Glass Castle Essay Essay Example

Glass Castle Essay Essay In the book â€Å"The Glass Castle† by Jeannette Walls poverty goes deeper than just low income. Even while Jeannette’s parents had money coming in, they struggled to support their family properly. They went hungry, had no electricity, or even indoor plumbing, so this proposes the question can poverty be caused by more than just low income? Do people actually want to live in poverty? For Jeannette’s parents it sure seems that way. Rex Walls had grown up in a poverty stricken town of Welch. He grew up in â€Å"big worn house† on the â€Å"downhill side of the street† (Walls 130). It smelled of â€Å"mold and cigarettes and unwashed laundry† (Walls 131). However Rose Mary Walls grew up in a very structured home in Texas where her mother made her follow rules and attend college classes to become a teacher. So when Rose Mary grew up and moved away she wanted to live a life opposite of what her mother wanted, she became a free spirit. When on the other hand poverty was all Rex had ever known. I believe this is the major factor that contributed to the Walls’ family being in poverty. Besides growing up in a poverty stricken home and town Rex also grew up with a mother who was an Alcoholic. We find this out when Jeannette tells us about the time she first met Erma and she â€Å" pulled a bottle of whiskey from the pocket of her housedress† (walls 131). She also talks about how she could smell whiskey on her Uncle Stanley’s breath the first time he hugged her. This was the life Rex Walls was accustomed to and so therefore he was comfortable with it. He saw nothing wrong with taking money from his family to go waste in on alcohol because he always some how pulled through for them. We will write a custom essay sample on Glass Castle Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Glass Castle Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Glass Castle Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The perfect example of this is when Rose Mary left for the summer for college courses and left Jeanette in charge of the money. The first few weeks went well and Jeanette had managed to make a budget and keep food on the table, then Rex had asked her for money. First it was just five dollars, then another five, and then it was twenty. Jeanette was outraged by this and asked him why he needed the twenty dollars to which he replied â€Å"Goddammit, since when do I have to explain myself to my children? I need money to make money. I’ll pay you back†¦ Have I ever left you down? (Walls 210), and then that Saturday after putting his daughter through torment of being around a drunk, he paid her back. Rex although an intelligent man was a drunk and didn’t know how to provide for his family correctly which meant he was constantly letting them down. On the other hand Rose Mary grew up with loving parents in a nice house with structure, but she hated that life and became a f ree spirit, addicted to the adrenaline Rex brought her. Rose Mary believed children should not be burdened with lots of rules and restrictions. She was a very selfish woman who would refuse to work because she wanted to become an artist. Rose Mary was a certified teacher and could easily receive a job in the towns which the Wall’s had lived because it was difficult to find teachers that had actually graduated from college. Even when Rose Mary would come around and take a teaching job â€Å"she had problems organizing paper work and disciplining her students†, and â€Å"at least one morning a week she’d throw a tantrum and refuse to go to work† (Walls 196). She’d eventually quit her job and the Wall’s once again would not have any money coming in except when Rex performed odd jobs. The life the Walls kids put up with was not the way the wanted to live. When Lori graduated high school she moved to New York City. Then Jeanette’s senior year she moved in with Lori. Brian followed Jeanette’s footsteps, and when Maureen was only twelve she moved in with Lori. While the kids were making better lives for themselves their parents had decided to move to New York as well but remain homeless and in poverty. They slept on park benches and in bushes. They refused to go to shelters because life was more interesting the way they lived it. They eventually moved into an abandoned apartment where others liked them lived, and Maureen moved in. After Rex died, Rose Mary still chose to live a life of poverty. Most people when they hear the word poverty they think of low income families, people who go to homeless shelters, people who work but do not make enough, or those who cannot find a job, but Rex and Rose Mary show us that there can be more to it than just low income. They liked to constantly be on their toes, they liked being completely independent and to always be on the run. Rex’s alcohol addiction and Rose Mary’s unwillingness to work, and her stubbornness to not sell anything she had inherited from her mother took away precious money that could have went to support their family. This book shows that poverty can be cause by more than just low income. Word Count: 881

