Lifes Tragedies Essays - American Literature, Religion, Pauls Case

Life's Tragedies I had always believed that suicide was only in the movies. Two summers ago I realized that it could happen in real life. I had a mutual friend his name was Rick. He was a smart and good-looking boy who seemed to have it all. His parents were two of the nicest people that I have ever met. They had a healthy marriage, good jobs, and a nice home. They always provided Rick with anything he needed or wanted. Rick had a girlfriend named Jamie and a lot of friends. He was also supposed to attend the University of Pittsburgh in the fall of 1997. Something was obviously missing in his life because it ended abruptly one night after a going away party for him. He went upstairs and took his best friend with him and pulled out a gun and shot himself in the head before his friend could figure out what was happening. He is a good example of a tragic life that was lost. In the story Paul's Case, Willa Cather shows that Paul is destroyed by a conflict with a hostile environment. Everyone in his or her life encounters some type of conflict. Whether it is with a person or a thing. Paul's first conflict is with his teachers. A good example is demonstrated in the passage about his English teacher: Once, when he had been making a synopsis of a paragraph at the blackboard, his English teacher had stepped to his side and attempted to guide his hand. Paul had started back with a shudder and thrust his hands violently behind him (Willa Cather, "Paul's Case", Story and Structure, Ed. L. Perrine, p. 155). From this example it is evident that Paul is an independent individual and does not want the help of his teachers. Another example came from the passage, which took place during a meeting with his principal and his teachers: His teachers felt this afternoon that his whole attitude was symbolized by his shrug and his flippantly red carnation flower, and they fell upon him without mercy, his English teacher leading the pack ("Paul's Case", p. 155). Among the problems between Paul and his teachers, Paul had conflict with his father too. The best example is when Paul walks around his house: Meanwhile, he was wet and cold. He went around to the back of the house and tried one of the basement windows, found it open, and raised it cautiously, and scrambled down the cellar wall to the floor... he was horribly afraid of rats, so he did not try to sleep, he sat looking distrustfully at the dark, still terrified lest he might have awakened his father ("Paul's Case", p. 159). It is obvious that Paul is terrified of his father and would do anything to steer away from him. A second example is shown when Paul's father goes to Carnegie Hall: The upshot of the matter was that the principal went to Paul's father, and Paul was taken out of school and put to work. The manager at Carnegie Hall was told to get another usher in his stead; the doorkeeper at the theater was warned not to admit him to the house: and Charley Edwards remorsefully promised the boy's father not to see him again ("Paul's Case", p. 162). This was the climax of the story that caused Paul to be even more upset. Working at the theater was what he enjoyed and his father took that away from him. This left him feeling lonely and upset. Among the problems with his father and his teachers Paul had conflict with his environment too. An example is when Paul walks down Cordelia Street: The following Sunday was fine... On Seasonable Sunday afternoons the burghers of Cordelia Street usually sat out in their front ?stoops', and talked to their neighbors on the next stoop, or called to those across the street in neighborly fashion. The men sat placidly on gay cushions placed upon the steps that led down to the sidewalk while the women, in their Sunday ?waists', sat in rockers on the cramped porches, pretending to be greatly at their ease ("Paul's Case", p. 158). The second example is demonstrated in the passage where Paul approaches his house: The nearer he approached

Collection Development Policy

Collection Development Policy Executive Summary The paper evaluates Collection Development Policy and its overall benefits to libraries. It starts by introduction and the meaning of Collection Development Policy, its components and benefits. Then there is explanation on the general requirements for successful implementation CDP. Finally there is review and evaluation of the existing stock within the library and conclusion.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Collection Development Policy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Introduction All libraries have got one primary task of making information available through collection, selection and preservation. Such process is normally made easier through application of relevant policies such as Collection Development policy. The policy assists libraries in organization through effective management of information and other resources (Strong, 1999). Definition of Collection Development Policy A collection devel opment policy presents a written statement of a library’s intention for building collections. The CDP describes collections components including strengths and weaknesses as well as providing clear guidelines for the library employees. The development of the document requires time and careful considerations for the purposes of proving its relevance to the subject. Purpose of CDP The main purpose for a library in normally to sort and provide necessary access to relevant information and resources. Improvement