Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein by Mary Shelley” Essay

Robert Walton writes numerous letters to his sister, who is presently in England about his endeavors at the North Pole. He is currently stuck as the water has since been overridden by ice, making it impossible for him and his crew to continue his dangerous mission. Although his progress was positive at the beginning, he is now unable to move forward because of the ice. It is during this period that the captain meets with Victor, who has been weakened by the ice and is almost dead of cold. Walton the nurses Victor back to health, and hears the tale about the monster that victor has created. Victor, who is a brilliant man, has discovered the secret of life itself and had consequently created his own monster, but as a result of his actions, he fears that the monster will ruin the lives of the people he cares about as well as his. Character Development, Victor, his Father and the Monster                   At the beginning, Victor is an innocent loving boy who is full of life and surrounded by loved ones. As a young boy, he lives with his father, plays with his brother and friend and also loves his future wife Elizabeth. The turn of events occurs when victor’s brilliance in chemistry and his curiosity about life forces him to reanimate a dead body. Throughout the novel, victor changes step by step and the grief he encounters due to the loss of loved ones fuel his heart with hate and remorse. From a young scientist filled with prospects of great future to a guilt-ridden man filled with anger and revenge. As a young boy, victor spent his youth in Geneva. His life as a young person was fulfilling with the loving accompany of his loving sister Elizabeth and his best friend Henry. Upon being of age, Victor enrolls at the University of Ingolstadt, where he studies chemistry and natural philosophy. Being a curios and brilliant person, he is overwhelmed by the unknown knowledge of life and, therefore, revolts his life to finding the true origin of life. Victor then spends his whole time in research with the hope to discover the secret of life. After many years of research, he is able to discover the basics of life. According to (Janowitz and William 938), Victor’s ambition to create life blinds the moral obligations that he should have felt about creating a monster without human emotion and characteristics. Notable, Victor does not evaluate the consequences that might arise as a result of his action. He just spends time creating a creature with the knowledge that he has gained. He uses dead parts of a human body to put together the creature and reanimates him later. The creature, however, does not look as appealing as he expected. The sight of him fills Victor with horror and disgust. Victor is disappointed with his work and becomes contemptuous of the creature. With the creature trying to understand the meaning of the behavior being exhibited by his creator, victor becomes more afraid and runs from him scared and remorseful. According to Vargo (417) the use of dead parts to create a living thing sheds message that the expected creation would not behavior like a normal person. Victor should have recognized that his endeavor would only lead to more death. After creation of the monster, he feels remorseful and decides to return home. Woolley (46) observes that his wish to return home would maybe reconnect him after losing touch with humanity. So, he decides that since the monster has disappeared, he should also return to his family to nurse his remorse and poor health back to normal. However, victor receives an unexpected letter from his father explaining that his brother has been murdered. Victor now rushes home, remorseful as ever to support his family at this moment of grief. As he is about to arrive, he sees the monster he created looming the woods where is brother was killed. With this knowledge, Victor believes that the monster must have killed him. To make matters worse, Victor arrives to find that his adopted sister, a gentle and kind person, is being accused of the crime that his monster dis. She is consequently executed although Victor knows the real murderer. Victor now grows more remorseful and guilty for his actions becaus e he knows that his actions have led t the death of two of his beloved ones. According to 5865, this is the point where Victor begins to get sense of the consequences of his actions. He created death, so death follows him. Levine (490) notes that people tend to run away from their actions’ outcomes after they see that they are not desirable. Instead of dealing with the situation, Victor grief overpowers him and he is unable to withstand the sorrow at his home at Geneva. He decides that it is best to stay away from home by taking a vacation in the mountains; since he knows that the monster is probably tracking him; he knows that by staying away from home the monster would also follow him, and leave the family alone. While at the mountains, the monster approaches Victor and tries to beg for attention. It is evident that the monster is disappointed by the fact that Victor left it after creation. He admits to killing Victor’s brother, and asks that Victor understand his reasons. He says that the death of Victor’s brother William was a payback for leaving him to rot. With this, he asks victor to create another one like him so that he