The Past is a foreign country Essay Example

The Past is a foreign country Paper The Past is a foreign country: they do things differently there. Referring to L. P. Hartleys novel The Go-Between and Philip Larkins poetry anthology The Whitsun Weddings, explore the significance of the past. Whats gone and whats past help, should be past grief. L. P. Hartleys novel and Larkins poetry demonstrate the lack of reality in this philosophy, a point that Shakespeare clearly implies with the use of the auxiliary verb should. Although a foreign country our capacity of memory allows us to continue living in that strange land making the events that occurred there very much present grief. The devastating history of The Go-Between epitomises the power that the past has to dictate our lives. That one summer in adolescence can affect the next fifty years of a mans life illustrates the influence that the past has on the present. Similarly, the poetry of Philip Larkin portrays how alive and existing the past is, in memorabilia, in our children, in artifacts and in ourselves. A post mortem of Leo Colstons metaphorical death, the novel The Go-Between, tells the account of how a boy was prematurely forced into adulthood, an adulthood never lived out. The events that occurred at the age of twelve crippled Leo to such an extent that even in his sixties he has not recovered; he is dried up, the husk of a man. One summer in his youth holds more significance for him than any other time, it is the only time in his life that Leo lived but also the time at which he gave up on his existence and died. We will write a custom essay sample on The Past is a foreign country specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Past is a foreign country specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Past is a foreign country specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Leo Colston of pre-1900 remained at Brandham Hall, where they do things differently, and it is only at the age of sixty-four when he returns in person that he is able and dares to start living once more. After opening Pandoras box, his diary from that eventful year, he decides to confront the past. Despite Leos advance in age he still possesses childhood nostalgia contained in a box, which like him is battered, all these years later. He stored away memorabilia from his early days, evidence that he had not recovered from what happened in the past. In this searching exploration of the nature of memory as termed by Douglas Brooks-Davies, we are shown the ability that the faculty has, as well as memorabilia, to contain the past. Colston was unable to throw away his physical memories just as much as he was unable to rid them from his mind; he did not have closure on the events that took place in Norfolk, it was unfinished business. The prologue of this bildungsroman sees Leo Colston unable to resist the enervating power of his boyhood diary, and so he once again opens the door to his disturbing past. Both the prologue and epilogue of the novel are evidence of the great significance the author places on the past, shown in the pathetic life he has created for green Leo Colston, a now cindery creature, a dull dog. Many factors contributed to the breakdown of the young go-between, not solely the revelation of the sexual act. The twelve-year-old Leo Colston was emotionally immature. He knew nothing of the facts of life and believed that by being a go-between he was a messenger of the gods so high were the Maudsleys in his esteem. Therefore when plunged into water too deep for him, acting as the lynch-pin of the whole business, he was destined to get hurt. After weeks of manipulation by his adored Maid Marian, amounting to psychological child abuse on her part, he was then sadistically forced by a hysterical Mrs. Maudsley to witness the two bodies moving like one. Leos downfall had almost reached its peak. The climax arrived however with the news that Ted Burgess had gone home and shot himself, releasing the metaphorical trigger that was to kill Leo the schoolboy and force him into an unpleasant adult world. The Diary for the year 1900 is a snapshot of naivety, as regards to both Leo and society, echoing the line from Philip Larkins poem MCMXIV: Never such innocence again. Both Leo and England were ignorant of the capabilities of man. Later England was to be disillusioned by the atrocities of two world wars and on a personal scale Leo was to lose his faith in the morality of man. It could be argued that had this novel not been set at the turn of the twentieth century but one hundred years later at the turn of the millennium, Leo Colston would not have suffered a nervous breakdown. Due to advancements in technology there would have been no need for a messenger to aid a secret love affair. The romance between Marian Maudsley, aristocrat and the farmer Ted Burgess would probably not have needed to be a secret at all due to the lack of such a segregated class system in todays society, and also due to the much improved status of women who are now far more liberated as regards sexual relationships and marriage. It is also improbable that an adolescent approaching thirteen in todays society could be as nai ve as Leo concerning the facts of life. The past therefore also has significance in terms of context and as the setting for L. P. Hartleys novel. In The Go-Between L. P. Hartley accurately recaptures the mood of the late Victorian period, through his novel the reader is allowed to witness not only Leos past but also the age in which Leslie Poles Hartley lived. The novel contains many similarities to the authors life and to a certain extent is autobiographical. Lord David Cecil praised Hartleys ability as a historical and social commentator believing him to be One of the most distinguished of modern novelists (And) a sharp-eyed chronicler of the social scene. The Epilogue of the novel shows most effectively the relationship between the past and present. When Leo Colston returns to the village near Norwich where the frightful trouble occurred, it is to a landscape as foreign to him then as when he first arrived there as a pubescent schoolboy. Whilst Leo has lived a monotonous existence for fifty years the most changeful half a century in history has taken place in the world around him. Yet other things remained unaltered. Marian Maudsley still has the power to bewitch Leo, to emotionally blackmail him, to make him carry out a final errand of love. Despite himself Leo is compelled to enter the world of Brandham Hall once more to deliver Marians words to her grandson, Ted Burgess grandson, the character of Edward symbolising the legacy we create in our children. As long as people continue to procreate they will never truly die, but live on through their offspring. Although his farmer friend had taken his own life all those years ago, Leo sees Ted Burgess once more in the face of his grandchild. On seeing the Hall, Leo allows himself to start recollecting fully the time he spent there. As he revisits the foreign country of his past he allows himself to stop being a stranger there and to understand that past land and the events that took place there. Also a foreigner in the world of emotion his entire adult life, Leo Colston will be no longer as he attempts to lay his ghosts to rest. In his anthology The Whitsun Weddings Philip Larkin explores the concept of past and its different aspects. With Afternoons he examines the passing of time; generations growing old without hardly noticing, then looking back at their pasts, their youths, from the hollows of afternoons. Mr. Bleaney was a person of the past and yet his personality lives on through the tales of his landlady and the stamp of bleakness that he left on the hired box. Yet it is in poems such as Love Songs in Age where Larkin truly observes the role that the past plays in our everyday lives, the ability nostalgic souvenirs have to comfort and move us as well as to disappoint. As in The Go-Between a tatty keepsake is the key to unlocking the past, again memories both fond and painful. The tone of the first verse is very matter of fact, simply informing the reader of how a widow accidentally stumbles upon some old, uncared for songbooks. Although unloved she could not face throwing them away as they took so little space. The simplicity of the language used complements the everyday value of the subject matter whilst at the same time informing the reader of the domestic situation of the lady in question. The repetition of One emphasises the lack of importance that the items held for the widow, but almost as though they knew of their own significance they had waited. Now however, in the autumn of her life they awaken nostalgic recollections as she vividly remembers the unfailing sense of being young and in love. The second stanza of the poem creates an optimistic mood, an illusion of sentimental love that makes her feel youthful once more like a spring-woken tree. Yet in the closing stanza Larkins underlying theme of cynicism emerges as the widow realises that the ideal of love portrayed in the song words is merely an illusion. Alliteration emphasises the lack of truth in the promise love makes to solve, satisfy and set unchangeably in order. In confronting this painful reminder from the past the widow also has to face the reality of the present, the two are entwined. The sentimental illusion of romance aimed too high and could not fulfil its promises; It had not done so then, and could not do so now.

