Great Depression

Mrs. Russell Cause and Effect Essay English 101-80 Great Depression What caused the Great Depression, the worst economic depression in US history? It was not just one factor, but instead a combination of domestic and worldwide conditions that led to the Great Depression. The causes aand effects of the Great Depression was huge across the world, here are three top causes and effects of the Great Depression. Stock Market Crash of 1929 was one of the major causes that led to the Great Depression.Two months after the original crash in October, stockholderzs had lost more than $40 billion dollars. By the end of 1930, the stock market tried to regain some of its losses but it was not enough and America truly entered the Great Depression. Throughout the 1930s, over 9,000 banks failed. Bank deposits were uninsured and thus as banks failed people simply lost their savings. Surviving banks was unsure of the economic situation and concerned for their own survival, stopped being as willing to cr eate new loans.This exacerbated the situation leadig to less and less expenditures. When the stock market crashed, and the banks failed and unemployment levels reached higher and higher pointsw people understandably stopped spending money, which also deeped the economic crisis as demand for products and services slowly stopped. First effect is Stock Market and Banking regulations, after the stock market crash of 1929 and collapse of more then 40% of American banks, strict trading and banking regulations put in place.For financial protection newly formed Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for financial protection. Second effect is when Franklin D. Roosevelt’s introduced programs between 1933 and 1930, designed to help America pull out of the Great Depression by addressing high rates of unemployment and poverty. FDR and Congress introduced regulationzs and subside: the cornerstones of the New Deal wetre the Public Works Administrati on and the National Recovery Administration.Third effect is when many people learned some valuable things about managing their money and doing the best they could with what they had. Children grew up to be very imaginative and inventive. They appreciated the things they had access to in their life because they never forgot just how little they once had. The Great Depression ended in the 1939 as the world increased the production of the war materials with the outbreak of WWII. War production increased jobs and hence large amounts of money were reintrodu ced to circuklate in the economy. Great Depression Steinbeck teaches us that as humans, loneliness and the desire for companionship is inevitable and in this cruel world where we are all set again t one another as rivals for the resources needed to survive, true friendships are to be cherisher d for they are hard to come by. As humans, we are all subject to loneliness at some points in our lives, and we all desire companionship, no matter how indifferent we may act to mask that desire. In by John Steinbeck, Curler's wife is incredibly lonely as the only woman on the ranch and is often isolated from the ranch hands who view her as trouble.She is often see n prancing around the ranch in the pretense of searching for her husband and often attempts to engage other ranch hands in friendly conversation. During her conversation in the stables with Car kooks, Candy, and Leonie, she remarked, ‘Effendi I don't like to talk to somebody ever' once in a w hill? Think like to stick in that house all time? â€Å"‘ (Steinbeck, 77). This was particularly imp rotary as it displays her loneliness and desire for companionship. However, her friendly sees is often seen as flirtatiousness to the other men, and this results in their view of her as an unfed dutiful and dangerous woman.Crooks, just like Curlers wife, suffers from loneliness as w ell, though his isolation results from his race instead of his words and actions. As shown during Eng his conversation with Leonie in the stables, Crooks remarks that â€Å"if he sees something', he don't know whether its right or not† and he has no one to ask and â€Å"nothing to measure by† (Steinbeck 73). He had also cried that if â€Å"a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick† (Steinbeck 73). This was IM portent as well for it showed just how desperately we desire companionship.If we had no on e besides us, we get so lonely and desperate that we became sick due to the lack of company. The desire for companionship and loneliness are inevitable parts of human li fe that we all ex pertinence from time o time, though we may all deal with it in various methods, with some acting more indifferent than others. In this world with a population of around 7 billion and extremely limited ores urges, we are born into a dotage world. The competition for resources took a turn f or the worse when the Great Depression hit in the asses. Futures this harsh reality in which men are set against each other in a competition for the sparse jobs and machined De money, which was then used to purchase a piece of land. This was the dream of every men, but alas, in a world of worsening economy, very few saw their dream to fruition. As Curlers wife had observed in the novella, if she engaged one man in a conversation, they'd get along just if en and have a nice chat. However, if she attempts to engage a group of men in a conversation, the eyed all be too scared of each to talk to her, they'd be too scared that the others may â€Å"get so meeting' on them.This observat ion shows the hostility hidden beneath the pretense of friendly sees the men have with one another. The minute the rest â€Å"gets something† on one of the men, the eyed eliminate him so they'd have less competition for the resources, in this case, money and job s. When Candy, George, and Leonie were first entertaining the idea of owning a stake together r, George had warned them not to tell a soul for ‘they liable to can us so we can't make no SST aka† (Steinbeck 61 This warning displays the distrust among the men.Perhaps this is why true e friends pips are cherished and mourned when lost, for in this hostile world, it is difficult to co me by, but a great blessing in times of hardship. The world is cruel and hostile, and men are all says out to get one another. Loneliness and the desire for companionship is inevitable, we will all expire once it in our bedtime at one point or another, and it will only teach us to cherish our comma onions more.After all, true com panions are hard to come by in this harsh reality in which we are all born as rivals battling for the same limited resources we need to survive. Steinbeck had, thro cough his profound use and command of the English language, taught us, to put it in the simplest way, how to understand one another better. The key to communication and relations ammo Eng people is the understanding of each other, and through , Steinbeck has taught us just how we can begin to understand one another. Great Depression Mrs. Russell Cause and Effect Essay English 101-80 Great Depression What caused the Great Depression, the worst economic depression in US history? It was not just one factor, but instead a combination of domestic and worldwide conditions that led to the Great Depression. The causes aand effects of the Great Depression was huge across the world, here are three top causes and effects of the Great Depression. Stock Market Crash of 1929 was one of the major causes that led to the Great Depression.Two months after the original crash in October, stockholderzs had lost more than $40 billion dollars. By the end of 1930, the stock market tried to regain some of its losses but it was not enough and America truly entered the Great Depression. Throughout the 1930s, over 9,000 banks failed. Bank deposits were uninsured and thus as banks failed people simply lost their savings. Surviving banks was unsure of the economic situation and concerned for their own survival, stopped being as willing to cr eate new loans.This exacerbated the situation leadig to less and less expenditures. When the stock market crashed, and the banks failed and unemployment levels reached higher and higher pointsw people understandably stopped spending money, which also deeped the economic crisis as demand for products and services slowly stopped. First effect is Stock Market and Banking regulations, after the stock market crash of 1929 and collapse of more then 40% of American banks, strict trading and banking regulations put in place.For financial protection newly formed Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for financial protection. Second effect is when Franklin D. Roosevelt’s introduced programs between 1933 and 1930, designed to help America pull out of the Great Depression by addressing high rates of unemployment and poverty. FDR and Congress introduced regulationzs and subside: the cornerstones of the New Deal wetre the Public Works Administrati on and the National Recovery Administration.Third effect is when many people learned some valuable things about managing their money and doing the best they could with what they had. Children grew up to be very imaginative and inventive. They appreciated the things they had access to in their life because they never forgot just how little they once had. The Great Depression ended in the 1939 as the world increased the production of the war materials with the outbreak of WWII. War production increased jobs and hence large amounts of money were reintrodu ced to circuklate in the economy. Great Depression If someone went to prison in 1989 and was released in the year 2000, he would probably be surprised by how drastic change can be in ten years can bring. When 1990 started, people were still communicating through letters and the telephone. The Bible was still the greatest bestseller and people used the word â€Å"terror† to describe how scared they were of their neighbor’s dog. By the end of 1999, however, children were engrossed with a new book. People were sending e-mails to their loved ones, and our idea of terror has been redefined.The 90s was shaped by things we could not have imagined, things that have brought about major changes in our lives. Though the decade was made of numerous and note-worthy events, this paper will zero in on three factors that best define the 1990s in America: the story that mattered to the young, the technology that changed the face of communication, and the heartbreak that we suffered as a nation. In trying to define the 1990s in America, it is important that we take a look at the decade’s popular literary works. Literature is an important indicator of the times.By reading the popular literature of the early 1920s, we see a generation dried out by the. If we read the poetry and fiction of the Beat writers, we see a carefree generation of the late 50’s ready to break into the sexual revolution of the 60s. I’ve always thought of literature as a reflection of a people’s state of mind. It is, after all, the collection of stories of people. And people only write stories of the things that truly matter to them. Ironically, in the 90s, the most popular story ever told could not have happened to anyone.That would just be silly. No 11-year-old boy could have found out that he was a wizard and then went off to wizardry school. But that is exactly the premise of the most popular book of the 90s —Harry Potter. The premise does sound pretty simple, but author JK Rowling managed to craft intricat e storylines of various adventures, with mysteries being deliciously unraveled along the way. The result? The highest selling children’s book in history. No other children’s book has ever made much of an impact as â€Å"the boy who lived†.From then on there were several other books written about magic, wizards, vampires, robots, things not of this earth. And I think this is indicative of what we as a people are ready for. We are a generation ready to be bewildered, to consider things outside our immediate reality. Wiktorin, in his paper about how the Harry Potter books relate to contemporary life, states that â€Å"constructing a world different to the ordinary one and marketing this, can certainly be a very lucrative enterprise† (2). This is exactly what Harry Potter and all the fantasy books of the nineties have offered us.A constructed world so different from our own, but governed by the rules and emotions that are quintessentially human. This readines s to consider things outside our realm went hand in hand with the explosion of the internet in the nineties. In 1984, if you were a lonely kid in school, you went home and dealt with it. In 1998, a nerdy 13-year-old who probably feels ill at ease with his schoolmates can log in on the internet after school and find an online community of people to talk to. In the 1990s, the internet was really primarily used for communication.The e-mail and the chat functions were the most popular internet activities. A study conducted by Axel Franzen shows that email increases social involvement and regression analysis shows that Internet users have 24% more friends (Lesnard, 4). The world got a lot smaller, and getting in touch was just a few clicks away. The amount of information that the World Wide Web has brought to individuals cannot be emphasized enough. If Harry Potter led us to believe or consider things that are outside our realm, the internet allowed us to think of the things that existed beyond our personal reality.It allowed us to be tolerant of differences, because these differences are no longer miles away from us. We hear about it a few clicks away. The things that we can see on the internet can also be seen by people with internet in China. It equalizes us somehow and allows us to interact in astounding ways. As much as Harry Potter brought about a considerable amount of whimsical escape and the internet allowed us to be more aware of others’ cultures and differences, certain events of the 90s unfortunately gave us first-hand experience of evil.In the middle of the decade, America experienced its first terror attack through the Oklahoma Bombing. Despite the number of wars that have been fought by our country, a terror attack was so surprising because it just didn’t make sense. The Oklahoma bombing wasn’t an unfortunate result of any military operation. It wasn’t the work of some psychotic man. It wasn’t an accidental occurren ce. Rather, it was a carefully calculated plan with the sole purpose of terrorizing people. The perpetrators were apprehended and convicted, and the reasons behind their actions was said to be disappointment with how the U.S government handled past issues. Instead of letting their opinions known through protests, they took a course of action as arbitrary as it is terrorizing. The Oklahoma Bombing killed 108 people, including babies on daycare. This terrorist attack reminded us of the need for security, to protect our nation from people who are on the mission to destroy it. When it comes to vigilance against terrorism, â€Å"unlike most other enterprises, success and failure are measured according to the number of lives saved and lost† (Manzi, et. al. , 10).We cannot afford to lose the war against terror, as it will mean losing precious lives. After the Oklahoma bombing, the government implemented tighter security measures and that has stopped numerous other terror attempts. H owever there still continues to be groups of people who vehemently disagree with what America stands for as a nation. So much so, that they are willing to kill thousands of people just to show their hatred and defiance. Sadly, they succeeded again in 2001, when we found ourselves dealing with the horror that is 9/11.Every year we learn something new. Every decade stands for something. But during 1990s, aside from learning the Macarena and wearing baby doll dresses with high cut boots, aside from thinking that boy bands were actually cool, we grew a lot as a nation. The internet has shown us that the world as we know it could be perceived as an entirely different world for others. And it is important to be tolerant of differences, to respect differences. Terror attacks have shown us the extreme effects of our intolerance.Even the preferred choice of reading material shows that we are ready to tolerate changes, unlike Harry Pottter’s human family who can’t accept the fac t that he’s a wizard. There is still so much to be learned, so many virtues to put into practice, and knowledge to be put in use. But I’d love to believe that the experiences we had in the 90s helped us a lot. And in retrospect, I hope that I will also consider this decade as great as the one it preceded. Works Cited: Lesnard, L. †Social Change, Daily Life, and the Internet†, Chimera Working Paper, 2005-07: Retrieved on 17 November 2008, http://hal.archives-ouvertes. fr/docs/00/04/46/29/PDF/CWP-2005-07-Lesnard-Social-Change. pdf Wiktorin, Pierre. â€Å"Constructing a Distinct Other: Harry Potter and the Enchantment of the Future† 17 May 2005. Retrieved on 17 November 2008, http://www. anpere. net/2007/12. pdf Manzi, Powers, & Zetterlund. â€Å"Critical Information Flows in the Alfred P. Murrah Building Bombing: A Case Study†. The Terrorism Studies Series. Retrieved on 17 November 2008. http://www. mipt. org/pdf/murrahcasestudy. pdf