can be happy around someone who understood him, and w ho would not abandon him like Victor did. He says; â€Å"‘I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create'† (Shelley and Maurice 129). His action of acting god, which is pure inhumanness, haunts him from the moment he creates the monster. His obsession to act as a creator finally ruins his life as well as the lives of the people that he cares about. Eventually, Victor changes from a human with feelings to become a person without feelings just as the creature that he created. The basics of human feeling are family and friends. The monster, seeing that victor does not care about him, sought to make him like he is, in an effort to make Victor understand the situation of being in solitude. With this, Victor falls for the monsters please and weighs the odds of creating a second monster, and refuses to grant the creature his wish to have a companion. However, the monster pleads and persuades him until he agrees to make the second, female monster to act as a companion to the first monster. He takes his friend Henry and return to England to prepare the necessary materials and information required for the creation of the female monster. Victor starts the work at a secluded island in company of the monster and is almost done when he feels that his actions are against moral expectations. He, therefore, destroys his progress attracting an outrage from the monster who in turn vows to destroy everything he loves. He even swears to kill Victor’s lover during his wedding night. In this, it is evident that Victor realized and regained his moral ground way too late. At this point, he will have to endure consequences for his actions (Vargo 419). The fist revenge the monster has on victor is killing of his best friend, Henry. When Victor travels to dump the remains of the second monster, He returns in the morning only to be arrested and accused of murdering his own friend. This occurrence finally drives victor to the edge. Losing his humanity is the only thing preventing Victor from becoming the monster he has created (Choice Reviews Online 32). He realizes that Henry was killed by the monster after the fallout they had the previous day. Although he denies having killed his friend, Victor is imprisoned for the time being as investigations are conducted. Overcome by grief of losing the people that he loved the most due to the consequences of his actions, Victor falls sick in the prisons where he is nursed back to health and acquitted. At this point, Victor returns with his father to Geneva, and marries the woman he loves, Elizabeth. (Woolley 50) notes that Elizabeth and Victor’s father are the only things holding him from truly becoming a monster. The monster knows that killing Victor wife would bring them closer. However, although he still remembers the words of the monster about visiting him on his wedding night and sends his bride away to avoid a confrontation. Despite this, the monster catches up with Elizabeth and kills her. At this point, Victor’s father, who has lost many people as well is unable to overcome his grief and dies shortly after the death of Elizabeth. Having lost his wife, his brother, his sister, his father and also his friend to the monster, he vows that it is time to exact revenge. Victor’s father, who was his source of comfort, is now dead, and so are his advices and encouragement. The hunter becomes the hunted as he runs from Victor, who is now murderous after losing his family and friends to the monster. Victor has not undergone a complete metamorphosis and turned into a monster. With no family, friends or siblings, Victor is now as lonely as the monster. The grief, anger, pain and remorse have now exhausted his feeling and behavior of a human being. At one point he almost gets to him but the monster is saved by the sea as the ice cracks and separates them with a gap. At this point, Victor is found by the captain Walton, as he travels through the ice and is almost dead of cold. This story, as the writer intends, enables the reader to have multiple interpretations of the actions of Victor. With these, the reader can decide either to think that Victor was a mad scientist, who crossed human boundaries without concern or an adventurer who lack responsibility of his actions. Either way, the reader can related to the process of Victor turning into his own creation. When Walton meets Victor, he is weak and almost dead of cold for travelling many days in the ice. Unlike the monster, he is human and unable to endure the cold. Walton tries his best to nurse Victor but later he succumbs to death. Walton, having heard the stories of the monster’s cruel acts is astonished to find him weeping over Victor’s body. He tells Walton that now that Victor is dead, he has no one else in this world. He recounts is suffering, remorse, solitude and hatred and concludes that he can now die as his creator has. At this point, he departs to the northernmost cold region to die. It is at this point that the reader finally experiences the solitude of the creature. The creature is Victor’s creation, gathered from old body parts and weird chemicals, energized by a puzzling flash. He enters life as a grown up and immensely strong yet with the psyche of an infant. Relinquished by his maker and befuddled, he tries to bond himself into society, just to be disregarded by everyone. Looking in the mirror, he understands his physical bizarreness, a part of his being that blinds world to his delicate, innocent nature. He mentions that; â€Å"‘When I looked around I saw and heard of none like me. Was I, the, a monster, a blot upon the earth from which all men fled and whom all men disowned?'