Realistic Characteristics of Life in the Iron Mills Essay

Davis narrates the story with as much irony as she situates her story close to a nineteenth century factory where her characters were once employed, more importantly, where her male character, Hugh Wolfe who used to live in her home, a lowly Welsh immigrant who finds comfort working for an Iron Mill along with him Deborah—a pathetic, grotesque woman deprived of everything that the word beautiful stands for. Their tale is set in the city of Wheeling, Virginia where it is portrayed in a gloomy state, perhaps the idea of uneducated men and women that paced back and forth set up a negative feeling, the text â€Å"You may pick the Welsh emigrants, Cornish miners, out of the throng passing the windows, any day. They are a trifle more filthy; their muscles are not so brawny, they stoop more. When they are drunk, they neither yell, nor shout, nor stagger, but skulk along like beaten hounds. (Davis, Rebecca Harding. Copyright 1861. â€Å"Life in the Iron Mills†) describes the immigrants as poorly as they are deprived of any sort of luxury for the reason that in this time period the type of class you are in defines how other people should look at you, how they treat you, or even how you should live you life, your limitations. Only three people seem to symbolize the head, the heart, and the pocket of the middle-class: Kirby, Mitchell, and Doctor May. Kirby—being one of the mill owners is the source of abusiveness to the poor workers, Mitchell—being the constant joker, a sarcastic bastard who toyed with Wolfe’s feelings, and Doctor May whom Wolfe trusts despite her lack of will to heal Wolfe’s misery. Denied of free will, focal characters Deborah and Hugh could never really make a choice especially when it came for Hugh to decide if he should return the stolen money or continue to live in guilt. Back then, hardly does anyone reflect about the wellbeing of other people, alas, when the authorities finally jailed Hugh for his sin it was too late for him to repent for his immorality. Power is symbolized through money and how it separates the upper class from the lower class. It gives the wealthy a place of authority and destroys the unfortunate. Before Hugh committed suicide, he and Deborah spoke one last of their unidealized accent, â€Å"It is best, Deb. I cannot bear to be hurted any more. †Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬Å"Hur knows,† she said, humbly. Tell my father good-by; and–and kiss little Janey. † (Davis, Rebecca Harding. Copyright 1861. â€Å"Life in the Iron Mills†) which, despite its unconventional tongue, seems to say more than how it is read as, simply by saying farewell to Wolfe’s family. Sentimental Characteristics of Life in the Iron Mills In this context, in the midst of all the autocracy and injustice the workers only hope for survival is food. Yet the ‘hunger’ that is often mentioned in the story is not drawn to food alone but to the worker’s hunger for better lives. His words passed far over the furnace tender’s grasp, toned to suit another class of culture; they sounded in his ears a very pleasant song in an unknown tongue† (85). Davis suggests, in this text, that faith and hope are essential for these people to find happiness. Hugh Wolfe yearns to have a better life so he goes to church and pray for divine providence, yet when he hears the sermon it seemed to him that God only cared for the privileged. Yet, however contemptuous their lives may be and even though Wolfe decided to end his life in the end, certain occurrences have proved worthy of optimism. After Wolfe was buried, it seems that there is still hope for Deborah, as the text goes, â€Å"As the evening wore on, she leaned against the iron bars, looking at the hills that rose far off, through the thick sodden clouds, like a bright, unattainable calm. As she looked, a shadow of their solemn repose fell on her face: its fierce discontent faded into a pitiful, humble quiet. Slow, solemn tears gathered in her eyes: the poor weak eyes turned so hopelessly to the place where Hugh was to rest, the grave heights looking higher and brighter and more solemn than ever before. The Quaker watched her keenly. She came to her at last, and touched her arm. —â€Å"When thee comes back,† she said, in a low, sorrowful tone, like one who speaks from a strong heart deeply moved with remorse or pity, â€Å"thee shall begin thy life again,–there on the hills. I came too late; but not for thee,–by God’s help, it may be. † (Davis, Rebecca Harding. Copyright 1861. â€Å"Life in the Iron Mills†) this gives their ending a clearer view of Deborah may have wanted to live her life next after the treacherous event. With hope and the will to step forward and rise.

Cricket and Politics Essay

In South Asia during 1880-2005 politics gained an unusual bedfellow. Cricket was introduced to India by Great Britain for a purpose that was widely discussed. Some believed cricket brought their people together and unified different castes and cultures within India and Britain, some believed the sport was just another way for the British to rule over India and appear superior, and others criticized the religious nature present in many of the tournaments. This issue could be better understood by including an article by a British commoner who participated in the Quadrangular Tournament to make it evident that they really did want to spread religion and it wasn’t an overreaction by the Hindus or Muslims. It would also be conducive to include an article written by an Indian ruling elite who was the main source of any sort of political power or political relations with British elites so the reader can get a greater understanding of the actual role of cricket in politics and to experience if there were any conflicts over the solve issue of cricket during political debates. To begin with, there were those individuals that believed cricket was a unifying force and was purposeful in bringing everyone together to just play a sport. These people had little commentary on any relation cricket could have had to politics whether there was a huge relation or not. In document 3, an English cricketer tells how he believes cricket has a huge effect on the colonization of Britain. He says how cricket has the power to unite â€Å"the rulers and the ruled† and that it provides many different values to its players. In document 4, an Indian social reformer tells of a situation where a group of upper-caste cricket players allowed a low-caste player onto their Hindu team and how the sport of cricket has really played a huge role in the unification of the Indian people. Since the author of this document is a social reformer for the Indian newspaper they would want to show that they are of course doing their job as a reformer and putting out effective reforms. This could have been a type of reform that was forced on the upper-caste members to allow new members of different castes into their teams. They also wanted to show Indians that their country looked good and was respected in that they said, â€Å"let India cease to be the laughing stock of the whole world. † In document 5, another point of view is shown that clearly demonstrates how cricket gives a brotherly feel to those who participate even if they are of different religions. Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the first leader of Pakistan and writes how Muslims should be rejoiced when winning championships of cricket. He uses absolute speech here showing he clearly has a side as to which team needs to be brotherly toward the other. Saying the Muslims will definitely win the tournament makes it evident that they are not brotherly at all and that in fact one is clearly trying to rise above the other. In document 10, a very indecisive chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board leaps back and forth between whether the cricket games should lead to war or whether it brings people together. He clearly talks of India and Pakistan as two different people and places. He also probably had to be extremely careful with his words due to the fact that this was an interview and words could be twisted. This could have been why he was jumping back and for with his opinions and had a very scattered and unclear opinion. In addition, there were those who looked at cricket as a way for British to rule over India even more and expand the cloud of influence they had over Indian affairs. In document 2, a picture and caption is shown of the Prince of India that was shown in the London newspaper. This picture depicts the Prince having a relaxing time playing cricket in a proposed visit to England, it should be taken into account that the trip has not been taken yet. The paper speaks on his behalf saying he is thrilled to be joining the English players and that the team, in turn was excited to receive him. In document 1, the Indian cricket players signed a petition and sent it to the governor of Bombay, India. The petition was asking for the Indian cricket team’s fields back that were using it for polo. This was tearing up the fields and destroying them for the cricket team. Since the team contacted the governor it shows that this was a political issue and that the sport was becoming a matter of the government. It also shows that the British had dominant control on what happened on the field and that they had first pick. Since British ruled India, this was just another advantage they had over India. The author could have also been trying to make cricket look like a more important sport than polo so that they could get their field back. In document 6, an Indian Natore XI cricket club supporter writes an article for their monthly magazine. Of course, since he is writing the article for the Natore XI he is bound to speak very highly of the club and emphasize his want for them to have their equality against the English cricket teams especially during the years of 1925-1926 when tensions could have been assumed to be high in India and Britain as India was pushing for independence. Finally, Indians and Pakistanis were angered by the continued involvement of religion in the cricket games during post-independence times. In document 7, the Indian sports journal, complains about increased involvement of religion in the Quadrangular cricket tournaments. The editorial complains that religious fanaticism is resent at games and that this has disturbed the peace but at the same time, the author refers to the field as sacred bringing a religious vibe into their own writing. British and Indian religions were very different and the author could have been supporting Indian religion because their audience was mainly Hindu or Muslim and not the British religion of either Christian or Catholic. In document 8, Gandhi, an independence leader, speaks strongly of the Quadrangular tournaments and how he agrees that they should be stopped due to the religious issues. Gandhi supported peace and wanted independence for India but most likely did not want to see it be done this way. He supported the Hindu’s and spoke of how Colleges and Institutions should be playing against each other and not religions. Gandhi does not address the political nature of cricket and tells of sportsmanship which was never really present in cricket. In document 9, a Hindu nationalist is quoted in the newspaper Muslim India and speaks of how it is not right that the Muslim Indians are not cheering for their own country but instead for Pakistanis because they are Muslim. This shows more religious involvement in the games making it evident that it’s not about the game of cricket but more about who it is getting ahead and what religion wins. The nationalist could be trying to encourage the Indian Muslims to have more pride for their country and be shaming them into supporting the Indians instead of the Pakistanis. In conclusion, cricket was a huge factor in politics and had many different point of views on how it impacted life in India and Britain. Some were shaken by the political and religious nature and others felt it was a great way to bring people together whether rich or poor. In all, cricket was more than just a game and greatly impacted British and Indian/Pakistani relationships.

