Biography of Huey Long Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Biography of Huey Long - Essay Example This paper will discuss the biography of Huey Pierce Long and his career as a senator of Louisiana. Huey was born on 30th august 1893 at Winn parish in Winnfield, a small town at the north of the state (Collins and Smith 1). His father was Senior Huey Pierce Long (1852-1937), and a descendant of Tison William and Sarah Tison. Huey attended local schools at his young age, where he became a brilliant student. He was later expelled from school in 1908 after protesting against the 12th grade requirement for graduation. He had won a scholarship to Louisiana University, but did not afford textbooks to attend. He spent four years as a salesperson selling canned goods, books, patent medicine and as an auctioneer (Collins and Smith 2). In 1913, he got married to Rose McConnell, who was a stenographer. They got two sons Russel and Palmer and a daughter named Rose. During World War 1, the sales job became scarce and Long decided to attend Oklahoma Baptist University for seminary classes. He later joined the law school at Tulane University in New Orleans. Having studied law for one year at Tulane University, he took the state bar exam where he passed well and began private practice of law at Winnfield. He worked for 10 years representing plaintiffs against enormous businesses. He never took cases involving poor people. He became famous when he took on standard oil company for unacceptable business practices. He continued to challenge the company’s influence over the state politics and exploitation of the oil and gas deposits in the state (Boulard 49). At the age of 25, Long was appointed in Louisiana railroad commission in 1918 based on anti-standard oil company platform in 1918. He utilized the position at this commission to perfect his political career. He was a strong opponent of enormous utility and oil companies and fought against pipeline

Transport of gas Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Transport of gas - Coursework Example 89). This further buttresses the high affinity for oxygen of the fetal hemoglobin. Additionally, fetal hemoglobin lacks the interaction with 2,3-BPG. Due to a change on a single amino acid on the binding pocket of 2,3-BPG, it binds less to fetal hemoglobin (Hall, 2010, p.58). This phenomenon explains the high affinity of fetal hemoglobin for oxygen as compared to maternal adult hemoglobin. c) After birth, the fetal hemoglobin is replaced with adult hemoglobin. Therefore, the oxygen-dissociation curve shifts to the right. It confers advantage to the infant after birth because the adult hemoglobin readily gives out oxygen to the tissues as compared to fetal hemoglobin, despite the fact that fetal hemoglobin has a higher affinity for oxygen. It would prevent tissue ischemia (Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2013) b) An increase in the partial pressures of carbon dioxide will shift the curve to the right. Carbon dioxide reduces intracellular pH as a result of the formation of bicarbonate ion. Formation of bicarbonate releases a proton into plasma, therefore reducing pH which has an effect of shifting the curve to the right (Ganong, 2005, p. 90). Similarly, pH affects the oxygen-dissociation curve. A decrease in pH shifts the curve to the right. At molecular level, a high H+ concentration, some amino acids such as Histidine 164 exist in their protonated form predominantly. They; therefore, form ion pairs which maintains deoxyhaemoglobin in the T state. The T state of hemoglobin has a lower affinity for oxygen; therefore, with increased acidity levels, hemoglobin binds less oxygen. This phenomenon is known as the Bohr Effect(Hall, 2010, p.57).. Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Fetal Hemoglobin (Hemoglobin F) Fact Sheet. Available from from Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: http://phpa.dhmh.maryland.gov/genetics/SitePages/hemo_f.aspx [Accessed:

My Jewish Experience Essay Example for Free

My Jewish Experience Essay In a first glance, Hawaii seems to be a country that strictly holds its cultural values and identity with pride, leaving no room for foreign beliefs and practices to grow. However, my first impression has been proven wrong as for the first time, I set foot on the halls of Temple Emanu-el, a Jewish synagogue situated in 2550 Pali Highway, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96817. On a Friday evening, 28 November 2008, half an hour past seven, I was exposed to the practices and beliefs of Orthodox Judaism through Rabbi Peter B. Schaktman .. It was a moment of mixed emotions for me since I only knew Judaism through books, television, films, and internet, and that I thought I would have been overwhelmed by the spectacle of one of the world’s major religious systems However, I was initially surprised by the size of the synagogue as it was totally different from how I had imagined it to be; the place was relatively small, perhaps because Judaism is not Hawaii’s main religion, nevertheless, the size of the place was just different from what I always thought. Judging by the size of the place, I would say that 300~350 people could seat accommodated in the synagogue. The structure’s ceiling was high, and the interior designs made me recall the facades of the Roman Catholic Church. The synagogue also contains what the pastor called an Ark, the ark is a decorated cabinet wherein the Torah of the synagogue is housed And like other places of worship, I also noticed that Temple Emanu-el also has a pulpit in an elevated platform where the torah and other scriptures are read. Judaism is a religion that promotes Jewish identity and culture, I seemed to have noticed that there is not much art in the in the Ark of Temple Emanu-el. The most probable reason is that the Jewish consider that part of the synagogue as the holiest area. Apart from the decorative curtain that serves as the cover for the Ark, the only objects to be seen in the synagogue are object of religious significance such as the ark and a candle stand. The only non-religious object close enough to be considered art were a couple of flowers in vases positioned near the ark. During the worship service proper, the only clergy member present in the synagogue was Rabbi Schaktman. I have no idea as to why he was the only clergyman