† (Shelley and Maurice 105 Looking for reprisal on his maker, he executes Victor’s youthful sibling. After Victor wrecks his work on the female beast intended to facilitate the creature’s acceptance to the society, the beast murders Victor’s closest companion and afterward his wife Elizabeth. While Victor feels great disdain for his creation, the beast demonstrates that he is not a malicious being. The creature’s articulate portrayal of occasions (as given by Victor) uncovers his surprising affection and kindheartedness. He helps a gathering of poor laborers and saves a young lady from drowning, but since of his outward appearance, he is remunerated just with beatings and disdain; torn in the middle of vindictiveness and empathy, the beast winds up forlorn and tormented by regret. Indeed the demise of his inventor turned-would-be-destroyer offers just ambivalent alleviation: delight on the grounds that Victor has created him so much enduring, trouble on the grounds that Victor is the main individual with whom he has had any kind of relationship. Conclusion                   In conclusion, the characters of Victor and his father are different from that of the monster, which has no family and friends. The only person who understood his existence, his creator Victor turned his back on him after he created him. Victor realized that his actions were immoral and that he was not supposed to create a monster. The plot develops the character of both Victor and his father to align with that of the monster. With time, the monster ruins the life of Victor just as his suspected by killing his family and best friend. In the end, Victor is filled with hate, remorse and anger just like the monster and dies a bitter man. References Coats, Karen. â€Å"Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.† Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: 113-14. Print. Janowitz, Anne F., and William Veeder. â€Å"Mary Shelley and Frankenstein: The Fate of Androgyny.† The Modern Language Review: 938. Print. Levine, George. â€Å"Mary Shelley: Collected Tales and Stories. Charles E. Robinson Mary Shelley’s Monster: The Story of â€Å"Frankenstein.† Martin Tropp.† Nineteenth-Century Fiction: 486-91. Print. Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Maurice Hindle. Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus. Rev. ed. London: Penguin, 2003. Print. â€Å"The Other Mary Shelley: Beyond Frankenstein.† Choice Reviews Online (1994): 31-36. Print. Vargo, Lisa. â€Å"Mary Shelley Studies: From â€Å"Author of Frankenstein† To â€Å"the Great Work Of Life†Ã¢â‚¬  Literature Compass: 417-28. Print. Woolley, Rachel. â€Å"Syndy M. Conger, Frederick S. Frank, and Gregory O’Dea, Eds., Iconoclastic Departures: Mary Shelley After ‘Frankenstein’ – Essays in Honor of the Bicentenary of Mary Shelley’s Birth. Madison and London: Associated University Presses, 1997. ISBN: 0-8386-36.† Romanticism on the Net. Print. Source document

Adolescent Eating Habits Essay

Many teenagers fall into unhealthy eating habits for a variety of reasons; stress, the desire to lose weight, peer pressure etc. These unhealthy eating habits, may not cause damage immediately (although they sometimes do) but they are followed by a host of health issues. Sound nutritious habits play a role in the prevention of common chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, cancers, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Investigating and understanding adolescent eating habits is necessary to preventing diet-related diseases later in the future. This paper discusses characteristic adolescent eating habits; skipping meals, fast food consumption, frequent snacking, and other dieting practices of adolescents. The nutritional requirements for adolescents are also discussed. Unhealthy Dietary Habits Teens engage in dieting practices that maybe less than beneficial, including eating very little, cutting out whole groups of foods (like grain products), fasting, and skipping meals. These practices can leave out important foods that are vital for growth to occur. Other weight-loss strategies such as self-induced vomiting, smoking, and diet pills or laxatives can lead to health issues. See more: Sleep Deprivation Problem Solution Speech Essay Unhealthy dieting can actually cause weight gain since it often leads to a cycle of eating very little, then binge eating. Adolescents may miss meals because of unbalanced schedules. Breakfast and lunch are the meals most often missed, school, and social activities may cause the skipping of evening meals. 