Decision Making Process Essay

There are times in everyone’s lives where decisions have to be made. Some decisions are small, some large and some life changing. Whatever type of decision you are faced with there is a process that is taken to determine the best possible outcome. In a personal aspect when I have a decision that needs to be made I tend to weigh all the possible outcomes and determine which one benefits me the most. For instance when I decided to go back to school at the University of phoenix I weighed the [possible outcomes of going back to school with the possible outcomes of not going back to school. Determining pros and cons is a typical weigh to reach an outcome when debating what to do in a scenario. I decided that the pros far outweighed the cons and I could potentially make a lot more money by going back to school in the long run than if I had decided not to re-enroll back into college. It is good for people to be able to see both sides of an outcome when making a very important decisio n in life. For the major decisions and choices people have to make it is essential they they be aware of the positive and the negatives of the potential outcome they choose. I have found that when a decision is to be made on very important issues I like to be able to play the â€Å"what if† game, the â€Å"what if† game is basically putting yourself into the different scenarios of the possible outcomes. For example, when I was debating on whether or not to return to school I put myself in the scenario of what if I don’t go back to school. That scenario would have played out with me being stuck in the same old dead end job and not making the effort to change my future for the better. When I put myself in the scenario where I went back to school I could see myself graduating, getting a good job and living a more prosperous life. In concluding the decision making process is one that helps people make real life decisions in real life situations. Some people use diff erent methods to help them figure out which decision is best for them. The majority of the time it pays to weigh your options and look ahead to what the potential of each decision could be.

Neologisms

Information about Neologism In linguistics, a neologism is a recently-coined word. It also is the result of the act of inventing a word or phrase. Additionally it can imply the use of old words in a new sense (i. e. , giving new meanings for existing words or phrases). Neologisms are especially useful in identifying new inventions, new phenomena, or old ideas which have taken on a new cultural context. The word â€Å"neologism† was coined around the end of the1800 and was a neologism itself.Neologisms tend to occur more often in cultures which are rapidly changing, and also in situations where there is easy and fast propagation of information. Neologisms are often created by combining existing words or giving words new and unique suffixes or prefixes. Neologisms often enter the language through mass media, the Internet, or through word of mouth – especially, many linguists suspect, by younger people. Virtually every word in a language was, at some time, a neologism, tho ugh many are quite ancient.Neologistic words or phrases themselves are borrowed from the older word, when required, to define the new concepts. Neologistic words or phrases which are combined are often shortened or lengthened. Neologisms can also be created through abbreviation, acronym, by intentionally rhyming with existing words, or simply through playing with sounds. Neologisms often become accepted parts of the language. Other times, however, they disappear from common usage. Whether or not a neologism continues as part of the language depends on many factors, probably the most important of which is acceptance by the public.Acceptance by linguistic experts and incorporation into dictionaries also plays a part, as does whether the phenomenon described by a neologism remains current, thus continuing to need a descriptor. It is unusual, however, for a word to enter common use if it does not resemble another word or words in an identifiable way. (In these cases, strange new words s ucceed because the idea behind them is especially memorable or exciting). When a word or phrase is no longer â€Å"new,† it is no longer a neologism.Neologisms may take decades to become â€Å"old†, though. Opinions differ on exactly how old a word must be to no longer be considered a neologism (to some, cultural acceptance also plays a influencial role than time in this regard; other dissagree, stating the amount of time the word exists in use is the important factor). Versions of Neologism * Stable – â€Å"Old†; Gained some recognizable and likely somewhat lasting foothold (i. e. , mainstreamed). * Diffused – â€Å"Young†; Reached a significant audience, but not mainstreamed. Unstable – â€Å"Newborn†; Proposed or rarely being used but meet an expressive need. Types of Neologism * Scientific – words or phrases created to describe new scientific discoveries. * Technological – words or phrases created to describe inventions. * Political – words or phrases created to make some kind of political or rhetorical point, perhaps with an eye to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis * Pop-culture – words or phrases evolved from mass media content or used to describe popular culture phenomenon (which may be considered a sub section of slang). Imported – words or phrases originating in another language. Typically they are used to express ideas that have no equivalent term in the native language. â€Å"Yesterday's neologisms, like yesterday's jargon, are often today's essential vocabulary. † – Academic Instincts, 2001[1] Compare with: portmanteau, euphemism, loanword, buzzword, word coinage, compound noun and adjective, jargon, slang.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 62

Assignment Example However, when looking closer at these seemingly negative articles all they do is talk about how the government is being a good government and handling the problems responsibly. For instance the Domestic violence article starts with a line about the government being very effective in tackling the problem. The HIV article does similar things later on by pointing out free hospital treatment and the number of clinics that are available. In the US or another country with free speech, this might be quite different as newspapers have a tendency to point out the negative aspects of government even more so than the positive. In China this is clearly not the case and the newspapers are run by the government so they have to only say good things. In this sense they can sometimes serve as propaganda machines. Surprisingly the newspapers are neutral in the article about North Korea, and do not talk about the foreign governments in a bad way like I would expect. I wonder if this is different in Chinese-language versions or if it is the

Why did the Oligarchs exercise so much influence in Russian political Essay

Why did the Oligarchs exercise so much influence in Russian political and economic life in the period 1993 -99 - Essay Example They did not move quickly enough, however, and in the autumn of that year Yeltsin simply dissolved the old former soviet political apparatus and declared that a new Duma (Parliament) would be elected. The Duma election was scheduled for 1995 and Yeltsin himself ran for re-election as president in 1996. These events characterized a period of immense political and economic instability and this was the environment in which a new breed of key players was born: the so-called â€Å"Russian Oligarchs†. The term â€Å"oligarch† is derived from the Greek meaning â€Å"governing by the few† and it usually has negative connotations relating to the abuse of power. There are at least four important factors which contributed to the emergence of the oligarchs and their growing influence in both politics and economic life in the period 1993-1999. This study will look at each of these in turn: By the autumn of 1993, it was clear to all observers that the old Soviet systems had fallen away and there was no immediate substitute in place. Yeltsin relied upon his personal authority and the support of the military to wrest control out of a disintegrating situation. The scene was set for a new era. Waller (2005: 13) analyses this decade under the heading â€Å"The Yeltsin years 1991-1999: reaping the whirlwind† and this is a good description of the mood in Russia across all sections of society. Old systems and habits had simply been swept away and no one could tell what would happen next. Other commentators stress the risks inherent in the new situation: â€Å"Russia and the other post-communist societies had to feel their way forwards on the edge of a precipice in the dark.† (Sakwa, 2008: 303). The majority of the population seems to have suffered a certain amount of shock and paralysis. The old communist regime had produced many inefficient

