Brenda Frazer the epitome of The Beat Generation Essay -- essays resea

The beat generation is a generation started in the 1950's by American artists and writers who refused conformity to traditional American ways and spoke of starting their own alternative lifestyle. The beat lifestyle included the sought after liberation and rebellion from society hindering chains of established, accepted ways of life. Within Paul Lauter's book, 'The Heath Anthology of American Literature,' Ronna C. Johnson from Tufts University, writes an analysis of Troia: Mexican Memoirs as well as synopsis of Brenda's life. Also in Lauter's book is the original Frazer's work Troia. In addition, Brenda Knight, another authority of the beat culture, writes in her book 'Women of the Beat Generation' of Frazer's struggles. Brenda Frazer had a life nothing short of beat. Born in 1939 in middle class Washington DC, Brenda attended Princeton High School. It has been said that, ?her parents, especially her mother, were unhappy in their marriage, which cast an uncomfortable sadness over the household. Brenda remembers struggling with disorientation and a feeling of not fitting anywhere during her teen years.? (Knight, 269). Personally knowing that uncomfortable sadness and the struggle with finding ones identity, I can see why Brenda, at first unintentionally and then with full purpose, sought after a beat life. While still in college, Brenda met a beat poet named Ray Bremser and the two of them became infatuation with one another. They married 3 weeks later. Brenda says, ?I adored him, even his eccentricities, and justified my own existence by typing his poems. I identified with Fidel Castro. His patriotism, presented in a lawyer truth, moved me. His actions inspired me to quit school and give thought to a shameful corrupting infl... ... of her life we see her long for the idea of love, yet denied the love of having a husband or being a mother. Brenda Frazer, gave that all up, for the love of creativity. Brenda speaks of this creativity when she says, ?I defined myself when I sat down to write. It was a rebellion against my most immediate authority figure, who was once again in jail. Writing was a therapy I could afford. It was exciting then and still is to give myself that freedom. Alone I evolved my personal story. There was no mentor or male muse to be an live-in example for me. I have more creativity now. Creativity is in the middle, at the turning point of gender, neither, either, nor.? (Knight, 271). WORKS CITED Books: Knight, Brenda. ?Women In the Beat Generation.? Conari Press, 1997. Lauter, Paul. ?The Heath Anthology of American Literature.? Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006.

World War II: What Made Allied Victory Possible

The Second World War was the most important event in the 20th century. It changed the course of history when the destruction caused by the conflict resulted in changing the power structure in Europe. At the end of the war the economies of Germany, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom was threatened due to war reparations and the cost of human lives. But the United States who waged war from a distance came out of the war as the new global superpower. But in the first two years of the second global conflict there was no indication that Axis Powers will lose the war. It was only after Germany engaged the enemy on two fronts and when the United States joined the fray that the Allied Powers were able to gather enough strength to defeat Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy. Background It is impossible to understand World War II without going back a few decades and study the First World War. This is because the first and second global conflict had one common denominator – Germany as the main player and main loser for both events. In World War I Germany was in the center of the conflict as it tried to honor an alliance with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The heir to the Astro-Hungarian Empire was assassinated by someone who had links to the Serbian government. Thus the Hapsburg Empire was forced to issue an ultimatum to Serbia. The Serbian government in turn had pride and honor at stake and this prevented them from acceding to their demands. Russia was sympathetic to Serbia and promised to assist her if Germany will support the Hapsburg government. The only problem here is that Russia was allied to France and Britain. The Triple Entente composed of Britain, France and Russia was bound by an accord that the triumvirate signed in 1907 (Neiberg, 2005). On the other hand, the opposing team, the Central Powers composed of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria were bound by their own treaties and alliances as well (Neiberg, 2005). And so begins the chain reaction of events that would escalate the conflict in Europe. To make the long story short the Central Powers were defeated by the Triple Entente. It is interesting to note that after the First World War Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary Empire and Turkey were reduced to almost nothing. Germany suffered the same fate, humiliated and without the capability to rise up again