Daniel Keyes Controversial Novel Questions for Study

Daniel Keyes Controversial Novel Questions for Study Flowers for Algernon is a famous 1966 novel by Daniel Keyes. It began as a short story, which Keyes later expanded into a full novel. Flowers for Algernon tells the story of a mentally challenged man, Charlie Gordon, who undergoes a surgical procedure that dramatically increases his IQ. Its the same procedure thats already been performed successfully on a mouse named Algernon. At first, Charlies life is improved by his expanded mental capacity, but he comes to realize people he thought were his friends were mocking him. He falls in love with his former teacher, Miss Kinnian, but soon surpasses her intellectually, leaving him feeling isolated. When Algernons intelligence begins to decline and he dies, Charlie sees the fate that awaits him, and soon he begins to regress as well. In his final letter, Charlie asks that someone leave flowers on Algernons grave, which is in Charlies backyard. Here are a few questions for study and discussion of Flowers for Algernon: What is important about the title? Is there a reference in the novel that explains the title?What statement does the novel make, directly or indirectly, about the treatment of the mentally challenged?Flowers for Algernon was published in the mid-1960s. Are Keyes views on mental disability and intelligence dated? Does he use terms to describe Charlie that are no longer considered appropriate?What passages could have been grounds for banning Flowers for Algernon (as it was several times)?Flowers for Algernon is whats known as an epistolary novel, told in letters and correspondence. Is this an effective technique for showing Charlies rise and decline? Why or why not? To whom do you think the letters and notes Charlie writes are written?Is Charlie consistent in his actions? What is unique about his situation?Consider the location and time period of the novel. Would changing one or both have changed the story significantly?How are women portrayed in Flowers for Algernon? What would have b een different about the story if Charlie had been a woman who underwent such a controversial surgery? Are the doctors who operate on Charlie acting in his best interests? Do you think Charlie would have gone through with the operation if he knew what the ultimate outcome would be?Several publishers rejected Flowers for Algernon, demanding Keyes rewrite it with a happier ending, with at least one suggesting Charlie should marry Alice Killian. Do you think that would have been a satisfying conclusion to the story? How would it have affected the integrity of the storys central theme?What is the central message of the novel? Is there more than one moral to the story of Charlies treatment?What does the novel suggest about the connection between intelligence and happiness?What genre do you think this novel belongs to: ​Science fiction or horror? Explain your answer. Here are some additional links to enhance your appreciation and understanding of Flowers for Algernon

National Student Survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

National Student Survey - Essay Example The qualitative research involves only a small number of respondents, statistical significances and the confidence levels are usually not performed on the raw data for this type of research. The quantitative research mostly uses a random sample and usually involves a large number of respondents. This type of research is undertaken to draw conclusion about the whole population. (Smith, 2000) The advent of the internet and the falling costs of personal computers have expanded the realms of possibilities for the researcher in their choice of research techniques, and in particular, methods for conducting research surveys. (Schonlau, Fricher et al. 2001). It wasn't very long ago that online surveys weren't considered an effective means of data collection and were seen with suspicion within the marketing research community, mainly, because the online population was not considered sufficiently representative of the population at large. Perceptions have changed overtime with the increase in internet penetration, online research has now become increasingly prominent and is considered as effective as other mail surveys, and interviews (face-to-face and telephone interviews). Advocates of online survey argue that they have distinct advantages over traditional data collection methods. The greatest strengths of internet surveys are the potential to colle... The advantages they offer are: - Online surveys consume less time than traditional methods which can take a long time to implement due to separate and distinct phases of design, data collection, coding and analysis. - Incur less cost and are cheaper to conduct as it has no outgoing or return postage and other administration costs - Easier to conduct - The output produced is comparable in quality to other data collection techniques such as postal surveys etc - It is possible to target a diverse range of potential respondents in terms of geography and industry background. - The sample size can be kept moderately large to take advantage of the lower marginal cost per respondent. - Can be conducted with a convenience sample where the respondents themselves select themselves into the survey - Cost per response decreases with the increase in sample size, so a large sample size can be selected to ensure that the sample is representative of the population - Access to high-income, high-tech, professionals. These and other business people are normally difficult to identify and reach via other methodologies. The greatest strengths of internet surveys are the potential to collect a large amount of data in a relatively short amount of time, and the elimination of the necessity for researchers to enter or process the data. Electronic survey content results may be no different than postal survey content results, yet provide strong advantages of speedy distribution and response cycles [Yun & Trumbo, 2005; Swoboda, et al., 2001] Analysis and Discussion Every survey methodology has its negatives and online surveys are no different. There are problems associated with online surveys that go beyond

