How far do you agree that Jane Austens novel Pride and Prejudice is no more than an entertaining study of the surface of polite society?

In ‘Pride and Prejudice there certainly is a great deal of comedy, and will appeal to many readers for what Claire Tomalin calls ‘its good-humoured comedy, its sunny heroine, its dream denouement'. The two main characters appear to be part of what Vivien Jones calls a typical ‘rags-to-riches love story', maintaining happiness after a series of vicissitudes, which might incline readers to think it rather superficial. The critic talks about the surface trivia of Austen's society, which seems to comprise only of balls, scarlet coats and Muslin gowns, but she probes beneath the surface of her society, and concerns herself with the real confinement of the lives of women in her period. Jane Austen explores how women were victims of a patriarchal society, by presenting the unfairness of the entail. She presents Mr. Collins as a fool, by bluntly stating through the critical objective narrative that he ‘was not a sensible man'. By this we see that it is ridiculous that such an imbecile should be able to turn out the two rational sisters Jane and Elizabeth from their own home, since should they not be married they could be facing the same options as Jane Fairfax in Austen's ‘Emma', left to ‘the governess trade', with it's sinister echo of ‘the slave trade'. Also, and perhaps more importantly, she explores not only how women were victims in society, but through Wickham how they were powerless, direct victims of men. The unsettling story of him and Georgiana Darcy shows women as quite powerless, as he exploited her innocence and memory, because ‘her affectionate heart retained a strong impression of his kindness to her as a child'. Her guardians would have been her only protection at Ramsgate, and even they could not be trusted, as the scheme was ‘undoubtably by design' of Mrs. Younge, its evil epitomized by the calculation of the scheme to force Georgiana into the lifelong trap of marriage. Georgiana was only fifteen, and the story line of the serial philanderer Mr. Wickham exposes a very dark and therefore much deeper side to the novel, as he moves next onto Miss King with her i10,000 fortune, then finally onto 16 year old Lydia whom he also sets out to ruin. Much unlike the typical villain of a ‘surface' comedy Wickham learns no lesson, after Georgiana's distress seeming not have developed any moral scruple as he continues to prey on young girls leaving A. G. Sulloway to conc lude ‘Wickham is not capable of moral learning'. As he sets out to ruin Lydia, much echoing Austen's Frederick Tilney of ‘Northanger Abbey' with his treatment of Isabella Thorpe, he puts her whole family's reputation in danger. Had he succeeded their fates would certainly have looked bleak, which relates ‘Pride and Prejudice' to David Diaches' observation that Austen's ‘novel's are usually described as social comedies, but the fact is that some come close to tragedy†¦ ‘, and in fact, though it did end with the best case scenario for Lydia, she was left to spend her life trapped in a loveless marriage, as ‘his affection for her soon sunk into indifference'. Mr Collins proves there are much more to even the comic characters than their surface politeness. His language in his letter revealed him to be pompous, clearly vein and a snob as he boasts of his connection to Lady Catherine, proudly declaring ‘it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her ladyship', and his platitudes of wishing ‘to heal the breach', offer ‘an olive branch' and establish the blessing of peace in all families' reveal his vanity. His roe as a comical figure come through as Austen treats him with scathing irony, especially when exposing his sycophancy as the first thing he is reported of saying in the novel is that ‘he had heard much of their [the Bennet sisters'] beauty, but †¦ ame had fallen short of the truth'. Austen tells us ‘this gallantry was not much to the taste of some of his readers', highlighting his obsequiency with the objective narrative. However, his proposal to Elizabeth reveals something much crueler and darker beneath this facade. He knows of the importance of money ‘ in a narrow, desperate, feminine world of financial constraint' (Robert Polhemous), he and plays on this by explaining that he would not ask for any money from Mr Bennet, reminding her ‘I am well aware that it could not be complied with'. In the same way Charlotte finds herself in a position of little choice, and because of her little fortune she finds herself