Saturday, September 7, 2019

Stevensons opening in Dr. Jekyll Essay Example for Free

Stevensons opening in Dr. Jekyll Essay The novels Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written in 1885, and The Body Snatchers, written in ______ can be seen as novels with a gothic genre as well as mystery stories. They allow the reader to become captivated and absorbed within the text so that they can find out the intriguing nature of the novel, coming across as the story unfolds via clues and hints as to what twists are involved in the plot and characters to unveil the mystery. In the era these novels were written, they were the first in their kind in terms of the gothic genre and as mysterious texts where the turn of events or the characters behaviour was not predictable. They can be considered as novels which look at the darker side of a persons capabilities, this was a new concept to the Victorians in the 19th Century. The book, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde raises issues of and supports the concept of the dual nature of man, Victorian hypocrisy, the bestial nature of man and the experimentation with science and drugs. The issues within the book created a whole new genre in the nineteenth century for such books including The Body Snatchers and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, which can also be categorised into this genre. In this essay I will explore Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as a mystery and a gothic story. I will include historical, social and cultural knowledge of the Victorian era and compare this to The Body Snatchers as both mystery and gothic stories. I will also discuss the meaning behind the stories and the effect it has on the reader. In the Victorian era the concept of a man having or being able to have a dual nature was unthinkable. They did not believe that something like that could be possible, where a person could combine both the good self and the bad self within one individual, this theory was not supported by the beliefs they had, unlike today where the possibility of a split personality is not unknown or unthinkable. This was until a social scientist, James Hogg introduced the concept of the individual psyche = externalisation verses internalisation, the second self. It is from this theory that doppleganger originates from, In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Stevenson introduces this theory into 19th Century literature where Dr Jekyll is the good, which from Hoggs theory says is controlled by the right side of the brain and Mr Hyde is the evil character, which according to the theory is controlled by the left side of his brain, it is the one person with the two very different personalities struggling against each other. Stevenson has shown reflected this theory through the characters, Dr Jekyll being good and Mr Hyde being the evil side of the same person. In The Body Snatchers, this concept of the dual nature of a man, Stevenson portrays through Fettes as a young man, who when he awakens after the ordeal as an older man, his evil side comes through while he is under the influence of Dr Macfarlane. The Victorians were very religious people, for centuries it was believed that people had originated or created directly by God, the thought of evolution had never occurred until Darwins theory, the Theory of Evolution in 1859. This shocked the Victorians the thought that they had evolved and where in a sense the descendents of primates, revealing that they were no longer superior beings would have been the biggest shock to people in that era. Darwins theory and beliefs were rejected and associated with both blasmafy and evil. The theory had been rejected and placed to one side, however the thought and the fear associated with Darwins work lived on with the people. Stevenson brings a hint of Darwins theory of evolution to his novel in the form of Hydes character. The bestial nature of a man is portrayed in the evil side, as he is described as ape-like with descriptions of his stance compared to an animal, he stoops like a monkey and he was heard making grunting noises like an animal. These descriptions would drive fear into the reader in the 19th Century as it reflects on Darwins theory of Evolution. In The Body Snatchers, Stevenson has used the bestial nature again to describe the actions of the characters to enhance the evil calious of their actions. As two vultures may swoop upon a dying lamb, Fettes and Mcfarlane were to let loose upon a grave. This description compares the characters actions to animals desecrating corpses, it is descriptive of what they are about to do, which reflects the bestial nature of a man. The movements of Mcfarlane reflect his bestial nature, dart like a serpent, Stevensons use of similes create both atmosphere and clear images of the characters involving the reader. Stevenson uses animal words to describe the charters and their actions which do reflect Darwins theory and would be very significant for a reader in the Victorian era. During the Victorian times, society and a persons social standing was very important, it was highly regarded, with more emphasis put on it than in todays society. Men who demanded respect in society, the upper class or the professional were expected to appear to be gentlemen at all times, they had a certain standard they had to uphold when in public. Noblemen looked the part as they were well bred, upstanding and respectable within their social class with the manners and the educational background to match. This was