The American Obesity Epidemic essays

The American Obesity Epidemic essays When talking about the word epidemic you always think of weird diseases, like the flu, SARS, and AIDS. Right now in America, there is an ongoing epidemic. It is caused not by viruses or bacteria, but by human nature. Its called obesity. There is no one way to solve this serious problem. We as a nation must work together to find ways to help cure this disease. Now I will talk about some of the things that I think we need to do about obesity in America. In Websters Handy College Dictionary, obesity is defined as being, very fat." That is simply what America is becoming. In fact, according to studies by the CDC, over 58 million American adults are overweight, with an additional 43 million classified as obese. This problem is not limited to grown-ups. Even us kids are getting fatter and fatter. Only 4 percent of children were overweight in 1982, while by 2001, that number had increased to an astonishing 25 percent for white youths, and 33 percent for blacks and Hispanics! This jump can be associated to two main factors: consuming too many calories, and a lack of exercise. As high-fructose corn syrups and other new sweeteners were introduced in the 1970s, there was an explosion of new varieties of snack foods and soft drinks, which also led to a great increase in consumption of junk food. This is very evident at school. For example, for lunch at Kennedy Middle School, some of our choices include pizza, burritos, and many different varieties of chips. There are almost no vegetable or fruit items available. Thats not all. We can also get soda and junk food at vending machines after school. While most of you in the audience, me included probably eat these foods, if their consumption is not regulated, young people will start to think that it is okay and even healthful to eat junk food in large amounts. Another kind of food that has been eaten more and more by Americans is fast food. That...

Your Syndicated Newspaper Column †Proving Yourself to Editors

Your Syndicated Newspaper Column – Proving Yourself to Editors Imagine, seeing your Still reading? Good. If the obstacles don’t scare you, you’re on your way. Writing a column is your first step toward syndication. Finding publishing sources and composing your query are the next two. Newspaper editors are the key. You want your column printed in numerous papers, which requires finding numerous editors. You can purchase email lists for a price – often a hefty one. Since I’m trying to keep the cash flowing into my bank account, not out, I find addresses myself – one editor and one state at a time. Most states have a newspaper association website. Some include names of newspapers, editors and email addresses. If that’s the case, you’ll get your information there. It isn’t always this easy. Don’t fear. You can find your information elsewhere online. One website, Mondo Times, bills itself as the worldwide media directory and provides newspaper listings In your initial email, send a short letter describing the column. It’s important to communicate key elements within a few sentences: First paragraph: Pair your name with the name of your column. Include a one or two sentence writing

The Boreal Forest Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Boreal Forest - Case Study Example This case study analyzes the current status of boreal forest with reference to the biodiversity restoration. A restoration gap analysis of the forest was carried out, based on the ecological characteristics of the historic reference state. This gap analysis put forward a method for viewing the forest degradation and measuring its deviation with reference to its state (Kaufmann, 2003). It was found in the case study that the ecological characteristics in the study areas are relatively higher than rest of the region, mainly due to the recent logging that took place in the region that greatly affected the area of study. However when compared to the reference state of boreal forest, the area has definitely lost some of its important ecological qualities because of early human activities. In order to be successful there is a need of developing strategies in order to restore the degraded region of the forest, and landscape level approaches should also be implemented. The restoration of the ecological qualities will not just be based on the reserves but also on production forests. In such kinds of forest the management strategies are adapted to the normal functioning of ecosystem. Considering the aspects of restoration and its management while planning and formation of reserves will help in ensuring the goals related to the long term species conservation are met (Angels tam, 2000). It was concluded in the case study that restoration ecology is of great importance for the conservation of species on landscape level in existing as well as managed forest reserves. It is necessary that in the commercial forests, management should be adapted for the natural functioning of the ecosystem to every possible extent. Management and restoration strategies must also be incorporated in the formation and planning of reserves for increasing the effectiveness of long term goals associated with species