Percentage of Water In Popcorn Essay

The purpose of this lab was to find the percentage of water in each sample of popcorn in order to determine which brand of kernels: beta, gamma, or delta, all with different amounts of water, produced the best-popping popcorn. The amount of water in the popcorn affects the quality of the popcorn. When the water inside the kernel is heated above 100à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C, the water turns into gas which causes the pressure inside the kernel to increase. The pressure of the gas expands the kernel, which causes it to pop. Quality was judged on the basis of the rate of the pops, the size of the popcorn, and how easily the popcorn burned. Each technique of popcorn was divided up into three piles in order to conduct three trials on each technique. A group of kernels was massed and then placed into a beaker, which was also massed. Then just enough oil was poured into the beaker to cover the bottom of the beaker with a thin film of oil. A piece of foil with tiny holes was placed over the beaker, and the beaker with the foil, oil, and kernels was massed. The kernels in the beaker were heated using a Bunsen burner. (See Figure 1 – Setup Diagram) While the kernels popped, the beaker was shaken in order to prevent the popped popcorn from burning and to shake the unpopped kernels to the bottom. Once all the kernels had popped, the beaker was removed from the Bunsen burner and set to cool. After it had cooled, the beaker with foil, oil, and kernels were massed again. The same steps were repeated for the rest of the samples and qualitative observations were made throughout the experiment. Multiple trials were used in this experiment to increase the chances of accuracy and to determine which data is reliable. If there were not multiple trials, then there is no way of knowing whether the data collected by one trial is accurate or completely inaccurate. To find the amount of water in each kernel, this formula was used: mass of unpopped popcorn – mass of popped popcorn à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100 = % of water in unpopped popcorn mass of unpopped popcorn The mass of the unpopped popcorn in the numerator was the mass of the kernels before they were popped added to the beaker, foil, and oil. The mass of the popped popcorn was the mass of the popped kernels added to the beaker, foil, and oil. The mass of unpopped popcorn in the denominator was the actual mass of the unpopped kernels massed alone. The beta kernels hold 11.1%, 11.3%, and 10.9% water for trials 1, 2, and 3 respectively. The gamma kernels are composed of 16.7%, 15.7%, and 14.8% water, while the delta kernels contain 19.4%, 17.0%, 19.0% water for trials 1, 2, and 3 respectively. (Refer to appendix for original data and calculations). See Table 1 – Percentage of Water in Popcorn Beta, Gamma, and Delta The data for beta was the most precise among the three different techniques. The data for delta fluctuated the most and was the least precise. According to my data, the delta kernels had the highest percentage of water and the beta kernels had the lowest percentage of water. The gamma brand was in between the two. In my qualitative observations, I observed that the gamma kernels popped the fastest, smoothly, and produced the largest popcorn. I observed that the delta kernels produced the medium-sized popcorn, and the beta kernels tended to burn very easily and produced the smallest popcorn. Basically, the beta brand of kernels was the worst popping popcorn, while the gamma brand of kernels produced the best popping popcorn. These results convey that too little water within kernels make bad popcorn, and too much water produces just medium-sized popcorn. From the overall calculations and averages, it can be concluded that 15-16% water in a kernel produces the best popcorn. To find the theoretical amount of water in the popcorn, the most accurate data of the class were added together and averaged. When compared to the class average, the average of my data was rather accurate. To find the percent error, this formula was used: Percent Error = ? theoretical value – actual value ? à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 100 Theoretical value My percent error for beta, gamma, and delta kernels was 0.90%, 4.46%, and 13.5% respectively. (See calculations in appendix) See Table 2 – Percent Error This percent error could have occurred while massing. Since there were several balanced used instead of just one, the masses could have differed. One balance was used for the kernels, while the beaker mass was found using a separate balance. The different balances could have lowered the accuracy of the masses. Another place where mass could have been inaccurate was when the popcorn was popped. Sometimes the popcorn was burned, while other times the popcorn was popped perfectly. If the popcorn was burnt, the mass was lowered by the release of CO2. Also, the duration of the heating of the popcorn was inconsistent. Since the popcorn of the same technique would still pop at different rates, it is impossible to control the time of the heating. But the longer the beaker is heated, the longer the oil inside is also heated and evaporating. So the longer the beaker is heated, the more gas escapes and the lower the mass will be, which will increase the percentage of water in the popcorn. Also, while the beakers were cooling off, some of the moisture could have been collected back in the beaker since the foil was not always taken off immediately. This would have added to the mass and lowered the percentage of water. To improve this lab, only one lab balance should be used during the entire experiment. Also, more care should be exercised when popping popcorn so that the popcorn does not burn. This could be done by lowering the heat and shaking the popcorn inside the beaker. Also, the foil on the beaker should be removed immediately after heating. In this lab, I discovered that more water in a kernel does not necessarily mean that it will produce larger popcorn, as I had initially had predicted. Ultimately, based on my data and the class average (theoretical value) 15-16% water in a kernel produces the best popcorn. I learned that the amount of water in the kernel affects the rate at which the kernel pops, more than it affects the size of the popped corn.

Social intelligence Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Social intelligence - Case Study Example The motivational task in the given context evidently requires careful planning due to several factors. Among those factors, diversity of age and sex seems the most crucial one despite the small size of the firm. Another important factor is that the business is a family owned firm that can be vulnerable to sentimental issues, cultural factors, traditions, and conventional way of business operations. However, considering all such matters I would prepare a motivation plan that may include but not limited to the following strategies. 1. The primary step is to ensure that all members are made aware of the specific goal the team has to attain within the stipulated time. 2. Assigning right individuals on the right positions is another part of team motivation. A wrong individual can spoil the entire team work if the team composition is not right. 3. According to the progress (or flaws) of the whole project, goals of each individual has to be set or reset on a regular basis. 4. I would also e nsure that the team is aptly provided with growth opportunities in a way their competencies are being enhanced. 5. I would give the team on time constructive feedback, and would recognize their outstanding performance. In a family business setting, paying higher attention to the needs and requirements of non-family employees also is vital for the sustainability of the firm. Attention in this regard not only refers to the financial compensation but also intrinsic rewards, for these strategies are the integral aspects that motivate and retain these valuable employees. Each team member will be helped to identify their potential in terms of professional as well as personal growth. The logic here is that a growing employee will stay with the firm longer and will let the firm grow as they are learning new skills and working smarter. In this context, an inclusive definition is relevant, Social Intelligence is the capacity to understand and respond effectively to the emotions, social cues a nd needs of others in a way that furthers our own values and demonstrates respect for others at the individual, team, organizational and global levels† ( Hughes & Terrell 2011). 2. The age spectrum of employees is getting wider these days more than ever before due to several factors like delayed retirement and professional durability. This has dramatic effects on the workplace aspects including organizational culture, recruitment, retention, and interaction between colleagues. Internal work teams and mentoring arrangements are required to attain cross-generational collaboration in the given context. In order to enhance personal relationships and to overcome misconceptions team leader requires greater flexibility and diplomacy. The senior employee in the given case values wisdom gained through years of experience and does not want to make further mistakes whereas the new employees who are innovative believe that the world needs new solutions to address the changes and subsequen t challenges. Resisting to the conflict would worsen the condition regardless of its intensity. Therefore, speaking it out is important because solution to the problem may be easier than what was expected. For instance, in the given organizational context, the senior member can be given more autonomy in terms of how they proceed with the project whereas the young members of the team may be asked to provide frequent updates in turn.

Sports coaching analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sports coaching analysis - Essay Example This includes the use of an appropriate coaching philosophy to learn the psychological aspects of sportspeople and set the stage for performance within a sports team. A coaching philosophy is a statement of what a coach values and how he/she approaches a coaching role (Taylor & Garratt 2010). It defines the approach that a player uses to develop players and create a winning team. An effective philosophy enables athletes to take responsibility in their teams and play their roles well in order to achieve team and individual expectations. Coaching philosophy is shaped by the experiences of a coach. It consists of objectives as well as the principles, values, beliefs and approach that should be considered by a coach in order to achieve the objectives. Coaching is a complex practice with several challenges. The coach faces significant difficulties when developing a coaching philosophy due to the increasing demand to manage players to improve and maintain performance while at the same time supporting an overall performance environment made up of assistant coaches, sponsors, and support staff. The philosophy should take responsibility for players within and outside a competition environment. In coaching philosophy, the coach is required to understand the social and psychological development of his players (Knowles et al 2005). This also presents significant difficulties for the coach. The importance of developing a coaching philosophy is that it enables the coach to identify where he wants to go and develop methods that lead him there. This improves the design of training sessions in the process of developing players. Coaching philosophy also helps the coach to make ethical decisions concerning substitutions, injury issues, pressing players to train harder, changing the rules, and punishing players (Taylor & Garratt 2010). In order to understand the difficulties that coaches face, it is necessary to understand the aspects of coaching philosophy as well as

Violence on Campus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Violence on Campus - Essay Example ming from any number of issues, leads to violence against others, significant steps are required on behalf of university policy-makers to combat the growing problem of violence on campus. This paper will describe campus violence, provide solutions for these problems from a sociological and psychological perspective, and also highlight difficulties with current anti-violence policies on todays campuses. Campus violence occurs when any variety of criminal activities transpire on the grounds of todays colleges and universities and includes, but is not limited to, petty theft, assault, rape, and even murder. Between 1995 and 2002, nearly 500,000 students between the ages of 18-24 experienced some form of campus violence (Acha.org, 2005). The most common types of violence occurring involved forced sexual intercourse and aggravated assault (Acha.org). The most alarming statistic suggests that only a small fraction of these criminal incidents are actually reported to police, which tends to infer that a much higher volume of students (other than reported statistics) are experiencing campus violence. Though campus violence is largely conducted by the college students themselves, school administrators and faculty, too, have been charged with rape and assault against other students and their peers, suggesting that campus violence is not isolated or linked specifically to student criminal behaviors. Why, though, does campus violence occur with such alarming frequency? Sociological perspectives on the issue tend to link violence with peer group acceptance. Henslin (2003) offers that college binge drinking, the activity of consuming massive amounts of alcohol over an extended period of time, is the primary catalyst for assault-related behaviors. As the majority of university students, today, maintain housing in local dormitories without parental supervision, student recreation related to constant alcohol consumption is both commonplace and deemed acceptable by a large

Foreign Policy Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foreign Policy Change - Assignment Example Legro presented some arguments related tithe change in the foreign policy of the United States. He raised four issues that needed further clarification. He pointed out an issue that is pertaining to the role of politics in performing relevant jobs that need to be reminded to the policy makers (Legro 2005). The author referred to politics by including activities led by the leaders of that country that are associated with the governance of country. Politics has a strong influence that can affect a country and its economy, businesses, society, education, tourism and many other elements. In order to manage and control all aspects of an economy the leaders should make strong strategies. The effective strategy  can always become difficult to develop and implement because of the contingent political battle among political leaders (Legro 2005). Therefore, Legro gave his views on this issue by focusing only on the holistic nature of ideas. He explained that a change in collective ideas is i nherently conflictual and political, but a focus on the situation of the contingent politics in which continuity is likely or it is not properly defined.