forced to marry the fool, as ‘it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune'. Jane Austen points out the cruelty of this situation with a scathing tone of criticism of her society, using abstract evaluative language to emphasise her point that ‘however uncertain of giving happiness, [marriage] must be their pleasantest preservative from want'. Once more Collins ceases an opportunity to exploit financial dependency, and Robert Polhemus states that ‘Charlotte's cast must concern anyone who thinks seriously about the history of women', summarising her situation as ‘a kind of socially respectable prostitution'. Mr Bennet's jokes against his wife highlight him also as a comic figure, as from the beginning of the novel we learn that he frequently teases her with amused contempt, as he asks ‘What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation? of her distress, knowing perfectly well what is troubling her. There is a dry whit in his characteristically sarcastic tone, and his weapon against her is irony, which on the surface amuses the reader, but there seems something more to him. Later Elizabeth reflects on this, and imbedded within the objective narrative, in the free indirect style offers a careful analysis of Mr Bennet's faults, using abstract nouns to emphasise the rationality of her disapproval of his â₠¬Ëœcontinual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum'. The narrator suggests that where he exposes his wife to ridicule, he should have at least ‘preserved the respectability of his daughters, even if incapable of enlarging the mind of his wife'. Here Austen points to the importance of education, and her serious tone points to the importance of morals in her novel, demonstrated by parents who set no example for their children, leading A. G. Sulloway to go so far as to call them ‘parents who are morally irresponsible towards daughters'. Mrs. Bennet can also make us laugh with her illogical, trivial mind, which Austen reveals to us with her characteristically ironic coloured narrative, as ‘she was more alive to the disgrace, which the want of new clothes must reflect on her daughter's nuptials, than to any sense of shame at her eloping and living with Wickham, a fortnight before they took place'. This also misleads her daughters, as there can be no surprise Lydia ends up, as Robert Polhemus observed ‘a shallow materialist', but her character is worth more to the novel than just a silly woman or bad parent, in fact she also illustrates more serious aspects of the novel, as the situation with the entail leave her struggling to get five daughters married as soon as possible. We almost feel pathos for her with this stress, as immediately we are told ‘the business of her life was to get her daughters married', with the use of the word ‘business' underlining it's necessity. Jane Austen does not only concern herself with marriages which entrap poor or plain girls, but also explores how an individual can receive personal fulfillment. As our protagonist, Vivien Jones sees that Elizabeth ‘believes †¦ n individual happiness as a legitimate goal' in marriage, and this leads her to refuse two proposals before obtaining enough evidence that it is right for her to settle with one man. Henry Tilney of Jane Austen's ‘Northanger Abbey' said ‘Man has the advantage of choice, women only the power of refusal', and exerting this power came completely unexpectedly to Mr. Collins, whom believed she did ‘secretly mean to accept', Mr Darcy, who we are told ‘had no doubt of a favourable answer'. Elizabeth insists in both cases this because of a lack of ‘desire', proving her search for a husband also one for rational happiness, an idea which Austen presents as the only way for Claire Tomalin's ‘dream denouement'. To gain happiness he also demonstrated a eveloement throughout the novel, as he was educated from pride and prejudice to his own rational happiness. This is demonstrated as he goes from seeing her family connections as a ‘degradation' to allowing Mr Gardiner, the Uncle in trade, to become ‘always on the most intimate terms' come the end of the novel. So, through development of morals and search that delves below surface trivialities our protagonists are allowed their happy ending, which is much in contrast to those characters with little choice of few morals. We see that through the use of her comic characters Austen actually demonstrates a much more sinister side to her society, and the constraint felt by women of the time is evidence that she is reporting on much more than just a ‘polite society'.