An Ancient Tragedy Oedipus King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

An Ancient Tragedy Oedipus King - Essay Example This is because; it utilizes the universal literary devices in a very effective manner. As will discuss, in this paper. The play is about a young boy, and his parents. The boy’s name is Oedipus. He was the son of a king (Laius). The king finds an oracle, which was predicting the fate of his son. The oracle was foretelling that the king’s life would be taken away by his own son, who would then take over his wife. The son’s sole intention of killing his father was to marry his own mother; due to this, when Oedipus was born, the king tied his legs and discarded him on a mountain, with a hope that nature would take over the role of eliminating him from the world. This was a strategic manner, of preventing the oracle’s prophecy from taking place. Unfortunately, the young boy did not die. He was saved by a shepherd and landed on another king’s palace (King Polybus). Polybus was the king of Corinth. When the shepherd handed him Oedipus, the king took him i n whole heartedly, as he did not have a son of his own. Oedipus grew up believing that Polybus was his real father. However, as time passed, Oedipus began questioning his parentage. He decided to consult with Delphic god and heard some word leading him to Laius. He fled from his foster father’s house. During his flee; he unwillingly murdered his real father. Coincidentally, when he went to Thebes, he answered a riddle correctly. This earned him a ticket to the bereaved king’s house. He took over the kingship and married the king’s wife. They were very successful in life and bore children. However, there came a great calamity in the town. On consulting the oracle, it was realized that he there was blood guiltiness. Oedipus denounced the crime, as he was not aware of it. He puts his foot forward to track the person responsible for the crime. Gradually, the play reveals that Oedipus is the man responsible for his own father’s death. One of the major themes o f this play is the theme of fate. To begin with, the oracle to Laius states clearly Laius’ fate; â€Å" he would demise a victim, at his son’s hands.† (711-714). In addition, Oedipus says â€Å"I was destined to sleep with my mother†¦I was fated to take the life of my father† (791-793). Both oracles show that fate was the determinants of the main characters life, and so they could do nothing about it. The theme of fate and fortune recurs in many parts of the play. For instance, fortune made it possible for Oedipus life to be saved from the mountains. Fate made Oedipus start questioning his parentage and made him flee away from his foster father’s house. The killing of his real father was an act of fate. The manner in which Oedipus came to sleep with his own mother can only be explained by fate. It is also fate that led Oedipus, to his real father’s kingdom. Most incidences in the play are beyond human understanding and can only be expla ined as destiny. Fate is a common theme amongst many Greek writings. The writer of this play was not an exception and utilized this theme perfectly. This theme helps explain things that are beyond human understanding, and hence is considered as a very strong literature device. Another theme of the play is that of freewill. The play reflects that human’s freewill has its own limit. As much as human beings have a desire for things to go according to their own wish, it is not always possible to accomplish this. For