12 Angry Men (Movie) Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

12 Angry Men ( ) - Movie Review Example However, when they begin analyzing the case they systematically acquit the accused of the charges. While the change of decision is not unanimous, each juror changes his mind after understanding the context of the crime. When the jurors decide to take a second vote without juror 8, one would anticipate another â€Å"not guilty† vote from the batch. Such is the dictate of the symbolic convergence theory. It argues that another juror would begin considering the facts keenly owing to the motivation he receives from juror 8 and find fault in the case. With juror 8 and 9 doubting the facts of the case, they begin explaining their decisions and are likely to influence the others since they raise pertinent reasons for their votes. Furthermore, as the symbolic convergence theory explains the other judges would begin understanding the facts of the case by considering the explanation from the two jurors. The two are likely to influence the rest since they are of the same caliber. A juror lived in the slum and understands knife fights; another has reading glasses and explains his behaviors. This way, the other jurors systematically understand the facts of the crime thereby acquitting the accused. They understand the facts because of the influence from their colleagues. The theory rightly explains that humans tend to understand an event based on the people involved in the event, their motivations, emotions and meanings. The jurors shared the above facts thus systematically influencing each other. In 1965, Bruce Tuckman explained that a group develops systematically by observing the  Forming-Storming Storming – Norming – Performing  model. The same is the case with the group of twelve jurors. In the forming stage, just as the name suggests the group goes throu8gh the process of creation. Every member strives to impress the other with

Starbucks Corp Clouds In Your Coffee Case Study Essay

Starbucks Corp Clouds In Your Coffee Case Study - Essay Example Most prominently the company has sought to rapidly expand while they balance efficiency measures with the Starbuck’s Experience. In addressing Starbuck’s dilemma a number of elements are considered and recommendations advanced. The company’s overarching operating model is examined. In these regards, it’s indicated that Starbucks has a number of unique aspects in comparison to franchises. For instance, Starbucks maintains ownership control of their stores. Other aspects include the way employees are treated and clustering mechanisms. Ultimately, it’s determined that Starbuck’s has become overly corporate-centric in image and must undergo significant structural changes to remedy this problem. In these regards, the report indicates that Starbucks must allow increased franchisee responsibility and greater decompartmentalization in-terms of store models. Background Starbucks Corporation faces a number of contemporary business issues in regards to their overall organization. Specifically, operational management concerns have posed a number of pressing concerns for the coffee conglomerate. A proper understanding of the issues the company is facing requires a brief background understanding of the company’s evolution. ... As such, Starbucks adopted the tall and venti sizes, with a large variety of coffee options. These options coupled with the aura the original ownership had fostered constituted the company’s core ‘Starbucks Experience.’ From 1987 until the present day, this model was widely successful and the company witnessed substantial expansion throughout the country and, indeed, world. With the company’s rapid expansion and commodification a number of significant changes had to be instituted. Most prominently, the company instituted wide efficiency measures as a means of speeding coffee production and increasing bottom-line profits. While these efficiency measures served their purpose, a recent memo by company president Howard Schulz to key executives indicated that many of the efficiency measures have compromised the Starbuck’s Experience. For example, Schulz pointed out that in changing espresso machines the company achieved increased efficiency measures, yet lost the aroma and intimacy that constituted a particular Starbuck’s aura. Another challenge the company recognized was the increased demand for hot food while retaining the stores’ aroma and efficiency levels. In addition to balancing the in-store Starbuck’s Experience with the need for increased efficiency, the corporation’s has international expansion ambitions. Perhaps most prominently, the company has expanded into China through a hybrid partnership model with local stakeholders. This has posed challenges as in cooperating with the local stakeholders the company has had to give up a modicum of control onto internal store elements. Ultimately, Starbucks

Michael Faraday Essay Example for Free

Michael Faraday Essay Born September 22, 1791, he grew up in Newington Butts after his family had moved there from Yorkshire in order to try and make a living. His father, a blacksmith, fell ill and could not earn much money. This meant Michael left school at 13 and knew very little about maths, and almost nothing about science. When he went to work as a bookbinder he got his big chance. While binding books at the shop he would read the contents. Since scientists wrote their findings in books and discussed them, this was a great way to learn about science, and how the world works. Later, due to good luck he was working for a man by the name of Humphry Davy. Davy worked at the royal institution, doing demonstrations and lectures. Faraday belonged to a religious group called the sandemanians, which believed in a literal understanding of the bible. This meant he could not hoard or save money. When he married his wife he received financial help from the royal institution. Faraday offered many contributions to the world of science including electrolysis; generators, magnetic fields and electromagnetism, but his greatest contribution to the world would definitely be the electric motor. Faradays greatest discovery, the electric motor has affected greatly the world we live in and how we live in it. Faraday found that if you took a magnet it would rotate around a wire so long as the wire had current going through it. Through this experiment, Faraday had successfully performed the first conversion of electrical energy (in the wire) into mechanical energy (the moving magnet). He also found that if you fixed the magnet in place and let the wire move, the wire would rotate around the magnet. By studying these experiments, Faraday believed that when current is passed through a wire, a circular magnetic current circles the wire. This was the predecessor of the electric motor. Due to Faradays experiments we can use electric blenders, CD players and much much more. By discovering the circular fields around a wire induced with current, Faraday has greatly contributed to the world of physics. With further research of these circular currents around a wire, Faraday took an iron ring and wrapped a length of insulated wire around one side of it, and then wrapped a second length of insulated wire around the other side of the ring. He anticipated that if he passed a current through the first wire, it would establish a magnetic field in the ring, which would then induce current in the second insulated wire. When he first performed the experiment he believed it was a failure, as it appeared no current was induced in the second wire. But then he made an observation critical to the experiment. He observed that as he turned the current in the first wire on and off, current would be induced in the second wire. Instead of current in the first wire inducing current in the second, he realised that change in current of the first wire induced current in the second. To test his new theory, Faraday took a magnet and moved it in and out of a coil of wire. When the magnet was moving into the wire, the needle on the galvanometer would move one way. And when the magnet was moving out of the coil, the needle would move the opposite way. Next he set up a copper disc between two poles of a magnet. This time when the disc was spun a constant current would be induced. Faraday had created the first dynamo or electric generator. A device, which produces electrical energy from mechanical energy. Commonly used as bike-light generators. Faraday also enjoyed the science of chemistry. He did demonstrations at the royal institute where he would show demonstrations of pyrotechnics, big flashes, physical reactions, and chemical reactions, among other things. By combining his enjoyment of chemistry with his knowledge of physics, Faraday made some very important discoveries in electrolysis, which are still relevant today. Faraday revolutionised knowledge of electrolysis by introducing new words. He replaced the previously used pole with electrode to describe the object dangled into a solution. He described anode as the electrode where negatively charged gases attract, cathode as the electrode, which attracts positively charged chemicals, electrolyte as anything released at either electrode, anions as electrolytes that collect at the anode, and cations as electrolytes that are drawn to the cathode. All these terms are commonly used in electrolysis today, a real test of how good a word is, is the test of time. Probably one of Faradays most famous inventions is the miners safety lamp. During the early 1800s there was a large demand for coal, mine shafts were being used more. This posed a threat as methane collected in the mins. And because the mines were underground the miners had to have lamps. The threat came when the lamps lit the methane, which would light up the whole shaft. Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday, who was working for him at the time, solved this problem with the safety lamps. The safety lamps comprised of a long metal mesh cylinder with a solid, hollow base and a hook at the top, some had lenses to focus the dim light. They were different to normal mining lamps because they did not light the methane the mines produced. This was a safer option for the minors and within a short while they were being used in many mine shafts. Michael Faraday probably wouldnt have been able to imaging how greatly his inventions and discoveries have affected the world. Without Faradays research on magnetic fields we would not have use of the electric motor. Without his simple generator we would not have the use of dynamos or generators. And without his induction ring we would not be able to use transformers. The first person to properly harness the power of magnetic fields. From humble beginnings, with no proper maths or science tutoring, Michael Faraday, by perseverance, made his way up in the world to become one of the most influential people of all time. Without doubt, Michael Faraday was a great man. Died august 25, 1867; Michael Faraday had left the world leaving a great contribution behind him. Note: Michael Faraday was an interesting individual as well as a great scientist. To learn more about his life and particularly his scientific work the reader is encouraged to investigate in depth any of the books listed below. Each while similar, gives a different view of the person, Michael Faraday. ? Agassi, Joseph, Faraday as a Natural Philosopher, Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1970.?Crookes, (Editor) A Course of Six Lectures on the Chemical History of a Candle: To which is Added a Lecture on Platinum by Michael Faraday, Chicago News Review 1988. ? Gooding, James (editors), Faraday Rediscovered, Stockton Press, London ,1985. ? Jones, Bence, The Life and Letters of Faraday(2 Volumes) Longmans, Green, London, 1870. ? Randell, Wilfrid L. ,Michael Faraday, Parsons, London, 1924. ? Tyndall, J. , Faraday as a Discoverer(4th Edition), Longmans, Green, London 1868. ? Williams, Pearce L. , The Origins of Field Theory, Random House, New York, 1966. ? Williams,Pearce L. , Michael Faraday, Basic Books, New York, 1967.