in technology has guaranteed libraries the chance to migrate from holdings method to access strategies which enable information to be provided efficiently and in time. Collection policies are on the increase therefore making libraries prepare in disseminating widely available information (Strong, 1999). Explanation on Collection Development Policy (CDP) The document is expected to provide updated information as well as being flexible when it comes to adapting to various cha nges. At the same time the guidelines provided should be modifiable in line with the library’s collection needs. Consequently, the collection development policy should be placed on the World Wide Web as a resource for the library’s patrons and source of reference for other libraries (Johnson, 1994). Policy statements normally provide parameters through which employees and users of the library work. Collection Development Policy serves purposes such as; selecting materials, describing current collections, and at the same time makes the staff aware of the aims and objectives of the organization. In addition it gives the various priorities attached to different activities and assists in the processing of budget and overall collection management activities. In general terms CDP prevents the library from being controlled by events as well as individual interests. The document also controls the purchase of resources preventing the cases of obtaining resources not in support of the library’s mission (Clayton and Gorman, 2006).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Components of a CDP The collection development policy provides the necessary guidance to staff in the process of selecting and deselecting resources for collection. The various processes involved include; acquisition, housing, weeding, retention and archiving, placing all manner of material within their relevant subjects. Such organization helps in reducing the level of bias since all individual selection decisions are guided within the context of the objectives of collection practices. This ultimately assists in identifying and filling the gaps within the responsibilities associated with collection development. Such practices ensure existence of consistency in the process of selection and revision done on materials. Collection Development Policy also helps in defining the purpose and scope of various collections as well as allowing deep evaluation on selection decisions. The guidelines provided makes it easier for the training of new staff and at the same time provides answers to most questions raised by selectors (Johnson, 1994). The collection development policy also provides relevant base necessary for future planning. This assists in planning of the available financial resources making it easier when it comes to priority determination. There is provision for protecting library funds since the policy grants clear guidelines on acquisition bids based on fair allocation of resources. The document in its formal presentation ensures continuity hence of great benefit in acquiring knowledge on collection as well as acting as reminder of library goals and objectives. The defined objectives are helpful in guiding other activities related to collection such as cataloguing, selection and de-selection and other relevant delivery activities (Johnson, 1994). T he other benefit of CDP is that it offers the required public relations amongst the library users, administrators and related funding organizations. The document gives clear objectives indicating the position of the organization on demonstrating accountability and following the stated goals. Relevance of the document is determined by active participation of users and administrators which acts as source of strong relations between library users and the employees. The CDP serves as a contract document between the library and its users and at the same time giving clear functions of the library in terms of collections and various services offered to institutions. It makes it easier for the justification of individual selection based on standard objectives and also makes it possible to reject unwanted materials (Johnson, 1994). Benefits of establishing a written CDP for the Limerick Institute of Technology Library Limerick Institute of Technology Library policy document would identify va rious issues such as the level of access, content, and engagement of the community in which it will be established, also important is the education standards as well as the training programs which assists in achieving the mission and vision. Operating under the strategies of Limerick Institute Library requires specific initiatives for collection development, some of which are explained as below (Shenton, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Collection Development Policy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The CDP will consider increase in the virtual space and easy access to the collections either manually or electronically on a twenty-four hour basis six days a week. This would also entail access to other materials such as Library catalogues and other services. There would be issues on subscription to several relevant electronic databases which would make it easier for clients to access services irrespective of the region where they are stationed free of charge. Creation of more materials through digital processing would be given priority and these would entail cultural materials inform of music, manuscripts as well as pictures. The community would be engaged in