The Benefits of Pre-School

The Benefits of Pre-School Abstract This report covers the benefit of sending children to pre-school before kindergarten. Literature review is used to explore the research existing in this field. It will help us to understand what effect pre-school has on children. Such programs are also discussed in the paper which is conducting training for preschoolers for their development. This paper not only covers that academic aspect but also sheds light on the benefits preschool education has on social and emotional aspects of childrens life. After collecting this information, it will be collaborated with the findings of this research paper using different research technique. In the end, the paper will be concluded along with some suggestions. Introduction In this competitive world it is very important to train the children in such a way that they are not left behind. Study shows that with pre-school training, children show much developed skills of learning when they enter kindergarten. If a child is being read to at home, visits museums, learns how to play a game and reads along someone then it is more likely that his/her learning abilities are polished and ready for kindergarten (Stube Patrick, 2010). Pre-school is a planned program for children before they start their formal education. It deals with the learning ability of a child. Children are trained in such a way that their learning abilities are enhanced. Specified techniques are used to improve the language skills and analytical skills. it also has a positive effect on the behavioral aspect of a childs personality. Bridges (2008) found out from the research that involving parents is very critical for the success of pre-school training. Also, involvement of community can be very vital in the accomplishment of a successful preschool training center. Margetts (2007) likewise says that in a multicultural community, parents and community itself plays a very important role. This research also highlights diverse methods of implementing preschool programs in Australia and United States of America or any other diverse country. It I believed that a universal pre-school system can benefit everyone and provide equal opportunity to every student. But Bridges (2008) argues that it is a waste of resources because families who cannot afford will not have full access and unless it is designed to the top-notch quality it will result in a disaster. Teachers play a vital role in the development of a pre-school child. It is essential to understand the culture, background and customs of the child. Training of the teacher is very essential. Not everyone can handle pre-school children. They need to be taught in a certain way so it has the greatest effect on the development of the child. Children should also be encouraged to ask as many questions as possible. It increases their cognitive skills (Persky Golubchick, 1991). There are institutes as well as home care can be considered a part of pre-school training. The things that the child studies at the age of three form the basis of his/her academic life in the coming years. However, every child does not get equal pre-school training. Thus, results in different cognitive abilities regarding education. Pre-school education also helps the parents to determine any learning disabilities that might exist and can eliminate the chances of going to special education by effective pre-school ed ucation. This paper focuses on such benefits pre-school training has on the children before they join kindergarten. Literature Review Children who attend pre-school show higher math skills, language skills and have less behavioral problem (Bridges, 2008). Bridges (2008) also indicate that not all children have access to the pre-school and pre-kindergarten program. However, she argues that pre-school education is not a valid tool to measure the academic achievements made later in life. The researches earlier failed to consider the involvement of parents in the pre-school training. Research shows that pre-school is a sound investment not only in terms of childrens development but also academically, socially and economically. Early education not only develops the skills but also enhance the ability to score well, less retention of grades and fewer chances of placement in a special education program. Also, research show that thee children have less tendency to create criminal or justice problems (Barnett Hustedt, 2003). There was a great argument among government and parents about preschool education. Parents were of the view that children should be taught at home rather than preschool institutes by government. The role of government should be to reduce the tax for parents and leave the pre-kindergarten training to the parents. These programs can be expensive. However there is a need for these institutions that should provide preschool education to every child by devising a program which is cost effective and provides high quality (Bracey Stellar, 2003). The study shows that the children who get preschool education have much developed cognitive and social skills. The research was conducted on children with different backgrounds, ethnic groups and had different native languages. Even then, the results showed that the children with pre-kindergarten education showed a lot of added skills, they were more confident and had quick ability to learn different things (Gormley, Gayer, Phillips, Dawson, 2005) . Anderson, et. all (2003) stated that the most important skills required for children to develop in early age are knowledge, recognizing relations, self-regulation and develop specific skills. Early education results in developed social-emotional functioning of the children. They also said that it is essential or the preschool programs to promote the social skills. When children get social competencies in early age it enables them to contribute more in social service and also improves their relationship with parents. However, there is no evidence of such programs showing improvement in health of the children. Readiness and Early Activities for Children from the Heart (REACH) is a program designed to improve the childrens readiness for school and improve their skills. It is a step taken by California State University along with Long Beach Unified School to enhance the social-emotional state of children along with more developed literacy. This is an example of how much these types of pr ograms are important and beneficial that good organizations are willing to invest in them so that the children of their society can benefit (Stanley, 2004). All three and four year children are entitled to free education in England. The study shows that the children of age three are more suitable for preschool education. They learn more quickly about understanding the world and its physical beings. After three years, there is a negative effect on the learning ability of communication, language, mathematics and creativity (Hopkin, Stokes, Wilkinson , 2009). Another research shows that 91% of children can be identified as good or poor reader if they had preschool training. The variables used to measure the ability to read were memory of remembering letters and sentences, speed of naming an object and orthographic test (Badian, 1994). One of the major reasons against the development of preschools in United States is the thinking that these types of schools or institutes would only depict that the families have failed to raise and develop their childs personality (Bracey Stellar, 2003). Government did not produce high quality day-care center due to this resistance to governments initiative which in return solidifies the belief of parents that preschool institutes provide low-quality of care. Thus only middle and upper class families can take advantage of the private programs offered by different organizations (Bracey Stellar, 2003). Teachers are the most important aspect of preschool training. It is essential for them to understand the culture, language, background and customs of the child. Training of the teacher is very essential for the development of every child in the program. Children need to be taught in a certain way with specific tools and techniques. Teachers need to make themself available for every child and attend their questions. Children should also be encouraged to ask as many questions as possible. It increases their cognitive skills (Persky Golubchick, 1991). Apart for trained teachers, environment of the classroom also plays equally important role in the development and education of pre-school children. Objective of Study Pre-school education is a very important aspect of childs development. Many people are becoming aware of its importance but there are still some people with the belief that it is no more than a taxation scam by the government. This research studies the benefits pre-school education has on children before they start going to kindergarten. Research Methodology Qualitative approach is used to analyses the effects and benefits of pre-school education. Case studies, research papers and other literature