Analytical Essay Sample on “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin

Analytical Essay Sample on â€Å"The Awakening† by Kate Chopin Kate Chopins The Awakening, focuses on the revolt of the main character, Edna Pontellier, against her role and position in society. As Edna awakens to her body, her senses, and her role as a woman in late nineteenth century America, she begins to challenge societal laws and traditions. Not only does she neglect her obligations to friends and family, but also she ignores societys expectations of her as a woman of wealth and stature. Edna senses the forces that ultimately drive her to the sea after a disagreement with her husband, Leonce, early in the novel. When Leonce demands that Edna come in from outside to retire, Edna begins to understand that he regards her as an object of possession. Though Edna refuses to appease her husband an indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish. Edna, however, does not yet realize she is awakening. A certain light [will begin] to dawn dimly within her,the light which, showing the way, forbids it. Madame Reiszs musical performance in Chapter 9 triggers Ednas first true awakening. Her intense physical reaction to the sound of the keys of the piano, including trembling, choking, and crying, are paralleled by the arousal of passion within Ednas soul. Chopin suggests that this was the first time [Edna] was ready, perhaps the first time her being was tempered to take an impress of the abiding truth. Later this same evening, Edna soars beyond the limits fear imposes upon her in an attempt to capture a sense of independence as she swims far out into the sea alone. To Edna, the sea is the place where the individual is free from both the evils and the responsibilities of communal life. This perhaps explains the feeling of exultation and the sense of power to control the working of her body and soul that overtake Edna. While reflecting on her experience in the sea and Madame Reiszs music, Edna remarks, A thousand emotions have swept through me tonight. I dont comprehend half of them. . .I wonder if any night on earth will ever be like this one. From this point on, there is no turning back for Edna. Her awareness continues to grow until her final return to the sea. The newfound strength and individuality that learning to swim alone in the sea affords Edna enables her to release her sexual nature. Ednas friendship with Robert Lebrun takes on new meaning for her as she sits alone with him after her swim: No multitude of words could have been more significant than those moments of silence, or more pregnant with the first felt throbbings of desire. Perhaps it is more accurate to call this a romantic awakening than it is to call this a sexual awakening. It seems more appropriate to assume Edna is beginning to yearn for love and human connection with the opposite sex, not some lustful encounter, since she has not yet awakened to her physical self. As Edna sails to a neighboring island called Cheniere Caminada with Robert the next day, she identifies a sense of freedom within herselffreedom from the constraints her duties as a wife and mother impose upon her. Later this day Edna becomes aware of her body and its natural beauty after Robert compels her to rest at a friends house. Edna, left alone to sleep, removes most of her restrictive clothing and begins to closely observe her body. Though Ednas return to the Grand Isle is a return to domesticitywhich Edna, at this point, associates with burdening responsibility,she was seeing things with different eyes and making the acquaintance of new conditions in herself that colored and changed her environment. Roberts move to Mexico in Chapter 15 forces Edna to recognize the symptoms of infatuation for the first time. Edna longs for Robert throughout his absence, but she lusts for another man when she returns to New Orleans at the end of the summer. Alcee Arobin pleased her at last, appealing to the animalism that stirred impatiently within her. This awakening to sexual desire is followed by an awakening to sexual fulfillment when Edna actually becomes physically involved with Alcee. The first kiss of her life to which her nature had really responded, however, was not the kiss of love which had inflamed her, because it was not love which had held this cup of life to her lips. After months of Ednas anticipation Robert returns home from Mexico and the two are finally able to proclaim their love for one another. There was no human being whom [Edna] wanted near her except Robert; and she even realized that the day would come when he, too, and the thought of him would melt out of her existence, leaving her alone. Edna becomes convinced that human connection is not possible for her. As Ednas awakening progresses throughout the novel, she becomes increasingly aware of her solitude. The people she cares about, even Robert continually leave her alone. Edna comes to realize that her aloneness is a product of her desire for spiritual emancipation. She is not willing to sacrifice self-fulfillment in order to uphold the traditions and expectations of society. Every step which she took toward relieving herself from obligations added to her strength and expansionism as an individual. But Edna knows that complete control over her own life will only come through total relief from social commitments. Thus, she returns to the comforting touch of the sea that enfold[s] the body in it soft, close embrace. As Edna removes her clothing and enters the sea, she is reborn into a world free of constraints, the world she has longed to encounter throughout The Awakening a very prominent masterpiece written by Kate Chopin. You can order a custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis or dissertation on Kate Chopin at our online custom essay writing service which provides students with high-quality custom papers written by qualified academic writers. 100% plagiarism free and on-time delivery guarantee! Let our writers write a custom paper for you. Get professional essay help at an affordable cost.