online exhibitions and at the same time staff being educated and trained on the rural and remote communities, granting them the opportunity to have the skills required in operation of the internet and usage of online library resources (Shenton, 2005). The library would offer sufficient space for readers making it capable of accommodating many people in one sitting. There would be improved access to collections and exhibition galleries. The project would grant the community the opportunity to access virtual library services with clients capable of adjusting available spaces to suite their needs. The internet services would replace paper-based resources making work and accessibility easier. The method implemented on electronic storage o f information would present various key benefits to Limerick Library some of which include; easier and timely delivery of information enabling clients to access information irrespective of their locations. There would be free access to all Limerick Library catalogues through their website making selection of titles easier to clients. Collection Development Policy would also enable digitisation of heritage resources which enables scanning of various materials such as photographs and maps. This would promote access to wider range of materials which previously proved restrictive. The digitisation also enhances the library’s role in collecting, preserving and access to several materials linked to heritage (Tedd and Large, 2005). However some few challenges are involved which include the right to ownership and access to materials. The problem of digital resources being accessed by anyone from all over the world provided they have authentic entry through database provider. The proc ess of archiving presents some considerable challenge where the relative costs of archive and print versions differ (Tedd and Large, 2005). Requirements for implementation and revision of the CDP The first requirement for the implementation of the CDP is the library’s mission statement, the purpose for which the policy is drafted and the audience it should address. Some of the inclusions the document requires are statements on user groups, types of programs served by the CDP, the nature and size of the collection and detailed budget. The various cooperative agreements on policy and practices are also provided for (Dahl et al, 2006).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More General and Narrative Statements General statements would be required for implementation purposes. This comprises the listing of all characteristics which determine the nature of development required for the collection. These include such issues as current situation, acquisitions, the kind of resources involved in form of periodicals, monographs and the like, kind of language applicable, format whether in printed or electronic form, sources of funds, the various policies safeguarding collection and maintenance. Within these important subjects on relevant policies and rights of complaints are all necessary for complete implementation purposes (Evans and Saponaro, 2005). Narrative statements are also important since it helps in defining the library services in relation to the community it serves. The statement should provide for languages and regions as well as intellectual coverage based on chronological order. Also the library units responsible for the collections with the subjects being described based on the library classification scheme is a consideration. And finally the relationship between disciplines and the required policies should be followed for the purposes of acquiring information (Evans and Saponaro, 2005). Subject Profiles Subject profiles are necessary for the purposes of revealing and helping in collection evaluation. This proves important in the process of periodic updating of information reflecting on changing times. The overview of collection strength and intensities is very vital before implementation process. The overview represents the general synopsis on the network’s coordinated collection policy. Such a collection is normally referred to as conspectus report which provdes evaluation on the library’s division, categories and subject. The information is useful in managing library resources hence making it possible to ascertain on relevant decisions required for the general operations of the library (Clayton and Gorman, 2006 ). Review and evaluation of existing stock The library consists of printed books, manuscripts as well as archives of lasting value, antiquarian and modern books for intellectual and historical contents. The existing collection strength include availability of resources such as; History and Literary collections in Irish and other languages, Irish Literature, Celtic studies, Medieval studies, Religion in Ireland, Estate papers, Official Publications, Intellectual history of University College, Law and Comical artefacts. The section on Special Collections and Archives involves collections in different formats which includes; printed materials, manuscripts, facsimile formats, maps, photographs, musical scores as well as microfilm. There are also copies of theses written from higher degree courses which include maters and PhDs fro Limerick Institute of Technology College (Tedd and Large, 2005). All important records generated by Limerick Institute of Technology and which more so relates to the history of the institution are organized and preserved by the institute Archives. All the donations and other internal transfers are generally controlled