Overview and Evaluation of the Smart Grid

Overview and Evaluation of the Smart Grid The Smart Grid, Smart City Program was arguably one of the widest-ranging technology assessments of smart grid products in the world. It saw: The deployment and testing of several smart in-grid and customer-focussed technology groupings across the Ausgrid network and EnergyAustralia retail business in New South Wales Examined the impacts and benefits of additional distributed generation and distributed storage solutions Involved approximately 17,000 electricity customers in consumer-focussed trials examining how residential customers could contribute to peak demand management through behavioural changes The Smart Grid, Smart City Program focused on residential customers, as they represent the largest user group in Australia, and generally have more discretion over when and how much energy they use. Little was known before the Smart Grid, Smart City trials about how customers perceived, or how they might respond to, the opportunities that smart grid technologies offer. Most residen tial electricity customers in Australia are currently provided with limited information and very few incentives and tools to manage their domestic electricity use. A quarterly electricity bill is the main source of customer feedback, and this only shows the total amount of energy used during the previous three months, limiting the opportunities to systematically modify behaviour in order to save electricity and money. Based on the trials undertaken, this final Smart Grid, Smart City report, Shaping Australias Energy Future: National Cost Benefit Assessment found the potential for a net economic benefit of up to $28 billion ($2014) over the next 20 years from the deployment of smart grid technologies in Australia. This report demonstrates that there are four key aspects to realising these benefits and improving consumer pricing outcomes: Technological development and deployment of enabling (smart grid) technologies The introduction of cost reflective electricity pricing including d ynamic tariffs Consumer behaviour change with respect to electricity consumption (to better manage any future growth in peak demand) Energy market reform4 (many aspects of which are already underway) Realising the potential benefits requires an integrated solution if any one aspect is not implemented, then the extent of net national economic benefits available will be reduced. A large proportion of the net benefits identified can be derived from the economic deployment of a number of in-grid technologies which improve operational efficiency, reduce capital investment (through better managing peak demand) and deliver improved reliability for consumers at a lower cost. There are vast differences across Australias electricity grid, from highly populated suburban areas to sparsely populated rural areas, and different smart grid technologies are better suited in different circumstances. For those Australians living in suburban areas, there are significant potential benefits from certa in in-grid technologies. Likewise, for less densely populated rural networks, there are alternative in-grid technologies which can assist in improving the reliability and cost of managing the grid. Smart grid can simply be defined as the deployment of Information technology and also communication technology with the aim of improving the way electricity is generated, transported, distributed and stored. Across Australia, the distribution and the retail value chain elements primarily makes up the smart grid system. However, the impact also cut across how electricity is generated and transmitted. In this report, the smart grid smart city program which was funded by the Australian Government will be examined. The smart grid study focused primarily on residential distribution network and also with the introduction of a data centre for information processing. Smart grid technology find application in several purposes which can be grouped into customer side application, key enabling application, grid-side application, renewables, distributed energy and electric vehicles, data collection, processing and back-office. Several logical layers can also be used to represent each of the appli cations which could be traditional power systems equipment, communications network, computing capability, and also smart grid application layer. The Smart Grid Smart City (SGSC) program is one of the largest smart grid projects in the world. It was announced in 2009 by the Australian government with the aim of implementing smart grid technology at a large scale in line with the National Energy Efficiency Initiative (NEEI). It happen to be the first large scale smart grid project in Australia which was executed by Ausgrid and its partners. The project was aimed at showcasing the importance of the deployment of smart grid technology in commercial scale, building both public and corporate awareness of the economic and environmental benefits of smart grids, gathering an elaborate data with the aim of informing wider industry implementation of the various applications of smart grid across Australia, and also to investigate the interaction with other existing infrastructure. So many trial s were examined in the program which includes the deployment of smart meter infrastructure, distributed generation and distributed storage, and also the utilisation of electric vehicles in the Australias electricity distribution network. So many trials were deployed in the program. Part of the trials that is of interest to me is the deployment of the smart meter infrastructure. This trial entails the installation of smart meter at various residential buildings. The various components that make up the smart meter infrastructure are the communication technologies for information transfer to and from the smart meters communication unit, the meter management system, home-office operational systems. (Energy Australia, Sydney Water and other partners) and also the customer acquisition application. With the deployment of smart meter, data for electricity usage, storage and delivery were obtained for participating household. Another fascinating part of the Smart Grid Smart City program is t he distributed generation and distributed storage work stream which was initiated with the aim of providing critical data and information to help understand the implication of greater penetration of the combination of distributed storage and generation in conjunction with other smart grid technologies. In addition to the aforementioned, the electric vehicles project is also a part of the Smart Grid Smart City program I find interesting and it was aimed at understanding the potential impact of the utilisation of electric vehicles in Australias electricity distribution network.

Comparing Roald Dahl’s Lamb to the Slaughter and The Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle :: Roald Dahl Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Essays

Comparing Roald Dahl’s Lamb to the Slaughter and The Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Both ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ and ‘The Speckled Band’ is detective murder mysteries. They share some similarities but have many differences. In my essay I will discuss these and the effects they have on the story. Roald Dahl wrote ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ in 1954. It is much more modern than Conan Doyle’s ‘The Speckled Band’ of 1892. In ’Lamb to the Slaughter’ the main point to the story is to find out whether Mrs. Maloney will get away with committing a murder. Dahl also tries to illustrate that appearances can be deceptive. However, in ‘The Speckled Band’ the reader continues to read the story to find out who the murderer was and whether Holmes will discover how the crime was committed. The stories are both murder mysteries yet their shapes are almost opposite. The setting of ‘The Speckled Band’ is a typical old mansion. ‘The manor house is very old’. This lends an atmosphere of foreboding and suspense to the story. This is because it is natural to find dark and sinister places scary. Conan Doyle uses descriptions such as ‘A picture of ruin’, ‘Ill trimmed lawn’, ‘the building was of grey lichen-blotched stone’; to show this age. The setting is important in that the atmosphere and the suspense, which keeps the reader interested, are dependant upon this. In Victorian times, this type of setting would be more suited to the audience than that of a warm and cozy house. Conan Doyle was not challenging stereotypes, instead using them to his own advantage. However, in ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ the scene of the crime is the complete opposite. ‘The room was warm and clean’. This causes the reader to feel relaxed without any suspicion that events such as a murder would occur. Roald Dahl uses this homely image ‘the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight’ to contrast sharply with the murder – shocking the reader – and to support the impression given by Mary Maloney’s character, so forcing the reader to challenge their preconceptions. Whereas great attention to the setting is given in ‘The Speckled Band’ it is no longer needed after the initial description in ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ as suspense is built in different ways. This is a large difference between the two. The main character in ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ is Mary Maloney. Dahl spends a long time at the beginning of the story creating an impression of her as a loving wife and house-proud women. ‘Mary Maloney was waiting for her husband to come home’, ‘She took his coat

Napoleons Russian Campaign Essay -- Napoleon Russian Campaign

Napoleon's Russian Campaign The peace between France and Russia in 1807 lasted for five years but was not satisfactory to either side. The Tilsit settlement was thought of by Napoleon as no more than a convenient truce. In 1807 he had been in no position to invade Russia but there was no way that he could tolerate another European power for very long. Napoleon felt that a war with Russia was necessary ‘for crushing England by crushing the only power still strong enough him any trouble by joining her.’ Napoleon began preparing for the war. He secured the support of Austria and Prussia since even though neither was in any position to refuse. Emperor Francis of Austria provided 34,000 men to cover the French but sent secret messages to St. Petersburg assuring Alexander that Austrian hostilities would be kept to a minimum. Prussia though was placed in a less fortunate position. With Berlin occupied by French and most of their 1807 debt to be paid it had no alternative but to provide 25,000 men and supp ly quarters and rations for the entire army. The rest of Napoleon’s Grand Army came from the many countries under his direct control. The Kingdom of Italy sent 45,000 men, the Grand Duchy of Warsaw 35,000. The Kingdoms of Bavaria, Saxony and Westphalia each sent 17,000 men and there were many additions from various other nations under Napoleon’s control. In all the army totaled to 600,000 men. While Napoleon had an enormous army he made though inadequate preparations for supplying the troops. The provisions that he arranged for were not intended to provide all that the troops would need as they fought their way to Moscow. This was because Napoleon visualized a short campaign ending in a decisive victory. In a speech to his troops on... ... into East Prussia. Russia though made a deal with East Prussia, which allowed the Russian troops to enter East Prussia and by the end of January 1813 the French were behind the Elbe River, far away from Russia. This marked the end of Napoleon’s Russian Campaign. Bibliography Gate, Curtis. The War Of The Two Emperors New York: Random House, 1985. Glover, Michael. The Napoleonic Wars: An Illustrated History New York: Hippocrene Books, 1979. Hilt, Douglas. Ten Against Napoleon Chicago: Nelson-Hall, 1975. Holtman, Robert. The Napoleonic Revolution Philadelphia & New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1967. Nicolson, Nigel. Napoleon 1812 New York: Harper & Row, 1985. Riehn, Richard. 1812: Napoleon's Russian Campaign San Francisco: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1990. Walter, Jacob. The Diary Of A Napoleonic Foot Soldier London: Doubleday, 1991.