12 to 50 % of adolescents miss breakfast; and girls are more likely to do so than are boys (35 and25 % respectively). More than one-half of the adolescents participating in the National Adolescent School Health Survey reported that they ate breakfast less than twice per week. Reasons for missing breakfast include rushing off o early school classes or activities, and poor appetite first thing in the morning. Missing breakfast can negatively affect school performance and contribute to a negative overall diet [ (Americans, 2010) ]. Hunger and food insecurity (i. e. , disrupted eating patterns because of financial strains) might increase the risk for lower dietary quality and under nutrition. In turn, under nutrition can negatively affect overall health, cognitive development, and school performance. Benefits of Healthful Eating Eating a healthy breakfast is associated with improved cognitive function (especially memory), and mood. Healthy eating helps prevent high cholesterol and high blood pressure and reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Healthy eating helps reduce the risk of obesity, dental caries, iron deficiency, and osteoporosis Most U. S. youth do not meet the recommendations for eating 2? cups to 6? cups of fruits and vegetables each day. Teenagers in the U. S. A tend not to eat the minimum recommended amounts of whole grains (2–3 ounces each day). Teenagers tend not to eat more than the recommended maximum daily intake of sodium (1,500–2,300 mg each day) (CDC, 1998). Empty calories contribute to 40% of daily calories for children and adolescents aged 2–18 years, affecting the quality of their diets. About half of these empty calories come from the following sources: soft-drinks, fruit drinks, pizza, grain desserts, dairy desserts, and whole milk. Adolescents drink more full-calorie soft-drinks per day than milk. Males aged 12–19 years drink roughly 22 ounces of full-calorie soft-drinks per day, more than twice the intake of milk (10 ounces), and females drink roughly 14 ounces of soft-drinks and only 6 ounces of milk (Kushi LH, 2006). Eating Disorders Adolescents are especially susceptible to eating disorders because of the development of their self-image around this time of their lives. Bulimia, anorexia and binge eating are all eating disorders that teenagers suffer from. Results of Anorexia nervosa can prove to be fatal; as the body is starved so are the muscles. The heart, being a muscle, can consequently begin to weaken, and heart failure will very likely become a reality. The low levels of sodium, zinc, potassium and calcium, associated with anorexia can cause unusual heart rhythms. Sudden death caused by electrolyte and mineral disorder may happen. The blood bone marrow is also interrupted. Anemia is related with the amount of weight lost and the decreased capability to fight pathogens and infections [ (CDC) ]. Obtaining the accurate figures, in terms of the prevalence and other facts about eating disorders is difficult. It is not mandatory for Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders (ANRED) to report eating disorders; this, the secretiveness, and denial of people with eating disorders makes it difficult to obtain an accurate idea of the prevalence of eating disorders in the U.  S. A. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), in 2005, 10,000,000 Americans had an eating disorder. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) reports 7,000,000 women and 1,000,000 men are affected by eating disorders in America. 3. 6% and 12. 9% of the American population is estimated to suffer from an eating disorder at some time in their lives, according to the Eating Disorders Coalition (EDC) [ (Americans, 2010) ]. Junk Food The percentage of adolescents snacking on any given day increased from 61% in 1977-1978 to 83% in 2005-2006; the percentage of adolescents who had three or more snacks in a day rise more than twofold, from 9 % to 23% during the same time period. The rise in rates of overweight and obesity among children and adults of late has led researchers to evaluate the relationship between different eating patterns and weight status. A habit that has received significant attention is that of eating more frequently, particularly in the form of snacking. Although some research has shown that eating habits, including snacking, may help people meet their nutrient requirements, other research indicates that snacking lowers the nutrient density (the amount of nutrients per calorie) of the total diet (Forshee RA, 2006) (Brown, 2011). Snacking more times per day was related to higher intakes of calories. Many of the foods that made the largest contributions to adolescents’ intakes (My Pyramid) at snacks were also high in solid fats, added sugars, or both. The effects of frequent consumption of junk food, such as fast food, soft-drinks, potato crisps and other snacks, include the increased risk of : Clogged arteries- his occurs when fats and cholesterol become oxidized and build up inside the blood vessels, increasing the risk for heart attack or stroke. * Heart disease. * Diabetes later in life. * Obesity, immediately or later in life. * Hypertension. * Cancers related to excess fat and sugar consumption. (Brown, 2011) Many teens eat at fast food restaurants often, taking in extra calories from added sugar and fat. One fast food meal of a sandwich, fries, and sweetened soft-drink can have more fat, calories, and sugar than one should eat in an entire day. The best approach is to limit the amount of fast food consumed. Choosing a grilled chicken sandwich or a plain, small burger instead of a large fried burger, ordering garden or grilled chicken salads with light or reduced-calorie dressings, choosing water, fat-free, or low-fat milk instead of sweetened sweet-drinks can go a long way towards minimizing fat, sugar and calorie intake when eating out. At times, people forget what they drinking and focus only on what they are eating. Soft-drinks and other sugar filled drinks have replaced water and milk as the drinks of choice for teens. These drinks are more like desserts because they are high in calories and added sugar. In fact, soft-drinks and sugar-filled drinks may contribute to weight problems in kids and teens. Saturated fat and trans fat, found in many types of fast food including fries, and fried chicken, contribute to high cholesterol levels. High cholesterol increases the risk of blocked arteries. The resulting reduced blood flow to the heart and brain, increases risks for heart attack or stroke. Trans fat, also found in many baked goods such as cookies, snack cakes and crackers, should be avoided to reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems.