Parts of Speech Essay

Traditional grammar classifies words based on eight parts of speech: the verb, the noun, the pronoun, the adjective, the adverb, the preposition, the conjunction, and the interjection. Each part of speech explains not what the word is, but how the word is used. In fact, the same word can be a noun in one sentence and a verb or adjective in the next. The next few examples show how a word’s part of speech can change from one sentence to the next, and following them is a series of sections on the individual parts of speech, followed by an exercise. Books are made of ink, paper, and glue. In this sentence, â€Å"books† is a noun, the subject of the sentence. Deborah waits patiently while Bridget books the tickets. Here â€Å"books† is a verb, and its subject is â€Å"Bridget.†We walk down the street. In this sentence, â€Å"walk† is a verb, and its subject is the pronoun â€Å"we.†The mail carrier stood on the walk. In this example, â€Å"walk† is a noun, which is part of a prepositional phrase describing where the mail carrier stood. The town decided to build a new jail. Here â€Å"jail† is a noun, which is the object of the infinitive phrase â€Å"to build.†The sheriff told us that if we did not leave town immediately he would jail us. Here â€Å"jail† is part of the compound verb â€Å"would jail.†They heard high pitched cries in the middle of the night. In this sentence, â€Å"cries† is a noun acting as the direct object of the verb â€Å"heard.†The baby cries all night long and all day long. But here â€Å"cries† is a verb that describes the actions of the subject of the sentence, the baby. An adjectiveAn adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying, or quantifying words. An adjective usually precedes the noun or the pronoun which it modifies. In the following examples, the highlighted words are adjectives:The truck-shaped balloon floated over the treetops. Mrs. Morrison papered her kitchen walls with hideous wall paper. The small boat foundered on the wine dark sea. The coal mines are dark and dank. Many stores have already begun to play irritating Christmas music. A battered music box sat on the mahogany sideboard. The back room was filled with large, yellow rain boots. An adjective can be modified by an adverb, or by a phrase or clause functioning as an adverb. In the sentenceMy husband knits intricately patterned mittens. for example, the adverb â€Å"intricately† modifies the adjective â€Å"patterned.†Some nouns, many pronouns, and many participle phrases can also act as adjectives. In the sentenceEleanor listened to the muffled sounds of the radio hidden under her pillow. for example, both highlighted adjectives are past participles. Grammarians also consider articles (â€Å"the,† â€Å"a,† â€Å"an†) to be adjectives. Possessive AdjectivesA possessive adjective (â€Å"my,† â€Å"your,† â€Å"his,† â€Å"her,† â€Å"its,† â€Å"our,† â€Å"their†) is similar or identical to a possessive pronoun; however, it is used as an adjective and modifies a noun or a noun phrase, as in the following sentences:I can’t complete my assignment because I don’t have the textbook. In this sentence, the possessive adjective â€Å"my† modifies â€Å"assignment† and the noun phrase â€Å"my assignment† functions as an object. Note that the possessive pronoun form â€Å"mine† is not used to modify a noun or noun phrase. What is your phone number. Here the possessive adjective â€Å"your† is used to modify the noun phrase â€Å"phone number†; the entire noun phrase â€Å"your phone number† is a subject complement. Note that the possessive pronoun form â€Å"yours† is not used to modify a noun or a noun phrase. The bakery sold his favourite type of bread. In this example, the possessive adjective â€Å"his† modifies the noun phrase â€Å"favourite type of bread† and the entire noun phrase â€Å"his favourite type of bread† is the direct object of the verb â€Å"sold.†After many years, she returned to her homeland. Here the possessive adjective â€Å"her† modifies the noun â€Å"homeland† and the noun phrase â€Å"her homeland† is the object of the preposition â€Å"to.† Note also that the form â€Å"hers† is not used to modify nouns or noun phrases. We have lost our way in this wood. In this sentence, the possessive adjective â€Å"our† modifies â€Å"way† and the noun phrase â€Å"our way† is the direct object of the compound verb â€Å"have lost†. Note that the possessive pronoun form â€Å"ours† is not used to modify nouns or noun phrases. In many fairy tales, children are neglected by their parents. Here the possessive adjective â€Å"their† modifies â€Å"parents† and the noun phrase â€Å"their parents† is the object of the preposition â€Å"by.† Note that the possessive pronoun form â€Å"theirs† is not used to modify nouns or noun phrases. The cat chased its ball down the stairs and into the backyard. In this sentence, the possessive adjective â€Å"its† modifies â€Å"ball† and the noun phrase â€Å"its ball† is the object of the verb â€Å"chased.† Note that â€Å"its† is the possessive adjective and â€Å"it’s† is a contraction for â€Å"it is.†Demonstrative AdjectivesThe demonstrative adjectives â€Å"this,† â€Å"these,† â€Å"that,† â€Å"those,† and â€Å"what† are identical to the demonstrative pronouns, but are used as adjectives to modify nouns or noun phrases, as in the following sentences:When the librarian tripped over that cord, she dropped a pile of books. In this sentence, the demonstrative adjective â€Å"that† modifies the noun â€Å"cord† and the noun phrase â€Å"that cord† is the object of the preposition â€Å"over.†This apartment needs to be fumigated. Here â€Å"this† modifies â€Å"apartment† and the noun phrase â€Å"this apartment† is the subject of the sentence. Even though my friend preferred those plates, I bought these. In the subordinate clause, â€Å"those† modifies â€Å"plates† and the noun phrase â€Å"those plates† is the object of the verb â€Å"preferred.† In the independent clause, â€Å"these† is the direct object of the verb â€Å"bought.†Note that the relationship between a demonstrative adjective and a demonstrative pronoun is similar to the relationship between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun, or to that between a interrogative adjective and an interrogative pronoun. Interrogative AdjectivesAn interrogative adjective (â€Å"which† or â€Å"what†) is like an interrogative pronoun, except that it modifies a noun or noun phrase rather than standing on its own (see also demonstrative adjectives and possessive adjectives):Which plants should be watered twice a week?Like other adjectives, â€Å"which† can be used to modify a noun or a noun phrase. In this example, â€Å"which† modifies â€Å"plants† and the noun phrase â€Å"which paints† is the subject of the compound verb â€Å"should be watered†:What book are you reading?In this sentence, â€Å"what† modifies â€Å"book† and the noun phrase â€Å"what book† is the direct object of the compound verb â€Å"are reading.†Indefinite AdjectivesAn indefinite adjective is similar to an indefinite pronoun, except that it modifies a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase, as in the following sentences:Many people believe that corporations are under-taxed. The indefinite adjective â€Å"many† modifies the noun â€Å"people† and the noun phrase â€Å"many people† is the subject of the sentence. I will send you any mail that arrives after you have moved to Sudbury. The indefinite adjective â€Å"any† modifies the noun â€Å"mail† and the noun phrase â€Å"any mail† is the direct object of the compound verb â€Å"will send.†They found a few goldfish floating belly up in the swan pound. In this example the indefinite adjective modifies the noun â€Å"goldfish† and the noun phrase is the direct object of the verb â€Å"found†:The title of Kelly’s favourite game is â€Å"All dogs go to heaven.†Here the indefinite pronoun â€Å"all† modifies â€Å"dogs† and the full title is a subject complement. Bibliography: 1.Adjective order in English2.Adjectives and Adverbs3.Adjective article on HyperGrammar4.Pratheep Raveendrabathan – List of Adjectives5.Learn English – Categorized Adjective Listings