Shakespeares Sonnet #73 Essay -- essays research papers fc

Shakespeare's Sonnet #73, published in 1609, is written in the Shakespearean or English sonnet style. It consists of three quatrains and one couplet at the end, written in iambic pentameters. Each quatrain has its own rhyme scheme, rhyming in alternating lines. The couplet summarizes the preceding twelve lines. Sonnet 73 appears to contain multiple parallels to death and the person speaking in the poem gives the impression that he is near death and reflecting back upon life. The first quatrain, â€Å"That time of the year thou mayst behold me/ When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang/ Upon those boughs which shake against the cold/ Bare ruin choirs where late the sweet bird sang.† He seems to be comparing his life the unspecified season, which could either be autumn or winter. If a person were to look at only this quatrain, Shakespeare seems to describe autumn, with images of yellow leaves and a place where a bird sang. However, if the whole sonnet is looked at Shakespeare seems to describe the effects of winter. Shakespeare reinforces the confusion of season with the rearrangement of the natural sequence of events. He says, none before few in describing the leaves hanging, and reminds us of summer with the image of the bird. This serves as a reminder of the encroaching winter. The transposition of "none" and "few" could also imply that a second look to the landscape, as with death. Upon, another glance, death is not here bu t coming. This quatrain appears t...

Relationship Between Iman, Ibadah and Akhlak Essay

Praise be to Allah S.W.T. the Most Compassionate and the Most Merciful, as the believers praise Him and may He send blessings and peace upon our prophet, Muhammad Rasulullah S.A.W. and upon all of his forefathers, his brethren of prophets and messengers, his family and his companions. Worship is not simply the observation of ritualistic acts. It is a sincere kind of religious experience. In fact, it comprises of physical and spiritual expression of the human personality on a higher level of consciousness. The Al-Quran says, â€Å"Prostrate yourself in adoration and bring yourself closer (to God).† (96:19) The prophet, Muhammad Rasulullah S.A.W. was once asked, â€Å"What is the essence of ibadah?† He replied, â€Å"The worship of God as though you are seeing Him. Or, if you are not seeing Him, He is seeing you.† All acts in our daily life are considered as worship whether it is hidden or on the eyes of the public. Worship in Islam hold to a concept which looks an individual as a whole not only personal contact or relationship with God. Therefore, this is how worship is said related to akhlak (morality) and iman (faith). Allah S.W.T. instructed prophet Muhammad Rasulullah S.A.W. in Al-Quran, â€Å"Say: ‘Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds. No partner hath, He: This, am I commanded and I am the first of those who how to His will.† (Surah An-Nisa’, 6:162-163) As an individual worships Allah S.W.T., he or she must take care of his or her manners in the best possible manners that one can show and practice. In other words, the combination of a loyal worship and sincere in morality or ethics are a way to gain strong faith. Islam is a simple way of life. In fact, in Islam, there is no enforcement to Muslim on worship and on how to act in public. Muslim is free to do what they want to do as long as it does not against the hukum in Islam. In seeking t he pleasure of Allah S.W.T., an individual must have the right attitude in ethics and worship in order to posses a strong faith. THE CONCEPT OF IBADAH (WORSHIP) IN ISLAM Ibadah or worship in Islam is an all-inclusive term for all that Allah S.W.T. loves of a person, both internally, in the form of thoughts and intentions as well as externally, in the form of sayings and actions. In other words, worship is everything that an individual intends, says or does for the pleasure of Allah S.W.T. It includes ritualistic acts, for instance, prayers, fasting, pilgrimage and charity. It also extends to beliefs, social activities and personal contributions to the welfare of society. Generally, there are two types of worship according to the concept of Islam. First kind of worship is a worship that has been prescribed at a specified time- prayers, fasting, pilgrimage and almsgiving. This form of devotions is called as the five pillars of Islam. Other than that, there are also unspecified terms of worship or ibadah which consist of zikir and fikr, meaning to remember Allah S.W.T. with feelings of fear and love. The second form of worship or ibadah aims for the mental activation of human soul so that an individual will be able to see Allah S.W.T. signs in every thing the individual across in daily life. This is the worship or ibadah which is obligatory for every Muslim throug hout and individual’s life. Another important component in the concept of worship or ibadah in Islam is the realisation that Allah S.W.T. pleasure is earned through the performance of ritualistic acts as well as the morality when dealing with the situation in daily life. Islam does not think much of mere ritualistic acts when they are performed mechanically and have no influence to an individual’s inner self. â€Å"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East or the West but righteousness is to believe in Allah and the Resurrections Day, and the Angels, and the books, and the Prophets, and out of His love, spend one’s choice wealth for relatives and orphans, for the needy and the wayfarer, for beggars and for the ransom of slaves, and establish the prayers and pay the almsgiving, and to fulfil the pledges that you have made, and to patiently persevere in pain and in adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth and such are the Allah-fearing.† (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:171) THE CONCEPT OF IMAN (FAITH) IN ISLAM Allah S.W.T. the Almighty says, â€Å"O you who have faith! Respond to God and the Messenger when He calls you to unto that which gives you life, and know that God comes in between a man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be mustered.† (Surah Al†Anfal, 8:24) And says, â€Å"Those who have faith, and have not confounded their faith with evildoing – to them belongs the true security, they are rightly guided.† (Surah Al-An`am, 6:82). And He says, â€Å"But whosoever turns away from My remembrance, his shall be a life of narrowness, and on the Resurrection Day, We shall raise him blind.’ He shall say, ‘O my Lord, why have you raised me blind, and I was wont to see?’ God shall say, ‘Even so it is. Our signs came unto you, and you forgot them, and so today you are forgotten.† (Surah Ta Ha, 20:124–126), And says: â€Å"By the soul, and Him who shaped it, inspiring it with its lewdness and its God† consciousness. Prosperous is he who purifies it, and a failure is he who stunts it.† (Al-Shams, 91:7–10) The technical meaning of faith is firm belief in something real, based on evidence. Experts in this subject have defined faith as being ‘to believe with the heart and proclaim with the tongue’ some have added ‘to act with the body.’ Or, in the words of Abu `Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Salam: ‘Faith is to have sincere devotion to God with the heart, to testify this with the tongue, and to act on it with the body.’ An individual who accepts faith will enter the fold of Islam. Faith is not simply a recitation of kalimah, creed of Islam. According to the Al-Quran, it is a ma’arifah that is, realisation. Thus, realisation of truth is the door to Islam. When an individual discovers that Islam is truly God’s religion and it is the same trut h and individual has been seeking all along, an individual will undergo a unique experience of realisation. This is a ma’arifah. Making any kind of discovery revolutionises an individual’s life but when this discovery is of the truth, this intellectual revolution becomes synonymous with the emergence of a new life in the individual. This kind of intellectual is not a simple event, it turns man into superman and gives and individual the greatest mission of the individual’s life. It regulates the individual’s life in such a way that no part of it remains unaffected. The individual will begin to see all of humanity as the individual’s family and the entire universe as his abode. Such discoverer becomes a maker of history rather than a product of history. This is the miracle of faith or iman. It was this faith or iman which enabled the prophet Muhammad Rasulullah S.A.W. and his companions to produce the miraculous of all miracles. Faith or iman refers to the inner aspect of the religion and denotes a believer’s faith in the metaphysical realities of Islam. The term faith mention in both Al-Quran and a hadith of Gabriel A.S. Allah mentions, â€Å"The messenger has believed in what revealed to him front His lord and the believers. All of them believe has believed in Allah and His Angels and His Books and His Messengers.† (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 285) THE CONCEPT OF AKHLAK (MORALITY) IN ISLAM The word ‘morality’ comes from the Latin word ‘moralitas’ meaning ‘manner, character, and proper behaviour’. Morality generally refers to a code of conduct, that an individual, group or society holds as commanding, in distinguishing right from wrong. Such an ideal code of conduct is often promoted in preference to other alternatives. Islam as a comprehensive way of life encompasses a complete moral system that is an important aspect of its world-view. We live in an age where good and evil are often looked at as relative concepts. Islam however, holds that moral positions are not relative, and instead, defines a universal standard by which actions may be deemed moral or immoral. Islam’s moral system is striking in that it not only defines morality, but also guides the human race in how to achieve it, at both an individual as well as a collective level. It is to live among one’s fellow men according to the moral teachings of Islam. T he essence of Islamic morality or akhlak is thus set forth and given in a hadith, â€Å"Behave with others as you would like them to behave towards you.† (Sahih Bukhari) By nature, everyone knows what sort of conduct he approves of and of what sort he disapproves. So, to follow this generally accepted moral criterion in relation to others is essentially in Islamic morality. Islam differentiates between social manners and social character. Social manners are based on the principle ‘do as they do’ but Islamic morality or akhlak is based on the formula of unilateral and unconditional positive conduct. â€Å"Do good to others even if they are not doing good to you.† (At-Tabrani) So great an importance has been attached in Islam to moral character that it has been set up as a criterion by which to judge all other Islamic virtues. If an individual is good in relation to other human beings, he or she will also serve as the evidence that an individual also is good in relation to Allah S.W.T. According to the Al-Quran there are three sources of it, and all the three are imbedded in human nature. They are, 1. The Commanding Self (Nafs-e-Ammara) is the self, which stimulates the human being towards evil. We read in the Al-Quran, â€Å"Yet I do not hold myself to be free from weakness, for the Commanding Self (the animal self) is surely prone to enjoin evil, except on whom my Lord has mercy.