Reconstructing Keynesian Argument Research Paper

Reconstructing Keynesian Argument - Research Paper Example Keynes deviates from what the Classical economists majorly focus upon, for the reason that he had been surrounded by Classical and Neo-Classical thinkers throughout his life, yet his ideas have a strong reliance to the Classical Thought and form an inspiration from this school of economic thought (Tarshis). Keynes strongly believes that the Classical Economic Theory focused on a specific, exceptional, rather than a general condition of economic theory, namely the strong emphasis on prices and wages as a determinant of the overall employment level of a country. He demonstrated this with respect to the Great Depression and concluded that the Classical focus was too narrow to apply in general. The Classical economists formulated the concepts which made us believe that we can drive the economy according to set preferences and likes, but in reality, it is difficult to so influentially affect the various economic forces which alter the real conditions. Hence, according to Keynes, the Classical Economic Theory is not sufficient to explain the general economic conditions. This gave rise to The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money, which focuses on general activity, unlike the Classical case. Building upon the concepts of employment, interest, and money, Keynes was not just an economist who provided core theoretical concepts, rather he believed in the formulation of sound economic policy through the application of those concepts (Johnson). Keynes’ theory, therefore, was not just focused on one particular direction of economic activity, but actually covered everything from the basics (prices, supply, demand, wages, employment, saving, investment, capital etc.) to actually applying those concepts practically, as economic policies.

Native Americans in the United States Essay Example for Free

Native Americans in the United States Essay Based on the ethnic groups (Table 1: Appendix), several beneficial values that helped to shape the United States lifestyle can be described (Holland, 2006). In particular, the brief summaries have given the clear picture of Multiculturalism in the United States in relation to the origin. The United States, for that matter, is captured as a multicultural society that is open to all people with different backgrounds. From an early time, several groups started moving into the region due to various reasons, which allowed for the development of a culturally diverse society. Hence, the United States substantially benefited from the cultural diversity as improved workforce was available for the various work scenarios. Despite the obvious benefits of multiculturalism in the society, some negative forms such as racism, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination flourished over several years (Holland, 2006). In the recent past, for example, several ethnic groups such as the African American, Hispanic, and Indian Americans have continually suffered racism, discrimination, and being depicted in certain stereotypes. Firstly, segregation between the Whites and Blacks was a key characteristic of the population before the rise of the civil rights during the 1950s and over (Holland, 2006). Workplaces, schools, commuter busses, and residential areas were segregated between the two groups until in 1954 when segregation in schools was banned. As a result, people started integrating on a multicultural perspective, which led to the realization of better performances and solutions for the workplaces. Besides the significant leap ahead, other factors such as prejudice and stereotyping still exist at the current date. For instance, the African American and Hispanic groups have been stereotyped in the villainous characters such as gangsters, robbers and the like for several decades (Holland, 2006). Such beliefs have existed for several years and are even a common occurrence in media the same way. Hand in hand, prejudice has also resulted from the occurrences. Therefore, prejudice and stereotypes are a normal situation in the culturally diverse environment of the United States. However, the multicultural nature of the country’s population resulted in some positive factors such as creation of a multicultural workforce that can meet the requirements of the target population in an effective manner (Kenyon, 2005). In connection to that, all the ethnic groups in the American landscape are subject to some positive, as well as, negative aspects of the cultural diversity. As a result, prejudice, stereotypes, racism, and discrimination that were once extremely high have considerably low effects on the modern and socially active populations. In conclusion, the United States still leads with regards to the benefits of cultural diversity among its people. Table 1: Multicultural Matrix and Analysis Worksheet. Part I: Matrix What is the group’s history in the United States? What is the group’s population in the United States? What are some attitudes and customs people of this group may practice? What is something you admire about this group’s people, lifestyle, or society? 1. The African American Several African American people are linked to a history of slavery since their ancestors were brought in the United States as slaves. This happened first during the 1600s-1700s, and where they assisted English colonialists to get American independence. Later, prominent leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. helped to change discrimination against Blacks. As a result, a breakthrough into the rampant segregation between the whites and blacks reduced. The African American has an approximate population of about 37 million forming about 13 percent of the total population of the United States. The African Americans are characterized by the practice of several cultural activities depicted in their music, art, and lifestyle. As such, they form a significant part of the USA as their culture substantially influenced the American culture. I appreciate the African American lifestyle and their music such as Hip-hop and reggae music. Additionally, I love their celebrations such as the Black history celebrations in which they remember their historic past. 2. The Hispanic and Latino American The Spanish became among the first settlers, before Europeans, to settle in some areas of America such as Florida and California. Several people of this group speak the English language only and have adopted the European-American Culture. On average, the Latino and Hispanic population in the United States is approximately 16 percent of the whole population. This accounts to almost 50 million people. The Hispanics are depicted as religious people who believe in helping one another. Families may be nuclear or extended, and the father is the final decision maker in the family setting, while the mother is the home care taker. However, all family members are expected to assist in the effective functioning of the setting. I love Hispanic music and their musicians such as Ricky Martin and Jenifer Lopez. Additionally, their Mexican foods are an excellent appetizer that I always cannot ignore. 