somewhat different to the activities that took place behind closed doors, where they could be who they really where and fulfil all their whims of drinking, gambling and whatever else they desired regardless of how it would be viewed in society. It was acceptable as it was going on behind closed doors. Noblemen did not practise what they preached and were in fact, hypocrites, a person who pretends to be more virtuous than they really are. The behaviour was known in society, however it was never acknowledged or mentioned that they hid dark secrets. Many critics even suspect that Jekyll and Hyde was a self-administration by Stevenson of his own dark nature. Victorian hypocrisy is an underlying theme Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, with it being represented by Dr Jekyll I was the first that could thus plod in the public eye with a load of genial respectability, and in the moment, like a schoolboy, strip off these lendings and spring headlong into the sea of liberty. In this quote he is explaining that with Hyde is able to behave how he really wants to, by acting freely to fulfil all desires and not losing any of his social standing or grace. The hypocrisy here lies with the main character, Dr Jekyll represents the respectable nobleman while Mr Hyde reflects Dr Jekylls acts behind closed doors, he is the side that can be ruthless in society as he cannot be recognised as Dr Jekyll and therefore he does not lose any social grace within his social circle or in society. Dr Jekyll makes excuses for what his evil side does, either something cruel and harmful or something appalling by saying It was Hyde, after all and Hyde alone that was guilty. This is Jekylls way of clearing his conscious of all the unsocial crimes he commits. He accepts no responsibility for his own creation, Hyde and is therefore a hypocrite because he wants to have the social standing and respect in society in addition to fulfilling his darker side. Stevenson shows us how he deals with his own hypocrisy by paying for Hydes actions, paying a cheque for trampling on the little girl. Through his actions of payment he is trying to keep his respectable image as an upstanding citizen that he portrays, although it is due to his own guilt of knowing about Hydes actions and not stopping them in some way. In The Body Snatchers, Stevenson has not included this theme of Victorian Hypocrisy so extensively, he touches on it slightly, with Fettes, the young doctor with the respect and social standing who changed himself from being young and irresponsible, who was highly influenced by peer pressure, After a night of turbulent pressures the ordeal changed him for the better, the author is reflecting and portraying the different sides of a person and how man can be influenced especially when it is for the worse. The author also uses, Dr Macfarlane to portray hypocrisy, who breathing, as he did, of wealth and consideration, was a murderer with a black soul underneath, this quotation represents the hypocrisy of the character because in society he is view as a respectable nobleman who is wealthy and is well to do, however he is committing a huge social crime by being a murderer. A character who is well known can commit such crimes and get away with them this represents hypocrisy. Both these novels by Stevenson fit into the gothic genre. This is depicted through the descriptions and images the author creates for the reader to use. Atmosphere and settings are also important for the gothic genre as it is used to set the scenes and allow to reader to visualise the backdrop to where the crimes or the acts of horror are taking place. The settings allow the author to build up tension and suspense for the reader adding to the gothic nature of this genre in the novels. Within the gothic genre are the authors use of setting and scenery, which contribute largely to the essence of it. Both the novels have been set in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is set in London, while The Body Snatchers is set in Edinburgh. This has relevance to the genre as a gothic story will usually have the background setting of a major well known city, which the people who read the novel or story will be able to relate to. The concept of Pathetic Fallousy, the weather descriptions are very important to this genre as the settings and the descriptive nature set the scene for what is going to happen. The weather is significant as bad or horrific scenes are associated with bad weather, setting the atmosphere and mood for the events of the story. In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde the concept of pathetic fallousy provides a major connection in this novel as the gothic atmosphere allows the reader to visually set the scene. The weather references are gothic in nature, descriptions of the rain, the extensive grey skies and clouds. The descriptive detail of the town the abandoned street, the broken down area surrounding them, the atmosphere created allows the reader to experience what it would feel like, the dark nights with the faded distant sounds allow the reader to feel involved. The fog still slept on the wing above the drowned city, where the lamps glimmer like carbuncles; and through the muffle and smother of these fallen clouds. This quote represents the way in which the author engrosses the reader into the text with a very effective atmosphere surrounding detailed description. Stevenson has achieved a very descriptive image of the town, the context important to the concept of pathetic fallousy are the weather words of