Compare And Contrast The Writings Of Confucius, Hammurabi, And The Boo

Compare And Contrast The Writings Of Confucius, Hammurabi, And The Boo Compare and Contrast The Writings of Confucius, Hammurabi, and The Book of the Dead Three of the most famous writings from ancient civilizations are the writings of Confucius, Hammurabi's code of laws, and Egypt's Book of the Dead. At first, they seem very different, they're from different times, regions, and religions, but they all offer a peek into what values ancient people considered important. One of the values that all three civilizations is justice and fairness. I feel that this is best viewed in Hammurabi's laws. All of the penalties for the crimes are very stiff, but fair. I feel that it is fair that "If he has broken the limb of a patrician, his limb shall be broken" It's like in the Bible "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." In Egypt, in the Book of the Dead, a man couldn't proceed into the after life unless he was found innocent of any wrong doing on Earth. In Confucius' writings, he never actually says the word "justice", but he does say "Great Man cherishes excellence; Petty Man, his own comfort. Great Man cherishes the rules and regulations; Petty Man special favors." To me, that mean "Great Man is fair, Petty man is unfair." The second of these three values is responsibility and respect to one's family and elders, and responsibility and respect to others families and elders. This is most evident in Confucius' writings. He is constantly stressing family values and responsibility. One quote that shows this is "Let the sole sorry of your parents be that you might become ill." This stresses personal responsibility and respect to your parents. Hammurabi showed responsibility by saying "If a builder has built a house for a man, and has not made his work sound, and the house he built has fallen, and caused the death of the man's son, the builder's son shall be put to death." That quote shows a man's responsibility for himself and his family. In Egypt, during the ritual of the dead, it is said that the dead man, in order to pass into the afterlife, must profess that he has not done anything to hurt anyone. This shows responsibility because if the man did not tell the truth, he was responsible for not entering th e afterlife. Knowing that they would be responsible for their actions, the Egyptians tried not to hurt people in their mortal lives. The final value that all three cultures had in common was being truthful. All three cultures relied heavily on the truth. In Hammurabi's laws, it says "If a man has borne false witness in a trial, or has not established the statement that he has made, if that case be a capital trial, that man shall be put to death." In other words "If you lie, you die." When Confucius examined himself every day, he asked the question "have I been false with my friends?" In Egypt, it was important that a man be truthful when brought before Osiris, because if they didn't tell the truth, they would be banished from the afterlife. One of the lines of the Book of the Dead reads "I have not committed sin in the place of truth," which I read as "I have not lied." Each one of these three civilizations used different methods to enforce them. In Sumer, Hammurabi's strict punishments kept people from disobeying them. On the other hand, Egypt didn't use any kind of physical punishment, but they used threats. The people thought that if they went against the values, Osiris, god of the afterlife, would punish them after their died. In China, the values weren't enforced, but they were protected by the government. In the second century B.C., Confucianism became the official philosophy of China, thus preserving it for the future. I am greatly impressed by Hammurabi's ideas. His laws may sound harsh, but they had to be. In ancient Sumer, you had to be harsh or people wouldn't even listen. I don't agree, however, with his double standards. I feel that a life is worth just as much whether it's a patrician or a plebeian. I think that Confucius' ideas are the ones that come the closest to my own beliefs.

