Ambition By Moonlight - Original Writing :: Papers

Ambition By Moonlight - Original Writing The wind howled through Francis' mass of tatty black hair, that looked like a bird's nest, making it stream out behind him. He found it hard to keep his balance walking against the wind; it was like it was trying to lift him up and wisp him off, back to his warm welcoming house where he should be at this very moment. The long, thick grass was covered in frost; it looked like someone had sprinkled a thin layer of salt crystals across the field. It crunched under his feet, making Francis cringe, as he cautiously moved onwards, head bowed against the wind. He could feel the cold, deep down in his bones, despite wearing his thick trousers and fur coat. Suddenly he saw the last bit of the light from the village disappear in some shadows, Francis stopped abruptly and looked up slowly. First of all he noticed the old wooden signpost with its writing barely legible, craning his neck further he saw the mass of bare branches from the towering trees of the wood. The branches looked like frail hands and seemed to be trying to snatch him to haul him into the woods Francis was frozen in his step, transfixed by the woods in front of him, even though he could only see the very edge of the woods it still frightened him and made him jump at the slightest sound. Then all of a sudden the moon appeared bright in the sky from behind the clouds that appeared to have been swept aside by a large hand. It hung in the sky like bricks, lighting the field like a vast beacon. It was then Francis could have sworn he saw a small figure like that of a child, watching him, and appearing strangely familiar but he couldn't put his finger on whom it could be. Yet as quickly as he had seen it, it vanished, Francis shook his head telling himself he was just seeing things. Francis started to edge towards the woods, but just before he entered

Children Youth and Environments Journal Essay

The Role of the Youth in Establishing Unity in a Diversified Multicultural Society Years passed, adults have tried to control youth because they represent the future. Young people often fight back, trying to create their own world that is separate from their parents. At the end of World War II they were finally given a name: â€Å"teen-agers,† an ideal of young people as consumers. That model for youth spread around the world, and still exists today. Throughout history, young people have played an active role in shaping major social and political advancements. Today’s growing globalization and cross-border movements create an environment, which is increasingly diverse in terms of culture and religion. Young people’s contribution to understanding the impact of this diversity on everyday life as well as politics is now more crucial than ever. Moreover, as they constitute the largest segment of population in many regions, the role of youth in shaping their country’s response to cultural and religious diversity is vital. We clearly see youth as an essential asset – a crucial pool of talent, ideas and energy – that plays a critical role in addressing the challenges related to global and local instability. We must get control of this. We must motivate our youth. We must teach responsibility and goal setting. I fear if we do not we will soon be supporting an entire generation of homeless and needlessly on welfare families. Things have to change, with our schools, with the older generation being good role models, with the older generation being mentors, and with the youth who are right now doing nothing. We believe that it is important to recognize young people’s own contribution to promoting respect and understanding and fostering dialogue among people of different backgrounds. With teenage unemployment soaring, young people can no longer influence the world with their wallets. As student protests began exploding across the globe this fall, we felt compelled to†¦ [continues]