as an empire. All of that began to change two decades later when an ambitious young leader by the name of Adolph Hitler – he was a corporal in World War I – was able to inspire the German people that they can repossessed what was taken from them. In the 1930s Hitler with his charisma and visionary leadership was able to create a Nazi party that would soon threaten the whole world. Nazi Germany’s Early Success There are many reasons why Nazi Germany was militarily successful in the first two years of the war. First of all, Hitler’s Nazi party, the engine that runs the war campaign had the support of the German people. According to Fulbrook, â€Å"For much of the 1930s, they experienced a certain congruence of aims with the Nazis, in the areas of economic regeneration under authoritarian, anti-union auspices, and rearmament and revision of the hated Treaty of Versailles† (1991). Aside from the popularity of the Nazi party, German forces were successful in war because of Hitler’s visionary leadership as well as his decisiveness when it comes to enforicing Nazi foreign policy. Hitler was able to communicate so clearly how Germany would rise again and take back what belongs to them. He was able to show the German people that if they will do it right this time, then never again will outsiders ridicule them. His vision will be realized if the German people will support his foreign policy program. As mentioned earlier this will entail the revising of the Treaty of Versailles – an armistice with the victors of World War I that proved to be disastrous for Germany. Secondly, Hitler’s foreign policy requires the incorporation of Austria and transforming Czechoslovakia and Poland into satellite states; then confronting France and then Russia before going after world domination (Fulbrook, 1991). This foreign policy program may have been a byproduct of the Fuhrer’s false sense of superiority but one has to admit that it inspired the German people. For those who doubt they only need to review war films and pictures that show enthusiastic German soldiers eager to lay their lives for Hitler’s dream of a Third Reich. War Weary Europe The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1918. In 1938 Hitler’s army marched triumphantly into Austria without firing a single shot; it was a bloodless invasion. In 1938 Europe was only two decades removed from the bloodiest European conflict in recent history. The Europeans could still feel the impact of the First World War where millions of young men died from senseless violence. Now here comes Hitler, with an army determined to fight old enemies once again in the blood drenched battlefields of Europe. It was clear that France and Britain are not interested for a repeat performance. It was clear for Hitler and his cohorts that Britain is their number one problem. But Britain was not the same empire that terrorized many in the 18th and 19th century. In the 1930s it was a shell of its former self. It had to go through a bloody war with its American colonies and in 1914 to 1918 participated in the first global war. Britain was war weary as the rest of Europe. Aside form that the British had to deal with a lot of problems as a result of having many colonies around the world (Rock, 2000). Hitler apparently understood that Britain will not stand in his way and so Hitler began to move his troops to continue his conquest and next stop was Czechoslovakia. This prompted action from the Britain but they did not wish to fight Germany, only to negotiate. The then British Prime Minister Chamberlain tried to diffuse the situation by offering appeasement to Germany. At the end of the Munich Conference in 1938, there were certain borders of Czechoslovakia that was ceded to Nazi Germany (Fulbrook, 2005). Chamberlain declared that peace was achieved and war averted but he did not realize that Hitler was merely warming up. Less than a year later Hitler invaded what was left of Czechoslovakia and was met with little resistance. At this point Hitler has become a European bully; but no one was strong enough to stand against him. Leaders from France and Britain tried their best to be strategic and not use their emotions in making decisions. Meanwhile Hitler made another brilliant move when he secured a pact with Russia. By doing so Hitler will be assured that in the event of an escalation of conflict he will not have to fight a war in two fronts. Hitler began to make another major campaign, this time he wanted to get Poland. But Britain said no and then went further to assure the Polish government that Great Britain is ready to help her against foreign invaders. But by this time, â€Å"†¦Hitler had by now formed the impression that Britain was essentially weak and vacillating, and would not stand by its guarantee† (Fulbrook, 2005). Less than a year after the Munich Conference Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939. In a lighting campaign (Blitzkrieg) German forces overwhelmed Poland in less than three weeks of fighting (Fulbrook, 2005). Britain and France declared war on Germany. Hitler’s Army Aside from Hitler’s charisma, vision and decisive leadership, another important aspect of Nazi Germany is the