3. The Indian American The Indian American officially became legal citizen in the United States in 1946. The Indians immigrated into the United States via other countries such as Jamaica, South Africa, and United Kingdom among other countries. The Indian population in America is reasonably low at approximately 0. 89 percent of the whole population. As such, this reflects to about 2. 5 million people. The Indian Americans have a strict cultural background and adhere to strict rule on religion, culture, and food among several other practices. Their religions are diverse and may include Hinduism, Islamism, Christianity, and Buddhism. I value the cultural practices of Indians especially those practicing Hinduism as they have fascinating ideas. One example is the caste system, where once in a low or high case system; one is destined to remain right there. 4. The American Asian Asians of the Chinese background came into the United States due to mainly conflicts from their countries. One situation was the Vietnam War, which led to massive migration of the affected into the USA. In the 1970s and 1980s, therefore, was time for the largest Asian migration into the United States. The Americans Asian account for about 5 percent of the United States’ population. As a result of cultural diversity, the American Asians are exposed to several challenges. I admire the Chinese way of life that comprises of fun in the form of art and craft. Additionally, I find pleasure watching some of their movies and appreciate the Yoga. 5. The Native Americans The Native Americans were the original settlers of the United States of America. Relevant sources indicate that they enabled undetectable communication during the World War II using their native language. As pertains to name, the Native Americans are recognized as the first settlers of the United States. However, they account for a small population percentage of about 1 percent. The Native Americans culture show dissimilar practices in all other nations. In particular, those living on reservations show dissimilar cultures from the ones not living on reservations; however, some similarities may exist in their heritage and traditions. The Native Americans fascinate me with their incredible lifestyle such as them living in tepees and their spiritualism. 6. The Bahamian American The Bahamian American migrated into the United States from the Caribbean during the late 19th century in search for job offers in the agricultural sector. The Bahamian American has an extremely low population of about 40,000 people. Hence, it accounts for approximately 0. 01 percent of the whole population. Bahamian Americans preserved their cultural heritage; hence, have a distinguished way of living and culture. The Bahamian way of living and cultural heritage provides an excellent measure of modern living from historical setting. Their cultural practices are engaging. Part II: Analysis Basing on the above listed ethnic groups, several beneficial values that helped to shape the United States lifestyle can be described. In particular, the brief summaries have given the clear picture of Multiculturalism in the United States in relation to the origin. The United States, for that matter, is captured as a multicultural society that is open to all people with different backgrounds. From an early time, several groups started moving into the region due to various reasons, which allowed for the development of a culturally diverse society. Hence, the United States substantially benefited from the cultural diversity as improved workforce was available for the various work scenarios. Despite the obvious benefits of multiculturalism in the society, some negative forms such as racism, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination flourished over several years. In the recent past, for example, several ethnic groups such as the African American, Hispanic, and Indian Americans have continually suffered racism, discrimination, and being depicted in certain stereotypes. Firstly, segregation between the Whites and Blacks was a key characteristic of the population before the rise of the civil rights during the 1950s and over. Workplaces, schools, commuter busses, and residential areas were segregated between the two groups until in 1954 when segregation in schools was banned. As a result, people started integrating on a multicultural perspective, which led to the realization of better performances and solutions for the workplaces. Besides the significant leap ahead, other factors such as prejudice and stereotyping still exist at the current date. For instance, the African American and Hispanic groups have been stereotyped in the villainous characters such as gangsters, robbers and the like for several decades. Such beliefs have existed for several years and are even a common occurrence in media the same way. Hand in hand, prejudice has also resulted from the occurrences. Therefore, prejudice and stereotypes are a normal situation in the culturally diverse environment of the United States. However, the multicultural nature of the country’s population resulted in some positive factors such as creation of a multicultural workforce that can meet the requirements of the target population in an effective manner. In connection to that, all the ethnic groups in the American landscape are subject to some positive, as well as, negative aspects of the cultural diversity. As a result, prejudice, stereotypes, racism, and discrimination that were once extremely high have considerably low effects on the modern and socially active populations. In conclusion, the United States still leads with regards to the benefits of cultural diversity among its people. Part III: Sources Holland, C. (2006). Ethnic and Religious Diversity in Central America: An Historical Perspective. Retrieved November 12, 2011 from the Prolades Website: http://www. prolades. com/Ethnic_Religious_Diversity_CAM-Holland. pdf Kenyon, A. (2005). The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace. Retrieved November 11, 2011 from the Leading Today Website: http://www. leading today. org/Onmag/2005%20Archives/may05/ak-may05. html Reference List Holland, C. (2006). Ethnic and Religious Diversity in Central America: An Historical Perspective Retrieved November 12, 2011 from the Prolades Website: http://www. prolades. com/Ethnic_Religious_Diversity_CAM-Holland. pdf Kenyon, A. (2005). The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace Retrieved November 11, 2011 from the Leading Today Website: http://www. leading today. org/Onmag/2005%20Archives/may05/ak-may05. html

Impact of Language Software on Language Learning

