The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Essay Example for Free

The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Essay Sometimes in death, it makes people think about their life. In the short story, â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,† written by Katherine Anne Porter, the main character, Granny Weatherall is doing just that; looking back on her life. In the film made based on this short story Granny Weatherall also thinks about her life, but as she is doing things around the house, living her life and not while being shut up in her bed. There are other differences that take place between both the film and the short story. But in the end they both tell the story of an old woman named Granny Weatherall. The short story version of â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall† has a stream of consciousness point of view. It is basically Granny Weatherall, while lying in her death bed, going over previous events that had taken place in her life as they came to her mind and thoughts. Granny Weatherall also thinks about things that she is planning on doing the next day. â€Å"The box in the attic with all those letters tied up, well, she’d have to go through that tomorrow.† (17). That was Granny Weatherall thinking to herself about going through some personal letters she did not want Cornelia, her daughter that she lives with, to find. In the film version of The Jilting of Granny Weatherall the viewers get to see the story of Granny Weatherall in an objective point of view. The story is showed by Granny Weatherall actually being out of bed and doing things. While she is going about her day, the film shows us her thoughts through little flashbacks Granny Weatherall has. Different from the short story, Granny Weatherall actually goes up to the attic and goes through the letters and Cornelia comes up there with her. There is also some symbolism that takes place in the film that does not happen in the short story. â€Å"What does a woman do when she has put on the white veil and set out the white cake for a man and he doesn’t come?† (29). Granny Weatherall thinks about this in the short story, but actually makes a white cake in the film, symbolizing her jilting and how she still thinks of it. After reading the short story and viewing the film, I prefer the actual short story in the book over watching it. Reading it the first time was a little confusing. But after watching the film and then going back and reading the short story over again, it makes enjoy the story so much more. I now know that the story is told through Granny Weatherall’s thoughts and so when I read I can get a better understanding of who Granny Weatherall is. Also, I believe that reading the last sentence of the short story the reader gets to enjoy a better view in their mind then when what the film shows. â€Å"She stretched herself with a deep breath and blew out the light.† (61). Both the film and the short story of â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall† were great. The film is easier to follow the first time watched but the book takes the reader through Granny Weatherall’s inner thoughts. They have some differences amongst themselves but they also both share the common theme of someone thinking about their life right before death comes.

The Vinland Voyages Essay Example for Free

The Vinland Voyages Essay The Vikings history refers to sagas, which are the old stories written in the Norwegian language that read more like fairy tales than history books. The Vikings these sagas refer to are larger than life, more caricature or super hero than historical figure. This has left many people wondering if Vikings were real or if the stories are just fictional tales written by authors with wonderful imaginations. Twentieth century historians began to recognize that this saga’s held valuable information about the history of the past and were more than simple stories (Brooks 1986). Americans celebrates Columbus Day and it is well accepted but the general population, that Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. However, historical and archeological research shows clearly that there were explorers in America long before Columbus. Scholars agree, that the Vikings were the first Europeans to arrive in North America, and did so centuries before Christopher Columbus (Jones 2001). Half a century before Christopher Columbus is said to have discovered America, Viking sea captain and explorer, Leif Erickson and his crew, landed is what is thought to be Newfoundland, Canada. Eriksson called the new land Vinland (Nichol 2003). While there is some debate as to the meaning of the name, a quote form a saga indicates that the name is related to the native grapes. † So is said, that their aft-boat was filled with grapes. Now was hewn a lading for the ship. And when spring came, they made ready and sailed away; and gave Leif name to the land after the lands products and called it Wineland† (The Flatey Book, Translation of the Saga of Eric the Rd). The first written documentation of Vinland was found in a work by historian Adam of Bremen and was written in the year 1075 (Bolls 1986). Another major source of information regarding Vinland comes from two well known sagas; the Saga of Eric the Red and from the Saga of the Greenlanders. These works were not written until the 13th century, hundreds of years after the actual events so there is some question of their reliability or accuracy (Jones 2001). However, they are the main written documentation for this period and historians have relied on the saga’s to paint the picture of the Viking voyage to North America and discovery of Vinland (Jones 2001). Though the Vikings did not make Vinland a permanent home, the Viking influence is clearly documented in North America (Brooks 1986). There has been substantial research into the Viking history and contribution to North America and it is surprising to learn of the discoveries by archeologists now, more than 1000 years later (Jones 2001). Moving from their Scandinavian roots of Norway, Denmark and Sweden was no small feat. The Vikings plodded along that journey to North America over the course of about 200 years (Jones 2001). History of the Vikings Vikings developed into a clearly defined faction of people in approximately the year 780. Vikings can be traced to their roots in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, though it is primarily