Superman and Me vs. Bodega Dreams Essay Example

Superman and Me vs. Bodega Dreams Paper 1 Makeitha C Mrs. Rogers ENC 1102, 4:05 November 29th, 2011 Culture vs. Education Culture is an essential element that can impact the way a person sees the world and processes information. â€Å"Superman and Me,† by Sherman Alexie and â€Å"Bodega Dreams,† by Ernesto Quinonez, examines the importance of education and the impact it has on cultures. In â€Å"Superman and Me† the narrator tells a story about an Indian boy who teaches himself how to read and write at the age of 3 years. Despite the challenges he was face with living on an Indian Reservation, he remained motivated and interested in gaining more knowledge in reading and writing. Bodega Dreams,† by Ernesto Quinonez the narrator tells a story about two young Latino boys and their experience together in Junior High school. The young boys are in English and Science class together. Although the boys are not motivated about school, there teacher’s (Mr. Blessington and Mr. Tapia) try different me thods to keep them motivated and focus in school. These two stories will debate how culture influences children view point in education. In the story â€Å"Superman and me† the narrator details methods he uses to learn how to recognize a paragraph and picture read using a Superman comic book. The narrator explains how he was very motivated about learning to read and write. The narrator seemed to be a very driven man who knew exactly what he wanted, and was willing to do whatever it took to achieve his goals. The narrator expresses himself with self-confidence by stating, â€Å"I am smart. I am arrogant. I am lucky. I want to save my life (209-210). † Being an Indian boy who lived on a reservation, he felt many people were expecting him to fail in the non-Indian world and he was determined to prove them wrong. The narrator states, â€Å"I never was taught how to write poetry, short stories, and novels. † â€Å"I don’t recall a guest teacher visiting the reservation (210). 2 The narrator tells how he was enthused about reading and the different methods he used to learn the words. He tells about the many struggles he had to endure because he was different, he was not ashamed to show his intelligence. He explains how his Indian peers were afraid to show their intelligence by not speaking out in class or around other peers. The narrator argues that Indian children are stereotyped as unintelligent failures. We will write a custom essay sample on Superman and Me vs. Bodega Dreams specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Superman and Me vs. Bodega Dreams specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Superman and Me vs. Bodega Dreams specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The issue is the author wants readers to recognize that Indian children were not well educated in reading and writing, they needed to be encouraged to read and write, and exposed to more literature. The Indian children lacked motivation in learning to read and write. They were comfortable with just knowing powwow songs and jokes. The narrator wanted the Indian students to see the importance in reading. He wanted them to understand reading is more than just the reading of words, but a way to survive in the non-Indian world. The narrator states he eventually grew up and became a successful author/writer. He devotes his time working with Indian children and assisting them with reading and writing their own stories. Although the narrator tells about the struggles he had growing up on a reservation knowing how to read and write, he decides to give back to his community. The narrator teaches Indian children creative writing hoping they will change the perception about school and develop confidence and motivation like he did. Ernest Quinonez’s â€Å"Bodega Dreams† the narratora young Latino boytells a story about an experience he had in Junior High school and the kind of relationship he had developed with his Science teacher (Mr. Tapia) and English teacher (Mr. Blessington). In the story the narrator tells how Mr. Tapia and Mr. Blessington interact differently with their students. The narrator explains how Mr. Blessington is not one of his favorite teachers. The narrator states, â€Å"He kept telling us boys were all going to end up in jail and all girls were going to end hooking (167). † The narrator explains how he is bored with listening to the Robert Frost poem in his class. The narrator states, â€Å"He was one of those upper-class people who thinks highly of themselves†¦and have chosen to â€Å"help† poor kids from the ghetto (167). In Science class his teacher, Mr. Tapia, is inspiring to him. The narrator explains how Mr. Tapia encouraged his class to do their work. He felt all his students had the potential to do well. In the story the narrator enjoyed challenging the teacher’s with questions just to get off task. The narrator’s friend (Sapo) had the same classes toge ther. 3 Sapo was very quiet and kept to himself until one day the Mr. Blessington approached him with a question. The narrator claims Sapo did not make an effect in class due to Mr. Blessington negative comments he makes towards him and his peers. Mr. Blessingon was not pleased with Sapo’s attitude. Mr. Blessington and Sapo begin exchanging words which lead them to a heated discussion and a physical altercation. Mr. Blessington lost control and Sapo released anger. In the story Mr. Tapia tried to save Sapo by telling Sapo to lie about the altercation. Sapo did what Mr. Tapia told him to do in order to avoid the detention center. The incident eventually changed Sapo’s persona. The young Latin boy was put in a position to where he lost control and it changed his whole outlook on life. In this story the author argues that a person’s childhood environment often determine his or her character and life path. In the story the narrator provided evidence of how the students had supportive teachers and how their teacher’s encourage the students to be successful. Mr. Tapia and Mr. Blessington exposed their students to a variety of poetry and literature, and allowed them opportunities to complete their work either at home or in school. The stories share common points about the importance of reading and writing. In order for an individual to be successful in school is by making an effort and attempting to do the work. In â€Å"Superman and Me† the Indian boy wanted to be successful by taking matters in his own hands by teaching himself how to read and write. In â€Å"Bodega Dreams† the characters in the story were not interested in learning or doing their assignments, which became a disappointment to their teachers. I think the Indian children have a valid reason to feel conquered by their abilities to learn. Their cultural upbringing can be a factor which often causes them to lose interest in reading and writing. When teachers are working with children it’s important that they are sensitive to the students’ needs, respect each child’s differences and culture, and be more mindful of their position in society. Providing support and positive guidance is the key when working with children and helping them become more involved in school. 4 In closing, these stories have a valid point and will stimulate more readers to think about the importance of culture and education. Stereotyping and prejudice can have a negative effect on children. Adults must remember children are in a vulnerable position. Allowing children to explore and have access to different learning materials will help them gain more knowledge. Respecting different cultures and communicating with children in positive ways will help develop self-confidence and help them have a better outlook on life. 5 Works Cited Alexie, Sherman. â€Å"Superman and Me. † Reading Literature and Writing Argument. 4th ed. Missy James and Alan Merickel. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print Quinonez, Ernest. â€Å"Bodega Dreams. † Reading Literature and Writing Argument. 4th ed. Missy James and Alan Merickel. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.