Impact of Language Software on Language Learning Chapter one Introduction Overview In todays world, using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and its influence on various aspects of human life, have caused great development on in society and human relations, which is referred to as the information revolution. The increasing development of Information Technology (IT) in human life especially in educational environment and the its use of it have led to a new era in human life that can be called the intelligence community[E1]. Living in such a society that is progressing every day requires people who canto adapt themselves with such progression. The first step in this regard is the issue of how to make optimal use of ICT applications in general education curriculum. Because of the arrival of technology in human life, all individuals, institutions and systems in countries should be prepared for a variety of changes that are vital to progression. To be specific in education, it is not more than some decades which Educational Technology (ET) started to appear in educational system around the world. Nowadays neither students nor instructors can be regarded as the traditional ones who had simple facilities available. According to Thorne and Reinhardt (2008), â€Å"emerging literacies associated with digital media are highly relevant to their current and future lives as language users† (p. 560). Before considering the application of ET with its new concept, instructors and teachers supplied audiovisual products to improve the result of their teaching and learning materials in education. However, recent developments in the computer industry and information, multi-media, communication technologies and the[E2] emergence of local and regional inf ormation networks especially the internet put new methods and tools for designers, managers, executives, and curriculum trainers.Plenty of technologies and tools in learning and teaching process such as educational software, Personal Data Assistance (PDA), mobile and etc. requires the instructors to lead their learners toward using technology in their life at least their education. According to Bruce and Hogan (1998), â€Å"As technologies embed themselves in everyday discourse and activity, a curious thing happens. The more we look, the more they slip into the background. Despite our attention, we lose sight of the way they shape our daily lives† (p. 270). As technology becomes the normal and expected means of communication and education, Bruce and Hogan (1998) point out, important changes occur in expectations about the abilities students have to acquire to be successful language users. The interaction between instructors and learners should be so close in order to get a good and reasonable result. The more teachers update and are familiar with new technologies in teaching, the more knowledgeable and update students will be. In general, the influence of new information technologies in educational institutions (from schools to higher education) and even homes has changed the relationship between student and teacher. Thus, traditional learning paradigms are changed and users are faced with vast amounts of information and knowledge. Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) It is obvious that in these days everybody, especially school and university students, tends to use computer in their daily activities specially explosion of interest in using computers for language teaching and learning which is an interest of both language instructors and language learners. The development of CALL brought about a revolution in teaching process, as the teaching tools offered through CALL were gradually becoming more reliable. Today CALL has popularity in education specially in learning a foreign language so that language learners support it and use it as an essential part of their language learning process. However, applying CALL in teaching and learning has some weaknesses. Nowadays both English language teachers and English learners are tend to utilize computer in their methods especially its very important for English instructors to use CALL because English course book of secondary school changed from the current educational year that CALL is one of important part of it. Schools and their school districts would benefit from a the current program that assesses the English teachers’ use of technology and readiness for use of technology in their classroom, as well as their ability to utilize technology in an engaging and meaningful way for the English learners specific to their content area. One such example is the Teacher Education and Technology Planning Guide created by Learning Point Associates in November of 2004. It looks at eight key categories for the implementation of technology by pre-service teachers and colleges of education (Fulton, Glenn Valdez, 2004). Statement of the problem Informatics and computer-based communication have created a collection that originated arevolution thatis based on information industry: a revolution that itswhose focus is on accessing information, that is, searching and retrieval of information in limited time with a reasonable cost. Ultimately, it results in creating global village and the information society.In this regard, a related terminology Information Technology (IT)would be mentioned that is a key point in the revolution. According to Wikipedia, free encyclopedia, IT is the application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data, often in the context of a business or other enterprise. As its name indicates, in such society each organization and its staffs should be inform of what are going on in the world around and should possess the technology and be able to apply it to get such information. To remain in such society, change is essential, so as a result every organizatio n changed. Education in general and teaching English in particular is one of the many fields thathas been affected by IT and changed. At present, any society needs educated people who have the power of decision-making, people who should be able to act and communicate based on their abilities in a world of widely changing. It means knowledgeable people who are flexible and can adopt themselves to any conditions in their job that are dealing with IT. In addition, each society needs teachers who are able to apply technology in their classes.Regarding to development of technology in human life and man’s move toward technology, teachers need to adapt themselves with technology, too. To get a good and acceptable result of instruction at the end of semesters, English teachers need to update themselves by using CALL. The goal of all language teachers is to teach their students in a way that the students acquire language component and language skills. For vocabulary learning, teachers have applied and employed so many methods and ways such as; memorizing long lists of words, translating texts, making sentences with new words, and so many other ways that are known for the experts in language teaching. In Iran, English teachers have been trying several methods to teach their students English but despite great effort in teaching, they probably have not achieved