by agreements as well as necessary transfer procedures. Relevance of overall Special Collections is reviewed for validity purposes (Tedd and Large, 2005). Conclusion The collection methods and techniques are required to ascertain on the depth and strength of the existing collections. The useful techniques required for implementation of CDP are either collection-centered or client-centered. The work of the collection-centered is to assist in examining the content and nature of resources and their information for the purpose of determining their relevance with external standards. On the other hand client centered techniques provides detailed descriptions on the collection’s effectiveness and relevance. The combination of the two techniques during implementation alongside quantitative and qualitative data gathering techn iques provides accurate and reliable results for present and future use. Reference List Clayton, P. Gorman, G.E. 2006. Managing information resources in libraries:  Collection management in theory and practice. London; Library Association Publishing. Dahl, M., Banerjee, K Spalti, M. 2006. Digital libraries: integrating content and  Systems. Oxford: Chandos Publishing Ltd. Evans, G. E. Saponaro, M. Z. 2005. Developing library and information centre  Collections (5th Ed.) Littleton, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited. Johnson, P. 1994. Writing Collection Development Policy statements: Getting Started. Technicalities, 14 (6), pp 2-5. Shenton, A. K. 2005. Integration of paper and electronic Resources in school Libraries. The School Librarian, 53 (3), pp 121-123. Strong, R. 1999. A Collection Development Policy incorporating electronic formats.  Journal of interlibrary loan, document delivery information supply, 9(4), pp 53-64. Tedd, L.A. Large, A. 2005. Digital libraries: princi ples and practice in a global  Environment. Munich: Saur Essential Resource Pack Readings

How to Concentrate in Class

How to Concentrate in Class A class can get boring and you can get distracted. Your professor is long-winded, your best friend is hilarious, or your cell phone keeps going off. But learning how to concentrate in class is imperative to getting a good grade and actually learning something. Here are some tips for how to concentrate in class when the distractions seem like too much to handle. How to Concentrate on Class 1. Sit Near the Front The front row isn’t just for the nerds. (Although being a nerd is really, really  cool because nerds tend to end up ruling the world).  Sitting in the front of the class will automatically help you concentrate because it takes away any distractions (whisperers, texters, coughers, etc.) in front of you. 2. Participate The people who have learned how to concentrate know that they need to participate actively in class. Engage the teacher in conversation. Raise your hand for every question. Start a discussion. The more engaged you are with the lecture, the more you will want to concentrate on it. So, it is a way of fooling yourself into concentrating. Trick yourself into getting interested even if you cant imagine that you could be. Youll surprise yourself by how interested you really are if you give it a shot. . 3. Take Good Notes Get your pen working to keep your mind focused. Many kinesthetic learners are jittery – their brain doesn’t connect that they are working when they’re just listening. If you’re one of those people, and you can find out here if you are, then move your pen and take good notes during the lecture to help you concentrate. 4. Turn Off Your Phone If you really need to concentrate, then turn off your phone completely. No cheating by setting it to vibrate! Nothing will jar your concentration more than getting a text from a friend or a notification from social media during a lecture. 5. Eat a Healthy Breakfast Hunger can be a big distraction. It is tough to concentrate when you would rather be raiding the buffet at the your local restaurant. Grab some brain food before you head to class in order to get rid of a very obvious distraction. 6. Get a Good Night’s Sleep For maximum concentration, make sure you have slept at least eight hours. I know it can be tough to do, especially in college, but your concentration will be almost gone if you are fighting fatigue. Get some shut-eye so you can pay attention to the things that matter most. 7. Reward Yourself If you really have trouble focusing in class, then reward yourself at the end of class for paying attention. Indulge in your favorite latte, add five bucks to your â€Å"saving for shoes† account, or even just give yourself mini rewards throughout the class period like a piece of candy or a brief phone check if youve concentrated for fifteen minutes. Give yourself something to work for besides your good grade if that hasn’t been enough of a motivator. 8. Get the Jitters Out If you are an antsy person – one of those kinesthetic learners – and your teacher is not able to allow you to move in the classroom, then make sure you have gotten your energy out before class. Run laps around the library. Take the stairs everywhere you go. Ride your bike to class. Use some of your energy beforehand, so you can concentrate during your class period. 9. Change It Up If you can feel your ability to concentrate starting to slip, then change something. Get a new pen from your bag. Cross your other leg. Stretch. Tense and flex your muscles. Take a moment to give yourself a brief break from the monotony. You’ll be surprised how well this works to get you back on track.

