Civilization vs. Savagery Essay Example for Free

Civilization vs. Savagery Essay Counterpoint is a common literary device used by many authors in a variety of forms of literature. It gives the work contrast and interest as well as a diverse insight into two completely different ideas or opposites. The main counterpoint presented in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies would be the idea of civilization vs. savagery. This motif is presented throughout the novel. The idea that humans are constantly battling their feral instincts and civilized ideals is a theme that is deeply and extensively explored. Golding acquaints civilization with good, and savagery with evil. He uses symbolic characters and objects in order to convey his themes and ideas. He represents the opposing forces of civilization and savagery with the two main characters: Ralph, the protagonist, who represents order and leadership; and Jack, the antagonist, who represents savagery and the desire for power. Among these characters there are many others who react to the conflict in different ways. The conflict between these opposites is the driving force of the novel. When it comes down to the idea of civilization, Golding implies that civilization is something forced upon humans by society, and not something one is instinctively drawn to. Civilization is merely just a mask of ones instincts. Ralph is the perfect example of the desire for civilization among the boys of the island. He expresses this quality when he states, â€Å"Weve got to have rules and obey them. After all, were not savages. Were English, and the English are best at everything† (Golding 2.192). The boys still desire their previous, ordered life they left back in England. Ralph is the symbol of supressing one’s natural savage instincts, he feels the thrill and exhilaration of barbarity but manages to subdue these spirits. Piggy is also an example of the human need for civilization. Not once in the novel does he display savage feelings or undertones. This shows just how badly the human race strives for civilization, but it is not something organic. The counterpoint to the idea of civilization in Lord of the Flies would be the theme of savagery. Golding seems to suggest throughout the novel that a humans savage instincts are far more powerful then the desire for civilization. The perfect character to acquaint to the theme of savagery would be Jack. Jack thrives off of dominance and power. He exemplifies these traits during the murder of Simon: The sticks fell and the mouth of the new circle crunched and screamed. The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise something about a body on the hill. The beast struggled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws. (Golding 9.89-99) The boys revert to their instinctive ferocious roots, having no mercy on their fellow human. They cruelly murder Simon as if he were a wild animal. Roger is also a good example of savagery in the novel. As the idea of civilization on the island begins to become a distant memory, Roger lets himself become victim of his most basic human instincts. This is first apparent to the reader when Roger throws rocks at the littluns, and after his murder of the pig which was much more brutal then necessary. Roger is also the leading culprit in the loss of Piggy. He was the one who pushed the boulder down the hill inevitably causing Piggy’s death. While Jack feeds off the idea of power, Roger revolves around causing pain. He symbolizes the sadistic instincts of mankind, and having to suppress the desire to hurt others in order to function in society. William Golding uses counterpoint to his advantage in the writing of his novel Lord of the Flies. He clearly expresses the conflict between the complex human need for civilization and mankind’s savage instincts. He expresses the struggle extensively using the characters in the novel to portray both sides. Savages vs. those who struggle to keep civility. The novel deeply explores the concept of human instincts overpowering one’s facade of civilization put on for the rest of society. How, when left up to their own devices, humans are capable of doing the unthinkable. Works Cited Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. London: Faber and Faber, 1954.

