Windows 7 Check Your Understanding

Win7 Chapter 3Knowledge AssessmentFill in the Blank Complete the following sentences by writing the correct word or words in the blanks provided. 1. An image file that contains an entire workstation configuration, including all applications, packages, and configuration settings, is called a thick image. 2. The two programs that make up the User State Migration Tool are called scanstate. exe and loadstate. exe. 3. A build-to-plan installation is one in which the installers capture a single image file and deploy it to each computer with no changes. 4. Windows Deployment Services can reduce network bandwidth requirements while deploying install images by using . wim files. 5. Before you can modify an offline image file using DISM. exe, you must mount the image to a folder. 6. To partition a disk using an answer file, you must add settings to the WindowsPE configuration pass. 7. The Windows 7 AIK tool that you use to create answer files is called Windows System Image Manager (SIM). 8. To boot from an image transmitted over the network by a WDS server, a workstation must have a network adapter that supports Preboot Execution Environment (PXE). 9. The deployment scenario in which you save a workstation's user state data, wipe its disk, install Windows 7, and then restore the user state data is called the refresh computer scenario aka wipe and load. 10. A capture image enables a workstation to boot from a disk and connect to a WDS server.True / False1. To perform a Windows 7 deployment using ZTI, you must have a SQL Server on your network. F2. To create a capture image, you use the Deployment Workbench console. T3. The Windows 7 AIK script files used to perform unattended installations are called task sequences. F4. You can use the boot images created by Deployment Workbench to start workstations using either boot disks or WDS. T5. The computer that you use to capture an image of a workstation configuration is called the target computer. F6. An LTI deployment provides greater flexibility than a ZTI deployment. T7. ImageX. exe is a command? line tool that you can use to capture and deploy image files. T8. To use the upgrade computer scenario, a workstation must be running Windows XP SP2 or later. F9. Before you can capture an image of a Windows 7 workstation, you must run the Sysprep. exe program. T10. Sector? -based image files are spannable, editable, and bootable. FReviewQuestions 1. Describe the difference between an LTI and a ZTI deployment in terms of the activity at the target computer during the Windows 7 installation.LTI is lite touch deployment requires someone to sit there during installations and answer some questions where as ZTI is a zero touch installation is just that. The system installs without any one present at the workstation to monitor it.2. List the five basic steps in an enterprise Windows 7 workstation deployment.Build a deployed sharePerform a reference computer installationCapture an image of the reference computerBoot the target computersApply the reference computer image

Drown

The story â€Å"Drown† sets in the summer time in New Jersey. Diaz and his friend Beto are raging, out of control, in their neighborhood known as the ghetto. They† stole, broke windows†¦ pissed on peoples steps and then challenged them to come out and stop us. † While Diaz has another year of high school, Beto for college on the other hand is leaving for college at the end of the summer. Diaz has several recurring feelings such as, suffocation, problems defining his masculinity, and being trapped, problem is that Diaz would rather stay trapped in the Ghetto if it means not turning out like Beto.Why does Diaz use the metaphor drown? Why does Diaz struggle with masculinity? Does Diaz want to come up for air or continue to suffocate? In â€Å"Drown† the setting plays a key role in the story. Diaz described his neighborhood as, † The broken apart buildings, little strips of grass, the piles of garbage around the cans, and the dump†(Drown 91). Th e neighborhood where Diaz live shapes his life, so it plays an important role in the story. Most of Diaz anxiety is caused by the fact that he cannot leave his neighborhood, because he fears the outcome once in the outside world. Another setting that is important is the pool.The pool is described in a way that is similar to the neighborhood where Diaz live, † The water feels good†¦ while everything above me is loud and bright, everything below is whispers†¦ † this particular quote coincides with the fact that Diaz is trapped, but he'd rather stay below than come up and see the outcome of him leaving for the outside world like Beto. The metaphor suffocation occurs throughout the story and ties to the story title itself. In this story Diaz shows it more at the pool scene, it seem as Diaz move through the story, but something always draws him back to the pool where most of his drowning occur.This particular metaphor is used in several parts of the story, for insta nce, Diaz is suffocating where he lives because of all the poverty, misery, and drugs. Another way the author uses this metaphor is when he talks about how his mother keeps all the windows and doors locked, † Before we head out she drags us through the apartment to make sure the windows are locked†¦ we never open the windows†¦ this place just isn't safe†¦ â€Å"(Drown 96), this quote gives the notion that maybe his mother is also suffocating him by keeping all the windows closed at all times trapping the hot air which can also make Diaz think he is suffocating.Masculinity is something that Diaz struggle with more than anything in this story. In the start Beto and Diaz are both confused about their masculinity, but Beto in a different way because he's really a homosexual. In Diaz neighborhood homosexuality is viewed very negatively. On page 103 in the story, Diaz talks about how his friend Alex will stop by the side of the rode and say, Excuse me. When somebody comes over he'll point his pistol in their face just to see what they'll do, they also call the homosexuals patos throughout the story.Once Diaz have several sexual encounters with Beto, that's when Diaz starts to question his masculinity. Diaz states, † Mostly i stayed in the basement terrified that i would end up abnormal, a fucking pato†(Drown 104). It is obvious that Beto questioning of their masculinity is not so much like Diaz anymore, because Beto excepts the fact that he is a homosexual by going to college, while Diaz on the other hand is still trapped and confused with his masculinity. Diaz is maybe afraid to leave for the outside world because that would mean he's excepting that he is also a homosexual like Beto.In the story Diaz doesn't say it exactly that he wants to do the complete opposite of whatever Beto do, but he gives the reader that feeling. It is possible that Diaz can be satisfied with drowning in his neighborhood, because on page 100 the army recru iter offers Diaz a chance to escape his drowning, but Diaz refuses to come up for air. The author pathos, logos, and ethos plays a role in the story also. Diaz uses some symbols such as the pool and specific words to express himself in a way that makes the story feel more, drawing the reader into his world and his observation from first person point of view.Throughout the author Junot Diaz moves in and out of his character quotes, which is a good thing because it gives the author a credibility and it communicates that their statements are more than just facts, they're a piece of Diaz memory of a feeling or a specific time. However the only way possible for Diaz to discontinue his suffocation and drowning is by joining the Army, but Diaz is still against and unwilling to come up for air, but uses the fact that he helps his mother as an excuse for not leaving his neighborhood and coming up for air.

The Cause of Dystopia in Animal Farm

In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the humanistic characteristics in the animals led them from forming a utopia, to a dystopia. In the beginning of the novel, Old Major leads the animals in the song Beasts of England, encouraging a rebellion against Mr. Jones. After the revolution, the animals began to work towards their utopia, but they began to turn into what they despised, and their utopia began to fall apart. This book shows how human corruption completely destroys a government that is set up to serve the people. Orwell achieves this by giving each of the characters a different human quality. In Animal Farm the pigs symbolize politicians and the upper class. They lie, cheat and steal from the animals that they are supposed to serve; and they make promises that they know they can never keep. Napoleon and Squealer are the two main pigs who take over after Snowball is chased off of the farm. Squealer would constantly justify the horrible actions of Napoleon as for the betterment of the animals. Once after Napoleon took all the apples and milk for the pigs, Squealer says: â€Å"Comrades! † he cried. â€Å"You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. † The selfishness and greed of the pigs not only makes them into what they hated the most, but it also caused to animals to lose their trust in them and to dislike them. Another group of animals in Animal Farm that show human qualities is Boxer and sheep. Boxer is a large and powerful horse to buys into animalism and works the hardest on the farm. He agreed with everything that Napoleon said, and his catchphrases were: â€Å"I will work harder† and â€Å"Napoleon is always right. † Boxer also saves the farm on multiple occasions, but in the end, Napoleon sold him to a glue factory to be killed. Boxer represents the working class, which is used by the government to its advantage, and then never cared for again. Boxer’s complete trust in the government led to his own misfortune. The sheep were totally gullible animals. The believed whatever they were told and repeated it. Boxer and the sheep represent individuals who whole-heartedly follow the government, no matter what. This quality leads to a dystopia because when the followed exactly what Napoleon described, they failed to realize that the government was no longer working for them as intended, but they for the government. Also in Animal Farm, Clover and Benjamin were two animals who were not as trusting of the government, but went along with it anyway. Clover also represents the working class, but she also had her own doubts about how Animalism was being run. Her deepest concerns are expressed after Napoleon’s executions: â€Å"As Clover looked down the hillside her eyes filled with tears. If she could have spoken her thoughts, it would have been to say that this was not what they had aimed at when they had set themselves years ago to work for the overthrow of the human race. These scenes of terror and slaughter were not what they had looked forward to on that night when old Major first stirred them to rebellion. Benjamin on the other hand, was entirely cynical of Animalism, because he knew that it would not work out. He was aware of the fact that life on the farm would go on just as it had, no matter who controlled the farm. These two animals represent two different ideas displayed by those who are under the jurisdiction of the government. Having two separate ideas can lead to dissention in the people, causing a dystopia. Finally in the end of the novel, it is seen that pigs taught themselves how to walk about on two feet, which is completely contradictory to their original ideology â€Å"Four legs good, two legs bad. In the last chapter of the book, it is said when the pigs had humans in the farmhouse for a meal, that â€Å"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which. † The animals originally believed that it was the humans that caused them their dystopia, but in the end, it was the humanistic characters in the both the animals themselves and the humans as well that caused a dystopia.