success.Nowadays there are great amounts of high school students and even university students who cannot use English even a simple introduction while they past at least seven years of English instruction in guidance and high school.English language teaching experts have different beliefs about it. One of the main problems may be if for the purpose of the books that are not communicative based. [E3]In both guidance schools and high schools, English teachers require the students to memorize long list of vocabulary that were at the end of each lessons. Although the words were retained, it was not last for long time. The other main reason may be is its way of teaching grammar. English teachers teach grammar like mathematics. It means first they wrote a formula on the board and then wrote some examples and wanted the students to d o following examples that were on their books. Usually the grammar applied on the lesson reading text but it was not clear enough to make the students understand. There were so many problems that the bottom line was failing to learn English language well. After some years of graduating their high school and nowadays during the school, the students who are poor in learning English language referred to English language institutes to start to learn it better and also in a new method. Experience has shown that the students who participate in English institutes learn and apply English better than those who do not participate in such classes. Unlike schools, the way of teaching English in English institutes are totally different. First, the book which are taught in English institutes are completely different from school. Although there are different kinds of books, all of them are designed with the aim of communication and all of them are following same goal.The books which are using in English institutes are include: Happy House, Happy writing, Potato pals, Pocketsand some others for kids and beginning in starter levels.Let’s go, First friend, Family and friends which are usually forjunior levels and intermediate levels.Interchange, Touchstone, Top notch, Summit, American English file and English resultthatis usually for senior levels adult learning. It should be mentionthat all of the series have different stages.Regardless of the variety of books, in English institutes students are expected to be able to communicate at the end of each semester according to the level of the related book. The remarkable thing in such book is that these books have given considerable attention on learning words with different ways and in some casesfor better understanding of a word, presents a word with its pictures. In all kinds of books, they used kind of CALL. In most of the books, especially for kids, the publisher provides additional software according to the book for better understand of the contents. For kids, it provides some moving pictures and famous cartoon characters to teach them English alphabet or some simple words like dog, cat, ant etc. For junior, intermediate, upper intermediate and senior levels the publisher usually provide demo of the book and additional tests. Even some publishers enlist some English software and attach the software to the book. These publishersmight be believe that such technology is more attractive for language learners and it help to sell their product more. Recently, English teachers have tried to incorporate technology and the old methods of teaching English that have taught in schools, which usually was based on grammar translation method (GTM). As the researcher is going to do his research on vocabulary learning aspect of English language, he has tried to search for some software and CALL programs that their focus is on vocabulary. One of the most important parts of language learning and language usage is vocabulary and the ability of using it. English teachers have used so many different ways to teach vocabulary to English learners but they were not much success. Nowadays English teachers usemany English software to teach vocabulary, learning vocabulary in learners is better than far past but seemingly they have not achieved as success as they expected. They use some software like Oxford Picture Dictionary (OPD), Longman Children Picture dictionary,Nosrat English language teaching, demo of some English books and such software that contains language components specially vocabulary learning. Some of such English software were good at the beginning and attracted learners’ satisfaction even sometimes learners thought it was the best software that they could use but it did not last. One of the most important reasons is because the method they (English software) worked onis not like learners’ real life. Foreign language learners need to learn a newlanguage as much as their first language, which refers to acquiring it rather than learning. It means to teach vocabulary to English language learners so that they internalize in their mind and they could apply it. English language learners need to learn English the same way they leant their first language it means they should be completely surrounded by the language they are going to learn not see a translation of words or instructing. In other words, they should be in a natural immersion of language. With regard to above mentioned characteristics of teaching a language, the researcher chose choose an English software that does not have the above mentioned problems. This study is going to examine teaching vocabulary through the Rosetta Stone English software. Due to above mentioned problems of Iranian EFL learners on vocabulary learning, the researcher is going to demonstrate some words and sentences by related pictures. It is considered that the learners can mix both their auditory and visual sense in their mind so that the word would be learned. Other features of this software will explain in detail in following chapters.This research intends to investigate the impact of Rosetta Stone English software vocabulary learning in a way that the learnt material be last for long time like everybody’s first language. Significance of the study The domain of CALL in Iran is in need of moreresearch. To the researcher’s best knowledge, studiesabout computer-based instruction in Iran are not somanyespecially for research through English language learning software.In addition, there is not any research through Rosetta Stone English software at all and this is the first research in this field using this software.In Mazandaran, Mahmoudabad, it is the first time that a CALL research is going to be done on English language learners so it is novel in this major. A few studies about using podcast and the use of CALLinteaching listening and grammar toIranian EFL learners have beenconducted. It is anticipated that this study encourages English language teachers to use computers in languagelearning in general, and in learning English vocabularyin particular. This study also attempts to bridge the gapbetween the theoretical and practical sides of usingCALL in teaching