The Rise of the Modern American Presidency

To begin, an anecdote that many are sure to recall and relate to is presented: as the United States found itself in a war, the likes of which it had never seen before, the President found himself at a crossroads of policy, power and the consequences of his actions, for whatever course he took, there would be political fallout. All of his advisors had something to offer, and of course, his critics and political enemies all stood ready to witness his downfall should he falter in his resolve or fail in his judgment.Ultimately, com/unit-3-our-government-today-the-legislative-and-executive-branches/">the President took full advantage of his powers- granted and implied- and set forth with his course of action, touching off a firestorm of disputes over the level of power he actually possesses, how much input such governmental bodies as the US Congress has in times of presidential posturing, and the like. The scenario presented sounds as if it could have been torn from the current headlines, as President George W.Bush is engulfed in controversy and opposition for his exercise of power in the midst of the modern war on terrorism, but a quick glance backward into the annals of history shows that this same scenario, albeit with some differences in circumstance here and there, could apply to Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II, and certainly could apply to any number of other presidents.The point to be made is that the increase and exercise of presidential power is one of the most critical issues and points of contention in American politics. Even in light of past (and present) poor decision making on the part of American Presidents, and the scandals that have rocked the presidency to its core in the past, every indication is that presidential power will only continue to grow as the 21st century unfolds and the complexity of the American political system grows (Shafritz, Weinberg).In this research, the different conceptions of th e proper role of the President in the American political system will be presented and discussed, with an ultimate goal of tracing the rise of the modern presidency, when/why the President became so powerful, why this power has endured, and whether or not the researcher favors and alternative, as well as the advantages/disadvantages of such powerful leadership. The Rise of the Modern American Presidency As this paper began, an anecdote was presented that in fact applies to every generation of presidential leadership in America.The existence of such power begs the first question of when this power first began to emerge. By design, the presidency of the United States was constitutionally intended to be of course an executive leadership role that was ultimately independent of the Congress that was also originated by the same Constitutional mandates (Lowi, et al). Therefore, from the beginning of the US itself, the President was placed in the position whereby he would have assert the pow ers of the presidency if he were to be able to gain/sustain any sort of assertive power during his years as chief executive.Throughout American history, there have been examples of passive and aggressive, weak and strong presidents, all because of their ability-or lack of ability- to successfully establish a power base within their administration. This power base can be gathered through a variety of means, such as the assembly of a powerful cabinet of advisors who in themselves possess the fortitude and connections to make their boss a more formidable chief executive, through holding the favor of Congress, such as when Congress is controlled by the political party of the president in question, or through his own cunning, skills or outright deception.Whatever the case may be the net effect over the past two centuries plus has been that the presidency has risen to a pinnacle of varying degrees of power, depending upon the person holding the office. When/Why the American President Gain ed Such Power The power that the President has the option of exercising or relaxing, according to most sources, has its modern roots in a specific administration and period of American history.The President was FD Roosevelt, and the time was immediately upon his assumption of office in 1932, through World War II, and up to the time of Roosevelt’s death in office in 1945 (Shafritz, Weinberg). In fact, the precedent that Roosevelt set with his administration seemed, in retrospect, to have taken the presidency to a new level of modern power. There are a few possible reasons for this. One reason that is frequently cited by many historians is the dawn of