To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

The book, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a timeless classic about the coming of age of a small southern town and it’s people. The book follows Jem and Scout, two siblings living in the 1930’s in a small southern town. Their father, Atticus, is a lawyer who is hired to defend a black man who is accused of rape. The children watch the town and the trial change and grow. Atticus loses the trial and Tom Robinson, the man who is being accused of rape gets killed by prison guards. The whole town is in an uproar. Some people are furious, some are pleased, and others see it as no big deal. But for Jem and Scout it is a time for them to grow up and face the harsh realities of life. The three main themes in To Kill A Mockingbird are â€Å"racism†, â€Å"hypocrisy†, and â€Å"the world of adults†. The main theme in To Kill A Mockingbird is â€Å"racism†. Maycomb has both a black and white community. Both sides have racial views against the other. When Jem and Scout go to the black church a woman comes out and says, â€Å"You Ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here – they got their church, we out ours.† (Pg. 119) Both communities are hostile towards each other. When a black man is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he is still found guilty because of his skin color. It is stated in the book, â€Å"In our courts, when its white man’s word against a black man’s, the white always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life.† (Pg. 220) However not all of the white people agree with this. Most of them think that Tom Robinson is guilty just because of the color of his skin. The second main theme in To Kill A Mockingbird is â€Å"hypocrisy†. Mrs. Merriweather talks about saving the poor Mrunas from Africa, but she thinks the black people in her community are a disgrace. She states, â€Å"At least we have the deceit to say to ‘em yes you’re as good as we are but stay away from us. Down here we just say you live your way and we’ll live ours.† (Pg. 234) But for the Mrunas she says, â€Å"I made a pledge in my heart. I said to myself, when I go home I’m going to give a course on the Mrunas†¦to Maycomb and that’s just what I’m doing.