What are some of the gender implications of the current global Essay

What are some of the gender implications of the current global financial crisis How would a gendered perspective influence responses to the current recession at a global level - Essay Example Mortgage collapse was accelerated by credit default swaps. This led to credit freeze thus limiting investments and consumption leading to insufficient aggregate demand and economic crisis (Seguino, 2009). Governments resorted to bail outs thus cutting expenditure on social services such as; education, health and child care. There were massive job cuts leading to human rights crisis due to mass unrests as a result of economic hardships. This paper is a critique of the gender implications of the crisis and influence of gender perspective on responses to current recession. The current global financial crisis which has transformed into global economic crisis due to credit crunch has affected all people all over the world but the women are the most affected. This is because women are the caregivers at home and to the community and engage in unpaid, informal and volunteer work and mostly work in the services sector. The millennium development goals focus on women’s access to work opportunities, income and resources and hence improve the welfare of children, families, community and promote economic growth (Antonopoulos, 2009). Jobs were thus created in textile sector through export processing zones, tourism and agriculture and also work in public service as social workers. Men on the other hand are involved in masculine jobs such as construction work in public works and are highly paid while females engage in lowly paid jobs. Globalization enhances masculine dominance (Acker, 2004). Due to traditions, women are considered dependent on men thus bene fits such as; social insurance, pensions and welfare benefits are paid through the husband (Elson & Cagatay, 2000). Privatization makes women more dependent on men as women lose public service jobs. The cut in government expenditure on social services has great effect on women. It translates to loss of jobs for women who are concentrated

The evaluation of the efficiency of the food control systems in uk Essay

The evaluation of the efficiency of the food control systems in uk - Essay Example Changes in eating habits, centralized processing as well as large-scale production have all affected the food system in the country. The British system of food control focuses on food safety problems. The responsibility of taking care of the other aspects of food control is in the hands of the food industry (McEhatton and MArshall, 2007). In the UK, consumers are aware of the way food is processed and marketed and they play an important role in ensuring that food control systems are not violated. According to FAO, food control management can be described as the â€Å"continuous process of planning, organizing, coordinating and communicating a broad range of risk-based decisions and actions† which are designed to ensure that the quality and safety of imported and locally produced food for all consumers is upheld (Wallace, Sperber and Mortimore, 2010). Food control management is a practice that covers operational responsibilities and policy implementation of various government departments in relation to food control. The food management system in the UK is centralized. The government is responsible for ensuring that food safety regulations are followed throughout the country (McEhatton and MArshall, 2007). In practice this responsibility is shared by both the central and local government. The central authorities charged with the responsibility of ensuring food control rules are followed are the Food Standards Agency, Defra as well as the Agriculture Department. The main job of monitoring and inspection is carried out by the local authorities. Local Foods Authorities (LA) and the Port Local Authorities (PLAs) carry out food safety and standard checks on food products at points of entry. LAs are also responsible for checking foods on the inland (Staete, 2008). The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is an autonomous Department in the central government that is responsible for providing

The Economic Riddles of the Institution of Slavery Assignment

The Economic Riddles of the Institution of Slavery - Assignment Example They discovered that the common situation of the black community, particularly the degree of slave breeding, licentiousness, and sexual abuse, to have been very much overstated or inaccurate (Thornton 1994). In reality, the material or physical situations of the slave were not considerably different from that of the free worker; they assumed that slaves were permitted to own ’90 percent of lifetime productivity (only 10 percent exploitation)’ (Thornton 1994, 25). Therefore, if the assumption of Fogel and Engerman is valid, then what were the possible economic reasons for the demise of slavery in antebellum South? Economic Inefficiency of Slave Labor Given Fogel’s and Engerman’s argument, free labor and slavery becomes similar to servitude in the sense that they may give to the owners all the profits of trade beyond what is needed for the subsistence of the workers; but they have this distinction, relevant for American rationales, that they allow labor to b e geographically transferred, as servitude keeps it provincially bonded. By opting for these enabling types of servitude instead of the one which would have tied the workers to the land, the pioneers of the colonial administration in trade probably believed they had prevented all economic obstacles in the territories. Nevertheless, their mechanism was projected to resolve the problems of a situation where the option was between free labor and slave labor. As decades passed and laborers mushroomed in America, the servitude structure for White settlers was rapidly abolished; but bonded labor or slavery for most of the Negroes continued as an essential aspect of economic life (Phillips 1959). Whether this was beneficial or unfavorable to the... This paper presents a comprehensive review of economic views of Fogel and Engerman on the efficiency of slave labor. The long-established analysis of the economics of slavery in the United States is evidently wide-ranging and intricate: slavery was economically primitive, unproductive, and futile. Yet, Fogel and Engerman argued against the premises and tried to prove that slavery was quite cost-effective.In order to support their thesis, they computed the ‘ratio of output to a weighted sum of inputs’ in free and slave agriculture, and compare the results. Rooted in a historical procedure that depends on the unearthing of new information and depends on ‘technical mathematical points’ , this model transformed slavery in the antebellum South from an oppressive structure to one that is currently regarded to have been more efficient and cost-effective than the North’s free labor structure. Starting with a description of the relative primitiveness of the South in economic progress, several scholars argue, mostly in reaction to Fogel’s and Engerman’s controversial thesis, that the institution of slavery is the root of the South’s backwardness.The individual prosperity which has taken that shape has contribute nothing to the community’s riches: Slavery merely serves to appropriate the wages of labor—it distributes wealth, but cannot create it. It entails cost in obtaining early population, then functions to hamper industry diversification and land developments, limiting, in fact, even the expansion of agriculture

Neuro linguistic programming (NLP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Neuro linguistic programming (NLP) - Essay Example Identify the submodalities relating to this belief. Identify internal representation and internal feeling of it. Identify a belief that you are unsure about in your life and explore this internally. Contrast the differences between the unwanted belief and the unsure belief. Test each submodality that you’ve worked out as being different by exchanging the submodality relating to the negative belief with your unsure belief. Change each one back to the way that it was before moving on to test the next one. Ask yourself what new liberating belief you would like instead of the old one. Identify this positively and that it is something you really want rather than what you feel you should want. Look at how this new belief will affect others around you. If needed, make slight changes in your wished for belief to account for this. You are now ready to change your negative belief to the way you feel about the unsure belief. Leave the content the same, change one or more of the most powe rful submodality differences you discovered in step. Change the content of the old belief to the new belief using the submodality shift. You can move your perception of the old belief away and replace it with the new wanted belief. Test by checking that your new belief is automatically represented by the new submodalities and check for the feeling you were aiming for. The six Representational Systems recognised in NLP are Visual (sight), Auditory (hearing), Kinesthetic (touch, physical bodily sensations including emotions), Gustatory (taste), Olfactory (smell), and Auditory-Digital. Mission Statements are the inspiring words chosen by successful leaders to clearly and concisely convey the direction of their organisation. A clear mission statement is able to communicate intentions and motivate the person to realise an attractive and inspiring vision of the future. Though, a personal mission statement is a different from a

Discuss point of view in Walkers Everyday Use . Is the narrator Essay

Discuss point of view in Walkers Everyday Use . Is the narrator reliable How does the point of view affect our assessment of the other characters in the - Essay Example The Mother appreciated her modest yard as the following quote shows, â€Å"anyone can come and sit and look up into the elm tree and wait for the breezes that never come inside the house† (Walker, 1998). Yet the Mother could also face the tragedy in her life, like when her daughter was burned. This is proven by the quote, â€Å"Sometimes I can still hear the flames and feel Maggies arms sticking to me, her hair smoking and her dress falling off her in little black papery flakes (Walker, 1998). She did not sugar coat the events in her life by making them appear better or more tragic than they were. This view of her life makes the Mother’s narrative believable. The Mother’s choice of words when describing herself and her daughters also make the narrative plausible. When describing herself, she is far from flattering by saying, â€Å"In real life I am a large, big.boned woman with rough, man.working hands† (Walker, 1998). Her daughter Maggie, who had been burned in the fire, was described as â€Å"a lame animal, perhaps a dog run over by some careless person rich enough to own a car, sidle up to someone who is ignorant enough to be kind to him† (Walker, 1998). The Mother’s other daughter, Dee, receives more of her venom. She is illustrated as pretentious, always wanting to be better than her Mother and Maggie. These descriptions are blunt, so make the story more credible. Using the descriptions of her daughters, the Mother makes the reader feel sorry for Maggie and contemptuous of Dee. When relating Maggie’s acceptance of her fate, by marrying a local boy because of her self esteem being damaged by her burns, the reader admires and pities Maggie. On the other hand, when Dee comes home with a new African name, trying to relate to her African roots, her Mother is disgusted. Dee’s real roots were there at their home with the Mother and Maggie, but her exaggerated ways make the

Adeptia Case Study Write-up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Adeptia Case Study Write-up - Essay Example Identifying an appropriate market segment for a start up product is crucial to any business organization. Thus of the various target market strategies such as single segment strategy, selective specialization, product specialization, market specialization, and full market coverage; the select specialization strategy would be the most appropriate strategy for Adeptia for positioning and marketing its product since it aspires to promote its product as a ‘niche’ product and also has the required specialization to cater to different market segments by tailoring its product accordingly. Product pricing is one of the most significant strategic issues since it helps in accurately positioning the product. In my opinion, Adeptia’s product was aptly priced but could have been more flexible, considering the product is in the growth stage. The product pricing also depends largely on various factors such as the company’s pricing objective which may include maximizing current profits, maximizing current revenue, maximizing product quantity, increasing profit margin, attaining quality leadership, aiming for partial cost recovery, or survival. Adeptia, already had a good quality product which met the customer requirements and hence the factors that were considered in developing its pricing model, in my opinion, would be aiming for partial cost recovery and survival, since it was an entry level product. Adeptia’s sales process has certain flaws and hence isn’t too effective. Initially the product was proposed to be sold through cold calling with a view to build a pipeline and a few junior sales representatives were hired for the purpose. Although the newly hired personnel had initial sales experience, the product that was proposed to be marketed required high technical expertise rather than just selling experience, which was completely lacking. The sales