How to Write an Introduction to Sell Your Book Fast

How to Write an Introduction to Sell Your Book Fast How to Write an Introduction to Sell Your Book Fast To learn more about how to craftthe perfect book introduction, join Chandler on this FREE webinar where he explains how to write a winning intro for your book.â€Å"There’s no second chance to make a first impression.† Not only does this apply to meeting your future in-laws, it applies to readers first impressions of your book.Alright†¦maybe not their firstimpression of your book, that comes from your book cover and title. However, their second-firstimpression is going to be formed while reading your book’s introduction.It’s easy to think an introduction isn’t important because so many people skip them, but did you know yourbook’s introductionis actually a vital sales tool if you’re a non-fiction author?Thats why were here to teach you how to write a book introduction that will actually boost book sales.But first, let’s talk aboutwhy its so important. HowtoWriteaBookIntroductionYoure about to learn about the mostwonderful p agein your book to boost sales. It’s going to be your secret weapon to stand out from the competition.Amazonoffers customers a chance to give your book a sneak peek before purchase. It’s called theLook Insidefeature, and when shoppers click on it, they’re treated to a free preview of your book introduction.This means you’ve been given the opportunity to grab their attention and make them reach for their wallets.This is why yourbook introductioniscrucialto your book’s ultimate success. Readers will pick up your story and make a decision about you as an author and your book based on those first few paragraphs.And were about to show you how to do just that.NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the writing, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it hereWhats the Difference Between a Book Introduction and a Preface or Foreword?Before you write an introduction and dive in on writin g the rest of your book, you first have to check if what you’re writing is actually an introduction.If you aren’t careful it might be a preface or a foreword instead, and these are different than an introduction. While this difference might not seem like much to you, mislabeling this section will signal your book as an amateur piece of work to your reader, harming your brand and sales in the long run.Who would want to read a book (or many) from someone who cant get even the introduction right?So, what are the differences between an introduction, preface, and a foreword? Where do you use them? Can you use several of them? We’ll go through these questions in detail.What is a preface?A preface discusses how the book came about, the scope of the book, why the book was written, its limitations, and any acknowledgments the author or editor has.Though they may initially seem the same, and serve the same purpose, a prefaceisdifferent from an introduction. The author and /or editor of a book can write a preface, but no-one else can.Whatit doesn’tdo is talk about the meat of the book. It doesn’t go into the subject matter, the point of view, or arguments that the book presents.The purpose of a preface is to let the reader knowhowyou came to write the book.Without delving into the book matter, it gives the author a chance to talk to the reader and let them know your story, why you decided to write this book, why the world needs this book right now (helpful if you’re writing about something that’s been written about several times before, such as the hundredth biography of a famous figure,) where you got your information from, and why you are the best author to write this book.If you have several editions of your book, your preface is also where you discuss why there is a new edition, and what’s different from the old edition.An author’s preface requires tact; you can’t betooself-promotional.You have to a ddress your selling points indirectly. This is why it’s best to have an editor’s preface or to have someone else write a foreword.What is a foreword?According to theChicago Manual of Style, a foreword is written by someone other than the author or editor and is usually someone with authority to lend credibility to your book, with their name appearing at the end.Think of a foreword as a letter of recommendation that someone with credibility writes for your book.It’s usually by someone the reader will respect, and the foreword will contain reasons for why the reader should read the book. There are fewer rules for a foreword than a preface.For instance, it can talk about the subject matter if desired. However, forewords tend to be short usually one or two pages.Many non-fictionbook deals wouldnt have happened if it wasnt for the foreword. Publishers are less likely to offer a major advance to first-time authors as they are untested. However, this becomes a differe nt story if they can secure a foreword from someone of influence, (known as foreword deals in the industry.)John Romaniello (with his co-author Adam Bornstein) was able to get an advance of more than $1,000,000 for his first book,Man 2.0: Engineering the Alpha,a practically unheard of amount for a first-time author.How did this happen? John credits securing Arnold Schwarzeneggerto pen the foreword as a factor that helped.What is a book introduction?An introduction differs from a preface and a foreword because its written by the author and does talk about the subject matter.A book introduction can include everything that would be in a preface: how the book came about, the scope of the book, why the book was written etc.However, an introduction also supplements the subject matter of the book.Whether by presenting a point of view the reader should take, outlining to the reader what is to come, or by teasing the writer’s conclusions.Whats the purpose of a preface, foreword, and i ntroduction?Each one of these exists tosellyour book in the opening pages. They exist to hook a reader who flips to the beginning of the book and gives clear reasons as to why they should read on to the end.A potential reader or buyer will judge whether your main argument, point of view, or tone of voice is worth reading on your introduction, preface, or foreword.If someone they admire recommends your book in the foreword, they’ll sit up and listen.If your preface reveals some main sources that have never told their story before, they’ll be curious to read more. If your introduction shows that you’re a great writer and you know what you’re talking about, they’ll give you a chance by reading more.Since we’re dealing with non-fiction, we haven’t discussed prologues or epilogues, though they have the same purpose; to hook the reader and sell them on why to read on.Where do they go?So, do you only have to choose one for your book? No.Your book can have all three if you want, though you don’t want to go too overboard, as your reader might end up skipping it anyway, or might feel like you’re trying too hard.Getting a foreword can be a lot of hard work if you don’t have the network or credibility to get an influencer to write one for you. And if your reader ends up skipping it, it’ll be a waste of your time.But if you want to have all three, this is the correct formatting of where they appear in your book, (relevant sections are highlighted in bold. We provided a comprehensive overview of a books matter for reference:)Front Matter(Each point gets at least its own page.)Half titlepage (Sometimes called the bastard title, its a page that has nothing but the title. No subtitle or author name.)Blank page (Or Also by the author)Title pageCopyright pageDedication (Optional.)Epigraph (Quote, or poem that highlights the theme of the book. Can be before main text. Optional.)Table of contentsBook quot e (optional: A quote chosen by the author based on the subject matter of the book.)List of illustrations, tables or maps (Optional.)Foreword(Optional.)Preface(Optional. Editors preface comes before authors preface if you have both. If you have a separate preface for a new edition of the book it comes before the old preface.)Abbreviations (Optional. Or in back matter.)Chronology (Optional. Or in back matter.)Main BodyIntroduction(Optional.)Prologue (Optional. Not applicable to non-fiction.)Epigraph (or after the dedication and before the table of contents. Optional.)Another half-title (Optional.)Main textEpilogue (Optional. Not applicable to non-fiction.)Afterword (Optional.)ConclusionBack Matter(These are all optional.)AcknowledgmentsAppendixChronology (Or in the front matter.)Abbreviations (Or in the front matter.)GlossaryBibliographyList of contributorsIllustration creditsIndexErrataColophon (Optional brief statement by the publishers on the books production, where it was printed etc.)Authors or Editors bioInvitation to review the book [Usually found in eBook formats asking readers to consider a review if they liked the book]Dont panic if your book doesnt have up to half of these sections. Many of them are not necessary unless you are writing for a higher education audience.What matters is knowing where your foreword, preface, and/or your introduction needs to go in your book.How Your Book Introduction Will Help You Sell BooksYour book introduction serves two goals. Think of your first 1,000 words as the foundation for the rest of your book’s chapters.Writing your introduction is going to be a useful exercise to help you distill down your ideas and to succinctly encapsulate the message of your great work into a few, short paragraphs.The second goal of your introduction is to act as a sales pitch to intrigue readers so they’ll buy your book.It’s intimidating, yes, and a lot of pressure is riding on just a few paragraphs. This is why writi ng your book introduction can be one of your first major stumbling blocks as an author.Thats why were here to help you overcome this significant hurdle so you can continue merrily on the path toward your finished manuscript, and ultimately higher sales of your book once it is published.How to Write a Book Introduction in 8 StepsSelf-Publishing School created a roadmap, much like we did formind mappingand outlining, to nail down that book introduction- and also to jumpstart your writing process for the rest of your chapters.As we go through these 8 steps to writing your book introduction, we’re going to use the example of a book calledHow to Get College Scholarships.As you read, take notes, and insert your own book’s topic into your thinking and note-taking process.#1 Identify the ProblemDon’t dance around the problem. What’s the problem your book promises to solve? State the problem clearly for your readers from the outset. Bestraight-forward, unambiguou s, and concise when you identify the issue that readers hope you can solve for them.Don’t try to be all things to all people- you want readers to know the specific problem your book will solve for them.Using our example ofHow to Get College Scholarships,the problem is simple: college is expensive, and scholarships seem out of reach for most high school students.#2 Present the SolutionNow that you’ve identified the problem readers are struggling with, you’re going to make their day by telling them you’re going to share the solution in your book. You’ve helped them with a problem AND you’ve revealed that your book holds the solution on the first page. Your book’s going to be a winner!Directional phrases such as, â€Å"In this book, I am going to show you†¦Ã¢â‚¬ or â€Å"This book is going to solve your problem by†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Thinking back to our example, some solutions we’d present in our book would be teaching readers how to write a good essay so you can stand out from the competition, and how to find and apply for the top scholarships.#3 Assert Your CredibilityNow that you’ve presented a problem and posted a solution, your next step is to convince your readers that you, the author, are qualified to help solve their problem. You need to build your credibility and provide readers with a reason to trust you and follow your advice.Ask yourself these three questions:Why should people trust you?How do you know about this topic?Why are you passionate about writing this book?Sharing your own struggles and how you overcame them is the first step to building rapport with your readers#4 Show Them the BenefitsHow will your book improve your readers’ current circumstances? Now’s the time to really sell them on how reading your book is going to change their life for the better.Sold! Who doesn’t want a better life? (It’s rhetorical: We all do!)You’ve briefly touched on the solution- in our case, how to write a great essay and how to apply for scholarships. In this part of your introduction, you’re going to go a little deeper and explain what good things will happen if your readers take advantage of the information you present in your book.In short, tell your readers what they’ll get- what knowledge or skill they will gain from reading your book and how that’s going to impact their future for the better.In our example, the benefit of our book is that readers will go to school for free and live a life without the financial burden of student loans. Readers can achieve their dream of getting an education, without breaking the bank.#5 Give Them ProofShow your readers the proof of why your book is the answer to their prayers. Give the most tangible and relatable proof you can provide.In our example, we might share how we put ourselves or our children through school on scholarship. We might also include testimonials from other pe ople we know who followed our advice and got a free education.#6 Make a Promise (The Bigger the Better)Don’t make a promise you can’t keep, but make the biggest promise that you CAN keep. Aim high.To come up with your promise, circle back to your books’ purpose- what is the problem your book is solving? Now promise that this book will solvetheir problem! It’s that easy.You need to be able to deliver on your promises, but don’t be shy in stating what they will get in return for reading your book.While we can’t promise someone they’ll be awarded a scholarship (after all, their grades will have a big impact there,) we can promise that we will increase their chances of getting a scholarship by showing them where to find them and the steps to take to apply.#7 Warn Them Against WaitingYou need to create a sense of urgency to buy so your readers know that if they pass on your book, they will regret it because readers will miss out on somet hing really good.A sense of urgency is created by two magic words, â€Å"RIGHT NOW!†In our example, we would urge people to start well ahead of the scholarship application deadlines so they can submit the best applications they can.Don’t delay, or others who are in the know will snatch up those scholarships! So, let’s get started on getting you a free education RIGHT NOW!#8 Prompt Them to Read (Call to Action)You want readers to continue reading your book the second they finish the introduction. To do that, you have to hint at the juicy secrets your book will reveal to them that will change their lives.You want to intriguethemand hint at the exciting revelations you’re going to make inside the book. They will have to buy it in order to find out.Here’s how to craft a compelling Call to Action to prompt them to read your book right away:The scholarship tips and tricks you’re about to read have proven results. Each chapter provides new secrets that will help you stay in control of your financial future AND get a leg up on the competition for scholarships. If you follow the formula we reveal in this book, it’s highly possible you can enjoy the rest of your life unburdened by debt.Time to Get StartedThere you go- not too hard, is it? By applying a few principles of psychology as you draft your introduction, you can demonstrate to your readers how and why they need to read your book, right now.Take advantage of this one chance you get, to explain in a few short paragraphs how readers will benefitfromreading your book. They will thank youlaterafter they buy your book and they’re reaping all the benefits of taking your advice.