Free Essays on A Hanging

A Hanging by George Orwell is a harsh, wake up call as to how cold and blind the human race can be. This story takes place in Burma, India in the 1940’s. Orwell is a warder for a prison in Burma and he tells about his one experience as he prepares and puts a prisoner to death. They all gathered around him, six warders, and walked the prisoner out of his cell and towards the gallows. The prisoner went calmly but was very afraid – for his life is coming to an end in a mere 2 minutes and there is nothing he can do to change that. As the prisoner makes his way to the gallows, Orwell watches the him as he walks and notices that he came upon a puddle and steps aside to avoid getting his feet dirty, even though he is about to be put to death. Orwell starts to realize that the prisoner is a human being with feelings and thoughts, who is about to be cut short of his life. As they were walking to the gallows, into the yard comes this dog. Wild and happy to see so many people together, he went round the men, barking and wagging his whole body around. In an instant, the dog made a dash for the prisoner, trying to lick his face. The superintendent of the prison became angry, for he wanted to get along with the execution so in that way the other prisoners can get there breakfast. They escorted the prisoner to the gallows. Two warders then placed a noose around his neck and tightened it. The prisoner then began to cry out to his god – â€Å"Ram! Ram! Ram!† (Orwell, A Hanging, 234). It was a steady and rhythmical cry, not fearful and urgent. In hearing this sound, the dog answered with a whine. The warders then put a cotton bag over his face, but the sound muffled by the cloth, over and over again. Throwing up his head, the superintendent made a swift motion with his stick. â€Å"Chalo† he shouted fiercely. There was a clanking noise, and then dead silence. The... Free Essays on A Hanging Free Essays on A Hanging A Hanging by George Orwell is a harsh, wake up call as to how cold and blind the human race can be. This story takes place in Burma, India in the 1940’s. Orwell is a warder for a prison in Burma and he tells about his one experience as he prepares and puts a prisoner to death. They all gathered around him, six warders, and walked the prisoner out of his cell and towards the gallows. The prisoner went calmly but was very afraid – for his life is coming to an end in a mere 2 minutes and there is nothing he can do to change that. As the prisoner makes his way to the gallows, Orwell watches the him as he walks and notices that he came upon a puddle and steps aside to avoid getting his feet dirty, even though he is about to be put to death. Orwell starts to realize that the prisoner is a human being with feelings and thoughts, who is about to be cut short of his life. As they were walking to the gallows, into the yard comes this dog. Wild and happy to see so many people together, he went round the men, barking and wagging his whole body around. In an instant, the dog made a dash for the prisoner, trying to lick his face. The superintendent of the prison became angry, for he wanted to get along with the execution so in that way the other prisoners can get there breakfast. They escorted the prisoner to the gallows. Two warders then placed a noose around his neck and tightened it. The prisoner then began to cry out to his god – â€Å"Ram! Ram! Ram!† (Orwell, A Hanging, 234). It was a steady and rhythmical cry, not fearful and urgent. In hearing this sound, the dog answered with a whine. The warders then put a cotton bag over his face, but the sound muffled by the cloth, over and over again. Throwing up his head, the superintendent made a swift motion with his stick. â€Å"Chalo† he shouted fiercely. There was a clanking noise, and then dead silence. The...

A Study of Family Issues in Pursuit of Happiness by Gabriele Muccino

A Study of Family Issues in Pursuit of Happiness by Gabriele Muccino Pursuit of Happiness Pursuit of Happiness is about a family living check by check, just trying to get by. The husband Chris, that sells bone scanner machines. He had bought into these machines, thinking they would be a big hit, but not knowing that not many hospitals would be interested, because of the X-Ray machine, that was very similar. The wife/mother left, being stressed and not believing in her future with Chris, and their son Christopher. After her departure, it only went downhill. They became homeless, and had to move into a motel down the street. For a few months, Chris could still afford to send Christopher to a day-care, which a Chinese lady was in charge of, but later he could not, and had to take Christopher to work with him. After having been kicked out of the motel, and having nowhere to live, they were forced to sleep in a subway bathroom. After this incident, they stayed in a homeless shelter most of the nights. In the midst of the craziness he called life, Chris signed up for a free int ernship with a stock business, and had gotten top intern, which got him a job with the business. After he had got the job, he had good pay, and Chris and his son lived well. This movie can connect well with family issues, marriage issues, wealth problems, and poverty. Chapters 7: Social Class, 10: Race and Ethnic Stratification, 13: Crime and the Legal System, and 14: Marriage and Family, both correspond with the movie Pursuit of Happiness. Chapter 7 talks about social class, such as lower, middle, and upper class; depending on how much money you have. The main character, Chris, lives a poor life, in the â€Å"ghetto†, with his child, after his wife leaves, trying to make a living. He is in the lower class, but after winning a competitive internship, and being offered a job, he starts making good money, and starts to raise in social class. Chapter 10 talks about race and this deals with the movie because Chris, his son, and his wife are all African American, which might have interfered with him getting a job, or selling the amount of bone scanners he needed to sell. Chapter13 is about crime, and how society deals with it, and also the way the lega l system is set up. In the movie, there are various scenes of robbery, or in a specific scene, where one of Chris leaves his bone scanner with a homeless person outside of a building, because he is late for a meeting and can’t take it inside, and the person ends up stealing it. Chapter 14 speaks of marriage and family issues, which is the main happenings, mostly in the beginning of the movie. Their family had issues from the start of the movie, and only gets worse. Chris isn’t bringing in much money, and his wife is already working two jobs, and after she leaves, they aren’t able to pay the rent on time and get kicked out of their apartment. The entire movie is connected with much sociology content, which can help connect the movie to real life situations. The movie Pursuit of Happiness relates to sociology also through social equality. It thrives for this through the movie. Social equality is when everyone has completely equal treatment and opportunity. With so cial equality, there would be no separating by race, gender, religion, and social class. By doing so, it relates to all of the spoken of chapters in our book. In this movie, Chris Gardner is criticized of by his race, and social class. He has to live in a homeless shelter many nights, not being able to correctly feed his child, or give him what he needs. After being accepted for the internship, he does as much work as he possibly can and works as hard as he can so that he can win and get a job promotion. He stands up for himself, after being thrown in jail and not being able to go home and take a shower before his big meeting, and shows the business men that he has what they want, in courage and in confidence. By doing this, he gets the job, and is in better hands for his future, and his son. Sociology is built within this movie, especially since it is focused around society and the government. Bring poor, having a low income, having a slow job, and other things that can help make y ou have more and harder trouble with the world is what this movie is based on. It is especially centered on how one man can make a difference for a whole family, when taken to the extreme. By him getting out and earning what he got, and deserving every bit of it, it shows us that there is hope.