Importance of education Essay Example for Free

Importance of education Essay Parents having or not having a college degree should not determine if their child will go to college. Some may say the amount of money the parents make should determine if the child will be able to attend college. If the parent’s income is low that should motivate the kid to try harder to at least earn a scholarship to college. On the news there was a teenager about the age of 18; she was a senior who is getting ready to graduate. Her parents had no money to put her through college. She told the reporter that she was not going to allow that stop her from going to college. This young lady is now going to University of Notre Dame on a full ride scholarship. There is no reason not to attend college, because without a college education there are fewer opportunities. Others think about the physical benefits of education to motivate them such as money, cars and clothes. They think about how their life would be with all those materialistic things. There are some children whose parents did not attend college but they did not let that stop them from going to college and doing what they wanted to do in life. Although some families cannot afford to put their children through college that should not stop them because education is significantly linked to many other outcomes and changes viewpoints. Ever since I can remember, my friend’s father has preached the benefits of good education. He never tires of quoting Alexander Popes maxim: â€Å"The height that great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but while their companions slept, were toiling upwards in the night†, as his stand-in for  get all the education you can obtain, and while you’re at it, don’t slack off. He knows what he is talking about because he has several degrees to back it up—a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, as well as a PH.D in English education. Mother, with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia, is not too far behind. Growing up with them, I am awed by how many the parents, who came from extremely humble educational backgrounds in our native Ghana, achieved. My friend Michael told me none of his grandparents had a college degree. Some of the outcome education holds is: it gives the freedom for one to get married, and to raise a child outside of poverty. According to Michael Greenstone, (2009) â€Å"In 2010, more than 38 percent of the 14 million children of mothers who had not graduated from high school lived below the poverty line. Among other things, they are less likely to do well in school, which creates a vicious cycle where the children of less-educated parents fall farther behind their peers who were born into more-educated families†. Good education has a major effect on how one will live their future. Parents who have less education have a hard time finding a decent job, getting married or supporting their children. Most families with less education live pay check to pay check because their income is not enough to support them. I agree with this statement because I have could relate. When I first moved to the States from Ghana, my parents’ degrees were not valid in the U.S. My parents had to find low income jobs to work at; we lived pay check to pay check. Parents with good education financial freedom can raise a child without and trouble financially. For example my friend Michael’s parents have a good education background they have three kids, two boys and one girl. The two boys are both attending Michigan State University. I have been blessed with a family that has used education as their gateway to success. For example, my mother has three brothers and one sister. My mother and father decided to help my   uncle come to America from their homeland of Ghana. When they got here, my parents helped pay for his school to a community college. Now each of them has beautiful families they are able to provide for, thanks to their  education. My uncle now has his masters in biology and is a professor at a community college in Ohio. After my uncle graduated he told me how happy he was about the choice he made to go to college to get his masters. Unfortunately, my aunt could not make it to America because she has family obligation back in Ghana, and to this day she still depends on my parents for basic sustenance. With a good education my family was able to provide for my other family members when they need help the most. Not saying with a less a education people cannot provide for their families, I am simply saying a good education makes it an easy task not a burden. My best friend was a smart person but his parents did not have the money to help him attend college. He went through a lot of difficulty to get his scholarship: He asked family members to help pay; he went to the bank for a loan; he worked the entire summer as a full time cashier at Best Buy; he then got the call about his full ride scholarship. My best friend’s parents did not finish college, but he did not let that affect his decision to college even though he knew his parents didn’t have the money. He later on told me he didn’t know what to do about the money situation for college, but he worked hard in high school to get a full ride scholarship to Andrews University. My best friend did not only work hard, but he has to also give up high school sports to focus on his education. He was in the honors program and was an honor roll student; he was also valedictorian of our high school. These are some of the characteristics which made him the best person for the scholarship. I honestly think that there should not be any reason for anyone not to go to college becau se in the long run people tend to wish they had gone to   college. But