Make a titile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Make a titile - Essay Example Almost all the cases are with the consent of the parents and the prescription of qualified personnel. Most cases of over-medicating kids arise due to cases of bipolar disorders and depression. More than a million kids in the USA are on antipsychotic medication. People argue that the medication help the kids in lifting their bad moods and stabilizing depressive moments for the kid. The growth of drug use can be attributed to the availability of such medicines and the increased research that support the trend on efficacy grounds. Most schools have signs warning against drug use. However, their school sanatoriums are full of antidepressants for their students. The pressure that is applied on the kids by the schools and parents themselves does not help the situation in any way. Most kids are not able to cope up with the stress and the overall effect of this is on their social lives. In a bid to help them â€Å"fit in†, they are referred to psychiatrists who prescribe more and more dugs for them. The situation then becomes a cycle; new drugs for the same old problem. Also another side effect is the kids’ body does not absorb the drugs as the adult body would do and this can have a negative effect on the kids body. To further emphasize on the issue of over-medication, parents have greatly relied on medicines to tackle behavioral and psyche issues where simple activities would do, simple bruises and inflammation are treated with anti-inflammations medicines such as ibuprofen, signs of discomfort in children are highly not tolerated by parents and they resort to self- prescribing over the counter analgesics such as aspirin and Paracetamol (in fact almost every home has these medicines ready on the cupboard for emergency) even when research has clearly shown that their liver are not fully developed to metabolize the drug. Skin conditions, such as heat rashes, ringworms and mild cases of psoriasis which are a common phenomenon

Promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Promotion - Essay Example To achieve my long-term goal, I believe that the initial step to my self-promotion is to pursue further studies. In this regard, I may complete a Master's degree in business or enroll in academic programs particularly for entrepreneurs. I reckon that this is necessary to enhance my entrepreneurial skills and hone my business acumen. Entering a business school will be a critical avenue for my self-promotions program. In an academic institution, I will be able to establish my network with other business people and aspiring entrepreneurs. While attending school, I will develop good rapport with my colleagues so I could impart to them my future plans. Furthermore, I would join business-related organizations within the immediate vicinity of the proposed location of my business. This will be a straightforward approach considering the existence of numerous community-based organizations in our locality. This undertaking will enable me to meet more business people and widen my connection. Affiliation with a prestigious business organization enhances my brand equity as the public's perception of my image is improved.

Vanderbilt Law School debate on the Death penalty Essay - 1

Vanderbilt Law School debate on the Death penalty - Essay Example Owing to the above details provided, the opponent of death penalty, Dr. Ken Haas, was more convincing in his argument (Haas and Marquis). Death penalty is not only about liberal or conservative politics but also about the moral choices of this nation. This dispels any notion that the death penalty debate is about conservative and liberal politics. The proponent of the death penalty elaborates that this form of punishment should only be utilized on the most heinous criminals. As such, most murder convicts would not face execution since the majority would not repeat their actions. Convicts such Mohamed who repeatedly killed innocent civilians should face such severe punishment. This is because they have proved clearly that they had the intent to commit the crime repeatedly. On a moral basis, this punishment is unacceptable owing to the sacred nature of life. However, the proponent reveals that this severe disciplinary measure has a deterrent effect on criminals. According to the research cited, it reveals that the penalty saves hundred of innocent civilians. Overall, this punishment is immoral, but the justice system sh ould have this option owing to some extreme scenarios that require measures. The death penalty is inappropriate but a legal necessity (Haas and Marquis). Death penalty has caused a lot of controversy even among judges. Subsequently, in 1985 some judges were deemed unfit to partake in court proceedings since their views would impede their ability to make fair decisions in line with the existing statutes. The opponent thinks that the research on the deterrent effect of execution is a culmination of defective research. The assumption in this kind of research is rationality. However, most criminal who will face such punishments as execution have limited options. The only possible punishment is a life sentence without a chance for parole. Therefore, both punishments are severe. Hence, it will have no deterrent

Exploring ideas about art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Exploring ideas about art - Assignment Example Therefore, evaluating various ideas about art suffices towards having a better understanding of art as a whole. As such, one idea about art that can be gained from the Institutional theory of art is that art has a function to perform by maintaining its cultural category. Additionally, art is generally part of a larger system defined by the art world, such it is difficult for art to stand on its own without connections to its art world. When this happens, the art tends to lose its being art in the context in which it was intended by the creator. Moreover, institutionalisation of art forms the framework that enables the proper understanding of any given work of art. This approach means that art cannot be viewed as a single item, rather, it is what makes up a given institutionalised system. On the other hand, Michelle Kamhi’s A Conservative View of Aesthetics looks at the pre-existing notions given to art, and the contemporary understanding of what can be defined as being art. While the typical definition of art is based on a representational approach as highlighted by paintings and sculptures, one significant point in this reading is that art can be anything as long as it is represented by the right individual. This brings another point such that the right individual is anyone who has been associated with art for a given period of time, therefore giving them the jurisdiction to delegate ‘art-wood’ to an object. Additionally, there is the element of art having to be attached to ideas and certain attributes that are characterised as being formal. From the a\idealization posited in this reading, art can mean virtually anything, and this depends only on the context in which it is presented. Nelson Goodman’s When is Art?, brings another perspective towards understanding art by demonstrating that art can be a method, object, or even a language. As a language, art is used as a form of communication or method that makes it easy for individuals to

HIV in african country Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HIV in african country - Research Paper Example The following are some of the cultural factors which contribute to increased rate of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. HIV in South Africa Tiruneh (2009, p.106) argues that in South Africa the rank of women is below that of men and the society is male dominated. During socialization, women are meant to the belief that women are inferior to them. Women are supposed to be submissive and have respect for men. Inequality in power between the two sexes put women at a higher risk of contracting the disease. Because of the position they hold in the society, women have no say on sexual matters. The choice of whether or not to use condoms is entirely depended on men. Discrimination against people with HIV makes it hard for prevention of the disease. Patients fear seeking medical assistance because they will be discriminated by the rest of the community members. Because of fear of signaling the HIV status, infected people fear adopting behaviors related to the disease. For instance, breast feeding mot hers continue to breastfeed their young children for fear that other people will question them the reasons behind lack of breastfeeding. Infected men fear using condom for fear of being suspected by their partners (Human Sciences Research Council, 2009, p.66). Sexuality is perceived as a source of economic benefit. Commercial sex workers are very many in South Africa, an aspect which contributes to the high rates of HIV and Aids transmission. Material possession and association with many partners is a sign of prestige among South African black men. In exchange for money and large gifts, young ladies are tempted to engage in sexual activities with aged men. The young ladies affect young men who in turn infect other women and the cycle goes on. The disease is also spread to older women by their husbands (Tiruneh, 2009, p.115). According to Tiruneh (2009, p.117), many people in South Africa, especially the illiterate ones, lack adequate knowledge concerning HIV disease, how it is trans mitted and the risks which expose an individual to the disease. Illiteracy levels are higher among girls who in most cases fail to complete basic education (Buve, Bishikwabo-Nsarhaza & Mutangadura, 2002, p.2014). The culture of South Africa requires women to undertake domestic chores which make them lack time to interact with the outside world. Lack of guidance and counseling on sexuality issues and poor access to protective devices like condoms make youths engage in unsafe sex. Other people fail to buy condoms for fear that it will portray them as immoral. Some of the cultural practices which are related to sexuality increase the prevalence of HIV and Aids disease. Many South Africans have negative attitudes toward condom use. First, it is associated to mistrust and unfaithfulness in relationships. Secondly, South African men believe that sex without condom is more pleasurable and it is good for human health (Brummer, 2002, p.12). Cultural Assessment Model Cultural assessment model s include research design, cross-cultural and panel. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression will be used in the estimation of models used within the paper. The method will be used to determine the impacts that HIV disease has on regional, cultural, political and socioeconomic factors. Prevalence of the disease among the adult population will be used as the dependent variable. The number of infected people between the ages of 15

Individual assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Individual - Assignment Example ValackienÄâ€" and VirbickaitÄâ€" (2011) define a crisis is a sudden or unplanned phenomenon that may impede on its major product line, have negative implications on its financial performance, harm its consumers or negatively affect its employees’ well-being, or taint public trust or reputation of the organization. Crises are unknown threats to system survival, often characterised by limited time of reaction and response through human intervention. Crises faced by organisations may be environmental, financial or technological. Organisations experience different forms of crises in contemporary business situations. In response, organizations adopt strategies to monitor, rectify, and balance the situations in an attempt maintain public trust. A crisis may cause loss in legitimacy, which occurs in diverse forms depending on the nature of the problem (Coombs & Holladay, 2012). Crises threaten the social and cultural values including common beliefs of stakeholders and public trust in the organization’s business (Miller, 2014). An organisation is termed legal if its actions are appropriate and comply with the socially applied norms, values and beliefs within the social domain. Stakeholders perceive crises as a breach to the organisational norms and values, therefore, eroding the organisation’s reputation and legitimacy. Crisis always strikes when the management of an organization is uncertain or prepared for them. Swift action, therefore, is necessary to respond the situation before they escalate to the worst. An example is the April 20th 2010 BP oil spill crisis in the Mexican Gulf during deep water drilling activity (Freudenburg & Gramling, 2011). The deep-water drilling rig explosion caused massive contamination of the seawater by of millions of gallons of unprocessed. In addition, since BP was the principal and key contributor to the technology behind the deep-sea oil drilling and was solely