fog and clouds The Body Snatchers weather descriptions and atmospheric settings are consistent with this genre, they are continuous through out the novel, which reinforces the idea and the gothic nature of the novel at all times to the reader. With the descriptions Stevenson is able to set the scene of the town with the atmosphere enclosing it. There was a thin, bright moonshine, it was bitter cold windy and frosty the town had not yet awakened. This quote tells us that the town was yet to known the events of the night before. When an author uses pathetic fallousy, it allows them to convey future events to the reader as it enables them to connect the mood of the events or actions in the novel with the weather conditions. In gothic genre novels, the worse the weather conditions the worse the event which is or has taken place. If the weather conditions are foggy, stormy, windy and generally unfavourable it makes the reader think that something bad or disturbing mite occur, under a blanket of bad weather. It adds to the readers anticipation, holding there interests with the descriptions allowing the reader to actually feel and visualise the background settings, into the black night. Another part of the gothic genre is the use of descriptive words which creates imagery in the mind of the reader. Stevensons opening in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde begins with a character description of Hyde. This is a strong opening, shocking the reader from the start, as he is not a pleasant figure. This opening sets the tone for the whole novel, making the reader curious as to who or what that figure is. Questions are put in the mind of reader from the descriptive gothic nature of the novel. Stevenson combined the gothic genre with Darwins theory of Evolution successfully with reference to Hyde. He is numerously referred to as bestial, this is supportive of the theory that humans are superior beings but have evolved from animals. His nature is not human like, he has behaviour void of any emotion to the people he attacks, like an animal. Stevenson uses words relating to his bestial nature to describe particular aspects of him like his voice, enhancing the overall image the reader has created, as husky. It creates imagery of a dog / wolf like creature making Hyde more real to the reader as they can image what he sounds like. Hydes presence made people fear him because of his appearance, when he was sighted he was described as ugly but his features were indescribable but somewhat deformed.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Moscow Dynamo Football Essay Example for Free

Moscow Dynamo Football Essay Many people would argue that sport helps bring people together and helps overcome divisions of race, nationality, class and religion. The Soviets drew upon this ideal in 1984 when they called the Moscow games, the friendship games. As well as bringing people together, sport can just as easily raise political consciousness and force people apart. The collective passion for Barcelona F.C is interlocked with politics, as is the connection between sport and nationalism in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Supporting this view, George Orwell comments on the visit of the Moscow Dynamo Football team to Britain in 1945, sport is an unfailing cause of ill-will andif such a visit has had any affect on Anglo-Soviet relations, it could only be to make them slightly worse than before. (Atyeo, 1979, P.372) Governments have been known to use major sporting events to try and divert the attention of the masses away from certain political and social problems that country might be encountering as well as trying to improve their national image. For example, in the nine months leading up to the Moscow Olympics, drunks, hooligans and dissidents were rounded up and headed out of Moscow to try to prevent any sort of dissent, which could mar their public relations. Certain groups use the prominence of sport, which has been increased in recent years thanks to sport becoming a global television spectacle, to make a political point. In most cases, the choice of sport to make the political point is arbitrary, as it is the prominence of the sport in the public eye which is the critical factor. The 1972 Munich Olympics saw the killing of 10 Israeli athletes by eight armed Palestinian gunman, and the 1968 Mexico Olympics saw a protest by the student movement about the cost of hosting the games, which was a huge financial burden on the poor country, result in the army opening fire on the demonstration, killing 260 and injuring 1,000. Although politics does not only cite sport when dissidents intervene. There are a number of groups and individuals that have used sport and its prominent position in the public eye to raise political consciousness about what may be happening in that country. For example, the 2003 cricket world cup saw the wearing of a black armband by two of Zimbabwes players in protest against the Mugabe regime. The two players, Henry Olonga, the first black man to play for his country, and Andy Flower, in most cricket fans opinion, Zimbabwes greatest ever player, were almost universally praised for their dignified statement about the human rights abuses in their homeland. Ian Chappell, former captain of Australias cricket team and one of the many who applaud Flower and Olonga for their brave stance commented that; you realise when you go through life that there are occasions when you have a louder voice. If theres something youre moved about, thats the time to speak out for