European Motivations for Exploring and Conquering the New World Essay

Suez Canal in Egypt was recently completed in 1870s when Britain purchased approximately half share. Suez Canal was considered as a highly important route through which trade had become possible to India. So Britain got hold over Suez Canal to limit the trade to and from India. Then the European Empire had expanded to other regions as well such as Africa, the Persian Gulf and in the Middle Eastern countries. Europeans were expanding their Empire to bring about the â€Å"New Imperialism† during which colonization was in accelerating phase. This process was encouraged by the Berlin Conference of 1884, which in effect provided a charter for the division of Africa into ‘spheres of influence’. European Motivations There were various motives behind European zealous participation in the New Imperialism. Firstly, there were intensified rivalries with other powers, as states such as the newly-unified Italy and Germany, along with France, which sought to compensate for its defeat in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, looked to the non-European world for expansion An expansionist Russia posed a particular threat in the decaying Turkish (Ottoman) Empire in the Middle East. British policy-makers wanted to secure further gains before their rivals did, in case they lost out in the international ‘balance of power’. Secondly, there were economic motives, notably the desire to capture new markets and sources of raw materials, preserve or expand trade links and to prevent the loss of existing overseas markets to other countries, Countries such as Nigeria, for example, offered valuable resources such as palm oil, which was used as a lubricant for industrial machinery. Thirdly, there was a growth of imperial nationalism, militarism and a sense of racial superiority (‘jingoism’) throughout British society. This jingoistic sentiment may have been as much an effect as a cause of British expansionism, but in combination with the other factors it helped to push Britain further along the colonial path In relation to Africa, for example, between 1885 and 1914 Britain took control of nearly 30 per cent of the continent’s population, compared to 15 per cent for France and nine for Germany The formalization of British rule in Africa included Somaliland (1884), Bechuanaland (1885), East Africa (1887), Rhodesia (1888), The Gambia (1888), Nyasaland (1889), Swaziland (1890), Uganda (1894), the Sudan (1898) and Nigeria (1900). Expansion before 1914 largely ended with the Second Boer War against the Afrikaner republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal in 1899-1902 Britain’s underlying reason for starting this war was the discovery of gold and diamonds in the region Although Britain annexed the two Boer Republics in 1902 and established the Union of South Africa in 1910, the conflict had strained British military capabilities and imperial resolve. In any case, Africa and elsewhere now offered fewer opportunities for expansion. British statesmen also found themselves more and more embroiled in the power politics of the European continent. Although the First World War was primarily a European conflict, about 2. 