are used. Main sources used are following: Books: Different books on the subject of preschool or early education are used to explore the benefits and effects of preschool education. Journal Articles Articles for educational journals are used in order to study previous researches done on this subject. This is an important source which provides researches different opinions and case studies. Hence, resulting in better analysis by viewing the picture from both sides Analysis of this data is done by comparing the literature review and different researches which cover several aspects of the topic. By analyzing these researches, conclusion has been given. Analysis Most of the research shows that for the social, emotional and academic development of children, it is very important that the children get preschool education. However there are also arguments that the preschool education by government is only a strategy to incur taxations and fees. But, most parents and teachers agree that the preschool education plays a vital role in the personality development of the children. In some countries like England, it is mandatory for children to attend pre-school and pre-kindergarten institutes because they believe that without this the children will show lack of communication, language and creative skills. Parents also play a very significant role in the preschool teaching. Reading to the children at an early age improves the reading ability of children. If parents take their children to places like zoo and museum, it enhances their ability to develop the knowledge of physical beings in the world. In order to achieve the desired results of preschool education, the program needs to be carefully developed. The teachers have to be trained in such a way that they can delegate individual attention to each child. The program should include visual and audio learning techniques. In England, it is also under discussion to start preschool education for the two year olds. This shows the importance of preschool education to a great extent. Environment of class room determines the capability of the institute and staff. Learning environment should be developed. Extracurricular activities like music and physical education retains the interest of children, at this level of training, children always learn more from paly as compared to strict academic curriculum. Parents and community play equal role in the development of preschool training program and the development of children of that program (Persky Golubchick, 1991). Research shows that the children who belong to underprivileged background get the greatest benefits from pre-school tarring. Children form upper and middle class have the means to learn at home and visit places which play equally important role as pre-school training center. However, underprivileged children do not get a chance to explore their abilities in such a way. Illiterate parents could also be a hurdle in fully developing the abilities of the child. Thus, the preschool training programs aid these children to have equal opportunity as any other child in the community. These children show great development when they join preschool training. this enables them to gain courage and self-confidence and compete with the best of their abilities in the future. Hence we can say that preschool education benefits every child of the community. With an effective program, it can assist the parents to develop the abilities and skills of their children. By creating favorable environment for children in a preschool class room, the future academic life of these children can be improved. Parents have to play an equal role with th preschools and support the government to launch such programs. The success of preschool training is dependent on all the members of the community and administration of preschools. Teachers need to be trained for better education of these children. Conclusion Preschool education has a lot of benefits which plays a vital role in the life of children. It not only increases their academic skills but also enhances the social and emotional attributes. It is important for children to get preschool education so that they can compete in the ever increasing competition. Parents and teachers both need to play their role in the development of a child. At the age of three, it should be made mandatory for every child to attend pre-school training. it will enhance their personality, social interaction and emotional stability. There are many factors that paly important role in good pre-school trading such as trained staff, fully equipped class-rooms and learning environment. The curriculum of preschool training should include effective curriculum, tools and techniques of kindergarten, supporting activities like music and physical education and most importantly involvement of parents and community. Efforts need to be made in order to eliminate the negative thinking about preschool training. Training and awareness of mothers can be very useful in order to establish a positive image. Families need to be guided by seminars or television awareness programs. There should be an extensive campaign for the promotion of preschool education. Government need to take initiative and establish high quality preschool training institute to regain parents confidence. This should also be made mandatory and free, if possible, for every child; because, healthy and intelligent children will turn into a healthy and developed nation. In order to develop a high quality preschool program, efforts are required form the government, educational board, parents and community. All have to work together in order to give children a better future. This program not only develops the personality, it also identifies if there are any disabilities present in children. Especially, reading disabilities can be caught at an early stage and can be treated. The children form underprivileged background benefit the most form these programs. It provides a sound platform for them to develop their abilities at an early stage and not stand out as an outcaste. Effectiveness of such programs is more dependent child-centered and person-centered approach than any other method. Also, preschools with high parental involvement, moderate intensity of training, social engagement of children and long durations resulted in higher benefit in academic performance and class-room engagement.

Identity and Violence Analysis Essay -- recognition,

Identity and Violence may seem isolated from each other on a superficial level, but on a deeper analysis both seem to depend on each other. To put in a different way, just as long-stagnant water can give birth to deadly mosquitoes, similarly a logged and rigid definition of identity may lead to violence which could be similar to Aedes. To briefly explain this analogy it’s essential to refer to Charles Taylor who argued that identity is shaped in three ways:- 1) Recognition of identity 2) Absence of identity 3) Misrecognition of identity. All three modes of shaping identity have the potential to bring out violence which is latent. Here, Sigmund Freud’s idea of human instincts being of two kinds: those that conserve and unify and, the instincts to destroy and kill is very significant. These instincts work according to the motive, when individual works for their ‘motive’ that is of shaping the identity leads to use of violent means and ends mostly. Our presentation will include Terrell A. Northup idea of identity as a system of beliefs or a way of construing the world that makes life predictable rather than random. This way, he conceptualizes that social constructs of an identity become so entrenched that the conflict surfaces as violence. The identity first takes the form of threat, which later gets distorted and extremely rigid and ultimately colludes in maintaining the conflict. Thus, it can be said that, identity is central; almost core to individuals and their sense of connectedness to themselves and the society-scope they engage in. Kriesberg examines how there is a formation of not only one's own, but also a sense of identity of the other, which further reinforces the self. Though identities can be both 'ascribed' a... ...llows that the intervention is contingent on the identity dynamics of the groups involved. For instance, peripheral would limit itself to the objective component. Similarly, change in the dynamics of the relationship between parties,will not change the core schema, but alter the nature of the existing relationship between parties. This carries connotations of a relatively enduring change. Changes that occur in the identities of the parties are aimed at reconstructing the core schema, in this case, the perception of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Such would be the case if the Israeli State recognizes the Palestinian State as an equal and de-emphasizes the differences between the two. This level implies a change approximating utopia. The introduction of super ordinate goals establishes a commonality between the groups, forcing them to acknowledge the ‘other’ as more like ‘self’.