Media and Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Media and Communication - Essay Example Such technologies are not created simply along with the general progress of humanity as Marx believed. Rather, dominating and oppressive technologies which enable media and communication are not produced automatically or instantaneously but produces as a result of specific discursive formations which not only fashions knowledge in terms of its own logic but also constitutes the way of thinking itself. It is through the process of 'rationalisation', the term commonly associated with German philosopher Max Weber, Western model of capitalism became dominant over the entire surface of earth. In terms of governance, art and science, modern capitalism is uniquely based on rationalisation and subsequent mechanisation. The process of rationalisation is merely an embodiment of instrumental reason to which, in the epoch of modernity, human beings are subsumed. Foucault (1970) is of the view that modern social institutions are not only rational structures but also mechanisms for reproducing instrument rationality. Questioning the totality of deterministic meta-narrative histories, Foucault presents an idea of fragmented histories of 'strata'. The negation of the idea of total or holistic histories by Foucault is extremely visible when he puts forward the (epistemologically different) questions that; "which strata should be isolated from others What types of series should be established What criteria of periodization should be adopted for each of them What system of relations (hierarchy, dominance, stratification, univocal determination, circular causality) may be established between them What series of series may be established And in what large-scale chronological table may distinct series of events be determined" (Foucault, 2002 , p.4). Answering these questions with relations to 'media and communication as a stratum of culture', it would be possible to demarcate the realm of media and communication and analyse it as an independent and autonomous discursive formation in itself.For Foucault, the state of media and the techniques of communication which is quintessential to western technology-driven and dominated culture are the product of a culturally specific construction and validation of knowledge. There are monopolies of knowledge which legitimise particular domination structures and patterns. The media itself is a monopoly of a particular type of knowledge and communication techniques are the channels of dissemination of monopolised knowledge. Media not only constitutes but also maintains forms of monopolised knowledge which are oppressive in both form and content. Speaking from a technological standpoint based on Foucault's delineation of discursive formations, media can be seen as vehicles or carriers of mass oppression and mass domination made possible through the realisation of technologies of domination and oppression. On the other hand, the discursive model of media and communication as a "field of discursive events" is nothing but a "grouping that is always finite and limited at any moment to the linguistic sequences that have been formulated; they may be innumerable, they may, in sheer size, exceed the capacities of recording, memory, or reading: nevertheless form a finite grouping" (

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN MOBILE SERVICES Research Paper

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN MOBILE SERVICES - Research Paper Example Programs in the connected mesh do not interfere with each other, that interference general case for mobile media. Challenges and Opportunities Conflicts connected mesh conceives characteristics of mobile media. Consequently, the mobile systems bear from reduced flow, dead zones, as well as encouraging mobility is not enough. Characteristics of mobile systems may all appear awful at the start glimpse, but a new viewpoint, displays that some of them may be utilized in our favor, but with a new design (Verkasalo 2009). The propagation of mobile telephone boasts an opening to address their need of reliability when the node is a package, it is probable that not less than one close by node obtains, which can then proceed as a next step and drive the packet. This is in stark compare to the present conceive of mobile, where there is one designated by the next jump, and when he did not obtain the bundle, the preceding segment to retransmit. Property is called spatial diversity and has been re vised in the literature. The flow of mobile systems today is very awful, and we recount here the architecture round mobile mesh cipher can assist to advance throughput. Intuition that mesh cipher raises the flow of going, because cipher permits routers to compress the data conveyed given what is renowned in distinct nodes. Mobile users can now get access to data anytime and anywhere. Mobile advocating, retail, and the game are very well liked, and little by little affray between providers of mobile services becomes cruel (Allen 2003). Thus, some service providers to customize the content personalization expertise to its users. This item discovers the possibilities and trials in utilizing expertise personalization in m-commerce. The argument over the effectiveness of personalization and technological constraints and privacy inspire us to aim assemblies with mobile users, and discover the possibilities and trials of personalized mobile services. M-commerce is the buying and trading it ems and services by mobile devices. In supplement to retail, there are submissions for mobile advocating and mobile games. According to (Smura Kivi and Toyli 2010), only 16% of the half a billion Internet users were international mobile Internet users in 2001, and the percentage expanded to 57% of the 1.5 billion Internet users in 2007. Without a question, the m-commerce becomes relevant. Distribution of mobile submissions founded on these medium has become a "focal point" rudimentary services of the company. Recent improvement in mobile expertise space, for example international positioning schemes (GPS), mobile operators can work out the position of the mobile medium inside a couple of meters. Previous study contends that such likelihood with information of the position, the mobile conduit presents businesses with more intriguing agreements and sales possibilities that the world broad web conduit is doing (Verkasalo 2008). Using the benefits of mobile business, the inquiry of what lies deep in the minds of mobile mesh operators: what is this location, content will be delivered? With expanding clientele anticipations, without a question, the note is a universal set about is not strategic. Customers favor customized or even personalized services. Adaptation of the content on locations users (and even their preferences, enterprise goals and context) is required to accomplish enterprise possibilities in m-commerce.