† (12:53) There are various natural and moral states of human being. According to the Al-Quran the state arising out of the human beings animal self, Nafs-e-Ammara (the Commanding Self) is the first source of morality if the weapon of reason is applied. The reasoning faculty in the human being is sufficiently well developed to analyse his behaviour critically and to perceive the immediate and remote consequences of his actions. It is the result of the critical exercise of reason that comes into play on inappropriate occasions and animal like actions, functioning as a control. This exercise of reason and control take then the hue of moral states. In other words, the foundation of good morals lies in our natural emotions and instincts, and good morals are nothing more than appropriate and controlled exercise of these naturally endowed powers and instincts. Hunger and sexuality are the basic commanding needs of humans and animals. Now if these basic commanding forces are brought under control through fasting and marriage, they become virtues. The Al-Quran has not only discussed in detail the basic human emotions and instincts, but also has gone further by investigating the underlying causes for arousal of these emotions, the need for such an arousal and has also explained how to channel and sublimate these emotion towards morality. 2. The Self-Accusing Spirit (Nafs-e-Lawwama) is the second source of morality, the one judging the excellence of morals. It is the voice of the conscience which becomes loud when an act of lewdness is being done. Every human being is gifted with this voice. We read, â€Å"And I swear by (and bring to witness) the Self-accusing Soul (Nafs-e-Lawwama – the innate self reproaching spirit, at the doing of an evil deed as an evidence).† (75:2) Nafs-e-Lawwama is thus what we call the living perception of one’s psychological condition or the call of the inner voice. One aspect of getting a ruling from the voice of the conscience and from one’s heart is that when we are about to commit any action we should first imagine to apply such an action to ourselves. If we are not adversely affected by this action and if it proves to be good and effective for us, such an action would also be beneficial and good for others. And if we cannot accept it for ourselves, then it must be assumed that it is neither appropriate for others. All those who act unfairly towards others, should put their own persons in place of others and see how they would like such an act to be perpetrated against them. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, â€Å"When wanting to decide whether something is good or bad, ask your heart and innersoles, and take it that the deed, the commission of which gives you a feeling of satisfaction to the heart and innersoles, is a virtuous deed and the deed which rankles in the heart and produces perturbation and hesitancy in the mind is a sinful deed, even though the people may tell you that it is a lawful deed.† The question that arises at this juncture is that if this Nafs-e-Lawwamah, the self ac cusing spirit is present in every person, and every person is endowed with a voice of the conscience, why is it that a lot of persons still commit immoral acts? The answer to this is simple. Though our conscience does raise its voice of protest and the commission of such an act, people mostly do not pay heed to it. Secondly, immorality is a poison. Repeated doses of this poison blunt or destroy the conscience. 3. Love and Faith in the All-Mighty is the third and the ultimate source of morals. Once a Muslim Sufi was asked, how can we free ourselves from unlawful prohibited things and from afflictions and find peace and tranquillity? He replied, through a firm faith in Allah, for one gets free of all weaknesses and calamities through such a faith. Faith in God is the foundation stone of the Qur’anic Code of Ethics, not only in the sense that the Divine Attributes are like milestones on the way to good morals, but also from the angle that our faith in God strengthens our heart t o achieve the good and shun the evil. The â€Å"angels† of God guide such a person and he starts to live a life of peace and security, freeing himself of the filth of vice and sin. It is through this channel the human soul finds its ultimate peace and tranquillity which is called in the Al-Quran Nafs-e Mutma’innah – the Soul at Peace. â€Å"(As for the person who has been blessed with a contented and peaceful mind He will say to him,) ‘O you soul at peace! Come back to your Lord well-pleased with Him and He well-pleased with you. Enter the fold of My chosen servants, and enter the Garden made by Me.† (89:27-30) It is wrong to say that a disbelief in God does not produce any defect or diminishing effect on one’s morals, and confirmation of the existence of God does not strengthen one’s moral powers. Among the principles proposed by the Al-Quran for faith in God is the principle of Retribution and Recompense for one’s deeds and this is an important principle in the laws of nature. A person who is merely adhering to a moral code only uses his own person or the society at his personal discretion, and by doing so he thinks that he is becoming better civilized and serving the society. He has no motivation of getting any reward. But when the Al-Quran motivates us towards higher morals, it simultaneously tells us that by adopting higher morals we not only improve and reform society, but we are also making our next life better. â€Å"Verily, those who say, â€Å"Allah is our Lord,† and then remain steadfast (and follow the straight path), the angels will descend upon them (saying), â€Å"Have no fear nor grieve rather rejoice at the glad tidings of receiving the Gardens (of Paradise) which you have been promised.† (41:30) The existence of moral forces within the human personality emanates from and is subservient to the inborn faculties of a human being and there exists a natural impulse towards morality in the human makeup. The human faculties which are inherent in human nature in its inner aspect as opposed to the outer and physical aspect are denoted by the word Khulq. Khulq is the term which describes that habitual and firm disposition in a human by virtue from which moral actions flow spontaneously and effortlessly. All the moral principles that exist are nothing else but a manifestation of natural human emotions and nature is the source of them all. A person becomes laudable only when his natural faculties and personal disposition take on a moral hue through training. If such actions are good and laudable when judged by common sense and the Law, such a disposition is called a vi rtuous disposition, and if such actions are bad and condemnable, such a disposition is called an evil disposition (Ahya Al-Alum by Imam Ghazali). â€Å"Thus the source of all morals is within the nature of a human being – his disposition and his various natural states. If human faculties are the source of morals, and sometimes we see immoral actions emanating from human beings, are we to understand that some of these emotions and faculties are evil in themselves? The Al-Quran has answered this question in the negative, telling us that the headwaters of human birth are not mudded, nor is sin and immoral behaviour an intrinsic part of his nature. The human being is simple and pure by nature. Its true nature is endowed with guidance and Divine inspiration; he has been created in the finest make and endowed with righteousness: We have surely created the human being in the finest make and the best proportions (with enormous capabilities for an all round advancement through the process of evolution). Then (according to Our law of cause and consequence) We degrade him to as the lowest of the low (if he does evil deeds). Different, however, is the case of those who believe and do deeds of righteousness. There awaits them a never ending reward.† (94:3-6) â€Å"Thus, the evil in the human beings is something which evolves later as a consequence of their training.† (94:5) Similarly The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, â€Å"No infant is born except with an inborn sense of natural goodness, and then his parents make him into a Jew, Christian or a Muslim.† (Sahih Bukhari). â€Å"In other words, a human being is born innocent and unblemished in his nature.† (94:4), and he does not enter this world carrying a load of original sin. Those who think that a human being is sinful by birth have erred. Similarly it is a wrong assumption that a human being is the product of some earlier life and his present birth is an outcome of some previous birth, and that he is caught up in the ramifications of his actions in some previous existence, as is believed by some. That is why in the Al-Quran there is no mention of ‘original sin’, ‘atonement’ or ‘transmigration of soul’ as these are the products of human fantasy with no evidence at all for their support. It must be understood that there is a difference of quality and quantity of natural powers in various indivi duals. There is a difference between emotional origins and practical manifestations of emotions and these differences give rise to a vast sea of moral values, and this sea has been enclosed in the small canvas of Qur’anic moral code. THE HIKMAH OF INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN IMAN IBADAH AND AKHLAK The relationship between faith and worship will result a maintained and stabilised worship that will ensure the faith in an individual’s heart thicken and stronger. Meanwhile, the relationship between worship and morality is the complete way of life in Islam as they maintain good behaviour and manners where ever they are and whatever they do, in the same time maintaining a good worship or ibadah to Allah S.W.T. by following the five pillars of Islam and also the Sunnah of our prophet Muhammad Rasulullah S.A.W. Therefore, the connection between faith, worship and morality are closely consistent and if one is lost then it is incomplete. Imagine it like a house wall as faith, pillar of a house as worship and roof as morality. If one feature is gone, the house will be incomplete or in other words will crash down. CONCLUSION Praise be to Allah S.W.T. the Most Compassionate and the Most Merciful, as the believers praise Him and may He send blessings and peace upon our prophet, Muhammad Rasulullah S.A.W. and upon all of his forefathers, his brethren of prophets and messengers, his family and his companions. Worship, faith and morality is connected to each other as they are the basis in Islam for seeking the pleasure from Allah S.W.T. Worship is all acts in our daily life regardless of its status, hidden or on the eyes of the public. Faith is to have sincere devotion to Allah S.W.T. with the heart, to testify this with the tongue, and to act on it with the body while morality or akhlak can be defined as the manners or good behaviour in our daily life. These three components are important things in the completion of an individual’s human soul need to seek pleasure from Allah S.W.T. To conclude, an individual must perform the ritualistic acts to Allah S.W.T. not only by personal means but consider to r epresent the individual’s whole life to Allah S.W.T. as well as practicing good behaviour or manners in daily life to ensure the possession of stronger faith. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Al-Quran 2. Muhammad Al-Ghazali (1991). Akhlak Seorang Muslim. Kuala Lumpur: Victory Agencie. 3. Ahmad M. Saefuddin (1984). Ibadah dalam Islam. Jakarta: Lembaga Islam untuk Penelitian Masyarakat. 4. Profesor Dr. Hamka (1982). Iman dan Amal Shaleh. Jakarta: Pustaka Panjimas. 5. Habib Ali al-Jifri (2012). The Concept of Faith in Islam. Jordan: The Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought. 6. The Essence of Islam. http://www.cpsglobal.org/content/essence-islam