Guns and Gun Control

Gun control has been one of the biggest topics facing our nation aside from abortion and homosexual marriages. There are so many different angles and arguments that surround it, its no wonder a definite decision can not be made. Violent crimes remain one of the most serious problems in the United States, in many of the violent crimes committed guns are used but an actual link between the two remains pretty unclear. Studies generally find no relationship at the ecological level between gun availability and nonfatal violent crime rates, but do find a small relationship between gun availability and homicides†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ‘Perhaps the most important question in the gun control debate is whether handgun ownership by law-abiding citizens raises or lowers their risk of becoming violent crime victims. ’ (Barkan, 2007, p. 93) For those opposing gun control, they believe taking away the right to carry a gun would leave them more vulnerable to become victims of crime however thos e supporting gun control believe that if gun use was effectively controlled, there would be less crime. Media does not help in this constant debate since many feel as though outlets such as TV shows, movies and games promote violence especially in youth. However in studies where children were observed before and after viewing violent shows on TV, they did become more aggressive meaning there is a correlation between watching TV and acts of aggression but that connection doesn’t necessarily mean watching that particular show caused it to happen. Meaning a child acting out in violence could have been acting out on his aggression but not because he saw it happen. A conservative conclusion is that mass media violence has a small effect on real-life violence that is eclipsed by other influences†¦ we should remain skeptical of mass media effects until the empirical evidence becomes compelling†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Barkan, 2007, pp. 290-291) In 1999 Martin O’Malley was elected as mayor of Baltimore, MD. At this time I also resided in Maryland as a sophomore in High School. Mayor O’Malley changed the focus of how public safety would be handled since crime was so high in the urban communities especially in the downtown are as of Baltimore. It was during this time he stressed the importance of neighborhoods and authorities pulling together to reduce crime and violence which turned out a 40% reduction in violent crime. (Maryland, 2009) The fact that he was able to get such a tough community to work together with officials to take charge of an ever growing crime rate is something that should be admired and mirrored throughout other states. To cut back on the types of firearms used in today’s streets I believe would start from the source, gun shows and or shops. My suggestion to control the types used every applicant must go through a very thorough background search as well as an interview with a law enforcement official to see if they are competent enough to own a firearm. From there I think a class should be offered to all individuals as well as a mandatory waiting period of at least a month. Heavy artillery weapons should not be issued to anyone other than those with certain clearances, military or otherwise since they are not needed unless they are being fired at by insurgents. As far as where I stand on the issue of gun control, I believe everyone has the right to bear arms as it’s stated in the 2nd amendment of the U. S. Constitution. I also fully believe in the slogan ‘guns don’t kill people; people kill people’ however those that are supportive of gun control possess a very strong argument when they state that if handguns were controlled effectively, it could possibly reduce the number or homicides and violent crimes. An example of this would be ‘†¦in 1975 Washington D. C. , banned the sale and possession of handguns. Gun crimes there decreased, especially for homicides resulting from family and acquaintance disputes. More generally, gun homicides and gun suicides decreased†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Barkan, 2007, p. 295) In addition in a study that was conducted one scholar noted ‘†¦guns are more likely to be used when you’re drinking and you have a fight with someone you know. It indicates that people tend to use guns not for the reason they brought them into the house, but in fights with family members and friends. ’ (Barkan, 2007, p. 294) Had a gun not been present in the first place it probably would have kept this situation from becoming yet another statistic. References Barkan, S. A. (2007). Criminology (3rd Edition ed.). Upper Saddle River , NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Maryland, S. o. (2009, January 16). Martin J. O'Malley, Governor of Maryland. Retrieved January 18, 2009, from MD Manual: http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/08conoff/html/msa13090.html

Assess the importance of setting in Heart of Darkness Essay

The setting is the basis of every story or novel, the basis of every prose work. Heart of Darkness is by no means an exception. Joseph Conrad’s nouvelle or rather said mysterious work is not being easily understood let alone assessed. But each reader of Heart of Darkness should try to solve the mystery the author has opened. The setting reveals itself to be a mystery within the mystery. What is really the setting of Conrad’s nouvelle? And is it at all important to the work as a whole? Is it the usual setting of an adventure story that was popular at the time, is it a place of darkness, the heart of it, or just the jungle in the Congo region? The setting may be all of the above and it looks like composed of several different ones colouring the mysteriousness of the nouvelle, some contrasting the others. Heart of Darkness begins in a voice that is not belonging to the protagonist. This later appears to be the auditor of the protagonist’s(Marlow’s) story, so for short he may be called the Auditor. His introduction reveals that the setting is a yawl, called Nellie, swinging on the surface of the Thames awaiting for the turn of the tide so she can sail off. The beginning of the setting reminds the Auditor of England’s naval glory, he recalls the great knights – known and unknown – of the sea while the banks of the Thames remind Marlow that they have also been â€Å"one of the dark places of the earth†. And exactly the word â€Å"dark† is the one that defines the setting throughout the whole of the nouvelle, varying only in shades. This becomes crystal clear from the moment Marlow begins to speak and he speaks through the whole of the nouvelle except the few introductory paragraphs. Going further to describe the setting Marlow begins his s tory about his journey in the Congo region, the heart of darkness. The protagonist explains that as a boy he looked at the blank spaces on the maps and dreamed of exploring them, but the Congo region was no blank space anymore, ironically according to Marlow it has become a place of darkness. He is fascinated by the river in the heart of darkness, for him it resembles a