Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell Essay Example

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell Paper The novel Outliers, aims to investigate the very thing we want for our family, our students, and ourselves. For most of our lives we have believed that with hard work, anyone can achieve success. That had to be the reason that poor immigrants like Andrew Carnegie and college dropouts like Bill Gates achieved unimaginable wealth. Most of us were taught that working harder than anyone else would lead to ultimate success. While the author, Malcolm Gladwell, does not dispute that hard work in a necessary component, we learn that many factors, lucky breaks, and some coincidences all occur in making high achievers into true outliers. We also learn that many of the richest, most famous, and most successful people in history are often linked by certain factors that can be traced back to the reason for their successes. The novel is broken down into two sections detailing traits and components that helped pave the way for the ultra-successful. On the following pages I will discuss the factors that Gladwell presented, comment on them, and discuss how they apply to us as burgeoning school administrators. Part One: Opportunity With the section titled â€Å"Opportunity,† Gladwell breaks the path to success into three different sub-groups each with a catchy subtitle. For the purpose of this abstract, I will call them birth date, the 10,000 hour rule, and high IQ. The first factor, which Gladwell delves into, is the birth date of his outliers. Not only the year that someone is born, but also the month and day in which they are born. We will write a custom essay sample on Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Take, for instance, the example of junior hockey players in Canada. Most of the hockey players on the best traveling team in all of Canada had birthdays in the first three months of the year. This seemed like an unbelievable coincidence, until we explore further. Gladwell interviewed people connected with the selection for these teams and it turned out the participants of a certain level had to be born after the New Year. Theoretically a boy born on January 1st would have time to physically mature over someone born towards the end of the year (making that child the youngest on the team). The more physically mature boy would then be selected for the team, get more practice time, better coaching, and compete on a higher level. This created and advantage for older children and created a roadblock in the path for hockey players born towards the end of the year. This is a phenomenon that also happens in our schools. For every kindergarten or first grade class there is a cut-off date for children who are being registered for school. The children closest to the cut-off date have more time to cognitively develop as compared to younger children. This provides the older children with a greater opportunity to be included in gifted classes, have better teachers, explore concepts more in-depth, and get the same head-start on education the older players got in hockey. The 10,000-hour rule, as I have come to realize is quite popular, is Gladwell’s theory that to truly become an expert at something one needs to spend 10,000 hours perfecting the craft. Gladwell cites several examples including a young Bill Gates practicing writing code, but for the sake of space, I will explain one example: The Beatles. While performing in the late 1950’s in Liverpool, The Beatles were not particularly gifted showmen and rarely stood out among other Mersey Beat groups. It wasn’t until they were booked to play clubs in Hamburg that they began to show their true colors. What was it about Hamburg? Gladwell points out that in Germany they played seven days a week for eight hours a day. Along with their Liverpool background, the Beatles had achieved 10,000 hours playing and performing, the magic number for mastering your craft. The 10,000-hour rule can apply several ways within our schools. For students, 10,000 hours can be spent in class, studying, researching, writing and computing. Perhaps to become the best student possible, or at least master the process by which you learn, one must reach that benchmark of time before becoming an expert. For teachers and administrators perhaps we must spend those hours teaching, reflecting, brainstorming, meeting, sharing ideas, and listening to others before we can master the art. Maybe we truly need to spend at that time learning from others and applying what we know before we can really find our niche in this profession. A child’s abnormally high IQ may trigger thoughts of undoubted success for many of us, but Outliers shows us that many with unbridled promise fail to deliver. This study shows that almost all â€Å"geniuses† that fail to complete post-secondary degrees have one glaring trait in common: socioeconomic status. Gladwell presents the case of Chris Langan, a man who’s IQ nears 200 and taught himself to read by age four. Langan spend his adult years as a bouncer and later ran a horse farm. This is hardly dignified work for â€Å"the smartest man in America. Langan’s only mistake was growing up poor. Gladwell compares Langan with Robert Oppenheimer, architect of the atomic bomb. While both were extremely intelligent, only Oppenheimer grew up affluent and gained necessary skills needed to succeed. While Langan had difficultly figuring out the procedures necessary to fill-out financial-aid forms in college, Oppenheimer was raised to learn social niceties. The autho r goes into great detail explaining how the experiences provided to Oppenheimer through family wealth helped separate him from a fate all-to-often found by the poor. The topic of educating the nation’s less fortunate is one that is certainly not new. However, letting talented people slip through the cracks is something that we as educators can help to prevent. Someone with Chris Langan’s intellect does not come often, but that does not mean that as educators we cannot spend time to help those less fortunate. While the affluent can afford private schools, better tutors, and more social experiences, it is our job as public educators to do our best to provide all students with an opportunity to succeed. Prior to reading Outliers, I knew that socioeconomic status certainly played a role, but learning of all the cases where great minds have been wasted most definitely opened my eyes to the plight of the less fortunate. Part Two: Legacy In the second part of the book, the author looks at the backgrounds, influences and cultures to determine their role in someone’s success. Gladwell investigates cultural heritages and their effect on people. He presented the case of Korean Air, the most accident-prone airline in the world. It turns out that Korean culture frowns on speaking or giving commands to one’s superior. Simply put, members of the crew were watching their captains make mistakes with out speaking up and it was costing lives! In order for Korean Air to turn things around, it needed to change the culture. This is mirrored in our public schools across the country. Initiatives are constantly being presented and rarely do the ever affect the status quo. Until the culture of the school is changed improvements will continue to fall by the wayside. Just as in the Korean Air example, subordinates needed to by into the culture change. In schools, it is the teachers and staff that ultimately determine the success of a program. We must change the culture of our schools, get teacher buy-in, and have all staff believe in the change if initiatives are to work. Top-down communication is not the way to effectively foster change; our school culture needs to be reworked. One of the most fascinating chapters in the book is titled â€Å"Rice Paddies and Math Tests. † Gladwell takes on the stereotype of Asian students and their proficiency for math. Again, the answer lay in one’s ancestry and cultural heritage. Asians have subsisted on rice for centuries, and growing rice is one of the most labor-intensive crops in the world. Like math, there is no shortcut to cultivating rice paddies. Reaping a bountiful crop takes hard work, patience, and practice as well precise farming techniques. These traits that are so often associated with the Asian culture are exactly the recipe for success in the field of mathematics. There is no shortcut for math aptitude either. A student must be willing to continue to work after the thought â€Å"This is too hard† has already crossed their minds. In fact, the author found that math aptitude perfectly aligns itself with the countries that values hard work the most. The culture has predisposed them for success in math! Changing students mind and the values of all Americans may be nearly impossible, but a valuable lesson can be learned from all of this. Hard word and determination really does play a part in one’s success, and that it is not all luck, birth dates, and economic circumstance. This also relates closely to the 10,00 hour rule that I discussed earlier. Do you that these farmers have spent 10,000 hours cultivating their fields with backbreaking work? I certainly do. This also sets an example for students and staff hat in order to make real progress we have to keep pushing when things get difficult and persevere if we are to be truly successful. Finally, we examine the case of the KIPP Academy in the Bronx, New York. The KIPP Academy (Knowledge is Power Program) is a school in which almost any child in the Bronx can attend. There are no entry requirements and applicants are not chosen by their parent’s bank account. There i s a catch though: students attend classes from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM and often have homework until 10 or 11 o’clock. KIPP Academy students also come to school for four hours on Saturdays and five hours each day in the summer. Many of us would wonder why anyone would subject himself or herself to this torture. The answer is simple: 84% of the KIPP students are proficient or advanced in math in an area of poverty, which rarely affords children the educational background to go to college. By presenting this case, Gladwell nicely and neatly wraps up his argument as to why some are successful while others fail. The KIPP Academy has ironed out the wrinkles of birthdays (anyone can attend), socioeconomic status (it matters not how much money you have), and cultural heritage (if you come to KIPP you will get your 10,000 hours regardless of where you came from). The KIPP Academy has placed success solely on the individual. It is up to the person to change his or her future. Success is not made on hard work alone; it is not given either. Rather a serious of factors needs to fall in place in order for the average person to become an outlier. But with knowledge of factors, one can overcome shortcomings and put themselves into positions to greater affect their lives or the lives of their students.