vocabulary. Therefore, the findings of this study may befunctional for different categories of people; it mayhelp EFL curriculum designers and EFL methodologists develop teaching materials that suit various ways ofteaching and match students’ level of achievement inEnglish language in general and in vocabulary in particular. The finding of this research can be helpful for English language teachers whose students have problem with learning vocabulary and are bored by learning English vocabulary in traditional ways. Moreover, this study may helpEnglish teachersby facilitating their role as well as students byhelping them absorb and apply Englishvocabulary itemsquite easily and smoothly. There are many English learners who are looking for good English software that couldlearn English by themselves; conducting this research makes familiar the people with this software and its abilities.Even some English teachers do not know such software; it is hope that reading this thesis will familiarize t hem with the software.Finally, this study mayencourage other researchers to conduct further studieson the same topic, or maybe on other skills or sub skills of English, which will enrich both the local andinternational literature. Research question and hypothesis This study is going to answer these questions: Does Rosetta Stone English software have any statistically significant impact on Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary learning? Does Rosetta Stone English software have any statistically significant impact on Iranian EFL learners’ delay[E4] recall? This study will focus on the following null hypotheses: Rosetta Stone English software has no statistically significant impact on Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. Rosetta Stone English software has no statistically significant impact on Iranian EFL learners’ long-term [E5]recall of vocabulary items. Definition of key terms Computer-assisted language learning (CALL): It is succinctly defined in a seminal work by Levy (1997) as the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning. CALL embraces a wide range of Information and communications technology applications and approaches to teaching and learning foreign languages, from the traditional drill-and-practice programs that characterized CALL in the 1960s and 1970s to more recent manifestations of CALL. Here by CALL it means using some software and CDs that learners use to strengthen their vocabulary skill and sometimes using some software such as English Rosetta Stone for practicing English vocabularies. Rosetta Stone English software: It is proprietary CALL software published by Rosetta Stone Inc. The software uses images, text, sound, and video to teach words and grammar by spaced repetition, without translation. Rosetta Stone calls their approach Dynamic Immersion (a term which they have trademarked). Information and Communication Technology (ICT): It is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is a more specific term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information. In this study by ICT it means the ways and activities that are related to language learning and activities that learners can do by ICT as their language learning processes. Educational Technology (ET): According to Richards and Schmidt (2010), it is 1. The use of machines and educational equipment of different stores (e.g. language and labrotaries, tape recorder, video, etc.) to assist teachers and learners. 2. A system of instruction which contains (a) an analysis of what learners need to know and be able to do (b) a description of these needs as behavioral objectives. According to Richey (2008), sometimes termed EdTech, is the study and ethical practice of facilitating e-learning, which is the learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources. Delimitations of the study This study has the following limitations: This study limits its scope on lower intermediate institutes vocabulary learning. Therefore, other skills and sub skills are not concern of this study. This study will be done on Mahmoudabad lower intermediate institutes learners with their own ecological and cultural characteristics, so learners in other cities and provinces with different levels are not included. This research will study on both genders, so others researchers can limits their study on just one gender. [E1]Source? [E2]As you see in this page, you need a thorough proofreading of your thesis. I did it only for page 1. You continue with the rest. [E3]rewrite [E4]does not match hypothesis 2 [E5] does not match question 2

Comparing The Color Purple and Macbeth :: comparison compare contrast essays

Comparing The Color Purple and Macbeth What is a perfect human? Human perfection may be measured by physical ability or intellectual achievement; however, it may also be measured by strength of character, and in this realm humans may often fall short. Weakness of character, shown through various character flaws, causes most of the hardships in life. Literature such as Shakespeare's Macbeth and Alison Walker's The Color Purple contain three levels of characters: setting characters, secondary characters and the main character. Combined, these three all contribute character flaws which leads to the novel or play's ultimate tragedy. The setting character appears in the beginning of a piece of literature to give one a feel and sense of how the piece will reach out to the reader. King Duncan sets the atmosphere in Macbeth when we see different characters take advantage of his character flaw, naivete. Immediately we begin to see some of the major themes such as betrayal and manipulation and know what direction the play will take. King Duncan's naivete is first shown when we find out that the former Thane of Cawdor has betrayed King Duncan and that he did not have any idea of it. This incident then prepares us for King Duncan's meeting with Lady Macbeth, where Lady Macbeth deceives King Duncan. We know Lady Macbeth is not loyal, yet he considers her his "honour'd hostess.../Which still [he] thank[s] and love[s]" (I. vi. 9-12). Once again when naive King Duncan puts his trust into the hands of disloyal Macbeth by making him Thane of Cowdar, the atmosphere and plot advances by making Macbeth's future plans possible. Celie's mother, in the beginning of the novel The Color Purple, is a very small but effective setting character. Her character flaw was irresponsible parenting because she did not protect her daughter. With this lack of protection, Celie did not have any female role models when she was growing up. Therefore, Celie was not able to become knowledgeable about life and have good female company. Another effect this flaw had on the protagonist was that she had no one to teach her how to understand herself. Celie was unable to realize all of the wonderful qualities of being and becoming a woman. Because she could not appreciate being a woman, she was unable to appreciate herself, and therefore had a lack of self confidence.