present during the time, but during the worship services, he was accompanied by a Cantorial Soloist named Ken Aronowitz who sang the songs and hymns. Although religious hymns and songs are not to be appreciated as an artistic effort, I can say that Mr. Aronowitz’s voice is captivating enlightening. While I was participating in the worship services, I have observed that the devotees have the book named Gates of Prayer. I realized that people from the sect consider the book as a guide to the service and to spiritual enlightenment. From my experience that night, it appears that in every service, the Rabbi discusses and interprets every chapter of the book with the devotees. Based on my observation, the book contains the words of God as well as the hymns of praise to God. Continuing further with the practices and rituals, I noticed that a particular differences between Judaism and Christianity, first is on the discussion of the contents of Gates of Prayer. During the service, Rabbi Schaktman read and discussed the distinction of Jews from non-Jews through analysis of the words non-Jews celebrate : Jews Observe. The Rabbi interpreted the exact contents of the book, however, he just used a language that everyone could simply understand. There are certain moments where the Rabbi told us a story based on his experiences and related the story with the topic discussed during that night. And the story the Rabbi used was an article from the newspaper Honolulu Advertiser which revolved around the celebration of thanksgiving. The Rabbi said something about Jewish attitude for Thanksgiving, and in doing so, he implied that as a Jew, celebrating Thanksgiving is violating the Law of Moses and that conforming to tradition not set by God and his prophets Christmas should be eliminated. Another distinction I have observed in the Jewish worship service was the hymn or the songs of praise. In practicing Christianity, I had to separately bring the bible and a book which contains more than 700 songs. In Temple Emanu-el, the words from God (which is taken from the scriptures) and songs were compiled in the Gates of Prayer, and most of the songs of praise appear to be sung in the Hebrew language. In addition, the songs of praise come in between the Rabbi’s preaching. After he finished a paragraph in the book, people sing. Although I couldn’t understand the language of the hymn, the songs definitely got through me in such a way that the tunes of the songs remain in my head. If I had recorder, I really wanted to record the songs but, our instructor advised that it is a rude gesture to bring a recording device and record activities of people we are not familiar with. Another fascinating ritual is the Jewish commemoration of the dead. The walls on both sides of the Temple Emanu-el lists names of more than 500 people on wood surrounding the synagogue and right beside the names were light bulbs with a few turned on.. At first I thought it was some sort of decorative art to make the temple attractive, but I asked to Rabbi after the service, and he said that the names with the light bulbs turned on were the dead people who worshipped in the temple and died during that week or that month. The Rabbi also said that it was the Temple’s way of cherishing the memory of their deceased brothers and sisters. Although the temple’s ritual of honoring the deceased was relatively new to me, it produced a deep impression on me. This is because I only knew of commemorating rituals in the traditions of Christianity. And I personally thought that the Christian practices of preserving the memory of the dead accorded with the other religious systems. Another ritual I saw during my visit at the Temple Emanu-el was the Jewish tradition on marriage. That night, an engaged couple came to the temple with their families, the Rabbi gave them blessing of Lynne Chun and Harvey Reackmil on the occasion of their upcoming marriage, and after the Rabbi granted the blessing, everyone started to say â€Å"mazltof! † I guess that it is their way of saying congratulations to the newly blessed couple. . After the speech of service, Rabbi Schaktman slowly came to our side and tried to make eye contact with each of us. I initially thought that I needed to pay for the collection just like in the Christian church that I used go to. But from the way he looked at us, I felt like he is trying to give us a chance to realize our sins for the past week and prompt us not to make the same mistakes again. Following the ending ceremony of the service, I came to a realization that the Jewish religion is not as promising as it claims itself to be. As far as I respect some of the Jewish beliefs, customs, traditions, and practices, I honestly find Judaism’s norms uncomfortable. One is that the doctrines are so individualistic and very prejudiced as the Rabbi discussed the evils of not being Jewish and how the Jewish way turns out as the right path in life. Also the Rabbi gave us an impression that I and the rest of the class who went there were not welcome in their temple or in their community. Maybe I was just being too sensitive in this matter, but when I tried to talk to the Rabbi, he did not pay any attention to what I was saying or to the questions I were asking. The experience was alienating, although the Rabbi constantly told us to comeback anytime, we felt it was just a gesture with no thought to it. As my disbelief and mistrust in God or any divine being, I find myself unmoved by the beliefs and practices of Judaism. Neither did its changed my skepticism of God As such, visiting the temple and participating in Jewish worship services did not affect my beliefs, ideas, and my own perception of the experience as well as the religion itself. However, it does not necessarily mean that I do not respect Judaism and all of its followers, as a matter of fact; despite the unwelcome treatment we received from the Rabbi, my utmost respect for Judaism and for its believers remain firm. Like other major religions in the world, my visit in Temple Emanu-el has proven that Judaism, as manifested by their doctrines and songs of praise, is a religion rich in tradition, culture, and ways to establish identity. But religion is not about continuation of tradition or establishment of identity, but it is more of professing and expressing personal beliefs regardless of what such beliefs hold.