snake, symbol of evil; while the river Thames described earlier is calm and serene contrasting the setting in the Congo river. Both rivers may be symbol of the tamed and untamed. London is tamed by civil and moral rules, that’s why it’s calm  while the untamed Africa is cruel but free. Marlow sees danger even before his journey has begun but it doesn’t stop him from going to the other setting, the office of the Company. The following description is the gate towards darkness and death, the gate of Hell. The setting stays in Marlow’s mind and later on in his journey he remembers the two women dressed in black, knitting black wool and holding a black cat; guardian angels to the â€Å"gate of Darkness†. Conrad reveals that not many of those who have been introduced to the Company by the younger woman had the chance to return and look at her again, as if by giving them a glance she turns them to stone like the Gorgone Meduse and dooms them to eternal darkness. Relatively the same is the moral â€Å"preached† in the setting in the doctor’s office. The doctor is interested in measuring the skulls of all those who leave for the Congo with the distinct idea that he could measure them again on their returning but so far none of them has returned. A fact that suprises Marlow who understands from the doctor that no matter what, the changes take place inside the skull; the doctor seems like the prophet to Marlow’s enlightment. Finally Marlow leaves in a French steamer for the Congo. The setting changes as they sail nearer to the coast of the jungle. Marlow feels isolated and delusional by the immense water and the only touch with reality are the boats coming from the shore with â€Å"black fellows† in them. This particular setting is the first touch of civilization with wilderness and savagery. Civilization is characterized by light and â€Å"straight forward facts† while to the wilderness is given the heart of Darkness and freedom. The setting communicates the meaning of the episode. As it does in the next one presenting the Company’s station that Marlow is left in. The black boy he meets fascinates him with the white thread from beyond the seas around his black neck. Civilization intrudes the lives of the Africans and enslaves them. The white thread looks like a manacle around the boy’s neck. After such a sight the white man Marlow meets at the â€Å"station† setting looks like a sort of vision. This miracle later appears to be the Company’s chief accountant. He strikes Marlow with devotion to his work and the fact that he had achieved something in his life, everything in it is in order while the whole station is falling apart. The accountant and his office is the island of salvation for Marlow when he wants to get away from the misery at the  station. The importance of this particular setting is the mentioning for the first time the name of Mr.Kurtz, defined by the accountant as a remarkable person and from this moment on the mysterious Kurtz enters the thoughts of Marlow as well as the reader’s. The setting of the Central Station serves its purpose too to the whole of the nouvelle. The forest near it looks huge and calm to Marlow, the setting alone sends the feeling to all of the readers, misery and greatness fill their hearts. Together with this the tickling feeling of the awaited by Marlow meeting with Kurtz makes the breathing of the reader harder. In the Central Station he meets a brickmaker who gives more detail to the fast-growing character of Kurtz in Marlow’s mind. He is an extraordinary human being, an emissary of pity and what not, bringing civilization to the dark continent. The brickmaker is sure that Marlow has some resemblance to Kurtz and if this is true the reader is only to find out on their own. The months spent awaiting the needed rivets for the repair of the mysteriously broken down steamer are over. Marlow leaves for the Inner Station where he is to find out if the rumors about the best Company’s agent are true, the narrator leaves in search for the ill Kurtz whose death is awaited by most of the Company’s staff. The setting changes once more only to become the same as earlier in Marlow’s journey. Black people, enemies that are hiding on the shore like evil that is creeping and getting closer and closer to the steamer. Finally the evil prevails, the devoted black helmsman is murdered from a spear. The setting had built an unhealthy darkness that doesn’t allow the reader even the slightest chance to forget the focus of the nouvelle; the darkness within the heart of the jungle gradually fills the heart of the protagonist and respectfully the reader’s too. Maybe the most interesting part of the setting is Marlow’s meeting with Kurtz at the Inner Station. The setting presents the true darkness, the very heart of it. It also echoes the cries of the Russian sailor who meets Marlow at his arrival. From the story of the naà ¯ve young sailor Marlow understands about Kurtz’s brilliance and the semi-divine power he exercises over the  natives. The setting provides the visual confirmation of Kurtz’s cruelty. A row of severed heads on stakes round the hut gives an intimation of the barbaric rites by which Kurtz’s has achieved his ascendancy. An educated man like Marlow, a very intelligent one, a man of promise for the Company Kurtz has used his brains and gun, symbol of civilization, to enslave the natives and make his one dark tribe that would inhabit the heart of darkness. Though at first sight the setting looks like a true adventure one underneath transpires the psychological and moral level of the work as a whole. Moreover Conrad’s nouvelle and respectfully it’s setting is also a symbolic journey of the soul towards the heart of man which he sees as capable of great evil. Kurtz is good personification of this particular idea. The setting may be interpreted as an allusion to Dante’s The Inferno, Marlow’s journey looks like an expedition to the underworld, a journey through the circles of hell and Kurtz is the devil himself. But the devil doesn’t want to leave his tribe nor do they want to leave him. When his tired and sick body is taken in the steamboat his black mistress appears. She looks at him with her â€Å"wild-eyes† giving Kurtz the power to live on but he couldn’t. The setting changes and presents the deck of the steamboat. Kurtz is lying there awarding Marlow with his manuscripts and his words, his last ones â€Å"The horror! The horror!