The Aesthetical Philosophies of St Thomas Aquinas Essay Example for Free

The Aesthetical Philosophies of St Thomas Aquinas Essay Thomist philosophy as the only true Christian philosophy3 , regarded to the best of its kind. As we delved into the study of the aesthetics of Tomas Aquinas, the interesting thing about it that there seemed to be no singular book written about the topic among his great body of philosophical oeuvre. It also have been said that he seemed to be not written a clear, specific aesthetic theory4 . Yet his appreciation of beauty and aesthetics and his artistic personality are spread throughout and very much evident in his works. Now lays a problem for me, our contemporary era in the 21st century has no relevant comparison to the medieval times. Our contemporary times with the technological advancements and societal developments and upheavals present little resemblance to the conditions of the Middle Ages. To my mind the world we are living in, i. e. my life and my way of thinking, is anything but medieval. Studying the philosophies of St. Thomas, made me think if there is any significance of his aesthetic principles to my artistic future. Now comes the question: do the aesthetic principles of St. Thomas still be applicable to our fickle fast-faced times of â€Å"anything-is-possible† and â€Å"art-isover†5 mentality? In these era of mobile phones, Internet, iPodâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s, iPadâ„ ¢s and Digital Cameras, where beauty is a sinuous shape and titanium casings to to die-for, do integritas, proportio, and claritas6 still ring true to the contemporary artists like Vik Muniz7 , designers at Apple ®, or to the recent OSCARâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s best picture movie director of â€Å"The King’s Speech†, are they even applicable to other arts such as performance art like dance? What got me interested in this particular topic is stating the obvious: I am curious if St. Thomas aesthetics and appreciation of beauty is still relevant to me? With a 700 years between us, can his teaching still have any impact to me? A newbie artist / graduate student. 3 4 5 Ralph McInerny, Thomas Aquinas: Selected Writings (London: Penguin Books, 1998) p. xxvii Umberto Eco, The Aesthetic of Thomas Aquinas (Milan: Gruppo Editoriale Fabbri, 1970) p. 19 Arthur Danto, The End of Art in the Philosophical Disenfranchisement of Art (New York: Columbia Uni- versity Press, 1986) pp 85 6 7 Thomas Aquinas, â€Å"Summa Theologica† Q39, Ar 8. Vik Muniz is a Brazilian Artist who is famous for bringing multi-media artform to the wide acceptance of the public. See his TED video presentation of his life, work and artistic philosophy: http://blog. ted. com/2007/04/20/vik_muniz_on_te/ Majella Salceda-Tresvalles †¢ [emailprotected] com †¢ UST Graduate School 4 Tomasso D’Aquino His education and professional life Thomas from the land Aquino was born in the thirteenth century Italy, in 1225, at a time of resurgence in the appreciation of the classical literature, philosophical writings and concepts. He was born to an aristocratic class, and having been well provided for, had been educated at the nearby monastery of Monte Cassino. He was exposed very early in his life to musical education thanks to the resources of his landed family. Having been honed early in rhetoric, grammar, dialectic in his trivium years and later, quadrivium of arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy8 , the appreciation of the finer arts of music, poetry and literature came very natural. Through his education that his aesthetic sense was developed. His early grasp of musical harmony shows in his liturgical musical compositions later in his professional life. His solid background in rhetoric is well evident in his voluminous writings of the Summas, Commentaries, Letters, etc. All these presents us, modern people, a deep artistic appreciation of the many creative talents of Thomas Aquinas. Thomas wrote on his appreciation of beauty of the arts was coming from the breath of his education and experience and not merely coming from detached point of view of an observer or mere intellectual. Before becoming a friar himself he had already a highly-developed sense of artistic talent and aesthetics. Much was said about how Tomas became a Dominican, a mendicant order of friars, much to the consternation of his wealthy family who had designs for him to become a landlord himself or become an Abbot of the nearby Benedictine Abbey, Monte Cassino, much like his uncle the Abbot Sinibald. But Tomas had other plans. He became a Dominican, this ambition was instrumental to his success as the leading thinkers of all history. It was with the Dominicans that 8 Ralph McInerny, editor, Thomas Aquinas Selected Writings, (London: Penguin Books, 1998) pp. x Majella Salceda-Tresvalles †¢ [emailprotected] com †¢ UST Graduate School 5 his in-depth intellect was nurtured and encouraged and given credence. It was a match simply planned in heaven! Tomas became a protege of Albertus Magnus, a giant among the intellectuals in the Dominican order. But earlier on, in his education at the University of Naples Tomas was introduced by one of his teachers, Master Lawrence, a Transylvanian, of to the great writings of Aristotle9. It also have to be noted that the classical philosophies at that time had a resurgence by way of Alexandria. The islamic scientists and scholars have been known to have and propagated the ideas championed by Plato, Aristotle 10, Plotinus, Boethius and many more. St. Albert the Great nurtured Tomas’ talent and intelligence to maturity. To cite a few of his compositions, â€Å"The Office and Mass of Corpus Christi† is surely the most admirable liturgical service ever composed, the â€Å"Adoro Te† touches deep emotion and has been considered as a great poetry. Tomas was not only exact in his theology but also a master of prosody11 . Tomas became a bright young teacher himself after being conferred a master at the University of Paris. He was under the tutelage of his great mentor, Albertus Magnus