Antigone Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Antigone - Research Paper Example However, King Creon believes that the laws are made by man and men are the only people who can change the laws. The major challenge affecting both the two protagonists is the personal pride making their stance known and not wanting to back-down. One important issue to be addressed is that the both share almost same idea, but different view. Oedipus was to become king by killing his father Laius, which happened on his way to visit the town. The tragic death of his father is outlined in the prophecy preceding the play. It outlines the issues that affect relationships in the play thereby enabling the reader to understand the role of incest in shaping the character of the main issues. The development of female heroism is depicted in the play by the actions of Antigone. Heroism and feminism has been in conflict over the years until in the last two decades. The factors that influenced the inclusion of women as action heroes include the rigid nature of the feminist agenda, feminism ideologi es of the 20th century and the role of women in the society (Wilmer & Zukauskaite, 2007, p. 45). The concept of heroism is borrowed from the ancient Greek mythology which creates personality who is immortalized. From the analysis of the play, the heroism depicted is antagonistic heroism because there are two main characters namely protagonist Antigone versus Creon. The antagonistic heroism is displayed in various traditional and modern literatures including the Harry Potter Series. Side kick heroes support the main hero. In the case of Antigone, there is no side kick hero, but only the antagonistic hero. However, some antagonistic heroism may lead to tragedy as depicted in the story of Antigone and Creon which shows the desire for freedom and social guidance (Wilmer & Zukauskaite, 2007, p. 125). In addition, the relationship and desires of the two main characters shapes the development of the story. The principles of choice and the lack of flexibility to accommodate the views of oth ers indicate the power of dictatorship and authoritarian regime. Creon refuses to accept the beliefs of Antigone and uses his authority to infringe on the rights of Antigone leading to tragedy. However, crisis in the play is presented at the start of the play, when Oedipus kills his father and ascends to power. The tragedy comes when he ascends to power and marries his mother. The life of Oedipus is complex because it marked with several challenges including being tied and thrown away in order to prevent the prophecy to occur. He is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta, but later married his mother. The realization of the tragedy of incest leads to death of the queen because she commits suicide after knowing the truth. Oedipus kills his father during a disagreement along the road. In addition, he kills Sphinx making him a darling for the people of Thebes. The reward for the win and following the death of King Laius, Oedipus is given the throne leading to the interaction with the queen (Sophocles, 2008, p. 1117). Final draft Literary Analysis: Antigone The story of Antigone is based on prophetic issues and the decision of main protagonists in the play. Antigone and Creon are the main protagonists of the play based on the belief and pride. The play is based on the trust and tradition of the people of Thebes. In fact, the major challenge is on the burial of Polyneices, the challenge is based on the laws to respect. Antigone believes in the laws of the deity which forces them