the Norwegian faction that made the choice to travel west. Their language had Germanic roots. The Viking Age is considered to be the period from approximately 800 – 1050 AD (Fitzhigh 2000)The time period from the earliest recorded raids in the 790s until the Norman Conquest of England d in 1066 is commonly called the Viking Age (Jones 2001). During the Viking Age, Scandinavia expansion was at its height. Historians point to a variety of reasons that he Vikings might have moved from their Scandinavian countries. The expansion in ship construction and the ability to go to sea opened up explorations opportunities. At that time, they were able to go beyond the boundaries of their small countries. With the abilities to build large ships that could hold large numbers of people and plenty of goods to trade with other colonies, came a desire to explore the larger world. The Vikings developed an expertise, now legendary, for navigating the seas (Fitzhugh). The first Vikings ships are dated back to the years between 800-900 AD in Norway and appeared to be much more advanced that those made throughout the rest of Europe. Originally, the ships were powered by rows but later, sails were developed. The Vikings were the first group to utilize sail to power their vessels (Fitzhugh). Vikings developed excellent navigational skills. They relied on the sun, moon and the stars and learned how to note wave patterns in the sea as well as the particular fish or birds in the areas to help find their way across the seas. . Vikings also honed skills as traders and entrepreneurs (Fitzhugh). Vikings lived in Scandinavia for longer than one thousand years. With the increase in population the people had a natural desire to explore and began to develop the skills and means to do so. The Vikings were a vibrant community with a strong culture of myths, and the gods in which they believed. The Viking belief in gods was similar to that of Greeks mythology. The stories of the gods had them appear quite humanlike. Viking culture consisted of the nobles, and the freeman in addition to slaves. The nobles became the leader and kings. The freeman were the tradesman, farmers and craftsmen. They were landowners. The slaves were the people the Vikings captured on their explorations to other areas and then brought home with them. Historically, Viking lived in long wooden structures called longhouses. They often added on to these structures and one longhouse could include several generations of family. Women in the Viking era were free to choose their own husbands and could leave their husbands if they choose to. The women were respected for their ability to care for farms and homes. During this time of seafaring exploration and cultural expansion is when the Vikings earned the reputation of raiders and pirates. They were reported to frequent the unlocked churches that they came across along the costal towns of French, Germany and England and steel from them. Vikings as Seafarers Much of what is now known about Viking ship building was learned as a result of the discovery of ancient burial groups in Norway. This find included ships that were well enough preserved to provide insight to the Viking technology. Additional discoveries have since been made that provide even more detail. As the ships were made of wood, archaeologist are able to use tree rings to date the ships. The Viking ships were manufactured with iron, which allowed the ships to withstand the salt water of the sea and made long ravel possible. The iron was what made the difference from previous boats, to Viking ships. The Vikings were able to build large ships that could haul large numbers of people and livestock as well as other goods to trade. It took the people of the region to new areas where they could explore and trade goods. The men of this region learned ship building as a matter of course, as women learned weaving. With the availability of wood and iron and the skills to build, larger number of people had access to ship building and trade. The Vikings that traveled west were primarily Norwegian and began with settlements in Britain. These Vikings came with farming skills as well as goods to trade. The goods they brought included fur, wool and ivory. The Vikings then landed in Iceland in approximately 870 and they grew in population to over 30,000 in that area during the first 50 years. The Norwegian exploration resulted in an ongoing relationship of trade and communication as emigration between Norway, Britain and Iceland. The exploration to Greenland began around the year 982. The story of the Vikings in Vineland begins with the ongoing desire of the Vikings for more land and the banishment of Eric Thorvaldson or Eric the Red from Norway. Thorvald and his son Eric the Red were forced to leave Norway due to involvement in apparent murders They found themselves in Iceland and Eric the Red married a woman named Thjohild . Eric and Thjohild had a son, the very well known historical figure, Leif Eriksson. Eventually Eric was expelled from Iceland as a result of more violence and in 982 headed west, settling his family in Greenland (Fitzhugh). The Vikings at that time, had control over areas in England, Ireland, Scotland and France before moving on to Iceland and Greenland. Old Viking stories claim that Eric enticed people to Greenland with the name, which implied warmer weather and a positive place to settle. He was able to recruit more than 450 people for the original settlement. According to records of the climate at that time, this was a warmer period for Greenland and the colonies that developed were successful raising livestock, trading walrus tusks as well as farming (Fitzhugh 2000). Another Viking captain, Bjarni Herjolfsson was lost at sea when on a trip to visit his father in Greenland and it is thought that he may have landed in North America for a time. He eventually did find his way to Greenland and told everyone about the land he had discovered while he was off course Leif Eriksson was curious and decided that he would plan an expedition to the new land and was able to recruit a group of men to come with him. When Leif Erikson and his crew found the new land, he named it Vineland, because the land was covered in vines. He enjoyed Vineland and stayed there for a several months. Leif along with his sister Freydis and brother Thorvals, are thought to be perhaps the first Europeans in North America in approximately 1000 