and eventually out-shined his master. A contemporary of Tomas was Giovanni Di Fidanza, who later became Bonaventure, a Franciscan who later became a saint himself. The two had a mutual respect for each other but that relationship was later tested by a religious controversy, which we will not be discussing, as the scope of this paper is limited. The two former classmates went on their separate directions, Thomas became a renowned teacher and philosopher, had two stints as regent master of the Parisian Dominican house and Bonaventure, a noted Theologian, eventually became the Minister General of the order of Franciscans. Both led parallel lives and both died in the same year, 1274, a mere four months of each other. Bonaventure was eventually declared a â€Å"Doctor Seraphicus† and we know Tomas is â€Å"Doctor Angelicus† and the â€Å"Doctor Universalis†. St. Thomas died early without finishing his greatest work, the third part of Summa Theologica, about Christ. Around six months prior to his untimely 9 Peter Strather, Thomas Aquinas in 90 Minutes An Audiobook (Blackstone: London, N. d. ) Ibid. David Knowles, â€Å"The Evolution of the Medieval Thought† 2nd ed. (Longman Group: Essex, England, 10 11 1988), p235 Majella Salceda-Tresvalles †¢ [emailprotected] com †¢ UST Graduate School 6 death, he had another vision of God that changed his point-of-view. Apparently he had conversation with God while saying a mass, this vision had shown him the magnificence and grandeur of God. After which, he ‘hanged his writing instruments’, so to speak. His reasoning was that all his writings were mere ‘straw’ compared to the majesty of God. Tomas was canonized a saint some fifty years after his death, but not without controversy within the theological community, largely brought by the Franciscans 12 and other theologian opposed to his theoglogy. But Pope Leo XIII, an ardent Thomist scholar, prevailed in 1879, citing in his encyclical Aeterni Patris that the theology of Thomas is philosophia perenis, whose philosophies are to be taught in all the religious schools from there on after. Thus, the prophesy of Albertus Magnus came true, that the ‘dumb ox’s bellowing will be heard to the ends of the earth’, and it is still being heard as of this day, loud and clear. 12 â€Å"St. Thomas Aquinas†, New Advent website, 7 Majella Salceda-Tresvalles †¢ [emailprotected] com †¢ UST Graduate School Medieval Concept of Beauty and Art Gothic Cathedral in Lyon, France (Photo Credit: Majella Salceda-Tresvalles, 2008) Let us start by understanding the concept of beauty and art during the medieval times, the appreciation of beauty is very much different from appreciation of arts. Way back in the classical times in Greece, Arts, or Ars, as it was known then, as techne (‘ ’, meaning craft)13 were related to craftmaking only, unlike what we know of art today. The artist then was a craftsman that churns the requirements of the religious to come up with tall churches, golden vestments and bejeweled chalices. The monarchs and landed too are among the privileged few that can afford to have beautiful things to adorn their palaces and splendid residences. Medieval thought, like the classical thought, did not considered that art necessarily had to do with the production of beautiful things or stimulation of aesthetic pleasure. As â€Å"Ars† (art) signified a technique for constructing objects. If some of these objects appeared to be beautiful, this was a side issue. However this â€Å"side issue† is central to modern philosophy, to which the artistic experience is always somehow connected with aesthetic experience. 14 13 14 Steve Shipps, (Re)Thinking ‘Art’: A Guide for Beginners (USA: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2008) pp. 4 Eco, Aesthetic of Thomas Aquinas, pp. 3 Majella Salceda-Tresvalles †¢ [emailprotected] com †¢ UST Graduate School 8 A survey of the history of medieval aesthetics provides ample evidence of the two of the elements in medieval culture: (1) philosophical reflection on beauty; (2) a concrete and conscious awareness of the beauty of things and the aesthetic reality of art. Some historian assert that the two are in fact independent of each other, the metaphysical reflection on beauty was something quite separate from the everyday, concrete aesthetic sensibility at that time. In the medieval times, the appreciation of beauty in the everyday living was grounded on the ordinary taste. It cannot be denied that the medievals had aesthetic sense, yet it must be noted too that during those times, they lack in the proper artistic semantics unlike what we have in our â€Å"advanced† era of the 21st century. But not knowing the terminologies does not mean that they did not admire what beauty was. One only has to survey the designs of medieval cathedrals, musical compositions, commissions to produce various metal functional implements, to agree that truly there was medieval aesthetics. The integration of the temporal pleasures to the theological beauty was very much evident in the Middle Ages, i. e. temporal pleasures admiration of the beauty of a church, theological beauty- church architectural design served to â€Å"give praise† to the divinity of God. If art could simultaneously instruct and delight (prodesse et delectare) this was because the medieval sensibility like the whole medieval culture as a whole, was an â€Å"integrated† sensibility. 16 This integration was used to the fore by the church, choosing the art in churches to simultaneously instruct and enhance worship. The Catholic Church was the biggest benefactor or client for the artisans, art was used for religious, court and political purposes only. Whether one favors that the only appreciation of beauty was limited to theological aspects or only of this earth, or both, the apparent system of aesthetic sensibility, i. e. its limitations in semantics should be taken into account within the cultural framework of the medievals at the time. Lets face it, the wheels of history was moving slowly during that time, and inventing new words and discovering new things took time.