English Imperialism and Representations Essay Example for Free

English Imperialism and Representations Essay In William Shakespeare’s The Tempest Prospero, an exiled Naples duke, and his daughter, Miranda, are marooned on a remote island with the lone indigenous[1] inhabitant, a beast man named Caliban. Through his sorcery Prospero is able to enslave Caliban, the indigene, who toils for the benefit of Prospero and Miranda, the usurping colonial powers. While it is unclear if Shakespeare intended The Tempest to mirror English imperialism during the late 16th and 17th century, there are many congruencies between events in the play and events around the time of the play’s first performance in 1611. To begin with, in order to analyze these congruencies a brief overview of England’s New World[2] exploration and colonization is necessary. Next, Gonzalo’s interest in the island and his â€Å"plantation† scheme illustrate the English imperial yearning for the New World. In addition, the first exchange between Caliban and Prospero encapsulate the conflicts of indigenous people and the colonizers in an imperial relationship. Finally, the question remains if Caliban represents specifically Native Americans or broadly represents subjugated indigenous people by English colonization. Shakespeare’s The Tempest metaphorically represents English imperialism and encapsulates English sentiments towards the New World during the time of its cultural production. During the life of Shakespeare, especially around the time of the first performance of The Tempest, Europe engaged in imperialistic activities throughout the New World. In addition, during Shakespeare’s lifetime, England’s imperialistic activities would play a larger role in the country’s interests and developments. In Alden T. Vaughan article â€Å"People of Wonder: England Encounters the New World’s Native,† Vaughan describes how English perceptions of the Native Americans developed over the course of the 16th century. The English, while interested in the New World, did not play an active role in its initial exploration: â€Å"English people in the Tudor era lagged noticeably behind other Europeans in learning about the Americas. For nearly a century, English interest in the New World was surprisingly tangential, more a matter of curiosity than of conquest and based primarily on foreign rather than on English observation† (Vaughan, â€Å"People,† 13). For a majority of the 16th century the English received second hand accounts (writings and illustrations) of the New World. However, the English did make limited forays into developing first hand knowledge of the New World. Vaughan states, â€Å"The first document contact between the English and the Indians occurred in about 1502, when Sebastian Cabot†¦brought back [three men taken from Newfoundland]† (â€Å"People,† 14), but he continues, â€Å"Not until 1530, apparently, were other Indians brought to England, and not until 1553 did an English publisher issue a book with appreciable attention to America’s inhabitants† (â€Å"People,† 14). While slow to capitalize on exploring and colonizing the New World, the English â€Å"[became] actively involved in the exploration and conquest of the [Americas] and its peoples. Thereafter, England’s image of American natives reflected uniquely English experiences and expectations† (Vaughan, â€Å"People,† 13). One of the significant imperialist ventures around the time Shakespeare wrote The Tempest was the Jamestown colony. The English founded Jamestown in 1607, four years prior to the first performance of The Tempest. While a contemporary critic can only speculate the extent which the New World tantalized and influenced the English during this time, it must have had some sway on the popular imagination of English society, including Shakespeare’s. In The Tempest, the character Gonzalo demonstrates an interest with the pristine island setting that represents English imperial yearnings. After being shipwrecked on the island, Gonzalo first notices the natural beauty of the island. He exclaims, â€Å"How lush and lusty the grass looks! How green! † (2. 1. 53). From his initial observation of the health of the island, Gonzalo’s interest in the island soon becomes opportunistic: â€Å"Had I plantation of this isle, my lord –† (2. 1. 140). When Gonzalo says â€Å"plantation,† he means colonization. Gonzalo initial admiration for the island transforms into a scheme to start a colony; he envisions his colony as the antithesis of industry, a utopic society of idleness. Gonzalo describes his â€Å"plantation† in the following manner: â€Å"I’ the common wealth I would by contraries Execute all things; for no kind of traffic, Would I admit; no name of magistrate, Letter should not be known; riches, poverty, And use of service, none; contract, succession, Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none; No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil; No occupations; all men idle, all, And women too, but innocent and pure; No sovereignty—† (2. 1. 144-52) In Gonzalo’s colony people just lie around with no one telling them what to do; in addition, the women all stay virgins. Gonzalo’s companions quickly point out the impossibility of his Eden-like scenario. Sebastian indicates, â€Å"Yet [Gonzalo] would be king on [the island]† (2. 1. 153) to which Antonio adds, â€Å"The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning† (2. 1. 154). From the comments by Sebastian and Antonio, it is clear Gonzalo’s scheme is not practical, but certainly Gonzalo’s sentiment must have appealed idealistically to English and Europeans tired of the social turmoil in the Old World. Benjamin Bertram notes in The Time is out of Joint: Skepticism in Shakespeare’s England contemporaneous to Shakespeare’s life, London’s mercantile interests, unemployment, overpopulation, and â€Å"[i]mmigrants from the province† all made colonial ventures appealing (58). Gonzalo’s fantasizing might tap into the socioeconomic conditions contemporary to the time of cultural production of The Tempest. For some Europeans the social turmoil of the Old World was a sore spot, yearning like Gonzalo for a fresh start and for a better society in the New World. French courtier Michel De Montaigne in his essay â€Å"Of the Cannibals† (1580) argues the New World inhabitants are no more barbarous or savage than the Old World denizens, suggesting things might be better in the case of the former. De Montaigne establishes, â€Å"I find (as far as I have been informed) there is nothing in that nation [the American Indians], that is either barbarous or savage, unless men call that barbarism which is not common to them† (119). De Montaigne alludes to the social problems of 16th century Europe in pointing out the hypocrisy of the Old World labeling the New World as â€Å"barbarous† or â€Å"savage. † Moreover, De Montaigne sees the New World inhabitants as closer to a natural state and less tainted by â€Å"human wit† when he observes, â€Å"It is a nation†¦that hath no kind of traffic, no knowledge of letters, no intelligence of numbers, no name of magistrates, nor of politic superiority; no use of service, of riches, or of poverty; no contracts, no successions, but common, no apparel but natural, no manuring of lands, no use of wine, corn, or metal† (120). Curiously, both Gonzalo and De Montaigne evoke the idea of unfettered idleness and non-use of wine, corn, and metal as a more natural society. Also, in painting an idyllic picture of the social items supposedly absent from the New World, De Montaigne overlooks that corn is a New World vegetable and that American Indians were familiar with the practice of fertilization, although maybe not â€Å"mannuring. † While a lot of De Montaigne’s generalizations of the New World inhabitants are arguable, he calls the readers attention to a litany of social items as evidence of the Old World tainted by â€Å"human wit. † However, De Montaigne sarcastically concludes that what the American Indians, supposedly, do with their dead is no more barbaric than what the Europeans do with the living by torturing people, stating â€Å"there is more barbarism in eating men alive than to feed upon them being dead; to mangle by tortures and torments a body full of lively sense, to roast him in pieces, to make dogs and swine to gnaw and tear him in mammocks†¦than to roast and eat him after he is dead† (120). De Montaigne’s relativistic view of transatlantic cultural practices demonstrates culture in the Old World was not necessarily better than culture in the New World. Some Europeans might have yearned for a reprieve from the rigid trapping of the Old World; the New World to them might have represented an opportunity for a fresh start, a chance to create a utopic society. The only problem was what to do about the indigenous people already there. The English public had a growing interest in the New World during Shakespeare’s lifetime, and The Tempest almost predicts the course of English imperialism would take. The exchange between Caliban and Prospero in Act 1 Scene 2 metaphorically represents the underlying conflicts plaguing indigenous people and English colonizers. Caliban represents prototypical native Other[3] as he argues against Prospero, the colonial master. Caliban’s articulation that he is the rightful owner of the island sounds like the universal grievance of many colonized people: â€Å"This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother, / Which thou tak’st from me† (1. 2. 335-6). Caliban’s ownership stems from his mother, a witch, who bore him on the island, and this claim is reminiscent of many indigenous people who trace their social beginnings through a creation myth fixing them to the land. As Caliban goes on, his description of the initial friendly relationship he had with Prospero, parallels the prototypical dealings between indigenous people and colonizers. Often this friendly period includes an exchange of items and information between the two parties. Caliban describes the following: When thou cam’st first, Thou strok’st me and made much of me, wouldst give me Water and berries in’t, and teach me how To name the bigger light, and how the less, That burn by day and night. And then I loved thee And showed thee all the qualities o’ th’ isle, The fresh springs, brine pits, barren place and fertile. (1. 2. 337-43) Caliban attests he â€Å"showed† Prospero â€Å"the qualities† of the island, and in essence, Caliban taught Prospero how to survive on the island. This detail interestingly parallels the situation in Jamestown. B. J. Sokol in A Brave New World of Knowledge points out that â€Å"sojourning Europeans almost entirely depended upon the services of native inhabitants for material survival, and especially for food† (83). This grace period between indigenous people and colonizers, however, does not last forever. Sokol continues, â€Å"In both [The Tempest] and Virginia these services had at first been voluntarily offered [by Native Americans], then they were purchased or extorted, and finally there was refusal, resistance, and rebellion† (83). Soon the colonizer presses for more resources, more control over the land, and more control over the indigenous people: soon the indigenous people become the colonized. Caliban describes himself from the position of the colonized, â€Å"For I am all the subjects that you have, / Which first was mine own kin; and here you sty me / In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me /The rest o’ th’ island† (1. 2. 345-7). Caliban’s central grievance is how Prospero has stripped Caliban of his autonomy and his control over the island. The central grievance for many colonized people is how the colonizer strips self-direction and control over ancestral lands from the colonized. Richard Hakluyt in his essay â€Å"Reasons for Colonization,† written in 1584 about the Virginia colonial project (125), succinctly describes the intentions of the English imperialism: â€Å"The end of this voyage [to North America] are these: 1. ) To plant Christian religion. 2) To traffic. 3. ) To Conquer. Or, to do all three† (129). As demonstrated earlier, Caliban is unhappy with his conquered status, a status Prospero confirms when he rebuts Caliban’s grievances, â€Å"Thou most lying slave† (my emphasis, 1. 2. 347). Prospero interestingly goes on to indicate his own inherent superiority and Caliban’s inherent inferiority, a privileging central to any colonial situation. Prospero states, â€Å"I have used thee, / Filth as thou are, with humane care† (1. 2. 