A. D. The Vineland Leif Erickson visited, was already establish as a colony by another group. The Vikings called them barbarians. The Vikings left as they were so clearly outnumbered and not prepared to battle The Vikings of the time continued to visit Vinland for goods and resources that were not as plentiful in Greenland. Eric the Red ruled Greenland until his death in 1003, at which time his son Leif Ericsson took over the leadership of Greenland. In approximately 1020 A. D. , Leifs son. Thorgills Leifsson took over as the ruler of Greenland. Leif Erickson, or â€Å"Leif the Lucky â€Å"as he later became know as a result of his successful voyages, is responsible for bringing Christian missionaries to Greenland. While the stories we hear of Vikings lead one to believe that they were violent and aggressive warriors, there is also a history of assimilating with the new lands and of embracing new cultures and ideas. Leif Ericsson Leif Ericsson is the central figure n all stories and histories regarding the Vikings and North America. He was the oldest of four children. Leif was probably thirty years old when he took his crew on the trip west in the year 1001 and found Vinland. Historians today believe that Ericsson probably landed first on Baffin Islands, Markland and Labrador before settling in Vinland for a period of several years. The settlement they established became known as Leifrsbudir. The term Leifsbudir likely refers to Leif’s booths. Leif accepted Christianity during a year long trip to Norway on an earlier voyage where he went to visit the King Olav with the goal of improving his power and reputation. When he returned back to Greenland his father refused Christianity though his mother converted quickly. She was responsible for the building of the first Christian church in Greenland. The exploration led by Leif Ericsson to North America is documented primarily in the Vinland Saga, which include the Saga of Greenland and he Saga of Eric the Red. These stories were written in the 13th centaury as the result of history passed down through the years. In the twentieth century, when the stories were linked with ht e actual archeological discoveries in Newfoundland, Viking history began to take shape and gain acceptance as actual history and not just tales. Leif Ericsson’s interest in exploring further west began with the stories he heard earlier from Bjarni Herjolfsson, who told Leif of the land he saw while going off course during his travel to Greenland. Leif Ericsson purchased the boat from Herjollllfsson and with a crew of 35, set sail to find he land he had heard about (Vesilind 2000). They found the new land to be an easier lifestyle, with easier winters and plentiful timber, lakes to fish and good land to farm. The land he named Vinland was referred to as Vinland the Good. Leif Ericssons brother Thorvald returned to Vinland in 1003 ands was killed during a fight with the native people. Leif’s other brother sailed to Vinland in 1005, but dies in a storms while at sea. His sister, Freydis later went to Vinland with plans to set up a trade arrangement. She was less than honest with her partners and then had them murdered. She returned to Greenland and went unpunished, as her brother Leif was the leader of Greenland at the time (Vesilind 2000). Location The exact location of Vineland has not been established by archaeologists. The Viking stories talked about long days of mild weather and wild grapes. Artifacts from the Vikings have been found in a number of locations including Cape Cod and in Virginia. Newfoundland, in Canada has established the remnants of a Viking community but, Newfoundland does not have the abundance of grapes growing wild. Some historian believe that Vineland was not actually named for grapes, but that â€Å"vin† had a different meaning to the Vikings, possibly referring to grazing lands (Jones 2001). It has also been suggested that what the stories refer to, were not grapes, but possibly berries. However, research on the climate at that time show that though there are not wild grapes growing in New Foundland today, the climate up until the 17th century would have sustained wild grapes, and in fact did (Vesilind 2000). In the search by historians to determine where exactly the land known as Vineland was located, there was some skepticism that Vikings could have crossed the Atlantic Ocean in those days, with their ship technology. It is estimated that the voyage between Greenland and Vineland would have taken up to two weeks. However, findings of he historic ships in Norway give credibility to the idea that the Viking ships could withstand the journey (Vesilind 2000). In the 1950’s, an historian named Munn provided an argument stating that the areas of L’Anse-aux-Meadows in Newfoundland is the actual site of the Vikings Vinland. Fifty years later, archeological digs would confirm his theory with evidence in the way of Viking artifacts that confirm a settlement in that area. Helge Ingstadd was a Norwegian researcher who had dedicated much of his career to Viking explorations (Jones 2001). He completed the most thorough review of the Vinland Voyages available and was meticulous in his research. Before coming to Newfoundland, he researched areas of Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and Nova Scotia. When he determined that Newfoundland held the best possibility of being the actual Viking landing spot, he brought in an exploration party. Ingstadd noted some faint lines on the contours of land in that area that made curious about what might lie below (Fitzhugh 2000). Ingstad found the wall of a longhouse and other remnants during that first dig and then returned again a couple of years later to uncover more evidence. Helge Ingstad found the remnants of a Viking settlement in Newfoundland. He discovered proof that what stood on the ground around the year 1000 AD were sod longhouses. The houses did not have foundations, which led Ingstad to the conclusion hat they were meant as temporary structures rather than permanent housing. One of the houses contained evidence of an iron smith setup. Ingstad’s discovery also included evidence that women had accompanied the Viking men on the voyages to Vinland as there were weaving tools used by women in that day. There have been additional discoveries since the time of Helge Ingstad’s discovery that further support the Viking contact with North America long before Christopher Columbus.