Patterns Withing Systems of Linear Equations Math Problem

Patterns Withing Systems of Linear Equations - Math Problem Example The usual letter for the unknown number is. A real problem can be written as: This is called an equation because there is a sign. In order to find the value of the unknown number, algebra’s rules can do whatever it likes to this equation as long as it does the same to both sides of the equation. So far it has had equation with a single unknown number. What if it has two unknown numbers? In fact, an equation with two unknown has an infinite numbers of pairs of answer. To fix a single pair of number as the answer, it needs another equation. A pair of equation, each with two unknown numbers is called simultaneous equations. They can be solved together to give the values for the unknowns that satisfy both equations simultaneously. This paper contains a mathematical research about systems of linear equation when their coefficients obey arithmetic or geometric progressions. An arithmetic progression is a sequence of numbers where each number is a certain among larger than the previo us one. The numbers in the sequence are said to increase by a common difference, d. For example: is an arithmetic progression where the. The term of this sequence is. On the other hand, a geometric progression is a sequence where each number is times larger than the previous one. is known as the common ratio of the progression. The term of a geometric progression, where is the first term and is the common ratio, is: . For example, in the following geometric progression, the first term is , and the common ratio is : the term is therefore. The purpose of this portfolio is to show how with the aid of technology using appropriate computer software likes Autograph and Maxima packages (see Figure 1) is quick and easy to get graphical representations of algebraic equations. Thus, how in many situations, the graphs offers much more insight into the problem than does the algebra. Part A will consider the patterns within systems of linear equations:, where and are in arithmetic progression. W hile, in Part B the same coefficients obey geometric progression. Part A. System of linear equations formed with arithmetic progressions. Arithmetic progressions In algebra, letters are used in place of numbers that are not known. The usual letter for the unknown numbers are or . . The numbers are constants in an equation, for example: For instance in the above equation, and are known as constants in the equation. It says that the constant and form a arithmetic progression if they have a common difference, such as: Constants in a system of linear equations Given the system of linear equations. The coefficients are detected as follow: Examining the first equation, it sees a pattern in the constants of the equation. i.e. is the constant preceding the variable , and precede and the equation equals 3. The constant have a common dif

Language and Literacy in Social Practice Essay Example for Free

Language and Literacy in Social Practice Essay Language and Literacy in Social Practice is one of a set of four readers which looks at literacy and language practices as they are moulded and shaped by the cultures of the societies they serve. Edited by Janet Maybin, the book is a collection of key articles by seminal writers in the field who investigate the role of language and literacy as part of social practice. Broken down into four sections, the book begins with articles by Malinowski, Dell Hymes, Halliday and Volosinov and sets the scene for an anthropoligical/historical exploration of the sophisticated interaction and interrelationships between language, culture and social structure. Section two then provides ethnographic accounts of recent research by researchers like Taylor and Heath who document detailed evidence of literacy practices in a wide range of situations. They show in effect how literacy practices are very much the product of economic, religious, cultural and political processes and in particular the profound effect of differing socio-cultural expectations on the educational experiences and successes of learners at the macro level of the family and the local community. Section three moves away from a local focus to review literacy practices from a cross-cultural and historical perspective drawing on the writings of Street, Graff and Gee to look at literacy and language not so much as competencies and skills but rather as a product shaped by sociocultural parameters and some socioeconomic myths. The final section draws on the cultural and historical perspectives presented thus far and adds the further specific dimension of the political aspects of language planning and teaching to investigate how literacy and language teaching is very much a product of the rhetoric of governments and a tool to control and disposses minorities and to maintain a status quo that is elitist and exclusivist. What then is the value of Maybins book? It certainly doesnt work as a sourcebook or a handbook of how to improve literacy practices in any given situation and nor is it meant to. What it does work as is as a body of readings for reflective practitioners who would like to explore the significance of the crucial place language and literacy teaching holds in most Western societies and to look at the ways in which even the most mundane literacy practices are heavily influenced by discrete parameters of culture, society and history. Its merit lies in the way that it, through historical perspective, social theory and current research, strongly encourages the reader to value what McGinitie has referred to as the power of uncertainty. Language and Literacy in Social Practice forces the reader to consider the complex and interrelated nature of language learning and the nature of literacy acquisition as value laden activity value laden because of the variety of social factors which vie for dominance in the formation and maintenance of a majority Discourse. The structure of the book is logical and easy to follow. For myself, I found the first section to be the least valuable in terms of what it had to offer me, but, given its intention to provide a theory base for the sociological perspective of language as a social semiotic, it achieved its aim adequately. What was much more thought provoking were the articles in section two which detailed the ways in which literate practices were inextricably related to social and cultural practices and values. Of particular value to me as well were the articles by Rockhill on Gender, language and the politics of literacy and Paolo Freire on Adult literacy processes . Language and Literacy in Social Practice is not a book of readings preaching to the converted. Rather it is a thought provoking collection of writings which will encourage the sensitive literacy educator to examine again the values one transmits. Particularly in the culturally plural Australian context, Maybins book provides readings that, while not specific to the Australian context, are nevertheless very easily transferrable in the principles and understandings they embody. So much so that if one were to carefully think through and implement by negotiation the broad principles outlined in the book, Language and Literacy in Social Practice could well serve as a blueprint for a policy framework for literacy education in any society that truly valued its cultural diversity and which was determined to provide the sort of education that would question the status quo. Additionally, it would offer all participants real access to those constructions of empowering literate behaviour that are the staple of the disourse practices and power relationships of everyday life. It is not, I dont believe, overly strong when Rockhill says that the politics of literacy are integral to the cultural genocide of a people . Language and Literacy in Social Practice raises the sorts of issues that will help us re-examine our own personal politics to prevent just that sort of cultural genocide no matter how well intentioned or how genteel our motives. It is a book for all educators, cutting across cultures and specifics, providing a body of thought that, if it doesnt change existing practice, will at the very least strongly encourage a reappraisal of what it is that one actually does in the classroom.