Concepts of Social Cohesion and Equality in Education

Concepts of Social Cohesion and Equality in Education The Personal is Political: Why do we let this happen? This age old saying indicates that the choices we make, the way we look, the way we act and present ourselves with and to other people, are political and defines our political orientation, as society dictates we have to look a certain way. But Who says so? The Person is Political is a liberal feminism theory, identifying that Personal problems are Political problems, as they are as a result of political systematic oppression. A rallying cry for many feminists in the 60s and 70s, in their underlying message, in writings, readings and consciousness raising. Relating to the theory and resonating with the feminists cry, Marxism removed the focus away from struggling individuals and onto group struggling, ratifying the only way to effect real change is to do so collectively! Concurring with this ideology, Durkheim further cited by Filloux, stated society is bigger than us and shapes our thoughts and actions the collective conscious, mechanical solidarity with sameness and social bonds based on shared morality, uniting members. This essay will look at supported published literature, how it is understood by the leaders of thought in this field, validating and correlating the shared language to describe and defend my own practice in the community of education. How are we faring against social, economic, cultural and political ideologies? Is it just words? It is my belief, fairness and equality for all has still not been achieved and is an ever evolving work in progress. The differences in society are our connections. Our cultural norms are tacit and white privilege is asking us to challenge them daily and understand what is in Our Knapsacks. We as practitioners, do have the power of inertia to intercede between the individual learner and stakeholders to collectively effect real change to ensure a better society for all. Irelands changing demographic over the last 10 years has helped to shape a more socially and culturally diverse society. There is no doubt that Ireland will remain a diverse society and it is important that we celebrate and harness this diversity and ensure that our communities are inclusive. Speech by Minister Stanton Equality Then, Now Future: Creating a more Equal Inclusive Society Key concepts and theories will explain real life practices and demonstrate the obligation to promote a critical analysis of social change and inclusion, in the context of the social, cultural and political frameworks. Critical reflection and ethics within daily practice trigger theories of social change, inclusion, quality and diversity in my role as an educator. A learner who is Dyslexic, Stephanie (not her real name) is the genesis of the case study and consequently support the growth of this essay. In order to understand other cultures, the lived experience of inequality and inclusion, or lack of will be categorised by three levels of the Micro, Meso and Macro. Taking this into consideration, her lived perspective will evaluate the extent to which Adult and Further Education includes marginalized social groups, what should be contained in an inclusive curriculum and the sense of agency to provide a comfortable supportive environment to enable her to deal with societys barriers. Critical factors such as equality form our mind-sets within particular cultures. The particular culture within our families, organisations and government are the markers of difference and operate at different levels in responding to diversity. Possessing an understanding of what is in my knapsack as a practitioner, Peggy McIntosh (McIntosh, 2016) enabled me to check my own assumptions and re-evaluate, Who and what I am and Who and what I am not The Other. Micro level considers the teaching and learning viewpoints at individual levels in Adult and Further Education. Long gone are the days of I Teach, You listen! approaches, the theory of developing intellect and not listening to the learners voice is non-productive. The importance of emotions are fundamental in the development to the functioning of an inclusive democratic society. How can I let my learners see that I truly care about their progression, if I cannot demonstrate empathy? Sharing my journey of Lifelong Learning, in a professional and legitimate manner allowing the language of emotions to be present within the classroom, is crucial in the establishment of trust building of respectful relationships. In addition, concurring with Filloux, practitioners should adopt to a discipline of sociology, providing for successful structures and facilitation of learning, in conducive learning environments. The teacher of the future is thus one who will manage to live out the pedagogical wish of the sociologist.. (Filloux, 1993) During Stephanies Wk1 Day 1, Induction Week on a yearlong Level 5 Office Administration Course, through Icebreaker introductions, Stephanie disclosed she had not been interviewed or applied for the course herself and was not happy about having to attend. As she had not applied for the course her negative attitude could be somewhat understandable. Stephanie had received a phone call from the organisation, the day prior to commencement of the course and instructed to arrive for class the following day at 8.30am. This relaxed day enabled Tuckmans Formation Stage to develop, empowering learners to share experiences, develop relationships and build confidence and self-worth. On Day 2, following reflection of the previous lesson, further discussions unfolded with Stephanie sharing her bad experiences in school to the group. Relationships were emerging, with other learners demonstrating sympathetic responses. Admitting how she struggled with reading, confessing how daily she was publically humiliated by having to read out loud and when she refused to do so, was labelled troublesome. She was regularly called stupid or dumb by both the teachers and peers and often sent to sit outside the headmistresss door, when she became argumentative. In her own admission, she said it was easier to start an argument in the classroom rather than feel useless. Stephanie felt the only person she developed