“A Visit of Charity” by Eudora Welty Essay

Is Eudora Welty successful in showing how human beings can be more interested in their own personal gains than the needs of others? Marian didn’t really want to visit the home for the elderly but she is a Campfire Girl and by taking out the time to go, she will gain points for offering her time to charity work. A gift of flowers was something that Marian brought to the home in order to make her visit look more genuine, but the apple that she brought; she hid outside so that none would think it was also a gift. There was no special person that she wanted to visit, she only wanted to do the job that she came for, earn her point and leave. She wears her Campfire Girls cap to show who she is and she is very afraid to be around a bunch of older people that she has never met, before, but the added point means so much to her that she is willing to visit this strange home. She is more interested in what she can gain from this visit than what she can offer to others. Addie wasn’t thrilled by Marian’s visit. She was a cranky old lady who didn’t even like her roommate and couldn’t stand to hear her talk about a bunch of nothing, all the time. Marian had pretty, yellow hair which she wore a white cap over and she dressed in her red coat as she observed the two women in the nursing home. She had a job to perform and so much to do in her life as she watched the two ladies who had nothing but each other. (Welty, 1980) In â€Å"A Visit of Charity†, Eudora Welty uses Marian as a character who acts in ways that many of us do at certain times in our lives, in performing deeds that are solely for ourselves, and sometimes we forget about the feelings of others. Welty demonstrates in this story that we need to not only try to work toward our own goals but at the same time, we need to consider the thoughts and emotions of others who are less fortunate. Marian is the girl who Welty chose to show that people, especially young individuals, sometimes forget about more important things as we search for awards and points that make us look and feel better about ourselves. To truly feel better about ourselves, we must consider the feelings of others and then we gain the biggest reward of all; knowing that we made someone else’s day a little brighter and more fulfilling. Marian still had many lessons to learn, in life about human kindness, and as she takes a big bite out of the apple, she shows that she had been more interested in her own personal gain in this visit. The author made you think about others in her writing. Eudora Welty clearly showed the selfishness that one can see in Marian’s visit to the nursing home and how she had so much to learn about the true meaning of sharing and giving of yourself in helping others who are less fortunate. I believe that Eudora Welty clearly showed that human beings are sometimes very capable of seeking out their own personal gain in life and are highly capable of not considering the feelings of others, as we do. Reference Page Welty, Marian. (1980) â€Å"A Visit of Charity†. Library of America. A Visit of Charity by Eudora Welty Essay Irony is the use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning. Eudora Welty successfully uses this literary technique to elucidate the theme of the story, â€Å"A Visit of Charity†. The title â€Å"A Visit of Charity† is rather ironic. Charity means to show kindness and sympathy towards others; however, no one in this story does such a thing. There are no charity from Marian’s, the nurse’s, the two old ladies, and the whole society’s point of view. How can there be charity when the old ladies are isolated from the society. In the story, Marian, â€Å"a young Campfire girl†, sets out a visit to the Old Lady House. She wears â€Å"a red coat and her straight yellow hair is hanging down loose from the pointed white cap all the little girls are wearing this year.† This suggests us that she is not a self-conscious individual. She pays the visit for unquestioning duty since all other campfire girls do so. Her motive is also for the points, which reward on her project. The author also gives way to Marian’s selfish nature when she states to the nurse that â€Å"I have to pay a visit to some old lady.† She shows little respect in the way she phrases her statement. By saying she has to pay a visit reinforces us think that she is there not of her own free will. She does not care who she visits, just as long as the person is an elderly woman. Another irony is used to help explaining the theme of the story as Marian enters the old ladies’ room. When Marian looks around the room, she feels like â€Å"being caught in a robber’s cave, just before being murdered.† She thinks the old ladies are robbers who are trying to steal her perception of the world; however, do they really steal Marian’s view of world? No, I think Marian gets fear because the old ladies give her a broader and truer sense of the reality, which she is reluctant to accept. â€Å"A visit of Charity† by Eudora Welty Essay In the short story, â€Å"A visit of Charity† by Eudora Welty, a fourteen -year old Campfire girl whose name is Marian, visits an elderly home to earn points. The way Marian slowly makes her way from the bus stop to the nursing home shows reluctance. The author’s purpose was to describe a young child’s experience with the elderly through emotions and descriptions of her actions. The author encloses several lurid details to help the readers understand how awful this experience was for the child. The title contradicts the meaning of the story, charity means generosity or kindness towards others, and no one in this story carries that out. People’s selfishness and insensitivity can blind them from humanity and the needs of others. The setting is a winter’s day at a home for elderly women. Outside of the home, there are â€Å"prickly dark shrubs with which the city had beautified the home†. These surroundings imply coldness, and abandonment. The ambiance points to the feeling of fear. The floors inside