Oscar Wilde Constanly Mocks Victorian Society Essay Example for Free

Oscar Wilde Constanly Mocks Victorian Society Essay Act III offers happy resolution to the problems of identity and marriage that drive much of the humor in the previous acts. Wilde continues to mock the social customs and attitudes of the aristocratic class. He relentlessly attacks their values, views on marriage and respectability, sexual attitudes, and concern for stability in the social structure. Wilde attacks social behavior with the continuation of speeches by his characters that are the opposite of their actions. While Cecily and Gwendolen agree to keep a dignified silence, Gwendolen actually states that they will not be the first ones to speak to the men. In the very next line she says, Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you. Wilde seems to be saying that people speak as if they have strong opinions, but their actions do not support their words. If actions truly do speak louder than words, Wilde has made his point: Society, literally, speaks volumes, but the words are meaningless. Wilde continues his criticism of societys valuing style over substance when Gwendolen says, In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing. Lady Bracknell discusses Algernons marriage assets in the same light. She says, Algernon is an extremely, I may almost say an ostentatiously, eligible young man. He has nothing, but he looks everything. What more can one desire? Indeed, in a society where looks are everything and substance is discounted, Algernon is the perfect husband. What else do aristocrats value? They seem to esteem the appearance of respectability. Respectability means children are born within the context of marriage. Wilde once again mocks the hypocrisy of the aristocrats who appear to value monogamy but pretend not to notice affairs. Jacks speech to Miss Prism, whom he believes to be his mother, is humorous in both its indignant defense of marriage and also its mocking of the loudly touted religious reformers virtues of repentance and forgiveness. He says to Miss Prism, Unmarried! I do not deny that is a serious blow†¦. Mother, I forgive you. His words are all the more humorous when Miss Prism indignantly denies being his mother. It was not at all unusual for aristocrats to have children born out of wedlock, but society turned its head, pretended not to know about those children, and did not condemn their fathers. The gulf between the upper class and its servants is explored in the scenes with Merriman and Prism. When Lady Bracknell unexpectedly shows up at Jacks, Merriman coughs discretely to warn the couples of her arrival. One can only imagine his humorous thoughts as he watches the wealthy tiptoe around each other and argue about what should be important. When Lady Bracknell hears the description of Prism and recognizes her as their former nanny, she calls for Miss Prism by shouting Prism! without using a title in front of her name. Imperiously, Lady Bracknell divides the servant from the lady of the manor. Wildes audience would recognize this behavior on the part of the servants and the upper class. The stuffy class distinctions defined the society in which they lived. In an age of social registers, Lady Bracknell laments that even the Court Guides have errors. In the next breath, she discusses bribing Gwendolens maid to find out what is happening in her daughters life. In Act III she also reveals that her aristocratic brothers family entrusted their most precious possession — Jack — to a woman who is more interested in her handbag and manuscript than in what happens to the baby in her charge. Wilde seems to be questioning the values of a society that believes in social registers, hires other people to neglectfully watch its children, and uses bribery to keep track of the children who are not missing. The death of Bunbury gives Wilde the opportunity to speak of aristocratic fears and have some continued fun with the upper classs lack of compassion about death. The 1885 Trafalgar Square riots brought on ruling-class fears of insurrection, anarchism and socialism. Wilde humorously touches on these fears when he allows Algernon to explain the explosion of Bunbury. Lady Bracknell, fearing the worst, exclaims, Was he the victim of a revolutionary outrage? I was not aware that Mr. Bunbury was interested in social legislation. If so, he is well punished for his morbidity. Evidently, to Lady Bracknells acquaintances, laws that protect the welfare of those less fortunate are strictly morbid subjects. In fact, this attitude seems to contradict the upper-class concern for reform. However, in reality, Wilde is confirming the upper-class definition of social reform: conforming to the status quo. In Act III Wilde makes a comment on the value of being homosexual with a veiled reference to Lady Lancing. When Lady Bracknell asserts that Cecily needs to have a more sophisticated hairstyle, she recommends a thoroughly experienced French maid who can make a great deal of change in a very short time. She explains that such a change happened to an acquaintance of hers, Lady Lancing, and that after three months her own husband did not know her. Jack uses the opportunity to make a pun on the word know, using it in an aside — a comment only the audience can hear. Jack interprets know to mean they no longer had sex, insinuating Lady Lancings preference for the French maid. He says, And after six months nobody knew her, indicating that the homosexual experience made a new woman of her. Although homosexuality would have been seen as immoral to Wildes audience, Jack indicates that being homosexual might be a good thing — almost as a social commentary — directly to the audience. It seems a double life is necessary after one is married, whether it be bunburying or the homosexual life Wilde was experiencing in an increasingly public way. Wilde continues his assault on family life in Act III by mentioning its strange qualities in several conversations. It appears rather strange, for example, that Lady Bracknell cannot even recall the Christian name of her brother-in-law, Algys father. Algernons father died before Algernon was one, so stranger yet is Algernons comment, We were never even on speaking terms. He gives that as the reason he cannot remember his fathers name. Further assaulting family life, Wilde has Lady Bracknell describe Lord Moncrieff as eccentric but excuses his behavior because it was the result of the Indian climate, and marriage, and indigestions, and other things of that kind. Marriage is lumped together with things such as indigestion. In explaining Lord Moncrieffs marriage, Lady Bracknell says that he was essentially a man of peace, except in his domestic life. Her description invites suspicion that the local constabulary might have visited because of domestic disturbances. Family life and domestic bliss do not get high marks in Wildes estimation. When Miss Prism humorously resolves the problem of Jacks lineage, Wilde takes his hero of unknown origins and paints him as the aristocrat who will now be assimilated into his rightful place in the social structure. Through the sad melodrama of Jacks handbag parentage, Wilde exaggerates the Victorian clichà © of the poor foundling who makes good. As soon as Jack is known to be a member of the established aristocracy, a Moncrieff in fact, he is seen as an appropriate person for Gwendolen to marry. They will, according to Wilde, live happily ever after in wedded bliss and continue the aristocratic blindness to anything that truly matters. The tag line of the play, spoken by Jack, is a familiar convention in Victorian farces. In discovering that he has been telling the truth all along — his name is Ernest, and he has a brother — Jack makes fun of the Victorian virtues of sincerity and honesty and asks Gwendolen to forgive him for speaking nothing but the truth. He now realizes the importance of being the person he is supposed to be. Wilde is saying perhaps that a new kind of earnestness exists, one that is different from the virtues extolled by the Victorians. Maybe it is possible to be honest and understand what should be taken seriously in life rather than being deceptive, hypocritical, and superficial. Some readers believe, however, that the ending shows Jack mockingly redefining Victorian earnestness as just the opposite: a life of lies, pleasure and beauty. Critics debate the interpretation of the last line. A curious stage direction occurs in Act III, revealing the concern Wilde had for the staging of his play to compliment his ideas. As his couples come together and move apart, he emphasizes the choreography of the pairs. He has them speak in unison, both the women together and the men together. It matters not who they are; they are interchangeable. Marriage is simply an institution that is a gesture, like a christening. The unison speaking is very stylistic, not meant to be realistic at all. It reveals Wildes attitude that what is important in Victorian marriage — names — really should not be as important as other considerations. In the end, Wilde leaves his audience thinking about the trivial social conventions they deem important. Their Victorian virtues perhaps need redefining. Institutions such as marriage, religion, family values and money should perhaps have new interpretations. The character of people, rather than their names and family fortunes, should weigh most heavily when considering their worth. Wilde was able to use humor to skewer these attitudes and convince his audience about the importance of being earnest.