a relationship with, was the School Secretary. She took the time to listen to me! This school secretary had recognised she was different and suggested her best approach to improve her performance in school would be to go to her doctor, and get a psychological assessment con ducted. The school would receive government funding to support learners with additional needs and the school would be in better position to support Stephanie with her studies. As a result of that conversation, Stephanie felt she had personally failed, in addition to the school system failing her, so she dropped out of school, after her Junior Certificate. However, she did go to the doctors who confirmed in a psychological report that Stephanie was Dyslexic. Emile Durkheim suggests Anomie is a lack of moral standards in a society. Unfortunately, it could be argued Stephanies previous experiences of system failure, in 2nd level education, certainly had an impact on her individual belief systems, behaviours and overall perceptions of Further Education (FE), hence shaping her negative attitude and barriers to motivation of learning. In addition to delivering subject matter content, practitioners are also expected to ensure learners are familiarised with the Rules and Regulations of the Institution. Following the 2 days lessons, in a 1:1 session, Stephanie was made aware of the facility to apply for Learner Support, if she felt she had a specific requirement. She produced her psychological report, stating I had come to class armed with it on the first day, but wanted to see if I would fit in with everybody first. To further support her progression through the course, additional support sessions for an hour, twice a week before and / or after class were offered, by myself. Reassurance was given to Stephanie that all strategies and learning experiences would be reflected in her own personal learning style. In addition, Learner Support if approved, would permit an extra 25% additional time to complete all assessments, the support services of a Reader / Scribe would be made available and all papers would be photocopi ed on yellow paper, to assist with reading. Following the meeting an application was submitted to the organisation for Learner Support. Micro Level is hugely important in the awareness to issues, context and sometimes problems that Adult learners experience, to develop learners skills and confidence in their learning with the necessary practices and strategies. Concurrent with Social Justice Ireland, our social role responsibility, as practitioners, leads to the identification of problems and impediments for progression and inclusion, to change and ensure a better, inclusive, nondiscriminatory society for all. Working to build a just society where human rights are respected, human dignity is protected, human development is facilitated and the environment is respected and protected. (Social Justice Ireland, 2009-2016) Meso Level is the organisations approaches to ameliorate policies and practices to support and promote inclusion, by facilitating the necessary support apparatuses. It could be argued, the solution to constructed failure, at Meso Level in Stephanies case at 2nd Level, focussed more on medical treatments, psychological assessments and monetary gain, instead of focussing on the educational solutions and the necessary support apparatuses. Thus, identifying the other so called efforts of supported others as self-centred. Concurring with Fiona OConnor suggestions, there is a severe lack of professional training given to practitioners to manage diversity within classrooms. Furthermore, at Meso Level is it more ubiquitous. Many employees at this level have never experienced the importance of emotions and emotional work within classrooms, as their roles and responsibilities are often administrative. (Number Crunching). In line with current paradigms to social inclusivity there is an institutional racism still in existence. At Macro Level, the lack of an interview for Stephanie prior to the course commencement, highlighted the failure to identify the necessary prerequisites, willingness to learn, commitment to complete such a long course or that she had an intellectual disability and cognitive condition such as Dyslexia, further demonstrates their lack of concern they do not want to be bothered. Practitioners organise the necessary applications, follow up paper work and hiring of Reader / Scribe personne l for a learner who has been approved for Learner Support. All of which is additional duties outside of class time. The organisations approach to addressing fostering and inclusion of inequality and diversity by practices could be questionable. Are they adopting a bums on seats view? Should practitioners be pre advised of the physical, mental and intellectual disabilities of learners in advance of course commencement? Macro Level is the wider structure context of class, gender and race. Legislative and policy frameworks are regularly being reproduced in the roll out of new revised Strategic Plans, underpinning education, equality and promotion of social inclusion in societal change. However, prior to commencement of the course, Stephanie contacted The Department of Social Protection (DSP) to clarify why she had a place on a course, as she had not applied for one. The information received, informed her she was from a marginalised group, on a Long Term Unemployed Register, therefore it was compulsory to complete a course. This was further outlined in written format, and stated that her failure to attend the course could result in deductions from her Social Welfare Payment. DSP enforcement, can be argued as having a negative impact on learners readiness to learn and a barrier to motivate individuals to partake in learning and progression to Adult and Further Education. Disability Acts, Equality Acts and legislative Strategic Plans provide opportunities to collaborate together and ensure that all of our citizens are entitled to lifelong learning (LLL) advocating the central pillar of the European Union (EU) strategy, to create a dynamic and competitive knowledge- based society and economy (NUI Galway, 2011). Is this at a cost to the individual? Where is the freedom of choice? The educational