Victims of Bullying

Victims of Bullying Victims of Bullying Schools offer more than educational opportunities; they offer many opportunities for social interaction for youth. These social opportunities also offer many opportunities for children to become victims of bullying. In the last ten years, there has been a dramatic rise of research on bullying in the United States. This research has been spurred by continued extreme school violence where the perpetrators of the violence had been victims of bullying. Bullying encompasses a range of various aggressive behaviors, which are targeted at an identified victim (Espalage, 2002). It is differentiated from fighting because it involves an imbalance in strength such that the individual targeted has difficulty defending him or herself. Bullying has been a common obstacle of childhood for many generations (Olweus, 1995). Many people believe that bullying is a natural part of growing up that does not cause serious harm but help to toughen children up (Pianta Walsh, 1995). On the other hand, extensive research in this area has identified consequences for the victims of bulling (Olweus, 1995). There have been many high profile cases of victims of bullying who have retaliated by horrific school shootings (Kumpulamen, Rasanen, Puura, 2001). A number of recent studies have investigated the immediate and short-term effects of peer victimization (Espelage, 2002; Espelage Swearer, 2003; Nansel, Overpeck, Pilla, Ruan, Simons-Morton, Scheidt, 2001). Rejection from a peer group has been linked to adverse psychological and physical consequences (Kumpulamen et al., 2001). Victims have been noted to be at risk for increased levels of depression, anxiety, and psychosomatic symptoms (Nansel et al., 2001). School avoidance and feelings of isolation are common among victims. Furthermore, it has been reported that these victims of bullying are developing post-traumatic stress disorder (Kumpulamen et al., 2001). This reveals the detrimental impact that peer rejection may have on youth and the importance of more research on the long-term impact bullying has on victims. The media has portrayed â€Å"bullies† and â€Å"nerds or geeks† in numerous films, thus bringing awareness of childhood social hierarchies and the desire to be accepted as part of a group. The â€Å"nerds† are social outcast who are commonly victimized by their peers and often blamed for not being tough enough. Recent research and pop culture movies like â€Å"Mean Girls† have brought more attention to girls and their bullying behaviors. There is limited research on the prevalence and effects bullying has on girls (Brinson, 2005). Many bullies experience mental health difficulties. One study found that one-third of bullies have attention-deficit disorder, 12.5% were suffering from depression, and 12.5% had oppositional-conduct disorder (Kumpulamen et al., 2001). Bullies then in turn take out their frustrations on someone the see as weaker than them. These bullies are also seeking to impress their peers. The rejection felt by the victim can have a direct impact on their lives. Several authors suggest that youth who are continually victimized may be at risk for poorer psychological functioning as adults (Espelage, 2002; Nansel et al., 2001). There has not been much research in this particular area. Little is known about how these victims function as adults. Research suggest that adolescents do not simply grow out of emotional problems with age, which implies that youth who have poor social skills may continue to experience difficulty in their area of maintaining relationships as adults (Nansel et al., 2001). Espelage (2002) found that many victims of bullying continue to think about their experiences of being bullied and recall painful memories well into adulthood. Depression and suicidal ideation have been found to be common outcomes of being bullied for both boys and girls. Bullies themselves have been prone to depression (Espelage, 2002). Bullying behaviors has similarly been found to transfer from the classroom to the streets, male bullies having been found to be seventeen times more likely to be frequently violent outside of the classroom and female bullies over one hundred times more likely to be frequently violent on the streets (Brinson, 2005). Longitudinal research has found that bullying and aggressive behavior were identified as being characteristics of those students who later became involved in criminal behavior (Nansel et al., 2001). Statement of Problem There have been limited mixed-methods studies on the phenomenon of bullying (Espelage Swearer, 2003). There has been no research that has attempted to explore the long term effects of bullying on individuals who have experienced it. This study will use a mixed-methods approach to explore both the long term effects of bullying on individuals that were bullied in their youth. Statement of Purpose The purpose of this concurrent, mixed methods study is to explore and generate themes about the long term effects bullying, that occurred in childhood, has on men and women. The quantitative research questions will address the prevalence of bullying between male and female participants that they encountered at school when they were in their teens. Qualitative open-ended questions will be used to probe significant resilience factors by exploring aspects of the bullying experiences and how they impacted the person’s adult