the development of the nuclear weapon- often called the dawn of the Atomic Age.With the existence of technology that could literally destroy the planet in a matter of moments put forth an interesting dynamic for the political landscape of America- first, although it was a highly guarded secret at the time, prior to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in 1945, the corridors of American presidential power undoubtedly came to the realization that they not only had an awesome responsibility to wield nuclear weapons in a careful manner, but also that there were likely other powerful nations, such as the USSR, who also held in their possession nuclear weapons that could likewise destroy the planet as we know it.Therefore, the American President became not only in a sense the judge, jury and executioner for the nation and the rest of the world, but also a sort of protector for all of the peaceful people of the world. From that point forward, international relations, technology and the deterioration of the state of peace in the world has galvanized the power of the American President.Why the Power Endures The endurance of the power of the President of the United States, it now appears, is essential to endure because of the dangers that lurk in the nations of the world, making it necessary for the American President to be a sort of watchdog for the entire planet. Additionally, there are other, more transparent but nonetheless significant reasons why presidential power endures.Whether anyone would care to admit it or not, the President of the United States is in many cases kept as a powerful individual due to the fact that the major political parties of America use the presidency as a central source of influence and clout for their party when a President from their particular party holds the office; therefore, it is of mutual benefit for the President and his party to work to support each other, and a key ingredient that is needed to make the coalition work is the gathering and retention of power.Elected officials likewise will help to make the President more powerful in exchange for his support in their political activities and aspirations. Literally, it must also be acknowledged that the President of the United States is explicitly granted certain powers by the US Constitution (Lowi, et al). Some of these-what are known as expressed powers- are somewhat automatic for the President. Others- known as delegated powers-many times require the consultation of Congress and others in order to be exercised.This being said, however, one only needs to look at today’s headlines to find countless examples where the current President has overstepped the boundaries of what is traditionally permitted on the President’s own initiative. Many claim that this is literally illegal-others are simply outraged- some take both stances. Therefore, what we see is that the President of the United States has acquired some powers, has some powers that are constitutionally built-in, and has other powers that have simply been grabbed without permission.Pros/Cons of Presidential Power Presidential power has its advantages and disadvantages- in many cases, the difference between the two lies in political affiliation and/or personal opinion. On the positive side, few would argue th at a President with the ability to defend the nation successfully from enemies, keep the economy going strong, and provide for the welfare of the people through the acquisition of power would be an unfavorable scenario.On the other hand, the â€Å"cons† of presidential power include possible abuses of that power, unfavorable consequences of the wielding of that power, etc. In any case, there will never be a perfect balance of presidential power, but perhaps there are ways to keep the power in check while still keeping the President as a strong leader for the good of the people. Researcher’s ViewsThe result of this research, in the mind of the researcher, has been to come to the realization that absolute presidential power is not a favorable situation, nor is the situation of a weak President who has to seek permission and motivation to accomplish anything. Therefore, the researcher herein puts forth an opinion that the issue of the appropriate level of presidential pow er cannot be answered with a political debate, election or document.It can, however, be balanced with presence of politically active citizens who speak out when the president oversteps his boundaries of authority, works to improve the nation, and constantly holds the President to a high standard of accountability and responsible use of power. Then, and only then, can presidential power be correctly held and utilized. Conclusion The President of the United States, even centuries after the foundation of America, remains an enigmatic contradiction- he needs to be powerful, yet that power needs to be regulated and monitored.Therefore, in closing, let this point be understood- blind faith in any leaders will inevitably create chaos. As such, every American has the responsibility to express their opinions, be heard, and fight to keep the presidency what it was intended to be- the voice of the people. Works Cited Lowi, Ginsberg, Shepsle (2005). American Government: Power and Purpose. 9th e d. New York: WW Norton and Company. Shafritz, Weinberg (2005). Classics in American Literature. 3rd ed. Pittsburgh, PA: Wadsworth.

