Poems Comparison

Since times immemorial, military conflicts have been wiping whole generations off the face of the earth. The topic of war has been one of the most popular to render in works of art and literature. On the one hand, war has been proclaimed the business of ‘real men’ and glorified as the way to prove one’s loyalty to motherland.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Poems Comparison specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, the horrors of war have brought enormous pain and suffering to people both directly and indirectly involved in it. The two poems, â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† by Wilfred Owen (1917–18) and â€Å"Facing It† by Yusef Komunyakaa (2001), reflect on the theme of bitterness and cruelty of war, developing this theme through the various handling of setting, characters, structure and rhyme, and language. Although both concerning the subject of war, the settings of the two poems are quite different. â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† is set in a trench of the First World War and dedicated to description of a gas attack and its ruinous consequences. The environment is described as a most unfriendly terrain that exhausts the soldiers: the sticky â€Å"sludge† clings to the soldiers’ boots and makes walking even more difficult (Owen, 1917–18). The sounds and sights of war are vividly shown in Owen’s (1917–18) poem through â€Å"the hoots / Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines†, â€Å"someone still [†¦] yelling out†, and the repulsive vision of a soldier suffocating from a gas attack. In contrast to this reality of war action, Komunyakaa (2001) sets his poem in a place that has not experienced the Vietnam war directly on its territory and at a time when the war is already over. It is â€Å"the Vietnam Veterans Memorial†, with its â€Å"black granite† walls covered with the endless row of â€Å"58,022 names† commemorating the ones who perished in the war (Komunyakaa, 2001). There is not much sound involved in the poem, and the most expressive element of the setting is light. The narrator attempts to realize his attitude to the Vietnam war, â€Å"depending on the light / to make a difference† (Komunyakaa, 2001). The ‘life’ of the names on the granite wall also depend on the play of light, â€Å"shimmer[ing] on a woman’s blouse† (Komunyakaa, 2001). The sense of immense space is created through referring to a â€Å"red bird† and â€Å"A plane in the sky† — the only objects present at the scene apart from the monument itself and a couple of visitors (Komunyakaa, 2001). The point of view of the two poems differs not only due to the setting but also due to the narrators describing the events. â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† is told by a narrator who is a soldier himself and directly takes part in the m ilitary action: this can be traced in using first person plural â€Å"we† in referring to the events (Owen 1917–18).Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In â€Å"Facing It†, the relation of the narrator to the Vietnam war remains unclear. The only information that links the narrator to the war itself is concluded in the lines â€Å"I go down the 58,022 names, / half-expecting to find / my own in letters like smoke† (Komunyakaa, 2001). This expectation of seeing own name in the list of Vietnam veterans suggests that the narrator was somehow involved in the military action but not necessarily as a soldier. Thus, the contrast between the narration of the poems lies in the fact that â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† reports the immediate events of warfare while â€Å"Facing It† reflects on the aftermath of the war. The various treatment of the structural organization and the rhyme of the poems contributes to the perception of the poems and increase their emotional impact. Owen constructs his poem in three stanzas of a traditional iambic pentameter rhymed in alternate line endings ABAB CDCD. This regularity of a stable rhythms and rhyme renders the measured steps of the war treading across the land and reminds of the inevitability of the war terrors and severity of its consequences. A special effect is reached by making the final line of â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† shorter than the rest. Concluding the poem in this way, Owen emphasizes the tragic irony of war: attracted by the perspective of glory, soldiers meet a miserable end to their life, as abrupt as the final line of the poem. Komunyakaa (2001) approaches the structure and rhyme of his poem in a very free way: there is no division into stanzas and no rhyming either. Such device allows constructing lines of various length and meter, and thus rendering the mood of confusion and hesitation in the treatment of war. Turning from one side of the memorial to the other symbolizes the narrator’s attempts to figure out the truth about the Vietnam war and the meaning behind the endless row of names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Komunyakaa, 2001). The language of both poems is highly descriptive, appealing both to the senses and the emotions of the readers. Owen (1917–18) fills â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† with graphic imagery that reflects the terrible realities of war. The myth about the brave and fine soldiers is shattered by their description as â€Å"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, / Knock-kneed, coughing like hags† (Owen, 1917–18). Not the desire to fight but â€Å"fatigue† is the only feeling that drives the â€Å"lame†, â€Å"blind†, and â€Å"deaf† soldiers to go on (Owen, 1917–18).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Poems Comparison spec ifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Not the neat ranks but confused, â€Å"stumbling† and â€Å"fumbling† tired men struggle to put on their â€Å"clumsy helmets† when gas alert comes (Owen, 1917–18). These disturbing images are further intensified by the naturalistic description of a soldier affected by gas, a vision far from the romanticized ideal of war. In â€Å"Facing It†, Komunyakaa (2001) employs sharp contrasts and the play of light to emphasize the emotional instability the narrator experiences facing the war memorial. The most painful opposition is represented in the line â€Å"I’m stone. I’m flesh.†, which suggests that the narrator is taken as a kind of a war monument by the society but in fact he is a living being with his tragedy and pain (Komunyakaa, 2001). The vagueness of his situation is prompted throughout the poem by such words as â€Å"clouded reflection†, â €Å"my own [name] in letters like smoke†, â€Å"then his pale eyes / look through mine. I’m a window.† (Komunyakaa, 2001). It appears that the narrator has lost his individuality in course of the war and now is merely a reflection of the pain and the terror experienced by millions during the military actions. Upon the analysis of the poems, it appears that through the setting, characters, structure and rhyme, and language, both Owen (1917–18) and Komunyakaa (2001) succeed in reflecting the major theme of the tragedy and pain war brings to people. The difference between the two poems is that â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† shows the war reality through reporting the direct events of a military operation and appealing to the senses of the readers. On the other hand, â€Å"Facing It† represents a reflective intellectual poem, contemplating on the fates of the millions affected by war both directly and indirectly. References Komunyakaa, Y. (2001). F acing it. Retrieved from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47867/facing-it Owen, W. (1917–18). Dulce et decorum est. Web.Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Poems Comparison was written and submitted by user Gabe Jones to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