Macro12.13 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macro12.13 - Essay Example There have been more investments and more growth of GDP (Pethokoukis 2012). The rise in OPEC oil prices as a result of fall in supply leads to a fall in demand for oil. The import of oil reduces by the oil importing countries. The prices of goods in the economy rise, and the rise depends upon the economy’s dependence on oil imports. Hence the rate of inflation soars high causing a macroeconomic slowdown (See figure below). The rate at which the economies recover from the recession depends upon the monetary policies adopted by the government. If the money supply curve is more elastic, the government targets to put control upon the interest rate. At lower interest rates the investors would be encouraged to make investments and the economy would recover faster. 3. Adaptive expectation is based on the principle that economic agents build their expectation of any macroeconomic variable, as the inflation rate or price level, as a weighted average of their past observations regarding that variable. Adaptive expectations are used in forecasting figures taking into consideration the interest and inflation rates. In this formation the agents ignore the changes taking place in the monetary and fiscal policies and only base their expectations on the past observations. One of the components of the rational expectation hypothesis, Robert E. Lucas, has emphasized upon the fact that the economic agents exhibit rational behavior by making a forecast of the economic variables taking into consideration the past as well as the present information available. If the government announces an inflation rate and chooses a different rate and increases the money supply, producers would increase output following the increase in prices. In the short run, this would increase output level in the economy, but with rational expectations, the agents would endogenize the discretionary policy of the government, at which point output

Based on the source, write a frictional story about 4 page long on the Essay - 1

Based on the source, write a frictional story about 4 page long on the Song Dynasty - Essay Example â€Å"Don’t be loud while saying that,† she replied in a whisper. I could understand the seriousness depicted through the sound wrinkles in her face shown by the bright moonlight. The mother had just a single caution if not a problem, she felt I should be protected from any possible persecution as the emperor spies had their ears laid on the ground so as to gather any spark of information. On the previous day, I heard my father narrating the declarations of King Liu Bei concerning the forthcoming war against Cao Cao to my mother at dusk. The king together with his friend from a neighboring kingdom, Sun Quan had vowed to fight and defend their kingdoms in earnest against any possible conquer by Cao Cao. The father concluded his story outlining that it was actually a time of war, and they (men) should be ready with their weapons and it was never a time for women. The women had their functions stated clearly as being responsible for motivating their men besides offering food and any probable support. I have a clear memory still of the last words I shared with my father before going to war. It appeared the war could be serious since it involved three kingdoms, but one army appeared to be well endowed with soldiers. â€Å"In case the war erupts, I think the battle field would be by the Yangtze River,† I told my father. â€Å"No, the destination of the war is not clear yet my son,† he replied. Soon, I could see him in his war gear characterized by a sword on the waist together with a stone and bronze armor. At this juncture, I expected to hear of survival after the war or the worst as had been experienced by unfortunate sons of women in the previous wars. I thought it was not yet the time for me to lose my father conversely, the feeling of my father losing his father in the previous wars overcame my conscience. I could believe slightly that it was the fate of my grandfather’s lineage that they