Public Opinion Survey Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Opinion Survey Paper - Essay Example The research methods used in in this study to obtain public opinions would be the telephone survey method and the mail survey method. Telephone survey methods according to StatPac, Inc (p.1), are the quickest method of obatining information from a large sample of respondents that number approximately from 100 to 400. In this type of survey, the interviewer is guided by a prepaired questionnaire. Although the mail survey has almost the same featyres as the telephone survey, the differences are that the mail survey method does not permit any deeper probe on the expressed opinion and it usually takes the mail survey to be accomplished in 8 to 12 weeks. Twice longer than the telephone survey. The procedures used in the study is the telephone and mail survey methods. The questionnaire is composed of ten questions, which are in a simple and direct english language so as not to confuse the individual answering the questions. The most imporatant questions are placed at the first half of the questionnaire wherein sufficient space is also provided after each question, allowing other comments/opinions to be expressed. For the mail survey, the return addressed is printed on the questionnaire and a self-addressed postage paid stamp is sent along with the mail survey forms (StatPac, Inc., 1-2). Before Hurricane Ike made its actual land fall, 50% of the viewing public was closely watching its progress (The Pew Research Center, 1), and has already triggered gas prices to soar (cbs11tv.com, pp1-3). Concerned government offices and personnel dissiminated safety warnings and encouraged local residents to evacuate and leave their homes due to pending disasters. A week after Hurricane Ike’s landfall, residents were persistent in finding out all they could about their homes including going back to see how things are. Authorities on the other hand on

Organ donation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Organ donation - Research Paper Example The society is divided in two with regard to this issue. On the one hand, there are people who claim that it is a positive practice that brings a considerable number of positive consequences. On the other hand, the opponents of the above mentioned approach point out various personal as well as religious reasons why people should not perform it. In this essay, I will claim that organ donation is a positive phenomenon that saves lives, contributes to the improvement of the society and helps the families in various ways. To begin with, one should focus on the most positive as well as undeniable advantage of the practice in question: it is literally capable of saving lives of the people. Keeping in mind that being alive should be regarded as the most precious gift that a person is able to receive, there is no doubt that if one is capable to giving it, one should not hesitate for a moment. Indeed, not so many actions that are performed by people have such a positive outcome. Another point that should be mentioned with this regard is that a person does not only save one life by donating organ, but up to eight ("Donate Life Month"). In other words, a single person can help many other individuals and grant them a second chance. It is clear that every day all over the country people die; so, if they all donate their organs that every day eight times more people will be saved. This is surely a positive trend for the society in general. The significance of saving lives of citizens in obvious: it does not on ly allow particular families to be with their relatively longer, but it also strengthens the country in general as there will be more people who will work and contribute to prosperity. Moreover, it will reflect the spirit of value of every single life. The next positive aspect about organ donation that should be taken in close consideration is the fact that it contributes to formation of an effective framework within the

The study of sociology and its applications Essay

