces which were "so amused, so curious, so various-were rendered shockingly similar; each face became the model of each other's fear" (42). Owen had dehumanized this character to the point that children were leaving the theater crying and some were even wetting their pants. One reference which could be made concerning Owen and Scrooge was that "GOD HAS ALLOWED [them] TO KNOW MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE KNOW-†¦" (366). Both of them were told their futures, however Scrooge made an effort to change his, where as Owen did not. Owen's revelation came through a vision he experienc ed during the graveyard scene of the play. He immediately fainted. The curtains went down, and members of the production all ran to Owen's aid, yet he seemed ungrateful, "He appeared to be sullenly embracing his 'vision' like the typically doubtless prophet he so often seemed to be†¦" (246). Owen believed he had seen his name on a gravestone along with the date of his death. No one could convince him otherwise. The fact that Owen was correct about the date of his death confirmed that he had visions; this proved he had qualities of a prophet. A prophet uses prophecies to not only prove they have powers, but also to benefit others. The second prophecy came to Owen in his dreams when he envisioned the reason and the way his life woul... ...n God but knowing he exists to the point of putting love, faith and destiny in one power. Owen marked his place within the hearts of those who surrounded him with his teachings, strong words of advice and encouragement. Owen Meany demonstrated many characteristics of a prophet, and could be linked to a prophetic figure. On more than one occasion, he had visions of future events which affected other people around him physically and spiritually. Throughout his life he also maintained a special relationship and strong faith in God. Many of Owens morals and values that he voiced became strong teachings about life. Although everyone in the world did not know him, many believed he was special for his wisdom at such a young age. Through these accomplishments, Owen leads himself to the stage of being a prophet. Today, prophets could be all among us, yet society turns away from the idea. The idea of a teacher for the subject of life fascinates many, but the idea of God sending messengers to us repels those who lack faith. What would it take for you to recognize a prophet? Many prophets may go unrecognized in the world and yet the only way they can exist is if someone will believe in them.