John James Audubon - Biography of Painter and Naturalist

John James Audubon - Biography of Painter and Naturalist John James Audubon created a masterpiece of American art, a collection of paintings titled Birds of America published in a series of four enormous volumes from 1827 to 1838. Besides being a remarkable painter, Audubon was a great naturalist, and his visual art and writing helped inspire the conservation movement. Early Life of James John Audubon Audubon was born as Jean-Jacques Audubon on April 26, 1785 in the French colony of Santo Domingo, the illegitimate son of a French naval officer and a French servant girl. After the death of his mother, and a rebellion in Santo Domingo, which became the nation of Haiti, Audubons father took Jean-Jacques and a sister to live in France. Audubon Settled in America In France, Audubon neglected formal studies to spend time in nature, often observing birds. In 1803, when his father became worried that his son would be conscripted into Napoleons army, Audubon was sent to America. His father had purchased a farm outside Philadelphia, and the 18-year-old Audubon was sent to live on the farm. Adopting the Americanized name John James, Audubon adapted to America and lived as a country gentleman, hunting, fishing, and indulging in his passion for observing birds. He became engaged to the daughter of a British neighbor, and soon after marrying Lucy Bakewell the young couple left the Audubon farm to venture into the American frontier. Audubon Failed in Business in America Audubon tried his luck at various endeavors in Ohio and Kentucky, and discovered that he was not suited for a life of business. He later observed that he spent too much time looking at birds to worry about more practical matters. Audubon devoted considerable time to ventures into the wilderness on which he would shoot birds so he could study and draw them. A sawmill business Audubon ran in Kentucky failed in 1819, partly due to the widespread financial crisis known as the Panic of 1819. Aubudon found himself in serious financial trouble, with a wife and two young sons to support. He was able to find some work in Cincinnati doing crayon portraits, and his wife found work as a teacher. Audubon traveled down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, and was soon followed by his wife and sons. His wife found employment as a teacher and governess, and while Audubon devoted himself to what he saw as his true calling, the painting of birds, his wife managed to support the family. A Publisher Was Found In England After failing to interest any American publishers in his ambitious plan to publish a book of paintings of American birds, Audubon sailed to England in 1826. Landing in Liverpool, he managed to impress influential English editors with his portfolio of paintings. Audubon came to be highly regarded in British society as a natural unschooled genius. With his long hair and rough American clothes, he became something of a celebrity. And for his artistic talent and great knowledge of birds he was named a fellow of the Royal Society, Britains leading scientific academy. Audubon eventually met up with an engraver in London, Robert Havell, who agreed to work with him to publish Birds of America. The resulting book, which became known as the double elephant folio edition for the immense size of its pages, was one of the largest books ever published. Each page measured 39.5 inches tall by 29.5 inches wide, so when the book was opened it was more than four feet wide by three feet tall. To produce the book, Audubons images were etched on copper plates, and the resulting printed sheets were colored by artists to match Audubons original paintings. Birds of America Was a Success During the production of the book Audubon returned to the United States twice to collect more bird specimens and sell subscriptions for the book. Eventually the book was sold to 161 subscribers, who paid $1,000 for what eventually became four volumes. In total, Birds of America contained 435 pages featuring more than 1,000 individual paintings of birds. After the lavish double elephant folio edition was finished, Audubon produced a smaller and much more affordable edition which sold very well and brought Audubon and his family a very good income. Audubon Lived Along the Hudson River With the success of Birds of America, Audubon purchased a 14-acre estate along the Hudson River north of New York City. He also wrote a book titled Ornithological Biography containing detailed notes and descriptions about the birds which appeared in Birds of America. Ornithological Biography was another ambitious project, eventually stretching into five volumes. It contained not only material on birds but accounts of Audubons many travels on the American frontier. He recounted stories about meetings with such characters as an escaped slave and the famed frontiersman Daniel Boone. Audubon Painted Other American Animals In 1843 Audubon set off on his last great expedition, visiting the western territories of the United States so he could paint American mammals. He traveled from St. Louis to the Dakota territory in the company of buffalo hunters, and wrote a book which became known as the Missouri Journal. Returning to the east, Audubons health began to decline, and he died at his estate on the Hudson on January 27, 1851. Audubons widow sold his original paintings for Birds of America to the New York Historical Society for $2,000. His work has remained popular, having been published in countless books and as prints. The paintings and writings of John James Audubon helped inspire the conservation movement, and one of the foremost conservation groups, The Audubon Society, was named in his honor. Editions of Birds of America remain in print to this day, and original copies of the double elephant folio fetch high prices on the art market. Sets of the original edition of Birds of America have sold for as much as $8 million.