the building illustrate the awkwardness. The room that Marian ends up visiting is dark, the shade is drawn, and excess amounts of furniture. The wet smell of everything and the wet appearance of the bare floor imply that the cramped room is a more suitable for barn animals rather than humans. Marian compares the room to a robbers cave and the two women as the robbers. The setting of a story assists in painting a mental picture, which draws the reader into the story. (42) Characters bring a story to life; they help the reader connect with the story and its surroundings. The story begins with the young girl who is fearful of the home. The story leads the reader to believe that Marian is the protagonist, and the elderly home is the antagonist. Marian is a self-conscious, submissive, and harsh. She refers to one of the elderly women as an object to be used and discarded when she announces the purpose of her visit. â€Å"I’m a Campfire Girl†¦I have to pay a visit to some old lady†. These words and her frequent thoughts about the points she will get for the visit reveal her real reason for coming, self-gain. An old woman â€Å"Any will do† is an impersonal thing with no identity or personality. She also refers to them as animals in their motions and appearances. When the  girl runs out, she notices that the nurse is reading a Field & Stream magazine. All of these descriptions help the reader to understand what the home is like, and how she sees the world. (42) Welty uses description, symbolism, irony to get across the theme. The theme of the story is selfishness, although it is portrayed through fear. Marian is apprehensive about going into the home, but maintains her state of mind and goes in. In the beginning, the story leads the reader to believe that she truly has compassion. Although, it is a lie, she is there only for points. The author is expressing self-interest. Fear is a part in life and to concur those fears is contentment, but running away is not concurring. Marian does not portray the best image of a kind, cheerful Campfire Girl. Welty further suggests in this story that fake charity can destroy the very humanity it pretends to acknowledge and uphold. People like Marian acting either out of duty or for personal advantages have created the Home and the conditions that have made the inhabitants irritable and unlovable. Marian left the women more lonely and distraught than she found them. This kind of charity is uncharitable indeed.

Educating Rita Essay Example

Educating Rita Essay Example Educating Rita Paper Educating Rita Paper Essay Topic: Literature Was this the start of a new life for a man who was not happy with his place in society? As Rita a working class hairdresser who is provoked by her sense of incompleteness, steps into Franks life. These are the two vital characters of Educating Rita written by Willy Russell who tries to explore and portray the issues of too completely different yet similar classes, the classes being working and middle class. Educating Rita a play written in the 1970s, you will also notice that this play is a two-hander, although this play is on based on the foundation of only two characters many others characters are mentioned and play a crucial role in forming the plot of this play. In this assignment I will be examining the ways in which Willy Russell tries to change the path of two characters. Also I will be analysing the ways in which the two characters have an influence on each others metamorphosis as the play proceeds. Before one can actually consider the way in which Frank is presented, or any of the characters one must take into account the languages used by both Rita and Frank. Although they speak the same language there are parts when Ritas slang is unknown to Frank this shows the great difference between the two cultures. Frank is shown as a middle-aged alcoholic; one could have jumped to the conclusion that Frank would not be in this state if he did not have any previous personal problems. Frank is also shown as an easily frustrated man for example: At the beginning of the play Rita seems to be a happy, bubbly and vibrant young lady despite the fact that she wishes to leave her background behind and aspire to be something better. At the start Rita is part of the working class but she wants to succeed in life and become part of the middle class. Yet the thing that Rita so badly desires is unwanted by Frank. Frank we find out in the first scene is an alcoholic who is terribly unhappy with being part of the middle class. Frank is bored by his background and wants to change his lifestyle. Already we have a contrast; what Rita wants, education and the capability to understand literature, Frank has but is not appreciative or happy. The first scene shows us properly the difference in culture between Frank and Rita. Willy Russell uses different modes of speaking, attitudes, clothing, and cultural references to create a number of contrasts and misunderstandings, which leads to a comical and humorous effect throughout the first scene. In the first scene there are several misunderstandings due to different interpretations of names and phrases. When the two characters first meet and Rita enters Franks office (on stage) Franks asks you are? Rita not understanding his question replies with what am I? This is due to the different vocabulary that each culture uses. A second example would be when they are discussing an author by the name if E. M Forster and Rita mispronounces the name as E. M Foster like the lager A final example would be when Frank is talking about the famous poet, Yeats and Rita thinks he is talking about the Yates wine lodge. All these misunderstandings aroused because Rita was not as educated and familiar with the authors and poets mentioned by Frank who was very familiar with them. If it wasnt Ritas lack of literature knowledge it was the difference in vocabulary, which was nothing alike. The play shows how different the cultures can be in such a small area. Both Rita and Frank live in