life. Theoretical Framework Several theories have sought to explain the existence of bullying behavior. Some developmental theorists perceive bullying as a child’s attempt to establish social dominance over other children. This dominance is established through developmentally appropriate actions; in the early years, when children lack complex social skills, they bully using physical means. As these overt acts are punished by disciplinarians, and as children develop a larger repertoire of verbal language, bullying becomes more verbal in nature. Finally, when children gain the skills to understand and participate in intricate social relationships, they begin to use these relationships as a more covert type of bullying in order to establish power and social dominance (Smith, 2001). Resilience theory is defines as a person’s ability to cope or adapt to stressful situations. In different environments, resilience can have different meanings. In a high crime neighborhood, resilience could mean just surviving unscathed from the violence. This is having the ability to overcome a challenging set of circumstances with success. Studies in resilience theory demonstrate that resilient individuals are those who grow and develop as a result of trauma. Rather than being stunted by life difficulties, they recover from the traumatic events with an increased sense of empathy, enhanced coping skills. (Pianta Walsh, 1998). Peer rejection theory provides an important context for socialization that fosters social skills that children learn and use through out their lives. Rejection theory is based on the premise that children that are rejected by their peers are not given the same opportunities to socialize and develop socialization skills. This further distances them from their peers (Cole Gillenssen, 1993). Life course perspective is an appropriate lens to use when reviewing bullying and the after effects it has on the victims of it. Research has shown that bullying can cause victims to have varying degrees of posttraumatic stress syndrome (Houbre et al., 2006). Elder (1998) researched the social pathways in the life course. This research revealed that individual’s lives are influenced by their ever-changing effects of their experiences. Research Questions/Null Hypothesis Research Question #1: How are men and women impacted by the bullying they encountered as youth? Null Hypothesis #1: There will be no statistical significant difference in how men and women are impacted by bullying that they encountered as youth as measured by the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Research Question #2: How did bullying as a youth affect men? Null Hypothesis #2: There will be no evidence that being bullied in their youth will have an impact on their adult lives as men. Research Question #3: How did bullying as a youth affect women? Null Hypothesis #3: There will be no evidence that being bullied in their youth will have an impact on their adult lives as women. Research Question #4: What are the implications in their current life that they feel resulted from the bullying they encountered as youth? Null Hypothesis #4: There will be no statistically significant evidence of implications in their current life that were a result from bullying that they encountered as youth. Research Question #5: How do they feel their bullying experiences impacts their ability to socialize with people now? Null Hypothesis #5: There will be no evidence that bullying experiences in their past will impact an adult’s ability to socialize with other people. Definition of Terms Bully/victims: individuals who both bully others and are victims of bullying (Espelage Swearer, 2003). Bullying: aggressive behavior that occurs repeatedly over time and includes both physical and emotional acts that are directed towards another individual with the intent to inflict harm or discomfort (Olweus, 1993). Bystander: individual who observes a bullying incident (Olweus, 1993). Emotional Scarring: the association of negative feelings with the recollection of painful memories of being bullied (Espelage, 2002). Peer: an individual belonging to the same groups based on age, grade, and status (Olweus, 1993). Victim of Bullying: an individual who is exposed repeatedly over time to aggressive behavior that is inflicted by his peers with the intent to cause harm or discomfort (Espelage, 2002; Olweus, 1993). Assumptions The assumptions made about the participants in this study are that they are of sound mind to participate in this study. The assumptions made that all of the participants will answer the web survey honestly. The assumptions made that all of the participants were bullied in their youth. Delimitations The research recognizes the following delimitations for the study: The sample size will be dependent of the amount of people who respond to the email of inquiry at this study. All respondents are mentally competent to answer the questions in the online survey. The participants have the potential to be spread out across the United States. Limitations Quantitative research looks for generalizability of the research findings to the larger population (Crestwell, 2005). Generalizability is not as important to qualitative research that is seeking to explore a phenomenon and the impact it has. If more men respond then women to this survey, then it would not be an equally distributed sample. Socio-economic status is not asked in this study.