Project Management Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Project Management Theory - Essay Example I worked in project to install 100 office cubicles for a call center during a summer. I worked as part of 12 person crew. A person created the layout while the rest of the crew worked on organizing the materials of used cubicles which came in a truck. We had two week deadline and the team worked two eight our shifts. Once we had about 50% of the worked done we took photos and send them to the owner of the company for him to monitor our progress. He was happy with the progress made and we continued and were able to close the project within the established time constraint. LRH products is a marketing company that has a project underway which is mainly a trade show presentation. A member of the marketing team has been assigned the task of becoming project manager for the trade show for the first time. The young project manager must use the PMBOK framework to accomplish the task. Before initiating the project he should interview the members of the team ask them about their experiences with the previous trade shows the company has performed. In the planning phase he has to create the work schedules for the team, the travel arrangements, inventory of materials to be utilized and plan the customer relationship strategy that will be utilized in the trade show by the company representatives. The execution of the plan starts by building the booth and placing all the marketing materials. The training of the employees should be performed by Pat, one of the executives working on the project. The project manager has to closely monitor the performance of his emplo yees. A feedback box is a good tool for clients to express their opinions about the trade booth. This information can be utilized by the project manager to evaluate performance. The project will end after two weeks. At that time the project manager is responsible for cleaning up the trade show area and creating a report for the management team of LHR specifying the operating results of the

International Production and Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

International Production and Trade - Essay Example Dumping has led to development and enactment of various rules and regulations for international trade to foster more cooperation among different countries. Lack of proper and comprehensive and binding international trade regulations, tensions between trading partners are likely as states try to maximize domestic gains from trade, often at the expense of trading partners’ welfare. Chapter six of the notes also deals with selling products from one country to a different country, is likely to affect the domestic business and trade in the importing country. This requires the government to formulate laws and regulations to enable a level playing ground for all players in the business, both local and international trade. International traders are likely to bring in cheaper products and services that are likely to disrupt the demand and supply of the business environment and will greatly affect the sales in of the local businesses, thus leading to losses and loss of jobs in the count ry. There is need to have in place regulatory measures to ensure there is a level playing field and that international trade does not affect the local businesses in the negative way (Fried 34). ... WTO ensures that all the rules and agreements entered in to by various countries are observed to the later and the countries failing to follow the rules will be punished through appropriated sanctions from the body. Chapter six also discusses the various perspectives of international trade. The three main perspectives of international trade include the Liberals, mercantilists and structuralists, who have different views and opinions regarding to how trade should be conducted on the international scene. For liberalists, international trade should be conducted using the ideas of thinkers such as ideas of Smith and Ricardo, who give various conditions within which the trade can flourish on the international arena. In Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage, he provided liberal ideas about how trade can flourish between countries using their strengths and weakness in terms of their production of goods and services. According to both Ricardo and Smith, global trade should not be based on who can produce the most of any give product, since this can be disadvantageous for businesses due to the limitations of scarce resources. This limitation means that no particular country can produce as much as it wants of all goods and services; opportunity cost must therefore be considered. Absolute advantage cannot therefore be relied on as a policy for international trade. On the other hand, comparative advantage is the best policy because it allows countries to produce whatever they can produce efficiently and then getting the other products from other countries or businesses that also have a comparative advantage in the production of such products and services. According to

Environmental law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Environmental law - Essay Example h which encourages the organizations to conserve the environment by promising them tax reduction and incentives as a reward for compliance with the set rules (Hatch, 2006). In direct control, the government sets rules to be followed by any company in connection with environmental conservation, failing which sanctions may befall the company that fails to follow the set rules, e.g., facing prosecution in court. Hatch (2006) argues that alternative methods concentrate on market oriented approaches to pollution where they always encourage companies to regulate their emissions as they continue to produce, rather than on direct control which must be followed, failing which the company is closed and banned from operating. This appears to discourage production. The alternative methods also give different measures to firms depending on their size and production capacity unlike the direct methods which give uniform rules to be followed by all firms, hence disadvantaging the small and young businesses. One alternative approach that can best be applied in the industrial sector is the trading scheme approach. It helps to provide a cost effective solution to enhance achievement of a clean environment as firms are given opportunity to make environment improvement and conservation to their place of choice (Hatch, 2006). The schemes are formed to allow firms to trade in waste with an aim of delivering environmental objectives at a lower cost. They adopt a variety of ways to engage in waste and emissions trade as they deal with the use of resources such as water with the sole aim of addressing waste management, thus reducing environmental pollution. In the end, firms using this approach must have enough wealth to cover their waste and emissions within the given time for them to go on operating (Hatch,