Feminism During the 50’s Essay

The book Revolutionary Road, written by Richard Yates, tells the reader a story about the life of Frank and April Wheeler. The Wheelers are a married couple with children who live in a 1950’s suburb. This essay shows the reader how characters in the book do not conform to typical gender roles during this time period and how these gender roles are switched between men and women. The story gives us a lot of insight in to gender roles during the 1950’s. However, Frank and April Wheeler do not abide to the typical gender roles of men and women during this time period in American society. The idea of this analysis is to show the reader how Feminism and Masculinity are tested in Revolutionary Road. Richard Yates switches gender roles in this novel and does a good job of showing us a different perspective from what was most common during the 1950’s. Revolutionary Road is about Frank and April Wheeler who live in a suburb called Revolutionary Estates with their two children Jennifer and Michael. They are viewed by their neighbors as your ideal husband and wife. They have a nosy real estate agent named Mrs. Giving’s who randomly shows up throughout the story and has a deranged son named John who ends up having some conflict with the Wheelers. Mrs. Giving’s also has a husband named Howard who seems not to care what she has to say most of the time because she is always gossiping or talking too much. There is also a couple, Milly and Shep Campbell who are family friends of the Wheelers and often hang out and drink together. Frank ends up having an affair with Maureen, a woman who works at Knox with him. He ends up feeling guilty about it because April does something special for him. She stops the argument they are in and has a surprise birthday plan for him and tells him about her plans of moving their family to Europe. Plans fail however when April realizes she is pregnant and Frank is satisfied that they won’t have to move. April ends up having an affair with Shep Campbell who is in love with her secretly. The story ends up with April killing herself attempting to do her own abortion from home. Frank lives on in distraught and agony. Richard Yates uses Feminism in the story to show the reader how Frank fits in with typical feminine role of this time and April fits in with the  typical masculine role. Frank is constantly emasculated throughout the story by April. When they realize April is pregnant, she wants to have an abortion. Frank is upset but he can’t do much about it because he doesn’t have any say in what she does. He tries to say, â€Å"Listen. Listen to me. You do this – you do this and I swear to God I’ll –† and she cuts him off and says, â€Å"Oh, you’ll what? You’ll leave me? What’s that supposed to be – a threat or a promise?† (Yates 52) testing his masculinity once again. April is not the typical woman of the 50’s and that’s why conflicting gender roles play such an important theme in this novel. Frank thrives off of the need to prove himself to April. He wants her to believe he is in control of every situat ion and is the man of the house. He tries to put off this image to April that he is a real man and leads their household. Frank has a lot of conflict throughout the book because of his constant need to prove his manhood and prove his masculinity to April. Richard Yates uses Frank Wheeler to show us just how this novel conflicts the typical gender roles during the 1950’s. Yates says about Frank, â€Å"Wasn’t it true, then, that everything in his life from that point on had been a succession of things he hadn’t really wanted to do? Taking a dull job to prove he could be as responsible as any other man†¦ Having another child to prove that the first one hadn’t been a mistake†¦ Proving, proving; and for no other reason than that he was married to a woman who put him forever on the defensive† (Yates 51). Yates shows the reader the true tenacity of Frank’s need to prove himself to April day after day. Having a job, having a family, and doing everything to provide for your family were all things men were expected to do during that time in America. Frank has an obsession with needing April to believe he is in control and fully providing for her and their children. He feels she will leave him or step up and provide for them herself is he cannot do it. Frank is trying to prove he is the man and holds the masculine gender role over April. April says in one scene to Frank, â€Å"Me. Me. Me. Oh, you poor, self-deluded – Look at you, Look at you, and tell me how by any stretch of imagination you can call yourself a man† ( Yates 28) which really test Franks masculinity. He is without a doubt upset about