The British movie Essay Example for Free

The British movie Essay The implication of escape is shadowed in the present film. One treats Gal as a criminal more eagerly than a fugitive. However, this character is haunted in both direct and figurative meanings. Whereas Don abuses Gal’s stable mode of living by fierce jokes and physical violence, the whole Gal’s background abuses the hero’s soul by ominous signs (e. g. , the rock falling to the pool) and dreams. The conflict between the escapee (Gal) and the persecutor (Don and the criminal world) is revealed in the very title. In the East End vernacular, the phrase sexy beast is used as a compliment and means â€Å"a handsome chap, a reliable mate or a trustworthy accomplice† (Earnshaw 2001, p. 5). The title hints at the positive side of Gal’s London past (material wealth, friends, familiar environment) and, simultaneously, at the darkest sides of the hero’s background made explicit in the dream of a hairy beast pursuing Gal at nights. The same type of the hero as a fugitive is present in Kitano’s Hana-bi. The Japanese title of this film consists of two words, translated to English as ‘fire’ and ‘flowers’ [the English aka ‘Fireworks’]. The main character of the film, Yoshitaka Nishi (Takeshi Kitano), seems to be torn between the ‘flowers’ of his life to the mortally ill wife and the impaired friend, and the ‘fire’ of his hopeless race for peace and stability. Nishi used to be a cop. Nevertheless, hardly can this story be considered a ‘cop’ narrative. The film traces the evolution of the hero from the stage of a law-abider to the one of a fugitive and an outlaw. The narrative implicitly promotes the idea that there are certain moral principles equating a cop, a fugitive and a criminal – the love for the family, the affection for the friend, the acid mourning over acid unbearable existence. Nishi quits his beloved job to take care of his wife. He desperately needs money and borrows a large sum from yakuza. They send over young thugs to play rough with Nishi when he refuses to pay back the interest. The ex-cop assaults the intruders, thus, turning momentarily from a fugitive into a criminal. The movie provides no classification for its heroes. Instead, it shows â€Å"an endless circle† (Cannon, 1997, para. 2, lines 6-8) of the global crime net where plain people such as Nishi, the kin young policemen who replaced Nishi and Horibe, Nishi’s wife and friend try to survive and establish some kind or order and justice. As Cannon (1997, para. 4, lines 2-4) stated, the main character is the embodiment of contradiction: â€Å"[I]n one instant a warm and gentle husband, in the next a sadistic and ruthless bully†. Due to this ambivalence, Hana-bi may be referred to as a critical film which emphasises â€Å"the impossibility of heroism and the inevitability of injustice† (Rafter 2000, p. 12). An avenger The British movie Get Carter and the American film Gangs of New York provide the viewer with remarkable portraits of avengers. Chibnall and Murphy (1999, p. 4) defined revenge films as the ones â€Å"where a wronged man, denied access to the law, pursues his own path of justice†. The movie Get Carter was criticised for its â€Å"perfunctory plot, its mechanical manipulation of characters or a vision of the British underworld that relies totally on cliche† (Andrews 1971 cited Murphy 1999, p. 128). However, the treatment of the main character’s features can hardly be called mechanical. Jack Carter, the hero of the British cult film Get Carter, is â€Å"an implacable avenging angel in a black raincoat† (Billson 1991 cited Murphy 1999, p. 129) revenging on the criminals for killing his brother and seducing his niece. But despite Carter’s motivations for being an almost mythical angel of wrath, he never stopped to be a cruel criminal himself having killed four people and being responsible for even more cases of violence. Jack Carter is neither an upholder of justice nor a saviour of the weak and humble, but he operates by a strict code that he expects his colleagues and enemies to share. [†¦] Carter is confronted by a society afflicted by pornographic malaise. But his righteous anger is less about sleaze itself than about how it has leaked out of its proper underworld milieu to engulf his niece and destroy his brother. Carter is not so self-consciously evil [†¦] or [†¦] morbidly obsessed [†¦] but he does share some of the characteristics of the Jacobean revenge tragedy protagonist. A wrong has been done-less to Carter himself than to his family – which must be righted at whatever cost. (Murphy, 1999, p. 132) Carter is synthetic in his nature. On the one hand, he reaches almost legendary heights in his revengeful crusade. On the other hand, his â€Å"fussy concern with nose drops, vitamin pills and the cleanliness of British Railways cutlery† stands for his â€Å"human frailty† (Murphy 1999, p. 129). The hero of the American film Gangs of New York is neither a pure type of an avenger. On the one hand, Amsterdam Vallon infiltrates the gang of The Butcher Cutting to revenge for the death of Vallon-father. On the other hand, Amsterdam finds the substitute of the father in his once hated target. The character of Amsterdam provides an interesting synthetic type of ‘a man-on-the-run’ (he spent some years in anonymity after his father’s murder till the re-emergence in the rival gang) and ‘a man-in-disguise’.

The First World War (WWI) :: World War 1 I One

The war that would destroy European society had been coming for a long time. The nineteenth century had been an era of great progress,and of turmoil and conflict as well. New nations had been created. The balance of power that existed in 1815, at the end of the era of Napoleon, was disturbed. Adding to the danger was a false sense of security. Local wars had flared up in the nineteenth century, but a major war was regarded as unlikely. Looking back at 1914 today, however, we can see that each of the major countries of Europe had interests that would bring it into conflict with at least one of the other great powers. On June 28, 1914, Gacrilo Princip, a nineteen-year-old Serbian revolutionary, fired two pistols shots. One killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the nephew of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary and heir to the Austrian throne. The other killed Sophie, his wife.Austria-Hungary held Serbia responsible. On July 5 Austria asked for and recieved from Germany a "blank check" of support for any action Austria-Hungary might take against Serbia.On July 23 Austria sent a series of demands to the Serbians. The demands were designed to humiliate and virtually destroy the Serbian nation. Still, Serbia agreed to most but not all of the demands.Austria reacted on July 28 by declaring war on Serbia. The Russians prepared to defend Serbia. On July 31 the Germans sent a warning to Russia to stop mobilizing its army for war. the Russians ignored the warning, and Germany declared war on Russia on August 1. France came to the aid of its Russian ally by declaring war on Germany. The British hesi tated, but when the Germans marched into Belgium, they declared war on Germany on Aug 4.