Chernobyl Disaster essays

Chernobyl Disaster essays The Chernobyl Disaster: Economic, Environmental, and Social Impacts in Europe The nuclear power plant disaster in the town of Chernobyl in 1986 came to have major impact on the environment and the population of the European continent. Due to the lack of security and financial resources, the Chernobyl plant was considered unsafe before the accident; one was able to prevent the accident from happening, as the old Soviet regime would not let any nuclear specialists from the west into the country. As a result, current winds following the disaster brought radioactive particles to Scandinavia and northwestern Europe, which came to have much greater impact than if the winds would have been blowing in another direction. According to De Boer and Catsburg (1997), the Chernobyl accident was not the first incident at a nuclear plant. In 1979, the nuclear plant at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania had troubles, as well as the nuclear plant at Sellafield in Great Britain 1985. The accident in Chernobyl concerned peoples opinion about safety issues related to nuclear plants (Catsburg, De Boer 254). Much of the information about the Chernobyl disaster has been kept secret from people outside the former republic of Russia, but since the breakdown of the Soviet Union, a lot of information has become available to the west. Nuclear power is a fantastic energy source as it is efficient and leaves minimal chemical pollution, which can be minimized if it is done right. It is extremely effective and consistent, but what if something goes wrong? The oppositional forces to nuclear power received free advertising due to the disaster and the question about nuclear power was once again a subject for discussion. There are about 440 nuclear power reactors and 217 nuclear power plants around the world; so far two have collapsed. This might seem like a small percentage but if one looks at the consequences of the two; one will see devastat...

Art Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Art Questions - Assignment Example She further says that her method of translation is mainly that of weaving, particularly basket weaving. This provides a simple but highly effective grid, which she uses to interpret information in a three-dimensional space. When asked about how she weaves numbers into sculpture, she says that by staying true to the figures, the woven pieces stride an edgy split, performing both as sculptures in space and instruments used in the real environment from which she obtains the data. Most of what Miebach does to perfect her art is extremely interesting. However, the most fascinating fact is when she utilizes vertical and horizontal elements of baskets and carefully constructing three-dimensional frameworks of weather basing on real-life weather patterns. It is also interesting that the natural phenomenon called storms can be transformed into musical compositions and sculptures. From Nathalie’s work, I can define art as an innovation and development of basic principles of nature into gorgeous forms suitable for human use. It resides in the quality of doing, a process that needs creativity and understanding of different `occurrences around

Personal project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Personal project - Assignment Example Such countries include Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda (GDA 1). Their vision is to bring together top-tier research organisations, for companies (both profit and non-profit) from the Front Range in order to synchronise the exceptional strengths of every Consortium member along with the entire multi-disciplinary expertise so as to improve knowledge awareness of need, inform research and science efforts and eventually offer real-time and location-specific information globally to inform choices that ensure the development of agriculture, as well as public health (GDA 1). The current projects being run by GDA are West Africa Weather Station Installation and Agriculture RE-Analysis of Precipitation Data both in Africa. These projects begun on July, 2014 and still run to date. They are meant to enhance the broader goal of the organisation and that is enhancing food security (GDA 1). The project that I intend to aid is the Weather Station Installation project, which seems to be more fascinating. With the proper kind of research, it would be worthwhile to involve myself in such a

Rhetorical analysis of Obama's speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rhetorical analysis of Obama's speech - Essay Example In this speech, Obama seeks to inform the audience on the 23 Executive Orders that he designed to address gun control and gun violence in America. Obama equally seeks to convince the audience on the need to address gun control and gun violence in America as well as persuade them to comply with the 23 Executive Orders that he designed. To achieve this, Obama relies on various rhetorical strategies. Notably, Obama uses different ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade the audience to address gun control and gun violence in America and comply with the 23 Executive Orders that he designed. Obama uses repetition where he replicates words and phrases to make a point. He uses the phrases â€Å"Let’s do the right thing† and â€Å"We will† to associate the audience with the idea of address gun control and gun violence in America (Paulson 1). He uses repetition to confirm the need for collaborative effort in controlling gun control and gun violence that persuades the audience to own the control measures. Obama uses an ethical appeal by convincing the audience on the credibility of various people addressing gun control and gun violence in America. As the President of America, Obama has authority to address this issue. He equally starts the speech by thanking and recognizing the efforts of Joe Biden who is the vice president of America in addressing gun control and gun violence in America (Paulson 1). This convinces the audience to adopt the recommended findings. Obama informs the audience that he tasked Joe Biden and his cabinet to propose mechanisms of controlling the effects of gun violence. Obama persuades the audience by asserting that he will rely and use the presidency powers to implement the proposals of Joe’s task force (Paulson 1). He also presents the credibility of Todd Jones to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms by confirming that he has been acting on this