348-9). Prospero ascribes the quality of â€Å"filth† to Caliban and â€Å"humane†-ness to his own actions. As the Hakluyt states, the first objective of the colonizer is â€Å"to plant Christian religion† or bring morality to the heathen indigenous people. Prospero’s ultimate argument for supplanting Caliban evokes the moral order the colonizer supposedly brings, for Prospero states the reason he has enslaved Caliban is because Caliban sought â€Å"to violate/ The honor of [Prospero’s] child† (1. 2. 350-1). From the perspective of the colonizer Caliban attempted to rape Miranda; however, from the perspective of the lone indigenous person Caliban attempted to propagate his culture: â€Å"O ho! O ho! Would’t had been done! / Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else / This isle with Calibans† (1. 2. 352-4). While this relativism does not absolve Caliban of attempting to forcefully procreate with Miranda, it does not absolve Prospero of enslaving Caliban either. Unfortunately, Prospero uses one crime to justify another crime: Caliban’s attempted rape leads to his enslavement at the hands of Prospero. Furthermore, when Miranda tries to instill Caliban with a sense of guilt over his attempted rape, she states she â€Å"endowed [Caliban’s] purposes / With words that made them known† (1. 2. 360-1). However, by endowing Caliban with the language of the colonizer, Miranda has merely indoctrinated Caliban in the ideology of the colonizer in which Caliban, the colonized, occupies the margin. The colonizer’s language is a burden upon the colonized, for in order for the two groups to communicate the onus is on the colonized to learn the colonizer’s language. Caliban concurs with this onus when he says, â€Å"You taught me language, and my profit on’t / Is I know how to curse. The red plague rid you / For learning me your language! † (1. 2. 366-8). Another privileging in the imperial situation is the language and culture of the colonizer over the language and culture of colonized. For instance, Thomas Harriot spent time in the Virginia colony and wrote about the Algonquian people in Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia; his English contemporaries criticized him for learning the language of the Algonquians (Bertram 59). Bertram notes, â€Å"the English feared much more than foreign languages, as contact with foreign cultures inspired probing questions about cultural identity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (59). Miranda’s effacement of Caliban’s language demonstrates her fear of foreign language and culture. Just as Caliban threatens Miranda’s physical sanctity, he also threatens her cultural sanctity by not communicating in the controlled discourse. Clearly, the conflict between Caliban and Prospero in The Tempest metaphorically represents the imperialistic conflicts between the colonized and the colonizer. Lastly, although Caliban can metaphorically represent the colonized Other, did Shakespeare intend Caliban to represent Native Americans specifically? Alden T. Vaughan in his article â€Å"Shakespeare’s Indian: The Americanization of Caliban† examines the history of The Tempest analysis which attempted to see Caliban as representative of Native Americans. Vaughan concludes, â€Å"If an intentionalist reading is insisted upon, and if early interpretations of Caliban are taken into account, his principal prototype was probably the European wild man of Renaissance literature and iconography† (â€Å"Shakespeare’s,† 153). In addition, Ronald Takaki offers in â€Å"The ‘Tempest’ in the Wilderness† the context surrounding the first performance of the play; also, he explains how Shakespeare’s audience might have perceived the character of Caliban. Takaki explains the following: [T]he timing of The Tempest was crucial: it was first performed after the English invasion of Ireland but before the colonization of New England, after John Smith’s arrival in Virginia but before the beginning of the tobacco economy, and after the first contacts with Indians but before full-scale warfare against them. This was an era when the English were encountering â€Å"other† peoples and delineating the boundary between â€Å"civilization† and â€Å"savagery. † The social constructions of both these terms were dynamically developing in three sites—Ireland, Virginia, and New England. (143) If Shakespeare’s audience saw Caliban as more man than monster, they likely conflated all known savage Others in their perception of Caliban. When Prospero says, â€Å"This thing of darkness [Caliban] I / Acknowledge mine† (5. 1. 275-6), Caliban could seem more monster than man, â€Å"darkness† meaning evil, or Caliban could seem more man than monster, â€Å"darkness† referring to skin color. It is unclear what Shakespeare intended; however, how people interpret Shakespeare is entirely another matter. Although Vaughan dismisses the notion Shakespeare intended Caliban to be Native American, he supports the notion that Caliban can metaphorically be seen as Native American, stating, â€Å"metaphoric readings of The Tempest have had equal legitimacy with the older literal approach† (â€Å"Shakespeare’s,† 153). There are scholars who have a stake in seeing Caliban as solely meant to be Native Americans. An immediate thread of their inquiry is Caliban’s name, which might be an anagram from a variant spelling of the word canibal. John F. Moffitt and Santiago Sebastian in their text O Brave New People: The European Invention of The American Indian describe how the lurid European popular perception quickly associated cannibalism with the inhabitants of the New World. Moffit and Sebastian describe the following: Cannibalism was also the specific subcultural attribute of the aborigines of the Other World that, as might be expected, some European illustrators found most noteworthy. In a crude woodcut†¦, a German print of 1505†¦representing the earliest European depiction of American Indians†¦cannibalism becomes the foremost collective characteristic of the newly described peoples†¦. (264-5) While Europeans, according to Vaughan, were familiar with the concept of anthropophagi, or eaters of human flesh, such people were considered mythical (â€Å"People,† 15). Vaughan goes on to note, â€Å"So prominent did some accounts make the eating of human flesh that the word cannibal, from the Carib Indians who presumably practiced the vile custom, gradually replaced the older, more awkward, term for eaters of human flesh† (â€Å"People,† 15). Curiously, if Shakespeare meant to evoke the sensational trait of cannibalism ascribed to Native Americans by Europeans in his character Caliban, he does not develop the trait in the play. Conversely, if Caliban does not represent Native Americans, certainly the European characters within the play perceive his usefulness like Native Americans during the early 17th century. The play mentions dead or alive a Native American is profitable for displaying in England. Additionally, Trinculo notes, â€Å"[the English] will / lay out ten to see a dead Indian. (2. 2. 31-32). Later, Stephano schemes to capture Caliban, or as Vaughan euphemistically refers to Native Americans kidnapped by Europeans, â€Å"coerced American envoys† (â€Å"People,† 12). Stephano states, â€Å"If I can recover him [Caliban] and keep him tame and get / to Naples with him, he’s a present for any emperor that / ever trod on neat’s leather† (2. 2. 65-7). Although Caliban might have the same display value as a Native American in England, this fact does not necessarily make Caliban Native American. Within The Tempest, there is not enough strong evidence to support the reading that Shakespeare meant Caliban to be Native American. If Shakespeare intended Caliban to represent Native American then Leslie Fieldler notes, â€Å"Caliban’s attempt on Miranda’s virtue makes him ‘the first nonwhite rapist in white man’s literature’; his freedom song is ‘the first American poem’; and when he guzzles too much of Stephano’s wine, Caliban is ‘the first drunken Indian in Western literature’ (Vaughan, â€Å"Shakespeare’s,† 148). Native Americans struggle enough with poor representation in American society; there is not a pressing need to demonstrate Shakespeare intended Caliban to be solely Native American if it results in additional derision. In contrast, Jeffrey L. Hantman in â€Å"Caliban’s Own Voice: American Indian Views of the Other in Colonial Virginia† summarizes the 20th century importance of Caliban as a universal indigenous voice, â€Å"He is African, and he is Caribbean. He has been a native of Madagascar, Quebec, Cuba, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia. Today, he is sometime enslaved, and psychologically dependent, but he is also a guerilla, a revolutionary, and a hero† (71). Who Shakespeare intended Caliban to be is a non-issue for those who identify with Caliban. If people find an entryway into identifying with Caliban, then certainly Caliban becomes them as much as they become Caliban. Although it would be erroneous to claim Shakespeare meant The Tempest as an allegory for English Imperialism in the New World and Caliban solely represents Native Americans, the play does metaphorically represent English imperialism and encapsulates English sentiments towards the New World during the time of the play’s cultural production. A brief overview of England’s New World exploration and colonization demonstrates how the English perception of the New World and Native Americans transformed during the development of English imperialism. Within the play, Gonzalo’s interests in the island and his â€Å"plantation† scheme illustrate the English imperial yearning for the New World and an opportunity to develop a society closer to a natural state. Furthermore, the first exchange between Caliban and Prospero encapsulate the conflicts that mar imperial relationship between indigenous people and the colonizer. Moreover, although Caliban does not represent specifically Native Americans, he can broadly represent all subjugated indigenous people. There are many congruencies between events in The Tempest and events during the late 16th and 17th century English imperialism. The Tempest is an example where Shakespeare was not necessarily predicting a future outcome but more likely articulating the trajectory of a present English course. Works Cited Bertram, Benjamin. The Time is out of Joint: Skepticism in Shakespeare’s England. Newark, NJ: University of Delaware Press, 2004. De Montaigne, Michel. â€Å"From Of the Cannibals. † William Shakespeare The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Gerald Graff and James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 119-20. Hakluyt, Richard. â€Å"Reasons for Colonization. † William Shakespeare The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Gerald Graff and James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 125-34. Hantman, Jeffrey L. â€Å"Caliban’s Own Voice: American Indian Views of the Other in Colonial Virginia. † New Literary History 23. 1 (1992): 69-81. JSTOR. Winona State University, Darrell W. Krueger Lib., Winona, MN. 3 Mar. 2007 . Moffitt, John F. , and Santiago Sebastian. O Brave New People: The European Invention of the American Indian. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 1996. Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. William Shakespeare The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Gerald Graff and James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 10-88. Sokol, B. J. A Brave New World of Knowledge: Shakespeare’s the Tempest and Early Modern Epistemology. Cranbury, NJ: Associated University Presses, 2003. Takaki, Ronald. â€Å"The ‘Tempest’ in the Wilderness. † William Shakespeare The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Gerald Graff and James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 140-172. Vaughan, Alden T. â€Å"People of Wonder: England Encounters the New World’s Natives. † New World of Wonders: European Images of the Americas, 1492-1700. Ed. Rachel Doggett, et al. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1992. -. â€Å"Shakespeare’s Indian: The Americanization of Caliban. † Shakespeare Quarterly 39. 2 (1988): 137-153. JSTOR. Winona State University, Darrell W. Krueger Lib. , Winona, MN. 3 Mar. 2007 . [1] Throughout the paper instead of simply using the term â€Å"natives,† I use indigenous people because the term â€Å"natives† carries negative imperialistic connotations. [2] I use the term New World provisionally in order to describe the dichotomy between Europe, the supposed Old World, and their realization of the Americas, which they dubbed the New World. [3] While some scholars have argued that Shakespeare intended Caliban to be representative of Native American, this intentionality is problematic. I will examine this later in the paper.