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 27

As If He Were Yoda and I Were Luke Skywalker Training on the Dagobah System When we finish discussing our Kubb tournament victory and Mrs. Patel's extraordinary ability to render an exact likeness of Brian Dawkins's bust on the hood of a school bus, I pick the black recliner and tell Cliff I am a little depressed. â€Å"What's wrong?† he says, pulling the lever and raising his footrest. â€Å"Terrell Owens.† Cliff nods, as if he were expecting me to bring up the wide receiver's name. I did not want to talk about this earlier, but it was reported that Terrell Owens (or T.O.) tried to kill himself on September 26. News reports stated that T.O. overdosed on a pain medication. Later, after T.O. was released from the hospital, he said he did not try to kill himself, and then everyone began to think he was crazy. I remember T.O. as a young 49er, but Owens was not on the 49ers' roster when I watched the Eagles play in San Francisco a few weeks ago. What I learned from reading the sports pages was that T.O. had played for the Eagles when I was in the bad place, and he had helped the Birds get to Super Bowl XXXIX, which I do not remember at all. (Maybe this is good, since the Eagles lost, but not remembering still makes me feel crazy.) T.O. apparently held out for more money the next year, said bad things about Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, was suspended for the second half of the season, and then was actually cut from the team, so he signed with the very team Eagles fans hate most – the Cowboys. And because of this, everyone in Philadelphia currently hates T.O. more than just about anyone else on the planet. â€Å"T.O.? Don't worry about him,† Cliff says. â€Å"Dawkins is going to hit him so hard that Owens will be afraid to catch any balls at the Linc.† â€Å"I'm not worried about T.O. making catches and scoring touchdowns.† Cliff looks at me for a second, as if he does not know how to respond, and then says, â€Å"Tell me what worries you.† â€Å"My father refers to T.O. as a psychopathic pill popper. And on the phone this week, Jake also made jokes about T.O. taking pills, calling Owens a nutter.† â€Å"Why does this bother you?† â€Å"Well, the reports I read in the sports pages claimed that T.O. was possibly battling depression.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well,† I say, â€Å"that would suggest maybe he needs therapy.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"If Terrell Owens is really depressed or mentally unstable, why do the people I love use it as an excuse to talk badly about him?† Cliff takes a deep breath. â€Å"Hmmm.† â€Å"Doesn't my dad understand that I'm a psychopathic pill popper too?† â€Å"As your therapist, I can confirm that you are clearly not psychopathic, Pat.† â€Å"But I'm on all sorts of pills.† â€Å"And yet you are not abusing your medications.† I can see what Cliff means, but he doesn't really understand how I feel – which is a mix of very complicated and hard-to-convey emotions, I realize – so I drop the subject. When the Dallas Cowboys come to Philadelphia, the fat men's tent and the Asian Invasion bus are combined to create a super party that again features a Kubb tournament on Astroturf, satellite television, Indian kabobs, and much beer. But I cannot concentrate on the fun, because all around me is hatred. The first things I notice are the homemade T-shirts other tailgaters are buying and selling and wearing. So many different slogans and images. One has a cartoon of a small boy urinating on the Dallas star, and the caption reads dallas sucks. t.o. swallows †¦ pills. Another shirt has a large prescription bottle with the universal skull-and-crossbones poison symbol on the label and terrell owens written underneath. Yet another version features the pill bottle on the front and a gun on the back, under which the caption reads T.O., if at first you don't succeed, buy a gun. A nearby tailgater has nailed T.O.'s old Eagles jersey to a ten-foot cross, which is also covered with orange prescription bottles that look exactly like mine. People are burning their old T.O. jerseys in the parking lot; human-size dolls in T.O. jerseys are strung up so people can hit them with bats. And even though I do not like any Dallas Cowboy, I feel sort of bad for Terrell Owens because maybe he really is a sad guy who is having trouble with his mind. Who knows, maybe he really did try to kill himself? And yet everyone mocks him, as if his mental health is a joke – or maybe they want to push him over the edge and would like nothing more than to see T.O. dead. Because of my poor throws, Cliff and I get knocked out of the Kubb tournament early, losing the five bucks my brother fronted me, and this is when Cliff asks me to help him move some India Pale Ale out of the Asian Invasion bus. When we are inside of the bus, he closes the door and says, â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"Nothing,† I say. â€Å"You weren't even looking to see where your batons landed, you were so distracted during the Kubb games.† I say nothing. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"You're not in your leather seat.† Cliff sits down, pats the bus seat, and says, â€Å"Pleather will have to do today.† I sit down in the seat across from Cliff and say, â€Å"I just feel bad for T.O. That's all.† â€Å"He's getting millions of dollars to endure this type of criticism. And he thrives on it. He brings it on himself with those touchdown dances and the hoopla. And these people don't really want T.O. to die; they just don't want him to perform well today. It's all in good fun.† Now, I know what Cliff means, but it doesn't seem like good fun to me. And regardless of whether T.O. is a millionaire or not, I'm not sure T-shirts encouraging anyone to shoot himself in the head should be condoned by my therapist. But I don't say anything. Back outside the bus I see that Jake and Ashwini are in the final game of the Kubb tournament, so I try to cheer for them and block out the hatred that surrounds me. Inside the Linc, all throughout the first half, the crowd sings, â€Å"O.D. – O.D., O.D., O.D. – O.D. – O.D.† Jake explains that the crowd used to sing, â€Å"T.O. – T.O., T.O., T.O. – T.O. – T.O.