What are the key characteristics of a social movement Use examples to Essay

What are the key characteristics of a social movement Use examples to explain any theoretical concepts you use - Essay Example Various social movements have different motivation for their actions, depending on their surrounding social, economic, and political environments. However, there are some key features that are common or at least applicable to most of them. My essay seeks to identify these key features as well as cite a few examples to explain the various theoretical concepts within the dynamics of a social movement. There are different types of social movements which have been identified by sociologists all over the world. These types are categorized depending on their scope; the type of change they advocate for or bring; their target groups; and how they operate. Considering scope, we can classify social movement as a reform or radical. A radical social movement aims to change certain value systems in a fundamental way. A good example of such a movement is the American Civil Rights Movement whose main aim was to fight for maximum civil rights for all Americans irrespective of the race they belonged to. There is also South Africa’s Shack Dwellers Movement, popularly known as ‘Abahali baseMjondolo,’ which fights for shack dwellers’ place in the city life. Reform social movement, on the other hand, works to change some norms and laws. Trade unions and green belt movements fall under this category (Ballard, et al., 2005, p622, Kendall, 2011, p. 540). A social movement may also be categorized depending on the type of change it intends to make. Under this we have innovation movement which aims to introduce or amend a given value. For instance, we have singularitarianism movement which fights for safety of technological singularity. We also have the conservative movement concerned with the preservation of current values and norms. A good example is the current movement against the introduction of genetically modified organisms. In addition, social movement may

High School Life and College Life Essay Example for Free

High School Life and College Life Essay The change from high school to college can be a difficult one. Both your social and academic life will be remarkably different from high school. Although you might think that college is simply a level above high school, there are several differences between the two, and you need to be prepared for what’s ahead. My college experience so far has been really stressful but am trying my best to excel. Unlike high school where things tend to move smoothly, college has been the total opposite. No time to play, more assignments and project which tends to consume my time. For instance, in high school, my classes were assigned to me and i was supplied with many of my classroom materials and books. I had a guidance counselor telling me which courses to take and when. In college, it is my responsibility to sign up for the classes i need to take to graduate and during my first enrollment, I ended up picking irrelevant classes because I had no idea about the whole thing. Although, we have an academic advising center were you can go and meet an advisor who can help out with picking classes suitable for you and is located at room 113 north shepler of Cameron university. Also, in college, I am responsible for buying all class materials and trust me, the cost of these materials are very high whereas in high school, our textbooks and class materials were given to me for free. A textbook with access code can go for a minimum of $100 which is way expensive and I do not get to spend so much during high school days Class materials are really expensive. Moreover, we have a library where you can get all this books and check them out if you need them urgently without buying. I use the library everyday and check out books all the time. Read more: High school life essay Finally, the style of teaching tends to be more advanced in college than high school. Am finding it difficult coping with the assignments(which are very voluminous),unlike high school where I was given just little assignments. Tutors explaining things fast and am just confused and lost in class and I just take a break from classes like that. Although, the school came up with tutor.com, a free online website where students can visit to get help and l also visit the academic tutoring facilities like that for  center for academic success which is located at nance boyer room 1008, center for writers at nance boyer room 2060, math lab at burch hall 104 and academic commons tutoring center at academic commons 138. Am trying really hard to overcome these difficulties before next semester. Putting in every single effort and aiming for a perfect grade point. I know I can do it by being determined and being serious.

Essay --

Outline The paper describes the participation of blacks in Golf War. Although large number of blacks participated in the Gulf War, black in general did not support the military intervention of U.S in Iraq Kuwait dispute. After the Vietnam War, the percentage of blacks in army increased due to its non-racial environment. At the same time, it had a better salary and promotion system irrespective of the color. Therefore, blacks preferred to join army to fight poverty and save money for colleges. But they did not anticipated to be part of another war. Black did not wanted to be part of the war because they were not given equal rights as other races in their home while they have fought many wars for their country. (Jacquelin Howard-Matthews) However, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Colin Powell led the military intervention in Kuwait against Iraq. Under his leadership, the Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield were launched. It is an interesting fact that the Gulf War accounted the minimum number of fatalities which can be credited to his leadership and war strategies. He is considered a Gulf War hero. But at the beginning he preferred to solve the problem to negotiations. Therefore he was also named the â€Å"Reluctant Warrior† in the Operation Desert Storm. (Vinnedge) Introduction Persian Gulf War also known as Gulf War that starting on August 2, 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Saddam Husain ordered to attack Kuwait and occupy the state and make it a province of Iraq. The aim was to capture the largest oil reserves in the country, expand the Iraqi power in Middle East and cancel the oil debt Iraq owned Kuwait. On August 3, 1990 United Nations called Iraq to withdraw its troop from Kuwait and on August 6, imposed worl... ...t the same time, raise money for the college. The military provided them with a welcoming and non-racial environment. There was no discrimination on the basis of salary. But Bush administration decided to wage war on Iraq to protect Saudi Arabia; many thought that many black lives will be lost in the war. Therefore blacks never approved the Gulf War. Most of the black congress man openly held rallies to oppose the war and tried to stop the community from joining the army. They blamed army for taking advantage of the socioeconomic conditions of the blacks who were desperate for improving their conditions. It can be judged by the reaction of blacks to the Gulf War that the community cannot be manipulated through the use of propaganda and media. They believe in tolerance and anti-imperialism probably due to their own conditions. (Jacquelin Howard-Matthews) (WILKERSON)

Novel by Haruki Murakami Essay

The short story â€Å"On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning† by Haruki Murakami connects with the reader through the idea that you can encounter true love by chance. Unfortunately, that chance can get away from you without any real action from yourself. The story is set in Tokyo in 1981 on what is described as a beautiful April morning. It sounds like a regular day, what made it beautiful for the main character was that he saw the girl that was 100% perfect girl for him. The methods of fiction help us better understand and connect to stories. The narration is done in the first and third person points of view. The first person point of view inserts the reader into the situation, making the story very personal. The third person narrative gives a different, larger perspective on the story and gives us more of an insight into the concept of chance. From a characterization stand point the main character is portrayed as a regular person and really only encounters a regular girl but in his eyes, she is really more like a girl from another world. There is one other person in the story but only provides a little bit of dialogue and is not developed at all. The third person narrative develops the two different main characters in ways first person does not. The overall tone of the story is somber. The idea of once having your true love so close then letting â€Å"fate† run its course only to never feel the same way again is depressing As a whole, this story connects the reader to an event that many have probably encountered in their life; seeing the perfect person, just for a second but not taking action. We go on with our lives and think nothing of it but this story delves a bit deeper into a possible scenario connecting the two people. In the end however, the characters still lose each other.