5 million colonials fought for Britain and there was intensified exploitation of the Empire’s material resources. Strain and Unrest during 1918-39  In 1919-20 the Empire gained an extra 1 million square miles of territory and 13 million new subjects, mainly in the Middle East, which was now valued because of its recently-discovered oil reserves as well as its proximity to India Under the League of Nations ‘mandates’ system, Britain took over Palestine, Transjordan, Iraq and the Gulf States from Turkey, and Tanganyika and other areas from Germany In Britain itself between the wars the Empire remained a source of national pride and identity, not least through the yearly celebration of Empire Day and the opening of the Empire Stadium at Wembley in 1923 In general, though, the 1920s and 30s saw the Empire become more tight-knit economically. The Empire Marketing Board, created in 1926, and the introduction of Imperial Preference (1932), a system of tariff walls around the Empire and Commonwealth, led to a rise in colonial imports from 25 per cent of British imports in 1910-14 to 40 per cent in 1939. Exports to the colonies rose from 36 per cent in 1910-14 to 50 per cent in 1939. But the fact that British industry, once ‘the workshop of the world’, was able to do reasonably well only in sheltered imperial markets was a token of Britain’s general economic decline as a result of the cost of the First World War. In the 1930s the balance of payments was persistently in deficit, making it difficult to afford the cost of stationing large forces across the world. Overall, during the 1920s and 1930s the Empire was outwardly secure but contained forces of strain and unrest. Collapse and Revival during 1939-45 In some ways the Empire was a strategic burden during the Second World War, stretching British resources and tying up troops who might have been better employed closer to home. The loss of Malaya, Singapore, Burma and Hong Kong to Japan by 1942 changed perceptions of Britain’s ability to maintain its empire. There were strikes and uprisings against British rule in India, Egypt, Kenya and Northern Rhodesia. For ideological and economic reasons the United States, which entered the war in 1941 and whose support was vital to Britain’s survival, opposed imperialism? Washington’s voice could scarcely be ignored. Under the ‘Lend-Lease’ program the United States provided Britain with $26 billion worth of aid, twice that from the dominions and colonies. Yet despite such challenges the Empire staged what was on the whole an impressive show of strength and unity, providing nearly 5 million troops, almost as many as Britain itself. In 1940 London set aside ? 20 million for colonial development and welfare, suggesting that in the event of victory the Empire might well have a secure and economically viable future. When Japan surrendered in August 1945 the British were able to reclaim the Asian territories that had previously been lost, many quite undamaged. American anti-imperialism had been more rhetorical than real, especially after the death of President Roosevelt in April 1945. In short, the Empire’s fortunes were revived. Conclusion By the mid-1960s, and certainly by 1980, the British Empire was practically no more. It had expanded from around 1870 until about 1900 as a result of rivalry with other European states, economic pressures and a sense of ‘jingoism’ at home. There were further gains after the First World War due to opportunities presented by the defeat of Turkey and Germany, and economically the Empire became more tightly knit than ever between the wars. Yet the interwar years saw growing pressure for self-rule among the colonial peoples. During the Second World War much of the Empire in Asia fell rapidly at Japanese hands only to be regained equally swiftly in 1945. Decolonization occurred due to colonial agitation for self-rule, changing trade patterns, and the fact that in the age of the superpowers colonial empires seemed anachronistic and because of the indifference of the British public to the Empire. In essence, no real advantage was to be found in its maintenance. Apart from a few remnants such as Hong Kong, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands and Bermuda, by 1980 the once vast British Empire had disappeared.