Compare and Contrast Kami and Shen, the Japanese and Chinese Words for

Compare and Contrast Kami and Shen, the Japanese and Chinese Words for God The words kami in Japanese and shen in Chinese both are translated into English as the word god. Although they both refer to somewhat similar supernatural elements, they are by no means identical to each other. Chinese shen is an abstract term referring to spirits and relating to abstract thoughts such as the heavens and the afterlife. In contrast, kami are very often related directly to a person or actual object and are worshiped in a hope for more day-to-day help or this worldly benefits. In order to help explain the relationship between kami and shen, I will first explore the similarities between the two terms, then discuss the unique characteristics which define both shen and kami. Motori Norinaga, an eighteenth century Japanese intellectual, said that the meanings of shen and kami "coincide seventy or eight per cent of cases†¦ Ever since ancient times, their meanings have both been expressed in a single character†¦ with no difference being paid to the difference between the two" (qtd. in Xiaolin 1). When the Japanese first borrowed the Chinese writing system to use as their own, they used the Chinese character for shen to express both kami and shin (another Japanese word for spirits, more closely associated with shen.) In all of the Chinese texts that the Japanese imported, shen was translated as either kami or shin, using kami when the spirit was well defined and shin when it was more of an abstract thought. It was not until the Japanese later differentiated their writing from Chinese that the characters for shen and kami became different. The non-differentiation between the two words helps to show their close similarity to each other. Chine... .... Practically Religious. Honolulu: Univ. of Hawai'i Press: 1998. Schipper, Kristofer. The Taoist Body. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 1993. Tanabe, George J. Jr. "Introduction: Japan." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 591-612. Teeuwen, Mark. "Motoori Norinaga on the Two Shrines at Ise." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 678-693. Teiser, Stephen F. "Introduction: Chinese Religion." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 295-329. Xiaolin, Wang. "Cultural Differentiation: On shen and Xin in Chinese and Japanese." Trans. Robert Neather. City Univ. of Hong Kong. 17 Apr. 2003. <http://www.cityu.edu.hk/ccs/Newsletter/newsletter3/HomePage/CulturalDiff/CulturalDiff.html>.

Augustines Confessions Paper -- Literacy Analysis

When one reads the word "confessions," one would not necessarily associate it with the word "narrative." Confessions seem to be more of something stated directly without any story-like element. They are also a more personal thing- one does not simply put them in a story form unless purposely intending to do so, because usually it is something that expresses guilt for something personal or is between the author and their conscience (or perhaps to themselves). However, there can always be an exception, like Augustine's Confessions. It is written as a form of a narrative, even though the original the main audience for whom it was written is God, yet it is also intended to be read by anyone, almost as a didactic piece that sets an example through the portrayal of his life and his decisions. Augustine takes what he has experienced during his life and with details such as parallels to the bible turns it into a narrative that he writes with an intention of educating or perhaps setting an ex ample for any reader. ​Augustine writes his confessions not as a list, but as one event that flows to another- like a narrative. At first glance, it appears to be as the title says- a book of confessions. However, it cannot solely be approached "as a penitential work, concerned with the confession of sins, which indeed it is, in some degree; but this is not Augustine's primary concern. (Bonner 164)." He means that it is not just a confession to God, that indeed God is the main audience, but not the only audience. Augustine even states this in the actual text: "I too, O Lord, also so confess unto Thee that men may hear, to whom I cannot prove whether I confess the truth, yet do they believe me whose ears charity openeth unto me (10.3.3)" and again wi... ...no means starting on the morally correct path but still was able to turn that all around, and almost like an inspiration to all that it is never too late to make a difference or change in one's self. Works Cited Merriman, C.D. "Http://www.online-literature.com/saint-augustine/." Saint Augustine. Jalic, 2005. Web. 30 Mar. 2012. ​ O'Donnell, James J. "Augustine." : Confessions. Web. 30 Mar. 2012. . Bonner, G. Starting With Oneself; Spiritual Confessions: Augustine's Confessions. ExpTim 101, 1990. 163-64. Print. Troxel, A. Craig. ""What Did Augustine 'Confess' in His Confessions?" by A. Craig Troxel."Trinity Journal 15.2 (1994): 163-79. EarlyChurch.org.uk: 10 Years of Resourcing the Study of Early Church History. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. . ​

U.s. And Swedish Trends In Tax Reform :: essays research papers

U.S. and Swedish Trends in Tax Reform Tax reform has become a major governmental policy issue in the United States as well as in the rest of the world. Countries are attempting to balance both economic efficiency and provide equity in taxation. Governments are looking to rewrite tax codes to minimize their impact on economic growth. Specifically, governments throughout the world are attempting to preserve incentives built into taxation to maximize economic efficiency. At the same time, these governments are trying to cope with the growth in social welfare programs throughout the past three decades. In this paper I shall discuss two nations which dramatically overhauled their tax systems, and whether or not their goals with tax reform were achieved. In the article "The tax reform act of 1986: Did Congress love it or leave it?", Randall Weiss discusses the attitudes about taxes in the United States. He details the events and attitudes leading to the Tax Reform Act of 1986, and shows how public perception about taxes has changed since then. He also discusses some of the tax reform proposals that are now currently being thought about in Congress. In 1986 the United States Congress enacted the Tax Reform Act (TRA-86). The act passed with a great deal of bipartisan support. This support was made possible by two features of the act. The first was that federal income tax rates were to be cut dramatically. While this would lead one to believe that federal government receipts were cut substantially as well, it was the second important feature of the bill that allowed it to be revenue neutral. This feature was that the bill was to improve horizontal equity in the tax system. This would be accomplished by eliminating many of the deductions that many individuals, particularly the well to do, were allowed to make. Many of the complains about the tax system in the United States that preceded the Tax Reform Act were about the gross horizontal inequities that it allowed. A great deal of press preceding TRA-86 showed the public how many of the country's wealthiest individuals were able to get away with paying little or no federal income tax. Eliminating many of these tax deductions and loopholes had been the goal of several liberal Democrats for some time. In addition, conservatives in Congress wanted to reduce the escalating federal budget deficit at the time. Also, a prevailing attitude of the time was that reducing marginal tax rates would benefit the economy. It was believed that specific tax breaks and deductions to support economic growth would not be needed with the greatly reduced tax rates.