The basque conflict

The basque conflict THE BASQUE CONFLICT Project Framework The Basque conflict, rendered more acute by the establishment of a terrorist organisation in the second half of the 20th century, illustrates the contemporary hindrances of an invigorated Europe, concerned with theories of integration and social consensus. This project intends to comprise a descriptive and theoretical approach, rather than a quantitative analysis based on the materialisation of the conflict by the violent incursions of the nationalist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA). On the one hand, the first part compares and contrasts the sui generis Spanish state-building process to the thriving ‘imagined community of Sabino Arana, raised through the nationalism of the 19th century, and articulated in relevant facts and figures. On the other hand, the second part brings the conflict to a modern state of affairs, i.e. a scenario of diverse attempts to lessen violence and extremism. It considers micro and macro perspectives and reactions of exogenous actors to this aggiornamento, and despite the diverse interpretations of ethnicity, the paper considers the present context of globalisation, in which identities are no longer guaranteed through states and borders. Introduction The weaknesses in the process of Spanish state-building to which Basque nationalism is inextricably linked constitute an elementary foundation to understand the principles of ETA (1959), as a terrorist organisation, and the nature of the nationalist identities involved in the conflict. In accordance with Linz: ‘Spain [†¦] is a case of early state-building, where the political, social and cultural integration of its territorial components was not fully accomplished (1973: 33), and as a result, its development differs from other European case studies in significant ways, mainly due to its dramatic collapse as a colonial power (Mees 2003). Throughout time, Spain was downplayed from being the most dominant European colonial power to a bankrupt, weakened state with ‘internal problems of legitimacy, identity, penetration and participation (Mees 2003: 6). Within this unstable context, the unification of the disparate territories in Spain resulted in a nation lacking the instruments of integration and cohesion. Therefore, Spanish nationalism in the 19th century remained weak and never became a movement (Seixas 1993). The Post-Colonial State-Building This process involved no common external enemy or national symbols that would promote the idea of an ‘imagined community (Anderson 1999): it was not the aggressive nature of Spanish nationalism that fuelled the ‘durability of regional and local particularisms, but its weakness (Mees 2003: 7). The Spanish were never fully submitted to the idea of nation, and remained loyal to their local regions, such as the Basque Provinces, comprising a particular and differential culture, i.e. an ethnic community that would later become mobilised as a political nation (Smith 1986). In historical terms, the annexation of Navarre in the 16th century represents the establishment of modern Spain and the supremacy of Castile over uninfringeable cultures. Moreover, the Crown recognised the importance of conceiving special rights to certain regions that became exempt from appointing soldiers to the central forces, and were granted a system of laws and practices called fueros that represented a major right of the Basque population, as they conferred (since its codification in the 17th century) conditions for decision-making in most political and economic affairs, with no intervention from the central government (Osma 1996: 34). However, the evolution of the Carlist ideology (in the 19th century), desecrated the unwavering relations with Castile (Flynn 2000: 100), and following its victory in the third war (1872-1876), the Liberal Government declared the abolition of privileges to the Basque Country, instigating a strong resistance. Hence, the conflict in the Basque Country can be interpreted as a reaction to the abolition of rights and concessions granted throughout history, and according to the nationalists: the outraged reaction to the withdrawing of the fueros represented a ‘national awakening among the Basque people (Mees 2003). Early Basque nationalist feeling in the 19th century created an hostile political and social attitude towards the central government, with a developing anti-Spanish and separatist culture (Mees 2003: 8). Furthermore, urban industrialisation and the influx of Spanish-speaking labourers were seen to pose a threat to Basque culture, which is extremely conservative and based around strictly Catholic values, encouraging a nationalist feeling (Woodworth 2001:3). As Basque industrialisation occurred primarily in Biscay, with ‘production of steel, modern shipyards and mining (Conversi 1997: 48), these activities increased the demand for unskilled labour and society disintegration. As an illustration of this phenomenon, the population in Bilbao increased from 35,505 inhabitants in 1877 to 83,306 in 1900 (Atienza 1979: 73) out of the 80% of immigrants, 50% were not Basques (Atienza 1979: 74). The Establishment of an ‘Imagined Community The nationalist ideology expanded by Sabino Arana, founder of the Partido Nacionalista Vasco (PNV) in 1895 (Mees 2003: 5), followed his perception of industrialisation and the consequent immigration to the region as a threat to Basque culture. Arana published his book For the Independence of Biscay (1892) and assisted the formation of the first Batzoki later the Bizkai Buru Batzar i.e. an ideological group that worked as a precursor of the PNV (Elorza 1978: 113). However, after the intervention of Spanish Authorities, Arana was arrested and the party rose as an organised structure, adhering to its manifesto (PNV Manifesto 1906: Volume II). Returned to Biscay, after a course of Law in Barcelona where he was impressed by the Catalan Language and the development of Catalonia after the Renaixenà §a- Arana (a central player of nationalism in the 19th century) was motivated to study Euskerab and contribute to the Basque culture (Conversi 1997: 74). He took the view that only absolute independence from the Spanish state would secure permanent happiness and freedom for the Basque people as culture, history and race needed to be reaffirmed in order to solve the rooted problems. As a consequence, anything Spanish (or non-Basque) would have to be expelled (Mees 2003: 803), as following the nationalist feeling, the only way to succeed would be through the creation of a ‘nationalist history with deep mythological implications, as well as nationalist symbols and purification of the Basque language (Payne 1971: 23). Therefore, in a primary attempt to materialise the nationalist ideology, Arana created symbols that included: the name, Euskadi; the anthem, Gora Ta Gora; and the flag Ikurrià ±a, adopted by the PNV in 1933. Unlike Spanish unification, Arana succeeded in creating an ‘imagined community, with history, traditions and culture unique to the Basque region (Anderson 1999). Violent Incursions and Peace Attempts Since the early 1990s, the opposition within Basque society to the continuation of the conflict has been steadily increasing: groups of citizens became effectively mobilised in an effort to spread their pacifist views throughout the Basque community and build a new anti-violence consensus (Funes 1998: 493). Beyond Basque society, they aim at influencing political leaders, Spanish and Basque governments and at diminishing the power of ETA. As they believe that the people of the Basque Provinces has a responsibility for the existence and the continuity of violence, they intend to become a vehicle for peace. These pacifist groups have increased the conditions both socially and politically for resolution, though ETA retains the support of a ‘qualitatively significant sector of Basque society (Funes 1998). On a micro perspective of external intervention, Gesto por la Paz is composed of 160 subgroups throughout the Basque country and Navarre and organises street demonstrations that regularly attract 15-20,000 followers; and Elkarri, with up to 107 subgroups, was founded by members of the nationalist left, close to ETA and aims to influence those who would join the terrorist organisation or carry out violent attacks. The latter tries to expand dialogue on both sides through conferences, speeches and publications, as both groups look at the Basque people for support in denouncing violence and reducing separatist radical movements (Funes 1998). While groups such as these have done much over the years to create conditions for peace, as long as there is a minority who sees violence as the only solution, grass-root level protests have only a limited impact. There is evidence that Basque society is less and less inclined towards supporting the violence of ETA, giving room for optimism, but peace will only come when the leadership of the group comes to see diplomacy as the way forward. There are three important moments in the history of ETA as a terrorist group, which halted its activities and brought together the two sides of the conflict. The first moment follows the most intense attack against civilians in 1987, when the political parties decided to enter into talks with one another, motivating ETA and the government to discuss the problems of the Basque Country, such as: the Pact of Madrid (1987), the Pact of Ajuria Enea (1988), the Pact of Ardanza (1988), and the Pact of Navarra (1988). In addition, the Plan Ardanza (1998), created by the President of the Spanish Government, Josà © Antonio Ardanza Garro, in an attempt to solve the situation in the Basque Country, led to a proposal by the PNV and ETA to pursue a general agreement, in which the parties were committed to bring together the six territories of the Basque Country whereas ETA would declare ceasefire. Secondly, and considering the incapacity of the Partido Popular (PP) and the Partido Socialista Obrero Espaà ±ol (PSOE) in resolving the Basque conflict, parties and ideological organisations signed a pact in Estella, Navarre (1998), according to which they would study the adoption of the same political resolutions applied to the Northern Ireland case. The elections in the Autonomous Basque Community declared victory of the PNV, and there were many agreements between this party and the PP Government until the secret meeting of 1999 between the two parties, which represented strong contact between ETA and the central government. However, for PP, this was a way to understand whether the terrorist group would be favourable to a definite ceasefire. Therefore, the meeting proved unfruitful and the terrorist attacks restarted. ETA declared the end of ceasefire in 1999 and following this, the PNV accused the terrorist organisation of constituting a bad influence on Basque nationalism. On the other hand, ETA published the negotiations with the PNV and confessed the false ceasefire of 1998. The Euskal Herritarrok was favoured by the PNV but decided to abandon the Basque Parliament, leaving the latter in a political minority. Finally, the third important halt in violence was the announcement of a permanent ceasefire from the 24th March 2006 onwards, in order to carry on the negotiations with the central government of Josà © Luis Zapatero (PSOE), who informed the media on the 29th June 2006 that the conditions for an institutional dialogue had been met. Reactions of Exogenous Actors In terms of international cooperation by external actors, the reaction of France to this conflict has been elementary, as although in the past, the Basque leadership has chosen to operate from that country due to fewer police pressure- since the 1990s, it has made an effort to apprehend the ETA leadership (Telegraph 2nd March 2002). Nearly all high-ranking members of the organisation have been seized in France, including the suspected leader, Jurden Martitegi, arrested in April of this year. However, the significance of the Catholic faith in Basque nationalist expression led to another fundamental reaction, as it preceded the intervention of Pope John XXIII, in the Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris (1963). In accordance with this document, minority groups became widespread throughout the world but due to some solid reasons in the international state of affairs, ‘[] minority peoples are often obliged to live within the territories of a nation of a different ethnic origin (Pope John XXIII 1963  §94). Consequently: This situation gives rise to serious problems [and] indeed, the best interests of justice are served by those public authorities who do all they can to improve the human conditions of the members of these minority groups, especially in what concerns their language, culture, ancient traditions, and their economic activity and enterprise (Pope John XXIII 1963  §96). This participation complemented by the address of Pope John Paul II to the United Nations (1995), where it is stated that the phenomenon of ethnicity ‘must not be underestimated or regarded as a simple left-over of the past but conversely ‘[] demands serious interpretation, and a closer examination on the levels of anthropology, ethics and law (John Paul II 1995  §7) appeals to the sense of respect of established nations and constitutes an illustration of international interventions that protect the interests of ethnic minorities. Although many authors share these same perspectives, papal interventions were particularly relevant in the religious status quo of that region. Moreover, as far as EU resolutions are concerned, and regarding the terrorist attack of 11th March 2004, the European Council carried out a ‘Declaration on Combating Terrorism (2004) referring to the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations (Security Council 1373 of 2001), which states that granting support to the victims is paramount in the fight against terrorism. In this framework, the EU revised its strategic principles, which included: strengthening a response against terrorism and its consequences; restraining the access of terrorists to economic resources; and maximising the capacity within the EU bodies to investigate and prosecute terrorists. Furthermore, all Member States would be obliged to act in solidarity in the case of a terrorist attack, mobilising all their resources. This measure complements the List of Terrorist Organisations that includes ideological groups of ETA created by the European Council in 2003. Similarly, the United States of America, following a recommendation to improve international collaboration by the President of the Spanish Government, Josà © Marà ­a Aznar, included this organisation in their list of terrorist threats. Conclusion As an example of an ethnic conflict, the preservation of nationalism and racial identity in the Basque Country has been guaranteed through violence in the name of its tradition, history and national symbols by those who perceive ancient heritage as an entitlement to self-determination, and regard their ethnicity as racially different from the rest of Spain. Violent incursions were justified on these grounds. In accordance with previous considerations, Sabino Arana realised that in order to save Basque cultural identity (including moral and religious values), nationalism would require an exclusivist identity. Therefore, one of the core principles of Basque nationalism became ‘unity of race, maintained through eliminating Spanish influence and migration (Payne 1971:36-37). In the Catalan and Galician Nationalist movements, membership can be gained through learning the language and assimilating culture. However, those wishing to join the PNV had to prove that their first four surnames (later only one) were ‘etymologically Basque. Therefore, in practice, Basque national identity cannot be acquired through learning of the language or practicing of Basque traditions. There is no possibility of non-natives joining and as such, it is a very exclusivist movement (Mees 2003: 12). The Basque nationalists encouraged a sense of a unique Basque racial purity, different from the one of the maketos (Conversi 1997: 60), there is condemnation of marriage between Basques and non-Basques due to the proliferation of Spanish values rather than Basque values (Flynn 2000: 154) and the belief that ‘compared to the Basques, the Spanish did not even constitute a race of their own, being a mix of many peoples (Flynn 2000: 154). There is not only a strong racial element, but also a strong religious one, with Basque nationalists believing that there should be absolute subordination of the political sphere to the religious one and of the state to the church (Payne 1971: 38). This racial stance has implications for immigrants wishing to come and work in the Basque region. Radicalisation has happened at times of mass immigration by non-Basques into the area, creating an anti-migrant culture within the community and a hatred for anything non-Basque. Race and religion are the core values of Basque Nationalism, not culture, giving it an extremely exclusive identity.