Teaching learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Teaching learning - Essay Example They normally fight within the class for no good reason whilst the teacher is teaching thus disrupting and bothering other prevailing classmates by throwing papers towards the students, pulling the female classmate’s hair The teacher ought to alter the strategy in order to curb and advance these students behaviors. Nevertheless, prior to the start of the class, the teacher ought to clearly and directly tell the students concerning the new classroom regulations. Moreover, the teacher outlines the consequences of fighting within the class, harassing the classmates and general misbehaving. The rules should to be written on piece of paper and hang them on an obvious place within the classroom wall. Subsequently, the teacher ought to choose a noticeable signal, which could be executed in case the teacher notices any misbehaving such as turn the classroom light steps off for few seconds. The teacher will not require any additional material for this signal. I think in case the teacher executes this signal consistently within the class, the students will comprehend it unconsciously. Since the lesson is about science, the teacher can utilize easy practical in

Abraham Lincolns Role in the Civil War Term Paper

Abraham Lincolns Role in the Civil War - Term Paper Example Enslavement, nevertheless, was the chief cause of the ever-increasing political conflict and opposition around the 1850s.There were numerous leaders who greatly contributed to the development and, eventually, the conclusion of this four-year war that killed millions of innocent lives. They, in many ways, have shaped and formed what is known as The Civil War today. Whether to instigate or to stifle the war, these leaders have unquestionably played a great part in it. Among these leaders was President Abraham Lincoln. He, throughout his presidency, has greatly molded and influenced the development and the end of this war. He, in a way, played a role in both the start and end of the Civil War. Many factors indeed instigated the Civil War. The trigger that ultimately pushed war into action was Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential elections. During the presidential election of 1860, the Republican Party spearheaded by Abraham Lincoln had pushed against magnifying slavery o utside the states in which it previously subsisted.The Republicans intensely promoted patriotism, and in their 1860 manifesto they denounced disunion threats as affirmations of treason. This fervent drive to abolish slavery sprung from President Lincoln’s belief that slavery was the main cause of the war. In his second inaugural address, he said, "These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war.†1 In retort to an anti-slavery Republican as the winner of the Presidential election, nearly a dozen Southern slave states in America affirmed their separation and breakaway from the United States. Many of these Southern whites that belonged to the Confederacy felt that secession had grown to be their only choice, as the people understood that Lincoln was against slavery and approved of Northern appeals. Together, they formed the Confederate States of America, better known universally as the Confederacy. Bot h the leaving presidency of President James Buchanan and the entering government disallowed the validity of secession, regarding it as rebellion. The other eight slave states turned pleas for secession down at this point. There was no nation in the world that acknowledged the Confederacy. As the Confederacy formed, the remaining twenty-five states reinforced the federal administration known collectively as the Union. Conflicts started on the April of 1861, when Confederate powers struck a U.S. military installation located at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. After they severely bombarded the fort, the fort surrendered. A few days later, Lincoln called for a multitude that numbered around 75,000 from the states to recapture the fort and additional national property. Instead of furnishing troops for an assault on their fellow Southern states, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, and Tennessee made a decision to join these states in withdrawal. Lincoln’s response of cal ling for a legion of volunteers led to statements of secession by these four slave states. This reaction to Ft. Sumter was a devastating call for war to support national morality. Only the state of Kentucky made an effort to stay neutral. A congregation of young men all throughout the land was in a great rush to enlist. Both sides built armies as the Union grasped control of the Border States during the early phases of the war and formed a naval barrier. Land combat in the East was indecisive between 1861 and 1862, as the Confederacy retorted Union efforts to seize its capital, Richmond, Virginia, particularly throughout the Peninsular Campaign. In the September of 1862, the Confederate movement in Maryland terminated in defeat at the

The Concept of a Wrong Language

The Concept of a Wrong Language Language and Society QXL-1113 Task 1 The figure tells me that there are a higher percentage of lower working class men using negative concord (75%) compared to women to that of lower working class women at 50%. In general, women of all classes use negative concord less compared to men of all classes. It appears that the isnt a percentage change of such variant between upper middle and lower middle class women. There are two independent variables; gender and class,   the dependant variable is the percentage negative concord. Task 2 As a native speaker, English is my first language and I have always lived in the North West of England with both parents coming from the same region. Therefore, the majority of my influences have come from these surroundings and family. Growing up near Chester I wouldnt say I have a heavy northern accent and is quite muted compared that of other northern regions. However, a city that has a had a great effect on my accent and dialect is Liverpool. With Liverpool, only being a 15 minute drive I come into contact with the scouse accent quite frequently with friends and family living and working there. In terms of linguistic features, lenition is one of the clearest phonological characteristics of modern northern/Liverpool English. This lenition process happens whereby underlying plosives are released as fricatives and affricatives and stop constants are weaker and softer. For example, it is common to hear lock sound like loch and particularly affects /t/. According to the literature of Honeybone (2001) this lenition is unique to Liverpool English and its neighbouring areas with no other English variety exhibiting such extensive process. Further suggested by