systems in place are clearly strongly integrated into the society. However, in my opinion, it is impossible to expect equality in education in short of progression and advancement towards equality in the social, economic, cultural and political systems. With this in mind, changing education is the catalyst to those revolutions in changing cultural values and opinions. As previously identified, Marxism removed the focus away from struggling individuals and onto group struggling. It is my belief, fairness and equality for all has still not been achieved and is an ever evolving work in progress, ratifying the only way to effect real change is to do so collectively. References Anon., 2016. Education.ie. [Online] Available at: http://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2016-Press-Releases/PR16-11-21.html[Accessed 22 November 2016]. Anon., 2016. Step It Up:Ireland vows gender equality a foreign policy in the push for the Sustainable Development Goal | UN Women. [Online] Available at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/step-it-up/commitments/ireland[Accessed 12 December 2016]. Anon., 2016. www.leargas.ie. [Online] Available at: http://www.leargas.ie/resources/[Accessed 2 December 2016]. Camilleri , M. A. Camilleri, A., 2015. Education and social cohesion for economic growth. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 19(5), pp. 617-631. Cullen Owens, R., 2005. A Social History of Women in Ireland, 1870-1970 An Exploration of the Changing Role and Status of Women in Irish Society. Dublin: Gill Macmillan. Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe, 2016. epale.ie. [Online] Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/epale/en/themes/social-inclusion[Accessed 18 November 2016]. European Commission, 2016. The EU and Irish Women. [Online] Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/ireland/node/684_en#education[Accessed 12 December 2016]. Filloux, J.-C., 1993. EMILE DURKHEIM (1858-1917). UNESCO: International Bureau of Education, 23(1/2), pp. 303-320. Hearne, L. et al., 2010. The Adult Learner 2010 The Irish Journal of Adul and Community Education. Dublin: AONTAS. McIntosh, P., 2016. White Privilege:Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Waterford : s.n. NUI Galway, 2011. Lifelong Learning: Contemporary Policy and Practice. Galway: National University of Ireland. OCarroll, E., 2012. Preparing for Training Delivery. In: Train the Trainer. Dublin: Gill Macmillan, pp. 50-67. OConnor, F., 2010. Institutional racism in Irish adult education: fact or fiction?. In: The Adult Learner 2010 The Irish Journal of Adult and Community Education. Dublin : AONTAS, pp. 29-52. Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration, 2011. Integration.ie. [Online] Available at: http://www.integration.ie/website/omi/omiwebv6.nsf/page/index-en[Accessed 11 November 2016]. OGrady, M., 2015. How Societies Change, Waterford: Dr Maeve OGrady Moodle WIT. OGrady, M., 2016. Education, Equality Social Inclusion, Waterford: Dr Maeve OGrady Moodle WIT. OGrady, M., 2016. The Other in Adult Education, Waterford: Dr Maeve OGrady Moodle WIT. Osler, A., 2015. The stories we tell: exploring narrative in education for justice and equality in multicultural contexts. Multicultural Education Review, 7(1-2), pp. 12-25. Social Justice Ireland, 2009-2016. Social Justice Ireland. [Online] Available at: http://www.socialjustice.ie/content/policy-issues/presentations-oireachtas-committees[Accessed 12 December 2016]. Waterford Area Partnership, 2016. Waterford Area Partnership. [Online] Available at: http://waterfordlife.ie/supporting-communities/social-inclusion/sicap/[Accessed 23 February 2016].

Why I Must Study Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon :: Admissions Essays

Why I Must Study Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon A University should be a place of delight, of liberty, and of learning," remarked Benjamin Disraeli, an English author, as if he had Carnegie Mellon in mind as he placed his thoughts in writing. How could the Institute of Technology help me achieve intellectual independence and assist me in pursuing a life of ideas? Being one of the finest establishments in the world, Carnegie Institute of Technology would allow me to fulfill my perfectionist ideals; I would be able to compete with the best and the brightest. Moreover, the non-academic life within a dynamic campus with a strong sense of community would enhance the challenging courses that the university has to offer. It is not simple to find a distinctive institution with incredible resources as well as personal attention. With a small faculty-to-student ratio in all classes, I could truly have significant interaction with the professors while simultaneously retaining the knowledge I'd be acquiring. The hands-on experience with up-to -date equipment would be like a dream come true as I'd encompass myself with ubiquitous, influential technology which is taken for granted by the common person. Taking advantage of the broad spectrum of undergraduate programs, I would improve my ability to think quantitatively, solve complicated problems, and apply my knowledge to the real world. There are there kinds of students: one who has the brain for math and sciences; one who is able to think analytically about pieces of literature and historical documents; and finally, one who understands all. I fall into the first type. Therefore, I have always been interested in the field of engineering, for it embodies my favorite subjects. As my physics professor talks of electromagnetic and electric fields between all protons and elections, my mind beams with pleasure, for the new information is of such fascination to it. As my calculus teacher frantically writes the equations of integrals on the board, I jot down the notes with a clear understanding of what the signs stand for and the logic behind them. Then at home, I happily turn on my computer and ponder the genius of artificial intelligence. There is no way I am going to leave these beloved fields of study behind—therefore, Electrical and Computer Engineering would be perfect for me. Engineering is a major that is exp ected to continue experiencing growth, especially strong in areas emphasizing technology.