Best Teacher Essay

I was the kind of child that always struggled to pay attention in school. I never wanted to be in class, except to visit with my friends. At times I wanted to drop out of school. I always felt like school was a big waste of time. Until I met a teacher named Mrs. Meyers at Kent Mountain View Academy. Mrs. Meyers is a teacher that is the most influential person in the world, (but the world doesn’t know it yet), I really admire her because she always encouraged me to go to class and treat other teachers and students with respect, and to try my best. If I ever needed any extra help in homework; she was there, it didn’t matter which subject it was. She always told me that I was very smart and to never to doubt myself. Mrs. Meyers is easy to talk to, I could just tell her anything because she’s very honest and talks to me (or anyone for that matter) openly about anything in life. She was always ready to listen to me when I was feeling down. With her comfort and warm words I always felt better and important. When I needed some advice, she was there for me. She is my friend, my mentor and like a mother. Mrs. Meyers has a great passion and love to teach children. She has so much patience to sit down with them and explain the work to them. She never makes the school work boring; she always made it fun and exciting and easier to learn. She always did it with a smile on her face, even when she wasn’t feeling well. If I had one hour to spend with Mrs. Meyers, I would ask her what influenced her passion for teaching children, how did her life experiences influence her to be a teacher, and many other questions relatable to that. I would ask these questions because she’s a great person, and who doesn’t want to know about a great person? I hope one day I could feel that same passion, care and love that she has of teaching and helping children like the way she help me. She completely changed my life around and made me a different person the one I am today. Mrs. Meyers was the one person who influenced me the most and to whom I am very thankful because she gave me the inspiration to become a teacher or at least strive to do my best at whatever job I choose. I am very glad that I met her and I think that without her I would never do as well as I do in school. Or in life for that matter.