who really cares about education? Who besides me and my parents care about the benefits education brings to the person who pursues their education to a higher level? A crucial reason education is so important is the fact that the lack of education can lead to ignorance which can be very dangerous. When you learn new things you not only grow scholastically, but you also change your views about topics you didn’t fully understand. For instance, my friend Michael grew up never hating homosexuals; however, he didn’t understand them so he understood the idea that homosexuality is a choice behavior. In his church  school junior high religion classes, he was taught that homosexuality is immoral because people essentially choose that lifestyle. Michael later on came to the public school where I attended. He took several biology classes where he learned that for the most part there is significant biological component to homosexuality. By definition, education is the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. Education is not only about who has the money but rather who has the motivation to strive for success. Knowledge has a way o f enriching the life of the student as well. Throughout my years as a student I have had wonderful teachers who have helped me appreciate knowledge for its own sake. Nowadays finding a job without a good education is hard; people are going back to college to further their education just to land a good job. At my college I see people old enough to be my grandparents; they are not there because they have nothing better to do. They are there because they want a good education and financial freedom. Education is not only about who has the money but rather who has the motivation to strive for success. Throughout my years as a   student I have had wonderful teachers who have helped me appreciate knowledge for its own sake and I will continue to strive for success. Reference Greenstone, M. (2010). The Importance of education: An Economics View. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/11/07/11greenstone_ep.h32.html

Social Work Personal Reflections On Becoming A Social Worker

Social Work Personal Reflections On Becoming A Social Worker Personal Reflections On Becoming A Social Worker In this assignment I am going to explore the reasons and motivations that inspired me to redirect my life and enter the social work profession. I am going to reflect on my life, so that I am able to realise the probable impact of my experiences on my professional life. My story begins with my grandparents, both paternal and maternal, who were working class, suffering disadvantage and poverty. Both my grandmothers worked in the mill doing piecework to try and keep their families afloat. My maternal grandmother was always in debt, borrowing on HP to buy goods, and my paternal grandmother was a widow who brought my father up alone. There was no benefit system then, therefore, she had to work to survive. My father passed the grammar school exams but was unable to attend, as my grandmother could not afford for him to go, hence he had to seek employment instead. My father worked hard and eventually acquired his own business. As I grew up I became aware that my father was very thrifty, a consequence of the hardship he suffered as a child and not wanting to return to this state, which made me very aware of the disadvantages of poverty. My father and grandmother brought me up, with my brother. We lived in a terraced house, in East Lancashire, with no bathroom and an outside toilet. I do not remember life as a ‘normal’ family as my parents divorced when I was young. My grandmother was upset by the divorce, inducing her to ‘split’ (Klein identified this process as a defence) favouring her son. She idealised my brother, and I was left to my own devices, (I was denigrated, I assume because I resembled my mother) often playing with friends and joining them on family outings. I felt isolated and as though I did not belong anywhere. I promptly adapted my own survival techniques by splitting; becoming a ‘free spirit’, and pretending I belonged to the families I joined on outings. ‘Splitting’ being the â€Å"most primitive of the defences† (Froggett, 2008). Growing up I remember there was not much money, my grandmother buying clothes from jumble sales, and I only remember getting new socks for Easter. I was not particularly aware of my socio-economic position, however, I did recognise that we were different from other families. Although people no doubt did feel sorry for me, I used my personality to gain recognition as an individual. This, perhaps, was the beginning of my interest in less fortunate individuals, influencing my decision to enter social work. I was unaware, at this time, that I had a mother but I did have contact with my maternal grandparents. My father was not particularly political, however, my grandparents were very much of the labour mindset, having split, and adapted a ‘them and us’ mentality regarding their status of working class. My maternal grandmother was involved with the Catholic Church and helped others less fortunate by knitting clothes and baking cakes. She was very kind and caring in one way, but to a lesser extent if people were of a different religion. During that time the community relied on their faith and helped their neighbours, seeing it as a Christian duty. My grandmother was a respected member of the community who was aware of, and took responsibility, showing empathy and compassion for those less fortunate than herself. She believed that she was improving their lives, but was realistic recognising that she could only assist them with emotional and practical needs, not material wealth. Hence, she was not alleviating their poverty but making it more bearable, and it could be said that she acted as a ‘container’ for others. Containment (Froggett, 2002, pg 13) â€Å"refers to the capacity of an individual, †¦.., to mentally receive and hold the disorganised or troubling psychic material of another, rendering it more bearable.