Moby Dick Essay

Melville’s Moby Dick is widely recognized as one of the most complex and brilliant allegorical novels in American literature. As an allegory, the events, places, people and conflicts depicted in the novel represent not only the obvious surface-level elements of the novel, but stand as indications of the novel’s philosophical and metaphysical themes. The allegory of Moby Dick involves an examination into the nature of reality and also into the nature of good and evil, as defined for Melville partially by America’s Puritan heritage. Melville wanted to portray the essence of evil in a symbol, which was the whale, Moby Dick. When Ahab says â€Å"All visible objects, man, are but as pasteboard masks,† (Melville) he is echoing the allegorical construction of the novel in which each thing, such as the whale, Moby Dick, is merely a â€Å"pasteboard mask† (Melville) which hides the true essence beneath, an â€Å"unknown but still reasoning thing† (Melville) which â€Å"puts forth the mouldings of its features from behind the unreasoning mask† (Melville). For Ahab, the white whale is the mask which disguises truth and the revelation of the nature of reality. In this sense, the white whale becomes a symbol for whatever it is that holds mankind back from the perception of absolute reality. Ahab emphatically reveals his Platonic beliefs when he says â€Å"If man will strike, strike through the mask! How can the prisoner reach outside except by thrusting through the wall? To me, the white whale is that wall, shoved near to me. Sometimes I think there`s naught beyond. † (Melville) In this sense, the whale represents oblivion, the â€Å"naught beyond† which in Ahab’s mind is plainly associated with death. It is toward the heart of the nature of reality that Ahab strikes with his blood-sealed harpoon, not merely a fish in the ocean. For Ahab the white whale represented both ultimate reality and the wall which separates man from ultimate reality. Ahab’s view of nature and reality is that the visible world and all of the events, people, and actions in it are indicators of deeper, more profound, metaphysical ideas and experiences: when he hunts the white whale which represents evil and oblivion, he is hunting the absolute nature of evil, not merely one of its beasts. The intense hate that Ahab feels for the white whale helps to distinguish Ahab’s view of reality as presented in the novel form the vision of reality Melvile was trying to establish by way of the allegory of the novel. While Ahab believes the white whale to be the symbol of evil, Melville’s depiction of evil through the allegorical structure of Moby Dick is shown, ironically, through Ahab himself and not through the symbol of the whale. Instead, for Melville, the whale symbol indicated the cosmic universe and was exhaustively related through his use of cetological detail and science. In this way, Ahab’s obsession and hate are shown to be a tragic flaw along the lines of some of Shakespeare’s heroes, after whom Ahab’s dialogue explaining his motives for hunting Moby Dick are clearly derived. As Ishmael gains a closer, more intimate apprehension of whales, the development of his character and spiritual insight are correspondingly elevated. The more detailed are the cetological experiences and catalogues, the more wholly expressive and self-possessed and sure becomes Ishmael. Still deeper correspondences between the cetological material and Melville’s narrative form are established in Ishmael’s descriptions of the whales â€Å"blubber† and â€Å"skin† which he posits as being indistinguishable. This is reflected in the narrative structure of â€Å"Moby Dick† where it is equally as difficult to apprehend where the â€Å"skin† (overt theme and storyline) of the novel ends and the â€Å"blubber† (cetological and whaling discourses and catalogues) begin. Melville makes it perfectly clear that the â€Å"blubber† is an as indispensable part of his novel as it is for the whale’s body. â€Å"For the whale is indeed wrapt up in his blubber as in a real blanket or counterpane; or, still better, an Indian poncho slipt over his head;† (Melville) therefore, too, is the expository material, the â€Å"blubber† of the novel wrapped around its central, allegorical aspects. The detailed cetological aspects of â€Å"Moby Dick† may, indeed, prevent the reader from an easy, and immediate grasp of the novel’s â€Å"meaning† or even its astounding climax. Just as the whale’s hump is believed by Ishmael to conceal the whale’s â€Å"true brain† while the more easily accessed â€Å"brain† know to whalers is merely a know of nerves, the secret â€Å"core† of â€Å"Moby Dick† can only be pursued with patience and close, deep â€Å"cutting†due to the organic and harmonious nature of its narrative form. By keeping in mind the previously discussed aspects of the relationship between â€Å"Moby Dick’s† comprehensive cetological materials and their symbolic relationship to the novel itself, its form and themes, Ishmael, while discoursing on the desirability of whale meat as fit food for humans, offers an ironic gesture toward the novel’s probable audiences. â€Å"But what further depreciates the whale as a civilized dish, is his exceeding richness. He is the great prize ox of the sea, too fat to be delicately good† (Melville).