Are Most of The Errors Which EFL Learners Make Due to Interference from

Introduction It is commonly assumed that where there are differences between L1 and L2, the learner's L1 will probably interfere with the L2 (negative language transfer), whereas, when L1 and L2 are similar, the L2 will assist the L2 learning (positive language transfer) (Ellis, 1994). Therefore, we tend to believe that most of the errors are account of negative transfer. This is partly true according to many empirical studies of errors which have showed that many errors are common to different linguistic backgrounds. The L1 is, therefore, one of various sources of errors, and there might be other reasons which should be considered (Krashen, 1988). Approaches to Errors Errors are made when learners of L2 produce incorrect language because they do not know the correct form, while mistakes are made when learners produce incorrect language although they know the correct form (macmillandictionary.com). Learners can correct their own mistakes, but by definition, they can not correct errors. Errors are considered to be partial acquisition of the target language. In fact, errors should be viewed as "the tip of the iceberg" of a dynamic process of foreign language acquisition (brj.asu.edu). Instead of treating the developmental stages in learners' language as errors, it may be better to view these errors as partial acquisition. This point of view and many others concerning errors, however, neither overlook nor neglect the positive and negative influence of L1 on L2...

Psychological Influences of Midlife Transition in Men Essay

Understanding human development has, for quite a time, concentrated on childhood and adolescence and it took some time for researchers to shift considerably on exploring adulthood. This does not indicate however that there is a dearth of data about specific facets of the adult life (e. g. marriage, life expectancy, occupation, retirement, etc. ). Still, one may consider that there is a very restricted understanding of the basic principles of adult development. Consider for example one significant phase in the adult life cycle, specifically that which has been acknowledged as the â€Å"midlife† crisis. Isn’t it a fact that individuals, in one point of their lives, regardless of the phase they are in, experience critical moments? Perhaps we should consider the â€Å"midlife† as a transition or a common phase in an individual’s life as Dr. Fred Horowitz, an executive coach who has worked with hundreds of business owners, executives and professionals assisting them in the transition process sees this phenomenon. One may assert nonetheless that this stage is one of the most critical stages in an individual’s life cycle, next to adolescence, since individuals experiencing crisis during the midlife transition may end up re-living the extreme options to the crisis a particular individual is experiencing at that particular time. Passage to this phase of the life cycle may well be considered of equal importance as the understanding of separation anxiety of a two-year old or the questions on identity and self-expression commonly experienced by the adolescent. The midlife transition is developmental and inherently built into the structure of the personality and the Self. It is Psychological Influences 3 at this phase that the deepest inner strivings of the soul press for expression, even if that expression threatens a well-structured world and sense of identity. As much as undergoing the â€Å"midlife† transition† is inevitable, so is the recognition that in spite of the confusing and serious psychological influences that accompany this phase in the life cycle, an understanding leading to acceptance of these facts, can serve as a threshold for growth and change. In this connection, I have found two articles that provide insights on what could be considered debilitating psychological effects of man’s passage to this particular phase in the life cycle: 1) Les Brown, H. (November 09, 2008). â€Å"Is the Man in the Mirror a Fraud,† and 2) an article titled, â€Å"Crisis in Middle Adulthood: Age 45- 65. † Both articles describe this transitional phase, where the man who could not overcome the pressures accompanying the transition, puts on a â€Å"psychological defense mechanism. † L. Brown refers to such response as projection. On the other hand, â€Å"Crisis in Midlife Adulthood,† points to â€Å"stagnation† or â€Å"self-absorption† as a direct psychological response of an individual undergoing this transition. Les Brown, while positioning his article on a latest book titled, â€Å"Irritable Male Syndrome,† written by Dr. Jed Diamond, centers on the family as he considers it as the main context in which this male psychological response to midlife transition is most discernible. He rationalizes that in this context where a man experiences the most intimate relationships is where he is also most vulnerable— â€Å"When a guy’s inner world starts to come unglued, the first to notice it are those who love him. † As a result, the man ‘projects’ a personality that is entirely different to what he really is in real life as the Psychological Influences 4 ‘midlife male’ sees all around him in his most intimate surroundings reflections of his own (supposed) shortcomings. † The process continues: 1) the male perceives a reality (which is assumed to have been distorted by his present psychological state) and assumes that such circumstance poses a threat to his personality; 2) as he moves from the source of the reflection he carries and projects a self-image (presumably to defend himself of being unmasked of his real emotional state); 3) his significant others perceive the obvious change however are uncertain of what is really going on with the â€Å"midlife male. † They try to act out as what is the â€Å"midlife male† tries to picture to them as what should be their response to his behavior. The â€Å"midlife male† still sees such behavior in a different perspective. The seemingly unending and continuous empowering of â€Å"cultural bias, faulty assumptions, and dysfunctional belief,† results to the â€Å"midlife males† feeling of â€Å"shame. † Les Brown ends with a reminder to the â€Å"midlife males† who are in constant struggle as they try to understand the transition phase. He provided an analogy of the â€Å"reflection process† to the literal â€Å"mirroring† act— what the person is seeing is â€Å"exactly the person [his] going to need to confront, and, in spite of [his] fears, he’s not a fraud†¦[rather] he is the person [you’d] need to know for the first time. † He ends by pointing out the imperative nature of this life cycle that one’s reaction to the process may undeniably shape what the person will become afterwards. Though the presentation of the writer’s ideas relative to â€Å"midlife transition† is obviously clear and lucid, however, his earlier attribution to a recent writing on the subject did not make him as credible as the author he earlier referred to. It sounded much Psychological Influences 5 more of marketing strategy than a call for credibility. It would have been better had he presented his ideas first then anchored them on not just one reference, which would made him sound more authoritative on the subject –matter. The second article, alternatively presents a general understanding on middle adulthood, specifically the â€Å"crises† that both genders experienced during the midlife transition. A brief characterization of the â€Å"crises† experienced by the two sexes were delineated in the article. At the end, however, the writer differentiated two models that apparently â€Å"explain such events as the midlife transition and the midlife crisis. † Such transition seems illogical and unnecessary and made the presentation of the articles idea unclear. I would consider the second article rather loose since it presents a number of although related thoughts do not present a holistic clarification of what these separately identifiable elements are. A little explanation on different aspects in the subject (middle adulthood) made his presentation unacceptable. Ideas were presented from the specific to the general, but the relatedness as well as the transition from one of the sub-topics to another could not be considered conclusive of foregoing statements. Also the fact that there was no reference to the author or other authority on the subject (except for Erickson, though reference to authority was not rationally done) made the presentation less acceptable. In conclusion, both articles although to some extent served their purpose as being content articles could not be considered successful in providing new insights in the subject matter. Finally, in a word of hyper-mediation, which is the primary facet of the Psychological Influences 6 Web and the internet, writers as those specified here, should have maximized what their medium could offer (though this is not part of the review, I still consider this part and parcel of that which contributes to the efficiency of the distribution of specific content to its intended audience). As such hyperlinks may have been considered in presenting the articles they have written. References: Les Brown, H. (November 09, 2008). â€Å"Is the Man in the Mirror a Fraud? † Retrieved April 06, 2009 from Midlife Mastery Website: http://www. midlifemaster. net/2008/11/for-the-past-few-days-ive-been-reading-dr- jed-diamonds-newest-book-the-irritable-male-syndrome-with-rapt-attention-in- adv. html CliffsNotes. com. Crisis in Middle Adulthood: Age 45–65. Retrieved April 06, 2009 from Cliffnotes Website: http://www. cliffsnotes. com/WileyCDA/CliffsReviewTopic/topicArticleId- 26831,articleId-26814. html