† This resulted in, according to Klein, her realizing the ‘depressive position’ (seeing the other as whole). Looking back now I believe this is where I gained my values and beliefs, my grandmother being an important role model. Her influence was the beginning of my need to enter a caring profession, feeling a sense of obligation to support and care for others. My grandparents often talked of wartime, the struggles and hardship, remembering rationing and institutions. They welcomed the new welfare state, seeing it as an end to their struggles providing benefits, healthcare and education. I grew up not knowing anything other than a welfare state, accepting it as a right for everyone; however, I can imagine how difficult life was for them and the disadvantages they suffered as a result of their social position. Prior to commencement of this course I have criticised welfare for creating a ‘dependency culture’ and demonised those who could work and never tried to find employment. At the time I was suffering hardship, being widowed and pregnant at the age of 27 with 3 boys already aged 18 months, 3 and 5 years respectively. I received widowed mother’s allowance but also worked part time to support my family. I was not in receipt of any other benefits, free school dinners or free school uniforms. I would have been better off on benefits but chose self-respect, not wanting to be a burden, and I feel this has made me a more independent person. I realise now that others lives are more complex and involve other issues, nevertheless, by working I was not allowing myself time to grieve and by demonising others I was blaming them for my situation. Now I can see all angles and have reached the ‘depressive position’, having mourned and can feel compassion for those on welfare. The ‘depressive position’ being a â€Å"†¦ selfless capacity to acknowledge other people for their unique qualities and moral worth.† (Froggett, 2002, pg 45) I have always wanted to enter a caring profession; when I was younger people would comment on how I would make a good nurse, but until the death of my husband I did not pursue this, as life had presented me with other obstacles. It was due to my own lack of support after my husband’s death that I became more determined to help others who could not help themselves. However, during the process of becoming a social worker I have become aware of and welcomed the help I am also giving myself, resolving hidden issues from the past. Being abandoned by my mother left me feeling rejected, isolated, and feeling of no importance to anyone. The experience made me a very independent and untrusting person, making me feel as though I could only rely on myself, and this remains with me to this day with exception of the ‘untrusting’. As I matured and formed a relationship with my mother, albeit a fragmented one, I now understand her reasons for leaving, (a characteristic of the ‘depressive position’), although, having been widowed with 4 children to raise in later life, I cannot condone her actions. She has expressed guilt and sorrow, and felt that she was doing the right thing at the time, reasoning with herself that I was better off with my father and stability. She entered a new relationship, having a second family and ‘split’ her feelings for me as a response. I ‘split’ in a way that I denied I had a mother, repressing her into my unconscious, and erased her from my memory. I remember at the age of 6 coming home from school to find my mother with my grandmother and not knowing who she was. From the age of 7 I moved area to live with my mother and new family and felt like a prisoner. My anxiety caused me to demonise my mother as I blamed her for taking me away from my father and for trying to indoctrinate me to have bad feelings for him. I could not see any positive qualities about our relationship (Froggett, 2008). Consequently my relationship with my mother was never a good one, and I constantly challenged her attitudes, and beliefs. The challenges were sometimes in my actions, but mostly within my thoughts as I was too scared to challenge her directly as she was manipulative and controlling which in turn made me split and become more independent, refusing to ask for help. I felt I didn’t need anyone and could manage on my own. The contemptuous relationship with my mother was a result of a damaged transition into ‘twoness’, (separation from my mother) which made me, at times, mistrustful and uncertain of relationships in my adult life, fearing rejection and unreliability (Froggett, 2008). My childhood experiences meant that I lost confidence in ‘the reliability of the social world’ (Honneth, 1992, p133) and was insecure. My life changed dramatically when I was 13 and my mother was diagnosed with cancer. It was at this time that integration became apparent, and I was able to forgive and re-build our relationship, achieving a ‘depressive position’. I felt needed, and guilt at the same time regarding my feelings for my mother. She was very ill and I was expected to become an adult and run the guesthouse we lived in. I felt very isolated; I no longer saw my friends from school as I looked after my family, did the household chores, paid the bills, did the shopping, visited my mother in hospital (before I went to school) and had no spare time to socialise. I managed to cope with the extra responsibility but experienced loneliness at home; and at school where I was bullied for a time because I was permitted to enter school at 9.30. Other children recognised this as being given special treatment, whereas, it was ‘misrecognition’, as I had chores to complete before school, which was difficult, â€Å"†¦. misrecognition can inflict harm, can be a form of oppression, imprisoning someone in a false, distorted and reduced mode of being.