†. The setting reveals the whole moral of Conrad’s work, or in Marlow’s words â€Å"the moral victory†. For Kurtz the horror he talks of is his life and like he has shown the reader man is capable of great evil. Kurtz has neglected the signals of his heart that evil was inside him. Kurtz is outside of control of the moral rules of civilization whose representative he is. So the horror is he himself, the heart of darkness is not the jungle anymore but his own. The setting has changed once again only to become Kurtz himself, the most important figure for the nouvelle, the heart of it, the heart of darkness. The setting is one of the most important for the work because it reveals simple but existential truths to the reader. Man finds himself when is isolated especially from civilization as Kurtz does. But why is he considered mad by the â€Å"civilized† people that get in touch with him. He is mad for them because he had taken off the mask and everybody can see his true face – evil or remarkable is up to the reader to  decided. The important role of the setting is capturing the attention and the thoughts of the reader. Kurtz was like Marlow – an uncorrupted creature from the imperialist world that wanted to help the natives rather than colonize them but the darkness prevailed his heart and Marlow sees what he could become if he lost the trail. But Kurtz recognizes his action as cruel and evil that is his horror, he knows that what he is doing is wrong but the heart of darkness haven’t given him another option to survive. The setting also reminds the reader through the character of Kurtz of Europe at the end of the Imperialism era. The nouvelle is not only an adventure story but a political statement as well. Kurtz’s relationship with his mistress represents Europe’s love for their imperialized country, only the passion is temporary. Kurtz dies leaving Marlow and the reader with the conviction that they should explore what is inside them and in most cases they’ll find their own heart of darkness. Intriguing are also Kurtz’s manuscripts and the words â€Å"Exterminate all the brutes!† He never told who are the brutes but the overall impression is that the brutes are not the uncivilized man, maybe everyone should find the brute within himself and exterminate it. The philosophical manuscripts did not solve any problems they just have shaped Marlow’s perspective and although he didn’t approve of Kurtz’s actions he was amazed with his spiritual and intellectual power, with the ability to persuade. That is exactly why Marlow stays loyal to Kurtz’s even after his death. The setting takes the reader back to Belgium in the house of Kurtz’s fiancà ©e. She, the woman that will always wait for him and always will mourn for him. She believes that she is the person that understood Kurtz best but Marlow is not convinced in that and he lies her about Kurtz’s last words. He never tells her what they really were, he mentions only that they gave him her name and that’s why he found her. Marlow is not sure if she’ll understand Kurtz’s ‘horror’. Africa has become a topology of his mind and the mind in general. Letting the forgotten savagery in the European and being the symbol of man’s inner change. Kurtz’s ‘horror’ is Marlow’s self discovery. The importance of the setting, given that it has shown to the reader the Congo region in it’s very heart of darkness, is that reminds the reader that it is time to make their own self searching. Last but not least the setting of the nouvelle has shown darkness, the heart of it. It is important for the work as a whole because it presents Marlow’s individual journey towards enlightment that serves the purpose of a model for the reader to follow. It presents also Kurtz’s ‘horror’ who has taken one step further in the dark continent that Marlow is not ready and willing to take. The setting of the whole work enriches the reader following the narrator in the serpentine Congo. The setting emphasizes the idea of the conflict of what is real versus what is ‘dark’. Here particularly the word ‘real’ represents the civilized part of the world while dark is Africa. Marlow represents civilization on the edge while Kurtz represents civilization stepped over leading in the ‘darkness’. The setting also is ivory, Conrad uses it as a symbol of man’s inner savagery, greed and evil. The author also uses ivory as contradiction to the usual symbols of good and evil. If good is represented with the white colour, here is Heart of Darkness ivory is the evil part no matter that it is one of the purest and whitest materials in the world. The contradiction the setting presents entraps the attention of the reader and provokes once again his search for self-discovery. The setting is pretty important to the work as a whole because it reveals the darkness within every one of us; the question is whether like Marlow we shall defeat it and gain enlightment or be defeated by it like Kurtz and fall in the very heart of Darkness.

Deviant Behavior †Psychology Essay

Deviant Behavior – Psychology Essay Free Online Research Papers In the United States attending school is expected. Public schools do not cost anything because everything is paid by the state. Children do not wear uniforms and the state takes care of the books and transportation. The only thing the family has to provide is school supplies, which generally do not cost much. In the United States, the parents contribute to the income, and children must be taken care of and prepare them for the future so they can do the same. This is different in the third world countries. Parents do not encourage or school is not required for children. Unfortunately the resources for education are not available in most third world countries. Children contribute to income and they start at a very young age. If education is available, the income they receive is for survival and school fees may be too much for a family to provide. In the United States in most states, parents are required to place their children in school or they may have their children removed from their custody. So for some parts of the world education is a privilege while others focus on just the labor of their everyday life to survive. Deviant behavior is usually not taken so harsh if the crime is committed by someone with powerful status. There are usually distinction between the powerful and the less powerful. Usually the penalties are more severe for a poor person, such as dealing drugs, or possession of narcotics compared to a person who is of powerful status. Many actors constantly get caught with possession of some sort of drugs and they never go to jail, if they do it is for 24 hours. The media saves this famous people committing these crimes. If an unknown person is caught with the same drugs, same situation, this person will do jail time. Also the treatment in jails is different for powerful or famous person compared to an unknown poor person. Money allows separation, in all factors. Research Papers on Deviant Behavior - Psychology EssayThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseStandardized TestingHip-Hop is ArtComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesCapital PunishmentAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe

How ethics may have played a role in Enrons way of doing business