franchie business Essay

franchie business Essay franchie business Essay ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF FRANCHISHING An entrepreneur can wish to set up a new independent business and try to win customers and be successful. An alternative is to buy into an existing business and acquire the right to use an existing business idea. This is called franchising. Opening a franchise is usually less risky than setting up as an independent retailer. The franchisee is adopting a proven business model and selling a well-known product in a new local branch. For example subway is the biggest franchisor (who sells the right to use the business idea in a location). The franchising a very good business to be involved in, however it comes with its pros and cons. One of the main advantages of franchising is working under a well-known brand name such as subway has great benefits for franchisee. You can also save time and energy by not worrying about generating publicity to raise the awareness (advertising) of the business – customers will know what to expect from a big chain. Having an established market means the business will pick up really quick start making money easily .Franchisee don’t have to worry much about competition as the business is already world-known. Another advantage is that like an independent business owner, the franchisee won’t be left alone. The franchisor will give you advice and training programmes and they will give financial help the start of the business. The increased security and reliability of a large firm behind you means that banks will often offer you substantial loans to aid your start-up costs. On the other hand it also has its disadvantage, the initial and continuing fees: Franchisors will charge new franchisees a fee to start-up a business using their brand name. Although this can be under  £1,000, the amount varies greatly according to the franchisor. Furthermore Franchisors will take a regular slice of your takings as royalty fees also the payment of the employees has been

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Report - Essay Example More people are embracing the use of feedback in the teaching process, especially due to its benefits over other methods of teaching. Increasingly, more schools are adopting the use of feedback as a method of teaching their students. With this regard, this paper seeks to establish the reasons behind the success and growth of the use of feedback among teachers in schools. Additionally, it will focus on the advantages and challenges facing feedback as a teaching method. As feedback gives an opportunity to the teacher to understand the emotions of the students, this method has increasingly gained proves to be the most effective teaching tool. From the research, the paper recommends that whenever teachers decide to use feedback as a tool of evaluation, not only should the timing be appropriate but also have independent evaluation committees. This is the only way that the method could achieve best results. 2.0 Introduction Feedback is one of the commonly used methods of teaching for stude nts currently. Over time, there has been an increase in the number of teaching methods that teachers and educators use for effective teaching of their students. ... While discussing the use of feedback in higher education, this essay through secondary research will outline some of the benefits and challenges facing this method of teaching, and later present findings of the research, finally drawing conclusions and recommendations from this study. 3.0 Background   There is an increased emphasis on the contribution of student feedback to the quality of education among students. Different researchers have sought to conduct different students on the impact of feedback on the quality of education. According to Rowe (2010), the current research considerably focuses on the effectiveness of feedback among the students. Additionally, it focuses on the timing of the feedback as well as the modes that offer feedback. Other researchers have sought to demystify the effectiveness of feedback by conducting an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of feedback to the students. With these researches, different educators have adopted the use of student fe edback as a teaching method. This research seeks to establish the effects that feedback has on the students through an analysis of its advantages and disadvantages (Swain, 2008). 4.0 Nature of Feedback Feedback, defined as giving specified information about a person’s current behavior aims at helping him or her continue with the behavior or modifying the behavior. It involves the sharing of information about the student’s performance, giving them an opportunity to express their sentiments on the learning process. As such, this is the most important tool used in the teaching process (Richardson, 2005). Positive feedback indicates that teachers should sustain the behavior, due to its effectiveness or appropriateness. On the other hand, negative or