† (Taylor, 1995). However, my relationship with my mother had changed and I was able to convey my feelings to her and contain my anxieties. This new found desire to help led me to become involved, as a teenager, with helping children and committing to some voluntary work at a psychiatric hospital. Identifying with similar people was a form of release, helping myself by helping others, allowing me to deal with my feelings of abandonment, exclusion and isolation. I developed this further when I later became involved with Home Start, as a volunteer, which was the determining factor in my decision to become a social worker. My relationship with my mother deteriorated again when my brother died. I felt alone again, as my brother had been the one stable element in my life, and my way of coping was to blame my mother for uprooting us and bringing us to live with her. I detached myself and denied my brother was dead for a while by pretending he was away, (he had been in the RAF living in various camps) as a defence mechanism. I had just met my husband at this time and his strength allowed me to deal with my loss and come to terms with it; he became my ‘container’ allowing me to reach the ‘depressive position’. At the age of 18 years old my mother told me to leave after constant confrontations. We could not live together as we were both finding it very difficult dealing with our own grief, and each other’s. I felt liberated and was relieved as I had always been too scared of my mother before but my husband, my ‘container’, gave me the strength to stand up to her, and I finally found the strength to attain recognition as an individual. When my husband died I feel I split once more. I no longer felt I belonged, I hated everyone, particularly happy families, and I felt isolated and alone (Woods and Hollis, 1990). This could be defined in Kleinian terms as being the ‘paranoid schizoid’ position (a form of splitting) (Beckett, 2002). This was the worse time in my life and affected me deeply. I did start to drink at this stage to enable me to experience ‘oneness’, but did not attain this (Froggett, 2008). I was pregnant at the time; therefore, for the sake of my sanity I addressed my negative behaviour to prevent damage to my child. I realised that I had an unborn child who needed me, as well as 3 other children, who loved me unconditionally and I somehow found the strength to resolutely challenge myself not to disappoint them as my mother had me, this being my reason for containment (Froggett, 2008). During this time I was never asked or given a choice about any form of counselling, and I received very little support. This became my motivation for embarking on social work as a career, as I felt I could do a better job than some; as I had experienced disadvantage, trauma and been marginalized. I felt that I would be committed and reliable to the people who needed my support. My experiences have given me an inner strength, making me stronger (Hollis and Woods, 1990), enabling me to empathise and show compassion to others, and I felt that I had a lot to offer others less fortunate than myself. I had always been of an altruistic nature, and during this period of my life I realised social work, as a career, would allow me to practice altruism on a larger scale, gaining emotional gratification (Woods and Hollis, 1990). Hollis and Woods (1990) suggest that ‘motivation is very much affected by hope’ (p274), and although I had suffered traumatic events throughout my life I was able to acknowledge that I could use these experiences for the benefit of others. I had reached the ‘depressive position’, could begin to move forward, integrate the experience, and make sense of everything, the world being a better place (Beckett,2002). I embarked on a course at college, studying at night while I worked during the day, and continued my development when accepted on this course. My family felt this was an inappropriate choice, as they felt I had enough to do bringing up four children. My mother in particular thought it was a waste of time as she considered social workers to be ‘do gooders’. I felt that I wanted to give something back to society, and make a difference to those who are vulnerable, oppressed and struggling to cope with the pressures of social injustice and poverty. I wanted to make sure people have basic resources to meet their needs regardless of race, age, sex, or sexual orientation, empowering them to take control of their lives and promoting well-being. My mother’s attitude just made me more determined to pursue this route. Whilst at university I have developed my practice on placement, learning many new ideas, and realising the importance of social work on peoples’ lives. â€Å"Understanding the impact of transitions within a person’s life course is important for social work practice in order to help us understand other people’s lives† (Crawford and Walker, 2003, p5). On placement I worked within a family support team, and found one situation, with a young girl, particularly difficult as I identified with her complex situation. The girl had been abandoned by her mother, and was living with her father and stepfamily. Recognising her feelings I assisted the girl to develop an internal container by giving her a secret diary to record her thoughts and feelings, and we would discuss these feelings weekly. Whilst supporting the girl I experienced ‘transference’, feelings evoked from