those who do not have a louder voice. The World Cup also saw the boycott by England of their opening match in the competition against Zimbabwe, for which they first cited moral, political and security concerns, then changed it to concerns about player safety as the reason for boycotting the game. A decision they might have latter regretted as the points gained for winning that match would have taken them into the super-six stage of the competition and maybe further. Theyre many people who believe that England made the right decision in boycotting this match, but there are also people who did not. David Coltart, who believes that politics has no place in sport, puts forward some arguments for going ahead with the match. He comments, paradoxically, holding the matches in Zimbabwe opens up a tiny piece of democratic space for those fighting tyranny. He also notes if no further matches take place (in Zimbabwe), there will be no further reason for the regime to behave better. Kate Hoey, writing for Sky Sports online, who disagreed with Coltart, argues that the match shouldnt have been played because the message that will be sent out worldwide is that Zimbabwe is a normal functioning country, which is patently untrue. She feels sport and politics must unite against the Mugabe regime and thus the England team needed to pull out of the match to raise worldwide awareness about the human rights abuses dictator Mugabe is undergoing. This view coincides with Ian Chappells view about the need to speak out for those without a louder voice. It is not only the players who sometimes feel the need to tackle political issues, the broad fact is that sports bodies on occasion have to confront inter-state political issues. (Allison, 1983, P.33) This was no more evident when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) excluded South Africa from the Olympic movement, not because of governmental pressure, but because the social and economic system in South Africa does not allow sport to be practiced there in accordance with the IOCs own rules as laid down in the Olympic Charter. The Welsh Hockey associations decision to not send a team to Argentina in 1985 because of the ill feeling that could still have been left over after the Falklands War is another example of a sporting body taking into account political situations before making a decision. There are so many examples of sport being influenced by politics over the years and so much theoretical evidence linking the two to say sport can remain uninfluenced by politics and politicians. Whether or not sport should remain uninfluenced by politics is of much wider debate. Events in Zimbabwe have highlighted many peoples opinions that sport and everyone involved in it has a responsibility to make sure important political issues such as the Mugabe regime are not ignored and that something is done to try and resolve them. But whatever view you may have on whether it is right for sport to get involved with politics, it becomes apparent that sport and politics cannot be mutually isolated (Allison. 1983, P.29) however much the sports enthusiast would wish them to be. Bibliography Books  Allison,L. The Politics of Sport, (Manchester University Press, 1983)  Whannel, G. Blowing the Whistle: The Politics of Sport, (Pluto, 1986)  Houlihan, B. The Government and Politics of Sport, ( Routledge, 1991)  Lapchick, R, E. The Politics and Race of International Sport, (Greenwood Press, 1975)  Voy, R. Drugs, Sport and Politics, (Leisure Press, 1991)  Atyeo, D. Blood, Guts and Violence, (Paddington Press, 1979)

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Edward Snowden: The Most Famous Whistleblower

Edward Snowden: The Most Famous Whistleblower Whistleblowers are some of the most important people to have in a democracy. They provide information that the government doesnt want to get out, while this could be dangerous in the case of Edward Snowden he released information that was valuable to the citizens of the united states. Snowden is not the first person to do something like this and has previously stated he was inspired by Daniel Ellsberg who leaked pentagon papers in the 1970s. Even though hes wanted by the government to some people Snowden is a hero. Edward Snowden who was born in North Carolina but later mover to Massachusetts had dropped out of of high school but was no degenerate. A bad case of mononucleosis kept him out of school for 9 months so instead of falling behind he decided that he would drop out. After dropping out he began studying computers at Anne Arundel Community College which was located in Maryland. His father was quoted saying We always considered Ed the smartest one in the family. and this was clear when Edward scored a 145 on two different IQ tests. He later enlisted into the special forces because he wanted to learn new languages, but never made it out of basic because he either broke both legs or washed out because of shin splints, it depends on who you ask. After this he was a security guard at a college in maryland that had ties to the NSA. After this he landed a job with the C.I.A.