Singapore the Way to a Global City Essay Example

Singapore the Way to a Global City Essay Example Singapore the Way to a Global City Essay Singapore the Way to a Global City Essay PREFACE Anyone who had a chance to witness a Singapore of the 1950s-the British’s colonial port and a prosperous Singapore nowadays has to admire the rise of Singaporean as well as the wise leadership of the government. There is no doubt that the city-state of Singapore represents a remarkable success story that has placed the country among the developed nations. After its independence in the mid-1960s, Singapore had no more than a deep port. There are no fresh water, no hinterland; all nation’s area just limits in 700 square kilometer. The question made in everyone’s mind was how Singapore could survive with such obstacles after the British’s withdrawal rather than how Singapore could develop to become one of the top-class economies. In contrast of everyone’s thought, Singapore has swiftly moved ahead of all neighbouring countries in almost all fields, turning itself into Asia’s second-richest country in term of per capita income. How has Singapore done to attain such remarkable achivements? What will Singapore have to do to cope with emerging giants such as China, India? It is the content of this essay: SINGAPORE -THE WAY TO THE GLOBAL CITY. In this essay, it is inevitable to have some mistakes. Therefore, I hope you will excuse them and contribute to make the essay better. I/. Singapore’s history and periods of development: The modern Singaopore’s history began in 1819 when Englishman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles established a British port on the island and Singapore proved to be a prized settlement. By 1820, it was earning revenue, and three years later, its trade surpassed that of Penang. Singapore, together with Malacca and Penang, the two British settlements in the Malay Peninsula, became the Straits Settlements in 1826, under the control of British India. With the advent of the steamship in the mid-1 860s and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Singapore became a major port of call for ships plying between Europe and East Asia. This led to the prosperity of Singapore until Japanese occupation, starting on Frebruary 1942 and lasting for three years and a half. The British forces returned in September 1945. At that time the people, especially the merchant class, clamored for a say in the government. Hence, Singapore’s first election was held on 20 March 1948. Upon the basis of a new constitution that gave Singapore a greater measure of self-government, the 1955 election was the first lively political contest in Singapore’s history. Self-government was attained in 1959 when Singapore’s first general election was held and Lee Kuan Yew became Singapore’s first Prime Minister. In 1963, Singapore was formally merged with Malaysia for the purpose of benefiting the economy by creating a common free market, eliminating trade tariffs, and solving unemployment woes and Singapore’s security would also be safeguarded within the much larger Malaysia. However, the merger proved to be short-lived. Singapore was separated from the rest of Malaysia on 9 August 1965, and became a sovereign, democratic and independent nation. Thereafter, Singapore commenced the struggle to survive, prosper on its own and create a sense of national identity and consciousness among a disparate population of immigrants. Singapore entered the 1970s as a politically stable state with a high rate of economic growth. On 28 November 1990, a new chapter opened in Singapore’s modern history Goh Chok Tong became the second Prime Minster of Singapore after the resignation of Lee Kuan Yew. In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong , the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the third Prime Minister of Singapore and has been giving innovative policies to make Singapore become a global city. II/. Singapore’s achievements: When Singapore gained independence in 1965, its leaders cried rather than cheered. The idea that a small island city-state of two million people with no hinterland could survive in what was then a difficult and troubled region seemed manifestly absurd. Nevertheless, by its own effort, Singapore has been from the Third World to the First. 1/. Economy: Singapore’s economy has grown by more than 7 percent annum since 1965, leading to a per-capita income of US$29,610, ranking the ninth in the world. It now has the most efficient port, airport, airline and civil service in the world. Along with Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan, Singapore is one of the Four Asian Tigers. The economy depends heavily on exports refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing. Manufacturing industry which is well-diversified into electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences constituted 26 percent of Singapore’s GDP in 2005. It also has the third largest oil refining. In 2006, Singapore produced about 10 percent of the worlds foundry wafer output. Singapore now is the worlds fourth largest foreign exchange trading centre after London, New York city and Tokyo. Its total trade is three times the size of its GNP. 2/. Society: In the process of developing economy, Singapore has also concentrated on the conservation of environment in order to become the cleanest country in the world. Singapore has been well-known to have the best living conditions, expressing on some fields: Health: Singapore has one of the best healthcare systems in the world with the assistance of Medisave, Medishield, Medifund. That explains the fact that the population has become healthier each year. Infant mortality rates have fallen from 26. 3 per 1000 live births in 1965 to 3. 2 per 1000 today. Life expectancy is also rising. Education: Singapore has the highest literacy rate in the world. Education is neither totally free nor compulsory, but today 90 percent of the population will complete at least 10 years of education; 20 percent will complete university; 40 percent will complete polytechnic training, and 30 percent will complete vocational training. Housing: Shelter is also plentiful. 90 percent of the population lives in high-rise public housing that occupies only one-sixth of the island. The average dwelling space per family is above the global average. Virtually all Singaporeans live in homes they own because of a compulsory savings program, the Central Provident Fund (CPF). Multi-racial harmony: Singapore includes Chinese, Malays, Indians. Despite difficulties from the variety of ethnic groups and religions, Singapore has been successful with the policies of multi-racial harmony. Therefore, Singapore has been developing stably with four official languages (Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English). III. Lee Kuan Yew’s contribution to Singapore’s succes s: Singapore nowadays has totally changed its look from the image of a country with poverty and corruption of 1950s. In contrast to todays prosperity, during the 1950s, Singapore was merely one of the many colonial ports of the British Empire, with fewer than 1. million people. In 1959, Singapores GDP per capita was only $400. How could this small island develop into a splendid city and a flourishing country from a poor village-like port 50 years ago? There are many factors contributing to Singapore’s success, in which Lee Kuan Yew (Prime Minister from 1959-1990) played a crucial role. In the limit of this essay, I just would like to emphasize the role of Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore’s development. The success of Singapore is mostly due to the talented leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, who is the architect of many sound policies in many fields helping raise the Singapore’s economy. When elected to become the Prime Minister in 1959, Lee Kuan Yew gained the autonomy for Singapore from the British in all state matters except in defence and foreign affairs. Singapore even is more resource-poor than Japan. It has almost no natural resources aside from its deep-water port. Only 4% of the total area is arable land. In order to gain the control of defence and foreign policy and benefit the economy, Lee Kuan Yew forced to merge Singapore into Malaya, which with the mergence of Sabah and Sarawak became Malaysia in 1963. However, just two years later, in 1965, Lee Kuan Yew had to proclaim the seperation of Singapore from Malaysia and began to lead an independent Singapore with numerous difficulties ahead. Lee Kuan Yew had three main concerns – national security, the economy, and social issues – during his post-independence administration. 1/. National security: Recognizing the vulnerability of Singapore from outside threats, he quickly sought international recognition of Singapores independence as Singapore gained admission to the United Nations on 21 September 1965. He also declared a policy of neutrality and non-alignment, following Switzerland’s model. At the same time, he assigned Goh Keng Swee with the task of building the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and requested help from other countries for advice, training and facilities. Singapore later co-founded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on 8 August 1967 and was admitted into the Non-Aligned Movement in 1970. 2/. Economic issues: Having almost no natural resources except for the deep port, Lee Kuan Yew supposed that Singapore had no choice but joining the international trade and commerce. He believed that creating and sustain a free and open economy is an efficient way for Singapore to develop. In the 1960s, Singapore was still very poor with high unemployment rate, especially after the British’s withdrawal. He tried to attract foreign investment as much as possible, encouraged the growth of private enterprises and avoided any subsidy. The government has adopted an open-door policy and welcomes foreign investment as well as foreign expertise. Singapore’s free-enterprise spirit extends to its relations with foreign investors. An open business environment has evolved in Singapore, evidenced by the size of the countrys external trade which is in fact about three times that of the domestic GDP. A free trade policy ensures that there are minimal restrictions on the import and export of goods. Therefore, almost all commodities, and consumer and industrial items enter and leave the country free from duty charges. Singapore provides international businesses with a total operating capability in a conducive business and free trade environment. In order for policies to be implemented effectively, apparatus of government is very important. None better than him, he was aware that Singapore was only able to grow when it has a pure, dedicated and talented government. Lee Kuan Yew built and ran a totally corruption-free regime by setting an example of exemplary virtues himself. Civil servants are chosen from top of the most excellent students of universities. In first days after independence, Singapore was still very poor. How could the corruption which was soaked into the government since the British colonial time