My favorite musical institution Essay

Founded in 1964, Victoria Conservatory of Music was established to impart the enthusiasm of music into its students who understood music and arts. At the same time, it was geared towards ensuring that brilliance in performance is achieved. The initial location of the Conservatory was at the old Union Hall in city center Victoria close to Centennial Square. The Victoria gave it the use of Craigdarroch castle in 1968. The castle provided an amazing ambiance for concerts and lessons. When it became too crowded, the Conservatory was again relocated, this time to the annex of St. Ann’s Academy near Beacon Hill Park (Gorst, 2005). This musical institution is registered as a not-for-profit society which caters for learners from all echelons of life. Originally, the school started with just a few students numbering forty though the number increased quickly hence allowing for new programs to be created with great enthusiasm. It also meant that the size of the home would have to be bigger than initially it was. It was made possible by an intermarriage of ideas from the Royal Academy of Music in London with other novel ideas. Students poured in from the other provinces around as well as other lands as the faculty gradually expanded. Another supplemental site had to be found to cater for the larger population of students. This was found on the Broughton Street. By 1968, the student body had grown to number over four hundred students and thus still more room was required to accommodate the growing demand. Mayor Hugh Stephen’s offices provided a quick and an immediate solution to the problem. In 1978, a larger building was found by the help of the then BC Cabinet minister, Hugh Curtis. The building however was still not large enough as the rate of growth of the student body was substantial and this requires much quicker change and expansion more so given that the rapid growth of the number of students started forcing instructors to teach some students out of their homes. Problems to do with larger home were only solved when the historic Metropolitan United Church (whose original part dates back from 1890) was acquired in 1997 and the search for bigger home was over. The building had to be changed and fitted with other structures to fit the needs of various faculties of music. Along the course of preparing the building to be fit for the new functions as music school, venue for performance and the community’s cultural centre two factors had to be put into consideration which posed as challenges to the modernization of the building. First of all, while modernization was being carried it to be taken into account the fact that the building had a history that starts from way back in 1890; hence considerable amount of caution was necessary to preserve its history details. Secondly, extensive modifications were also required to make it serve the new roles as musical school. For this reason, the building needed to have teaching studios, classrooms and office. In addition, the plumbing and the electrical systems needed to be updated, upgraded and structural reinforcement done. These tasks were systematically carried out and the building was ready for use in 1999. With its considerable size, the building offers two hall concerts, one of which is large and the other one the size of recital. The two rooms both have proven acoustics and they have studios in addition to other facilities are well designed and put in place to offer a state-of-the-art structure to match the highest ambitions of the Conservatory. This is far better considering the over two thousand students that the conservatory caters for. In the present state of service to the community, the conservatory offers a wide range of professional programs, programs for children, community school, summer programs and programs for music therapy. These programs are presented in a packaged well mixed with blend of education, career training, therapeutic courses, and performance which give a mix of amazing experiences for the students of the institution (Braid, 2005) As a registered institution, Victoria Conservatory of Music had an aim of becoming a center of brilliance for music through education, performance and music therapy. The mission for the institution is to enhance people’s lives by way of music as a local center of excellence open to all and accessible to everyone that desires to develop a meaningful link with music. Students from the institution have continued to exhibit exemplary performance out of the class (Gorst, 2005). Currently, there are over hundred teachers in the faculty of music of the VCM (Victoria Conservatory of Music). They are responsible for training the students in numerous musical instruments. They also give thorough training in different other areas which include music therapy, theory and composition, voice and children’s programs. The institution has vastly proficient faculties which engage in performance, conduct, compose and then record. The students that are presently studying here come from different regions including others who come from abroad. The mix of students is well balanced with infants and adults both pursuing different areas of their interest. The young group has interest in getting a music education as opposed to the senior people who mainly come to the institution to rediscover their skills and improve their lives. Among the accolades one would walk out of the institution with are: – Diploma in music or in Jazz studies, Certificate in music foundations and private reading is also available. The