Concerning Globalisation Essay

In arguments concerning globalisation, controversy is quite evident. Discuss the positive and negative outcomes connected with this issue. In today’s life we often encounter terms such as â€Å"living in a global village† and â€Å"we all live in the same world†. Even simply switching on the television brings us face to face with events occurring on the other side of the globe. News broadcasts transmit not only the local news or the latest political propaganda being fed to the people, but also incidents taking place all over Europe, Asia, the Americas and even Africa. We all witness this everyday, yet we rarely stop to truly think of the implications. What is the significance of virtually being a spectator in events across the world? What difference does this make to an individual? More importantly, what changes does this bring upon a society? Many people consider globalisation a recent, modern phenomenon and associate it with today’s highly technological age. After all, the world must be globalized if humanity is capable of breaching the frontier and sending man into space. However, the truth is that globalisation had much more humble beginnings. Ever since Christopher Columbus set foot in what is now America, and ever since the Roman Empire began conquering land to incorporate into its glorious empire, globalisation has been a vital social process. The fact that this has been taking place for so long has ensured that no country is capable of surviving on its own because nobody is self-sufficient. People today are becoming more interdependent because a global mentality is being encouraged and taught. However, true globalisation was slowed until 1990, the end of the Cold War, because until then the world was divided in two. Nonetheless, many colonised countries (including Malta) still display strong influences, especially in language and culture, adopted from their colonisers. Therefore, globalisation inflicts social change upon a country or area. People are being socialised into other cultures. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that a country is losing its own culture – it is simply updating it. Technology and communications have had a strong impact on speeding up globalisation. What were first considered luxuries, such as television and Internet, soon became important factors leading to social change. This is because they led to an increase in information accessibility, product accessibility and education. Another aspect of globalisation is the fact that regionalism is decreasing. For example, organisations such as NAFTA started out as regional organisations but have expanded their horizon. The EU has agreements with over 100 countries outside Europe. Transnational corporations also open the doors to globalisation since they have many branches all over the world and have no borders. There are 3 main outlooks on globalisation, which vary drastically from each other. Some argue in favour of this phenomenon whilst others try to prevent it from occurring. The Sceptics believe that the whole argument regarding globalisation is being exaggerated. They say that this sudden debate about this topic is simply over-hyped. Globalisation has not emerged recently – it has just intensified in its interactions and scale. By stating this, the sceptics admit that nowadays there is more interaction and communication between countries than ever before. Sceptics also criticize economy because they believe that it is not truly globalise. They try to prove this by arguing that certain countries are much more developed than others, and if the world were truly globalise countries would be equal. Sceptics are criticized fiercely for what seems to be an old-fashioned and ethnocentric approach. An argument placed against them says that simply because some countries are not yet part of it, it doesn’t mean that globalisation doesn’t exist. They are also accused of discouraging globalisation because they fear that it will make people more interactive and interdependent, thus forcing their governments to share their power and money with others. On the flip side of the coin, one can find the Hyperglobalizers. These believe that the world is one and globalisation covers the whole world and is a very real phenomenon that is felt almost everywhere. This process does not respect national borders or ideas of sovereignty. Hyperglobalizers base their arguments on aspects of commerce, trade and production. Kenichi Ohmae, a Japanese hyperglobalizer, stated that globalisation leads to a â€Å"borderless world†. His argument presents an interesting association with the Marxist ideology, but from an opposite point of view. In fact, Ohmae says that money makes the world go round since it is invested all around the world, under on name. Therefore (like in Marxism) everyone works towards a single goal – the same world. Hyperglobalizers base their arguments on the changing role of each nation within the whole world, not simply within a region. Like the Sceptics, Hyperglobalizers have been criticized for being overly biased towards a particular viewpoint. In fact, they consider globalisation to be indispensable and flawless and reject any negative influences it may bring about. Transformationalists provide an alternative view on the subject. They believe globalisation is the central force in a broad spectrum of changes taking place throughout the world, which is not yet hyper-globalized. In fact, some countries are highly globalized (for example U.S.A., Japan and Europe) whilst others (such as African nations) are still very far behind in this process. Many of these countries are still uncertain on the benefits of globalisation and of what they want. However, countries that are globalised do not lose their independence or sovereignty. For example, although England are a member of the EU, they do not use the Euro as their currency, but the English Sterling (although some say that they may soon succumb to pressure and introduce the Euro). This transformation brought about by globalisation requires people to adjust to the new situation and learn to live with each other and with people from other cultures and backgrounds. Transformationalists also say that globalisation is a two-way flow of images, not simply a one-way process. The No Global movement is another notorious organization fighting against the occurrence of globalisation. They argue that it causes inequality between first and third world countries. They criticize rich countries for not helping poor countries and for not trying to bridge the financial and social gaps between them. However, help must not simply be acts of charity, where money is given to their governments, but more practical help at the root of the problem. There are other NGO’s discouraging globalisation, such as the Campaign for Global Justice, who see it as a completely negative process. These try to inform people that it must be slowed and, if possible, stopped. An argument brought up concerns the aspect of free trade. Whilst some people say that it solves problems of poverty and inequality, they state that this only flows in one direction – the rich produce and the poor consume, thus forcing them to depend on rich countries. If it were truly free trade both would produce and consume, thus creating an equal situation. Globalisation involves certain risks, such as environmental degradation due to development, shifting employment patterns leading to stress and anxiety, heightened job insecurity and de-skilling (such as the infamous 7-Up case in Malta last year), decline in traditional influences and loss of self-identity, erosion of family patterns, and democratization of personal relationships. These are all problems one must consider when trying to evaluate the impact of globalisation, especially in light of the forthcoming referendum on whether Malta is to enter the EU or not. This is a subjective argument, however one cannot deny that without globalisation, the world would not be the same.

Homeschool vs Public School Essay

In this paper I plan on describing education and how it has shaped me. How education effects everyone depending on their situation, whether they are rich, poor, white, black, healthy , or disable . There is a type of education for everybody. In all three essays the authors taught us through the characters they used, the hardships and discrimination that they insured trying to seek an education if they were not considered in the right classification in society. They have taught us that nothing can stop us and we can reach to the stars for anything we want to do as long as we have the will power. As you read my essay you will see some of my own mothers hardships that she went through for us so we could get a good education. The essay tells you how you should go about to choose your education too. It proved in the essay â€Å"Finishing School† by Maya Angelou, how hard it was to be poor and black and get an education or be recognized in society. Even though her Mistress tried to dishonor her by changing her name and disgracing her in front of her friends Angelou had no intention on standing still for it. She might be black but she was not to be put down . She was just as smart or smarter as her mistress as far as she was concerned and no one had any right black or white , rich or poor to discriminate or change anything about her. This was a lesson Angelou taught us to do standing up for ourselves no matter how hard it may be Our education is well worth it and so are we. In the essay â€Å"Indian Education† by Sherman Alexie, he had it hard on the reservation. First he was picked on in school by his peers,,which is something a lot of us go through. As he got older he turned the tables and went through many hardships in his education. Finally to succeed and going to public school. He had to change his ways and get a proper education in order to become something in life. Alexie learned from discrimination and peer pressure. He learned what he had to do to make his life better and how to improve it . All the hardships Alexie, Angelou and Smith-Yackel went through did not stop any of them, they kept going and that is what is I think what makes our education the same Teachers have a way with teaching as told in the essay The Banking â€Å"Concept of Education â€Å"by Paulo Concept of Education (Home School vs. Public School 3 Friere. As told in the essay Friere points out how â€Å"Four times Four is Sixteen† can just be words unless put to use by the student . It is not just up to the teacher to teach us but up to us to take in what the teacher is trying to teach us. However, at the same time it goes without saying if a teacher knows only one way of teaching which may be memorization then that may be the only way a student can learn . So as student I think it is up to us to learn as much as we can. The teacher can only do so much, we have to do the rest . I think that is what Friere is also trying to point out to us. It is not only up to the teacher but up to us as the student too. The essay written by Bonnie Smith-Yackel â€Å"My Mother Never Worked†, is the one that really touched my heart the most. This is my favorite one. My mother was like Martha in many ways. Although my mother had epilepsy all of her life she volunteered to do everything for everyone. My mom was on disability but did not let that keep her down. It was society that tried to keep her, down but she refused to let them hold her back. She was a stay at home mom and did everything for us . She babysat for neighbors, friends and family. She was there at a moment’s notice if anyone had a sick child and needed her. She was a wonderful mother and wife. She went to college for child development and got her associates degree. When we started school she went to school with us every day and volunteered from eight in the morning till we got out of school each day. My moms dream was to be a teacher but because of epilepsy and disability she could not. She could still volunteer though but not get paid for her services. This did not bother my mom. To her she was still fulfilling her job as a teacher. When I was a child I went to public school. I learned a lot while in elementary school and some of middle school. As I got older I cared less about my education and more about fitting in. I grew up in Michigan and went to school there until the middle of the eighth grade. Starting in about the seventh grade school started being more about who was more popular and who likes who, or look at those cheap shoes that girl is wearing. For me I was more concerned about being cool and Concept of Education (Home School vs. Public School) 4 fitting in, than caring about my education. In the middle of eighth grade my family moved to Arkansas. This was very hard on me. I missed my friends very much and didn’t want to start a new school. My grades did improve for a while, but that was only because I didn’t have any friends to focus my attention on. I focused more on my school work. However this did not last long. I didn’t fit in because it was a very small town and I was a shy kid. I then started skipping school. When my mom found out she decided to put me in home school. Education was important to her and my dad. She always wanted to make sure I succeeded in life She got me up every morning just like as if I was going to school. I had the same hours as any other student in public school. My vacations were based around the public school. If the public school had a snow day or holiday I was allowed to have that day off. Home school was good for me because I had one on one teaching which I did not have in the public school. I needed that because of me being so shy and at times I would not raise my hand if I had questions. In home school I had my mom and dad to help me. I could focus better on my school work because I was not distracted or afraid of not getting anything done . I had hands on learning with my mom, and my dad incorporated projects to go with her lessons. I remember my dad and making a computer out of sugar cubes and Styrofoam , volcano, castles out of toilet paper rolls and a lot of other projects. I was never really good in English although believe it or not my mom was very good . My mom taught me the basics of school work, while my dad taught me about cars , how to plant a garden, and taking care of animals such as pigs, chickens, cows. We had a garden with fruits and vegetables, I learned to cook for large family. I was in FFA and I won the BBQ chicken semi- finals. I learned how to live in society. I worked and had a job too. My mom taught me much more then what you can learn in a book . She taught me lives lessons just like Martha taught her children in My Mother Never Worked. She gave me the skills I needed. I learned to use those skills and so here I am today working at Lakeland Hospital now for 10 years Concept of Education (Home School vs. Public School) 5 and finally going to college and studying for a nursing Career. Audience Analysis With education comes how we the parent, teacher and student will educate or be educated. One of the toughest decisions that you’re going to face as a parent is that you’re going to have to decide where to send your kids to school. However, most parents at least consider the choice to choose either private school, home school or public school. You as a parent can weigh the options of what you think would be better for you and your child’s education. To do this you and your child might want to weight the factors that play a part in the pros and cons of public school and home school and what is best for you and your child. As a parent you may feel that public schools have too many peer problems. Kids may argue with peers or pick up bad habits in public schools. There are so many children to one teacher it is hard to give one on one to the child that is quiet and needs help but won’t ask and they get lost in the school system. Your child may have health issues, like diabetes or other disabilities therefore when lunchtime comes it is hard for your child if he or she has diabetes or foods he or she can not have and is forced to eat what there or just take a sandwich from home and be the outsider. As a parent or student you need to weigh what is best for the both of you. Home schooling may be the answer in this case. Home schooling is a great way to bring a family closer together, but you have to make sure your kids (and you) are getting the social interaction they need. You can set a school schedule that suits your family, travel together when it’s best for all of you and enjoy more family a nd life together. You also need to make sure you have the type of relationship with your child to listen to instruction from you as a teacher instead to a parent, You as a parent have the option to teach your child anything from bible (which most public schools do not allow) to the basics school book skills to life skills. As a working parent public school is probably better . Transportation is provided, so there is no need Concept of Education (Home School vs. Public School) 6 to worry about having a car. School buses will pick up your child to and from school. For some parents the choice is easy because of the funds and the availability of the parent’s time. Public schools provide the kids with an opportunity to great activities , this is important to many of you as parents and as students . Many of you want your children in activities and think this is important. Public school gives you this option , so this you might want to take into consideration also. All around development is easier in public schools. If you are worried about feeding your child at school and you are low income, they have low cost or free breakfast and lunches for your child too. So basically it is up to you on the education of your children. There are pros and cons. In Conclusion: Some kids do best when they are able to combine different options to complete their education. In order to choose the right type of school, you need to weigh all of the options open to you. My sister Amy went and graduated from public school with honors. My sister Christal received a GED., she choose to work. School was hard for her. I have an adopted sister Janice who was in special ed , she went to public school but was in special classes and received a special diploma . Now days you can do both of two worlds my sister (Chasity) has PCOS and Diabetes which made her miss a lot of school so she is doing through Coloma High School , a Coloma Virtual Academy which is a home school but works with the public school too. . She goes to school to pick classes, participates if she wishes, can graduate with her class, but her Doctors appointment’s and her health problems will no longer prevent her from her education. So my mom is home schooling her in a different way than she did me. They made a different choice of education for her. They both were good choices but for different reasons. That is why you should look into the situation before deciding what to do. As a parent your child is not the same as anyone else so they may require a different type of education just like my sisters and I did. It is you and your child’s choice