First Poem for You Essay

The Shakespearean sonnet â€Å"First Poem for You† has an iambic pentameter and consistent rhyme scheme. Every other line represents a true rhyme – the final accented vowels and all succeeding consonants or syllables are identical. For example the words â€Å"complete† and â€Å"neat† (Addonizio 1, 3). Every line of the poem has a basic stressed and unstressed syllable format, except the last line. The extension of the last line â€Å"but touch them, trying† implements a longer stress (14). I believe this has definite meaning to the structure of the poem. In addition, the final verse of the poem is the longest line. In relation to the word â€Å"trying†, I believe that the longer stress and length in the final line of the poem emphasizes the woman continuing to mend the relationship with her boyfriend. The theme of the poem is about love and desire, a woman who cares for her boyfriend seeks to mend the brokenness in their relationship. The title of the poem, â€Å"First Poem for You†, is simplistic and straightforward. Nevertheless, it has direct meaning and relation to the poem. There is a woman writing to her boyfriend about her feelings towards him. She likes to touch his tattoos, have sexual intercourse, yet she recognizes the pain between them and states that â€Å"such permanence is terrifying† (13). These split feelings cause a tone of ambivalence – conflicting feelings toward a person. She is touching the tattoos in complete darkness, which can help the reader understand her desire for her boyfriend yet the shame or timidity that is shared as well. Most shameful acts are done in the dark. Culture and society distinguish the pros of light vs. darkness. This poem does not directly reflect light vs. darkness (good vs. vil), but I believe the negative connotation the word darkness holds, transcends into this poem. If she was touching her boyfriend in the light the poem may have a more optimistic mood. However, darkness is usually related to death, therefore having a pessimistic mood. Furthermore, the connotation of death demonstrates a more in depth meaning of verse 11, â€Å"you’re seared to ashes†. This is a representation of the boyfriend’s death. Perhaps, he is burned alive, but I believe it refers more to him being cremated. Either meaning the reader interprets, the writer wants the reader to understand that the tattoos will remain until death. This is important because I believe the lasting of the tattoos reflect the â€Å"until death do apart† affections the woman has. This brings us back to the last phrase of the poem, â€Å"but touch them, trying†. Despite the confusing feelings, the woman wants to work through the relationship till the death of one of them. Just as the tattoos will remain till death, so will her pursuit towards her boyfriend. The tattoos have many symbolic representations that help the reader understand the feelings the woman has for her boyfriend. Water and lightening are two words that have a symbolic meaning for the poem. â€Å"Lines of lightening pulsing just above your nipple, can find, as if by instinct, the blue swirls of water on your shoulder where a serpent twists, facing a dragon† (4-7). Though symbols can have multiple meanings, the tone and theme of the poem helps to point out the specific meaning behind the relationship. The girlfriend, of the guy with the tattoos, enjoys touching the tattoos when she is unable to see the guy. She knows by heart just where the lightening is pulsing. In this case, the lightening symbolizes power of love that has a pulse, just like a person’s heartbeat; a beat that can go faster or slower depending on the situation. It is instinctive for the woman to know where every tattoo on the guy, just like in a relationship, a person may know every mark or scar on the other’s body. The woman knows that just above his shoulder are the blue swirls of water, where the water is symbolizing that the boyfriend may be pure at heart. The serpent facing the dragon symbolizes the warrior in him, and it also shows he has no fear against his enemies. When I pull you to me, until we’re spent and quiet on the sheets, I love to kiss the pictures in your skin† (Kennedy, 601), means that she pulls him closer to her while they’re laying down and falling asleep, she expresses her love and care for him until there’s no more time left in the night, until it’s all spent. To kiss the pictures in his skin simply means kissing his tattoos. â€Å"They’ll last until you’re seared to ashes; whatever persists or turns to pain between us, they will still be there† (Kennedy, 601), whatever persists†¦