Kortmann and Upton the /t/, /p/ and /k/ can be affricated in all positions and in final position may be realised as full fricatives (Kortmann and Schnieder,2004). These heavily aspirated phonemes result in words such work to sound [wɆºÃƒâ€¹Ã‚ kà Ã¢â‚¬ ¡]. This uniqueness could account for the lack of glottal forms which are found in almost every other urban area in the North of England (Hughes and Trudgill 1996:93) . Regarding vowels and diphthongs, another salient marker of the North/South divide is that Liverpool English/northern accent has a short /a/ bath and /ÊÅ  / in foot and strut. Corresponding with Kortmann et al these two features are highly recognisable to the northern accent and although throughout history the southern inventory to lengthen the short vowel /a/ in bath was stigmatised it has now reversed with the northern short /a/ described as a flat vowel. Whilst researching such topic it is obvious that this is the most often mentioned subject in terms of the northern dialect, and a stereotype for the north in general. Diphthongal pronunciations are typical of Merseyside. In words, such as face, the diphthongs are pronounced more like RP as well as the occasion /eÉ ª/ (Kortmann and Schnieder, 2004). There is a clear established contrast between the vowels in square and nurse across most English varieties however in Liverpool and within its surrounding areas these two sets are merged and can be pronounced either as [ɆºÃƒâ€¹Ã‚ ] or [ɜˠ]. Patrick Honeybone gives great insight into the pronunciation of square in saying that this is traditional of South Lancashire dialects and that the variants in the Liverpool-Lancashire mix are the most obvious explanation for the present-day lack of contrast in Liverpool English (New dialect formation in nineteenth Liverpool: a brief history of scouse, n.d.). In terms of my experience with the language findings promoted above, I do to a certain extent use two of these in my language. Regarding the lenition and aspiration of /t/ /p/ and /k/ although I do use such feature it is not as heavily noticeable in my accent partly due to it not being apparent in my parents accent so is naturally weakened but I do have slight undertones of the features which I believe is solely due to social and situational factors. With many friends from Liverpool I have engaged in many social occasions where this lenition is clearly noticeable and naturally Ive adapted to fit in to such surroundings.   When conversing with parents I can switch this off to speak more elegantly so one can debate whether this is imbedded into my accent or is mainly a social attribute. A definite feature I use is the use of short vowel in both bath and foot. This is a typical northern trait and one that applies for my area. The role of socialisation does however play a minor pa rt in this.   Particularly in my region if one was to pronounce bath the typical southern way of lengthening /a/ it could appear as snobby and so refrain from doing so to follow the social norm. Although I am not in disagreement with Honeybone that merging of square and nurse exists within Liverpool it is unjustified to say that this appears in its surrounding areas. This must must be restricted to Liverpool and distinct of the city as I have not heard this outside of this area and I do not have such linguistic feature. As I do not originate from Liverpool this is expected; from birth my influences came solely from my surroundings of Chester which is a lot subtler compared to that of scouse and it is was only as I grew up that I came into more frequent contact with Liverpool and changed the way I spoke. Not having a particular accent from birth, it is likely that I will not have every feature as this could be innate. There is definitely a desire within in my area to sound more scouse and this is becoming a lot more noticeable. Task 3 The idea of wrong language is an unclear and somewhat unambiguous concept. What defines a wrong language? This concept that is made up of different kinds of distinctions of what is a wrong language such as stylish-shabby, clean-dirty, ugly and beautiful. According to Mary Douglas these distinctions are based on the culture we live in; naturally, language adapts itself to the situation of use and reflects the social variation of the speaker, so therefore linguistic variation is ultimately inevitable. There is no right or wrong language, it is only wrong in the eyes of those evaluate the language (Andersson and Trudgill, 1990). To discuss this, one must consider the idea of descriptivism vs prescriptivism. Prescriptive grammarians would argue that language is a set of rules that should be taught and enforced to use language in the correct way. They follow the classic grammars of Greek and Latin and aim to preserve these early forms. By contrast, descriptive grammar highlights the language in current use, not saying how it should be used. There are arguments for either side, if we consider the prescriptive view we could argue that the language produced by its native speakers based on their inherent, subconscious rules is the correct way to produce language (Vakkilainen, 2015). Whereas descriptivists accept that there are no such rules and there is no wrong language; it is just a reflection of general trends of language use. For example, yous has become popular with English-speaking countries. There is a tendency for people to dislike such innovations, regarding them as incorrect (Andersson and Trudgill, 1990 ) however these communities have found it useful to create a distinct word for the plural you thus is justifiable. The ultimate question into this debate is who decides what is right or wrong? This has much to do with social standing, much of the condemned language comes from social groups other than the educated middle classesprofessional people (Finegan, 1980). Take the pronunciation of r for example, Janet Holmes expresses that even though there is nothing good or bad about r-pronouncing, in more middle-class communities it is regarded as humorous and evident of lack of education and in others is deemed good speech (Holmes, 2004). Although a standard language is useful in terms of print and literature, it is not right to say that the language of middle-class speakers is not better than the language of other social groups. Language references such as dictionaries are an example of language and should simply be referenced, not all social situations require a formal way of speaking and vice versa. Language is an expression of character and defines a person. You can gain great insight into an indi vidual from their use of language and should not be frowned upon because they arent using RP but instead this uniqueness should be celebrated. Ultimately, there isnt such a thing as a wrong language just a different way of using it.