Develop and implement policies and procedures Essay

The current legislations for safeguarding children where defined in the children act of 1989. Including children’s rights to protection them from abuse, the right to express their views and be listened to. Although different British governments have said that it regards itself bound by the Convention and refers to it in child protection guidance, it has not become part of the UK law. There is no single piece of legislation that covers safeguarding children and young people in the UK; different laws and guidelines cover different parts of the UK-England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (NSPCC 2010) EYFS (2012) Child protection- being aware of any concerns regarding a child in their home or childcare setting, the welfare requirements state that a Suitable person check should be carried out – following the safer recruitment policy for all staff as an employer we must ensure that necessary steps are taken to ensure that we safeguard all children and their welfare is pa ramount. The recruitment process consists of checking Staff DBS, qualifications, references from their last employer, training, support and skills- to ensure staff have appropriate qualifications, training, skills and knowledge and clearly understand their roles and responsibilities and thorough robust induction is carried out with each new member of staff. Outdoors, indoors and equipment must be suitable for the individual child’s needs. staff child-ratios- staffing arrangements must be arranged to meet the needs of all children. Ensuring safety at all times. The organisation must plan to ensure every child attending receives a enjoyable learning experience. Documents used within the nursery setting, such as policies and procedures, registers, registration forms, learning journals, accident and incident forms. Children’s act (2006) – Child’s commissioner for England, has a duty to local authorities and their partners e.g. health services to promote the well-being of children and young people. 1.2 Evaluate how the national and local guidelines, policies and procedures  for safeguarding affect day to day work with children and young people. The children’s act 1989, children schools and families, babies and young children, every child matters, CAF, health care, National and local guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding all affect a nursery practitioner’s day to day work ; In my Childcare practice The Education Act 2002 poses a duty on education authorities to promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people. This affects my day to day work as I must be aware of and abide by the child protection procedures of my setting and the local authority, I must know the signs of abuse, how and who to report my concerns to, remain professional, act in a timely manner, record my findings, maintain a safe environment, be aware of the health and safety of children and to be able to undertake any further training required. As the safeguarding officer for the nursery I must be approachable for staff to express the concerns and support them throughout the child protection flow chart. Child Protection In my settings policies and procedures for safeguarding it states that all employees, volunteers and students should be properly vetted by carrying out a DBS check before they commence employment. We also request 2 references one of which is their most recent employer, we check their suitability, as well as qualifications ensuring we have seen the original certificates. Daily Risk assessments Risk assessments are an important factor in safeguarding children and in my day to day work, before I use an area in the nursery I would check that it was safe and suitable before Staff carry out any activity with the children I require them to carry out a risk assessment first to make sure all involved is safe, for example, if They were to plan an activity, in the garden I would need to risk assess the area for rubbish, small objects, dirty areas etc that may have blown in, broken toys or equipment, the weather and that the gates are secure. Ensuring the voice of the child or young person is heard Advocacy safeguards children and young people and protects them from abuse and poor practice. The government developed national standards for advocacy practice to ensure that children are able to speak out and have their views heard. The national Standards for the provision of children’s advocacy 2002 is this standard. This affects my day to day work as I need to know how to access advocacy services should a child require it and a child can request that I act as an advocate for them and in that case I will need to know where to look for support from the advocacy services. This then empowers the child to be heard and listened too. Supporting children and young people and others who may be expressing concerns Following my settings policies and procedures, if a child or young person were to express any concerns I would in my day to day work show a child that I am taking them seriously, that I am here to listen and have empathy, I would reassure the child that I will help in any way I can, I would record the conversation following the correct procedure, I would not make promises, or say that what has been discussed is confidential, I will not come to my own conclusions or ask questions and I would seek support and advice from the LADO. If a member of staff informed me that a child had disclosed something to them I would ask them to record all details, not to discuss with any one else unless needed. I would record what I had been told and I would ring Care line and seek advice if needed. 1.3 Explain how the processes used by own work setting comply with legislation that covers data protection, information handling and sharing. In my setting all data information is kept confidential, locked in a filing cabinet and only shared on a need to know basis. we work closely with children and their families building up a working in partnership. We have a duty of care to ensure the safety and welfare of every child. We want all families to feel safe and secure about leaving their child in our care. We follow the EYFS and this states ‘The provider must take necessary steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of children’. Therefore as practitioners we are responsible for ensuring that our policies, procedures and practices  effectively safeguard each child our care every day. And that all staff are responsible and understand about safeguarding and how we use this in our setting to keep everyone safe. Staff attend training to refresh their skills and knowledge. We also have a policy of the week displayed in the staff room to ensure policies and procedures are kept fresh in staffs minds. We have a robust recruitment and no staff will start work in the nursery without the necessary checks taken place such as DBS check, 2 references one from the current or most recent employer and that they are suitable with skills knowledge and experience as well as qualifications in childcare. Also when children start the nursery we complete registration forms with the primary carer of the child which consist of application form, care plan if needed and an all about me, this is shared with the child’s key person. the EYFS Sets the standard that all early years providers must meet. It sets to provide quality, consistency, secure foundations, partnership working and equal opportunities. The four principles should make the setting –A unique child, Positive relationships, Enabling Environment = Learning and Development and support children in the 7 areas of learning. From this we follow the key principles and put into them into practice in the setting. We use the online learning journals as well as a paper based assessment on all children. In our setting part of our job is to empower children and young people. If they feel confident and self-assured they are more likely to feel safe and secure. It is my and other staff’s responsibility to help make them feel empowered and protect themselves. Some children find it difficult to respond to their peers, doing activities where they interact and use their own ideas to promote play this will also help them to boost their confidence and learn what they enjoy and what they don’t. Role modelling behaviour helps them to understand how not all children like to be touched, hugged or hold hands and learn what different people like and how we should behave with our peers. Staff talk to the children about kind hands and voices and how to play nicely with each other. Our nursery will work with children, parents, external agencies and the community to ensure the welfare and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life. Children have the right to be treated with respect and to be safe from any abuse in whatever form. To this end we will: Maintain a professional level at all times Create an enabling environment to encourage children to develop a positive self-image †¢ Encourage children to develop a sense of independence and autonomy in a way that is appropriate to their age and stage of development Provide a safe and secure environment for all children Always listen to children, allowing them to freely talk without being questioned. Build relationships with families to gain trust and confidence