Out and Disabled Essay

Compare and Contrast the ways in how â€Å"Out, Out† and â€Å"Disabled† present the idea of a forgotten victim The poem â€Å"Out, Out† by Robert Frost has a strong resemblance with the poem â€Å"Disabled† by Wilfred Owen as both poems demonstrate the fragility of life and how one person’s death can be easily forgotten. â€Å"Out, Out† the title speaks of everything, used in Shakespeare’s play ‘Macbeth’ It implies how life is ultimately described like a candle, when the flame goes off there is eternal darkness. In â€Å"Disabled† it essentially shows the same meaning where the women’s interest passed to â€Å"strong men that were whole† because the once glorious man in â€Å"Disabled† became nothing at all. The use of personification in â€Å"Out, Out† where the buzz saw â€Å"snarled and rattled† evokes a sense of foreboding. The buzz saw is seen as aggressive where cutting the boy’s hand was seen as a target and was meant to happen after all. The saw is seen as aggressive where cutting the boy’s hand was seen as a target and was meant to happen after all. The boy is simply nothing but dinner to the predator as he was its â€Å"supper† was mentioned right at the same moment when his hand was cut off. This is an effective method of making the boy seem worthless. The buzz saw has its own mind and is always one step ahead to make it seem dominant. Betrayal is a key point of the two poems as both victims had been betrayed by their own people. The boy was seen as only another death so no one cared about what happened since they were not the â€Å"ones dead† so they just move on with their life without any mourning. In â€Å"Disabled† the man was also seen as someone who is nothing as he is no longer â€Å"whole†. Where he was once a celebrated man, his life had completely changed due to his inexperience and naive view on war. He shares a similar fate as to the boy in â€Å"Out, Out† His actions were noble but they don’t matter at all since he had gained nothing out of it, he wasn’t able to win his â€Å"Meg† and he only brought back scars from the war. He was left alone like garbage since the women moved away to the other â€Å"strong men†. No matter what he did for his nation, he was a forgotten victim like the boy in â€Å"Out, Out†. It explains that the lives of these two people are insignificant and it’s best just to move on. On the other hand, both poems are both structured differently. â€Å"Out, Out† is a flowing story which has no stanzas. This structure allows the poem to be more fluid and keeps the pace of the story moving. It is seen through a third person perspective whereas â€Å"Disabled† the structure of the poem has stanzas and shows the perception of the past and the present. Robert Frosting juxtaposes the structure of the poem which aims to give a strong sense of contrast from one another so by using the past and the present, it is a very important role in the poem because one of the interesting part of â€Å"Disabled† is the main character as we can easily see how rueful he is due to his nostalgic days of when he was young. At stanza 1, it is hard to convince that the ruined man is the same person in stanza 3. He was known as one of the admired people as he was â€Å"silly† for his face. As he looked like a ‘god in kilts’ it is very contrasting to his future where he is in his â€Å"ghastly† suit. However, even though they have a contrasting structure they have something similar in terms of events that are not mentioned. Both poems predict something dreadful is about to happen to the characters as the personification used in ‘Out, Out’ ‘snarled and rattled’ hints that that the buzz saw is planning to strike. The structure has an unusual change where it is first introduced to something unpleasant which is the buzz saw but then the tone quickly changes to a tranquil state. Then it quickly shows the mountain ranges ‘one behind the other’ and ‘under the sunset, far into Vermont’ it foreshadows the boy’s death as the beauty could symbolize heaven. The tone quickly changes from concentrated to something serene. One other thing which is fascinating is that the poem has an image of society where society is cruelly creating the feeling of a forgotten victim just like the â€Å"women† in â€Å"Disabled†. The fact that both poems have the characters offering their body part creates an impression that they are worthless. It gives an idea that the body parts are no longer their own body. In â€Å"Disabled† he â€Å"threw away† his knees which is an unsympathetic manner to mention about his own legs â€Å"Out, out† is very comparable as he has â€Å"given† the hand. The fact that it wasn’t mentioned as â€Å"his† hand proves that it was no longer his own. In the poems both protagonists are robbed of their youth because they are both thrust into a dangerous adult world. They are chosen to be killed and left alone even though they are young which gives a poignant feeling and the sense of being forgotten. They interestingly have the same characteristics because in ‘Out, out’ the boy is doing â€Å"a man’s work† which implies a sense of experience and doing work that is years ahead of his age. Equal with â€Å"Disabled† where he finds himself in the present in a suit of grey. Similarly both protagonist in the poems portray the sense of being used by people because once they can’t achieve anything, they are no use to their leaders and society so they are left alone, isolated and gone from the world feeling betrayed as the boy was just basically used and the disabled man was rejected may assume that he threw away his life as well as he â€Å"poured† the colours down into shell holes. In comparison, the boy in â€Å"Out, Out† gives a stronger feeling of sorrow or grief for the boy as he is doing something he shouldn’t. In â€Å"Disabled† the idea of a forgotten victim is not shown as him resulting in death. It is the opposite of the boy as he is longing for his death. A powerful word Wilfred Owen used was that sleep had â€Å"mothered† which is a personification that shows his love of sleep where he is nurtured and safe, it even implies that the man is depressed. It assumes that the disabled man wants to escape from reality and go to his own reality in his sleep. Overall, the fragility and delicateness of life and youth mainly presents the idea of the forgotten victim. A forgotten victim is usually immobilized and helpless when they have lost everything. â€Å"Out, Out† and â€Å"Disabled† poignantly present forgotten victims. Even when doing a noble action like joining the army, a man can still be rejected among people. â€Å"Out, out† and â€Å"Disabled† were both written during difficult times and acquaints the reader to the atmosphere of the early 19’s. â€Å"Disabled† and â€Å"Out, Out† was written during the World War 1 where it was difficult and dark times yet in â€Å"Out, Out† we get a taste of how cold society was back then. Society can be cruel and filled with individualism where everyone is their own man so it plays a key point of making the two victims forgotten.