The study of sociology and its applications - Essay Example However, in order to be successful, I know that I need to get an in-depth knowledge of how sociology is efficiently done. Thus, in recognition of the availability of various resources in the World Wide Web, this paper will include mostly articles from the internet together with books and magazines where doing sociology can be easily understood and efficiently taught. The best starting point in undertaking the research in doing sociology is Lee Harvey and Morag McDonald's Doing Sociology: A Practical Introduction which is published by Palgrave and McMillan in 1993. Though the edition is quite old, the book is still valuable in the sense that it encourages readers to learn by doing "combining sociological theory with research methods and social philosophy in an accessible way." Being focused on first-year degree students, this book is a must for starters. On the other hand, Sociology: The Core with PowerWeb written by Michael Hughes and Carolyn Kroeler provides a more recent discussion of sociological issues. After a straightforward presentation of what sociological imagination is, the book specializes in applying the functionalist, interactionist, and conflict perspective to the various sociological debates and issues. The best feature of this book is its ability to relate real world examples to the theories and concepts presented inside the classroom. Recognizing the popularity of internet in the provision of data and information used in understanding the happenings and situations of an individual nation and the world as a whole, visiting the Virtual Explorations in Sociology created by Prof. Robert E. Wood of the State University of New Jersey also proves very helpful. This virtual tour is designed to introduce students to the resources for sociology in the internet. T is broken down in areas most discussed in sociology like deviance, race and ethnicity, and the field where I am most interested at-economics. The websites presented in the tour comprises "official U.S. and U.N. sites, academic sites, advocacy sites, personal sites, and others" which are very important for data mining. The virtual tour also tests the progress of students by giving quizzes. This is a fun way of interactive learning. Focusing on the relation of business and sociology, much information can be gathered in the websites where recent business news and ideologies are presented like Times online and Financial Times. These websites contain the most recent news in the global arena and is also organized in a way that readers and users can choose the geographic region the news comes from. It should be noted though that these articles do not directly relate sociology to real world cases but stimulates the readers by making them think how sociological imagination explains the recent trends in the business arena. I find searching the archive for specific news and articles about human interaction, behavior, and global trends as an exciting way to learn and explore how sociology is imprinted on business activities. For example, I am amused at how business organizations are increasingly turning to use of social corporate responsibility in order to enhance their image and increase their bottom line. For me, this is a new trend that sociology can explain through its theory of social contract and social

Research/argumentative paper about Achilles and Agamemnon Research - 1

/argumentative about Achilles and Agamemnon - Research Paper Example His conflict with Achilles begins when Agamemnon is forced to give up his captured prize, the woman Chryseis who was the daughter of the local priest to Apollo. When Agamemnon refused to ransom her to her father, Apollo sent a plague against the Greek army until the girl was returned. Agamemnon agreed to return her on condition that he got the other girl, Briseis, who had been awarded to Achilles. Its easy to see the argument that takes place after that as childish pouting on the part of Achilles, but this conflict tells us perhaps more about this society than the epic battle between Hector and Achilles. In the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon, it is possible to see the social structure of the Greek army as a collection of allies rather than an encampment of a single, unified, cohesive army. Its also clear that the insult to Achilles is not only the lack of respect toward him as also being a leader of men in the taking away of a prize, but also in the over-generosity of Agamem nons later peace offerings which would subjugate Achilles as a servant of sorts to Agamemnon. Through his behavior, Achilles allows us to understand important subtleties of Greek social life and gain insight into important concepts in our own social structure. The ancient Greeks were organized according to a very specific social structure that had many subtleties not necessarily recognized today. Rather than being written as a specific code, these subtleties were contained in various expected forms of behavior and informal codes of conflict. For example, it is often forgotten among Achilles critics that the Greek army was not the single entity we think of today when we think of the American forces. Instead, it was a collection of armies, each led by their own leader as each leader agreed to fight on the side of Agamemnon (Donlan, 2002). This meant Agamemnon owed his