presence of elite soldiers called the German SS or Schutzstaffeln. These were handpicked men that were groomed to become an elite fighting unit. The German SS would, â€Å"†¦spearhead some of the most crucial battles of WWII while its men would shoulder some of the most difficult and daunting combat operations of the units in the German military† (GermanWArMachine, 2007). In 1929 Hitler asked his most trusted aide, Heinrich Himmler to form an elite force that will safeguard the Nazi Party, â€Å"†¦a troop dependable in every circumstance† (Stein, 1984). And that is what he got. After undergoing a process of difficult training and learning how to best serve under the Third Reich the German SS went through a baptism of fire. In June 30, 1934, in an event that will be known as the Night of the Long Knives SS troops crossed a point of no return and forever sealed their fate as the most frightening Special Forces under the command of the Fuhrer (Stein, 1984). In this fateful night Hitler ordered his shock troops to eliminate the core group of their arch-rival the SA (Sturmabteilungen). The bloody purging, where the German SS killed their former comrade-in-arms forever changed their image and their mindsets, now they are ready to conquer the world. Allied Victory There were at least four major factors that led to Allied Victory, first of all there was strong leadership among the Allied Forces; secondly the United States of America, the emerging global superpower decided to participate after years of being an observer; thirdly the Allied Forces ability to exploit resources, specifically fossil fuel; and finally Allied Victory was made possible by Hitler’s major blunder, engaging the enemy in two fronts. All four will be discussed in the following pages starting with the discussion of leadership that was well illustrated by the actions of Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, General Marshall, and Gen. Eisenhower. Leadership The Second World War was not only about battlefields and mechanized warfare. It was also a political stage where national leaders from both side of the fence were able to show their courage, brilliance, and strength of character. One of the most important leaders during the dark times of Nazi supremacy was Winston Churchill who made a defiant stand against Hitler and his army. This was illustrated in the year 1941, in one of the darkest times in British history. The British government declared war on Germany and received a harsh reply; the forces of the Third Reich continued to pound on Great Britain and weakened her considerably. Hitler and his cohorts were very much aware that the English people are going to be a major roadblock to world domination. Yet, Hitler was confident that the England would finally succumb to their air raid and Blitzkrieg. But Hitler underestimated the resolve of one man – Winston Churchill. At the onset of World War II the U. S. government could not see the wisdom of meddling with the European conflict. America was so far removed from the European theater of war that it was contented to stay on the sidelines. Still, America contributed to the Allied cause by sending in equipment and war materials to Britain. This neutral stance would have remained if only Japan did not bomb Pearl Harbor. But after the shocking attack in the said American military base, the United States could not simply wage war against the formidable trio of Germany, Japan and Italy. The U. S. mainland needed the wisdom and strength of an able leader. They were fortunate to find these rare qualities in the person of Franklin D. Roosevelt. While Churchill and Roosevelt played a crucial role in bringing together alliance that would defeat Nazi Germany it would require another set of leaders to execute a plan for defeating Hitler in Europe. In this regard two outstanding military leaders needed to be mentioned in this section – George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower. In 1942 the Americans are already part of the conflict. Its main job is to build an army, secure the shipping lines to get it overseas, establish and organization through which America can work with the British on a strategy to defeat Hitler (Ambrose, 1999). The United States was fortunate to have George Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower on board. Stephen Ambrose was able to succinctly describe the contribution of these great men and he wrote: Marshall’s strengths were in the higher levels of policy, organization, and strategy. In these areas Eisenhower followed, for he was an operator rather than a theoretician, the perfect man to take Marshall’s concepts and translate them into practice. The Supreme Allied Command in Europe would never have come about had it not been for Marshall’s thought, driving force, and persuasive powers, but it would not have worked had it not been for Eisenhower (Ambrose, 1999). All these men worked together to bring about Allied victory. The Free World will forever be indebted to Churchill for his defiant stand against Germany. If he raised the white flag of surrender in 1940 Hitler could have easily gathered momentum and proceeded with his ultimate plan of world