Company law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Company law - Coursework Example Dissolution of a company can be voluntary or through winding up. Voluntary liquidation of a  company  occurs when the shareholders of a company come to a consensus,  pass  a resolution saying that they have agreed to  dissolve  the company. On the other hand, the court may  give  out an  order  for the winding up of a company commonly done at the behest of a creditor who has not been paid.  According to Ahmadu and Robert (425) global trends have led companies to be cautious in the way their operations  are halted. Question 1 Liquidation of any company entails the winding up of financial statements in order to  create  time  for effective dismantling of the structure of the company and  help  in  fairly  distributing the assets of the company to its creditors.  Liquidation provides the only  true  way of ending the activities and operations of a company because both the assets and  financial  structure  are evaluated  (Ahmadu and Rob ert, 471). The court order for compulsory winding up Zed Ltd provides both the company and creditors with transparency and accountability because an independent entity, the liquidator,  is given  the task of protecting the interests of the shareholders, directors, creditors, and members. Since the court has appointed a liquidator, it shows that the creditor had enough  proof  to show that Zed Ltd truly is not able to pay all its debts. In addition, the company has in the recent past had cash flow problems. Therefore, Zed Ltd is insolvent. In the case of Niger Merchants Co. v Copper (1877) 185 ChD 557n, Jessel MR proposed that pursuing a winding-up petition for a solvent company is an abuse of the court’s process (Hicks and Goo, 609). Other such cases include Mann v Goldstein, and the sentiments of Malins VC in Cadiz Waterworks Co. v Barnett (1874) LR 19 Eq 182. Zed Ltd is unable to pay its debts; hence the creditor can apply to the court for a petition for winding-up. Section 123 provides information that can be used to substantiate whether or not a company is unable to pay its debts. The companies act provides provisions that are to be followed during liquidation as asserted by OECD (246). Although Zed Ltd was not aware of the petition filed in court by one of their creditors, the law requires the company not to  accept  any deliveries of goods for which it has not prepared any payment procedures. Also, the company  is supposed  to maintain the current status of its creditors, but it should not improve or  make  worse the situation. Nonetheless, any improvement or worsening of the situation may  lead  the directors to incur personal liability or be liable for misfeasance (Debt UK, 2008). The company has to ensure that no assets fall into the hands of creditors  because  they may be available for set off. Zed Ltd was under pressure to  pay  up its outstanding bills and debts; it sold a spare machine for ?10,000 whose  i nitial  price  was ?9,000. Moreover, the company had donated a minibus to a charity in an  attempt  to promote the company’s image. However, Zed Ltd was not aware of the petition filed against it in court. The sale of the  spare  machine and the issuance of the minibus to  charity  involve  company assets. However, the minibus  was given  to charity on 15 October 2009; creditor cannot  challenge  this  move  because it had taken  place before the petition

Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 50

Nursing research - Essay Example Mainz identifies structural indicators as those indicators that describe the nature and sum of resources that a healthcare facility utilizes in the delivery of services and programs with these indicators related to the availability of a presence of human resources and material resources that have the potential of improving the quality of care (524). In line with this, it is evident that one quality improvement measure in a healthcare facility is the structural component of the healthcare facility since the structure of the facility is important in providing quality services to patients. Consequently, potential indicators related to the healthcare facility’s quality improvement measure, which is structural in nature, range from the technology used by the facility to professionals working in the facility. Mainz identifies these potential indicators as the proportion of doctors to other specialists, the healthcare facilities access to specific technology such as MRI scans, and ac cess to particular units that promote the provision of quality care