How ethics may have played a role in Enrons way of doing business Introduction Out of a merger between Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth, Enron was formed in 1985 based in the United States. As an energy trading and communications company, at the start, the company was involved in construction, development and operation of power plants, pipelines globally.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on How ethics may have played a role in Enrons way of doing business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Further, it was participating in the transmission, distribution of electricity and gas throughout the state and. Afterwards, Enron enlarged their wealth through marketing and promotion of commodities which included; power and communications bandwidth and related risk management derivatives as tradable securities. Enron energy trading and Communications Company that was based in Houston, TX was well re-known for its accounting strategies a factor that allowed it to be listed as the seventh larges t company in America (Molly, 2001). The company had a work force of about 21,000 employees grouping them among the largest employers in the country. In the same year, it was ranked number seven by the fortune magazine among first five hundred companies in the United States. The energy company had made inventions in communications, power and weather securities and due to this it was expected to dominate the trading in these areas. However, in the year 2000, the company had claimed a revenue base of about with $101 billion but due of their trade activities. Despite all that, the company still ended up the biggest failure in the corporate history (Molly, 2001) Despite the fame and wealth Enron had accumulated, the company stood on the verge of bankruptcy by mid November 2001 (Bryce, 2002). This had arisen from numerous scandals and collective failure between the company and its auditing firm which brought about by accounting irregularities that surrounded fraud. Poor decisions, mismana gement and individualistic type of management by Enron’s top were also major contributors in the collapse of the corporation. At the same time, the value of investors equity per share in 2001 fell from $85 to 30 cents a fact that plunged the company into a disastrous loss. Discovery of the company’s source of profit which happened to be from deals with limited partners which it controlled was one of the factors that resulted to the company’s loss of value. This loss and other similar financial conflicts, was not reported in any of the company’s financial report (Niskanen, 2005). More to that, the company had also devised a method to elude taxes and maintain anonymity by opening offshore accounts that allowed them easy currency flow. By the end of the year 2001, the firms European operations filed for bankruptcy and sought protection in the US Southern District of New York under chapter 11 (Hodak, 2007).Advertising Looking for assessment on busines s economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the year 2000 during the companies’ financial peak point, public investors were encouraged to buy stocks in the company since the prices were at their highest with a promise of further appreciation in their value in the subsequent year. However the executive in the company knew of the looming loss that was to be experienced in the near future and instead of advising the public, they were in a hurry to sell out all of their stocks (Hodak, 2007). To the demise of the investors, the stocks plummeted causing a great loss across the board of approximately $102. Later in the subsequent years, Enron was forced to sell out its assets since it had incurred a large financial loss. The sale was to be done since the company had to liquidate its assets and raise funds to aid in settling the creditors and investors who had not anticipated the collapse. However, Enron reopened again u nder a new name Enron Creditors Corporation after settling with most of its creditors except Citigroup (Hodak, 2007). Impact on stakeholders Enron Company was composed of share holders that included both the private and corporate class. Since the company had a good reputation of its wealth and a large revenue base, the rate at which people invested was overwhelming. Reports by Chris Penttila, (2002), indicated that the Enron’s mission statement dictated the four key values that the company prided itself in. These key values were: excellence, communication, integrity and respect. The purpose of this was to instill in the public the confidence that everything that happened in the company was fair and open a notion that was welcomed by the managers working for the company. However, collapse of the company was partly allowed by the stakeholders since they were afraid of questioning the companies’ business activities and conflicts that they were always involved in. for exam ple many of the stakeholders knew of the financial conflict of interest that existed between Arthur Anderson, Vinson, Elkins and the Enron’s board of directors. The collapse of the company was met with a lot of negative reactions. The public was hit with a rude shock and immediately people stated pointing fingers to the systems that allowed the disaster to happen. According to (Bryce, 2002) the collapse affected all stakeholders from the big investors to the least employee in the company.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on How ethics may have played a role in Enrons way of doing business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the social impacts included loss of lively hoods by small employees who worked in the company to billions by the investors, deaths, life savings and even imprisonment. In a meeting with the Congress former Enron employees witnessed that they had not only lost their jobs but also thei r retirement savings. Moreover, the threat of loss of employment was not only felt by Enron employees but even those at Andersen’s U.S. operations (Dugan and Spurgeon, 2002; Bryan-Low, 2002) Loss of business by the partners and affiliates of the company was another major impact of the collapse. An example of this was Andersen which after indictment started to experience a mass exodus of its clients. This had a great effect on the revenue of the company and the public confidence. Andersen then went further to loose the favor on settlement with the judiciary a move that was seen as suicidal if adopted by the other states, since it might preempt them to revote the companies license. According to Wynn (2009), other trading partners that were affected by Enron’s losses were ING Barings, Deutsche bank, Duke Power and American power who also suffered immense losses. Other social impacts that were felt by the stakeholders involved deaths that were not anticipated for. Such an example is; Kenneth Lay who was an Enron’s CEO but died of heart attack in July 2006. The causes of the Enron’s CEO death were attributed to stress brought about by public unrest and legal pressures in the cases filled against him in the state (Palepu Healy, 2003). Outcome and Fairness of Punishment Following the collapse of Enron Company, the public did not seem contented by the outcome that affected their livelihoods directly. Therefore, some of the stakeholders sought to authorities that would attend to their grievances. Forums and meetings were held across the state by governors and other government officials to try to address the issue. Some of the grievances were resolved but some still remained for legal action (Wynn, 2009). The outcomes of the collapse ranged form imprisonment to even indictments, revoking of license and even settlement bans from the different states of operations For example Jeffery Skilling was imprisoned to serve a 24 year sentence in a low security prison in Minnesota. Another executive Andrew Fastow was also jailed to serve a six-year sentence in a federal prison in Louisiana due to corruption allegations in the company and also for giving the public conflicting information for purpose of personal gain.