April’s actions and words. By receiving her approval, he feels his masculinity and feels he has accomplished what is important. Throughout the  story however, we see that Frank never truly gets the approval from April he is looking for. Yates intends for Frank to be weaker and less masculine than April. This is how Richard Yates uses conflicting gender roles in his characters. April is a very independent woman and she will take care of what she feels is necessary. She doesn’t look to Frank for guidance and leadership. The narrator points this out when April is mowing the lawn and Frank is watching her wishing he was doing it. The narrator states that Frank had â€Å"planned as soon as he’d had some coffee to go out there and take the lawnmower away from April, by force if it was necessary, so the he could restore as much balance to the morning as possible. But he was still in his bathrobe† (Yates 40). Frank cannot stand the fact that April is mowing the yard and not letting him do it. Yates gives us a description of April in the yard, he says, â€Å"It was April herself, stolidly pushing and hauling the old machine, wearing a man’s shirt and a pair of loss, flapping slacks† (Yates 35) This description of April really gives the reader a simple understanding that April doesn’t need Frank to mow the yard because she is capable and willing to do it herself. These are the things that really bother Frank because he wants a woman who needs him to do everything for her. That’s what Frank feels he is supposed to do; he wants to be the sole provider and â€Å"alpha† of his household. Another way we see Frank being emasculated is when April plans the move to Europe. She tells Frank about the plans to move at his surprise birthday get together, he had just got home from having an affair with Maureen from his office. The narrator gives us a good understanding of Frank’s inability to take control. He ends up agreeing with the plans even though he is not fully sure and confident that is what he wants. Frank says, â€Å"Darling? We are really going to do it, aren’t we? I mean it hasn’t just been a lot of talk or anything, has it?† (Yates 116) and they agree the move to Europe is a sure thing. Then they fall asleep and the chapter ends with April saying I love you to Frank. Frank is finally feeling a sense of assurance at this point because things are getting better between him and April. He is finally feeling that sense of satisfaction he thrives for. He and April are getting  along and things â€Å"seem† to be good. However, April ends up letting Frank in on some startling news. She is pregnant and when Frank finds out he is actually happy about the news because he has had a promotion offered to him at work and knows that having a baby will keep them from moving. When April realizes Frank is satisfied with not moving she threatens to abort the baby herself after Frank finds her abortion tools and she test Franks masculinity again by saying, â€Å"And what are you going to do? Do you think you’re going to stop me?† (Yates 209) when he questions her on what she is going to do with the tools. Frank has no control over any situations throughout this book. Especially in this situation because April has had her mind set on moving and she was not going to take no for an answer. She eventually kills herself trying to proceed in doing an abortion herself at their home. April had control of the situation the whole time. Furthermore, â€Å"Revolutionary Road† gives the reader a wide and detailed interpretation of very unusual gender roles for the 1950’s. The author’s use of feminism helps him to show how Frank is a man who feeds of his wife for satisfaction. Everything Frank does is mainly to get the approval and acceptance of his wife April. Feminism also helps us to take a look at how April Wheeler is portrayed. She is a very independent woman and for this time period that is very rare. Women typically depended on men and did not step up as leaders and sole providers of their family. However, April is much different. She wants Frank to know that she can take care of herself and her family without the help of a man. She is portrayed as being much more masculine and superior than her husband. She is in control of their relationship and she is in control of Frank’s life. Everything Frank does is based on what April thinks and getting her to notice and her to approve is what makes him feel like a man. Richard Yates did an amazing job in â€Å"Revolutionary Road† by showing the reader the conflicting gender roles of April and Frank Wheeler. Works Cited Yates, Richard. Revolutionary Road. 2nd. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 2000. Print.