past attachments with her mother were transferred onto me, (Froggett, 2008)) and she became very attached and dependent on my visits. I was overwhelmed by the strong emotions projected from the girl, however, was unable to reject her, and as a consequence of her actions encountered ‘counter-transference’, relating my own personal experiences (Froggett, 2008). My vision became blurred with my own internal feelings, resulting in my inability to see the girl realistically. I found myself very protective of her, working extremely hard; advocating for her with her father who was oppressive and controlling, as I felt she was alone, and unable to challenge him. Furthermore, I wanted to ‘mother’ the girl to boost her self-esteem, and thus prevent her isolation. After our sessions I would go home mentally drained. Bion (1977) suggests there are three types of container-contained relationships: ‘parasitic’ dependent and unhealthy ‘commensal’ mutual containment, of benefit to both parties ‘symbiotic’ – receiving support to manage feelings, and seen as a healthy relationship. Fortunately I was able to express these anxiety provoking feelings with my assessor, hence she became my ‘container’. We had a ‘symbiotic’ relationship and she enabled me to disentangle myself from the situation, regain my ability to hold painful feelings, allowing me the capacity to perceive the girl as separate, and re-integrate (Menzies-Lyth, 1988). I was in a position to reflect, appreciating complexity, achieving ‘3rd position thinking’, ## I became stronger as a result, thus I was able to perceive things from a different perspective. During reflection I recognized emotional factors had clouded my judgement and I reached a better understanding of the situation, realising I had transferred my personal experiences onto the family (Winnicott, 1971). I acknowledged this intervention had proven difficult, bearing resemblance to my own experiences, and resolved to be more aware, making sure my professional boundaries were firmly established for subsequent visits and for the future (Froggett, 2008). Towards the end of my placement I referred the girl to a counsellor at school, so she did not feel abandoned, making effective use of another support network. Initially I had been attracted to working with children and families, however, supporting this girl made me realise that perhaps family support is not an area of practice that I should go into, as it may prove too emotional a field for me. Getting too involved with a client could prove ineffective and I could lose my focus. I have faced many challenges throughout my life but I have always managed somehow to rise above these, drawing on my reserve strengths and becoming a more resilient person. The importance being that I feel I have become self-assured, and can be an asset to the profession of social work. â€Å"The personality traits that I have as an adult are a direct result of my experiences from childhood† (Woods and Hollis, 1990, p34) Undertaking this assignment has been challenging and difficult, however, I found that putting my life into words was quite therapeutic, releasing certain issues that I had repressed. Freud suggests repression is â€Å"the most important of all defences† (Froggett, 2008 pg. 8) but releasing my feelings and thoughts about my life experiences enabled me to understand how I came to develop my own beliefs and values, as Crawford and Walker (2003) inform us â€Å"Social workers need to understand their own life course development and the significance that this has had on the values and beliefs that they have developed themselves.† Pg.13. According to the Code of Ethics, a social workers objective is to support people in need, addressing social problems. Experiences have made me the person I am, and utilising my skills, both personal and educational, will help me perform this duty. I believe my personal experiences changed me, making me more open to new ideas, and although I am very much aware of the past I have dealt with it, and do not dwell, moving forward. I have achieved ‘3rd position thinking’, realising that I can be a ‘good enough’ mother, whilst achieving success as a professional (Froggett, 2008). 3289 BIBLIOGRAPHY Beckett, C. (2002) Human Growth and Development. London. Sage Bion, W. (1977) ‘Learning from experience’, in Seven Servants, New York, Jason Aronson Crawford, K. and Walker, J. (2003) Social Work and Human Development. Exeter. Learning Matters Froggett, L. (2002) Love, Hate and Welfare – Psychosocial approaches to policy and practice. Bristol. The Policy Press Froggett, L. (2008) Psychosocial Theory and Practice for Social Work: A Conceptual Introduction to an Object Relations Approach. Preston. University of Central Lancashire. Unpublished manuscript Hollis, F. and Woods, M (1990) Casework: A Psychosocial Therapy 4th Edition. USA. Library of Congress Honneth, G. (1969) Integrity and Disrespect: Principles of a Conception of Morality based on the Theory of Recognition. In: Political Theory. 20 (2). 187-201 Menzies-Lyth, I. (1988) Containing Anxiety in Institutions: Selected Essays, Volume One. London; Free Association Books Taylor, C. (1995) The Politics of Recognition, in: Philosophical Arguments, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press. (First published 1992 in Gutmann, A. (ED) Multiculturalism and ‘The Politics of Recognition’, Princetown NJ, Princetown University Press). Winnicott, D. (1971) Playing and Reality. London. Tavistock Publications Limited Aldridge, M (1994) Unlimited liability: Emotional Labour in Nursing and Social Work. In: Journal of Advanced Nursing. 4. 722-8 Hochschild, A (2003) 2nd edition The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling. USA; University of California Press.