Thai Immigration In United States

Thai Immigration In United States Throughout the history, America is considered as the destination for a stream of immigrants from various parts of the world. Immigration plays a significant role not only in making Americas development possible but also in shaping American society. High rates of migration from distinctly different places in the world reflect and also shape a lot about the basic nature of American society and economy. They came to make new lives and livelihoods in the New World, and their hard work benefited themselves and their new home country. The immigrant group not only comes from European countries, but also comes from Asian countries. Thai immigrant is also considered as one of the largest group of Asian immigrants in United States. They flee from their mainland to the various destinations in United States. Some immigrants settle down there, but some just stay for a while and leave this country. This paper will cover three parts which are the history of Thai immigrants in US, Thai immigrant lif estyle in US (destination choices and employment and occupation pattern), and Thai culture represents by immigrant group (assimilation, tradition and beliefs, cuisine, religion, and family unit). History of Thai Immigrants in US In Thai history, there was no evidence of Thai immigrants to US until 1961. The beginning point of Thai immigration to United States started during the Vietnam War. At that time, the official American military arrived to Thailand in order to settle down the US stationed troops and prepare for war in Vietnam. US military supported Thai military programs in terms of financial support. Moreover, money that came in the country from military tourism changed the living standard of Thai people at that time. After interacting with the American soldiers, Thais saw that United States was full of opportunities in both education and economics, and immigration to this country can lift up the living standard (Immigration History of the Thai to the United States, n.d.). Apart from these factors, the immigration law of US at that period is attractive to the new coming immigrant. In 1965, U.S. enforced the immigration and nationality act which aims to support family unification. It also aims to encou rage U.S. citizens in the U.S. to patronize their family members as a new immigrant. This seems to be the important opportunity for Asians who are the citizens of U.S. to bring their family members. Moreover, it makes immigration become easier for Asian especially Thais. However, in fact, the target group of this immigration act is the European immigrants, but as a result, there were lots of Asian immigrants pour in to the country which was never happen before (Asian Nation, n.d.). In 1970, around 5,000 of Thais immigrated to United States with the ratio of three women to one man. Most of immigrants were composed of medical doctors, business men, and wives of U.S. military. We can assume that the ratio of three women to one men come from wives of U.S. military (Immigration History of the Thai to the United States, n.d.). The immigrant of Thai ancestry also includes the Thai Dam and other ethnic groups from the northern Vietnam and Laos (Megan Ratner, 2011). According to J.S. Lindber g, Thai immigration is categorized into three stages which are pioneer migration, group migration, and mass migration. The first stage or pioneer migration is a few of educated, middle class Thais who flee to U.S. around two postwar decades. The second stage or group migration is immigrants who entered U.S. in the period of the change in American immigration laws. This stage has stable increase in numbers and gradually changes in composition of the immigrant flow. The last group is mass migration which is the transition to the third stage. In this stage, number of Thais who got nonimmigrant visas is stable. (Jacqueline Desbarats, page 303). The unprecedented increase in number of Thai immigrant continues many decades until it reached 44,000 immigrants in 1980, and 64,000 immigrants in 1990 (Thai American, 2011). Thai immigrants in US came in both legal and illegal status. However, there was Refugee Act in October 28, 1977 in order to legalize the illegal immigrant. Its provision is to permit the permanent resident status for Indochinese refugees who were physically present in the United States for at least two years, and were admitted into the United States during specified periods of time (US Citizenship and immigration service, page 5). Thai Lives in US Since Thai immigrated to United States, two largest communities of Thai immigrants are in Los Angeles and California. The number of Thais in California is approximately 32,064, and Thais in Los Angeles are around 19,016. Moreover, other significant concentrations are in Hollywood, between Hollywood and Olympic boulevards and near Western Avenue. Thais are also found in New York City which has population around 6,230 and in Texas with 5,816 populations (Megan Ratner, 2011). The largest concentration runs along Hollywood Boulevard between Normandie Avenue and Western Avenue in Hollywood which is called Thai town. It located in Los Angeles. This city is also the first largest and only Thai town outside Thailand. There are lots of homes and businesses of Thai immigrants scatter around the city. Most of them came to Los Angeles for educational opportunity, and some of them decided to settle down there and open their own businesses. Furthermore, financial crisis in 1980 caused numerous Tha is came to Thai Town and seek for jobs. In 2002, there were around 80,000 Thai immigrants in this city which also includes Thai Chinese population. Because of the influx of Thai immigrants, Los Angeles seems to be the 77th province of Thailand. In Thai town, there are numerous Thai restaurants, glossary stores, markets, silk shop, massage spa, book stores, and import stores (Thai Town, 2011). Everything from Thailand can be found there. Thai Town is established by the Thai Community Development Center (CDC) which is to provide tourists to the town for benefiting those Thai businesses in that area, and to promote this community as a cultural haven. The community promotes Thai culture by celebrating Songkran Festival (Thai New Years Day) every year. The festival is set on the first Sunday in April. This festival is an important day of Thai culture, food, and entertainment which can gather Thais and tourists together. The activities in the festival include fruit and vegetable carvings, Thai painting and handicraft demonstration, and Thai folklore program. In 2008, there were more than 100,000 people joined the festival, in which the number of participants increased as a tenfold in only five years since the first celebration started. This is a great chance to give visitors and locals to experience the diversity of Thai Town, and also to support the local economies in the area (Preserve America Community, 2009). In the same year, Thai Town in Los Angeles was also awarded a Preserve America Community by the White House. This means a lot for the community because it increases the visibility of Thai Town for nationwide, and represents the cultural and historical significance of Thai. Thai town will be received government funding for promoting their culture and activities (Thai Town Designation, n.d.). Apart from the destination points of Thai immigrants, employment and occupation pattern of Thai immigrants are different from other groups. They owned numerous kinds of business such as gas stations, travel agencies, beauty shops, grocery stores, and restaurants. The occupation characteristics of Thais are focused to grocery stores and restaurant more than other kinds of business which is composed one-third of all Thais businesses. The occupation pattern of Thai immigrants also affects the residential mobility in US. According to Jacqueline Desbarats, as Thais become better-integrated in the American community, it is likely that their employment opportunities will diversify and that the residential pattern will become more dispersed (page 316). Moreover, the jobs available for new Thai immigrants also provide various services to the community. Thai Culture by the Immigrant Group Even though, immigration to US led to experience the new culture and new way of life, Thai immigrants still chose to remain their own valuable tradition. They learned to adapt well to fit in the new social norm and the new practices in society. Because of their flexibility in the new society, the result is that the first generation of American-born Thais can be easily Americanized. However, the acceptance of the American way of life in this new generation influenced their parents to accept more about American way. American thinks that Thais are too flexible and lacking of newness. They identified Thais by noticing their common expression, mai pen rai, which means never mind or does not matter. Some of them think that this phrase shows the reluctant to develop thought. Furthermore, the relationship in Thai family is still important though they are in United States. Thai family structure represents togetherness. Family members are defined and named based on the relation, their age and the side of family. When Thai immigrants come to settle in United States, these kinds of thing seems to be disappeared from Thai family because of the American society. Thais also maintain their traditions, customs, and beliefs of their native lands. We can see from the most common tradition which is greeting gesture (wai). In Thai tradition, children have to show their respect to the elders by wai, and the elder will smile in a return. Their ways of life in United States are similar to their own land. They do believe in one proverb which is that do good and you will receive good; do evil and you will receive evil (Megan Ratner, 2011). Thai immigrants not only maintain their own tradition and custom, but their religion was also remained. The belief in Buddhism did not gradually disappear from Thais lives. In 1970 Thai immigrants started to form temples in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and in the same year, Ven. Phrakhru Vajirathammasophon (Thai monk) of Wat Vajirathamsathit in T hailand came to teach Buddhist sermon and to perform Buddhist ceremonies. Most of Thais believe in Theravada Buddhists which its root comes from India. There were many temples that were created by Thais in US such as Wat Thai in LA and Wat Thai in Washington D.C. Thais and other Asians in US still carry on the religious ceremony like ordination ceremony. Young men who reach the age of twenty will ordain for several days or a month in order to requite their parents and shows that they are ready for marriage (Wendy Cadge, 2005). After Thai immigrants visited United States, they also bring Thai cooking style to this country as well. Thai food seems to be one popular choice in many cities. Thai cuisine is popular in United States, and there are many Thai restaurants throughout the city. Thai cooking style uses only a few ingredients, but they give the priority to the taste of food as an important factor, and they also use the seasoning ingredients in their food. The main dish of Thai co oking style is rice. When Thais talk about rice, they usually mean food. They are accustomed to spoon instead of fork and knife. Food for Thais also means the work of art. The method that represents art is in the fruit or vegetable carving. The pattern of carving shows Thai style of painting and Thai lives. (Megan Ratner, 2011). To recapitulate, Thai immigrants are one group of Asian immigrant in United States which is one factor that shapes United States. They bring the new way of life and new culture to this country. As I read through the information, I think that Thais are well adapted and flexible in various situations. Although, they can accept new thing in society, they still remain their valuable culture and inherit to the next Thai generation.