Early History Of Judaism Essays - Monotheistic Religions

Early History Of Judaism Essays - Monotheistic Religions Early History Of Judaism Early History of Judaism- It has been argued that Judaism can be seen not only as a single religion, but as a group of similar religions. It has also been pointed-out that through all the trials and tribulations that Judaism has suffered through, that there have been common themes that have proven omni-pervasive. Any institution with roots as ancient and varied as the religion of the Jews is bound to have a few variations, especially when most of its history takes place in the political and theological hot spot of the Middle East. In this discussion, many facets of Judaism will be examined, primarily in the three temporal subdivisions labeled the Tribal / Pre-Monarchy Period, the Divided Monarchy, and the Hasmonean / Maccabean and Roman Era. Among all the time periods where the religion has been split, these three seem to be the most representative of the forces responsible. As for a common thread seen throughout all Judiasms, the area of focus here is the place associated with the religion : Jerusalem. This topic will be covered in detail first, and then the multiple Judaism arguments will be presented. In this way, it is possible to keep a common focus in mind when reading about all the other situations in which the religion has found itself. A brief conclusion follows the discussion. A Place to Call Home No other religion has ever been so attached to its birthplace as Judaism. Perhaps this is because Jews have been exiled and restricted from this place for most of their history. Jerusalem is not only home to Judaism, but to the Muslim and Christian religions as well. Historically this has made it quite a busy place for the various groups. Jerusalem is where the temple of the Jews once stood; the only place on the whole Earth where one could leave the confines of day to day life and get closer to God. In 586 BCE when the temple was destroyed, no Jew would have denied Jerusalem as being the geographic center of the religion. From that point on, the Jewish people have migrated around the world, but not one of them forgets the fact that Jerusalem is where it all began. It is truly a sacred place, and helps to define what Judaism means to many people; a common thread to run through all the various splinters of the religion and help hold them together. Even today, as the Jewish people have their precious Jerusalem back (through the help of other nations and their politics) there is great conflict and emotion surrounding it. Other nations and people in the area feel that they should be in control of the renowned city, and the Jews deny fervently any attempt to wrestle it from their occupation. It is true that there is no temple in Jeruslaem today, nor are all the Jews in the world rushing to get back there. But it is apparent that the city represents more to the religion of Judaism than a mere place to live and work. The city of Jerusalem is a spiritual epicenter, and throughout Judaisms long and varied history, this single fact has never changed. Tribal / Pre-Monarchy Judaisms roots lie far back in the beginnings of recorded history. The religion did not spring into existence exactly as it is known today, rather it was pushed and prodded by various environmental factors along the way. One of the first major influences on the religion was the Canaanite nation. Various theories exist as to how and when the people that would later be called Jews entered into this civilization. But regardless of how they ultimately got there, these pioneers of the new faith were subjected to many of the ideas and prejudices of the time. Any new society that finds itself in an existing social situation, can do no more than to try and integrate into that framework. And this is exactly what the Jews did. Early Judaism worshipped multiple gods. One of these gods was known as Baal, and was generally thought-of as a statue god with certain limitations on his power. The other primary deity was called YHWH (or Yahweh) and enjoyed a

Chico, Muchacho, and Other Spanish Words for Children

Chico, Muchacho, and Other Spanish Words for Children Chico, muchacho, nià ±o - and their feminine equivalents, chica, muchacha, and nià ±a - and just a few of the words you can use in Spanish to refer to children. But they arent all used in the same way. In most cases, youre safe to use any of the above words to refer to boys and girls. However, in some cases they can have more specialized uses. Using Chico and Chica As a general adjective, chico is simply a word for small, especially when referring to something that is smaller than other beings or things of its type. When it becomes a noun referring to people, however, it usually refers to someone of a young age rather than someone of short stature. The age of children used for chico and chica varies somewhat with region. However, it is often used as a term of affection for people other than children. For example, in Cuba it frequently is used to address friends, something like hey dude or buddy might be in American slang. It is also very common to use chica when referring to young, single women, especially ones in which men might be interested in for romantic purposes - something like the equivalent of babe. To a lesser extent, chico can fulfill a similar role. Similarly, the two terms commonly are used for girlfriend and boyfriend, respectively. The main characters in a movie, TV show or novel are often referred to as chico or chica, especially if they are young and attractive. Using Muchacho and Muchacha When referring to adolescents or teenagers, muchacho/a can usually be used interchangeably with chico/a. In most areas it isnt used often when referring to younger children. Muchacho/a can also be used to refer to a young servant or maid. Using Nià ±o and Nià ±a Nià ±o and nià ±a are more general and sometimes slightly more formal words for children. Their use might be preferred in situations where wed talk about a child in English rather than a boy or girl. For example, a school handout might say something such as Cada nià ±o debe leer un libro por mes for Each child should read one book per month. (Following the Spanish rule of gender, nià ±os can refer to a mixed group of boys and girls, not necessarily just boys. In sentences such as the above, the context suggests that cada nià ±o refers to each child, not necessarily just each boy.) Nià ±o is also used in situations where the speaker is referring to young age or inexperience in general. For example, a child soldier is a nià ±o soldado, and a street child is a nià ±o/a de la calle. Similarly, someone who is worse than a child is peor que un nià ±o - words such as chico and muchacho wouldnt work well in that context. Other Words Referring to Children Other words for talking about children include: Hijo and hija refer specifically to a son or daughter, respectively. Nià ±o/a can also be used with the same meaning if the context is clear.Criatura, a cognate of creature, is sometimes used an affectionate term. For example,  ¡Quà © criatura hermosa! might be translated loosely as What a beautiful little angel! Note that criatura is always feminine, even if it refers to a boy.Descendiente can be used as a replacement for hijo or hija; it is used much more than the English descendant. The word can be either masculine or feminine depending on whether it refers to a son or daughter. It can also refer to descendants such as great-grandchildren.Bebà © is the most common word for baby. Note that it is always masculine, even when referring to a girl.