domination. Without Roosevelt’s wisdom of first helping the British and then following shortly to join the war the Allied Forces could not have mustered enough manpower and firepower to defeat the Axis Powers. And without the able leadership of Marshall and Eisenhower Allied Forces could not have assembled an army so large and so effective that it was able to bring Germany to its knees. American Participation Much has been said about the defiant stand of the British forces as well as the British people who had to endure the regular air raids of the German Luftwaffe. But Great Britain knew that the best that they could hope for was a stalemate. They had to get help from an outsider in order for them to break the deadlock and proceed to start a counter-attack. But in the beginning of the war it was clear that there is no other nation in Europe that could neutralize the brutal efficiency and rabid determination of the German army. The assistance that Britain desperately needed did not come from the European continent but form another land mass across the Atlantic. One of the gross tactical error of the Axis Powers was to give the go signal for Japan to bomb Pearl Harbor. With hindsight it will be easy to analyze that attacking and provoking America was a serious blunder that cost them the war. America was content to stay behind the scenes and did not make any commitment to lend a major part of their industries to help the Allied Forces. But all of this changed when Pearl Harbor was decimated by Japan’s Imperial forces. The subsequent declaration of America that it has joined the war signaled a crucial turning point in World War II. Resources One of the most crucial factors that gave victory to the Allies was there capability to exploit and control fossil fuel. According to Williamson Murray access to petroleum products was an important aspect of the war considering that Germany and Japan were already dependent on foreign oil before they went to war (Murray, 2001). This probably explains why Hitler planned on scoring a quick victory. It was apparent that Hitler could not afford to engage in a long-drawn-out war. But as the war progressed the participation of the United States proved to be very crucial because America produced two-thirds of the world’s petroleum (Murray, 2001). When Germany and Japan could not access fossil fuel their operations was critically affected. Germany Divided Leadership was an important factor in winning the war for the Allies. But the Axis Powers had great leaders too so it can easily neutralize the Allied Forces in the leadership department. The entry of the United States in World War II was also a factor why Germany lost in the war but America was too far away from Europe and it would require a massive logistical effort before it can begin developing and sending soldiers into Europe. Germany still had time to prepare for the incoming Americans. Resources was also a crucial factor in the war but if Hitler can continually use Blitzkrieg, his lightning fast method of deploying troops and engaging the enemy, the war could be over even without draining resources form Germany. In the initial phase of World War II this was the case – European nations easily gave up their freedom when held at gunpoint by German forces. Therefore it can be argued that the single most crucial factor that led to the demise of Nazi Germany was its decision to disregard the pact made earlier between Russia and then proceeded to attack the Soviet Union. At this point Hitler was so full of himself so he decided that in the summer of 1941 his army will attack Russia, â€Å"†¦thus affecting what he had previously been concerned to avoid: war on two fronts† (Fulbrook, 1991). By engaging Britain and Russia at once German forces were over-extended and ill-equipped (Fubrook, 1991). When the combined American and British forces came later Germany could no longer sustain its attack and slowly began to disintegrate. Conclusion The provisions of the Treaty of Versailles were put in place to control Germany so that it will never duplicate what it has achieved in World War I. But this strategy backfired when Adolph Hitler used the sentiments of the people against the said treaty. He promised them that he will revise the Treaty of Versailles if only the German people will support him in war. When Hitler secured the support of the people, he did not waste time and proceeded to use Blitzkrieg, a German term for lightning quick attacks on enemy territories. Through this method Hitler was able to expand German territory in less than two years, a considerable feat. Europe was tired of war. The recently concluded World War I was fresh in the memory of most people. This gave Hitler the confidence that nations would not resist and allow him to take what he wanted. But he overestimated his capabilities and the capability of Nazi Germany. When it engaged England, Russia, and America at the same time, German soldiers were spread thin and lacking military equipment. The protracted war was not part of Hitler’s plans. When America came in to break the deadlock between Allied and Axis forces Germany began to lose steam and in 1945 it finally raised the white flag.