Representations of Space in Art Movements

Representations of Space in Art Movements Spatial representation is a complex subject involving the scientific technique of perspective and incorporating different periods of art. Discussion of this topic allows for an analysis of both the random and deliberate forms of spatial representation, the ever-changing artistic conventions underlying this representation, and an examination of artists who have challenged this technique. Representation, defined as, the description or portrayal of [†¦] something in a particular way is utilised by artists to produce works that resemble, to varying degrees, their chosen subject. The techniques of spatial representation can be seen in a large number of artworks, such as sculpture, painting, photography, and collage. Composition, defined as, the artists method [†¦] of deciding what to put in and what to leave out in order to make an effective picture remains the most prevalent of these techniques. Both horizontal and vertical forms of composition provide the artist with a powerful means of communication with the spectator. Size is also important in spatial representation and is exemplified in Duccio di Buoninsegnas The Rucellai Madonna , where [†¦] la superposition ou lalignement des figures correspondent à   un ordre hià ©rarchique. Evidently, the more important figure was depicted as larger in early works of art. The varying scale of characters was used as an attempt at perspective. It has been said that the effect of space in a painting is [†¦] the creation of the illusion of three dimensions on a flat surface. Linear perspective, or single-point perspective, [†¦]was adopted as the standard way of representing spaceand works on the principle of orthogonal lines converging to a vanishing point'(see note 5 above), giving the illusion of depth, and thus three dimensions to a painting. Linear perspective was challenged by aerial perspective which utilises the principle of fading shades of colour and the increasing use of blue as the distance from the viewer increases. Aerial perspective can be observed in Turners Lake at Brienz, which uses colour to portray misty distances. La perspective tordue is another technique where le bison est reprà ©sentà © le corps de profil ou les cornes de face [†¦] qui rà ©unit deux points de vue, deux perceptions dans une seule et mà ªme figure . Although perspective remains an important tool, the interior and exterior representation of space needs consideration. In their works, artists can choose how much of the subject they wish to expose to the viewer. The utilisation of interior and exterior space can be seen in Vincent Van Goghs painting, La Chambre à   Arles (1888). Here, Van Gogh has painted a window, leading the viewers eye to the outside world. However, the viewers only connection with the outside world is through a picture of a landscape on the wall of the bedroom. It is also interesting to note the unusual use of the laws of perspective; there is no single vanishing point. Random spatial representation has long been a debatable subject. Frank Stella said, in 1986, the aim of art is to create space [†¦] that is not compromised by decoration or illustration, space within which the subjects of the painting can live. This quotation implies that space is represented in a very deliberate manner. However, the works of John Pollock were often said to represent space randomly as they appeared to have no degree of order to the viewer. It is also argued that when an artist chooses to create and represent space in an image, it creates another random space as a result. Although sculpture accommodates differing viewpoints, space can be represented randomly. For example, The Large Head, by Naum Gabo creates the illusion of a solid structure when viewed head on. However, when viewed from the side, space is represented differently, with the sheets of metal forming a random structure. Whilst a completely random representation of a space is rare, and it has been said that tout point de vue est un choix signifiant: il correspond à   une intention, implying that no art can ever be random, artists have often embraced the technique of Apparent Randomness. This technique is seen in Picassos Guernica and involves the artist deliberately positioning certain objects to create the illusion of randomness. Jackson Pollocks Abstract Expressionist painting, Autumn Rhythm, highlights the chaotic atmosphere which led to an assumption of randomness. Due to the disorderly pattern, the public felt that Pollocks spatial representation was far from deliberate. However, a close analysis revealed an underlying pattern. This technique is also shown in Jean Miros, The Dialogue of Insects, further emphasising how artists represent space deliberately. A further artistic movement which utilises the apparently random positioning of objects is Cubism. Pioneered by Picasso and Braque, Cubism was concerned with the deliberate interaction between geometrical shapes to create planes and lines of vision. Despite its random appearance, each shape was specifically placed. Picasso also developed the technique of collage. Collage is perhaps one of the most interesting examples of how artists choose to represent space. It is quite possible that the random appearance of a collage may have been created by an equally random procedure. However, some thought and calculation is often evident. This can be seen in Raoul Hausmanns, A.D.C.D, where different objects of different materials have been layered on top of one another in a precise manner. It is clear from the lines of an art work that some sense of order is displayed. Pierre Renoirs The Umbrellas shows how the use of repeated circles has created order within the crowd of people depicted. Line also gives rise to perspective. Alexander Rodchenkos Jeune fille au Leica demonstrates linear perspective, using the lines of shadows to lead the viewer to the vanishing point. Line and perspective are key examples of how artists represent space in a deliberate manner. Photography appears to capture life randomly through a lens. However, when a photograph is taken, the photographer has to make very deliberate decisions about what he wants to depict. In Russell Lees, Les mains dune fermià ¨re de lIowa, we see only the hands and lower body of the subject. This is a very deliberate action on the part of the photographer. Photography also clearly demonstrates field of vision and the use of plongà ©e and contre-plongà ©e.The space being viewed is represented far differently when viewed from a different angle. Although this compositional technique can often appear to be random, artists often employ it to convey meaning. An illustration of the multiplicity of points of view can be seen in Holbeins, The Ambassadors. This technique is also known as anamorphosis. The placement of objects must be decided very carefully to illustrate the passage of time in art. In Eugene Atgets Angle de la rue des nonnains dHyeres et de LHotel de Ville, the winding market street descending into fog, and the blurred figures in the foreground have been purposely captured in their positions. Artists must always work within frames, deciding what will be captured or depicted within them and what will be left unseen. This process appears to be far from the ideals of randomness. The variety of artistic techniques used to represent space leads to the questioning of the deliberateness of an artists work. Despite certain random spatial elements within a painting, sculpture, or photograph, it is evident that artists attempt to represent their chosen subjects with accurate spatial representation or deliberate attempts to illustrate randomness with geometric techniques. One can conclude that spatial representation has been used in a variety of ways to create works that appear both random and deliberate. Word Count: 1499