(Central Intelligence Agency) but quit after being suspected of attempting to break into classified files. While still with the C.I.A. he was on a mission in Switzerland where he first discovered corruption in the Government. This is where he first wanted to become a whistleblower but with Obama being soon elected he was optimistic about the changes he was going to make. After working for the C.I.A. for some time he moved to a private IT company where he worked as a contractor and would later work in a few offices for the N.S.A. this is where he notices a breach in security and got his hands on the classified information that he would leak. The definition of a hero is someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. When he was younger, saw sergeant Frank Ford reveal the information about the war in Iraq he thought of him as a hero for being honest, and letting the people know what was really going on in Iraq. Even though Ford was once Snowdens hero Snowden would make a bigger impact than Ford. Sowden and Ford are not the only whistleblowers who have made themselves public. Manning had leaked hundreds of documents that had to do with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Before any of them Ellsberg had leaked a ton of information in the early seventies. Nixons administration alienated Ellsberg much like Obamas administration has done to Snowden but now Ellsberg is considered a hero. Now Snowden is considered the hero to some people but a lot of people within the government or who listen to the government would disagree. He has inspired many other anonymous leaks from within the U.S. Government. Snowden receives credit for most of these but he has said that many leaks come from another source or other sources. The U.S. government has made it clear that they know about the the copycats when a representative, Adam Schiff who is a member of the House Intelligence Committee claiming that it is a big concern of theirs. Schiff also said The degree that people have been lionizing Snowden, it encourages people to make a name for themselves by leaking which is true. Even Some Government officials have publicly claimed that they went too far. Though many people think the Government was in the wrong for so intensely tracking suspected terrorist it makes sense for the Government to do that because some 9/11 hijackers were tracked but then nothing was done about them. Officials say that this could have put the country in more danger by showing potential terrorist how the government tracks them it allows them to b ypass those methods. Schiff also claimed that the Government should be more careful with who gets access to what by saying Snowden should have never had access in the first place. The Pentagon has approved as many as 3.2 million people access to highly classified information from 2006 to 2011 (CNN). After fleeing the country Snowden got ahold of journalists and offered them an unprecedented scoop(PBS). Even though the two journalists had received the documents it was not until they were on a plane and out of the country when they felt safe to open them and look at the things Snowden had shared. Greenwald, one of the journalists was quoted saying I didnt sleep one second for the next 16 hours because the adrenaline made that impossible. He said that he understood that this would be a story like hed never written before and one that people would talk about for decades. The journalists were given thousands of documents that showed what the Obama administration had been doing to regular citizens who had no criminal records and were not suspected terrorists. They were simply eavesdropping on regular citizens who had not done anything wrong. Some of the eavesdropping was justified but a surprising amount was not. Snowdens leaks shed a serious amount of light on this problem and it le d to a two part series on Frontline that dove into the topic from after 9/11 all the way to when things were leaked by Snowden. This series went even further than Snowden when they had revealed the extent that the government went to to keep these secrets hidden. It was during this time where Snowden had revealed that the worst of the wiretapping and eavesdropping had come from when Bush was president. Snowden still cares about America though saying that he would like to return one day and I told the government Id volunteer for prison, as long as it served the right purpose, he says I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we cant allow the law to become a political weapon or agree to scare people away from standing up for their rights, no matter how good the deal. Im not going to be part of that. (Wired). These statements show his true character and that he really does care about America. Snowden claimed that he had tried to leave clues for the N.S.A. to show him what documents were actually copied and which ones were just looked at. Despite these efforts the N.S.A. had missed the clues and reported that he took over a million documents when in reality he on took a few thousand. Snowden sounded disappointed when speaking on the fact that the government had missed his clues because he had thought that they were obvious. Sponsors from both major political parties c an agree that this has shown that the U.S. government needs to stop their mass surveillance for clear reasons. This was such a big deal that President Obama himself as well as congress have both publicly talked about the issue and the Supreme Court has hinted at making a decision about the governments use of unwarranted surveillance. This was never Snowdens intention he had just wanted to share what the government was doing because he felt that it was unjust. Despite the efforts by the government to make Snowden out to be the bad guy more than half the population agrees with what he did. Many government officials have spoken on this but not in the favor of snowden, N.S.A. director Keith Alexander claimed that the russian government had manipulated him while the secretary of state called him a coward and a traitor.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