Intuition in A Jury of Her Peers Essay -- A Jury of Her Peers Essays

Intuition in A Jury of Her Peers      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though men and women are now recognized as generally equal in talent and intelligence, when Susan Glaspell wrote "A Jury of Her Peers" in 1917, it was not so. In this turn-of-the-century, rural midwestern setting, women were often barely educated and possessed virtually no political or economic power. And, being the "weaker sex," there was not much they could do about it. Relegated to home and hearth, women found themselves at the mercy of the more powerful men in their lives. Ironically, it is just this type of powerless existence, perhaps, that over the ages developed into a power with which women could baffle and frustrate their male counterparts: a sixth sense - an inborn trait commonly known as "women's intuition." In Glaspell's story, ironic situations contrast male and female intuition, illustrating that Minnie Wright is more fairly judged by "a jury of her peers."    "A Jury of Her Peers" first uses irony to illustrate the contrast between male and female intuition when the men go to the farmhouse looking for clues to the murder of John Wright, but it is the women who find them. In the Wright household, the men are searching for something out of the ordinary, an obvious indication that Minnie has been enraged or provoked into killing her husband. Their intuition does not tell them that their wives, because they are women, can help them gain insight into what has occurred between John and his wife. They bring Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters along merely to tend to the practical matters, considering them needlessly preoccupied with trivial things and even too unintelligent to make a contribution to the investigation, as Mr. Hale's derisive question reveals:... ...or her motivation; therefore, in hiding the bird, by their silence, they acquit Minnie Wright.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through the ironic situations in "A Jury of Her Peers," Glaspell clearly illustrates a world in which men and women vary greatly in their perception of things. She shows men as often superficial in the way they perceive the world, lacking the depth of intuition that women use as a means of self-preservation to see themselves and the world more clearly. Without the heightened perspective on life that this knowledge of human nature gives them, women might not stand a chance. Against the power and domination of men, they often find themselves as defenseless and vulnerable as Minnie's poor bird.    WORK CITED Glaspell, Susan. "A Jury of Her Peers." L~fted Masks and Other Works. Ed. Eric S. Rabkin. Ann Arbor: U of Michigan p, 1993.      

New Revelations of Pre-Columbian America

In his breakthrough book, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, Charles C. Mann changes myths about the Pre-Columbian America into scientific facts that nobody would deny.   The book is a discussion about the scientific reality of Native American life before Columbus set foot in America.   As it turns out, this view of reality based on scientific details is completely different from what we had previously thought about Pre-Columbian America.   The thesis of Mann’s book may be summed up in his own words thus:When I went to high school, in the 1970s, I was taught that Indians came to the Americas  across the Bering Strait about thirteen thousand years ago, that they lived for the most part in  small, isolated groups, and that they had so little impact on their environment that even after  millennia of habitation the continents remained mostly wilderness.   Schools still impart the  same ideas today.   One way to summarize the views of people li ke Erickson and Balà ©e would  be to say that they regard this picture of Indian life as wrong in almost every aspect.   Indians  were here far longer than previously thought, these researchers believe, and in much greater  numbers.   And they were so successful at imposing their will on the landscape that in 1492   Columbus set foot in a hemisphere thoroughly marked by humankind.After introducing the main thesis of his book – that, in fact, Native Americans were far more civilized than we had previously imagined – Mann begins â€Å"Part One: Numbers from Nowhere† by dealing with New England in the 1600s, and the myth that European technology was far superior to American Indian technologies.   This myth was based on the fact that the Indians did not appreciate guns.   However, the reality is that the Indian moccasins were far more comfortable than the boots of the European; and the canoes built by the Native Americans were speedier and more mane uverable than the small boats made by Europeans.Next, the author gets into a discussion about the reasons for the fall of the Inca Empire.   During this discussion we learn that while the Europeans used metal to make tools, the Indians used it for tokens.   Moreover, the Europeans had used horses while invading the Inca Empire, and the Indians did not have the technology to beat the intruders on horses.   Still, the Inca Empire collapsed mainly because of disease in addition to factionalism.   There had been a civil war after the Native Americans had clashed with the Spanish.   Smallpox and various other epidemics were also responsible for the fall of the Inca Empire.The first part of Mann’s book also tackles the controversy surrounding the number of Native Americans in Pre-Columbian America.   Scholars have disagreed on the population of the Indians.   Whereas Dobyns believed that there were around one hundred million Native Americans living before the fall of the Inca Empire; Henige argued that the population was much less.   Yet, as Mann points out, there is virtually no evidence to suggest that the population of Native Americans was little.In addition to the above, the first part of the book deals with the Aztecs.   According to scientific evidence, the Aztecs were more sophisticated than we had previously believed them to be.   The Greek â€Å"thinker-teacher† model prevailed among them as â€Å"tlamatini.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Part Two: Very Old Bones† provides scientific evidence linked to the skeletons of Lagoa Santa that were found in Brazil’s caves to conclude that the Indians and the Siberians share common ancestry.   Agriculture, too, is a focus of this part of Mann’s book.   According to the author, the Indians began breeding maize right from scratch given that the crop had no â€Å"wild ancestor.†Ã‚   With the development of maize, the Mesoamerican life was further advanced.   The Olmec c ivilization is mentioned as an example of the high culture that was promoted due to advancement in agriculture.Mann also provides evidence that the Mesoamerican cultures made use of calendars, in addition to wheels.   However, the wheels were used only for small toys.   