Effects of Dementia | Considering Gender and Age

Effects of Dementia | Considering Gender and Age Dementia has been associated with impaired memory, poor orientation, low thinking capacity, low comprehension, language problems, poor calculation, poor judgment and learning capacity. With such effects there is need to establish the magnitude on the patients so as to paint a clear picture of the pandemic. This proposal seeks to identify the effects of dementia with patients in general and particularly the different genders and age groups. Data from hospitals will be collected to identify the various effects where they will then be recorded in excel worksheets for analysis. The data will be from hospitals in a given region and randomly selected files from each hospital. Age groups and gender representations in the data will also be identified, calculated and presented to ensure there is comprehensive knowledge on the impact of dementia in the region. Introduction Dementia is a word that has been used to describe a set of signs that influence brain function. A number of factors including head trauma, Alzheimers diseases and even stroke can cause this phenomenon. It is usually diagnosed if two or more functions of brain, like language skills, memory or perception, and cognitive skills are affected. In most cases, memory loss is the main common symptom of dementia, however, if that is the only symptom depicted then dementia is not diagnosed. The effects of dementia on patients can affect several aspects of life. It is very vital to be aware of symptoms that may occur when the brain function is influenced. Some of the major common symptoms of dementia are having trouble in completing tasks that previously were familiar, short-term memory loss, problem of identifying what is the time and where one is, changes in mood and personality, forgetting simple terms and phrases, or even losing things, (Schienberg 2010). Review of literature Memory Loss and performing previously activities This is one of the effects of dementia. Long-term and short-term memory can be because of brain damage. A patient dealing with dementia might forget that they have already asked a particular question hence will ask again, or at other times, they might begin to have challenges in completing tasks that they have been doing routinely. The short term memory takes in information and starts the memory process, if it has no ability to move that information, to the long term memory, then such information will be lost and never recovered again. Some types of dementia resulted to problems in this area, for instance an individual might ask similar information he has been given, meaning that it did not pass short-term memory. Brain damage and cell loss, might also lead to challenges with short-term memory. When essential parts of brain that house long-term memories get affected, people start experiencing problems in doing things that they have been doing previously, (Schienberg 2010). The Effects of Dementia on Cognitive Skills It is clear that individuals with dementia have needs for support in undertaking daily activities. This is because the cognitive limitations that occur as a result of being affected by dementia disease set several requirements on the interface design. The need to be supported concerns the facilitation of the short-term memory; the cognitive prosthesis has to recognize physical limitations like reduced Visio-partial functions and reduction in performing activity capabilities. The human traits also become affected because of dementia disease. This usually affects patients who frequently have failures in their day-to-day life due to fading social and cognitive capabilities, (Sidel et al 1999) Dementia and Sexuality Sexual needs and caring expressions are very important during illness course. Progression of symptoms changes the very nature of partners relations. Both care receivers and caretaker might need increased reassurance that comes from being held, loved, touched, and receiving attention from one another. Issues like depression, dementia, or even the impacts of pharmacological regimes change many conditions. Most individuals with dementia rejects all affectionate overtures, while others, inmate contact, affection, sexual pleasures and warmth capacities may remain, and in some cases increase than ever before. When behavior and mind is changed by dementia, normal faculties decline, sexual needs and desires for affection still exists better after normal capacities have declined. Several problems happen at inappropriate times with demented individuals; physical and emotional abuse, decline in personal hygiene, changes in personality, verbal abuse, and even exhaustion of caregivers from care giving demands, (Alzheimers Association 1998) The major problem is that, care receivers ends up displaying inappropriate sexual behaviors even in public places, especially if they are also demonstrating in home setting. In some other cases, dementia individuals loose correct judgment for socially acceptable manners. Dementia makes individuals in some cases, to misperceive the cues of behavior of other individuals. Dementia Has On Language Language skill impairment affects effective communication and can lead to development of disruptive behaviors. Most of this disruption is because of severe dementia symptoms. Dementia individuals use fewer total words, less unique words, fewer subordinate clauses, fewer prepositional phrases, , and more sentence fragments that are incomplete. Greater severity is connected to laconic speech that is syntactically less complex. Research has shown that lexicon deficit is more susceptible to disruption in dementia than the syntax, (Hier et al, 2004). Visual impairment When one has dementia the risk of visual impairment is also possible; this is normally related to the aged. The effects include having problems in focusing on objects where patient will be affected while reading (Iliffe, Manthorpe, 2005). There is also low color and contrast sensitivity where that patient is not able to clearly identify colors. In addition the patient has inaccurate judgment of distance and could result to falling while walking or misjudged placement of objects (Iliffe, Manthorpe, 2005). The patient normally observes blur images which makes him/her unable to conduct normal routine practices hence affects the patients normal life. Problem statement Dementia has continued to affect persons silently where many have continued to be infected and other affected. The ailment has continued to torment the patients with some incurring huge bills whereas it is a chronic ailment. Once it affects the brain patients progressively deteriorate in health, this gives a justified reason for its study. Due to its effects on the patient such as impaired memory, orientation, thinking, comprehension, language, calculation, judgment and learning capacity its effects must be identified and prevented (Winblad, et al., 2001). The causes of the disease such as Alzheimers disease and cerebrovascular disease should be identified and its effects to the patients addressed through the necessary measures. The disease affects the functionality of individuals and if young brains are affected then the population will loose since it will affect their growth and development (Iliffe, Manthorpe, 2005). Once a person has brain dysfunctions, there is a lot of stigma from the society on not only the patient but also family of the patient therefore the issue needs to be addressed. Dementia is also a cause for impairment and death. This leads to pain and anguish for the family and friend of the deceased due to the loss of a loved one. Such effects should be reduced or zero rated so that such incidences never occur. The effects dementia has on the patient are identified by this report through proper data on the leading effects and how they can be addressed (Kitwood, 1997). Graphs, charts, figures, and tables will be used to present the raw data, where proportional representation of the occurrence in each hospital and in the general population will be presented. This will be useful in identifying the cases reported in the sample and deduce inference for the population. Research question The study tries to determine the general effects of dementia and specifically to; Determine the effects that dementia has on memory loss Determine the effects that dementia has on sexuality Determine the effects that dementia has on language Determine the effects that dementia has on cognitive skills Determine the effects that dementia has on visual input Determine the effects that dementia has on thinking reacting and performing activities. Determine the effects of deaths caused by dementia to the family members Methodology The study targets patients with dementia particularly those that are admitted in hospitals but not limited to them. Those who have been discharged and the families of the infected will also provide the necessary data. The data provided in the hospitals will be confidential and will conceal any identity of the persons involved. Data will be obtained from hospitals that will be selected in a region to represent the whole population. Few random samples will be identified from the files from each hospital from the current and former patients with dementia. Hospitals that major on brain ailments will be identified and patient files obtained from management so as to consolidate the data. The main objective will be to identify the causes and effects of dementia on the patients; this will be grouped in to both male and females where the data will be filled in excel worksheets. The data will also seek to identify the effects on the different age groups where the young (16-19), middle aged (20-35) and aged (35 and above) will be identified. The different effects such as memory loss, sexuality, language, cognitive skills, visual input, thinking reacting and performing activities or any other unique effects will be identified and filled up in the worksheet for both male and females (Rockwood, Joffres, 2002). Death cases will also be identified and recorded. The data recorded will then be tallied in the respective effects such that all cases concerning memory loss will be pooled together and counted to establish the numbers. The same will be repeated for all the effects and total of the cases reported calculated. The patients and family members that are out of the hospital setting identified will also be interviewed and their effects recorded in a separate sheet but the total effects grouped into one sheet i.e. data from the hospital and outside the hospital setting. The totals will help identify the number of cases in each effect and the total in the samples which will be used to draw deductions for the population being surveyed. The leading effects of dementia on patients will be identified and the rate of their occurrence identified. Graphs, charts, figures, and tables will be used to present the raw data, where proportional representation of the occurrence in each hospital and in the general population will be presented using charts. Age groups and gender representations in the data will also be identified, calculated and presented to ensure there is comprehensive idea on the number of males and females affected in the region and the most affected age group. Conclusion This research will identify the Effects of Dementia with Patients. This will help one identify the effects of dementia as dementia has the capability of taking different forms and affects every person differently. If one notices any symptoms that concern it, it is very important to seek medical attention immediately. This is because; medical attention or treatment has the capability of helping one to prevent or slow the memory loss process and keep ones brainpower in action.

Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice Essay -- Anne Rices Memnoch the Devil

Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice Killing, kidnapping and battles, all parts of Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice. The main character, Lestat, is a well-known and flamboyant vampire. In Memnoch the Devil, Lestat is faced with a grim reality, causing his world to collapse around him. He learns throughout this book, about the world, and the divine forces that encircle the world’s existence. This book illustrates how Lestat’s morals, ignorance and understanding are greatly affected by outside forces. In the beginning of the book, Lestat, the quick and cunning vampire referred to as â€Å"the Brat Prince† by his followers stalks a wealthy artifact smuggler. Lestat soon becomes obsessed with his mortal victim, Roger, following him and trying to live his life through Roger’s eyes. Lestat quickly develops a love for Roger, due to Roger's take on life, and his robust actions. Lestat comes to the reality that Roger is sick and evil, through his past was full of murders of family members and mercenary like acts. Even all of this added to the fact that Roger was a smuggler of godly artifacts, Lestat’s love for Roger still lived on. Lestat observes his own actions and concludes that he himself is sick and evil as well, due to his obsessive stalking. Lestat sees his morals are in fact worse than those of Roger, when he brutally slays and mutates his carcass. With this Lestat concludes that he was in fact the sick and evil one, more so than Roger was. Lestat is soon encountered by Roger’s a...