Extensive Reading With Young Learners English Language Essay

Extensive Reading With Young Learners English Language Essay In this essay, I will discuss extensive reading with Young Learners, and how extensive reading can be promoted, with reference to young learners in Hong Kong. Children learn to read in English in schools in Hong Kong at an early age, but there is little encouragement for them to read for purposes other than to learn the language. I will examine the benefits of extensive reading, in particular childrens stories, and how these can be used to promote extensive reading with primary learners in my teaching context at the British Council Hong Kong. Why extensive reading? Day and Bamford (1998, 4) contend that the type of reading done in ESL classes bears little resemblance to reading done in the real world, and that in fact students learning to read a second language do not read and they do not like reading. Reading in the classroom tends to be done purely in order to teach or review a language point, or to train students for an exam. However, It is simplistic but true that the more students read, the better they become at it (Day and Bamford 1998, 4). Teachers therefore need to find ways of encouraging students to read that are enjoyable and motivating for them, and more closely resemble the kind of reading that is done outside the classroom. Extensive reading, is any reading that is done either for pleasure or not explicitly for the purposes of teaching reading. (Emery 2009, 38). This can be any type of text, whether fiction or factual. With this type of reading, the readers attention should be on the meaning, not the language, of the text (Day and Bamford 1998, 5). As children focus on meaning when learning a language, extensive reading should then particularly appeal to them as a way of learning English, especially if the texts are of types that they would normally read in their first language. Language learning from reading comes from exposure to the language, but is not the primary aim of extensive reading. Clark and Rumbold (2006, 9) list the following benefits of reading for pleasure; reading attainment and writing ability text comprehension and grammar breadth of vocabulary positive reading attitudes, which are linked to achievement in reading greater self-confidence as a reader pleasure in reading later in life Although their report was regarding native speaker children in the UK, they note that these benefits are equally true for second language acquisition. It appears, then, that extensive reading is crucial for literacy development. In Hong Kong, there is little interest in reading for pleasure, particularly in English (Ho 2008, Leung 2005). Taking into account the above benefits of reading for pleasure, it seems crucial to encourage a love of reading extensively in our students in Hong Kong, both inside and outside the classroom. Why stories? First and foremost, children enjoy stories. Stories are particularly important in the lives of our children à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Childrens hunger for stories is constant (Wright 1995, 3). If we provide children with stories, they will be motivated to read and listen to them. Reading stories in the classroom is a shared event, which encourages social skills, such as cooperation, collaboration, listening and turn taking and helps to create appropriate affective conditions for learning to take place (Read 2008, 7). We can also provide them with the means to read stories for themselves outside the classroom, increasing their exposure to language further. Children are also aware of and enjoy stories in their first language; From their early experience, children are likely to be familiar with story or narrative structure (Cameron 2001, 129). This means that, unlike many classroom activities, the telling or reading of a story will be a familiar activity. Even if reading books and stories are not commonplace in the home, children will have had exposure to stories through a variety of other media, e.g. films and cartoons. Children are therefore more likely to be receptive to a story than an activity which is not so familiar and therefore potentially confusing. Stories fulfill childrens need for security and novelty (Cameron 2001), as there is the security of the familiar structure of the story, with a beginning, introduction to characters, a problem which is resolved, and an ending, and also the novelty of new stories, characters and plot surprises. Stories provide a clear context from which children can find meaning. The meaning and enjoyment of the story are the most important for children, and the meaning of the language is supported by the context. They work out the meaning first and tend not to pay attention to the words that are used to express the meaning (Moon 2000, 5). Stories are a rich source of language. Because stories are designed to entertain, writers and tellers choose and use words with particular care to keep the audience interested (Cameron 2001, 163). Many words and phrases are often repeated throughout a story, increasing students exposure to them, and also helping to create the sense of security and familiarity. Through such exposure to language children are learning new vocabulary, often without realising it (Cameron 2001, 164), and the teacher can also exploit this vocabulary in classroom activities. Moreover, this vocabulary is used within a clear context, so Children have the ability to grasp meaning even if they dont understand all the words (Ellis and Brewster 2002, 8). Heathfield (2009, 17) refers to his own experience of storytelling with elementary Italian learners, who were able to follow and understand the general meaning of stories told in English. Attention can be paid to vocabulary and students accuracy once the context and meaning have been established. Stories provide children with exposure to not only vocabulary, but also to the structure of sentences and the general feel and sound of the foreign language (Wright 1995, 5). If stories are read aloud, children have exposure to the pronunciation of the language, its rhythm and intonation. This exposure helps them with their fluency, both written and spoken, when they are later ready to move to more productive use of the language. Stories also contain a variety of themes and topics which can be interesting and relevant to the students themselves, or can be exploited in the class. These themes can be linked to other