This is because the Mesoamericans were geographically isolated, and therefore did not have access to other people’s ideas on wheels.â€Å"Part Three: Landscape with Figures† is where Mann brings all of his evidence together to conclude that there are things we have to learn from the Indians.   He discusses the Maya, and points out that the civilization was active in transforming land.   Additionally, the author describes the unique use of fire by the Indians in this part of the book.   Apparently, the Indians used fire to benefit the plants as well as encourage the abundance of some animals.Mann points to the mistake of holding racist views about the Indians in understanding their unique cultu re given that such views cloud our receptiveness to reality.   As a matter of fact, the  Indians had reached their optimal level of environment.   Before Christopher Columbus arrived on the continent, however, the Europeans had changed the landscape created by the Indians.AnalysisIndeed, Charles C. Mann is correct in his belief that we have been collectively fed in with the myth that the Native Americans were culturally backward.   In point of fact, this myth does not surround the Indians alone.   Rather, we are made to believe that all civilizations before the major ones as we know them – the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Muslims, and the United States – were culturally backward.We further tend to believe that it was almost impossible for the civilizations of old to perform the kinds of amazing deeds that we perform today, with respect to our technology.   And so, scholars struggled for a long time trying to understand how the ancient Egyptians built the pyra mids without our present technology.   This struggle to understand was led by speculation.However, speculation is unnecessary when scientific facts are before us.   So, we are aware that the ancient Egyptians had their own technology to build the pyramids.   We do not understand the exact nature of that technology.   We may only know from the evidence we have gathered thus far that some of the civilizations of old were far more sophisticated than we had previously imagined them to be.   This is the case with the Indian civilization.   Perhaps, this was also the case with the people of the Stone Age, who might have developed themselves in terms of  philosophical thinking if nothing else.The fact that we do not possess tomes written by people of the Stone Age or the Indians, does not necessarily lead us to the conclusion that the civilizations in question were less developed or evolved than we are.   Rather, those civilizations used their intellectual capacity in a dif ferent way.   Believers in the scriptures which recount the story of Adam and Eve would all agree that the essential human being has not changed through the ages.   Based on this view, only that which civilizations focus upon in their own time is likely to vary from civilization to civilization, and the human being is the same as he was in the beginning, that is, a being that is curious and would like to see change.The main strengths of Mann’s book are its lucid language, and the vast amount of evidence collected by the author.   Mann makes his book extremely interesting by addressing old myths, and describing the facts that must replace the myths.   The book describes unique fruits, for example, that we had previously supposed to be wild.   Even so, the unique fruits consumed by Indians were as nutritious as today’s fruits.   Mann describes interesting fruits with flavors like vanilla ice cream, for instance, and others that contained high levels of vitami n C and protein.The discussion that this book is made up of is very valuable in helping us understand faulty perceptions.   According to the author, â€Å"Given the charged relations between white societies and native peoples, inquiry into Indian culture and history is inevitably contentious.†Ã‚   To put it another way, white societies may have deliberately kept us away from understanding the significance of the Indian culture.   I believe that this is untrue, given the white societies’ emphasis on knowledge.   Moreover, I trust that the mention of racism should not have been a part of this book.   After all, the book was published in a white society to uncover the reality of  the Indian civilization.   As a matter of fact, given the importance of the scientific evidence in the book, it is expected that this book will be studied in white societies for a long time to come.Works CitedMann, Charles C. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus. New York: Vintage Books, 2006. New Revelations of Pre-Columbian America In his breakthrough book, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, Charles C. Mann changes myths about the Pre-Columbian America into scientific facts that nobody would deny.   The book is a discussion about the scientific reality of Native American life before Columbus set foot in America.   As it turns out, this view of reality based on scientific details is completely different from what we had previously thought about Pre-Columbian America.   The thesis of Mann’s book may be summed up in his own words thus:When I went to high school, in the 1970s, I was taught that Indians came to the Americasacross the Bering Strait about thirteen thousand yars ago, that they lived for the most part insmall, isolated groups, and that they had so little impact on their environment that even aftermillennia of habitation the continents remained mostly wilderness.   Schools still impart thesame ideas today.   One way to summarize the views of people like Erickson and B alà ©e wouldbe to say that they regard this picture of Indian life as wrong in almost every aspect.   Indianswere here far longer than previously thought, these researchers believe, and in much greaternumbers.   And they were so successful at imposing their will on the landscape that in 1492Columbus set foot in a hemisphere thoroughly marked by humankind.NEW REVELATIONS OF PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICAAfter introducing the main thesis of his book – that, in fact, Native Americans were far more civilized than we had previously imagined – Mann begins â€Å"Part One: Numbers from Nowhere† by dealing with New England in the 1600s, and the myth that European technology was far superior to American Indian technologies.   This myth was based on the fact that the Indians did not appreciate guns.   However, the reality is that the Indian moccasins were far more comfortable than the boots of the European; and the canoes built by the Native Americans were speedier and mor e maneuverable than the small boats made by Europeans.Next, the author gets into a discussion about the reasons for the fall of the Inca Empire.   During this discussion we learn that while the Europeans used metal to make tools, the Indians used it for tokens.   