College Admissions Essay: I Will be an English Teacher :: College Admissions Essays

I Will be an English Teacher "Most of the change we think we see in life is due to truths being in and out of favor." -- Robert Frost I felt trapped, immobilized, confused. It was my senior year in high school. My friend Nancy aptly described me as laboring under a "stupor of thought." Finally, I did the one thing that held any promise of relief - I decided to become an English teacher. I didn't just switch oars in the middle of the stream; I switched to an entirely different river. Throughout high school, instructors and classmates have said to me, "You know, you'd make a great teacher." That's nice, I'd say, but I already have a plan, a nice, sensible plan: earn a degree in accounting, marry my love of music to my skill with numbers and computers, and become the financial manager for a non-profit music arts organization. I outlined my plan in essays. It was a good plan, a sensible plan, a righteous plan. I can't change now. It's too late, too late! It's too late...isn't it? After three years of resistance, my passion for learning and literature and my experiences as a student finally defeated my sensible plan. I decided it was not too late. I would become a teacher - truth be told, I already was. Outside the classroom, I wore teacher-ness on my sleeve. Volunteering in the school office, I'd chat with the students about their classes. They'd moan about the speech class they intended to put off as long as possible. I'd counter with tales of giving my instructional speech on Japanese style gift-wrapping - the women in the class produced beautifully wrapped gifts, but the men were all thumbs! "Gee, you make it sound cool. Have you ever thought about teaching?" Oh no, not me. I'm going to be an accountant. The drive to learn more and share what I learned exposed me. After fulfilling the algebra requirement, I realized that I enjoyed algebra. So I took more math classes, just for the fun of it. I stayed up late, working additional problems, caught up in the thrill of understanding. I became an unofficial tutor, helping my classmates with factoring and linear equations. It was fun helping them learn. Whipping around the room from one student to the next was exhilarating! "Have you ever thought of becoming a math teacher?

Nonconceptuality and the Emotions :: Conceptuality Psychology Papers

Nonconceptuality and the Emotions I present an argument for the existence of nonconceptual states. A nonconceptual state is an intentional state which does not require the bearer to possess all requisite concepts in order to represent the state. I frame the debate by outlining two constraints that an argument for nonconceptuality should meet. First, successful argument must present a platitude of concepts and illustrate that there are intentional states which both actually violate this platitude (the empirical constraint) and explain behavior independently of conceptual states (the robustness constraint). This ensures that the notion of nonconceptuality established by the argument will have a significant part in the explanatory arsenal of the intentional psychologist. Secondly, I formulate a platitude of concepts based on the intuition that an individual can only legitimately be held responsible for behavior caused by conceptual states. After qualifying the platitude, I argue that emotional states actually violate th e platitude and meet the necessary constraints. Finally, I defend my argument against two challenges: one which denies that the empirical constraint has been met and the other which denies that the robustness constraint has been met. I conclude my discussion with some general remarks on the nature of nonconceptual representation. Any satisfactory model of the emotions must at once recognize their place within intentional psychology and acknowledge their uniqueness as mental causes. In the first half of the century, the theories of James and Freud had considerable influence on reinforcing the idea that emotions are non-intentional. (1) The uniqueness of emotions was therefore acknowledged at the price of denying them content, of denying them a place within intentional psychology proper. More recently, cognitive reductionists like Joel Marks and Martha Nussbaum recognize that emotions are intentional but, by reducing them to beliefs, judgements, desires, etc., fail to capture their distinctiveness as mental causes. (2) In other words, their place within intentional psychology is acknowledged at the price of denying them their uniqueness. Anti-reductionists, as I see them, are committed to the idea that emotions are both intentional and unique. This uniqueness, however, is rarely, if ever, traced to emotional content itself. An anti-reductionist is more likely to single out, e.g., a phenomenological, evaluative or perspectival feature which, as purportedly distinctive of emotional experience, precludes the reduction of emotions to, say, cognitive states. (3) My intention is not to assess these efforts. Rather, I want to offer an argument which shows that emotions are unique in virtue of the kind of intentionality they have.