be crossed out? Lee Kuan Yew then, in one hand, inspired civil servants the strong work ethic; in the other hand, he built a strict and close framework of legislation. After the economy overcame some obstacles in the first stage, Singapore’s civil servants were paid handsome salaries so that they remained free from temptations. Lee Kuan Yew made it clear to them that his administration would have zero tolerance for sleaze of any kind. It was not unsual for a foreign entrepreneur wanting to set up a manufacturing facility to get all the approvals from a single officer. In 2001, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Lee’s successors, decided to raise the salary budget for overnment employees from $28 million to $34 million, while Singapore’s public service is regularly rated as one of the most efficient and competent in the world. How did he justify this increase? â€Å"Judge my government by its results, the quality of political leadership is all important, that is fair to make this increase, given the ministers’ huge responsibilities and impact on people’s lives†, he said. The countrys sound government policies hav e enabled Singapore to rank as Asias most stable country. The Singapore government encourages businesses to thrive by keeping red-tape to a minimum. It also has a reputation for being responsive to changes and is willing to adapt quickly to new and unforeseen circumstances by altering its outlook and modifying its policies. The government encourages private sector initiative. Government agencies with regulatory functions have close rapport with the private sector; major policies affecting the business community are often adopted only after consultation with major trade and business bodies. To a small, no natural resources island like Singapore, human resource is the most valuable. Since the first days, Lee Kuan Yew has put education as one of the most important national strategies. Its main objective was to ensure that every child had a place in school. Lee realized early on that English is the future of international commerce, which is what Singapore is all about and students lacking English command are hard to find a good job. Thus, English, with three other languages have become official languages in Singapore. Since then, English has been forced to use in teaching and learning. Top students with exceptional bilingual (Chinese and English) abilities from the national primary school leaving examinations were given options to study in specialized secondary schools to develop these capabilities further. On the whole, the edu ¬cation system is based on the economy’s needs. In the 1960s, Singapore’s infrastructure was weak and deficient. Lee used military infrastruture for the civil purpose. Simultaneously, to develop the unique advantage of Singapore, Lee tried to attract foreign investment to improve the infrastructure. Singapore nowadays has become the busiest port in the world and become the international trade connection due to its worldwide sea and air links, modern port and airport facilities, sophisticated telecommunications network, and comprehensive land transport system. /. Social issues: Singapore is a very small island but there are three ethnic groups on it. Therefore, one of the main concerns of Lee Kuan Yew is that how to harmonize these ethnic groups in order for them to direct toward the common benefit of the country. The first thing Lee did was making Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, along with English to become official languages, despite the fact that almos t 80% Singaporeans are ethnic Chinese, only about 14% Singaporeans are Malays and 7% are Indians. Lee introduced the teaching of three languages, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, in English schools. To balance this, he introduced the teaching of English in Chinese, Malay and Tamil schools. Lee Kuan Yew stated publicly that all four major languages in Singapore were official and equal. Thus the Chinese language and culture did not dominate the landscape of Singaporeans social life despite the overwhelming proportion of the Chinese in the total population. Without any natural sources of water like freshwater rivers and lakes, the primary domestic source of water in Singapore is rainfall, collected in reservoirs or water catchment areas. The country also imports a large amount of water from Malaysia, which means that Singapore depends on Malaysia’s water supply. In order to stabilize Malaysia’s water supply, Lee Kuan Yew gave a request for Malaysias guarantee of water supply to Singapore as part of the 1965 Agreement of Separation, which was later deposited in the United Nations. Singapore also relied on the fact that the Straits of Malacca had been international waters for centuries. If any of these were breached, Singapore could go to the UN Security Council. In addition, the authorities also launched a unique process of producing ‘ultra-clean water called NEWater. The lack of good public housing, poor sanitation, and high unemployment led to social problems from crime to health issues. The Housing Development Board (HDB) set up before independence continued to be largely successful and huge building projects were given to provide affordable public housing. Within a decade, the majority of the population had been housed in these apartments. The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Scheme, introduced in 1968, allows residents to use their compulsory savings account to purchase HDB flats and gradually increases home ownership in Singapore. The story on the environment front is also worth studying. Determining the economic growth as a national strategy, simultaneously, Lee Kuan Yew also stressed on the necessity of a green nature in the way to substantial development. With careful land planning, only 49 percent of the island is used for residential, commercial and industrial purposes. Hence, half the island consists of forest reserves, water catchment areas, marshes and other non-built-up areas. It is a green island, even though the World Bank classifies the population as one hundred percent urbanized†. Singapore nowadays, which is the cleanest city in the world, really becomes the paradise of rest and treatment. IV/. Vision to the future: With the unique advantage of strategic location, stable government, competitive workforce, forward-looking economic policies and a pro-business environment, Singapore is not only a convenient link between East and West, but also offers easy access to Asia Pacific’s dynamic market of over 2. 8 billion people. With its rich multicultural heritage, Singapore combines a truly cosmopolitan ambience with classic Asian hospitality. Clean and green surroundings, a low crime rate, affordable housing, and outstanding visitor attractions are just some of the factors that make working and living in Singapore a pleasure. For such those, Singapore deserves to become a global city. In the last period of development, Singapore has been successful in learning from other countries’ experience. However, with the status of one of the top-class economies, from now there is no more experience lesson for Singapore to learn. It will have to find out its own way and be ready to accept falure if any. In a recent research of author Mansour Javidan on the Havard business magazine about future-oriented culture, Singapore has the strongest future-oriented culture, the following are Switzerland, Holland and Malaysia. Since the 1990s, Singapore has given programs to prepare for meeting challenges and opportunities in the 21st century, such as: Public service 21, Industry 21, Human resource 21, the Scheme 21 for building global city- the best house, the plan of developing national technology and science†¦ In the 1990s and this 21st century, we are witnessing the rise of China and India in many fields: economy, military affairs, technology†¦, which has negatively affected Singapore’s position as a leading attracter of foreign investments and a prominent Asian manufacturer and exporter. With their varied natural resources, low labour costs, varying business opportunities and tempting incentives, the two Asian giants have left little for Singapore to do. Realizing this reality, Singapore has been developing a new role for itself in the current millennium. This includes acting as a bridge between China and India on the one hand, and as a bridge between two these countries and other countries in the West and Southeast Asia on the other. Lee Kuan Yew, who strongly supports such a role, had urged Singaporean firms as early as the 1970s to strongly establish themselves in China, so they could successfully compete with other foreign investors and control maximum business opportunities. In line with its new role, Singapore decided to develop manufacturing in favour of higher-value added activities. It emphasized the need to shift to a knowledge-based economy where fine education and training and specific services needed in China, India, and other emerging powers would be available. The government’s strategy in recent years to attract more foreign students and trainees and to have institutions that can train them in certain specialized areas for careers in government and first-class private companies must be viewed in this regard. For such orientation and preparation for future, it can be sure that this city-state, based on strong rule of law, Western economic and managerial practices, effective corruption- free admininstration and top-class infrastructure, can meet the challenge and present the world with another success story with the global city status. CONCLUSION The success story of Singapore has been so well-known that many countries in the Third World have considered Singapore as a model to strive. Under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore had remarkable achievements in all aspects: economy, social life, national identity, education, science and technology†¦ The face of Singapore has totally changed compared with that in 1950s. The policy that has brought success for Singapore are: Sustain a free and open economy, avoid any subsidy, set up uncorruption administration, elcome foreign investment. Due to sound policies of government, Singapore has used very well its unique advantage to develop it to the busiest port in the world and Singapore has become the gateway to Asia. Besides, the key to Singapore’s economic success has come from the free trade. Free trade has given Singapore many business opportunities and made Singapore become the strategic link between the West and the East. In order to meet forwarding challenges in a more and more competitive world, Singapore has proposed many forward-looking missions, in which has attached special importance to training future human resource. Being a vibrant, dynamic city state with one of the highest standards of living in the world, a key regional trading center and the world’s busiest port, Singapore deserves to be a global city. It is also sure that successors will keep Lee Kuan Yew’s principles, which have being made Singapore an uncorrupt and meritocracy based society, to maintain Singapore as a global city.