Hamlet Essay †Misogyny Essay

Misogyny, by definition, is the hatred of women and girls. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, misogyny affects women in negative ways that both impact how a woman is portrayed along with how these stereotypes and controls influence her actions and ultimately lead to her demise. Gertrude and Ophelia, the only major female characters of this play, are both women who must confront various factors and adverse effects of misogyny. Shakespeare uses the patriarchal system to suggest the effects of men’s misogynistic behavior towards women. The patriarchal system allows men to objectify women by using them as pawns, and gives men the power to control and manipulate women as they please. Shakespeare demonstrates this through the words and actions of Polonius, Ophelia’s father. Firstly, the patriarchal system gives Polonius the power to treat Ophelia like an object and control her actions. Claudius, Gertrude, and Polonius all come together in this scene to make a plan on how to di scover why Hamlet has gone so mad. In their conversation, Polonius says, â€Å"At such a time I’ll loose my daughter to him.† (II.ii.174) Here, the word â€Å"loose† emphasizes the cynical unconcern that he has for his daughter. The use of â€Å"loose† in this context is also a pun. Loose means cow, so Shakespeare uses this line as a metaphor to say that Polonius is soon going to â€Å"loose† his daughter, a cow, to a bull, who is none other than Hamlet. Polonius does this again while talking to Ophelia about how she shouldn’t believe Hamlet’s words or rely on any of his promises because according to Polonius, Hamlet doesn’t truly love Ophelia; he simply has a strong lust for her at the moment. â€Å" Ay, springes to catch woodcocks. I do know, / When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul/ Lends the tongue vows,† Polonius explains. (I.ii.120) Shakespeare uses diction here to emphasize what Polonius thinks of his daughter. â€Å"Springes† are snares to catch fools and a â€Å"woodcock† is a bird that is easily taken. In simple terms, Polonius is comparing Ophelia to this foolish type of bird, saying that she is easy to get and fool. Once again, he compa res her to an animal – objectifying her and bringing her down from her status as a human and woman in society. Shakespeare demonstrates how sexuality is portrayed as something crude and wrong through the actions of Queen Gertrude. Hamlet’s aversion towards his mother’s sexuality upkeeps the idea that sexuality is obscene. Hamlet is absolutely disgusted by his mother and while talking to himself, exclaims: â€Å"O, most wicked speed, to post/ With such dexterity to  incestuous sheets!† (I.ii.158-159) Gertrude’s sexuality makes her inappropriate because she remarried with â€Å"wicked speed.† The word â€Å"wicked† has a negative connotation to it. It implies that Gertrude’s speed in remarrying was bad and evil because she betrayed King Hamlet so quickly and the quickness of her actions makes her seem sexually vulgar. Hamlet is disgusted by the fact that his mother was both quick and agile with becoming incestuous. Furthermore, the idea that sexuality is vulgar is further demonstrated when the ghost of King Hamlet reveals his disgust towards Gertrude’s incest. â€Å"So lust, through to a radiant angel linked, / will state itself in a celestial bed/ And prey on garbage.† (I.v.59-60) Even though sexuality can be pure like a â€Å"radiant angel,† it will glut (â€Å"sate†) and â€Å"prey on garbage.† Shakespeare uses imagery with these words to reveal that Gertrude is garbage and that she is searched for like junk by a scavenger. The word â€Å"sate† shows Gertrude as a gluttonous animal, implying that her sexuality makes her an animal; thus sexuality is vulgar. Shakespeare emphasizes that virginity is essential to a women’s value in society, for it makes her both pure and desirable. Ophelia’s conversations with her brother Laertes and her father Polonius provide evidence that both Laertes and Polonius place a very high value of Ophelia’s sexuality and her obligation to protect her virginity. Laertes and Ophelia have one last conversation before he departs to France. He gives her advice about rejecting lust and desire in order to keep her virginity and thereby make herself honorable. In their conversation with each other, Laertes warns Ophelia to not let herself be seduced and lose her honor by losing her virginity. He says, â€Å"The canker galls the infants of the spring/ Too oft before their buttons be disclosed.† (I.ii.42-43) Shakespeare uses some interesting metaphors in this scene to stress the value of Ophelia’s maidenhood by comparing it to a flower. The phrase â€Å"infants of the spring† im plies both innocence and fertility. This metaphor compares women, in this case Ophelia; to new spring flowers whose buds still haven’t been opened (still virgins). Laertes is saying that Ophelia is still young so she must resist her desires in order to save her virginity; doing so would also save her honor, which is something that is very valued especially for women in society. Polonius also warns Ophelia about the value of her virginity, but  for other reasons. Unlike Laertes, who is more concerned about Ophelia’s happiness and emotional well-being, Polonius is more focused on himself and the respect of his family. He says to her: â€Å"You do not understand yourself so clearly/ As it behooves my daughter and your honor.