Moreover, the Europeans had used horses while invading the Inca Empire, and the Indians did not have the technology to beat the intruders on horses.   Still, the Inca Empire collapsed mainly because of disease in addition to factionalism.   There had been a civil war after the Native Americans had clashed with the Spanish.   Smallpox and various other epidemics were also responsible for the fall of the Inca Empire.The first part of Mann’s book also tackles the controversy surrounding the number of Native Americans in Pre-Columbian America.   Scholars have disagreed on the population of the Indians.   Whereas Dobyns believed that there were around one hundred million Native Americans living before the fa ll of the Inca Empire; Henige argued that the population was much less.   Yet, as Mann points out, there is virtually no evidence to suggest that the population of Native Americans was little.NEW REVELATIONS OF PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICAIn addition to the above, the first part of the book deals with the Aztecs.   According to scientific evidence, the Aztecs were more sophisticated than we had previously believed them to be.   The Greek â€Å"thinker-teacher† model prevailed among them as â€Å"tlamatini.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Part Two: Very Old Bones† provides scientific evidence linked to the skeletons of Lagoa Santa that were found in Brazil’s caves to conclude that the Indians and the Siberians share common ancestry.   Agriculture, too, is a focus of this part of Mann’s book.   According to the author, the Indians began breeding maize right from scratch given that the crop had no â€Å"wild ancestor.†Ã‚   With the development of maize, the Mesoameri can life was further advanced.   The Olmec civilization is mentioned as an example of the high culture that was promoted due to advancement in agriculture.Mann also provides evidence that the Mesoamerican cultures made use of calendars, in addition to wheels.   However, the wheels were used only for small toys.   This is because the Mesoamericans were geographically isolated, and therefore did not have access to other people’s ideas on wheels.â€Å"Part Three: Landscape with Figures† is where Mann brings all of his evidence together to conclude that there are things we have to learn from the Indians.   He discusses the Maya, and points out that the civilization was active in transforming land.   Additionally, the author describes the unique use of fire by the Indians in this part of the book.   Apparently, the Indians used fire to benefit the plants as well as encourage the abundance of some animals.Mann points to the mistake of holding racist views about t he Indians in understanding their unique culture given that such views cloud our receptiveness to reality.   As a matter of fact, theNEW REVELATIONS OF PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICAIndians had reached their optimal level of environment.   Before Christopher Columbus arrived on the continent, however, the Europeans had changed the landscape created by the Indians.AnalysisIndeed, Charles C. Mann is correct in his belief that we have been collectively fed in with the myth that the Native Americans were culturally backward.   In point of fact, this myth does not surround the Indians alone.   Rather, we are made to believe that all civilizations before the major ones as we know them – the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Muslims, and the United States – were culturally backward.We further tend to believe that it was almost impossible for the civilizations of old to perform the kinds of amazing deeds that we perform today, with respect to our technology.   And so, scholars strug gled for a long time trying to understand how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids without our present technology.   This struggle to understand was led by speculation.   However, speculation is unnecessary when scientific facts are before us.   So, we are aware that the ancient Egyptians had their own technology to build the pyramids.   We do not understand the exact nature of that technology.   We may only know from the evidence we have gathered thus far that some of the civilizations of old were far more sophisticated than we had previously imagined them to be.   This is the case with the Indian civilization.   Perhaps, this was also the case with the people of the Stone Age, who might have developed themselves in terms ofNEW REVELATIONS OF PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICAphilosophical thinking if nothing else.   The fact that we do not possess tomes written by people of the Stone Age or the Indians, does not necessarily lead us to the conclusion that the civilizations i n question were less developed or evolved than we are.   Rather, those civilizations used their intellectual capacity in a different way.   Believers in the scriptures which recount the story of Adam and Eve would all agree that the essential human being has not changed through the ages.   Based on this view, only that which civilizations focus upon in their own time is likely to vary from civilization to civilization, and the human being is the same as he was in the beginning, that is, a being that is curious and would like to see change.The main strengths of Mann’s book are its lucid language, and the vast amount of evidence collected by the author.   Mann makes his book extremely interesting by addressing old myths, and describing the facts that must replace the myths.   The book describes unique fruits, for example, that we had previously supposed to be wild.   Even so, the unique fruits consumed by Indians were as nutritious as today’s fruits.   Mann describes interesting fruits with flavors like vanilla ice cream, for instance, and others that contained high levels of vitamin C and protein.The discussion that this book is made up of is very valuable in helping us understand faulty perceptions.   According to the author, â€Å"Given the charged relations between white societies and native peoples, inquiry into Indian culture and history is inevitably contentious.†Ã‚   To put it another way, white societies may have deliberately kept us away from understanding the significance of the Indian culture.   I believe that this is untrue, given the white societies’ emphasis on knowledge.   Moreover, I trust that the mention of racism should not have been a part of this book.   After all, the book was published in a white society to uncover the reality ofNEW REVELATIONS OF PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICAthe Indian civilization.   As a matter of fact, given the importance of the scientific evidence in the book, it is expect ed that this book will be studied in white societies for a long time to come.NEW REVELATIONS OF PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICAWorks CitedMann, Charles C. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus. New York: Vintage Books, 2006.