College Admissions Essays - A Photograph -- College Admissions Essays

College Admissions Essays - A Photograph Attach a small photograph (3.5 x 5 inches or smaller) of something important to you and explain its significance. At an age when my friends’ floors were strewn with toys, dirty clothes, or video-game cartridges, mine was smothered in paper of all sorts — books, magazines, reams of white and college-ruled, paper bags, paper airplanes. This pattern has survived, and it is representative of the way I live. The house of my life is built on a foundation of paper. Certainly this element is crucial in all our lives. From money to facial tissues to news to playing cards, paper is a vital organ of the body politic. And I, as a student, laden with schoolwork (and college application forms), should naturally expect to be particularly prone. But, for me, paper goes even beyond this role: Virtually all of my favorite activities are paper-based. I compose music, poetry, and prose. I do mathematics, with massive scratchwork as a by-product. I solve cryptic crosswords. Last year, I was involved in CX debate, which may be cynically but not inaccurately said to consist essentially of reading prepared pieces of paper in a strategically determined order. To me, paper is the natural medium for connecting the mind — whether in its imaginative, mechanical, or emotive capacity — with the physical world. Small wonder, than, that I find I express myself more effectively in writing than in speech, or that, on my habitual multiple-hour w alks, I often carry blank paper and pens to jot down any arbitrary thoughts that might seem worthy of retention. Even beyond this, my intimate relationship with paper extends to some unorthodox functions. I have developed a rudimentary sile... ...ell-checkers. And my dependence on paper embodies not only resourcefulness but thrift. I rarely buy new clothes; I use public transit (or walk), which appears especially frugal in light of today’s gasoline prices. Paper, being plentiful and inexpensive, fits into this scheme. Recently, I took this trait to a new height: whereas I previously sent paper to the recycle bin after depleting one side, I now make a conscious effort to use both sides of every sheet, thus saving on future purchases. Paper is the staple of my existence (no pun intended). From when I was six and spent my days filling pads with fantastical designs for houses, zoos, and factories, to the present, when I surround myself with sheets bearing drafts of essays on one side and systems of equations on the other, my life has been ruled by this ruled substance — simple, utile, and ubiquitous.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Comparing Death in Do not go gentle into that good night and Death Be N

Death in Do not go gentle into that good night and Death Be Not Proud  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "Death Be Not Proud" both deal with the subject of death. These poems seem to have contradictory messages about death, yet at the same time have similar attitudes toward it. "Death Be Not Proud" talks about how death really has no power over people, while "Do not go gentle into that good night" says that it is part of human nature to fight against death. Both "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "Death Be Not Proud" see death as an opponent; however, one sees it as an adversary that is already defeated while the other sees it as an enemy that must be defeated. In "Death Be Not Proud" Donne says "those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow / Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me"(lines 3-4). This passage shows Donne's belief that people will always overcome death. In Thomas' poem, he writes "Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright / Their frail deeds might have danced in the green bay, / Rage, rage against the dying of the light" (7-9). Even the "good men" are in the end defeated by death according to Thomas. The tone of both of these poems is one of resentment towards death, although in dissimilar ways. In "Death Be Not Proud" Donne hates death because it thinks it has power over humans and in his opinion just the opposite is true. Donne says that death is a "slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men." (9). He thinks death has no reason to be proud because he relies on these things for its power, so really people have power over death. Thomas feels almost the opposite, though. He sees death as having power over people, and is saying that people do not ... ...is father do the same. Although "Death Be Not Proud" is seemingly directed at the personification of death, it seems like it could also be directed at the people who treat death like it is "Mighty and dreadful" (2). He wants to get this message across to those that fear and respect death that death is controlled by people, not the other way around. These two poems can each be summed up by one line from each. In "Do not go gentle into that good night" the main point of the poem is "Old age should burn and rave at the close of day" (2), and in "Death Be Not Proud," "death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die" (14). When one looks at these two lines, the essence of these two poets disagreement on death is typified. Thomas believes one should "not go gentle into that good night," while Donne believes death is the "Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery" (8).