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other auditing and legal consultants e.g. Arthur Anderson and Vinson Elkins also were indicted and underwent trial in Houston for their involvement in obstruction of justice by concealing information and giving of false information to the public. This in turn greatly affected their business since they had to lay off workers and could not regain their client confidence (DeFond, Raghunandan and Subramanyam, 2002). The justice state justice in Houston also went further to revoke their settlement right in the state. The public confidence in the market was also compromised since many investors started to question the integrity of other companies’ financial records. This weighed hard on the whole economy and also on other uninvolved companies. Losses; these were the most felt social effects after the collapse of the energy company in the late 2001. Big investors like the J.P. Morgan Chase and Citigroup experienced large loses on bad loans that had subsided with the company (Palepu Healy, 2003). These mutual friends were said to have lost a value of about $70 billion in market value. Formulation of policies; after the collapse of Enron Energy Company, the government revived a debate on company regulation after the discovery of the magnitude such a companies collapse can cause to the economy. The national stock exchange market became more watchful and strict introducing new policies to ensure the trade market remains safe for the public. The NASDAQ for instance introduced a regulation that for a company to trade in it the stock option plans must be endorsed by the stockholders. While on the NYSE, it is a must that most of all equity based compensation plans be endorsed by shareholders. They also dictated that in both the trading company must have independent directors (Palepu Healy, 2003). Ethics in the way Enron conducted business Enron was a large multimillion energy company that had its missions and visions set to become the biggest and the best energy co mpany in the United States. Due to their defined focus, they had decided to set their work values basing on the companies ethics book. These values were supposed to guide the people working in the company to ensure transparency and efficiency in achieving the company’s goals. These company values were respect, communication and excellence (Code of Ethics, 2000, 4). On the other hand, Enron’s ethics infrastructure consisted of four main pillars which included; a 65 pages long code of ethics booklet, a certificate of compliance to be signed by all employees, different channels for attaining answers to ethical questions, and finally a possible violations reporting system. Despite the high standards that had been set by the company, it was evident that the management was least concerned with fulfilling them while conducting business. They had no serious regard for the ethics. In 1999, the company’s code of ethics was suspended twice by the Enron’s Board of Di rectors to allow the formulation of two SPEs. These SPEs were to be controlled by Andrew Fastow, who was to benefit personally from the outcome (Goh and Ederington, 1993). To the companies’ board of directors, business had just become a point of making money despite the consequences that were to be faced. A good example is seen when two traders Lois Borget and Thom Mastroeni were allowed by the 1997 Enron’s CEO Kenneth Lay to conduct questionable oil trading operations in 1997 despite his knowledge of the illegalities and financial risks incident that were involved (Niskanen, 2005). The company through their management believed that doing business and channeling in money was the only thing that mattered the other considerations’ came after. Many businesses in the company therefore, were done through unscrupulous deals that were later covered by the business partners involved form the watchful eye of the public. example is when Andersen connived with the Enron en ergy company to inflate the figures of the company while Enron was a financially ailing entity (Niskanen, 2005). This was done to boost the public confidence and increase their investments in Enron. Another instance was when Andersen destroyed all the evidences of the financial transactions of the company when the company was under investigation. Enron being a large company had a lot of influence in its surrounding. Therefore it had no one to criticize the way Enron conducted their business. The company therefore decided to use its power and political influence to achieve its wealth and maintain its dominance. Professional ethics were not adhered to in this company and they did not govern any business that they conducted. An example is when the management knew of future losses in the company and barred the other small stakeholders to dispose off their stocks while they disposed theirs. This was done with a personal interest and it left the other stakeholders in loss when the company value plummeted (Hamburger and Brown, 2002) Conclusion The collapse of Enron can be attributed to the companies practice, poor management strategies and a favorable environment for corrupt employees. The companies’ business plans, executive management and untrustworthy partners are other causes that contributed to the collapse. The state justice however was fair in their punishment and took a good step to protect the public from such kind of companies. The stock market should also be keen despite the stringent laws put in place to ensure that in-genuine entities are kept on watch. References Bryce Robert. (2002). Pipe Dreams: Greed, Ego, and the Death of Enron,) Enron starts dumping PR firms, ODwyers PR Daily. DeFond, L., Subramanyam K.R., and Raghunandan K. (2002). Do non-audit service fees impair auditor independence?California. University of Southern California. Dugan, I.J., Spurgeon D. (2002). Partners in peril. The Wall Street Journal. Enron. (2000). Code of Ethics. Go h, J.C., Ederington L.H. (1993). Is a bond rating downgrade bad news, good news or no news for stockholders? Journal of Finance 48:2001-2009 Hamburger, T., Brown K. (2002). Andersen knew of Enron woes a year ago. The Wall Street Journal. Hodak Marc. (2007). The Enron Scandal, Organizational Behavior Research Center Papers (SSRN), June 4 Molly Ivins. (2001). Enron-gate: Where are the investigations of Bushs liaison with the bankrupt company? working for change, December 12, Niskanen, W. A. (2005). After Enron: Lessons for Public Policy. Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield Publishers. Palepu, K. G., Healy M. (2003). The Fall of Enron. Journal of Economic Perspectives. Wynn, G. (2009). Essentials of Corporate Responsibility. USA. University of Tampa.