My Experience and Understanding of Adventure-Based Counselling Essay

According to Neill (2004), ‘Adventure therapy is the use of adventure-based activities and/or adventure-based theory to provide people with emotional and/or behavioral problems with experiences which lead to positive change in their lives.’ Adventure therapy is also â€Å"programming aimed at changing [specified] dysfunctional behavior patterns, using adventure experiences as forms of habilitation and rehabilitation† (Priest & Grass, 2005). The underlying philosophy of adventure-based counseling (ABC) is experiential education and it stresses on one’s personal improvement through full value contract, adventure wave and challenge by choice (Schoel, Prouty & Radcliffe, 1988). After several lectures, different skills were explained and even applied on ourselves. In this essay, these theories and experience will be discussed. Adventure-based counseling is part of the means of experiential learning. Educational psychologists usually define learning as â€Å"a change in the individual caused by experience† (Slavin, 1986, p.104). Through various experiences, people can learn from them and gain personal growth. Kolb (1984) suggested an experiential learning cycle, pointing out four essential elements of experiential learning, which are experience, review, conclusion and planning. Applying to Adventure-based counseling, experience means some challenging activities for groups or individuals. Review means encouraging individuals to reflect, describe, communicate and learn from the experience. Conclusion means concluding past and present experiences and planning means applying new learning in the future. There are several learning theories explaining how experiences can lead to learning, which means behavioral changes or cognitive developments. Operant conditioning proposed by Skinner states that successes, praise, positive feedbacks or rewards can act as positive reinforcers so that the subjects would be reinforced to act the same way again. Similarly, failures, punishments or negative comments would act as negative reinforcers which deter the subjects to act again (Skinner, 1968). In adventure-based counseling, participants would face some challenges and act. Some actions would lead to positive results, which would further reinforce participants to act in the same way when they face similar situations again. Some actions lead to negative results, which make them aware and change their behaviors next time. This can be applied also to changing of personalities and problem-solving skills. Undesirable personalities will be discouraged by failures or negative feedbacks while desirable personalities will be reinforced. Bandura suggested social learning theory that people can learn through observational learning and modeling (Bandura, 1986). Through observational learning, people would imitate others’ behaviors and learn from others’ successes or failures. In adventure-based counseling, when participants face the challenges individually, they would imitate what other participants do, or take others’ successes and failures in dealing with the challenges as example. So when they face the challenges, participants would improve along the sequence. When encountering group challenges, participants would imitate the socially desirable behaviors of their group mates or remind themselves not to behave socially undesirably after observing their group mates’ failures. This can enhance participants’ social skills. In cognitive aspect, James Coleman (1977) differentiates between the information assimilation process of the regular classroom and the experiential learning process. In traditional classrooms, knowledge is taught to students through direct instruction and they simply memorize the knowledge. Through information assimilation, the learners are expected to move from cognitive and symbol-processing sphere to the sphere of action through applying the general principles learned into novel situations. Experiential learning is in a reversed order, which involves actions sufficiently repeated that the learner is able to generalize from the experience. However, it is more etched into the brain as the learning can be associated with concrete actions and events, not just abstract symbols or general principles (Mllre, & Priest, 1990). There are some important principles of adventure-based counseling, namely â€Å"Full Value Contract† and â€Å"Challenge by Choice† (Schoel, Prouty & Radcliffe, 1988). â€Å"Full Value Contract† means an agreement among group members to value one’s own ideas and needs without ignoring or discounting others. â€Å"Challenge by Choice† means ‘individuals can choose their level of participation in any activity.’ (Neill, 2007) During our lectures, our lecturer Lau Sir has explained different theories by involving us to play games. After playing games, Lau Sir would explain how the games worked, the meaning of different procedures, and what can we learn throughout them. In the first lecture, a game ‘throwing the chicken’ was played. It is an ice-breaking game, aim at knowing the names of group members. Although it is a very easy game, it has lots of micro-skills included. At the beginning, Lau Sir has asked did anyone feel afraid of the chicken, which could show his caring to the participants, in order to build up the relationship between the leader and the participants. After one round of the game, Lau Sir required the participants to repeat the process, but with a faster speed, the participants would then move their chairs towards the center. This is using indirect intervention method, helping them to get closer and involve more into it, without directly telling them to sit closer or involve more. The other micro-skill ‘Challenge by Choice’ was also frequently used during lectures. For example, the ‘throwing the chicken’ game in the first lecture, the ‘trust ladder’ in the second lecture and different games during the overnight camp. All of these may only be just simply asking the participants that whether they want to play, but it was vital as it shows the respect to the participants. These skills were the easiest thing being omitted, but without it, the counseling work may be affected or even have some adverse effects. Although half of the lectures have passed, there is one more High-event Challenge Day and several lectures. I am looking forward to learn more different skills in counseling and leading games. Reference List Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social-cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Coleman, J. A. (1977). Differences between experiential and classroom learning. In M. T. Keeton (Ed.), Experiential learning: Rationale characteristics, and assessment, pp. 49-61. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Mllre, J. C. & Priest, S. (1990). Adventure education. State College, DA: Adventure Publishing. Neill, J. (2004). Adventure therapy definitions. Retrieved from http://www.wilderdom.com/adventuretherapy/adventuretherapydefinitions.html Neill, J. (2007). Adventure-based counseling (ABC). Retrieved from http://wilderdom.com/ABC/ Priest, S., & Gass, M. (2005). Effective leadership in adventure programming (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Schoel, J., Prouty & Radeliffe,P. (1988). Islands of healing. A guide to adventure based counseling. U.S.A: Project Adventure. Skinner, B. F. (1968). The technology of teaching. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. Slavin, R. E. (1986). Educational psychology: theory into practice. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Major General David B. Birney in the Civil War