subjects across the curriculum. They can also help develop childrens awareness of the world around them, or of different cultures. Stories can also be used as a stimulus for speaking and writing, and exercise the imagination (Ellis and Brewster 2002, 1). Cameron (2001, 160), warns, however, that we should not allow our feelings of nostalgia and fond memories of childhood stories to colour our perceptions of the magic of stories. She notes that the classroom is not the same as the family home, and the teacher is not a parent, so we should adopt a more critical stance to using stories in class, both in our choices of stories and the way that we use them, and to be open to using other text types which may be equally appealing to children. We should also be aware that stories are also available through other media than books, e.g. animated cartoons or TV programmes, and it is very likely that children may be even more receptive to these forms of media than traditional books. Choosing stories The stories used with children should first of all appeal to them (Phillips, 1993, 46), whether it is the theme, the illustrations, or the fact that it is a story which is familiar to them and they know they will enjoy it. A good story à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is simply one that listeners or readers enjoy (Cameron 2001, 166). The story should have interesting characters that the children can relate to and a clear plot, with possibly a surprise at the end. The length of the text should be appropriate, i.e. for beginning readers using books with shorter texts will promote success and motivation. The language used in the book should also be simple enough for them to understand, but also contain some language which is beyond their current level in order to develop learning and language development. The child should be able to build on familiar language with new language, but not be demotivated by reading something beyond their level. A story which uses a lot of repeated structures and vocabulary will help reinforce meaning, and children also enjoy the repetition. The illustrations used in a book are also important, as they not only make the book more appealing to a child, but can also support the meaning of the text and new vocabulary and stimulate their imagination (Hsiu-Chih 2008). The themes of the story can also help children to understand more about the world, but should have appropriate values and portrayals of characters. If a story is being used in class, one could be used which fits the topic of the lesson. There are many graded readers available for young learners, in which language is carefully selected to match the childs level of English. However, the language is often simplified in these readers to such an extent that the language becomes unnatural, for example present tenses are used throughout, whereas in authentic literature a story is nearly always told using past tenses. As Cameron (2001, 166) comments, It seems a pity to deprive learners of opportunities to hear authentic uses of past tense forms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I can see no intrinsic reason for supposing that use of the past tense would prevent children understanding a story. Cameron also points out that although many text books for young EFL learners contain stories, they often lack the prototypical features of a story, such as a plot with a a problem to be resolved, and a satisfactory ending. These stories are unlikely to capture childrens imaginations in the same way that stories can do (Cameron 2001, 162). Quality storie s have characters and a plot that engage children, often the art work is as important as the text in telling the story, and they create a strong feeling of satisfaction when the end is reached (Cameron 2001, 166). There are many arguments for providing children learning English as a second language with real books offering a rich source of authentic input and challenge (Ellis and Brewster 2002, 8). These stories are more likely to contain the elements necessary in a quality story as described by Cameron, and children can feel highly motivated by being able to understand a story which has not been simplified. There is also such a wide variety of authentic story books which makes it easier to choose something which will appeal to many different children. Ellis and Brewster (2002, 8) note that it can be argued that the language in authentic story books can be too complex for children learning English, while the content may be too simplistic for their age if a book is chosen which has been written for a younger target age. They argue that In a foreign language, however, children are often very happy to accept stories which they may reject in their mother tongue. Although care needs to be taken to select books which will appeal to the child, what is important is the way that the story is exploited and the language learning supported for the childrens particular level. It is what we expect the children to do which determines the proficiency level required, not the story itself (Wright 1995, 3). It is also important that the child, not just the teacher or parent, chooses the books that they would like to read. Clark and Rumbold (2006, 22) stress the importance of children choosing their own reading material on motivation and acheivement. They refer to Krashen, saying that students who choose what they read à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ tend to be more motivated, read more and show greater language and literacy development. Cameron (2001, 164) believes that children may learn vocabulary while listening to stories without realising it, and learner involvement with a story may be what makes a difference à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ letting children choose the stories they want to hear may help maximise the learning that takes place. They will be more likely to choose books that interest them, and therefore be more motivated to understand and engage with the text. It is difficult to place too much emphasis on the role interesting material plays in the desire to read (Day and Bamford 1998, 29). Using stories and promoting extensive reading There are many ways in which extensive reading and reading stories can be promoted both inside and outside of the classroom, which I will discuss in relation to my current teaching context. In the classroom, the teacher can use stories in a variety of ways, both to promote reading and