An Analysis of The Odyssey essays

An Analysis of The Odyssey essays The Trojan War was over, and Odysseus tricked the enemy into bringing the huge wooden horse inside the city walls of Troy. The Trojans had no idea that the Greeks were hiding inside. That night, while their enemies slept Odysseus and his men snuck out of the horses' belly, they let in their fellow soldiers who came back under the cover of darkness. Troy was destroyed and the Trojans were vanquished. It was time for Odysseus and his warriors to return home. This was the starting point for the story of the Odyssey. 10 years later in Ithaca, Odysseus' son Telemachus called a council of the men due to the inspiration he received from goddess Athena. He asked them how they could let his mother get taken advantage of. Antinous, one of the leaders of the town, put the blame on Penelope, who was still grieving her husband, Odysseus. Antinous felt Penelope should forget about Odysseus because he was probably dead. It should be noted that because Odysseus did not give proper respect to the god Poseidon, he was doomed to roam the seas for all time. Telemachus asks his countrymen to fit him a ship so that he could find news on his father. Back in his own hall, Antinous tried to make peace with Telemachus, but he would have none of it. The other suitors would mock the young boy for his show of defiance. They were determined to have everything Odysseus once possessed, including his wife, Penelope. They boarded the ship and sailed to a cave where Cyclops lived. They offered him food and he readily accepted. He also took it upon himself to eat two of Telemachus' soldiers! Well, it didn't take them long to see that this was not the best of the situations. They escaped the cave. They sailed back to the kingdom of Ithaca where Odysseus eventually returns to reunite with his wife and son. However, after 7 years, Telemachus didn't recognize him immediately. He proved his identity by telling him a story that onl ...

Monomer Definition and Examples (Chemistry)

Monomer Definition and Examples (Chemistry) A monomer is a molecule that forms the basic unit for polymers, which are the building blocks of proteins. Monomers bind to other monomers to form repeating chain molecules through a process known as polymerization. Monomers may be either natural or synthetic in origin. Oligomers are polymers consisting of a small number (typically under 100) of monomer subunits. Monomeric proteins are protein molecules that combine to form multi-protein complexes. Biopolymers are polymers consisting of organic monomers found in living organisms. Because monomers represent a huge class of molecules, they are commonly categorized into various subgroups such as sugars, alcohols, amines, acrylics, and epoxides. The term monomer combines the prefix mono-, which means one, and the suffix -mer, which means part. Examples of Monomers Glucose, vinyl chloride, amino acids, and ethylene are examples of monomers. Each monomer may link in different ways to form a variety of polymers. In the case of glucose, for example, glycosidic bonds may link sugar monomers to form such polymers as glycogen, starch, and cellulose. Names for Small Monomers When only a few monomers combine to form a polymer, the compounds have names: Dimer: Polymer consisting of two monomersTrimer: Three monomer unitsTetramer: Four monomer unitsPentamer: Five monomer unitsHexamer: Six monomer unitsHeptamer: Seven monomer unitsOctamer: Eight monomer unitsNonamer: Nine monomer unitsDecamer: 10 monomer unitsDodecamer: 12 monomer unitsEicosamer: 20 monomer units

Higher Education in England Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Higher Education in England - Research Paper Example Reports from the Guardian point to the fact that the government's failure to extend access to higher education caused higher drop out rates and lower number of students who attend university (Smith a), 2006). Current statistics on from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) caused disappointment among government leaders and ministers who advocate for the yearly rise on the population of students apply to universities (Smith a) 2006). Considering the funds that the government has disbursed in order to widen the access of individuals from all walks of life to enable them to gain entry to higher education institutions, many have expected that the results of these efforts can put a halt to the declining trend. The government is spending about 300 million pounds in order to attract and increase the rates of individuals who attend higher education institution to 50 percent until 2010 (Smith a) 2006).  The National Union of students has affirmed that the current figures on the tuit ion fees which continue to increase during the previous decades have a huge impact on the number of applications to the higher education system. The union national president, Gemma Tumelty said that the current figures and the declining number of applications to colleges and universities in England have 'real effect' on the choices of students which in turn thwart and discourage other prospective students to pursue their goals of achieving university degrees. The decrease stood lower in England at 4 percent - lower than in the rest of the country (Smith b) 2006) as the top-fees have not been put into effect in England yet. Clearly, what hinders many prospective students from entering higher education in England was brought about by the rising fees imposed even on poor students and the marginalized sector of the society. The impact of the 3,000 increase in tuition, which will be put into effect in September, poses worries among university officials already nervous about the declining student population. This only means that universities and colleges across England will have to apply extra efforts to promote higher education to prospective students and individuals who are from poor families and are already apprehensive about their escalating debt (Smith a) 2006). HESA figures strengthen this view as it contends those students from the disadvantaged families and who come from the lower rung of the social ladder.