Liverpool and yet both speak entirely different. Rita has a pronounced Liverpool accents and Frank has none. Rita uses abbreviations and a large amount of taboo and slang. E. g. I take the piss because Im not, y know confident like, Frank is unfamiliar with entrances like the one made by Rita. It is loud and abrupt and puts Frank in a little shock. Frank is not used to a person being so upfront on their first meeting. This is once again another clash in culture. People of the same culture would introduce themselves in a similar fashion but two people of a different clash wouldnt. This first meeting highlights the different cultures once again by both characters introducing themselves in their own way. After the first scene we can see that there is a culture clash between Frank and Rita. The first meeting is very crucial to the play as this is where the audience gets a true feel for the difference in cultures between the two main characters. These differences proceed throughout the first scene. Willy Russell shows this through the conversations between the characters, for example when Rita starts to discuss a painting on the wall and refers to it as erotic and the pornography of its day. Rita also asks Frank several personal questions about his marital status. This highlights the difference in cultures once more because Frank does not agree that the questions asked are suitable for a first meeting between two people, but Rita does not understand Franks preference. After the first scene we can see that there is an ironic situation developing; Rita aspires to be like Frank. She wants to be educated and know everything. She believes that once she is educated it will allow her to make her own choices and make decisions about her life and what she is going to do with. The fact that Frank does not appreciate what he has frustrates Rita because she wants it so badly. Willy Russell uses irony here to show that the play is exploring more than just culture but deeper issues, which involve the struggles of Rita and her aspirations to become more respected for being educated and Franks aspirations to escape the world of literature. Ritas journey of education is shown in the play as snapshots along the road to development. Rita starts off loud and abrupt but after her first meeting with Frank her journey begins, She starts to broaden her horizons and read a larger variety of books, she writes essays, visits new places like the theater. At this point she is becoming more educated but she is still not sure about herself. Frank invites her to a dinner party with him and several friends of his, but she does not attend the party still afraid that she is not a middle class lady yet. From here the major changes take place. Rita leaves her husband, Denny due to demand for children, which she doesnt want, and no encouragement to complete her university course. She moves in with a woman called Trish a middle class woman who is dead classy. Rita goes to summer school, changes her accent and language, changes her job to working in a bistro, makes new friends and even changes her name to try and feel more like she belongs in the middle class. Its only when Trish, her room mate tries to commit suicide that she realizes it takes more than education, books and literature to make a person happy; and that those things do not place you in society. Frank does not really change throughout the play, apart from growing closer to Rita and regretting what education has done to her. He says that he feels like Mary Shelley, the woman who created Frankenstein. Frank says to Rita You know Rita, I think that I will change my name; from now on I shall insist to upon being known as Mary Shelley Frank gets worse as the play continues, his drinking problem progresses and he eventually gets suspended from work for a year. Willy Russell uses snapshots of the Rita and Franks journey to show that there was good and bad times to their journey. He really gets across the emotional struggle and shows in the end the final outcome. In the play the main theme is difference in culture and how Rita and Frank view people of different class. Frank does not judge people off what class they belong to. We know this because the day after Rita misses the dinner party and she explains why she did not go. He explains that he didnt invite her because she would talk formally, wear the right clothes or bring the right wine but because he would of enjoyed her company. However Rita believes that the higher the class you are in, the higher you are on the social scale the happier and more respected you are. Rita feels her class is repressive. After Rita decides not to attend the dinner party with Frank she joins her family in the pub. During this short time she starts to think that it is not worth it, she starts to think that maybe she should just give up trying to become something better. Its only when her mum tells her that there is a better song to sing to the ones they sing now, when she decides to stick it out and make her life better and more pleasant. This proves my previous point that Rita believes that the higher the on the social scale you are the better they are. This is made known through the last few scenes. Rita changes immensely throughout the play. She starts off blunt and stupid, she then changes the way she is and how she acts to fit in, through the incident with Trish she reverted back to the way she used to be the same bubbly personality only difference being is that she had passed her exams and was now officially educated and finally felt like she could make wise choices; I mite go to France, me mothers, I might even have a baby, Ill make a decision, Ill chose. Rita goes through many changes throughout the play and with the help and encouragement of Frank she finally aspires to be what she wants to be. Willy Russell uses to characters, and only to characters to show an audience how people were effected by culture and class in the 1970s and the journeys made to become a person of a higher class.