Affirmative Action Essay: Time to Stop Special Privileges

Affirmative Action: Time to Stop Special Privileges      Ã‚  Ã‚   Imaging being a young, black, grad-student, fresh out of law-school, looking for a job. You find and apply for the career of your dreams, only to find later that you didn't get the job. Petitioning the employer for an explanation, you find that you weren't hired due to the color of your skin. Wouldn't this enrage you? Would you cry "discrimination", and take the employer to court? Many people would sympathize with you and grant you the decision in the court case. Discrimination like that has no place in today's society. Now imagine the exact same scenario, only instead of being black, you're white. You find and apply for the career of your dreams, only to find later that you didn't get the job. Petitioning the employer for an explanation, you find you weren't hired due to the color of your skin. Wouldn't this enrage you? Would you cry "discrimination", and take the employer to court? Most people in today's society would have no sympathy for you. Because of being white, i t is assumed that you've had more opportunities and more people have helped you on your way in life. Is this fair? In two scenarios, identical in everything except for skin tone, two complete opposite conclusions have been drawn. What brought this about?    "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." (Declaration of Independence . pp. 20)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The United States was founded on the ideals that equality was a right of all mankind, and all people should be allowed to better their lives. However, the existence of slavery took away these rights from African-Americans. After the Civil War abolished slavery, many white people believed blacks were inferior and the... ...e available to all, or none.       Bibliography    Biskupic, Joan. "Affirmative-action ban gets green light" The Denver Post . Nov. 4, 1997    "Declaration ofIndependance" The World's Great Classics. Basic Documents of American History. New York:Grolier, Inc. pp. 20-25    Gwynne, S.C. "Back to the Future" Time . Jun. 2, 1997. pp. 48 Hutchison, Keely. Positive and Negative Implications for Individuals. [online] University of South Carolina. Available: http://ecuvax.cis.ecu.edu/academics/schdept/psych/Impla1.htm    Pooley, Eric. "Fairness or Folly?" Time . Jun. 23, 1997. pp. 32-36 Tyson, Amanda. History of Affirmative Action. [online] University of South Carolina. Available: http://ecuvax.cis.ecu.edu/academics/schdept/psych/ahist.htm    Whitaker, William A. "Affirmative Reaction" Harper's Magazine . May1997. p. 24-25

Curleys Wife in Of Mice and Men :: John Steinbeck

OF MICE AND MEN Essay. Curley's wife is seen as a cheap possession, a toy that belongs to Curley. A possession that he gets to control. His lack of love, respect and attention results to her death in the end. By all the men she’s seen as a tramp, they think that she’s out cause trouble. But the truth is she’s desperately lonely. She just wants someone to talk to. She’s missed out on a wonderful life that could have been hers, and that hurts her. Curley’s wife is a beautiful woman, whose blossoming with love, with big hopes for the future. She dreams of becoming a big actress n Hollywood. She wants to become rich and famous, and have nice cloths. She wants to make something from her life. Because of her beauty she was promised great things. But in reality her dreams never came true, the letters she awaited never came, the promises that were maid to her were never fulfilled. â€Å"Could’ve been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes†. She refused to stay where she would be a nobody. â€Å"Well, I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t get nowhere or make something of my life†. So one night she meat Curley at the Riverside Dance Palace, and she married him, he became her ticket out from her desperate life. She never married him out of love and passion just of desperation. â€Å"I don’t like Curley. He aint a nice fella†. Curley’s relationship with his wife is very distant. He treats her with no respect, his very possessive of her, he tries to control who she talks to and what she can and can’t do. His also disloyal. Only after weeks of their marriage his already going to â€Å"cat houses†. His cheating her left right and center. And like any person she needs to be loved, she needs to be cared for, she needs attention and she needs companionship. Curley's Wife in Of Mice and Men :: John Steinbeck OF MICE AND MEN Essay. Curley's wife is seen as a cheap possession, a toy that belongs to Curley. A possession that he gets to control. His lack of love, respect and attention results to her death in the end. By all the men she’s seen as a tramp, they think that she’s out cause trouble. But the truth is she’s desperately lonely. She just wants someone to talk to. She’s missed out on a wonderful life that could have been hers, and that hurts her. Curley’s wife is a beautiful woman, whose blossoming with love, with big hopes for the future. She dreams of becoming a big actress n Hollywood. She wants to become rich and famous, and have nice cloths. She wants to make something from her life. Because of her beauty she was promised great things. But in reality her dreams never came true, the letters she awaited never came, the promises that were maid to her were never fulfilled. â€Å"Could’ve been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes†. She refused to stay where she would be a nobody. â€Å"Well, I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t get nowhere or make something of my life†. So one night she meat Curley at the Riverside Dance Palace, and she married him, he became her ticket out from her desperate life. She never married him out of love and passion just of desperation. â€Å"I don’t like Curley. He aint a nice fella†. Curley’s relationship with his wife is very distant. He treats her with no respect, his very possessive of her, he tries to control who she talks to and what she can and can’t do. His also disloyal. Only after weeks of their marriage his already going to â€Å"cat houses†. His cheating her left right and center. And like any person she needs to be loved, she needs to be cared for, she needs attention and she needs companionship. Curley's Wife in Of Mice and Men :: John Steinbeck OF MICE AND MEN Essay. Curley's wife is seen as a cheap possession, a toy that belongs to Curley. A possession that he gets to control. His lack of love, respect and attention results to her death in the end. By all the men she’s seen as a tramp, they think that she’s out cause trouble. But the truth is she’s desperately lonely. She just wants someone to talk to. She’s missed out on a wonderful life that could have been hers, and that hurts her. Curley’s wife is a beautiful woman, whose blossoming with love, with big hopes for the future. She dreams of becoming a big actress n Hollywood. She wants to become rich and famous, and have nice cloths. She wants to make something from her life. Because of her beauty she was promised great things. But in reality her dreams never came true, the letters she awaited never came, the promises that were maid to her were never fulfilled. â€Å"Could’ve been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes†. She refused to stay where she would be a nobody. â€Å"Well, I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t get nowhere or make something of my life†. So one night she meat Curley at the Riverside Dance Palace, and she married him, he became her ticket out from her desperate life. She never married him out of love and passion just of desperation. â€Å"I don’t like Curley. He aint a nice fella†. Curley’s relationship with his wife is very distant. He treats her with no respect, his very possessive of her, he tries to control who she talks to and what she can and can’t do. His also disloyal. Only after weeks of their marriage his already going to â€Å"cat houses†. His cheating her left right and center. And like any person she needs to be loved, she needs to be cared for, she needs attention and she needs companionship.

Shakespeares Macbeth - Villain, Tragic Hero, or Simply Ambitious ? Ess

Macbeth:   Villain, Tragic Hero, or Simply Ambitious ?      Ã‚  Ã‚   The play MacBeth conforms to the definition of a tragedy: â€Å"A play in verse or in prose dealing with tragic events, usually ending in the downfall of the protagonist†1.   However, many sections of MacBeth do not describe a tragic hero, but merely a villain or a lord who is overly ambitious and pays the consequences for his actions.   MacBeth is a tragedy that challenges the very foundations of that genre, set by Aristotle and Plato in the third century B.C. These foundations had been part of the text Poetics, in which Aristotle listed the six requirements of dramatic tragedy, one of which is the inclusion of a tragic hero, a fundamental that has been followed by many tragedians including Sophocles, Aeschylus, O’Neill and Shakespeare himself in his other tragedies.    MacBeth however is different from these tragedies in that the protagonist is not clearly defined as a tragic hero, the reader may view glimpses of a hero in MacBeth but not in substantial amounts, so this is neither completely validated nor revoked by Shakespeare. In order to come to a conclusion the reader must take into consideration not only MacBeth’s intentions but those of the people around him as well, such as Lady MacBeth and the three Weird Sisters, both of whom can be deemed to have influenced his actions in some way.    MacBeth’s downfall and ultimate fate begins with his decision to murder King Duncan. Yet, from what the reader has seen of MacBeth so far, this action seems highly out of character.   He is initially portrayed a loyal warrior who has a wife and his own castle, and yet he still chooses to murder Duncan.   The apparent reason for this is ambition, we are told this by Ma... ...d, not once was he forced into doing anything that was not desired by him. On many occasions, the reader is tempted to see MacBeth as a simple villain and yet his resolve to carry out what he had already started influences them to rethink their opinion on his status as a villain. This remarkable blend of a tragic hero, a villain and a man beset with sheer determination is one that allows MacBeth to stand out arguably as one of the finest morality plays ever written.    1. Concise Oxford dictionary    Bibliography English 366: Studies in Shakespeare Introduction to Macbeth http://www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi/eng366/index.htm Barnet, Sylvan. Shakespeare’s MacBeth, Signet Classic 1987 Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a Play for our Time http://www.uky.edu/ArtsSciences/Classics/mac/intro.html Aristotle, Poetics http://planetpapers.com/poetics/1209.html

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Computers Essay

I think this is an interesting topic when i am indeliberate in surfing some webs. And i wonder why no one discuss this?. So, i am eager to make the first writing . Nowadays, most of people know to use computer. But what purposes they use it for ?. that ‘s way we really recognize that it is so bad or good to use computer. You know, up to the ages, we classify the benefits of computer are. For people who work in big companies are required to know how to use computer for manage the project or only composing the contract, saving the database, even making a important data security for firm. In fact, A great benefit that a computer certainly work effectively and as replaced thousands of people to solve the complex tasks by only one person or group. That save much money and time and even worker’s strength. And computer is the intelligent device for students to study, especially IT students. They can search documents which are related their curriculum or any information they are interested in their life on internet if that computer has global network. On the other hand, most of people are tired after sitting with computer for work a long time in day, may relax their mind with many kinds of games they want, listen to music, study English and so on†¦ In a word, computer is the best device to everyone for many variety purposes. However, some people use computer for bad idea. it is nothing to useful for children are crazy for games day by day. That makes children don’t continue to study and their marks is gradually lower and lower. Furthermore, it is easy to attract crazy children and student with depraved culture. In my opinion, our government are forbidding strictly behaviors uploading badly depraved things on internet. And certainly have to advice children and their parent to avoid putting bad those in their computer. I am strongly disagree people who make children go down in an our developing country who will be the main leader our country in the future.