Mutation as a Diversity Enhancing Mechanism in Genetic Programming Essay

Mutation as a Diversity Enhancing Mechanism in Genetic Programming - Essay Example Genetic programming (GP) has emerged as a promising instrument in research on machine learning and artificial intelligence. According to Koza and Poli (2005), GP is a "systematic" method of "getting computers to automatically solve a problem" (p. 127). The temptation of creating artificial intelligence and enabling machines to "automatically" perform problem solving has led to the exploration of biologically inspired methods of programming, such as crossovers and mutations. The process of GP involves alterations in computer programs analogous to biological genetic processes. The genetic code in biological science is analogous to syntax trees in computer science, and these trees are altered in a similar fashion as that of gene mutation, deletion, crossover, duplication, etc. performed by nature. The aim of genetic programming is to create a novel and complex program without taking the trouble of predefining its structure. Background In the process of biological evolution, organisms underwent alterations in their genetic makeup, which led to an increase in their structural as well as genetic diversity. Only those who were genetically "fit" were able to survive during the dynamic changes in environmental conditions. Those who lacked the capacity to adapt to these changes went extinct. Thus, according to Charles Darwin, evolution of organisms occurred via natural selection in which nature selected the organisms that were most fit to survive, also known as survival of the fittest. Mutations are the most effective genetic alterations, which enabled the generation of diversity among organisms and ultimately led to their natural selection in the process of evolution. Mutations occur randomly in the genes, and may be natural or induced. These are sudden and heritable changes, and occur at a very small frequency. They, however, lead to beneficial or even harmful changes in an organism. Mutation is nature's way of genera ting diversity among living organisms. The fact that random mutations have led to the generation of successful species is enough to inspire the exploration of similar mechanisms in computer science, in a metaphorical sense. With the help of "mutations" in programming, it may be possible to create novel and successful genetic algorithms or programs with a higher fitness value, which have a high probability of arriving at the solution to a given problem. These may form an integral part of machine learning and help in the synthesis of artificial intelligence. Objective Many studies have explored the role of mutations in genetic programming for the induction of diversity in computer programs. It is hoped that through such a process, it would be possible to create programs with increased fitness and with more efficient problem solving capacities. This paper attempts at analyzing the importance of diversity in genetic programming and the efficiency of mutations in achieving the same. The paper, Mutation as a Diversity Enhancing Mechanism in Genetic Programming (Jackson 2011) is also reviewed and evaluated. II.

Does a Persons Own Natural Microbial Gut Flora Contribute to Obesity Research Paper

Does a Persons Own Natural Microbial Gut Flora Contribute to Obesity - Research Paper Example Numerous species of bacteria are known to have evolved, grown and lived in the human intestine. Scientist such as Delzenne and Cani argue that the human gut is a habitat for between 300 and 500 different species of bacteria (277). Other scientists ascertain that the human intestine is a microbial ecosystem that contains more than 100 trillion microorganisms (Ley, Turnbaugh, Klein and Gordon 1023). The bacteria in the human gut have been linked to obesity by many research findings. This essay will investigate and report whether a person’s own natural microbial gut flora contribute to obesity. Traditionally, the key players linked to obesity have always been diet, exercise, lifestyle and one’s genes. The less one moves, the less the calories they burn and the more they are likely to eat, hence retaining a lot of calories and increasing the chances of being obese. This equation has sometimes been influenced by one’s genes. However, Simon and Gorbach (174) argue that the above mentioned factors do not adequately explain every obesity case that is reported. Researchers are continually discovering another factor that contributes to the rapid increase in one’s body weight; the bacteria in one’s gut. Until recently, the bacteria in the human gut have been ignored as potential causes of obesity. ... Most of these microbes are scientifically proven to perform a wide range of vital bodily functions such as helping in the regulation of calories that the human body receives from food. These calories would have otherwise been stored by the body as fat; hence these microbes can simply be said to aid in the regulation of weight (Simon and Gorbach 174). According to a new study published in the International Diary Journal of Health, the particular type and balance of microbes harbored by the human body in the guts can either contribute to the body becoming lean or obese. These microbes have the capacity to manipulate themselves so as to potentially change the weight of the body (Delzenne and Cani 279). Many scientific studies conducted on mice and human volunteers have advanced the understanding of microbiomes and the effects that they have on health, obesity and metabolism. A lot of metagenomic studies have demonstrated that certain types of gut microbiota have the ability to either pr edispose or protect the host’s body from obesity (Turnbaugh, Ley, Mahowald, Magrini, Mardis and Gordon 1027). Through these studies, microbiota transplantations were done in germ-free murine models, revealing that the traits of obese-type gut flora which can efficiently extract energy are transmissible. These scientific studies have also shown that there are certain well known methods through which these microbiomes may a lead to obesity (Delzenne and Cani 280). These methods are through triggering systemic inflammation, promoting the deposition of fat and increasing the harvest of dietary energy. Tsai and Walter (307) suggest that future obesity treatments may require the use of prebiotics and