Arthur Conan Doyle :: essays research papers

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was more than just an author. He was a knight, a soldier, a spiritualist, a whaler, a doctor, a journalist, and most of all, he was adventurous. He was not the quiet type of person, so he enjoyed expressing himself. Arthur Conan Doyle was born on the 22nd of May 1859 in Picardy Place, Edinburgh. The second child of Charles Altamont and Mary Foley, he was thought t have been named after the legendary medieval king, Arthur, of the Round Table. Doyle was also named after his granduncle, Michael Edward Conan. He was a descendant of the Irish, and was of the Roman Catholic religion. Doyle had a grandfather, John Doyle. He was political cartoonist, who, financially supported the family.1 Doyle had a pretty rough home life because his father was an alcoholic. As he grew up, Doyle had to take more of the responsibilities around the house into his own hands, because his father was either too sick or drunk to fulfill his daily work at home. Doyle's mother, Mary Foley, wa s a homemaker who took care of her son Arthur and his brothers and sisters, and also worked and cleaned the house everyday.2 Doyle's early education started when he was about seven years old. His mother spent lots of time reading with him and tutoring him, because this is what she thought he needed to become a cultured gentleman. When Doyle was ten years old he left home and went to the Jesuit Preparatory school named Hodder House. This was a boarding school for young boys. Arthur hated this school. Doyle once stated that Hodder House "was a little more pleasant than being confined in a prison." While attending Hodder House, he studied chemistry, poetry, geometry, arithmetic, and grammar. After his experiences at Jesuit Preparatory school, he left and applied for Stonyhurst Academy. Doyle was accepted for enrollment into Stonyhurst and remained there for about five more years. While at Stonyhurst, Doyle, who excelled in cricket, demonstrated some very early signs of litera ry talent. At the academy, he became quite good at telling stories and reading aloud.3 Doyle started reading his old favorite books from his childhood. His favorite childhood writer was Mayne Reid, who wrote The Scalp Hunters. This was his favorite book while he was progressing through life.4 During his last year before attending medical school, Doyle went to Feldkirch, a school in Austria.

“Merchant of Venice” Feminist Perspective Essay

The feminist critical perspective examines the roles that women play in literary works and their true significance to the text. Their roles are usually decided on by the society or time period in which the story is set. In â€Å"The Merchant of Venice,† females were suppressed by the societal ideals of Shakespeare’s Elizabethan era, which is portrayed through the characters of Portia and Jessica, who could not establish their own powerful identities because they were women. Portia and Jessica are the main female characters in the play. If they had been given a chance to show their skills, they undoubtedly would’ve been extremely strong women. However, they had to mask their abilities in order to appeal to their male counterparts. Their positions in the story were to show what it was to be the ideal Elizabethan woman. Time and time again, Portia and Jessica were shown to be mere objects that were owned by the male characters in the story. They could not shine or b ecome powerful characters, when they had every capability to. According to Maggi Ros’ â€Å"Life in Elizabethan England: A Compendium of Common Knowledge,† a woman was nothing more than property in Elizabethan society. It states that, â€Å"Children are the property of their parents, and give them the respect a servant gives his master†¦Wives are the property of their husbands†¦Some women are more independent than others. However, every woman expects to be married, and to depend on her male relatives throughout her life.† Throughout the story, we see that Jessica and Portia fit perfectly into this description of Elizabethan women. Jessica was the property of her father. Shylock did not care for his daughter nearly enough as the fact that he owned her. When Jessica eloped with her lover, Lorenzo, Shylock cared only about two things: that his daughter had eloped with a Christian and that she had stolen his money. The reader can see this when Salanio, while gossiping with Salerio, mocks Shylock: â€Å"I never heard a passion so confused / So strange, outrageous, and so variable / As the dog Jew did utter in the streets: / ‘My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! / Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! / Justice! the law! †¦ A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats, †¦ Stol’n by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl!'† (II.viii.13). Jessica’s eloping with Lorenzo signified that Shylock’s source of pride, his Jewish religion, would end  after his death. There would be no continuance of the tradition because Jessica had betrayed him and married a Christian. She could no longer bear him a Jewish heir. After his religion, money was the second most important thing in Shylock’s life. Jessica had taken some of his ducats and precious stones. He begged the law to condemn Jessica, who had stolen his hard-earned money. It was obvious that the loss of his daughter did not affect him one bit. But rather, it was the loss of his money and Jewish bloodline which infuriated him. Sadly, this showed that Jessica’s worth was limited to nothing more than mere property. Portia was, like Jessica, bound by her father. She says: â€Å"If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as Diana, unless I be obtained by the manner of my father’s will† (I.ii.98). Her deceased father had left behind a will, which contained a riddle. There were three caskets, made of gold, silver, and lead. The man who can correctly choose the casket containing Portia’s picture would become her husband. If Portia had not remained loyal to her father, she could have easily chosen any man to be her husband. However, this shows the power of the male guardian in Elizabethan times. Portia did not dare to be disobedient to her father, even after his death. â€Å"O me, the word ‘choose’! I may neither choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike, so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father (I.ii.19). Instead, she grudgingly accepted the riddle as the ultimate decider in her fate and love life. In another aspect of Elizabethan society, women were mere objects that belonged to their husbands after ownership was transferred from their fathers. The suitors lasciviously desired Portia for her beauty and wealth. If they could win her as a wife, their reputations and futures would be set. The first suitor to try his luck at the riddle of the caskets was the Prince of Morocco. He chose the gold casket which had an inscription that read: â€Å"Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire† (II.vii.5). This shows that Morocco was a greedy man who desired Portia for materialistic reasons, just like many other men who would desire the gold too. The second suitor to attempt the riddle was the Prince of Arragon, who chose the silver casket. Like Morrocco, Arragon was quite superficial. â€Å"I will assume desert. Give me  a key for this / And instantly unlock my fortunes here† (II.ix.52). He saw Portia as merely a free ride to financial security. He didn’t want her because he loved or cared for her. He only wanted her for her money and power. Women were a prize which men displayed and flaunted. A woman had no true value as a person. A recurring event in the play was the women disguising themselves as men. This is symbolic of the suppression of the women by their male counterparts. They had to mask their true abilities under the guise of men. There was no way in Elizabethan society for a woman to be successful in any field other than wifehood or motherhood. In Act II, Jessica was finally rebelling against the strict rules of Shylock. She was taking extreme measures in order to elope with Lorenzo. â€Å"I am glad ’tis night, you do not look on me / For I am much ashamed of my exchange / But love is blind and lovers cannot see / The pretty follies that themselves commit / For if they could, Cupid himself would blush / To see me thus transformed to a boy† (II.vi.34). Escaping from her father should have empowered her character, but in fact, it didn’t. She had to disguise herself as a pageboy, thus, taking away any feeling of female empowerment that the act of eloping should have brought. She was defying in the costume of a male and this showed that only males had the power to rebel or to be strong. At the end of Act III, Portia and Nerissa dressed up as a male lawyer and clerk and traveled to Venice to defend Antonio. Portia was the most intellectual character in the play and that was made evident by the skill with which she executed Antonio’s defense. When the evidence was clearly stacked against Antonio, using her wit and intelligence, Portia turned the tables on Shylock and made him the victim. Portia’s cleverness was shown when she said: â€Å"This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood / The words expressly are ‘a pound of flesh:’ / Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh / But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed / One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods / Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate Unto the state of Venice† (IV.i.309). Portia knew that Shylock had every right to cut Antonio’s flesh–the law gave him that right. But, she also knew that the law stated that if an attempt was made at a Venetian’s life, the perpetrator  would have his property confiscated. This was a brilliant twist of events that greatly affected the case. Shylock had now turned into the victim and Antonio was completely off the hook. Portia was an utterly brilliant lawyer, which everyone in the courtroom could distinguish. However, Antonio’s defense and the infamous â€Å"quality of mercy speech† were made under the disguise of a male lawyer. No one would ever see the true intelligence that Portia actually beheld, simply because an intelligent female was unfathomable in Shakespeare’s time. Women in Shakespeare’s Elizabethan society were greatly undermined. This is made quite evident in The Merchant of Venice, through the feminist critical perspective. Societal ideals forced Jessica and Portia to mask their abilities and talents. They could not show their true identities or else they would break the mold of a proper Elizabethan woman, which was absolutely unthinkable. Portia and Jessica were both the property by their fathers and could never really break free from that ownership. Also, Portia was desired by men for her wealth and beauty, rather than her intelligence and personality. Women were merely a prize that should be flaunted. Their inner-value was worthless; it was their material value that mattered. Finally, both women had to disguise themselves as men in order to express the independence and power they possessed. The female characters in the story were inferior to the males because of the social stigmas which had existed during Shakespeare’s time period.