to exploit stories for further language work. Reading stories aloud to the class is an effective way of exposing children to story books and their narrative structure. From listening and watching an adult read aloud, children can see how texts are handled, how texts encode words and ideas, how words and sentences are set out on a page à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Affectively, reading aloud can motivate children to want to read themselves (Cameron 2001, 141). The telling of the story should be an enjoyable experience, and, if possible, the classroom arranged so that all children are sitting around the teacher, maybe on the floor, so that everyone can see the book (Wright 1995). The teacher should take care to hold the book so everyone in the class can see it, and use mime, gestures, facial expressions, the stress and intonation of their voice, and the pictures in the book, to help students understanding (Ellis and Brewster 2002, Read 2008). Students should be encouraged to participate in the story reading through questions which reinforce understanding, e.g. describing the pictures, or making predictions about what happens next. The teacher can help students with new and difficult vocabulary by providing tasks to pre-teach vocabulary, and follow up with activities which consolidate the language and help students to recall the story. Above all, the story and related activities should be enjoyable for the students. Favorable feelings for and experiences with the teacher, classmates, materials, tasks, procedures, and so on, can forge positive attitudes toward reading in the second language (Day and Bamford 1998, 25). At the British Council Hong Kong literacy texts have been incorporated into the syllabuses for the higher level primary classes for students aged 8 and above. These are generally texts which are used in schools in the UK to teach literacy in the British National Curriculum, with accompanying teachers notes and materials these are usually adapted to suit the EFL and local contexts. The texts chosen are for a younger age group than they would be in the UK, i.e. materials for British children aged 8 to 9 are used in classes for Hong Kong learners aged 10 to 11. These have proved to be overwhelmingly popular with teachers, who report that they enjoy using them and find that students also enjoy the stories whilst being stretched, because they can see that the materials are authentic and feel a sense of achievement. Many teachers also use storytelling in class, as story books are readily available in Hong Kong. These teachers appreciate the value of using story books in class, and find storytelling an enjoyable activity in class themselves. Some teachers use story books not just for teaching purposes, e.g. the introduction/consolidation of language or to complement the course book materials, but also for a story time slot. Often at the end of the lesson, the story time slot is used as part of the classroom routine and settles children. The stories are read purely for enjoyment, and if enough books are available (some teachers have their own story book collection) students are able to choose which stories they would like to hear. For younger primary students book boxes are provided with a selection of suitable books, which teachers are encouraged to use with their classes. One advantage of the book boxes is that with a selection of books children are able to choose for themselves what the would like to read, or what they would like the teacher to read. Other ways of encouraging children to choose and read books would be to have a book corner in the classroom or a lending library for children, so that children could enjoy reading by themselves either in class or at home. Unfortunately, neither of these are currently feasible at British Council Hong Kong. The classrooms are used by many different classes, including adults, so it would not be practical to set up a corner of the classroom with books. There is also the issue of funding book corners or a library; with approximately 3,500 primary students currently taking courses at the British Council, the cost of buying sufficient books for either scheme is prohib itive. One scheme which has been successfully introduced for primary classes is a Reading Challenge. Students are encouraged to read books in English and write brief reviews of them. After they have read six they receive a prize of a certificate and a book. The success of the scheme seems to depend largely on how much the individual teacher promotes it, but prizes have been earned by students across a range of classes, not only in the highest levels or older age groups. Clark and Rumbold (2006, 20), in a review of studies examining the effect of reward on motivation, conclude that we cannot be certain that rewarding children for reading actually motivates them to read more, or if they do so, that they are reading purely to get a prize and will not continue to read widely in the future. However, if a reward is given for reading, it appears that literacy-targeted rewards, such as books or book vouchers, are more effective in developing reading motivation than rewards that are unrelated to the activity. The most important factor, however, in developing childrens literacy and enjoyment of reading is the involvement of their parents (Clark 2007, Clark and Rumbold 2006, 24, Wood 1998, 220). The British Council Hong Kong has recently introduced parent workshops to encourage parents to read with their children, emphasising the importance of reading not only for literacy and educational attainment but also social and emotional development. Parents are also shown how to choose appropriate books and how to read them with their children, exploiting the stories and the pictures. These workshops are proving to be very popular with parents, who, while keen to encourage their children academically, had previously not realised the benefits of reading for pleasure. Conclusion There is not on the whole a culture of reading in Hong Kong, but, given the advantages outlined of extensive reading, it is particularly important to encourage our students to read for pleasure, and using story books can be particularly effective. This requires not only access to suitable texts, but also training for teachers and parents on how to read books with children and develop further language use. 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Greek Mythology :: Greek Mythology, Informative