A Birthday - Imagery and Symbolism

The imagery used in the first stanza draws on familiar natural objects but can also be read at another level in the light of Rossetti’s knowledge of the Bible. In the second verse, the focus is on artificial objects hung, carved and worked by human hands. Various images in this verse demonstrate an awareness of traditional Christian art, as well as reflecting and celebrating human creativity. A singing bird To a ‘singing bird’ (line 1), vocal expression is as natural as breathing. By speaking of her ‘heart’ in these terms, the speaker indicates that her song forms a natural part of herself and is an overflow of her identity. The image of the singing bird is one which is often used in Romantic poetry. William Wordsworth emphasised the importance of expressing natural feelings when he argued that it was his intention to create a poetry which was a ‘spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’. (See Literary context gt; Romantic poetry). A watered shoot By having a ‘nest’ in a ‘watered shoot’ (line 2), the speaker suggests that the sustenance upon which she can live and rest has been provided: †¢The word shoot alludes to the first stages of growth of a plant as it emerges from the ground. By describing a shoot as ‘well watered’, the poem conveys ideas of lushness and fertility. However, rather than making a nest in a full grown tree, by making it in a shoot, the singing bird remains in a place of fragility, since it is easy to uproot or destroy a shoot †¢The idea of being watered has biblical connotations. In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, the believers in Jerusalem are encouraged by God’s promise that he will guide them and provide for their needs: The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs †¦ You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11 TNIV An apple tree The image of the ‘apple tree / Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit’ (lines 3-4) would be a familiar sight in an age more in touch with its agricultural roots than today †¢It recalls the imagery in Keats’ Ode to Autumn. This begins by describing fruit ripe and ready on apple trees: Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round he thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the mossd cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; †¢Mention of apples might also lead Rossetti’s readers to think of the accounts of the first humans in the Garden of Eden before the Fall where they lived in perfect peace with nature and one another. It is also likely that Rossetti is alluding to the biblical concept of the Tree of Life. The writer of the Old Testament book Proverbs, declares that those who ‘lay hold’ of this tree ‘will be blessed’ (Proverbs 3:18). Rainbow †¦ halcyon By speaking of her heart as a ‘rainbow shell / That paddles in a halcyon sea’ (lines 5-6), the speaker provides an image of exuberant colour drifting at ease in tranquil waters. †¢According to the Bible, the image of the rainbow refers to the fulfilment of God’s promises, when God helped Noah to escape the flood which wiped out the known world. He then set a rainbow in the sky as a promise that never again would such an event occur (Genesis 19:3) ? It is possible that the speaker perceives that God’s promises are being fulfilled in her life and wants to celebrate this †¢The term ‘halcyon’ comes from the Greek myth of a bird (possibly a kingfisher) which was said to breed about the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea. According to ancient writers, it charmed the wind and waves so that the sea was especially calm during the period. For English readers, the phrase ‘halcyon days’ was associated with ideas of joy, prosperity and tranquillity ? The poem’s speaker uses the image of the halcyon sea to indicate the deep comfort and rest she has found. By ending the first verse with the declaration that her ‘heart is gladder than all these’ (line 7), the speaker indicates that descriptions of the natural world are incapable of fully expressing her exubera nt emotional state. Pathetic fallacy The speaker of A Birthday uses the technique of pathetic fallacy when she gives emotions to the ‘apple tree’ full of fruit and the ‘rainbow shell’. This is the treatment of inanimate objects, such as trees and houses, as if they had human feelings, thought or sensations. The term was invented by critic John Ruskin in 1856 when he wrote that the aim of the pathetic fallacy was ‘to signify any description of inanimate natural objects that ascribes to them human capabilities, sensations and emotions’. The Temple Rossetti draws on the imagery used in the Old Testament to discuss the Temple which symbolised God’s presence with his people. For the Jews in the Old Testament, the Temple was the place where they met with God. A Birthday mentions purple hangings, carved fruit and statues of animals, which all figure in the descriptions of Solomon’s Temple given in 1 Kings 6:14, 1 Kings 6:18, 1 Kings 6:29 and 2 Chronicles 3:14 and 2 Chronicles 3:16. More on the Temple: In the teachings of the early church, recounted in the New Testament, the idea of God’s Temple shifts in meaning. Christians generally understand this Temple to be a model of an individual’s heart, where God communicates with the human soul. This understanding comes from the New Testament teaching that every Christian believer is understood as a temple in which the Holy Spirit can dwell. A Dais The word ‘dais’ (line 9) indicates a raised platform. The speaker seems to envisage a structure built in celebration of the return of her love. The ‘silk and down’ from which it is made are materials of softness and luxury, as well as conveying lightness, which adds to the sense of uplifting that the poem conveys †¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœDais’ is also a word commonly associated with the raised part of a church upon which the altar and communion table are placed. Rossetti attended a high Anglican church (see Religious / philosophical context gt; Tractarianism) which emphasised the significance and symbolism of the structure of the church building and would have undoubtedly made use of a dais. Royalty and nobility The imagery of ‘vair’, ‘purple’, ‘gold’, ‘silver’ and ‘fleur-de-lys’ (line 10) is imagery traditionally associated with royalty and nobility †¢Ã¢â‚¬Ëœvair’ is an expensive fur obtained from a variety of squirrel with a grey back and white belly. It was often used in the 13th and 14th centuries as a trimming or lining for garments and is associated with heraldry †¢The dye used to create purple tones was so expensive it was only available to the rich and therefore, became a colour associated with royalty †¢Precious metals are associated with crowns and other regalia †¢The fleur–de-lys is a heraldic symbol derived from the lily. It was often engraved on the armour of royalty. Birds Following the description of the singing bird in the first verse, the second alludes to representation of doves and peacocks on the dais. †¢Doves are used in the Bible to represent: ? Reconciliation and peace. This arises from the story of Noah, when a dove sent out from the Ark returns with an olive leaf in its beak, signifying that the storm / flood was over (Genesis 8:11) ? The Holy Spirit, as at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16) †¢The description of ‘peacocks with a hundred eyes’ (line 12) corresponds to a traditional and mythical understanding of the bird as a symbol of all-seeing God. Investigating imagery and symbolism †¢List the imagery the speaker uses throughout the poem ?Why do you think that she moves from describing the natural world to objects that have been man-made? †¢What ambiguous aspects are there in the imagery described? Do you think that the symbolism that is drawn upon adequately reflects the speaker’s joy? ?What images would you use to reflect a state of joy you were feeling? ?Do these images correspond to any in the poem? Themes Self-expression and the natural world A Birthday is concerned with natural and spontaneous expression through song or poetry, beginning with the image of the ‘singing bird’ (l. 1). Poetry provides a natural outlet for the speaker’s emotions. Memory and forgetfulness Memory is a sustaining force in this poem. In A Birthday, the speaker’s joy in the arrival in her love is bound up in the memory of what he means or has meant to her. This hints at the notion that identity is founded upon memory and that self-awareness is constructed by the remembrance of a former self. Earthly life and ‘life after life’ The images of new life in the natural world in A Birthday can be seen to allude to new life after death. Investigating themes †¢List all the allusions to the natural world that the poem makes ? How do these allusions correspond to the speaker’s emotional state? ?What do they reveal about the purpose of the poem? ?What do they reveal about the identity of the speaker?