The Native Son essays

The Native Son essays The novel Native Son, written by Richard Wright, is a book that deals with a poor, black man named Bigger Thomas growing up in a rat-infested one-bedroom apartment on the South Side in Chicago during the Depression. It deals with the racism between blacks and whites, the poor and the rich. This man Bigger Thomas feels like that he is trapped and doomed to a destiny of constantly being on the bottom of the social ladder because of the whites. He does not like the whites because he thinks of them as being masters or as being people who tell the blacks what to do and where to go. He works as a chauffeur for a family named the Daltons. But one night, as he is driving one of the Daltons, Mary, the daughter, to go meet her Communist boyfriend Jan, the three of them end up drinking and becoming drunk. Bigger drives Mary home and while she is putting Mary into bed, Marys blind mother walks in to the room, and Bigger becomes scared that Mary is gonna reveal Biggers presence so he smothers her face with a pillow to make her be silent. But as he is doing that, he accidentally kills her so he ends up burning her body in the furnace. He tries to cover up the whole incident by trying to frame a kidnapping and ransom by signing it Red to try to frame Jan, the boyfriend of Mary. But the family ends up finding the bones in the furnace so they find Bigger, and the town sentences him to death. Bigger was doomed from the beginning. He was a black man growing up in a rich, white society. He knew that he was not going to become anything. What I did not like about this book was how the author wrote from such a pessimistic view of the whole blacks versus whites issue. He made is seem as if you were black growing up in Chicago, that you were not ever going to become anything, that you were doomed to say poor and live like rats. What I did like is that, the author really showed how it was during ...

What are Sensitivity Readers (And Should Authors Use Them)