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Long ago, people lacked knowledge on why certain things happened. Without scientific answers, like we have today, the Ancient Greeks created their own answers about the world and an individual’s place in it. These tales were known as myths. They described the feelings and values that bound the members of society. There are two types of myths -- creation myths and explanatory myths. A creation myth explained the start of many events such as the origin of the world and the creation of human beings. An explanatory myth explained a natural process or event such as illness and death. Most myths concerned divine beings such as gods, goddesses and other heroes with supernatural powers. These characters had many human characteristics, aside from their special powers, that included birth and death and the presence of emotions such as love and jealousy. These human qualities of the divine beings reflected the values of society. Such characters are called anthropomor phic, derived from two Greek words meaning â€Å"in the shape of man†. Gods and goddesses that resembled animals were referred to as theriomorphic, derived from two Greek words meaning â€Å"in the shape of an animal†. The last group of mythical characters has no name. They didn’t take the form of a complete human or animal, such as a figure with a human body and an animal head. As well as being entertaining and interesting to read, myths played an important role in Ancient Greek society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Greeks honored their gods with different kinds of festivals. Their celebrations have continued throughout the years and two have become worldwide traditions.

Compare and Contrast of Hector and Achilles

Option B : Compare and contrast the characters of Hector and Achilles. I choose to compare and contrast the characters of Hector and Achilles because I am interested in their story. I think there are many theme in this story, but the central theme is the fate of men; if it is ? xed or changed by the will of men. I feel interesting that the gods decides the fate of people. And I choose this option because I feel that I can understand what the author wants to express to the readers by comparing Hector and Achilles.Therefore, I will compare the strengths and the weakness of both heroes. First of all, I will write about Hector. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest ? ghter for Troy in the Trojan War. He was born as a son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba. His father was the king of Troy. He had a wife called Andromache and the son, Astyanax. In the European Middle Ages, Hector was one of the Nine Worthies. And he was a good son, husband and father. Most of all, he loved the peace. He love d his country, his people, his family and wanted to die with honor.When he realized that Jove and his son Apollo are not with him for the protection anymore against Achilles, he says to himself â€Å" My doom has come upon me; let me not them die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me ? rst do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter. †. The gods decided not to protect him. That was the reason why Hector lost, but he wanted to ? ght against the strong Achilles. Therefore, I think Hector was the true soldier. I want to write about Achilles now. He was a hero and greatest warrior for Greek in the Trojan War.He was the son of the goddess Thetis and Peleus, the king of the Myrmidons. Achilles was a mortal person even though he was the son of a goddess. And he had the great pride that he was the strongest soldier, and he did not want to be under anybody. When the Agamemnon dishonored him, Achilles asked his goddess mother to go to Jove, then to ask Jove to help Troy, so that Agamemnon would be in trouble. Therefore, Achilles did not think about his country and his people. He only think about himself. So I think Achilles is not the person to be the king.Now I want to compare and contrast their strength and the weakness. First, I want to write about Hector’s strength. He was brave and courageous. He was the man who thought about his family, loved his family and thought his country and people. He wanted to die with honor. He went to Paris because he did not stand to hear bad things about Paris and said, â€Å"you ? ght bravely, and no man with any justice can make light of your doings in battle. But you are careless and willfully remiss. It grieves me to the heart to hear the ill that the Trojans speak about you, for they have suffered much on your account.Let us be going, and we will make things right hereafter, should Jove vouchsafe us to set the cup of our deliverance before ever-living gods of heaven in our own homes, when we have chased the Achaeans from Troy. † From this conversation, you can see that Hector thinks about his brother, thinks about the people of Troy, and is willing to push his brother to ? ght with honor. When he fought with Achilles, Hector escaped to ? ght him ? rst because he was afraid of Achilles. However, when he realized that the gods were not with him to ? ht Achilles, he decided to ? ght with honor until he died. Therefore, I think one of his strength is his brave heart. But Paris did not have the brave heart. Next, I want to write about Achilles’s strength. I think Achilles did not have many strength. I think the physical power from his goddess mother was the only strength he had. Even the king Agamemnon feared his strength. Hector was the greatest soldier in Troy, but even that greatest soldier run away from Achilles when Hector was standing in front of the gate of Troy.It says â€Å" Fear fell upon Hector as he beheld him, and he dared not stay longer where he was but ? ed in dismay from before the gates, which Achilles darted after him at his utmost speed. †. Then when Hector ? nally decided to ? ght with Achilles, Achilles killed him easily. Therefore, I think Achilles was the strongest worrier on earth. Next, I want to write about Hector’s weakness. I could not ? nd many weakness of Hector, however, the only weakness I could ? nd was that Hector did not know how strong he was. He thought that he could ? ht with Achilles, but when he met Achilles, he run away. He run away because he ? nally realized that he was not as strong as Achilles when he met the enemy at the gate. I think it is too late for him to realized that. Because of this weakness, he died. Therefore, Hector did not have many weakness, but the only weakness he had destroyed him. Next is the weakness of Achilles. I think Achilles had many weakness even though he was the greatest warrior on earth. I think Achilles was strong physically, but he was weak mentally. When Agamemnon took Briseis from Achilles,Achilles went to the sea and prayed to his mother such as, â€Å" Mother, you bore me doomed to live but for a little season; surely Jove, who thunders from Olympus, might have made that little glorious. It is not so. Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has done me dishonor, and has robbed me of my prize by force. †. He cried when he was saying it. This was not like the greatest warrior, but rather a small child’s doing. He liked to ? ght and liked to kill people. He was very good at killing people, but he did not have any respect to his king, his country and his people.When he killed Hector, he did something very dishonorable. Achilles treated the body of Hector with contumely. He pierced the sinews at the back of both his feet from heel to ancle and passed thongs of ox-hide through the slits he had made. He made the body fast to his chariot, letting the head trail upon the ground. Then Achilles lashed his horse on, and the dust rose f rom Hector as he was being dragged along. Thus was the head of Hector being dishonored in the dust. This is not something what the greatest warrior does. Again Achilles became so emotional that he acted like a child.Therefore, I think that Achilles is not a person to be a great king. If he becomes to be a king, his country and people will be destroyed. I do not want to live in his country. I think he has the extreme character. He was a supermen physically, but he was a little kid mentally. As the conclusion of the comparison between Hector and Achilles, Hector is more heroic than Achilles. I think that the hero is a person who think of his country and his people. After comparing the characters of Hector and Achilles, the person who thinks of his country and his people is Hector.Hector always thinks about his country, his people and his family. He loves his father, his mother, his brothers, his wife and his child. When Hector died, Paris’s wife, Helen, cried and said, â€Å" I have never heard one word of insult or unkindness from you. †. Helen was the person who was the cause of this war. I think it is dif? cult to be kind to Helen, but Hector was nice to her. That means Hector’s heart was so deep. And I think Hector will be the greatest king. I love to live in his country.