The Traveller Gypsies Book Review English Language Essay

The Traveller Gypsies Book Review English Language Essay Judith Oakley is a social anthropologist who has spent a lot of her life researching into many aspects of native life forms; one of the most popular pieces of work was her work conducted around Traveller-Gypsies. Oakley wrote her book Gypsy-Travellers and published it in 1983; it represents the everyday life of Gypsy-Travellers and their struggle under the domination of a bigger society. The study conducted by Oakley occurred in the 1960s around England and understandings of Gypsy-Travellers throughout history have provided us with the ideology that they have always been vagrant people travelling freely. However, in this book, Oakley noted how Gypsy-Travellers living in Britain in the 1960s had to deal with numerous laws imposed by governments that would restrict their mobility and vanquish them from their true identity. Oakley is in constant teaching mode, and is always on the lookout for something new to write about the Gypsy-Travellers, something that was unknown to the public. One problem that has always affected the studies of Gypsies would be the definition of what a gypsy actually is; while some believe it to be thought of in terms of purity of blood, others would regard it as social population, rather than an ethnic marvel, which should be such dealt with using social manners. One definition of a Gypsy would be One inclined to a nomadic, unconventional way of life. (TheFreeDictionary, 2012). These people are the Gypsies that Okelys book refers to, and her outlook in regards to their identity underlies much of her approach to the subject; it is a common theme throughout the book, and one is left realising, that the author never presents a clear definition of what a  Gypsy  actually is, how the meaning of the word has changed over time, with new laws and regulations being put in place and holding these people back, and how they are seen in todays society. While this seems to be the main weakness of the text, Oakley does include how Gypsies live and s hows how Gorgios are perceived and acted upon and against, including how Gypsies compare themselves to Gorgios within the community. Oakleys text starts by her introducing herself and what she was doing at the time she wrote the book, using things she learned from other people; for example, she found that to some people pierced ears were the only way to get to heaven, which was further believed to improve vision for Traveller-Gypsies, as she found out when questioning some of the people she lived with. Oakley uses numerous lists to show which people helped her make her book happen; thanking many people on the way, listing who gave her advice, who proof-read the book and who composed the final drafts to send off for publishing. She thanks the newspapers for allowing her to use their content as a regard to keep anonymity between those she was living with. Finally, she thanks the Traveller-Gypsies she was living with for being her guides and providing her with friendship and laughter. This all adds up to show how much she appreciates the work of other people when trying to get her own work together; it shows she has faith in the team of people she worked with and how she would trust them to help make her work successful. The table of contents seems to show the author as writing the book chronologically; from writing about what was historically believed, to self-ascribing themselves to be a Traveller-Gypsy. It finalises by listing how Gypsies travel, in what and with whom; before writing about relationships and defining the role of the traveller women. Additionally, it lists terms Oakley used, which she came across when in the company of the traveller-gypsies, at the end of the book for readers ease of understanding their language. In personal opinion, chronologically ordering the table of contents seems to be a practical form of organisation as it shows how things have progressed throughout time, including any historical changes through research and the development of greater understandings. Furthermore, it allows for the reader to have a greater impression of how the people in the text live, what their means of transport is and how it has changed, and why these people live in the way that they do (b e it economic reasons or political). Oakleys study is divided into twelve chapters and a conclusion, which appears to be written in a well-structured way. The first chapter addresses the history of Gypsy studies and invites popular misconceptions to be looked upon in a formal manner; this continues to be looked into in chapter two. Chapter three shows an insight into how Oakley planned to conduct her research and includes material that was proven to be valuable at the time of her study. Next, chapter four narrates the place of the British Gypsy within the economic system and includes non-Gypsy alliances with work contracts. Identity issues are further raised in chapter five, where self-ascription is discussed in detail. Chapter six entails dealings with maintenance of the boundaries between Gypsy and non-Gypsy, or Gorgio; this same chapter also deals with the concept of things considered as ritually impure, which would usually be associated with Gorgios and their way of life further looked upon in chapter eleven. Chapt er seven offers realistic pictures of the attitudes presented to Gypsies, including their way of life and means of livelihood, from Gorgios; further, it shows the ways Gorgios deal with providing the populations accommodation. Chapter eight shows Oakley dealing with both the reality and myth of Gypsies as Traveller kind, and points out from the start that Gypsies do not travel about aimlessly, as either the romantics or the anti-Gypsy suggest (p. 125). Chapters nine and ten show how marriage, kinship, husband-wife relationships and children are dealt with, including how a marriage is chosen and why. The eleventh chapter had explored the role of women in a British Romany society and includes a detailed discussion of the differences between Gypsy and Gorgio women, including stereotypes. The final chapter, chapter twelve, deals with death, superstition and religion; however, these are not discussed in great depth further analysis of these would have allowed the reader a greater unders tanding when looking into how these things affect a Gypsies lifestyle. In her concluding remarks, Oakley notes how she can not necessarily conclude her chapter as she did not initially make a hypothesis. She relates to how gypsies are seen as trouble as they are kinds who refuse to settle and work for a living, unlike those who are already inhabited in an area do; they refuse to become proletarianised within the community. It also states how although they travel, Traveller-Gypsies do give a community something they could not otherwise get without their aid, whether that is positive for the community or negative. Further, she states how differentiating between gypsy and Gorgio is not always easy, but the gypsy culture has not always been accepted, as it may be led to be believed. The study was also a way to measure how gypsies deal with the way society treats them by shunning them; it records the responses and retaliations of Traveller-Gypsies. A lot of gypsies would refuse Gorgio access to their lives, yet it is needed in order for them to gain a good n ame and understanding of what they do; without this they would be continually forced out of societies and would never have the possibility of being accepted into particular societies. The concluding remarks in this book encloses a statement which seems to be of importance; Outsiders have projected onto Gypsies their own repressed fantasies and longings for disorder . . . this study has confronted such fantasies (1983, p.232). From what has been read in her book, Oakley uses herself as the narrator of the text, she writes about what she found as and when it happened; using any information she received and where it originated from. Additionally, the text written in the book has historical facts about the Traveller-Gypsies and how they have come to be the people they are; yet Oakley not only includes personal opinions on the matters, but personal experiences she has lived through whilst living within the Gypsy community. This gives the reader an understanding of what was happening at the time of the study as they are able to empathise, not only with Oakley, but with the Traveller-Gypsies as they dealt with any struggles they faced. Oakley uses present tense within her writing with phrases such as it is presumed (p. 52) rather than the past tense it was; this gives the reader to believe the books authenticity as it allows for both periods of time and shows comparisons between the two. In regards to the writin g style, it would most likely be suited for collegial or university students, or in particular those more advanced in this field of study, as the writing seems formal yet it contains academic information that may prove a challenge to those looking onto the subject from a less-educated point of view. For example, the way parts of the text have been written; in some parts, Oakley has referred to previous studies, a lot of them her own work, which may be identified as confusing for a student at any lower level of education, as they may be unable to understand parts of the text through the amount of referencing that is place. The author has a distinctive personal style, it is formal, yet informal; Oakley uses evidence in her statements then puts up an opinionated argument against what she says, which additionally helps the reader understand what is being said. With her interpreting the gypsy lifestyle, Oakley tends to use their jargon in her work, for example, using Gorgios to show a non-gypsy person in the gypsy life, of which are defined and listed in the back of the book. Any accounts that are included in the book are based on personal visits to the community, therefore there may be misinterpretations within what has been said as a communication breakdown may have occurred; further, Oakley may be using bias information when trying to put a point across as there were no other researchers to object to her motives. This doesnt help with the fact that she may not be putting up a believable argument, which seems to be one of the main criticisms against this text with their only being Oakley to refer to. How ever, with this being said, her text does include references to previous works from both herself and other former anthropologists in which she has used to back up some of her sources. Her studied natives were collectively anonymous in her work; however, she does use some forms of individuality. She uses one person rather than names as the people wishes to remain anonymous, which she accepted; phrases of which the people would want to be called are used, i.e. one traveller said, rather than a person told me. It does come across as the travellers she was living with have their own voice in the ethnography; she introduces them before using their quotes, giving the reader a sense of character; however, found in the notes are individual names of the Travellers she lives with and what wise words; they gave her to help her live within the community once she was accepted. This gives a greater sense of character for the individuals as although they were not specifically named in the text, they did have an involvement at the end of the book. Overall Oakley had provided a positive piece of text, with the main criticism being that her argument was not necessarily defined; her own personal meaning of what a Traveller-Gypsy was had never been noted thus it was unable to be validated in todays society as definitions have further changed since her period of study. Suitably, this text is informative and gives vital information upon how Traveller-Gypsies used to live previous to any laws and regulations stopping them performing certain tasks within a community. Word Count: 2,006

A Review of The Winters Tale by William Shakespeare :: Papers

A Review of The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare Before I actually saw The Winter's Tale, I was apprehensive about whether I would be able to follow the play or whether I would be confused, as it would be using the Shakespearian language. I also wondered whether and how the Sixth Form and the director had developed the play to try and involve the audience more, as there was a language barrier. The play was going to be performed by the Sixth Form in the school hall, so this gave me a feeling that it would not be a very effective performance as it was performed by amateurs. Also, the fact that it was performed by the Sixth Form meant that I knew some of the actors, so it would be more difficult for me to see those people as the characters they played. While waiting outside for the performance to begin, a 'newspaper boy' came around offering Newspapers saying 'Read all about it, read all about it'. He was in Victorian time costume, which gave me the impression that this performance would be very old-fashioned and, in some ways, not as easy to follow because of this. The fact that he was in costume also made me feel as if we, the audience, were part of the play, and more involved, because we were interacting with a character from the play. The newspaper that the newsboy gave out was also a very effective thing to bridge the language barrier between the characters and us as it gave a basic introduction to what the play was about. According to the newspaper given to us, the play itself had two main plots and a side plot. One plot was set in Sicilia and told of how the Queen had died because of accusations from the King of her having an affair with his old friend the King of Bohemia and how Mamillius, their son, had also died after the King had chosen to ignore the oracle sent from Apollo to say that the Queen was not guilty.

Values in Contemporary Social Work Essay -- British Social Workers

Shared values are essential in the creating a successful relationship between the client and social worker. Social workers operate within society, not only to assist the individual but to create a more cohesive society. Values and ethics permeate the whole of social work practice and the society within which it practices (Shardlow 1989). Values are afforded a high position within social work, this is highlighted in: â€Å"Social work is a professional activity. Implicit in its practice are ethical principles which prescribe the professional responsibility of the social worker† (British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Code of Ethics). However, there is a danger that any list of values will become something which is quoted as opposed to a useful tool for practice. Values can be helpful as they enable the social worker to analyse their practice in relation to the expectations of the law and the needs of the people they work with. What are values? Is there a place for them in contemporary social work? Is it even possible to define what constitutes values in contemporary social work? Biestek created a list of seven principles with the intention of showing social workers how clients ought to behave. These principles may have been well meaning but they hardly reflect everything that is going on in contemporary society. The very existence of a list of morals can be damaging to social work as it creates a feeling of security based on the presumption that the list itself incorporates everything required for successful practice. Values determine what a person thinks they should do, which may not exactly be the same as what they want to do. Personal values allow us to evaluate the actions of others in relation to our own... ...) Ethical Issues in Social Work, Routledge National Association of Social Workers (1980) Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers, NASW: Silver Spring, Maryland Payne, M (1997) Modern Social Work Theory. Second edition. MacMillan Plant, R. (1970) Social and Moral Theory in Casework, London, Routledge and Kegan Paul Repper, J. & Perkins, R. Social Inclusion and Recovery: a Model for Mental Health Practice, Bailliere Tindal Shardlow, S.M. (1989), The Values of Change in Social Work, Routledge: London Taylor-Gooby. P (1981) Social Theory and social welfare, Edward Arnold. London Thompson, N. (1997) Anti-discriminatory Practice (2nd Ed), London Macmillan Thompson, N. (2000) Theory and Practice in Human Services, Buckingham, Oxford University Press. Wilson, K. et al (2008) Social Work: An Introduction to Contemporary Practice. Pearson, London

Cause for Action Essay -- Essays Papers

Cause for Action Imagine a country where a person’s belongings could be taken at any moment and then given to someone else for no apparent reason. Likewise, that same person’s culture, their way of life, would be disregarded, and they would be forced to use a new language and adapt to a different culture. After the culture is done away with, those who remember it die off rapidly. Even with the declining culture, religious persecution becomes apparent along with the long political conflicts. This very incident occurred at the end of the 19th century. It happened in Ireland to the Gaelic culture, but a man by the name of Douglas Hyde wasn’t about to let his culture disappear. Thus the Gaelic League was created. Many problems had to pave the way for this unique and distinctive league to form in 1893. It took a previous group, the Gaelic Athletic Association, to motivate the strong opposition of eliminating the Irish heritage. Also the Home Rule Act, set in place by England, added yet another harsh tone to Ireland. Furthermore the Irish education was showing a bleak outlook for the future. This created a need for Irish independence therefore making the Gaelic League possible. The Irish population dropped rapidly during the Great Potato Famine causing much of what was left of the Irish speaking people to be no more. The potato was a major crop in Ireland at the time and yet today; in the mid 1800’s it was their only crop because of the amount of nutrients supplied in one potato and the number of potatoes yielded in each acre. The Irish farmers were too poor and had very little money to invest in any other crop except potato. Consequently when a virus went through the land killing most... ...ivities. The League became a base for the Irish spirit to grow. The League declared St. Patrick’s Day a national holiday and removed a law that banned Irish names from being written on the front of stores. All mail addressed in Irish that once would no longer be delivered was once again being delivered thanks to the Gaelic League. The Gaelic League was a savior for the Gaelic Culture and is still very active. Many American cities have their own Gaelic Leagues and many hold athletic competitions still today. St. Patrick’s Day is also a much celebrated holiday in the United States even for people who are not of the Irish culture. The Gaelic culture was dwindling fast due to many unfortunate factors, but thanks to Douglas Hyde stepping up and creating the Gaelic League, the Gaelic culture is still going strong today all over the world.