Monday, September 2, 2019

Educational Philosophy Statement :: Education Teaching Progressivism Essays

Educational Philosophy Statement Education is everywhere. This is why teachers need to be the best they can be. Since all children and adolescents are required to attend school, they need teachers that care about them and their education. In order for a teacher to be able to do this, he/she needs to understand the nature of students and knowledge. These two things go together. A teacher also needs to know what the purpose of an education is because without knowing, a teacher does not really have a purpose. In my philosophy, I will discuss why I think my curricular area is important and how I will professionally develop myself to become the best teacher I can be. To begin, we need to understand the nature of students. The nature of students varies between individuals. The majority of students are well-behaved and come to school ready to learn. Part of this is due to the way they have been raised, but most students are basically good. There is a small percent of students whose nature, it seems, is to make everyone miserable. I do not know if this is because of a difficult childhood at home or because the student just likes to be the center of attention. Either way, there are always students that will give their teachers a hard time. I guess this is their nature. Every individual is different, therefore, the nature of the students I will teach some day will be different depending on their background and other various things that may happen to them as they grow up. For example, a student that has lost a sibling due to an illness or accident, may become very bitter throughout life. The nature of this student’s be havior which is being shaped by this may make this student a cold-hearted and mean student. These are the students that teachers need to spend extra time with and try to make them feel loved, no matter how hard this may be. I, as a future teacher, need to look at students and try to help them out no matter how difficult that may be.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Adapting to Modern Society

Adapting to Modern Times Today, there are various radio stations that are broadcasted throughout Tanzania. However, from the 1950s until the mid-1990s, Radio Tanzania was the country’s sole station, consisting of music, poetry, drama, and speeches. There are currently more than 15,000 reels of these tapes that are sitting on the shelves of the BBC building in Dar es Salaam. Reviving the Radio Tanzania Archives is a project that has a goal of digitizing and preserving these tapes before they are destroyed.Throughout reading the booklet by the Heritage Project and after listening to the NPR segment, I noticed a common theme of indigenization of modernity. I argue that the project is using modern technology in order to preserve traditional ways. This topic has also been an important concept of the papers by Christen and Hodgson. In order to reach their goal, the people of the Tanzania Heritage project must use modern knowledge to convert the reel tapes into digital material. When they are able to make this conversion, they will be exemplifying the act of using modern ways in order to preserve traditions.The traditions that they are preserving refer to the history that is embedded in the forms of media that were broadcasted on the radio. According to the Heritage Project, Radio Tanzania was â€Å"both a key instrument of the state and public service, used as a tool for promoting unity and national pride through music† (booklet:8). The Radio represented more than just entertainment, it was involved in politics, and social relations as well. In the NPR segment, they state that the Radio was strictly Tanzanian, a station that was sung by and for the Tanzanian people.The station represents the purity of the Tanzanians without the influence from other institutions. In reproducing these tapes through digitization, people from all different parts of the world will be able to experience a part of the Tanzanian past. The restoration of them allows the Tanzania n tradition to live on indefinitely. Another important concern for the Heritage Project is for the future generations of Tanzania. The co-founder, Benson Rukantabula, hopes that â€Å"If we digitize the archives, they (younger generation) can know where they lost their way†(booklet:13).By using the modern technology to preserve the archives, the project hopes to inspire future generations to create music based on traditional values. King Kiki, one of the legends of the Radio Tanzania era, still plays to sold-out crowds weekly. Another artist of the radio, John Kitime also continues to play live shows throughout Tanzania. The fact that both of these men are still playing to live audience signifies how valuable the music still is. This type of music is also known as Swahili Jazz music, and it was the most popular form of Tanzanian music from the 1960s until the mid-1990s.One important feature of this type of music, according to the co-founder of the Tanzanian Heritage Project, is that you do not have to know the