† (I.ii.102-103) Here, Polonius is saying that Ophelia does not yet understand how to behave in a way that is suitable for someone who is his daughter and who is under his name and household. He is afraid that if Ophelia loses her virginity, she will disgrace the family and hurt his reputation; all in all, he fears that the respect of his family will be damaged. This makes it evident that Shakespeare believed th at along with altering a woman’s reputation and social standing, women’s chastity also affected men’s social standing in society. Seeing that virginity is given such high value, Shakespeare also clearly demonstrates the consequences that a woman experiences by losing her virginity before marriage. He uses Ophelia’s character to illustrate how losing a woman’s virginity causes her to lose relationships with people she loves, her social status and reputation, her sanity, and ultimately, her life. OPHELIA. By Gis and by Saint Charity, Alack, and fie, for shame! Young men will do ’t, if they come to ’t. By Cock, they are to blame. Quoth she, â€Å"Before you tumbled me, You promised me to wed.† He answers: â€Å"So would I ’a’ done, by yonder sun, An thou hadst not come to my bed.† (IV.v.59-67) After losing her father, Ophelia has become insane and is singing this song while reminiscing about the love that she and Hamlet once had. She has been driven to this madness because of her instability after her father is killed and Hamlet leaves her. Slowly everyone she loves is drifting away and she feels that is because she didn’t listen to her father and brother about protecting her virginity before, so now she is suffering the consequences.  In this scene, she is specifically singing about how Hamlet did not keep his promise of marrying her after they had slept together. â€Å"Young men will do’t if they come to’t,/ By cock, they are to blame,† she explains. In other words, she is saying that men will have sex whenever they have the opportunity. With the phrase â€Å"by cock, they are to blame,† she is saying that the â€Å"cock† represents the vulgar corruption of God because they are the ones who take a woman’s virginity. Furt hermore, Hamlet does not want to marry Ophelia anymore because she isn’t a virgin and all men want to marry a woman who is pure and untouched. Ophelia’s madness in this scene expresses how losing her virginity led her to insanity because she was incapable of dealing with losing all of her loved ones. Additionally, she loses any respect that she had, along with her social status, because she has done something that is completely unacceptable for a young woman to do in such a society in that time. All of this ultimately causes Ophelia to take her own life as a way to end the chain reactions of heartbreak and misery that she has had to experience, all because she decided to go and lose her virginity to Hamlet. In conclusion, Shakespeare uses the patriarchal system to suggest men’s ability to manipulate women, and ultimately gives an explanation of the reactions to men’s misogynistic behavior towards women. Common stereotypes of women gravely impact women’s perception of themselves and shape women to fit under certain archetypes in a patriarch-run society. Misogyny destructively affects the fate of â€Å"Woman† and, slowly but surely, leads to the deterioration of her idea of self and identity.

An Assessment of Heroism in the Characters of Gawain and Beowulf

An Assessment of Heroism in the Characters of Gawain and Beowulf Who is more heroic: Gawain or Beowulf? Hero (n): a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities (Merriam-Webster.com). While deciphering the true meaning of heroism for a few minutes something stopped me. In general opinion, most readers would consider Beowulf more heroic. And, according to the pattern of literature, film, and storytelling Beowulf is more heroic. But truly, it depends on which context you are viewing this upon. If we were to read the two stories in the Anglo-Saxon era, of which took place from 410 – 1066 AD, we could all agree Beowulf is the true hero. He fought off two monsters and a dragon among other beasts. When he fought Grendel he proclaimed, â€Å"it won’t be a cutting edge I’ll wield to mow him down, easily as I might†¦ He has no idea of the arts of war, of shield or sword-play, although he does possess a wild strength† (Greenblatt, 55). He acknowledges the pure strength of Grendel, and declares he will fight him without weapons because that is the just thing to do. He wants to be fair and square. A cowardly or even just average person would use any advantage to best the monster, but Beowulf has a true inner-courage, incomparable to anyone else in existence. He won battles nobody else could. Gawain had one battle to fight. He only volunteered because nobody else would except for his king, and he kept the â€Å"magical girdle† instead of show ing up as he promised to (giving the green knight a fair blow to his neck). He was fearful, where Beowulf was not. Beowulf fought bare-handedly when he didn’t even have to. So, physically or externally Beowulf was the true hero. In parallel the two stories yield a different answer, when viewing them from the eyes of a person alive in the 21st century. The true hero comes from within today. For example, someone who can lift three cars has less of a place in society than someone who can travel to third world countries and give food and shelter to those who are unfortunate. Gawain has more inner strength than Beowulf does. For