Dimmesdale Essay -- Literary Analysis, Nathaniel Hawthorne

Arthur Dimmesdale, a character of high reputation, overwhelmed by guilt, torn apart by his own wrongdoing, makes his entrance into history as the tragic hero whose life becomes a montage of pain and agony because of his mistakes. The themes leading to Dimmesdale’s becoming a tragic hero are his guilt from his sin, and his reluctance to tarnish his reputation in the town. Guilt plays a huge role in defining Dimmesdale as a tragic hero. Dimmesdale has understood that by not revealing his sin, he has doomed himself. This also connects with the constant struggle with Chillingworth. The mysteries of Dimmesdale’s guilty heart entice Chillingworth to delve into his soul and reveal what has been hidden, causing Dimmesdale great pain and suffering. His guilt is taking over, causing him to inflict pain upon himself while also experiencing true and meaningful suffering. Guilt is not the only theme in the novel that help to characterize Dimmesdale as a tragic hero, but reputation and authority in the community also help to characterize him as a tragic hero. Arthur Dimmesdale has a grand reputation and authority in his community, which worsens his downfall. The respect he had from his community makes them hurt worse when they see his decline. His excessive pride makes him ignorant to most, until the end when all things go downhill. He also made a life altering decision of whether to stay and face his guilt, or to run away from his mistakes. Arthur Dimmesdale, from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, is an example of a tragic hero because of the downfall brought about by his guilt and necessity to uphold his authority in the town. Hawthorne uses dark diction and kinetic imagery to emphasize how Dimmesdale’s guilt causes him to experi... ...eluctance to give himself up, and must have Hester do it for him. This guilty diction displays his longing for redemption, but how he cannot do it himself. He longs for a chance to right his wrongs, but his pride gets in the way. His hubris does not allow him to defame himself in the community and Hester must expose him. Terrence Martin explains this by saying that â€Å"he cannot surrender an identity which brings him the adulation of his parishioners, the respect and praise of his peers† (Martin 93).Martin explains how Dimmesdale cannot let his reputation in the town be tarnished, and how his hubris keeps him from confessing his sin. He cannot stand to lose the â€Å"adulation of his parishioners, the respect and praise of his peers.† Dimmesdale’s excessive pride over his authority in the town clouds his judgment and makes his downfall that much more tragic.

Achieving the Goal Essay

How will I achieve the goal? There are many things going through my head when I think about the question, but there are only a few important ones that stick out the most. Achieving the goal would be for me to do everything in my power to do the very best I can in college so when I do finish I can become a physical therapist. For me to achieve my goal, I’m going to have to work hard and study even harder so I can get the very best grades while going to Victoria College. I know that college isn’t easy and sometimes it is going to be difficult, but I will not let that stop me from getting my goal. I also know that college is very different from high school. So that means that I’m going to need to work ten times harder than I did back then. I believe that by studying and giving my very best at everything I do in college, I will achieve my goal. I just have to remember that I can’t give up even when it gets hard because that will get me nowhere. Besides doing my best in college, I’m going to need to balance my job as a mother of three and the duties of a house wife. Balancing kids and keeping up with everything that comes with the responsibilities of a wife, home, and family is just another step on the path to achieving my goals. Having a family while also going to school full time can be tough. Sometimes when I get home I’m tired and really don’t feel like doing any homework, but I know that I have to. This sometimes can lead to procrastinating. I’ve gone to school before while having one child and managed just fine with school and work, so I know that I can do it again this go around of college too. Time management is the key though. Having a social life is something else I have to balance with college I believe that I can do all the things I want to with my friends and family and still be able to succeed in college. All I have to do is manage my time and keep my priorities straight. I have to think which is more important, hanging out and watching the football game with friends and family or studying for an upcoming test. Studying of course. I can do all the things I want to do with my family and friends as long as I don’t let it affect my school work. So when I finish my time at Victoria College, I want to transfer to University Houston-Victoria. It has always been my dream to go to a University and make my kids proud. It’s just another step in  achieving my goal. While I am at UHV, I want to succeed at everything I do so I can graduate with a Bachelor’s degree and then even go on to getting a Master’s degree as well. So hopefully when my time is done at UHV, I will have become a physical therapist. Something I have wanted to be for a while now. When it is all said and done with college and I do become a physical therapist, then I know that I have finally reached my goal for myself, my kids, and my husband. All I have to remember is that I can’t lose focus of my goals and dreams, because if I do then I will never achieve true happiness†¦my goal!