Historical King Arthur Essay

King Arthur is one of the most well known historical figures of all time. One of the most interesting debates surrounding the legends and tales of King Arthur is whether or not he truly existed. The debate has its roots in the Renaissance time when Arthur’s existence was defended as the basis for the Tudor monarchs to trace their ancestry back to King Arthur as a way to hold onto their reign. Modern historians argue that a King Arthur may have existed though he was not the same King Arthur in the much loved legends and tales that have been passed down from generation to generation. This debate will continue as there has been no logical proof that King Arthur did actually exist (The Camelot Project, 1). At the same time, the influence of King Arthur will remain an important part of history as well. King Arthur has had a significant influence on literature, art, music and society as far back as the Middle Ages. The legend of Arthur projects him as a great legendary British king born to Uther Pendragon and Igraine. Some versions of the legend also include information regarding three half sisters of Arthur. Arthur married Guinevere and legend says they had no children together although Arthur did father children. Some versions of the Arthur legend contend that Perlesvaus was fathered by Arthur and Guinevere but other versions say this is not so (Joe, 1). Further, in various versions of the legend, Arthur’s son had different names. One legend states that Arthur killed his son while another says his son died after being attacked by a wild boar (Joe, 1). These ancestorial facts are unclear and vary across different versions of the legends which is perhaps one reason why the existence of a real King Arthur is so heavily debated. There has been no archeological evidence that a real King Arthur ever existed. Without absolute proof it is difficult to separate potential facts from the many legends that surround King Arthur (Joe, 1). Perhaps the reason why the legend of King Arthur is so popular is because King Arthur was a bright light in the face of treachery and darkness (Snell, 1). King Arthur brought peace to his land by defending it from every danger and also expanding his empire to encompass great amounts of land. Under the command of King Arthur, a group of knights helped the helpless, battled evil and scoured the land for holy relics. The courageous nature of King Arthur makes him a true hero that many generations of people have looked up to. He gave people hope in sorrowful times by being the type of ruler that looked out for the weak and the poor. Despite the fact that King Arthur is so loved and admired, he remains a legend. There is no existing proof that can provide without a doubt that King Arthur is a true historical figure. Instead, the legend of King Arthur will remain a legend (Snell, 1). The vast amount of literature and other media that focus on King Arthur may cause some people to assume that these stories are based in part on fact. However, there is no evidence that any of the facts surrounding the legend of King Arthur are true. Part of the reason why so many people assume that King Arthur is a true historical figure may be based on The History of the Kings of Britain which details the life and rule of the exalted King Arthur (Snell, 1). This historical document provides so many in depth details about King Arthur that many find it hard to argue with. However, the reference for this document has never been found so the facts included within cannot be proven. Further, some are of the opinion that the author of this document, Geoffrey of Monmouth, wrote the history in order to make others view his people in a more positive light (Snell, 1). There are many scholarly facts that aid in disproving the actual existence of King Arthur. These are the facts that enable King Arthur to keep his place in history as one of the most noble and well loved kings of all time. Legend holds that King Arthur was able to single handedly lead an assault that left nine hundred dead and allowed him to reign as king for nearly one hundred years. Legend also holds that King Arthur fought giants and strange beasts and was led by a red dragon (Ogden-Korus, 1). Since none of these mythological creatures or fantastic feats are possible, it can be assumed that King Arthur is a legend as well. This leads to the goal of many scholars. They wish to uncover facts that may prove whether there really was a King Arthur behind all the folklore (Ogden-Korus, 1). So far, they have been unsuccessful in proving that King Arthur ever did exist so he remains a legend to this day. In order to find proof of King Arthur, many archeologists have attempted to find concrete evidence that can be directly traced to the legendary king. There is very little evidence in Britain that can be traced back to the time of King Arthur. For example, the primary building tool during King Arthur’s time was wood, which completely decomposes over time and would not provide any proof of the existence of King Arthur. Further, the field of archeology cannot deal with specifics (Ogden-Korus, 1). Instead, archeologists analyze existing evidence and make educated guesses regarding ancient history. With regards to the place and times of King Arthur, these educated guesses have led to the conclusion that King Arthur is simply a legend. One of the most common associations with King Arthur is Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. However, this connection cannot be considered fact. The legend of King Arthur is said to have lived during the sixth century but the creation of Camelot did not come into existence until the twelfth century when it became a part of literature (Ogden-Korus, 1). There are other more compelling discoveries that have aided in spreading the opinion that King Arthur did once exist. However, this evidence, while compelling, is not concrete. For example, Tintagel Castle, the alleged birthplace of King Arthur was a thirteenth century castle so it could not have existed during the time of King Arthur. However, in 1998, an archeological dig at Tintagel Castle uncovered a sixth century fort underneath the castle (Giger, 1). This evidence alone does not point to the existence of King Arthur. There are many sixth century forts in England and Wales and the discovery of this one does not provide concrete evidence that King Arthur ever existed – only that a sixth century fort existed where legend says that King Arthur was born (Giger, 1). This type of evidence is exciting and motivates historians and scholars to continue their search for evidence that King Arthur did exist. However, at this time no concrete evidence has been discovered to prove the King Arthur was anything more than a legend. Despite the fact that there is no definitive proof that King Arthur ever existed, there have been many myths that surround his name. Camelot is the perhaps the most well known myth that surrounds the legend of King Arthur. As previously discussed, Camelot did not come into existence until it was included in literature in the twelfth century (Ogden-Korus, 1). Camelot is the most well known and famous castle associated with King Arthur. Experts agree that Camelot is most likely a fictional place because its exact location is unknown. â€Å"Camelot, located no where in particular, can be anywhere† (Lacy, 67). The myth of Camelot has been allowed to spread because of how much people respect and admire the legend of King Arthur. The various versions of the myths surrounding King Arthur often contradict one another but people are willing to overlook such discrepancies because the writings about King Arthur are so captivating and entertaining (Miller, 1). People want to believe that such a magnificent person could really have existed so they get caught up in the myths surrounding King Arthur and begin to believe that he was a real person. Another myth that the legend of King Arthur has influenced is the legend of Lancelot, one of the Knights of the Round Table. Sir Lancelot is considered one of the best and one of the worst knights in the court of King Arthur (Sir Lancelot Online, 1). Lancelot is a creation of literature that emerged at the same time that Camelot did. In this portrayal, Lancelot becomes the most valuable knight of King Arthur. He was chivalrous and brave and accomplished many important tasks including rescuing Guinevere from Meleagant and once again rescuing her from being burned to death for committing adultery with him (Sir Lancelot Online, 1). Sir Lancelot helped contribute to the myths surrounding King Arthur because his heroic deeds made King Arthur look good. Ultimately, Lancelot betrays King Arthur by committing adultery with Guinevere but this too makes King Arthur look good because people pity him for the wrongs committed against him. Another important and famous myth surrounding King Arthur that has contributed to the admiration of many is his sword, Excalibur. Excalibur is said to have magical powers. Part of the reason why the myth of Excalibur makes King Arthur so admired is because some versions of the myth discuss how King Arthur pulled the sword from a stone thus making himself appear magical and strong. However, other versions of the myth keep Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone separate. The myth that includes King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone provides some with evidence that he was a true king because only a true king would be able to even pull the sword out of the stone. Other versions say that Excalibur was a sword the King Arthur obtained through Merlin from the Lady of the Lake (Ford, 1). The fact that King Arthur used such powerful weapons also provides a compelling reason why so many people believe in the power of King Arthur. These weapons are also part of the reason why King Arthur has survived throughout history as one of the most revered kings of all time. One final aspect of the legend of King Arthur that has enabled him to live throughout history is the myth of Merlin. Merlin is a well known wizard that mentored King Arthur. Merlin had supernatural powers and abilities and is said to have engineered the birth of King Arthur through his magical powers (Briggs, 440). The magical powers that surrounded Merlin were of enormous benefit to King Arthur because they enabled him to accomplish great things. These great things are what has allowed King Arthur to become as legendary as he remains today. King Arthur is a real historical figure in that many people truly believe that he actually existed. This belief has been passed down from generation to generation so that the legend of King Arthur has become real to so many people. The fantastic accomplishments that are credited to King Arthur make him a much loved and respected ruler. At the same time, the magic and mystic that surround King Arthur provide a sense of mystery that captivates people into believing the myths. These myths have allowed King Arthur to rise in prestige and remain so popular. However, there is no historical or archeological proof that King Arthur ever existed. If such proof is out there it has yet to be discovered. The fact that the legend of King Arthur is so well known and loved has allowed the myths associated with the legendary king to become valid parts of the King Arthur legend. For example, most people do not realize that Camelot and Lancelot are fictional creations that came into existence some five hundred years after the time of King Arthur. These myths have provided King Arthur with a reputation of greatness that cannot be based on historical fact. At the same time, there is no harm in allowing people to believe that King Arthur was real because in the hearts of many King Arthur was real. There is no definitive data to back this assumption up but this does not deter many people from believing in the existence of King Arthur. In the end, history has not proven that King Arthur truly existed but literature and movies have created a character that is so loved that he has become â€Å"real† and he will remain â€Å"real† as long as people continue to be captivated by the legend of the King Arthur and the myths that surround him. Briggs, Katharine Mary. An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Boogies and Other Supernatural Creatures. New York: Pantheon Books, 1976. 440. Ford, David Nash. â€Å"Excalibur. † Brittania. 2000. 17 Feb 2009 . Giger, Remus. â€Å"In Search of†¦ King Arthur. † Associated Content. 2007. 17 Feb 2009 . Joe, Jimmy. â€Å"King Arthur. † Timeless Myths. 1999. 17 Feb 2009 . Lacy, Norris J. â€Å"Camelot. † The New Arthurian Encyclopedia. New York: Garland, 1991. 67. Miller, Michael D. â€Å"The True Story. † Camelot: The True Story. Moffat, CO: Rideout Publishing, 2008. Ogden-Korus, Erin. â€Å"An Archeological Quest for the ‘Real’ King Arthur. 1999. 17 Feb 2009 . Sir Lancelot Online. â€Å"Sir Lancelot of the Lake. † 17 Feb 2009 . Snell, Melissa. â€Å"The Truth of Arthur. A Legendary King. † About. com: Medieval History. 1999. 17 Feb 2009 . The Camelot Project. â€Å"Historical Arthur. † King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. 2001. 17 Feb 2009 .