Picturing the Perfect Essay by Tim Bascom Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Picturing the Perfect by Tim Bascom - Essay Example With the help of this written piece, I have been able to develop understanding regarding visual models that encompass our mindset of bringing abstract to words and expression. It is no less than an astonishing experience of mine after reading this piece that I came to know about literal nature of design. Visual models such as braids and dipping into the well immersed a whole new experience of mine about writing and expressing (Bacom).   If such visual models are generally used by the essay writers then it is expected that essays would not just deliver a body of words but incorporate communication in a two-way mode between the essay writer and reader.   The tone that has been used by the author in the paper is very clear and easy to understand. General public will be able to gain understanding about the subject being discussed without getting misled by the designs and its relation with essay writing (Bacom). I would agree with almost every claim that had been made by Bascom in his written piece because I believe clarity about writing is much needed. By implementing visual models, one can easily expect an effective piece of writing or essay. I would suggest my peers to make use of this written piece in learning the art of essay writing. If such visual models are generally used by the essay writers then it is expected that essays would not just deliver a body of words but incorporate communication in a two-way mode between the essay writer and reader.  

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Business Strategy - Essay Example There are other products and services that were added which include Shops, sothebys.amazon.com, electronics, home improvement products and many others. Their continued broadening of spectrum is directly related with their goal of making customers find anything they want online. Huge market capitalization of Amazon.com enabled it to stage an aggressive expansion in the market through introduction of several products and services. Websites were opened in several countries and are expected to continue by also forging partnerships with other internet service providers around the globe (Paavo, Arash, and Alain 2013). The amazon.com in United Kingdom and Germany are listed as the leading sites in sales. In Amazon.com followed a strategy of developing software specialized to their type of business and acquiring commercially made applications. 2,461 million dollars’ worth of assets with inventories representing 7 per cent of total assets was realized in 2002. This shows the strength of the company significantly in that year even before they had began their expansion process in France and Japan. The Amazon.com Commerce Network strategy basically leads the company to earn high revenues with high margins which is also risky provided it acts as a venture capitalist. The company reduces significantly the cost of goods sold by increasing their own distribution channels which allows to the company concentrate on their main focus which is customer service. Ravi suria an analyst at Prudential Securities Company was concerned Amazon was not generating good cash flow essentially because it was swiftly expanding from less than 10 million dollars cash out lay. He also had a genuine worry about the reducing stock turnover of the company as it increased their distribution channels in 1999. Despite of Amazon being one of the largest online retailers, they had been able to hold on to profit making and had fallen in the eyes of the investors. (Rainer, Turban,

Literacy Project- Emergent Reading Research Paper

Literacy Project- Emergent Reading - Research Paper Example This is then able to lead into awareness of phonetics, language, print and words. The four blocks not only works with the four levels to reading and writing, but also implements directions that ensure each child is able to work to discover new areas of language while progressing through kindergarten through the third grade. This ensures that each child has a strong basis for recognizing, understanding and writing what is needed for the language learning (Sigmon, 1997). The main component that is a part of the four blocks plan is based on the struggles which children often have when going through the first stages of reading and writing. The force that is taken to read and write is one of the components that are associated with this, specifically which doesn’t allow different styles of thought processes to be implemented. This has led to the initial stage of learning which is to create a desire for each of the children to learn and be a part of the instruction. The rest of the g uide is based on combining each of the necessary steps for reading and writing, specifically so each child has the capability of creating a different approach to early literacy. These combined efforts are then able to guide students into a holistic approach to learning how to read and write (Sigmon, 1997). Part 1.2 Differing Stages of Literacy Development The differing stages of literacy development are devoted to an understanding of the behaviors and cognitive development which a child goes through. Each stage of learning has to coincide with the development of cognition that is approached by each child as well as how these change with the skills created. The literacy development is conducive of the development of oral language, writing and reading. It is known that there are two stages to the development. The first is based on the age of students, specifically which changes the capabilities to understand the cognitive associations with reading and writing as well as the value whic h this carries. The second is based on the learning styles and diverse concepts, specifically which is associated with Gardner’s eight learning styles. According to constructivist principles, the age and the cognitive diversity need to coincide to assist with literacy development. With the constructivist ideologies, there is a sense of engaging children in the concept of learning how to read and write and tapping into different developmental aspects based on cognition to assist children with the learning required (Many, 2001). Part 1.3: Effective Reading Instruction for Learners from Different Cultural and Linguistic Backgrounds A challenge which is currently in the educational system is based on cultural and linguistic backgrounds which differ. Diverse regions which children come from to English as a second language have developed as a prime subject among educators, specifically because reading, writing and speaking levels differ among children of the same age and at the sam e cognizant level. A theory which tackles this topic is transculturation, which allows the diverse concepts to be embraced in the classroom. According to this theory, teachers have the capacity of recognizing the diverse backgrounds, noting the differences in how the languages are used grammatically and how this can be a part of the learning for the rest of the class. The transculturation leads to group activities and interaction which compares the cultural and ling