institution also offers individual lessons as well as master lessons in addition to lessons in conducting (Gorst, 2005). The Victoria Conservatory of Music gives one an opportunity to gain knowledge in disciplines and instruments of varied assortments. These include woodwinds, history of music, voice, piano, jazz, guitar and many more. While one is offered a chance to train in the mentioned areas, there are opportunities for performance in choirs or recitals, in ensembles as well as in orchestras. For this reason, there are a number of people who have sailed high in various areas and uplifted the image of the institution both in Canada and elsewhere. Some students of the institution have and still perform on Debut. Debut is the first CD for the conservatory to ever produce. It is not only that but they have also performed to significant approbation with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, the Conservatory’s Opera Studio, and in recital. The promise shown by such achievements for the future of the institution and of music is worth being treasured by anyone that is music loving especially fine music. In the year 2006 the institution celebrated the music award for those who had been recognized nationally. Shika Card won the coveted Orchestra-Standard Life Competition which earned eight thousand dollars worth Standard Life Scholarship. In the same year she received the 2006 Gold Medal for Theory, an award from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. This prize is awarded to the topmost theory scores for all students in Canada who sit for the ARCT exams. The previous year, 2005, had seen about sixty students recognized with prizes at the 29th Annual Awards day which is held every year in recognition of students who exhibit magnificent demonstration of stupendous musical abilities (Wood, 2006) Ensemble Sine Nomine is one of a number of vocal and instrumental groups that operate under the sponsorship of the Victoria Conservatory of Music. The recording includes an eclectic array of selections encompassing those from Gregorian chant stretching to the thirteenth century organum hymns done by Hildegard von Bingen. There are also early motets that were done by Dufay along with others (Braid, 2005) Opera studio The opera studio of the conservatory was formerly opera workshop but more functions with gradual improvement in quality of productions have made it achieve substantial acclaim as part of the whole Victoria Conservatory of Music. It was initially directed by Selena James who helped the workshop show a build up of high quality annual productions beginning from the mid seventies which got loyalty in following. The concept of the workshop was farther expanded in 1992 to incorporate support courses and have more extensive programs backed with intensive coaching in movement, portrayal and ensemble performance. The opera studio has a mandate to expose young singers with advanced training especially those who sincerely desire to pursue a career in professional opera. This wonderful organ of the institution has produced people of renown in the profession of music. Such figures include Richard Margison- an internationally known singer, Benjamin Butterfield who is also an internationally known singer not forgetting Ingrid Attrot as well as other upcoming professionals. Carey Newman, Duncan Stewart, and Ken Lavigne all count as some of very strong emerging forces in the profession. Previous productions incorporated Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring, Mozart’s The Magic Flute and The Marriage of Figaro, Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, as well as John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera (Wood, 2006) The same as the stage standard operas, Opera Studio have specially made works mainly for its student productions. In March 2001 it presented the world premiere of Eyes on the Mountain, based on three stories commended by Canadian writer Jack Hodgins, with music and libretto by Conservatory alumnus Christopher Donison. Eyes on the Mountain received national press coverage and very encouraging reviews. Conservatory Faculty associate, May Ling Kwok along with former Head of Strings Sydney Humphreys perform two Beethoven Sonatas for Violin and Piano, the â€Å"Spring† in addition to the â€Å"Kreutzer† on this CD. The Opera Studio has produced an exciting variety of productions which include Street Scene by Kurt Weill of December 1992, Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach, November, 1994, and The Magic Flute by Mozart in 1995 among others (Wood, 2006). The conservatory has continued to demonstrate exemplary performance by bringing up many students who have become well known professionals (Slavin, 2004). The institution is headed by the Board of governors and those of departments who foresee the smooth operating of the whole system for common goal and objective of enriching people’s lives with music. Board members include: Benning ric, Clint Nickerson, Sandy Stedman, Dr Catherine Like, Marianne Alto-Bond, Dr Anthony Nadolski, Wes Wraggett, George Easdon, Rick Stolle, Tim Francis, Ruth Currey, Carolann Steinhoff and Shaun Dolman (Gorst, 2005). References List: Braid, R. (2005). Victoria Conservatory of Music. Simon Fraser University, 100-150. Gorst, J. (2005). Victoria Conservatory of Music’s History. Giles Publishers. 120-140. http://victoria. tc. ca/Resources/music. html Slavin, R. (2004). Major Development in Victoria School. 67-80. Wood, R. (2006). Victoria Conservatory of Music’s Opera Studio. University of Victoria, 40-69.