Three Perspectives on Education Functionalist Conflict and Symbolic

Three Perspectives on Education Functionalist Conflict and Symbolic The basis of todays theoretical perspectives provides sociologists with a philosophical position for asking certain kinds of questions about society and the people that occupy it. The three primary perspectives are functionalist, conflict, and interactionist. These three theories are very relative to education and the whole learning process. These different perspectives allow sociologists the ability to explain how society influences people and their actions. Each perspective uniquely conceptualizes society, social forces, and human behavior. The functionalist perspective, also known as functionalism, states that each aspect of society is interdependent and contributes to societys functioning as a whole. The government, or state, provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running. The family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. With this being said, the children become law-abiding and taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. The parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. If something goes wrong, the parts of society then must adapt to recapture a new order, stability, and productivity. For example, the financial recession we are in right now, with the high rates of unemployment and inflation, social programs and their budgets are usually cut back because funding isnt available. Families end up having to cut back on their spending an d budget as well just to make ends meet. Functionalists believe that society is held together by social consensus and work together to achieve what is best for society as a whole. The functionalist perspective was popular during the 1940s and 1950s among American sociologist. American functionalists focused on discovering the functions of human behavior and European functionalists focused on explaining the inner workings of social order. Sociologist Robert Merton, who was born in 1910, divided human functions into two different types: manifest functions are those that are intentional and obvious and latent functions are those that are unintentional and not obvious. For example, my manifest function of attending my church is to worship, receive the word, and help children, but my latent function may be to help those children learn to discern religious and personal views. Manifest functions are apparent, while the latent functions have a more sociological approach. A sociological approach in functionalism is the consideration of the relationship between the functions of smaller parts and the functions of the whole. Functionalism has received criticism for neglecting the negative functions of something such as abuse. Critics claim that the perspective justifies the status quo and complacency on the part of societys members. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise. Karl Marxs writings on class struggles sparked the conflict perspective. The conflict perspective presents society in a different light than do the functionalist and symbolic interactionist perspectives. The conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. Unlike functionalists who defend the status quo, avoid social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order, conflict theorists challenge the status quo, encourage social change, and believe rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the less fortunate. American sociologists in the 1940s and 1950s generally ignored the conflict perspective in favor of the functionalist, the 1960s saw American sociologists gain interest in conflict theory. They also expanded Marxs idea that the key conflict in society was strictly economic. Today, conflict theorists find social conflict between any groups in which the potential for inequality exists such as race, gender, religion, political views, and economic stance, etc. Conflict theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. This constant competition between groups forms the basis for the ever-changing nature of society. Critics of the conflict perspective point out its negative view of society. The theory attributes humanitarian efforts, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive aspects of society to capitalistic designs to control the masses, not to inherent interests in preserving society and social order. The symbolic interactionist perspective, directs sociologists to consider the symbols and details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and how people interact with each other. Although symbolic interactionist perspective traces its origins to Max Webers assertion that individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world, the American philosopher George H. Mead (1863-1931) introduced this perspective to American sociology in the 1920s. According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, people attach meanings to symbols, and then they act according to their subjective interpretation of these symbols. Verbal conversations, in which spoken words serve as the predominant symbols, make this subjective interpretation very evident. The words have a certain meaning for the sender, and, during effective communication, they hopefully have the same meaning for the receiver. Words are not static things; they require intention and interpretation. Conversation is an interaction of symbols between individuals who constantly interpret the world around them. Of course, anything can serve as a symbol as long as it refers to something beyond itself. Written music serves as an example. The black dots and lines become more than just marks on the page; they refer to notes organized in such a way to make music. Symbolic interactionists give serious thought to how people act, and then seek to determine what meanings individuals assign to their own actions and symbols. Applying symbolic interactionist perspective to the American institution of marriage, symbols may include wedding bands, vows of life-long commitment, a white bridal dress, a wedding cake, a Church ceremony, and flowers and music. American society attaches general meanings to these symbols, but individuals also maintain their own perceptions of what these and other symbols mean. For example, one of the spouses may see their circular wedding rings as symbolizing everlasting love, while the other may see them as a financial expense. Critics claim that the symbolic interactionist perspective neglects the macro level of social interpretation or the big picture. In other words, symbolic interactionists may miss the larger issues of society by focusing too closely on the trees or the size of the diamond in the wedding ring rather than the forest or the quality of the marriage. The perspective also receives criticism for slighting the influence of social forces and institutions on individual interactions. All of these perspectives have valid points as well as constructive criticism that holds value. The one perspective that sticks out to me is the conflict perspective; to me this perspective is real. I think being able to identify the many things that are wrong with our society today, makes the blows less painful when something goes wrong. The conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. With this being said the conflict perspective can also be viewed in a positive light. Someone learning about this perspective their eyes could be opened up to many different issues that they might not necessarily experience.