Literary Analysis of the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Essay

Offred, in Margaret Atwood’s disturbing novel The Handmaid’s Tale says, â€Å"But who can remember pain once it’s over? All that remains of it is a shadow, not in the mind even, in the flesh. Pain marks you, but too deep to see. Out of sight, out of mind.† The society of Gilead causes the aforementioned pain and demoralization by using women’s bodies as political instruments. Similar to Atwood’s novel, today’s men put immense pressure on women to be a certain way, give them children, and take care of the home and the like. In Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, she examines the theme of demoralization of women through graphic predictions of what women’s futures may look like. In 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20, the Bible states, â€Å"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.† In The Handmaid’s Tale, the society influences the citizens, like Ofglen, differently. The society wrongfully manipulates women to use their bodies for what the government decides is right, not what God planned for their bodies. Through this wrongful use, women have once again become less superior to men and treated more like an object than a person. Also in Corinthians 6:18, the Bible states, â€Å"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.† The government in The Handmaid’s tale encouraged sexual immorality by passing the handmaids from man to man, ruining the women’s purity and demoralizing their bodies by using them purely for reproduction methods. In the time period of The Handmaid’s Tale, the demoralization of women was normal and accepted, but even the supporters of the demoralization remembered the time when women weren’t being passed from man to man to reproduce and were respected and upheld in society. In today’s society most of the biblical morals are upheld and for the most part, women are equal with men. Women aren’t forced to move from man to man for reproduction purposes and they have the choice of whom they will marry and reproduce with. The true purpose of a woman is to be the man’s equal and to provide in her what the man doesn’t have. The Handmaid’s Tale portrays women in a demoralizing way, giving them no choices, freedom, or say. The government in The Handmaid’s Tale enforced the demoralization of women in Gilead. The original government was overthrown by a group of totalitarian men who enforced the laws that began the demoralization of the women. The government then takes complete control of everyone, making Gilead more like a communist country than democratic America. The Constitution is completely thrown out, taking away citizens, especially women’s, freedom and rights. Most of the men are completely obedient and support the government’s treatment of women. Even when the commander broke the rules and took Offred out, he made sure that she still understood he has complete and total control over her. Demoralization was in full effect, and there was no escaping it. In today’s society women have similar roles to those of men. They work, provide for their families, and are seen as equal to men. In The Handmaid’s Tale, women are used as a tool to create children for the â€Å"commanders† and are treated more like an object than a human being. In The Handmaid’s Tale, the society is reverted back to when women had no rights and were seen more like a trophy that would respond to men’s every beck and call. The handmaids’ roles in the novel are even worse than that of the olden day â€Å"housewife.† When the handmaids disobey, they are put to death or left in the wasteland of what used to be America. No one receives a harsher punishment than that. Even in today’s society women don’t receive that harsh of a punishment if they disobey. This just goes to show that in the society and time of The Handmaid’s Tale, the demoralization of women as political instruments was in full swing. Despite all of Gilead’s pro-women rhetoric, such subjugation creates a society in which women are treated as subhuman. They are reduced to their fertility, treated as nothing more than a set of ovaries and a womb. In one of the novel’s key scenes, Offred lies in the bath and reflects that, before Gilead, she considered her body an instrument of her desires; now, she is just a mound of flesh surrounding a womb that must be filled in order to make her useful. Gilead seeks to deprive women of their individuality in order to make them docile carriers of the next generation. Throughout the entire text of The Handmaid’s Tale, the ruling totalitarian government does what is in its power to attempt to isolate women from society. Not only do are the women isolated from society in terms of sexual contact (or any contact, for that matter), with men, but they are also individualized within the gender itself and separated from each other. Evidence of this isolation is available throughout the novel in different levels. The first level, perhaps the harshest, is the division of genders, with women like the Handmaids unable to communicate with unmarried men. Offred’s separation from men is apparent when she compares herself to the â€Å"power of a dog bone† (29), but the bone is â€Å"held out of reach† (29). This depicts how there is a strict gender division that disallows them to even communicate with each other, much less have sex. For the Angels, they are not even allowed to look at the so-called dog bone. When we are first introduced to the idea of the Angels, Offred mentions that the Angels must stand outside of the gymnasium â€Å"with their backs to us† (10). Offred wishes that they would only look at her and if only â€Å"something could be exchanged† (10). The guards of the complex Offred is held in at the beginning of the novel aren’t even allowed inside it. With the men not allowed in the Red Center and the women now allowed outside of it, they are each isolated from each other.

Bmw’s Dream Factory and Culture Essay

The culture at BMW is an entrepreneurial culture which emphasizes creativity, risk taking and the bottom-up system of freewheeling ideas. The top-down management style is popular in Germany but not at the BMW. As soon as associates start working at the BMW, they will have the sense of the place, history and the mission of the company. BMW creates a working environment that promotes easier communications between leaders and employees. Every employee can contribute his or her ideas and creations via either formal or informal ways. For example, an employee sees his or her supervisor by chance on the way to lunch, he/she can tell this person of the idea which has just happened in his/her mind. More importantly, their voices and their ideas are heard, welcomed and brought into discussions and consideration. As a result, a car from BMW is often a production of thousands of impromptu brainstorming sessions. Furthermore, BMW cares for the benefits of its employees. It includes all employees in profit sharing. It has a plan that distributes as much as one and a half months’ extra pay at the end of the year to employees. The company also provides a high level of job security for its employees. Lastly, BMW also focuses on high-quality but practical products which meet the demand of consumers and are highly competitive with other auto producers. The company’s near-failure from producing impractical and expensive cars during the postwar time in 1959 was a big lesson for them. This near-failure is always retold and mentioned in all new orientations for the new associates. It helps to remind all employees at BMW of a lesson learned for the company in developing its plans in the future and ensuring that kind of mistake should never happen again. 2. Discuss the model of leadership illustrated at BMW. The model of leadership illustrated at BMW is the consideration model of leadership. The leaders at BMW have close relationships with subordinates that are based on mutual trust, two-way and open communications, and respect for employees’ ideas. The managers at BMW must stay humble and work closely with subordinates and their peers. The Leipzig factory, which looks like an art museum, is a very creative working environment that can make the communications between managers and employees easier. Managers at BMW are the ones who know to make the right questions to ask their subordinates, not the ones who have all the right answers. They also emphasize the satisfaction of their employees’ needs and provide as many benefits to their employees as possible. They are approachable and always willing to listen to their employees. They think if the employees are well motivated, better cars will be produced. . Discuss how the leadership model contributes to the culture. The leadership model at BMW shortens the distance between leaders and subordinates. The relationships between them are built on mutual trust. Employees can feel free to raise their innovative ideas to their managers anytime and anywhere. When the employees see that their voice is heard, they are more encouraged to talk. Moreover, the company cares for the employees’ benefits. In return, the employees are very flexible to contribute their best for the company. The employees do not mind working temporarily for months in another work location which requires them to be far away from their family. They are willing to work for extra hours without being concerned about overtime. In summary, the leadership model at BMW has made it such a culture that is quite distinct from other German companies. 4. Discuss why employees derive high job satisfaction at BMW. The employees of BMW derive high job satisfaction because their benefits are well cared of, their voice is heard and their hard work is highly appreciated. Also, their job security at BMW is high. Any employees, regardless of what grade they are, can contribute their ideas and their innovations to the company’s managers easily. There are no complicated, formal processes or procedures required to send their ideas to their management teams. Furthermore, when the company gets more profits, the employees will also be more benefited. Good working environment is developed and paid attention to. In conclusion, BMW’s employees are highly motivated so they are satisfied and willing to contribute more to the development of the company.