Reading Comprehension for Beginners - My Office

Reading Comprehension for Beginners - My Office Read the paragraph which describes my office. Pay special attention to the use of prepositions in the reading selection. Youll find useful vocabulary and quizzes below to test your understanding.   My Office Like most offices, my office is a place where I can concentrate on my work and feel comfortable at the same time. Of course, I have all the necessary equipment on my desk. I have the telephone next to the fax machine on the right side of my desk. My computer is in the center of my desk with the monitor directly in front of me. I have a comfortable office chair to sit on and some pictures of my family between the computer and the telephone. In order to help me read, I also have a lamp near my computer which I use in the evening if I work late. There is plenty of paper in one of the cabinet drawers. There are also staples and a stapler, paper clips, highlighters, pens and erasers in the other drawer. I like to use highlighters to remember important information. In the room, there is a comfortable armchair and a sofa to sit on. I also have a low table in front of the sofa on which there are some industry magazines. Useful Vocabulary armchair - a comfortable, padded chair that has arms on which to rest your armscabinet - a piece of furniture that holds objectsdesk - a piece of furniture on which you write or use your computer, fax, etc.drawer - a space which opens for you to store things inequipment - items used to complete tasksfurniture - a word referring to all the places to sit, work, store things, etc.highlighter - a bright pen with a thick tip which is usually green or bright yellowlaptop - a computer you can carry with youpaperclip - a metal clip that holds pieces of paper togetherstapler - a piece of equipment used to staple papers together Multiple-Choice Comprehension Check Questions Choose the correct answer based on the reading.   1. What do I need to do in my office?   A) relax B) concentrate C) study D) read magazines 2. Which piece of equipment do I NOT have on my desk?   A) fax B) computer C) lamp D) photocopier 3. Where are the pictures of my family located?   A) on the wall B) next to the lamp C) between the computer and the telephone D) near the fax 4. I use the lamp to read:   A) all day B) never C) in the morning D) in the evening 5. Where do I keep the paperclips?   A) on the desk B) next to the lamp C) in a cabinet drawer D) next to the telephone 6. What do I keep on the table in front of the sofa?   A) company reports B) fashion magazines C) books D) industry magazines True or False Decide if the statements are true or false based on the reading.   I work late every night.  I use highlighters to help me remember important information.  I keep reading materials that are not related to my job in the office.  I dont need a lamp to help me read.It is important to me to feel comfortable at work. Using Prepositions Fill each gap with a preposition used in the reading. I have the telephone _____ the fax machine on the right side of my desk.The monitor is directly _____ me.I sit _____ my comfortable office chair.I also have a lamp _____ my computer.I put the stapler, pens, and erasers ______ the drawer.I have a table _____ the sofa.  There are lots of magazines _____ the table. Answers Multiple-Choice B - concentrateD - photocopierC - between the computer and the telephoneD - in the eveningC - in a cabinet drawerD - industry magazines Answers True or False   FalseTrueFalseFalseTrue Answers Using Prepositions next toin front ofonnearinin front ofon Continue reading with these appropriate reading comprehension selections.