Spinoza and Leibniz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Spinoza and Leibniz - Essay Example (Montag, 2002) Further on, his meditations on the 'nature of Divine' were connected with such intellectual and philosophical movements of the time as Pantheism, Determinism, neutral monism, intellectual and religious freedom, separation of church and state, and so on. (Nadler, 1999) Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646 ---1716) was born in Leipzig, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire, and died in Hannover, Electorate of Hannover. Great German philosopher had wider recognition not only because of his metaphysical works (problems of 'theodicy' as well as of 'universal language'), but also because of his impact in mathematics and history of logic (Woolhouse and Francks, 1998). Briefly speaking, he invented lots of things: 'infinitesimal calculus;' 'monadic' concept; thesis that our Earth was the 'best of all possible worlds;' then, there were also 'Leibniz harmonic triangle;' 'Leibniz formula for determinants;' 'Leibniz integral rule;' principle of sufficient reason; 'diagrammatic re asoning;' notation for differentiation; kinetic energy; proof of Fremat's little theorem; 'law of continuity;' 'transcendental law of homogeneity;' 'calculus ratiocinator;' binary number system, etcetera (Jolley, 1995). The Role of God in the Ideas of Spinoza and Leibniz God exists in both systems of Spinoza and Leibniz. ... e determined by the nature of God.' Giving an answer on a complicated question about 'free choices' and 'actions determinated,' it is possible to find out a right correlation between 'free choices' of human beings and 'Divine determination,' according to Spinoza and Leibniz. Spinoza on God: 'Ethics' There are several names for this 'transcendental agent' in Spinoza's fundamental writing: God, Nature, and Universe. 'Reality is perfection,' (Nadler, 1999) therefore, 'if circumstances are seen as unfortunate it is only because of our inadequate conception of reality.' (Nadler, 2006) Moreover, there is a 'universal truth,' but abilities of our intellect are always so miserable and limited, that we are able to see only a fragment of chain of cause and effect; that is why 'emotion is formed from inadequate understanding.' (Nadler, 1999) Essentially, only 'intuitive knowledge is eternal,' and 'the world as it exists looks imperfect only because of our limited perception.' (Nadler, 2006) Con cerning a question on 'freedom of human will' and 'eternal determination by a transcendental subject,' it should be stated that for Spinoza such separation does not make sense at all. He is concerned with a limited abilities of human intellectus, and his idea is that when this intellectus in a perfect condition being developed sufficiently, such person knows 'eternal truth' or 'universal principle' of how things are, or used to be, or how they will be. The question about 'freedom of will' is about a level of our hesitation about such truth inside ourselves, an issue about our state of mind, or cognitive abilities of our intellect, more developed or totally undeveloped. When it is undeveloped, we are thinking that we are totally free from restrictions, but when we have our abilities and