Laertes and Polonius Essay

When Ophelia tells her father of Hamlet’s â€Å"holy vows from heaven,† his harsh rebuke â€Å"springes to catch woodcocks† likens her to a game bird considered to be foolish. He later speaks of her as if she were nothing more than an animal; â€Å"I’ll loose my daughter to him† (II. ii. 160) which again indicates his lack of respect for his daughter. He and Claudius were concerned only with Hamlet and so she becomes lost in a â€Å"sea of troubles. † Ophelia highlights key themes in the play, building on the ideas of deception, corruption and patriarchy that run through it. Two central themes of the play are deception and the problem of making a distinction between appearance and reality. Few things in the play are what they seem to be; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are apparently Hamlet’s friends, but are in fact spies commissioned by Claudius. There is a play within ‘Hamlet’ itself. Spying or eavesdropping occurs and â€Å"smiling villains† referred to. The actions of Ophelia also highlight this idea in a variety of ways. Ophelia is also used to portray the theme by the use of imagery. Polonius instructs her to â€Å"read on this book, / that show of such an exercise may colour / your loneliness. We are oft to blame in this, / ’tis too much proved, that with devotion’s visage / and pious action we do sugar o’er /the devil himself† (III. i. 44-49). This shows how a holy face can be put on something to cover evil deeds. The expressions of love may appear truthful to Ophelia, who speaks of Hamlet’s ‘affection’ for her, but (if Polonius and Laertes are to be believed) in reality they may be false, concealing less honourable intentions. Polonius swears that the ‘tenders of (Hamlet’s) affections’ for her are mere ‘brokers, not of that dye which their investments show / But mere implorators of unholy suits. † They may be traps, ‘springes to catch woodcocks. ‘ Ophelia also attempts to deceive Hamlet when she partakes in her father’s attempt to discover the cause of Hamlet’s unusual behaviour. She appears to be alone and lies that her father is â€Å"at home† when in reality he is eavesdropping on their conversation. As previously discussed, Ophelia may only appear to be a naive, innocent maid and be, in reality, the very opposite. In addition, her true madness contrasts with and therefore highlights the false nature of Hamlet’s. Hamlet comments upon how â€Å"God hath given you /one face, and you make yourselves another† and Ophelia does present various ‘faces’ to different characters, according to her relationship to them- acting innocent with her father, yet far less so in dealings with Hamlet. Hamlet also refers to the masking of reality by Ophelia when he says â€Å"I have heard of your paintings-† Hamlet believes that Ophelia may be deceiving him. If the interpretation that she commits suicide is correct, then the innocent imagery is another expression of the theme of illusion: her death appears to be an accident, but in reality is not. Through the play runs the idea of necessity of revenge for the cleansing of social corruption. This corruption is portrayed in Ophelia’s demise, which also hints at the downfall of Elsinore. Imagery Hamlet adopts in his first soliloquy implies general corruption of the world and he states that â€Å"things rank and gross in nature / Possess it† (I.ii. 136-137). He therefore aims to cleanse what is rotten in Denmark, but his failure to do so allows the triumph of disease and decay. Laertes warns Ophelia that â€Å"virtue itself ‘scapes not calumnious strokes,/ the canker galls the infants of the spring. † In addition to Shakespeare employing many images of disease and decay, he also includes several expressions relating to physical deterioration such as â€Å"the fatness of these pursy times† (III. iv. 154) and â€Å"the drossy age† (V. ii. 181). Ophelia’s own deterioration accentuates the theme but while all others perish due to their weaknesses, her demise is brought about by her virtues. Ophelia dies from loving too much and for being too pure. The potential of a stronger, wiser side to her character (hinted at by her comebacks at Laertes) is never realised. The coarse nature of the songs she sings in her madness shows that the corrupt world has taken its toll on the pure Ophelia. As discussed, throughout the play she represents innocence, emphasised by imagery and language. Her drowning depicts the death of innocence itself, thus indicates Hamlet’s failure and impending disaster for the court. It has been suggested that Shakespeare’s plays â€Å"reflect and voice a masculine anxiety about the uses of patriarchal power over women, specifically about man’s control over woman’s sexuality. i † (i Coppelia Kahn 1981 Man’s Estate: Masculine Identity in Shakespeare). This could indeed be true of ‘Hamlet,’ where the political world of Elsinore is shown not to be a place where women matter much, and this leads to their destruction. They do not have a say in anything; the world is presented as one where men are dominant and, if necessary, prepared to use women (even their own family) to benefit them in terms of power. Ophelia exemplifies this, confused by what is happening around her as she strives to do what Polonius, Laertes and Hamlet want her to. Polonius does not advise Ophelia to be true to herself as he advises Laertes, but points out that Hamlet has the freedom to do as he wishes whereas she does not. She is subject to the double standard of the difference between male and female freedom of choice and action. Laertes is treated very differently by his father in comparison to the lack of regard he shows Ophelia. Ophelia’s wishes are never considered- women had little status. Gertrude, too, has limited influence. Claudius and Polonius wield the power. Both women die but Ophelia’s end bears particular significance because she is driven to it by events she cannot control. Her death indicates the corrupting effects of the male-dominated political realm of Elsinore, in which, as Polonius shows, there is little room for the consideration of love. All of the characters fail in the sinful world of Elsinore, where there is no possibility for a fulfilled life. Ophelia’s demise adds to Shakespeare’s bleak message that evil can triumph. Defeat seems inevitable, whether they accept the conditions of Elsinore and live with the deceitful principles of the political world as Polonius does, or seek out love, as Ophelia does, or attempt to find sense in things, like Hamlet. In conclusion, through Ophelia a greater appreciation of other characters is achievable. She illuminates aspects of Hamlet- his suspicion of women and indecisiveness and, by comparison and contrast with her, also his strength, nobility and sanity. She gives insight into his nature both prior to and following his father’s death, therefore allowing the audience a better understanding of (and more sympathy for) him. Also revealed are aspects of Laertes and Polonius’ characters. Shakespeare uses Ophelia to add more depth to the themes of the play, namely the dangers of patriarchy, illusion and corruption. It is through Ophelia that Shakespeare achieves a genuinely tragic response to the play ‘Hamlet’.

How Has Texting Affected Teenagers

How has texting affected teen literacy? This is one question asked by many, and not always answered. After doing much research, I have come up with an answer to this question. There are pros as well as cons to texting when it comes to teens. The pros of texting are that texting allows teens to communicate with each other more often. Another pro is that they have the capability to call a parent when in a situation where alcohol or drugs are involved. While texting can have some pros, it also comes with it's own set of cons.One con is that texting is leading to anxiety, stress, distraction in school, and sleep deprivation. All of this added together can cause teens to have falling grades in school. Another, con is that texting can distract teens while they are driving. Texting and driving has become one of the most common causes of car accidents. One common thing you can see in schools is texting in class. One other thing you will see is cheating during tests. Some schools have banned cellphones during tests but this has not helped at all.These rules only affect the teens that are willing to break rules. The amount of teens who own a cell phone in the world is enormous. In 2011, 77% of the teenage population owned a cell phone, which is very similar to the 75% presented in 2009. Due to the unlimited texting plans presented by various mobile carriers texting has increased substantially in popularity. According to the Nielson Company, American Teenagers sent and received and average of 2,272 text messages per month in the fourth quarter of 2008.This totals to about 80 messages a day. In 2010, this amount of 2,272 text messages in the fourth quarter of 2008, grew to an amount of 6. 1 trillion text messages in 2010. This goes to show how much texting has grown in popularity and is a growing issue that effects teens everywhere. As texting becomes more popular, more and more teens begin to have falling grades in school and also putting themselves in danger while drivin g.If parents started to be more watchful of how much their children text, they could help them keep control of their texting. Works Cited Baker,Lisa. â€Å"Cell Phones and Their Positive Effects on Youth† eHow 15. April. 2012 Starovoit,Veronica. â€Å"How Does Text Messaging Affect the Ability to Write & Speak in English? † eHow 16. April. 2012 Lenhart,Amanda. â€Å"Overall cell ownership steady since 2009† PewInternet 19. Mar. 2012 Hafner,Katie. â€Å"Texting May Be Taking a Toll on Teenagers† The New York Times 25. May. 2009

The Girl before Mirror by Pablo Picasso Research Paper

The Girl before Mirror by Pablo Picasso - Research Paper Example This work is cordially considered in terms of Picasso’s artistic erotic nature. Critiques, nonetheless, in different periods, have relentlessly offered their valuation of this artistic work and came up with an empirically wide range of reactions. This paper, therefore, explains the artistic painting of the Girl before Mirror painting. The young girl adversely recuperating the attention of every artist in the modernity was named Marie-Therese Walter and was painted several times during the 1930s by Picasso. Several versions of this painting by Picasso, in the 1930s, was exhibited because various artistic movements emerged hence there was an ideological advent of competition in this field. The girl before Mirror was painted in Picasso’s cubism period (Gottlieb, 2006). Picasso, as an artist, was competent and adversely recognized with the bold nature of his artwork. The backdrop background of Girl Before Mirror assists in the blending of the subject as per the required uniqueness in the artwork paintings. Picasso uses the backdrop background in his painting to make it intense and bring out clearly the main image’s focal point. Picasso was part of a life changing movement in the idealism era, which would, later on, be known as the modernism. Modernism artistic movement is a name, which liberally included numerous artistic styles as well as aesthetic responses. Modernism was additionally applied retroactively in certain artistic trends and literary epistemological studies at the new era beginning of the 20th Century. The unitarily disjointed sense of time, the endless fight against realism conventions, the complex and full adoption of the modernistic periods were inherently undertaken to provide the epistemologically new meaning of the world systems to the masses. The modernistic artistic view also illuminated the world in a new way and paved way differently in relation to the individualistic observation of the world (Umland & Museum of Modern Art, 2012).

The Pilgrimage to Mecca Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Pilgrimage to Mecca - Essay Example This religious journey is referred to as Hajj in Arabic. Most consider the visit to Mecca as beneficial but it is recommended to make the pilgrimage during the last month of the Islamic calendar also known as Dhu al-Hijja. By doing this, one will have fulfilled the requirements of Hajj. I personally chose to make the pilgrimage during this period and the experience was priceless.I come from Kuwait which is a neighboring nation to Mecca. I was in the company of my father and elder brother and together our Hajj began back at home in Kuwait, where we put on the ihram, a dressing that is made up of two white sheets put on by all men during Hajj. Before leaving, my dad helped me tie one of the sheets around the waist, and wrapped the other around the shoulders. As he did this, I could feel the anticipation and anxiety in his breath and I could almost hear his heart beating next to me. The case was indifferent with my elder brother who kept saying that his ultimate dream was about to be fu lfilled. Upon arrival to Mecca, I could now understand the significance of ihram. All male Muslims are required to put on this attire during Hajj. I noticed that it would be hard to differentiate people under this state. All people became equal; young, old, poor, rich among others. On arrival to Mecca, my imaginations and anticipations were stunned by the scene of the Ka’ba. Ka’ba is the Holy place of Allah and when I finally stood before it, I realize the magnitude of emotions going through me were more than I could handle. Mecca is also graced with the Masjid al-Haram mosque which stands out uniquely. It is one of the most beautiful and attractive mosques I have ever seen. At this stage, we performed the tawaf which entails going round the Ka’ba seven times. As we do this, we recited the talbiya, and then followed by kissing the Black Stone  found in the Ka'ba.