Appropriate title poem for the collection Essay

To what extent, in terms of subject matter and style, do you consider ‘High Windows’ to be an appropriate title poem for the collection? High Windows is a collection that deals with several interlinking themes. One of the most obvious is that of windows, which are used throughout the poems as an analogy for reflection, retrospection, observations and external or internal influences. Other themes such as death, religion, youth, sex tradition, society and outside observers also occur frequently throughout the collection. It could be said that the poem High Windows includes and explores many of these themes, and as such provides a good summation of the content of the others. Its form and structure can also be compared to the rest of the collection – Larkin uses some very specific techniques and structural decisions within several of the poems, and High Windows is perhaps one of the best examples of where these techniques are used to the best effect. In High Windows, Larkin employs free verse with a simple rhyme scheme. This could be said to be fairly unusual, as in other poems such as To The Sea he uses very complex rhyme schemes. He often chooses to rhyme between stanzas, and this is clearly a very conscious and crafted decision. Larkin also makes use of traditional poetic forms – for example, The Card-Players takes the form of a sonnet. The fact he has chosen to use free verse could show that High Windows has a modern setting, unlike The Card-Players which is a narrative set around the 17th century. It could also be a suggestion that the collection deals largely with universal and simplistic theme such as life and death, and thus the simplicity of the rhyme scheme epitomises this. Other structural decisions that appear in High Windows can also be seen in other poems. Larkin often uses italics to show that someone other than the main narrator of the poem is speaking. ‘That’ll be the life; no God any more, or sweating in the dark†¦ ‘ is being spoken by someone of the previous generation looking at the speaker in their youth. This also occurs in Sympathy in White Major, which includes such lines as ‘He devoted his life to others’, which seems to be being said by someone at the speaker’s funeral. The Explosion includes italicised lines being spoken by a priest – ‘The dead go on before us†¦ ‘ – and Vers de Societe includes such lines as ‘All solitude is selfish’ and ‘Virtue is social’, which seem to be an outside voice reproaching the speaker for his behaviour. High Windows can thus be clearly compared to other poems that use this technique. By the end of the collection, the use of italics is recognisable. Larkin also often makes use of a ‘final image’ at the end of his poems, something that is meant to sum up the content of the poem. In High Windows, the line ‘Rather than words comes the thought of high windows’ is one of the most memorable. Similarly, The Explosion has the image of the ‘eggs unbroken’, and Money’s entire last verse is occupied by the image of ‘looking down from long french windows†¦ ‘. High Windows is the only one that includes the prelude ‘Rather than words†¦ ‘, and illustrates this technique very well. In this sense, High Windows makes a very appropriate title, both as the title of a poem and as an image. The juxtapositioning between coarse and lyrical language is also present in High Windows, as in various other poems. This coule be said to show the difference between traditional poetic language and more modern poetry. High Windows has a transition from the beginning, and lines such as ‘†¦ I see a couple of kids†¦ ‘ and ‘†¦ I guess he’s fucking her and she’s wearing a diaphragm†¦ ‘, to the end, with lines such as ‘the sun-comprehending glass†¦ ‘ and ‘that shows nothing, and is nowhere, and is endless. ‘ This juxtapositioning is used in This Be The Verse, between ‘They fuck you up, your mum and dad’ and the seemingly out of place ‘†¦ it deepens like a coastal shelf. ‘ Similarly, Sad Steps begins with the image of ‘Groping back to bed after a piss’ and ends with ‘that wide stare is a reminder of the strength and pain of being young’. The theme of observation and looking down through a window is also a common one throughout the collection. The image of High Windows is one that provides an appropriate title, since it could be a metaphor for themes such as reflection upon life, which is clearly prominent in poems such as Sympathy in White Major, Dublinesque and The Explosion. Sad Steps makes use of a similar window metaphor – the speaker seems to have an epiphany after ‘parting thick curtains’ and seeing the moon. The Old Fools also includes mention of ‘lighted windows’ that represent the memories of somone’s life. Money has the image of ‘looking down from long french windows’ at a town that is meant to represent various aspects of life. High Windows also deals with the concept of religion. It suggests that religion was something that older generations were forced to think about when they didn’t want to, and that now, this has been replaced by sex and freedom. The phrase ‘bonds and gestures’ suggests that the speaker believes that religion and other such ‘restraints’ were only meant as a show, and were not really what people believed in. High Windows shows a rather cynical view of religion, suggesting that it no longer matters in modern society. This view is mentioned briefly in The Building as well, with the mention of ‘a locked church’ and the comparision between patients of the hospital and an ‘unseen congregation’. Vers de Societe uses the line ‘playing at goodness, like going to church†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, clearly suggesting that Larkin believes religion to be a shallow waste of time. In this manner, High Windows accurately reflects what appears to be Larkin’s view on religion. However, in poems such as The Explosion, religion is viewed in a very different way – it becomes something that offers hope, and something to be revered. It mentions that the dead men ‘Are sitting in God’s house in comfort’. As this is the final poem in the collection, it could suggest that the actual message Larkin is attempting to convey is one of hope and faith. As High Windows suggests the opposite, it could be considered a misleading title poem. Throughout High Windows, many of the poems explore the theme of young people being somehow ‘separate’ to the older generation. To do this, Larkin often makes use of a speaker who is outside the events of the poem and observing the actions of others. The speaker of High Windows seems to be a middle-aged man looking at teenagers. There is a sense of the cyclic nature of life in this poem, as he also alludes to the fact that someone older than the speaker probably watched him when he was young. This also appears in Annus Mirabilis. The youth of today are often connected with sexual freedom – Larkin is very frank about ‘bonds and gestures pushed to one side’ allow the young to have sex and be more free. This is similar to the ‘sort of bargaining’ mentioned in Annus Mirabilis. This Be The Verse also includes the cyclic nature of life. The speaker claims that ‘Man hands on misery to man’, which suggests that every generation is similar to the last, just slightly different, and this continues throughout all of life. Because High Windows is so similar to many of the other poems and show so well the main themes of the collection, I do think that it is a very appropriate title poem. However, there are also many contradictions within the collection, and so it would be almost impossible to pick one poem that shows every element of the collection. High Windows serves as a good introduction to many of the concepts discussed within the collection, and also paves the way for further exploration of these themes.