Swahili language to appreciate the music. The project believes in the universality of music, and how it crosses cultural barriers. If more of this music was available for people, then people would naturally begin to recognize the traditional rhythms and melodies of Tanzanian history. The broadcast of this music would increase the influence of traditional Tanzanian culture worldwide. The compact disc of the Warumungu women is also an example of the indigenization of modernity. The recorded songs define Warumungu women’s ancestral relations, their ongoing community status, and their continued relation to specific sets of country† (Christen:417). It is only with the compact disc, which is the product of modern society, that they are able to spread this music and their traditions internationally. To show the goal of reaching outside cultures, there is an insert that includes both English and Warumungu, in which the women voice their tradi tions, and explain their decision to put the disc into circulation.This insert gives a long history to the reader, and allows them an inside perspective of Warumungu history. Along with broadcasting nationally, this music is also recognized locally, and it is a central goal of the Warumungu women to create a new generation of â€Å"red-orcher women. † The disc was an important source of security for the Warumungu women, to ensure them that their younger generation would recognize and notice their ancestor’s traditions. In addition to the women’s desire to show their traditions to outside cultures and to their own younger generation, they were also aware of the economic benefit that the disc had for them.Nappanangka, a senior Warumungu women said that her â€Å"expectation is that the compact disc’s circulation will increase her power as a ‘red-orcher woman’ while also helping her pay for a new Toyota Land Cruiser† (Christen:424). With the success of the compact disc, the women were hoping for recognition as well as some economic benefit; both of which would help their society. In conclusion, the Warumungu women used the compact disc in order to protect their future generations and to preserve their own customs.The Maasai culture has experienced rapid change throughout its history. In the past, the Maasai culture was ignored because of its primitive ways. Recently, since the tourism industry has become a significant business, the Tanzanian nation-state officials have begun to recognize the Maasai, and use their authentic lifestyle to attract tourists. The Maasai have used this recognition â€Å"to their own advantage, linking current efforts to protect their lands and livelihoods and access development resources to global campaigns for the rights of indigenous peoples†(Hodgson:135).Their cultural lifestyle is being preserved due to the modern theme of tourism. In addition, the Maasai culture has experienced a shifting of roles of masculinities over many years. Traditionally, the Maasai culture has been associated with pastoralism and a dominant warrior-like masculinity. In the past, when a Maasai adopted certain forms of modernity, they were called â€Å"Ormeek†, which was associated with weakness and ignorance. However, the word Ormeek now takes on a more positive meaning and is valued and respected.Most of the Maasai community has learned that education is a key to the future, and Maasai men â€Å"want to educate all of their children so that they can survive in what they perceive as a rapidly changing world† (Hodgson:140). With this education, the Maasai are able to get jobs in the government, and are able to have a voice for the Maasai people. The older generation depends on the younger generation to take care of them, because of the great power that education has in their society. However, although they are adopting these new ways, many of the Maasai people continue to incorporate traditional ways into their daily routines.The social relations of the Maasai culture have basically remained the same, although education has been a key component that has been added. In conclusion, while adapting to modern ways, the Maasai culture has still maintained many of their traditional values, while also using newfound forms of education to provide new advancements for their culture. Reviving the Radio Tanzania Archives is a project with a goal much like that of the Warumungu women. Although the world is advancing, they are trying to preserve their traditions, and make them available worldwide. They do not want to lose heir past due to changing society; they want to recreate it so it can help future generations and inspire them. The Maasai also recognize that they are living in a changing world, and they are beginning to use new forms of education in order to promote their culture to outsiders. All three pieces of work share a commonality of trying to prese rve traditional means by using modern technology. Even though they are aware the world around them is unpredictable, they are not ready to forget their traditions, and step in line with modern times completely. They will use modern means in order to preserve the traditions that they wish to protect.