Major General David B. Birney in the Civil War David Birney - Early Life Career: Born in Huntsville, AL on May 29, 1825, David Bell Birney was the son of James and Agatha Birney.   A Kentucky native, James Birney was a noted politician in Alabama and Kentucky and later a vocal abolitionist.   Moving back to Kentucky in 1833, David Birney received his early schooling there and in Cincinnati.   Due to his fathers politics, the family later moved to Michigan and Philadelphia.   To further his education, Birney elected to attend the Phillips Academy in Andover, MA.   Graduating in 1839, he initially pursued a future in business before electing to study law.   Returning to Philadelphia, Birney commenced practicing law there in 1856.   Finding success, he became friends with many of the citys leading citizens.   David Birney - The Civil War Begins: Possessing his fathers politics, Birney foresaw the coming of the Civil War and in 1860 began an intensive study of military subjects.   Though he lacked any formal training, he was able to parley this newly-acquired knowledge into a lieutenant colonels commission in the Pennsylvania militia. Following the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, Birney commenced working to raise a regiment of volunteers.   Successful, he became lieutenant colonel of the 23rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry later that month.   In August, after some service in the Shenandoah, the regiment was re-organized with Birney as colonel.    David Birney - Army of the Potomac: Assigned to Major General George B. McClellans Army of the Potomac, Birney and his regiment prepared for the 1862 campaign season.   Possessing extensive political connections, Birney received a promotion to brigadier general on February 17, 1862.   Leaving his regiment, he assumed command of a brigade in Brigadier General Philip Kearnys division in Major General Samuel Heintzelmans III Corps.   In this role, Birney traveled south that spring to take part in the Peninsula Campaign.   Performing solidly during the Union advance on Richmond, he was criticized by Heintzelman for failing to engage during the Battle of Seven Pines.   Given a hearing, he was defended by Kearny and it was determined that the failure was a misunderstanding of orders. Retaining his command, Birney saw extensive action during the Seven Days Battles in late June and early July.   During this time, he, and the rest of Kearnys division, was heavily engaged at Glendale and Malvern Hill.   With the failure of the campaign, III Corps received orders to return to Northern Virginia to support Major General John Popes Army of Virginia.   In this role, it took part in the Second Battle of Manassas in late August.   Tasked with assaulting Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons lines on August 29, Kearnys division took heavy losses.   Three days after the Union defeat, Birney returned to action at the Battle of Chantilly.   In the fighting, Kearny was killed and Birney ascended to lead the division.   Ordered to the Washington, DC defenses, the division did not take part in the Maryland Campaign or Battle of Antietam. David Birney - Division Commander:      Rejoining the Army of the Potomac later that fall, Birney and his men were engaged at the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13.   Serving in Brigadier General George Stonemans III Corps, he clashed with Major General George G. Meade  during the battle when the latter accused him of failing to support an attack.   Subsequent punishment was avoided when Stoneman praised Birneys performance in his official reports.   During the winter, command of III Corps passed to Major General Daniel Sickles.   Birney served under Sickles at the Battle of Chancellorsville in early May 1863 and performed well.   Heavily engaged during the fighting, his division suffered the highest casualties of any in the army.   For his efforts, Birney received a promotion to major general on May 20. Two months later, the bulk of his division arrived at the Battle of Gettysburg on the evening of July 1 with the remainder arriving the following morning.   Initially positioned at the south end of Cemetery Ridge with its left flank at the foot of Little Round Top, Birneys division moved forward that afternoon when Sickles advanced off the ridge.   Tasked with covering a line extending from Devils Den through the Wheatfield to the Peach Orchard, his troops were spread too thin.   Late in the afternoon, Confederate troops from Lieutenant General James Longstreets First Corps attacked and overwhelmed Birneys lines.   Falling back, Birney worked to re-form his shattered division while Meade, now leading the army, funneled reinforcements to the area.   With his division crippled, he played no further role in the battle. David Birney - Later Campaigns: As Sickles had been severely wounded in the fighting, Birney assumed command of III Corps until July 7 when Major General William H. French arrived.   That fall, Birney led his men during the Bristoe and Mine Run Campaigns.   In the spring of 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and Meade worked to reorganize the Army of the Potomac.   As III Corps had been badly damaged the previous year, it was disbanded.   This saw Birneys division transferred to Major General Winfield S. Hancocks II Corps.   In early May, Grant commenced his Overland Campaign and Birney quickly saw action at the Battle of the Wilderness.   A few weeks later, he was wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House but remained in his post and commanded his division at Cold Harbor  at the end of the month.       Moving south as the army advanced, Birney played a role in the Siege of Petersburg.   Taking part in II Corps operations during the siege, he led it during the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road in June as Hancock was suffering the effects of a wound sustained the previous year.   When Hancock returned on June 27, Birney resumed command of his division.   Seeing promise in Birney, Grant assigned him to command X Corps in Major General Benjamin Butlers Army of the James on July 23.   Operating north of the James River, Birney led the successful assault on New Market Heights in late September.   Falling ill with malaria a short time later, he was ordered home to Philadelphia.   Birney died there on October 18, 1864, and his remains were interred in the citys Woodlands Cemetery. Selected Sources David Birney - III CorpsLest We Forget: David BirneyFind A Grave: David Birney