† back when Owens was an Eagle. I watch Owens on the sideline, and even though he doesn't have many catches yet, he seems to be dancing to the rhythm of the crowd's O.D. song, and I wonder if he is really so immune to seventy thousand people mocking his near overdose or if he really feels differently inside. Again I can't help feeling bad for the guy. I wonder what I would do if seventy thousand people mocked my forgetting the last few years of my life. By halftime Hank Baskett has two catches for twenty-five yards, but the Eagles are losing 21 – 17. All throughout the second half, Lincoln Financial Field is alive; we Eagles fans know that first place in the NFC East is at stake. With just under eight minutes to go in the third, everything changes. McNabb throws a long one down the left side of the field. Everyone in my section stands to see what will happen. Number 84 catches the ball in Dallas territory, puts a move on the defender, takes off for the end zone, and then I am in the air. Under me are Scott and Jake. I'm riding high on their shoulders. Everyone in our section is high-fiving me because Hank Baskett has finally scored his first NFL touchdown – an eighty-seven-yarder – and of course I am wearing my Baskett jersey. The Eagles are winning, and I am so happy that I forget all about T.O. and start to think about my dad watching at home on his huge television, and I wonder if maybe the TV cameras caught me when I was riding high on Jake's and Scott's shoulders. Maybe Dad saw a life-size me celebrating on his flat screen, and maybe he is even proud. A series of tense moments get our hearts beating at the end of the fourth quarter, when Dallas is driving, down 31 – 24. A score will send the game into OT. But Lito Sheppard intercepts Bledsoe and returns the pick for a TD, and the whole stadium sings the Eagles fight song and chants the letters, and the day is ours. When the clock ticks down, I look for T.O. and see him sprint off the field and into the locker room without even shaking the hand of one single Eagle. I still feel bad for him. Jake and Scott and I exit the Linc and run into the Asian Invasion – which is easy to spot from far away because it consists of fifty Indian men, usually clumped together, all in Brian Dawkins jerseys. â€Å"Just look for fifty number 20's,† they always say. Cliff and I run up to each other and high-five and scream and yell, and then all fifty Indian men start chanting, â€Å"Baskett, Baskett, Baskett!† And I am so happy; I pick little Cliff up and hoist him onto my shoulders and carry him back to the Asian Invasion bus as if he were Yoda and I were Luke Skywalker training on the Dagobah System in the middle section of The Empire Strikes Back, which is – as I told you before – one of my all-time favorite movies. â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† we chant so many times as we navigate the crowds and find our way back to our spot behind the Wachovia Center, where the fat men are waiting with ice-cold celebration beers. I keep hugging Jake and hig h-fiving Cliff and chest bumping the fat men and singing with the Indians. I am so happy. I am so impossibly happy. When the Asian Invasion drops me off in front of my house, it's late, so I ask Ashwini not to blow the Eagles chant horn and he reluctantly agrees – although when the bus rounds the corner at the end of my street, I hear fifty Indian men chant, â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† I can't help smiling as I enter my parents' home. I am ready for Dad. After such a big win – a win that puts the Eagles in first place – surely Dad will want to talk to me. But when I enter the family room, no one is there. No beer bottles on the floor, no dishes in the sink. In fact, the whole house looks spotless. â€Å"Dad? Mom?† I say, but no one answers. I saw both of their cars in the driveway when I came home, so I am very confused. I begin to climb the steps, and the house is deadly quiet. I check my bedroom, and my bed's made and the room is empty. So I knock on my parents' bedroom door, but no one answers. I push the door open and immediately wish I hadn't. â€Å"Your father and I made up after the Eagles victory,† Mom says with a funny smile. â€Å"He aims to be a changed man.† The sheet is pulled up to their necks, but somehow I know my parents are naked underneath the covers. â€Å"Your boy Baskett healed the family,† my father says. â€Å"He was a god out there on the field today. And with the Eagles in first place, I thought, Why not make up with Jeanie?† Still, I cannot speak. â€Å"Pat, maybe you'd like to go for a run?† my mom suggests. â€Å"Maybe just a little half-hour run?† I close their bedroom door. While I change into a tracksuit, I think I hear my parents' bed squeak, and the house seems to shake a little too. So I slip on my sneakers and run down the stairs and out the front door. I sprint across the park, run around to the back of the Websters' house, and knock on Tiffany's door. When she answers, she's in some sort of nightgown and her face looks confused. â€Å"Pat? What are you – â€Å" â€Å"My parents are having sex,† I explain. â€Å"Right now.† Her eyes widen. She smiles and then laughs. â€Å"Just let me get changed,† she says, and then shuts the door. We walk for hours – all around Collingswood. At first I ramble on and on about T.O., Baskett, my parents, Jake, the Asian Invasion, my wedding pictures, my mother's ultimatum actually working – everything – but Tiffany does not say anything in response. When I run out of words, we simply walk and walk and walk, and finally we are in front of the Websters' house and it is time to say good night. I stick my hand out and say, â€Å"Thanks for listening.† When it is clear that Tiffany's not going to shake, I start to walk away. â€Å"Turn around, bright eyes,† Tiffany says, which is a very weird thing for her to say, because my eyes are brown and very dull, but of course I turn around. â€Å"I'm going to give you something that will confuse you, and maybe even make you mad. I don't want you to open it until you are in a very relaxed mood. Tonight is out of the question. Wait a few days, and when you are feeling happy, open this letter.† She pulls a white business envelope out of her jacket pocket and hands it to me. â€Å"Put it away in your pocket,† she says, and I do as I am told, mostly because Tiffany looks so deathly serious. â€Å"I will not be running with you until you give me your answer. I will leave you alone to think. Regardless of what you decide, you cannot tell anyone about what is inside of that envelope. Understand? If you tell anyone – even your therapist – I'll know by looking in your eyes, and I will never speak to you again. It's best if you simply fo llow my directions.† My heart is pounding. What is Tiffany talking about? All I want to do is open the envelope now. â€Å"You have to wait at least forty-eight hours before you open that. Make sure you are in a good mood when you read the letter. Think about it, and then give me your answer. Remember, Pat, I can be a very valuable friend to you, but you do not want me as an enemy.† I remember the story Ronnie told me about how Tiffany lost her job, and I begin to feel very afraid.