example, in the days leading up to the meeting with the Green Knight, he is tested by temptations. One of those temptations is sex, and yet, despite the Green Knight’s wife’s strong sex appeal, he turns her away in the nicest way possible. The Green Knight was testing Gawain up until the moment he struck him with the axe. Gawain, fearful, kept the girdle that the Green Knight’s wife gave him because he believed it’s magical powers would save him. Therefore, he broke his promise. He was supposed to bear his neck, no shield, no protection. He lost his â€Å"tr oth† or his word by wearing that girdle. When he finds out that the Green Knight was testing him in his ability to keep his troth he was furious. He admitted, â€Å" Dread of the death blow and cowardly doubts meant I gave into greed, and in doing so forgot the freedom and fidelity every knight knows to follow† (Greenblatt, 235). After that the Green Knight forgives him because, like the readers, he sees Gawain’s strength in admitting his downfall and being truthful and regretful in the end. Beowulf is the opposite. He is egotistical and arrogant. Yes, he is significantly strong, but it is never enough. He always wants more. He always wants the fame, as when he left his men behind to take on the dragon, alone, despite his old age. Beowulf’s fault led him to his death, whereas Gawain’s humility saved his life. In today’s world all of us are faced with numerous different amounts of temptation. It speaks a lot to ones character to avoid them, and to speak for themselves in regret when they falter in their ability to deny those temptations. Gawain does this, when Beowulf is blind to his own faults. Today, Gawain would be the true hero. This is why when reading and interpreting the texts we must always consider context. Gawain is the real â€Å"person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities† (Merriam-Webster). Gawain is the indisputable hero.

Illegal Immigration & US Economy Research Paper

Illegal Immigration & US Economy - Research Paper Example Two third of legal immigrants - that is, 50 percent to 70 percent of current total immigrant inflow - are not likely to undergo civic inspection. In accordance with the general assumption of people, legal immigrants have a positive effect on nation’s economy whereas illegal immigrants have negative effect. Irrespective of the differences in the legislative body, majority of individuals believe that United States economic welfare will improve only if the number of illegal immigrants decreased. From an entirely economic point of view, the best immigration strategy would admit those whose talents are in shortest supply and whose tax inputs are as large as achievable. United States can get the maximum possible raise in revenues by hiring immigrants in scarce professions, irrespective of their skill level. In the United States, scarce employees would incorporate not just highly learned persons, for instance, the computer programmers and engineers employed by quickly growing technology industries, but also low-skilled employees in manufacturing, groceries preparation, and cleaning services, for which the supply of U.S. local labor has been declining. In either case, the national manual labor market for these recruits is rigid, in the sense that U.S. incomes for these professions are high as compared to incomes abroad (Chomsky, p. 109). Illegal immigration has apparent flaws. The constant increase in number of illegal immigrants can become a threat for the state of law and can also deteriorate the government’s capability to impose laws on labor market. ... From an entirely economic point of view, the best immigration strategy would admit those whose talents are in shortest supply and whose tax inputs are as large as achievable. United States can get the maximum possible raise in revenues by hiring immigrants in scarce professions, irrespective of their skill level. In the United States, scarce employees would incorporate not just highly learned persons, for instance, the computer programmers and engineers employed by quickly growing technology industries, but also low-skilled employees in manufacturing, groceries preparation, and cleaning services, for which the supply of U.S. local labor has been declining. In either case, the national manual labor market for these recruits is rigid, in the sense that U.S. incomes for these professions are high as compared to incomes abroad (Chomsky, p. 109). Illegal immigration has apparent flaws. The constant increase in number of illegal immigrants can become a threat for the state of law and can a lso deteriorate the government’s capability to impose laws on labor market. This increase in number also place United States at the higher risk of terrorism, even though no illegal immigrant is ever charged for terrorist activity. Huge inflows of illegal foreigners also lighten up the dedication of employers to U.S. labor market associations and form a population of employees with restricted upward mobility in addition to a doubtful place in U.S. society. There are several reasons to be worried about increasing levels of illegal immigration. Yet, it is important not to lose sight of the reality that illegal immigration has an apparent economic sense. It gives U.S. companies the types of human resources they would like to have. If