An Interpretation of “On the Pulse of Morning” Essays

An Interpretation of â€Å"On the Pulse of Morning† Essays An Interpretation of â€Å"On the Pulse of Morning† Paper An Interpretation of â€Å"On the Pulse of Morning† Paper Essay on â€Å"On The Pulse Of Morning† Analysis The poem that Maya Angelou chose the read at President Clinton’s inaugural in 1993, delivers a message of hope. It uses the metaphor of morning or dawn to show that people can create their dreams and bring them to life. Maya Angelou has been a national celebrity since the reading of this poem. Her writings have a way of embracing people and successfully state her thoughts and emotions. â€Å"Pulse† is a call for hope and opportunity in part of our history. When analyzing this poem a great deal of the stanzas relate to diversity, change over time, and equality. This poem successfully portrays a sense of diversity throughout it. Many lines in different stanzas are related to diversity. Stanza four and five states, â€Å"The singing River, and the wise Rock. So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew, the African, the Native American, the Sioux, the Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek, the Irish, the Rabbi, the Sheik, the Gay, the Straight, the Preacher, the Privileged, the Homeless, the Teacher. They hear. They all hear the speaking of the tree. † They are united by nature, but different due to their culture. In stanza six a lot about diversity has been acknowledged. The people who once helped Maya, do not anymore. In addition it states that we arrived from the Indians. In the course of history, elements of society have changed. Examples through this poem are â€Å"the dinosaur, who left dried tokens of their sojourn here†¦Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages. But today, the Rock cries out to us, clearly, forcefully, Come you may stand upon my Back and face your distant destiny. The dinosaur, as we all know is now extinct. They have left their â€Å"dried tokens† or their fossils here when they were once here. They left them here for us to find. For the different groups to find. The dinosaurs were â€Å"lost in the dust†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and it was hard for people to find, but now over the years, the dinosaurs fossils have been found. In addition the slave black Africa n Americans have come from the ancient homeland of Africa. The slaves were once here and now the United States passed a law that slavery was to be abolished. Over time people, places, and all things have changed for good and bad. Equality is an important concern in the world today. â€Å"Women, children, men, Take it into the palms of your hands†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is saying that our society can be a loving one with equality for men, women, blacks, and whites. Whether we are rich or poor, we all have the same opportunities in our country. No matter when in history we appeared. No matter how strange we appear to be to others. People think that people that are not like them and come from other planets, however we are all members of this planet. History, despite its wrenching pain Cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not to be lived again. † This is saying that we have learned from our past. The discrimination and the inequality should not be repeated in our future. In addition, this poem describes characterization. Personification is a part of literature in which an object or a living thing is given human individuality. Angelou uses personification to give pitch to, â€Å"the river and the tree†, and the aptitude to converse to the reader. Angelou writes â€Å"But today, the Rock cries out to us, clearly, forcefully, Come, you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The rock signifies strength. The strength for us as people everywhere in the world to stand together as one. Not to hide behind shame, humility or cowardness, but be able to stand strong in our right for what we believe in and what we know is right. We as people can unify and become one and be solid as a rock. This written document is using an argument to assert. Angelou does a great job of asserting her position so that the audience would understand how she feels. Although this writing may influence others in the future, her primary purpose was simply to let others know how she feels about this topic. The word choice is phenomenal as she makes you look deeper into the meaning of what she is trying to say. By doing this, it is left up to the interpretation of each individual as to the meaning of it and what is taken away from it. Because her audience was the entire country, she does a great job of excluding no one and reaching out the every individual. She is successful in leaving no one untouched by her rhythmic word choice. Because Angelou is able to understand the rhetorical situation, this may contribute to the strong, audience-focused, and organized writing that she was able to produce. To write any argument effectively, you must first become aware of the rhetorical situation. Prior to starting this writing, she had to analyze and imagine the audience and identify how she would connect with them. In addition to this, the cultural context in this writing was a large part of what is was about. Culture will always be a part of any rhetorical situation and shape any argument. For this writing to be as persuasive as it is, it was important that Angelou understand the culture. In doing this she takes gender, age, and sexual orientation into consideration when addressing the audience. Maya Angelou was successful in relating her poem to diversity, change over time, and equality. This poem is amazing and touches the depths of so many issues. Angelou is brilliant in her construction of the topics and how she leaves you pondering them after you have finished reading this writing. She is a very talented writer, and this poem clearly is a contribution to today’s Civil Rights Movement.

Criminal justice , organized crime Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Criminal justice , organized crime - Term Paper Example This present paper aims at discussing crime, justice and organized crime in Italy and outlining the effects of Italian Mafia o business government. Back in the 20th century, the Italian government imposed any laws (anti-racketeering laws) to end this illegal activity as well as weakening the Mafia group. Nevertheless, these types of illegal activities still take place in the country’s business currently. During the 19th centuries, a large group of Italian immigrants, most of them farmers, unskilled workers, and artisans moved to American to search for better paying jobs and economic opportunities, as well (Beare and Naylor 34). The number of Italians immigrants was mostly high in the New York town with a maximum of 250,000 immigrants for the year 1880 to 1910. The majority of these immigrants were law-abiders. However, most of the big groups involved themselves with criminal activities, therefore forming neighborhood gangster groups. In the 1920s, the period of the prohibition era, the time when the U.S. government made its 18th amendment to the country’s constitution mainly to ban the production, transportation, and selling of illicit beverages in the country (Finckenauer and Yuri 56). The Italian Mafia group alongside with other ethnic groups unlawfully, started to associate themselves with liquor activities as well as transforming themselves to perform other criminal activities such as money laundering, smuggling, and bribing the police officers as well as any other public officers (Albini 47). Typically, the entire Italian Mafia group had some hierarchies with each hierarchy being headed by its own boss. The boss with a lot of authority and could receive some amount of money from any moneymaking criminal activity performed by the members of his group. The vice chairperson of any group was second-in-commander and below this commander

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 19

Religion - Essay Example w Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life indicate that around 96% of Americans believe in God or other supreme being which is an indication that there is some form of religion that is alive in America. Further research by General Social Survey (GSS) shows that in the 21st Century, the number of Americans attending religious services and those who proclaim their religious preference has since doubled from that of the previous century. As from 2008 in the onset of economic crisis, the number of Americans who turned religious is said to have increased drastically. Critics say this is as a way of trying to seek divine intervention from the economic problems but according to Newport in his book God Is Alive and Well: The Future of Religion in America, it is because they realized that it is only through religion and divine intervention that they can be redeemed and get solace (Newport 45). This can be said to be the case because even as the economic problems eased, those that had become religious did not revert back to secular ways but have continued to remain among the religious based on the polls conducted by research firms. According to Newport, the evidence of religion is through actions where religious people are expected to change their behavior from bad to good or even better. Based on this therefore as an indication of an increase in religion, America can be said to be religious (Newport 156). Further evidence other than the one from the polls indicates a reduction in crime. This is an indication that many Americans have changed their behavior for the better. The elections of 2012 also proved to have religion in mind and proved that religion is alive. The leaders who were vying for positions such as the senate one had religious agendas in mind though not expressed directly. For example some of them were prolife and repulsed all the evil that is not acceptable by religion. If the leaders are religious, then many