Holes Book Review: Themes Within the Novel Essay

Twist of fate play major roles in the lives of the main characters in Holes. In â€Å"Holes†, the whole story is based around Stanley’s situation in the present and it’s connection to the past. Stanley’s bad luck is the result of his â€Å" No good rotten-pig- stealing-great-great-grandfather,† who failed to fulfill his promise of carrying Madame Zeroni up the mountain where the stream runs uphill. His situation at Camp Green Lake was connected to the history of ‘Kissin’ Kate Barlow, a schoolteacher turned bandit who robbed his great-grandfather and buried her treasure somewhere on the lake. The boys are forced to dig holes because of this and the person overseeing them is the Warden, who is the granddaughter of Mr. Charles Walker who was, in a way, responsible for Kate Barlow’s death. Stanley meeting Zero, Zero turning out to be Madame Zeroni’s great-great-great-grandson and Stanley helping to carry him up God’s thumb was not a coincidence, but it was fate that brought them together so they could complete the cycle and end Stanley’s curse. Fate has the power to alter lives and change them into a game of chance. The actions of one’s past may affect the situation of one’s future and therefore I agree that fate had played a major role in the novel. In the story, one of the themes are to always respect ones promises and to fulfill them or you had to face the consequences. This is shown when Elya Yelnats does not fulfill his promise to Madame Zeroni and soon after, pays the price. In the novel, Madame Zeroni warns Elya â€Å" That if he failed to do so, he would be cursed for eternity.† And at the time â€Å"†¦he thought nothing of the curse and as a boy he was carefree.† This shows that all people should fulfill their promises so we do not suffer the consequences. This positions the readers to feel sorry for Stanley because the actions of his great-great-grandfather has affected Stanley’s life even if he has done nothing. Stanley’s destiny is explained throughout the novel, because there are many clues, which point towards his destiny and the situations, which lead to the present. When Zero tells Stanley that his named was Hector Zeroni or how his great grandfather found refuge under God’s thumb and it’s relation to the mountains at Camp Green Lake because they provide a connection to Stanley’s past and destiny. This explains the situation to the reader and provides insight to the storyline. Fate plays a major part in the story because it intertwines both the past and the present, giving a connection between Stanley and his great-great-grandfather. This is shown throughout the story because all the problems Stanley faces in the present situation is caused by certain situations which his family was connected to by fate. For example, such scenes like Stanley Yelnats the 1st was robbed by Kate Barlow and her treasure being his suitcase, which Stanley digs up in the end of the book. This shown that the events of ones past may affect ones future. This positions the readers to feel pity for Stanley because he does not know the bigger picture happening to him. Friendship plays a key role in Stanley’s fate as he becomes friends with Zero during his stay at Camp Green Lake and this disrupts X-ray’s sense of superiority and threatens his position of power at camp. The friendship is beneficial for Stanley at the start and the end of the novel because by becoming friends and carrying him up the mountain, Stanley finally breaks his families curse. Stanley carrying Zero up the mountain shows us the true meaning of friendship. This positions the reader to connect to the characters at a human level. In the novel, the story tells us the importance of keeping a promise, having a strong friendship, of destiny and it’s connection to the past and that fate always plays a major role in any situation. Nothing is ever a coincidence and all the events in the novel are linked to Stanley’s history, which affected his present situation. All this could have been avoided if Elya Yelnats have had more common sense and if he had been more mature.

Yevtushenkos Babi Yar Essays - The Holocaust In Ukraine, Free Essays

Yevtushenkos Babi Yar Essays - The Holocaust In Ukraine, Free Essays Yevtushenko's Babi Yar Babi Yar, a poem written by Yevgeny Yevtushenko, tells the story of the Nazi invasion into a small part of Russia, in which, throughout the duration of World War II, over one-hundred thousand Jews, Gypsies and Russian POW's were brutally murdered. However, what is unique about this particular perspective is that the narrator is not a Jew, but a mere observer who is aghast at the atrocities that took place during the Holocaust. It is through allusions, as well as other literary devices, that Yevtushenko elucidates caustically the absurdities of the hatred that caused the Holocaust, in addition to the narrator's identification with the Jews and their history of oppression. Perhaps, the most effective literary device used in "Babi Yar" is the allusion. The first clear allusion seen in the poem is the one concerning Egypt(line 6). This reference harks back to the Jews' enslavement in Egypt before they become a nation. In line 7, the narrator makes reference to how so many Jews perished on the cross. The reason for these initial allusions in the first section is clear. Yevtushenko is establishing the history of the Jewish people, being one of oppression, prejudice, and innocent victims. The next illusion in the poem is a reference to the Dreyfus Affair, a more modern display of irrational and avid anti-Semitism. It is in the Dreyfus affair that an innocent man is accused of espionage and is sent to jail for more than ten years, notwithezding an overwhelming amount of evidence pointing to his innocence, simply because he is a Jew. Yevtushenko uses these allusions to lead up to his referral to a boy in Bielostok who is murdered by the Russian common-folk. Clearly, The narrator is teaching a lesson with a dual message. Firstly, he is informing the reader of the horrors that took place in Russia during the Holocaust. Perhaps even more of a travesty, however, is the fact that humankind has not learned from the past in light of the fact that this "episode" is merely one link in a long chain of terrors. Yevtushenko goes on to allude to Anne Frank, a young Jewish teenager who left behind a diary of her thoughts and dreams, and how the Nazis strip her of any potential future she has when she is murdered in the death camps. Clearly, the allusion creates images in the mind of the reader that mere descriptions via the use of words could not. Another effective literary device used in the poem is the first person narrative in which the narrator identifies with those victims which he describes. This is seen in the case where the narrator says "I am Dreyfus", or "Anne Frank, I am she." The narrator does not claim to underezd what the feelings and thoughts of these people are, but rather, he is acknowledging the fact that they are feeling, "detested and denounced" and that unlike the rest of the world who turned its head, or the Russians who actually abetted such heinous crimes, this gentile narrator can not empathize, but does sympathize with his Jewish "brethren." Another extremely powerful device used by Yevtushenko is the detail of description and imagery used to describe events and feelings that are in both those whom he identifies with, as well as himself. "I bear the red mark of nails"(line 8) seems to include much of the suffering that the Jews have to endure. The statement is almost one of a reverse crucifixion in which the Jews are crucified and now have to suffer with false accusations, blood libels, and Pogroms for the duration of time. The poet describes very clearly the contempt most people have for the Jewish people and how many of these people aided in the barbarity . In line 13, for example, the poet speaks of "shrieking ladies in fine ruffled gowns" who "brandish their umbrellas in my face." In addition, Yevtushenko also depicts explicitly how the "tavern masters celebrate" at the sight of "(a Jewish boy's)blood spurt and spread over the floor." The contrast of age in "Babi Yar" is also quite effective. In the last three sections, the reader finds out that the narrator is remembering the past, mourning those who have perished.