Malapropisms

Malapropisms Malapropisms Malapropisms By Sharon Sheridans 18th century play, The Rivals, featured a hilarious character called Mrs Malaprop, who was apt to drop a verbal clanger whenever she opened her mouth. Thats where we get the word malapropism from, though its real origin is in the French phrase mal propos, meaning inopportune or not to the purpose. When someone uses a malapropism, its because: theyve used a word that was not what they intended, given the context the word used sounds similar to the one intended the word used actually means something different (in other words, its not a made up word) Malapropisms are often the same part of speech, begin or end in the same way or have the same rhythm when spoken. Here are a few malapropisms. Feel free to add a few of your own in the comments thread. From The Rivals Hes as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile. (alligator) He is the very pineapple of politeness. (pinnacle) I am sorry to say, Sir Anthony, that my affluence over my niece is very small. (influence) I thought she had persisted from corresponding with him; (desisted) Make no delusions to the past. (allusions) From The Other Pages Damp weather is very hard on the sciences. (sinuses) Having one wife is called monotony. (monogamy) A rolling stone gathers no moths. (moss) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Punctuate References to Dates and TimesOne Fell SwoopOne Scissor?

Critical Appraisal of a Piece of Research Essay

Critical Appraisal of a Piece of Research - Essay Example Yes. The research questions focused on the reasons for long-term older smokers with arterial disease to continue to smoke; and what the implications were to current smoking behaviour and future smoking intent. Do they perceive a relationship between smoking and the events and circumstances of their lives? What, according to them, is the part played by dependency in their smoking behaviour? Are their beliefs about the reasons for their smoking, reflected in their patterns and levels of smoking? Will these beliefs have an impact on their intentions regarding smoking? semi-structured, face-to-face interviews using â€Å"life grids†. Changes in levels and patterns of smoking against events and circumstances of respondents’ lives were charted by â€Å"life grids†, which were incorporated in the study. An experimental group of current smokers were studied alongside a control group of ex-smokers. The total number of 70 respondents were recruited from the Edinburgh Artery Study, a longitudinal study supported by the British Heart Foundation (Fowkes, 1995). This paper is based on a two-year qualitative study on â€Å"Life course influences on patterns of persistent smoking among older smokers and exsmokers with arterial disease.† The research sample consisted of 22 current smokers and 48 ex-smokers, aged between 65 and 84 years, with a minimum of 10 years smoking history, who smoked an average of at least 10 cigarettes a week throughout their smoking histories, and suffered from arterial disease (Parry et al 2001). The method of selecting the two groups was at random. No particular method of allocation such as stratification was described. The groups were not well balanced, since the number of current smokers were less than half that of the ex-smokers. For the purpose of eliminating â€Å"observer bias† it is essential to