Quotes From the Novel Great Expectations

Quotes From the Novel Great Expectations We can learn a bit more about the life and experiences of Charles Dickens by reading his semi-autobiographical novel, Great Expectations. Of course, the facts are immersed in fiction, which is part of what makes the novel such a masterpiece. The novel follows life and misadventures of Pip, the orphaned protagonist from his encounter with an escaped convict as a child to  his eventual happy ever after with the woman he loves. The novel has been popular since its original serialized publication in 1860. Great Expectations Quotes Now, I return to this young fellow. And the communication I have got to make is, that he has great expectations.Take another glass of wine, and excuse my mentioning that society as a body does not expect one to be so strictly conscientious in emptying ones glass, as to turn it bottom upwards with the rim on ones nose.Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.It was understood that nothing of a tender nature could possibly be confided to old Barley, by reason of his being totally unequal to the consideration of any subject more psychological than gout, rum, and pursers stores.That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would neve r have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day. I never had one hours happiness in her society, and yet my mind all round the four-and-twenty hours was harping on the happiness of having her with me unto death.So now, as an infallible way of making little ease great ease, I began to contract a quantity of debt.It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. Theres no better rule.Some medical beast had revived tar-water in those days as a fine medicine, and Mrs. Joe always kept a supply of it in the cupboard; having a belief in its virtues correspondent to its nastiness. At the best of times, so much of this elixir was administered to me as a choice restorative, that I was conscious of going about, smelling like a new fence.We spent as much money as we could, and got as little for it as people could make up their minds to give us. We were always more or less miserable, and most of our acqua intance were in the same condition. There was a gay fiction among us that we were constantly enjoying ourselves, and a skeleton truth that we never did. To the best of my belief, our case was in the last aspect a rather common one. All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretenses did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I should innocently take a bad half-crown of somebody elses manufacture, is reasonable enough; but that I should knowingly reckon the spurious coin of my own make, as good money!In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong.Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of the earth, overlying our hard hearts.So, throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the people whom we most despise.I was always treated as if I had insisted on being born, in opposition to the dictates of reason, religion, and morality, and against the dissuading arguments of my best friends.And could I look upon her without compassion, seeing her punishment in the ruin she was, in her profound unfitness f or this earth on which she was placed, in the vanity of sorrow which had become a master mania, like the vanity of penitence, the vanity of remorse, the vanity of unworthiness, and other monstrous vanities that have been curses in this world? Source All Quotes - Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Apple Marketing strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple Marketing strategy - Essay Example According to Schneiders (2011), Apple is able to charge higher prices than its competitors buy its products remain competitive. He argues that Apple makes use of traditional and cult marketing strategies. Moreover, the company manages to manufacture products with high software compatibility hence easy to market in the competitive market. Madden (2010) argues that Apple has a unique marketing strategy that has not been mastered by many brands. The strategy enables Apple to cross-sell products that people already own. Moreover, the company designers have great understanding of the needs of the customers and focus on creating products that meet the changing needs of the customer. The alterations involve inclusion of more software to ensure the products are better than previous ones. For example, Apple iPhone was considered unique in that it has the features of an iPad as well as those of a smartphone. Mickalowski, Mickelson, & Keltgen (2008) argue that Apple makes advantage of trade sho ws and media coverage to market their products long before they are released into the market. Moreover, the company remains secretive about the features and outlook of their product to prevent imitation of new inventions by their competitors. For example, during development of iPhone, Steve jobs managed to sign Apple as the select carrier of the product. Moreover, the company understands the needs of the customers and comes up with unique products. Apple’s success had been greatly determined by the former CEO, Steve jobs. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak who were quite unprofessional in terms of their academic qualifications founded the company. However, they became successful right from the start.

A day out in London (Spanish gcse) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

A day out in London (Spanish gcse) - Coursework Example It was fun to watch the entire London from above. The experience was not only interesting but it was bit scary as well. It takes about 30 minutes to finish its one complete round. We had to wait for 30 more minutes to wait for our turn. As it was Sunday, therefore the waiting queues were longer than the usual days. It was an exciting experience. The weather was mild and cloudy. I would say that, the day it was more fun to watch London from the above surrounded by clouds and misty fog. On our way back, we had fish and chips from a nearby cafà © with cappuccinos. There were other varieties of different snacks as well but we preferred fish and chips because we thought this food is perfect to complement the cloudy weather. I spent the rest of my day watching movie in my room. I believe it was the best day filled with so much joy and fun with my friend Marry. The only thing I don’t like about London is the cold weather. In the end, I would say that I will definitely plan a day out with my best friend again in next year. It’s always fun to be with your friends while exploring different things in a big city like London. There are so many places on my list to visit in the next year. I am planning to visit art galleries, national museum and other historical