Honest Iago Essay Example for Free

Honest Iago Essay Iago is the most unique villain of Shakespeare There has been a lot of controversy about his motives and he has been considered as an incarnation of the devil. At the same time, Iago is one of the most brilliant Shakespearean characters although Shakespeare uses his cunningness only for diabolical purposes. He has can rightly be called an atheist of human nature and a stealthy corrupter of human piety, a fearless disturber of domestic peace and an unbeliever in and denier of anything spiritual. This is interesting to note that all characters in the play, except for Roderigo (to whom he sometimes shows his real face) have a high opinion of Iago and refer to him as â€Å"honest Iago†. He uses this high oestimation of him by these major characters to befool them. The Mutual relationship between Iago and Othello is of trust and reliance on the part of Othello but it is conniving and devious on the part of Iago. Iago has same relationship with Cassio. Cassio is also deceived by the seeming virtue of Iago and actually believes that ensign is a kind-hearted man. But at the same time is a rival to Iago in the royal court. Another facets of his relationship with Othello and Cassio is that he (Iago) lives the part of a blurt outspoken plain fellow who is always prepared to say what he really thinks without caring for the effect it may have on others. Othello is shown as a trustful and thorough in his trust for Iago. Although when Iago starts working on him, he suspects him and asks for evidence, yet from the beginning of the play, he seems to have put entire confidence in the honesty of Iago, who had not been his companions in arms. This confidence is misplaced but it is no sign of stupidity in Othello. He does not have a distinctive fear of him. We find this even before Iago has set a trap for him. Othello fears the monster â€Å"too hideous to be shown† that he discerns about Iago’s thoughts. This manifests a strange relationship based on paradoxical feelings. It is of confidence, trust and fear. But latter events show that Othello’s trust in Iago overpowers the instinctive fear. This happens due to Othello’s non-meditative nature. He does not contemplate over issues and does not weigh their motive and consequences. And this is the thing that helps Iago to get control over Othello. A. C. Bradley rightly says in this regard; The sources of danger in this character are revealed but too clearly by the story. In the first place, Othellos mind, for all its poetry, is very simple. He is not observant. His nature tends outward. He is quite free from introspection, and is not given to reflection. Emotion excites his imagination, but it confuses and dulls his intellect. On this side he is the very opposite of Hamlet, with whom, however, he shares a great openness and trustfulness of nature. In addition, he has little experience of the corrupt products of civilised life, and is ignorant of European women. (p. 217) Relationship between Iago and Cassio exists and develops on the same lines as that of Othello’s. Cassio has a high opinion of Iago and considers him an unmatched person in Florence but Iago’s opinion of him is prejudiced and biased. Iago dismisses Cassio as a mere theorist and not a practical warrior. In their mutual relationship Cassio’s genuine honesty is contrasted with Iago’s seeming honesty. We are never certain that we understand why Iago commits his evil deeds. Coleridge calls his evilness as â€Å"motiveless malignity† (315) there is no doubt that he is throughout an artist in villainy. There is no mystery in the psychology of Iago and the key to Iago’s motives may lie in the composition of his character. One of the noticeable traits in his character is keen sense of superiority and contempt for others. There also the annoyance of having always to play a part, the enjoyment of the action and the absence of fear. Iago’s sense of superiority has been thwarted and it needs satisfaction. The fullest satisfaction, it could find would, no doubt, be in the consciousness to take revenge from those who are so successful and popular. In addition to his strong desire to satisfy his sense of power, there are also certain other forces which drive him on. One of these is a pleasure in action very difficult and perilous. This action and pleasure lends him artistry in the art of being spiteful against other. All these characteristics if nature and his disposition play a part in making him a great villain of Shakespeare. These motives appear and disappear in the most extraordinary manner. Resentment as Cassio’s appointment is expressed in the first conversation with Roderigo, and from that moment is never once mentioned again in the whole play. Hatred of Othello is expressed in the first act only. Desire to get Cassio’s place scarcely appears after the first soliloquy, and when it is gratified Iago does not refer to it by a single word. The suspicion’s of Cassio’s intrigues with Emilia emerges suddenly as an afterthought. Iago’s love of Desdemona is alluded to in the second soliloquy; there is not the faintest trace of it in word or deed either before or after. The mention of jealousy of Othello is followed by declarations that Othello is infatuated about Desdemona and is of a constant nature, and during Othello’s suffering Iago never shows a sign of the idea that he is now paying his rival in his own coin. In the second soliloquy he declares that he quite believes Cassio t0o be in love with Desdemona; it is obvious that he believes no such thing, for he never alludes to the idea again, and within a few hours, he describes Cassio as an honest fool. All these motives have strange paradoxical characteristics in them but it could not have been coincidence that Shakespeare has attributed so many motives to Iago. All these motives manifest the intricate nature of Iago’s characters and disposition. In addition to a man of action, Iago also seems to be something of an artist who takes delight in undertaking a complicated task in a meticulous manner. The action he starts and works out is intricate. We get an impression that at some stage, the action Iago initiates remain no longer within his control and power but rather becomes his master. It is as he was fated to do what he does. Works Cited Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. 2nd ed. London: Macmillan, 1905. Colderidge, Samuel Taylor. Lectures 1808-1819 On Literature. Ed. R. A. Foakes. Volume 2. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1987. Shakespeare, William. Othello. New York: Penguin Books. 1993.