What are Sensitivity Readers (And Should Authors Use Them) What are Sensitivity Readers? (And Should Authors Use Them?) A conversation is raging in the writing world and it’s not about the latest Harry Potter â€Å"backstory† that J.K. Rowling revealed on Twitter. Sensitivity readers lie at the heart of the debate - and the controversy has hit such heights that it has drawn attention from media outlets ranging from Literary Hub to the New York Times.For an author, the argument over the correct use of sensitivity readers might be smothering what they actually do. This post will clear the fog and uncover exactly what this kind of reader is - and what you can expect when you work with one. Hopefully, by the end, you’ll have a better idea of whether you need one. What are sensitivity readers?Sensitivity readers are a subset of beta readers who review unpublished manuscripts with the express purpose of spotting cultural inaccuracies, representation issues, bias, stereotypes, or problematic language.While these readers are not new to the publishing landscape, they have recently risen to prominence. Thanks to encouragement from organizations like We Need Diverse Books, there has been an earnest push to include more diverse characters in published literature, though some of these good-faith efforts have met with mixed reception.Such readers particularly became a hot topic in 2016, when the pre-release of the young adult novel The Continent was quickly met with online reviews pointing out problematic portrayals of people of color. The book’s release date was pushed back and galley copies were sent off to sensitivity readers, which resulted in numerous changes. Which brings us to both the case for them - and against them. Asked and answered: What are sensitivity readers? Discover more inside this post The case for sensitivity readersPublishing has a diversity problem: not only is the industry predominantly white and middle-class, but the stories overwhelmingly feature white characters. In recent years, the tide has shown signs of turning as inclusion and equity have become increasingly sought-after in an effort to represent the variety of cultures and diverse backgrounds that make up the world.However, the reality is that while more diverse books are being published now, many of them are written by white authors. Writers, like all human beings, are the products of their upbringing and often have little real-world context for writing about a culture outside their own - hence where the skills of such specialized readers come into play. Feedback from such readers can:Ensure better representation on the page. As diversity in literature becomes increasingly in-demand, it’s important that characters are represented accurately, without perpetuating stereotypes. This kind of reade r helps by pointing out unintentionally insensitive or incorrect portrayals of race, sexuality, religion, and physical disabilities.Improve the quality of the book. All books benefit hugely from a multidimensional, rich, and nuanced cast of characters - something that the use of sensitivity readers will encourage, as the feedback can steer characters away from being one-note cardboard cutouts.Moreover, in today’s real-time and divisive online environment - spurred on by such sites as Twitter - this kind of reader helps prevent the worst-case scenario: backlash which results in a book being withdrawn from publication. For publishers, these readers can avert the embarrassing predicament of canceling a book launch on the back of a public apology. The Continent was far from the only book that sunk because of a turbulent online reaction to its representation of diversity: Amà ©lie Wen Zhao initially called off the summer 2019 publication of Blood Heir due to criticism of the w ay that her novel dealt with indentured labor and slavery.Zhao only recently announced that Blood Heir is back on schedule for publication - after editing the novel and â€Å"taking the time to make sure the hallmarks of human trafficking were being incisively drawn.†The case against sensitivity readersCensorship is generally at the heart of every argument against these readers. Their detractors are concerned that these readers police expression of thought, resulting in homogenous stories that are afraid to touch complex topics - and a sterilized world of books in which controversial language can’t be used.Though one of the most common pieces of advice you’ll hear for an author is to â€Å"write what you know,† some also argue that the increasingly looming need for such readers discourages authors from experimenting and writing outside of their own perspectives. As Francine Prose wrote in an article for the NY Books: â€Å"Should we dismiss Madame Bova ry because Flaubert lacked â€Å"lived experience† of what it meant to be a restless provincial housewife? Can we no longer read Othello because Shakespeare wasn’t black?†From this point of view, sensitivity readers monitor freedom of thought, which is antithetical to what creative writing should be all about.What can you expect from a sensitivity reader?With all of the debate around the topic, what actually goes into a reader’s work can easily get overlooked. So what exactly does it entail? Well, the entire process depends on the individual - but generally, the collaboration between reader and author plays out in four stages.1. Finding the right reader for the bookTo add value to a text, the reader must match the needs of the book. For instance, if you’re a white author writing a book with a black protagonist, your reader would ideally come from such a background and understand the nuances of 1. writing from such a perspective, and 2. depicting th e culture. Likewise, make sure that the reader is experienced in the genre. A reader that specializes in reading children’s books wouldn’t be a good fit for an adult genre novel, and vice versa.Here are some more best practices to keep in mind for the search:Expect to pay for a reader’s services. Prices will vary, but generally fixed prices start from $250 for a novel. Some sensitivity readers charge by the hour - make sure that you get it all down in a contract so that both of you are on the same page before starting the collaboration.Find a reader who understands publishing. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they must be writers themselves - merely that they ought to understand the nuances of the writing process and be up-to-date on publishing debates. It shouldn’t just be any random person off the street - these readers are professionals in their own right and should know the ins and outs of the industry, as well as the contexts that require their knowledge.Set a firm deadline with the reader. Generally, the turnaround time is 2 to 5 weeks. Hash it out with the reader beforehand to avoid any confusion.As for where you can find these readers in the first place, the Writing in the Margins database is a good place to start. Ask around on Twitter and various writing communities - fellow writers will be happy to offer recommendations or share insight from past collaborations with sensitivity readers. "How to find the right sensitivity reader for your book" and more questions answered in this guide 2. Allow time for the reader to, well, readOnce the contract is ironed out and all of the details of the collaboration are fixed, the author will give the reader the entire manuscript to read. As we mentioned earlier, this stage usually takes between 2 to 5 weeks, depending on the length of the manuscript - the reader won’t be speedreading, but carefully evaluating characterizations, noting down sentences that are off, and appraising the tone of the book.3. Listen to the feedbackWhen the reader is done with the manuscript, it’s time for the reaction. It depends on the reader, but most of the time, feedback takes the form of comments in the margins of the manuscript and a detailed letter. Usually, a follow-up consultation, such as a phone call, can be taken up to resolve any lingering questions.Much of the time, the feedback will pinpoint things that an author might not have ever considered. As sensitivity reader Dhonielle Clayton revealed in an interview with Vulture: â€Å"I read a middle-grade book about a little black girl who loves to go to national parks, and I told the author that the first thing she needed to reconcile was, how did this black girl get into national parks? Historically, black people weren’t allowed to visit national parks, so going to national parks is not a thing we do, as a group. I wrote to her that if this little girl loves to camp, you need to figure out how that happened, how that passion was stoked, how her parents and grandparents felt about it. Or you have to make her white. Because otherwise it’s a paint by numbers diversity piece and it rings false.†Keep an open mind when you receive the feedback. The reader will point out blind spots - things that wouldn’t have occurred to an author who is writing about a different culture - and may raise delicate tonal questions. Like a developmental editor does for a manuscript, the criticism is ultimately meant to raise the quality of the book.4. Revise the manuscript accordinglyWhen the dust settles and all is said and done, it’s up to the author to make the final decision on whether or not to make the reader’s suggested edits. Nobody is stopping you from doing anything - on the contrary, a sensitivity read simply provides you with choices and information.What a sensitivity read offers is advice: it’s not compulsory to change the story according to their counsel, though it’s certainly recommended once you’ve reached this stage.Do you need a sensitivity reader?So do you as an author need a sensitivity reader?It depends on a number of variables: the subject on which you’re writing, your characters, and where you fall in the debate of censorship. Some writers may think, â€Å"Better safe than sorry,† while others believe that such readers are unnecessary. We’re not here to tell you what you should or should not do, but it’s important to be informed and to know ex actly what you’ll get out of the process if you do decide to hire a reader’s services.If it would be helpful to hear from authors who have previously worked with such readers, here are a few personal accounts that you can peruse before you go:Anna Hecker: The Problem with Sensitivity Readers Isn’t What You Think It IsJames Tilton: Sensitivity Readers! What Are They Good For?Literary Hub: On the Use of Sensitivity Readers in PublishingHave you used a sensitivity reader before and what's your take on them? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below.