MARRIAGE Essay -- essays research papers

Marriage is the socially recognized union of two or more people. Selecting a marriage partner is very much a culturally defined process. The rules governing selection vary widely from society to society and are more often complex. How would you go about selecting a mate? Where would you begin? What criteria would you use? When we look around the world to see how other societies deal with these questions, it is clear that the ways of selecting a mate or a marriage partner has been changed from generation to generation. In the generation where my grandparents came from, marriages were purely arranged by the elderly. Mothers or aunts usually selected a marriage partner for their sons. My grandparents got married when both of them were very young. Their marriage was purely arranged. Grandmother was only 14 years old and grandfather was 22.My grandmother was living in India with her family. There was a woman living in the same neighborhood. The woman also knew my grandparent’s family, who were living in the same neighborhood. In old ages, mother or aunt finds a bride for his son. So, as soon as my grandfather finished his studies and got a job, his mom started looking a bride for him. She asked my grandmother’s neighbor about a girl, who should be beautiful, charming, caring and could cook well. That’s how both families met and grandparents got married .However, they did not see each other until they went in their bedroom not even in pictures. My grandmother told me, when she saw h er husband first time in the bedroom, she thought of her father-in-law. She was afraid of her husband. It is because my grandfather had big beard at that time. Grandmother did not even see her father- in – law until after the next 2 days of marriage and no one told my grandmother that the groom has a beard. After marriage, their lives became very changed. Love and romance was filled in their lives. My grandmother was a house wife so she spent all her time with her husband after the wedding. However, my grandmother was a very shy woman. She gave very much respect to her husband throughout her life. At that time, respect for a husband was considered the most important thing infront of a wife. My grandmother was too young to be married. However, she became pregnant in the first month after marriage. Both of my grandparents told me that they were extremely respectable, loving and caring to... ...lds her hands and convinced her that everything would be alright. Then he went his home to introduce her with his family. They all liked my friend. At last, she told her parents about him. First, her parents got angry but later they accepted him and finally they got married. First couple of months of their lives was unforgettable because both of them had great interest, attraction and passion for each other. My friend started living with her mother- in –law at her husband’s house .My friend told me that her mother- in- law is a very nice and loving women and my friend is like a daughter to her. On the other hand, my friend also likes her and behaves her like her mom. They both have a happy relationship. My friend got married about more than two years ago. She is happy with her husband. She has a son of 7 months. They both love each other and are living happily. In conclusion, it does not matter whether it is love or arranged marriage, the most important factor between a couple is a good understanding and respect for each other. Love only comes where there is respect and good understanding. If a couple do not have it then love marriages can even become last only for the time being.