Income Tax and Corporation Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Income Tax and Corporation Tax - Essay Example Under the finance act 2010/2011, there are three types of rate bands, basic rate, higher rate and additional rate. Every type of income has its own tax rate. These are illustrated in the table below: Basic High Additional Rate Band (?1-?37,400) (?37,401-?150,000) (?150,001 and over) Non-Saving Income 20% 40% 50% Saving Income 20% 40% 50% Dividends Income 10% 32.5% 42.5% If a savings income fall into the basic rate band, then the rate, till the amount of ?2,240 is 10%. Above that the rate of 20% is implied. Any income over and above the individual’s allowance is taxable. There are different kinds of allowances for example personal allowance, old age allowance, married couple allowance, maintenance payment relief, or blind person’s allowance. Personal allowance depends upon the age and income limits, Allowances for the year 2010/2011 are shown below: Age ? Personal Allowance Standard 6,475 Personal Allowance 65 to 74 9,490 Personal Allowance 75 and above 9,640 Income Limi t for age-related Allowances 22,900 Income Limit for standard personal allowance 100,000 The blind person’s allowance is 1,890 pounds for the year 2010/2011, there are no age or income limits, and this allowance is in addition to the personal allowance of the entitled individual. Other allowances like married couple’s allowance or maintenance payment relief are entitled to a couple where both the partners are born before 6 April 1935, or either of the partners or formal partners is born before 6 April 1935, respectively. Married couple’s allowance is ?6,965 for the year 2010/11. Tax Period: The relevant tax period for the year 2010/2011 is from 6 April 2010 to 5 April 2011. All the taxes are computed for this period. Corporation Tax: Scope:... The paper tells that income tax is charged on the income of all UK residents. Income tax is basically charged to all the individuals. That will include employed, self-employed or un-employed individuals. For employed individuals, the basic source of income will be their salaries along with other sorts where as the self employed individuals will be charged on their trading income. Un-employed individuals may have their income coming from savings or investments. There is no maximum age limit for any individual to be exempt from income tax. Corporation tax is payable by limited companies or some other unincorporated businesses, which are UK resident. Such UK resident companies pay tax on their comprehensive income. A company is called a UK resident; if it’s incorporated in UK or even if it isn’t incorporated in UK then it is centrally managed and controlled in UK. In determining where the company’s central administration is positioned, the HM Revenue and Customs wil l focus on the highest level of the company. Especially where the board is located and where all the meetings of the board are carried out. If a company is a non-resident then it is not liable for corporation tax. But if it carries out its trade through a permanent institution like a branch or agency which is a UK resident, then in that case the profits from that institution are liable for tax. From the paper we will see that though rates related to income tax are constantly being increased and the allowances being decreased, no such progressive changes are seen in the corporation tax strategy.

Critical Analysis of a Historical Science Assignment

Critical Analysis of a Historical Science - Assignment Example In DNA data is stored in codes consisting four chemical elements: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine(C) and thymine (T) (Watson, 2004). However, we realize that, in human beings, DNA consists of more than a billion elements, which are mostly similar in all humans. The order in which these elements appear determines the availability of elements to build and sustain a being. This can be likened to the order of letters that forms different words and sentences. The four DNA elements combine in a predetermined sequence, that is, A binds with T while C binds with G. This results in the arrangement of elements called base pairs. The ratio of adenine to thymine, and guanine to cytosine govern the pattern of DNA. Further, each element attaches itself to a sugar molecule and phosphate molecule to form a nucleotide. These nucleotides are then aligned in two strands to form a double helix, which is spiral in shape running in an anti-parallel manner. These arrangements are referred to as chromoso mes, which during the process of DNA replication, divide and are copied or replicated to develop more chromosomes. This results in all cells consisting enough chromosomes to support life fully. The key element of DNA is that it is capable of replicating itself to make millions of copies. A DNA strand in a double helix is the prototype for copying the series of bases. This is of paramount importance in cell division as the newly created cells need to obtain a similar DNA trait as the old cell. DNA together with macromolecules such as proteins, lipids and carbohydrates are essential in the establishment and maintenance of any life form, RNA viruses being the exception. The genetic code is the system used in reading the material contained in DNA. The genetic code spells out plan of amino acids which form proteins in the body and is studied by replicating existing DNA strands to RNA acid. This is done through a process referred to as transcription. Beings such as animals, fungi and plan ts, also referred to as eukaryotic organisms gather their DNA in the nucleus, mitochondria or chloroplast of their cells. On the other hand, beings such as bacteria and other single celled organisms commonly referred to as prokaryotes collect their DNA in the cytoplasm. The organization and packing of DNA in cells is tasked upon alkaline based proteins referred to as chromatin. These proteins include histones. Hydrogen bonds between nucleotides help to stabilize DNA; however, we note that interfacing nucleobases in a process referred to as base-stacking is also essential in steadying the DNA helixes. There are two classes of nucleobases, these are: purines which are formed when A and G are combined in the ratio of five to six and pyrimidines formed when six C and T bases combine (Watson, 2004). Biotechnicians examine the characteristics if nuclear based acids through a technology referred to as nucleic acid analogues. These techniques are typically used by medical and biology resear chers. Furthermore, we note that the arrangement of DNA is referred to as sense which is copied to its RNA and, on the other hand, antisense is the term used to refer to the arrangement of DNA on the reverse side. However, it is common for both sense and antisense to appear in a single strand of DNA. RNA antisenses are churned out in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, these RNA antisenses are mandated with controlling gene expression in the process of RNA-RNA base pairing which is quite similar to the base pairing process in DNA