Discuss the palace of Knossos as an architectural embodiment of Minoan Essay

Discuss the palace of Knossos as an architectural embodiment of Minoan cosmology and culture, focusing particularly on the relat - Essay Example The Palaces were built on the Kephala hill where it had easy access to the sea as well as the Cretan interior. The first palace was destroyed in 1700BC but it was rebuilt again. However, the second palace was destroyed by fire in 1350 never to be rebuilt again.1 The area around the palace was transformed into a sacred region with and it was not inhabited. The Palace of Knossos was magnificent and was a symbol of the civilization of the people of Minos. Its construction was massive and no other known architectural piece rivaled it in size during those times. The palace was architectural plans were equally sophisticated and there was remarkable use of luxurious materials. Advance techniques were used in building the Palaces which made them stand out in the entire Crete. The Minoans demonstrated their technological advancements in the design of the Palaces by incorporating features such as light wells, complex drainage and water systems. The Palace of Knossos was built to serve religiou s as well as administrative functions. Hence, its design was elaborate and it comprised of several sections to suit various functionalities. This paper aims to discuss the palace of Knossos as an architectural embodiment of Minoan cosmology and culture. Specifically, the relationship of the palace to nature as topography, orientation and temporality is evaluated. Also, the use of ornament and role of ritual are discussed in detail. Role of Ritual The extensive palaces of Knossos were concerned with practical pleasures and celebrations for the people. The palaces were designed to allow for social interactions and communicated the underlying social ideologies and order. It has been argued that the Palace of Knossos was designed as an architectural expression of the social concepts of the time.2 The West Wing was dedicated to public ceremonies and performances. The elaborate walkways in the West Wing create an impression that this was the focal point of movement. They served as process ion ways leading to the inner parts of the palace. The elevation of the walkways indicates that there was a separation of the performers and the audience. One of the processional ways in the palace, known as the Royal Road, led to a large elevated area that was probably used for the theatrical performances.3 On the south side there was a square paved bastion built against it equipped with a platform. The platform was positioned in such a way that people could actually observe actual performances from there. It is evident that the theatrical area was arranged in such way that it could allow viewing in three levels. Arguably, the Knossos palace architectural environment created social hierarchy which had been translated into spatial order. If the paved bastion was indeed sectioned for the most prominent figures in Minoan society, then the two flights of steps could have functioned, as they stand, for the elite closest to the representatives of the community. However, the hierarchical positioning of people according to status could also function to realign the socio-political fabric of the Neo-palatial period during ceremonies ideological in nature. Hence, the theatrical area could be able to function in two ways depending on the occasion. The architecture of the palace was dynamic making it capable to serve various social functions. The other evidence that the palace of Knossos served as a ritual centre is its interior

St. Joan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

St. Joan - Essay Example The various characters that come into contact with her, from common soldiers to the Dauphin, are often moved to respond to her magnetism and her unshakeable faith. Joan affects people strongly with her charisma and her conviction in the rightness of her way. As Bertrand de Poulengey says in wonder, â€Å"There is something about the girl† (Scene I). John de Stogumber is an English chaplain and the representative of the Cardinal of Winchester in the English camp. Although his pride in being an Englishman leads to his hatred for Joan, her martyrdom becomes the epiphany which transforms his character. The ruling trait of the Chaplain’s personality is his pride in being an Englishman and in his aristocratic lineage. In fact, Shaw introduces him in the drama as a â€Å"bullnecked English chaplain† (Scene IV). De Stogumber contemptuously dismisses Dunois as being â€Å"only a Frenchman† (Scene IV). His pride borders on bigotry: it can even be said that Shaw pain ts this ‘super patriot’ with more than a touch of the comic. The Chaplain definitely appears as a comic figure when he asserts that the voices heard by Joan â€Å"should have spoken in English† (Scene VI). His horror at Englishmen being designated as heretics is also comical. His partisan leanings lead him to accuse Bishop Cauchon of being a traitor. When the Inquisition attempts to lead Joan into repentance, de Stogumber declares, â€Å"I know there is not faith in a Frenchman† (Scene VI). He cannot accept the fact that â€Å"we English have been defeated† or â€Å"bear to see my countrymen defeated by a parcel of foreigners† (Scene IV). This stubborn belief in the courage and invincibility of the English leads him to search for supernatural causes for their defeat. He claims, â€Å"No Englishman is ever fairly beaten† (Scene IV). His blind belief in the invincibility of the English is instrumental in fanning the flames of his hatred of Joan. John de Stogumber hates Joan with a passion which is almost incomprehensible. He holds her responsible for the defeat of the English army and firmly believes that such a thing could only have been accomplished with the help of diabolic powers. He is willing to throw away his cassock to take arms and â€Å"strangle the accursed witch with my own hands† (Scene IV). His strong language regarding Joan unequivocally demonstrates his hatred of The Maid: she is â€Å"an arrant witch† and â€Å"that slut† (Scene IV). At the same time, his hatred also extends to her French nationality, and has a touch of class snobbery. He calls her â€Å"a witch from lousy Champagne,† and â€Å"a drab from the ditches of Lorraine† (Scene IV). Of all her supposed crimes, the one de Stogumber cannot bring himself to forgive is â€Å"her great rebellion against England† (Scene IV). Joan represents France, rebellion against the old order, and everything that is anti-English. The Chaplain hates her so much that he declares his willingness to burn her with his own hands. It is de Stogumber who â€Å"rushes at her, and helps the soldiers to push her out† to the courtyard and the stake (Scene VI). He is the foremost of her enemies. It is at the stake that John de Stogumber experiences the epiphany which transforms him. The man who shouts â€Å"Light your fire, man. To the stake with her,† and rushes to be the first to witness the burning, becomes the man who comes back â€Å"