Why are you interested in the degree programmes (graduate Essay

Why are you interested in the degree programmes (graduate programme-mechanical engineering) at Nanyang technological university - Essay Example Mentorship from my uncle is another reason for my course selection. He has great passion for his profession and tells me that the scope of aeronautical engineering is interesting and therefore motivational. This means that aeronautical engineers are able to derive utility from their job and this reduces chances of career mobility at later stages of life that can have its disadvantages such as difficulties in self-establishment and development in the new career. My subjects selection at the CBSE level of study and the level of competence that I have developed in mathematics and physics are other reasons for my choice of mechanical engineering because I am confident of the potential to succeed in the course that require physics and mathematics knowledge as a prerequisite. In addition, I have developed personal interest in aeronautical engineering and I do enjoy flights and spending time at airports, watching aeronautical engineers in the hanger. I also prefer Nanyang Technical Universi ty because it is an established institution with reputable facilities and academic staff. Interaction with my uncle, an aeronautical engineer, long-term passion in the scope of mechanical engineering, proper subject selection at the CBSE syllabus, and passion for aeronautical engineering are my motivation into the cause. I am confident that they will motivate my success in the

An assessment of whether the differences in practice between Essay

An assessment of whether the differences in practice between facilitatory and evaluative modes of mediation are such that it is inappropriate for both forms to - Essay Example The facilitative style of mediation involves a third party mediator who does not actively participate in the mediation process but rather functions as a catalyst, helping the parties to discuss their problems and negotiate a solution in an atmosphere of goodwill and trust. In the process of evaluative mediation however, the mediator is a person who may move beyond the role of a facilitator and may offer an opinion on the issues under dispute, including an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the cases of the parties and the possible solutions that could be suggested. The spirit behind mediation is that of allowing a resolution to a dispute that is negotiated by the parties in a non adversarial environment. However, the evaluative mode of mediation is increasingly being likened to a court style adversarial approach and the differences developing between the facilitatory style and the evaluative style raise the question of whether it is appropriate to include both these forms of alternative dispute resolution under the common umbrella of mediation. Therefore, the question posed by this dissertation is: Is it appropriate to include both facilitatory and evaluative modes of mediation under the common umbrella of mediation or is it inappropriate to do so? Chapter One of this Dissertation sets out the premise of this research study, its scope and objectives, methodology and limitations. Chapter Two offers a discussion of the two forms of mediation and the kinds of practices that are used in each. Chapter Three offers a literature review of comparison and contrast of the two systems, employing the views of experts. Chapter Four includes a discussion of the issue of including both these kinds of mediation under a common umbrella and whether or not it is appropriate to do so, thereby also offering recommendations for future research. Mediation is

Medication Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medication - Assignment Example For patients with a history of stroke nursing considerations are needed since some interactions exist between Gentamicin and some prescriptions for stroke. Since Gentamicin causes a feeling of tightness in the chest, patients with pneumonia cannot get a prescription (Goodman, 2003). An individual currently under treatment of respiratory disease cannot sustain chest pains witnessed after intake. Patients with septicemia and pressure ulcer wounds are safe to use Gentamicin. Magnesium 140 is used to maintain adequate magnesium level in the body. Magnesium is an important mineral for the muscles and nerves. The drug is administered intravenously after every 12 hours. The common side effects include muscle cramps, mild diarrhea, upset stomach and depression. There are no strict considerations for patients with a history of stroke, pneumonia, septicemia and chronic respiratory disease. Magnesium 14o cannot be prescribed for a patient with pressure ulcer wound. Lidocaine 1% is a numbing med ication used as a local anesthetic. It functions by blocking nerve signals in the body. It is introduced to the body directly to the blood through an injection. It is given intravenously 2 to 3 minutes on an initial dose. The common side effects include drowsiness, shakiness and dizziness, a feeling of passing out and fast heart rate. It is not a safe prescription to a patient with a history of pneumonia and stroke. A patient with chronic respiratory disease and septicemia is safe to use this medication (Goodman, 2003). Tigeycline is the first in glyclycycline class of antibiotics. A broad-spectrum antibiotic works best for skin infections and intraabdominal infections. The dosage for this drug is 50mg intravenously for every 12 hours. The common side effects are vomiting, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Its prescription to patients with a history of stroke, pneumonia and currently being treated for chronic respiratory failure is not apt. This also applies to patients with septicemia and pressure ulcer wound. This is because the organisms in the antibiotics can cause more infections. Dakin solution is an antiseptic solution used to treat infected wounds it works as a solvent action on dead cells where it develops a separation of dead and alive cells. The solution is highly unstable, and it is administered instantly. It is used by dipping the entire wound surface in the solution (Goodman, 2003). It does not interact and counteractions with drugs prescribed for other diseases. Enoxaparin is a low molecular weight heparin drug used to stop blood clots. It is prescribed for preventing deep vein thrombosis. It works by preventing the formation of clots in blood by preventing the 12-clot developing proteins in the blood. It is administered through an injection intravenously. This is after a period of 12 hours. The common side effects associated with the solution are diarrhea, bleeding, nausea and fever. It has no clear considerations with septicemia. However, for pat ients with history of stroke, pneumonia and chronic respiratory disease, nursing considerations are necessary. Prescriptions for these diseases can interact and counter-interact with Enoxaparin. Carvedilol is a type of prescription medicine in the beta-blockers class. It is generally used to stabilize patients with heart complications. The common side effects of the drug include fatigue, slow heartbeat, low blood pressure and severe allergic reactions. Prescription to a patient with a history of