Uzbek Music (anthropology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Uzbek Music (anthropology) - Essay Example Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to present the argument that the ethnomusicology of Uzbek music and understanding it, help to gain insights into Uzbek culture. The analysis will be supported by ethnographic evidence and examples. The rich and diverse musical heritage of Uzbekistan has contributed significantly to the establishment of a national self-consciousness and cultural identity for the nation as a whole, particularly after the country achieved independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union. The main sources are written texts including historical manuscripts, contemporary national studies and samples of traditional music notated in the Western staff system; and an extensive range of national melodies and â€Å"intonations†, together with the emotional images of the national spiritual world (Djumeiv: 166). The Uzbek’s way of life, customs, thoughts, hopes and struggle for social and national liberation are deeply reflected in Uzbek folklore, causing a variety in theme and genre of Uzbek folk songs. The main types of songs are: daily life songs such as lullabies, children’s songs, calendric songs and lyric songs, the latter including songs of love, humor, nature, meditation, etc. Family ceremonal songs such as wedding songs and laments in funerals, work songs, songs of social protest, and historical songs. In turn this thematic variety led to musical diversity. The above are the specifically ceremonial and daily-life songs, which is one genre of Uzbek folk songs. The other genre included those songs which were performed everywhere with a great variety of theme: the terma or chublama, koshuk, lapar, yalla, and ashula genres. Except for ashula, the aforementioned genres are basically strophic in structure, melodically narrow and improvisatory. â€Å"The ashula is particula rly distinctive, with its extensive melodic structure and

Investigate a precolonial African polity in terms of its key Research Paper

Investigate a precolonial African polity in terms of its key constituent institutions - Research Paper Example Political centralization was the key component of pre-colonial institutions. Pre-colonial African polities have been in existence in the earlier years as a broad ground for the provision archeological research of the civil compatibility and the country. Much of the twentieth century, pre-colonial African countries were misunderstood because of the outward encouragement. Archaeological research is done on these states, however, shows the native origin of the social compatibilities and the countries in Africa, putting in place valuable new ideas for the provisional research in the earlier years on the formation of a state. It tries to analyze how the archaeologists have handled the state of pre-colonial in Africa, starting with listing of the colonial-era based on the state of the country and the advancement in Africa. Then followed by showing how insights into the political processes across the continent are provided by power through a discussion of archaeologist. Major illustrations are made within wide elaborated divisions; at the end of this review, (a) Driving state formation across the continent, because of the agency of indigenous political entrepreneurs. (b) How the pre-colonial African countries political contours were well shaped through having alternatives modes of power. The countries that were in place even before the colonial rule progresses to mould its recent advancement, pre-colonial countries control is attained with the recent cross country distinction in attainment of school, literacy, roads being paved, and immunization. Most of the countries in the West Africa rejected the French settlement as they had centralized form of government. Similar parts of the west Africa were among the states that received low investments in the colonial period. The pre-colonial states in Africa had all it takes to have full control of the people instead of the land. Below are the several factors that led to this: †¢ Agriculture, this demanded a