Org behavior 3 leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Org behavior 3 leadership - Essay Example The personal leadership model+300 9 13 3.2. Abilities+400 13 3.3. Personality+400 16 3.4. Values+500 18 3.5. The discussion desired effective theory of leadership+500 20 References 23 Bibliography 24 Introduction This process must include a structured procedure for self-assessment and development of necessary criteria like mission, value, ideals, goals etc. This paper will attempt to present a systematic procedure for encouraging the leadership qualities. In order to meet this objective, this paper is primarily divided into three sections. The first section will deal with the self assessment as it is necessary to identify and analyse the potential of being a successful leader. It is also important for taking necessary actions for the areas of improvements. The second section includes the development of necessary goal, mission, values etc, and these factors are very crucial as it paves the way for nurturing the leadership quality. In fact, this section creates a necessary basis for en couraging leadership quality through proper direction. The third section will present necessary theoretical backgrounds which are essential for shaping leadership qualities. This section will also focus on the development of personal leadership models and development of other leadership traits like personality, values, abilities etc. Finally, the entire discussion will be summed up in the conclusion. 1. Awareness and Insight through Self-Assessment To support the necessity of self-awareness for leadership development, Rothstein and Burke have commented that â€Å"self-awareness provides a basis for introspection, choice, priority setting, change and development† (Rothstein and Burke, 2010, p.5). The following self-assessment exercise have framed on the basis of five major areas that includes leadership potentials, self confidence, leadership skills, communication apprehension and creative personality. 1.1. Your leadership potential In regards to assessment relating to readine ss it is observed that I have scored 6 which in turn signify a moderate to higher readiness. Our supervisors thus tried to explain the aspects of the work to us to help enhance our abilities to be more ready with the task assigned (Leadership, n.d., p.3; Bowerman & Wart, 2011, p.121). The dimensions of participative and stewardship reflect an above average score of three and this shows that our supervisors not only helped work in a participative work environment but also worked as the protector of the resources both human and technological in regards to the organization (Nolan, 1998, p.1). This data shows that our supervisors avoided showing an authoritative position and also were not the blind followers of the works of the subordinates (Waddell, 2006, p.2). 1.2. Your self-confidence In terms of my character I am a hard working and confident individual who desires to be self reliant in achieving the goals set or entrusted upon me by my superiors. This personality trait also helps my superiors to better depend on me for achieving tasks of advanced level. In respect to the assessment made the scores obtained in each of the different parameters reflect a problem in my character where I reflect getting a jerk in respect to the rising of some unexpected event which may be adverse in nature. 1.3. Your team leadership skills This assessment exercise is also very useful in understanding the leadership orientation of the leadership type. The test for this sell-assessment exerci

Accounting Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Accounting Proposal - Essay Example The current revolution in the information technology industry has had an important impact on the accounting information systems (AIS).Traditional bookkeeping and accounting methods proved to consume more time and involved a lot of resources and in extension, led to high costs of production. Improvement in IT has led to the development of computers and thus facilitated the easy computerization of accounting (Prasad & Green, 2015). I intend to pursue an accounting project focussed on finding out effective and efficient ways through which small businesses can incorporate the usage of computerized accounting systems to reduce the accounting workload. My project will be titled â€Å"Integrating computerized accounting into small scale businesses.† The research study has a very broad scope. The project covers a variety of aspects that are useful in various ways to different people. It enables small scale businesses to find out the expectations of customers about tally accounting software. Moreover, it shows various reasons for selecting different accounting packages and also gives a representation of customer satisfaction after the usage of accounting software by the business. My project focuses on small businesses that do not see the need to incorporate computerized Accounting Information Systems because they are small and consequently will not benefit much. Computerized accounting information systems have caused the substitution of manual bookkeeping systems with digital ones. Manual processing of data is slow and prone to error, unlike computerized accounting (Prasad & Green, 2015). Improvements in technology have resulted in quicker ways of collecting, processing and retrieval of data. Automated accounting systems have taken over the functions of manual accounting systems. An example of such functions is the data input function. In manual accounting, the data capture happened together with the source documents