“Death of a Salesman” Detailed Analysis Essay

ARTHUR MILLER Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright and essayist. He was a prominent figure in American theatre, writing dramas that include plays such as All My Sons (1947), Death of a Salesman (1949), The Crucible (1953) and A View from the Bridge Miller was often in the public eye, particularly during the late 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, a period during which he testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee, received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Prince of Asturias Award, and was married to Marilyn Monroe. SUMMARY It is important to bear that the story is told through the mind and memory of Willy Loman and there is a constant back and forth between two periods ,1928 and 1942.The first period is one of the happiness and contentment when Willy Loman is young and dynamic and the children ,Biff and Happy are running about in shorts ;the second is one of gloom and discontent -Willy is now old and ,virtually out of a job and the children are grown up and gone their different ways. The play is thus structured in such a way to show the pleasures of the past ,the dreams and hopes the characters had and how these aspirations had turned sour. Willy Loman had built his life in such a way that he had finally trapped himself in an impossible situation. Willy Loman ,the protagonist in the play was a travelling salesman in the services of the wagnor company for 34 years. When his old boss died ,his son Howard took over the administration of the company .Willy’s family consists of three other members ,his wife Linda, Biff,the elder son and Happy, the younger son. Willy unexpectedly returned on the same day he had left for New England territory on a business tour. Linda felt that her husband is thoroughly  exhausted both physically and mentally and he has almost reached the breaking point. Willy, who is 63, has driven the car off the road twice or three times and when he reached home he was found to be panic stricken ,desolate and shattered. Willy liked his eldest son Biff,who was wellknown as a football champion. Though he is 34 , it is unfortunate that he could not settle in life. Inspite of the fact that three colleges offered him scholarship in recognition of his proficiency in football, he did not join any college . Happy, the women chaser also could not settle in life. For the next two days, immediately after his unexpected return, Willy’s mind was rather disturbed with thoughts of today’s realities inter mingled with yesterday’s half forgotten episodes. He felt that it was mistake on his part not to have followed his elder brother Ben ,who dared his way into the diamond minds of Africa and amassed fabulous wealth . Willy’s guilty consciousness pricked him at the flash back scene of Boston hotel room, when his son Biff makes a surprise visit and finds his father having an affair with a strange lady .After this episode, Biff seemed to hold a grudge against his father and could never again bring himself to trust Willy. As suggested by Linda, Willy visits Howard, the young Boss and request for a change of job in the New York City office as he is physically and mentally incapacitated as a travelling sales man. When the request was unceremoniously turned down by Howard and Willy dismissed from service he protest â€Å"You ca nnot eat orange and throw the peel away; man is not a piece of fruit†. Willy is very much frustrated and disillusioned at the behavior of capitalists who lacked the human milk of kindness, sympathy and gratitude. Biff’s attempt to raise a loan from Bill Oliver, the proprietor of sports goods company also failed. Oliver, who once liked Biff immensely, now refused to recognise him now because Biff has stolen a fountain pen, Charley ,Willy’s neighbour extended a helping hand in those days of adversity. He ,not only advanced a loan to him but also offered him a job to him. But Willy refused to accept it with a false sense of dignity. The two sons invited the father for a dinner party at a prominent restaurant in the city. But Happy picked up two call girls and left the place along with Biff,  leaving Willy alone. Willy felt humiliated and this experience was shocking and unbearable when Biff and Happy returned home, Linda ordered them out of the house by the next morning. She was planning to commit suicide on a particular night .Willy was left alone while all others went upstairs. He has insured his life for 20,000 dollars. Once he dies, the family will be entitled to receive the amount from the insurance company. So Willy got into his car and drove madly through darkness, only to kill himself. His funeral was attended only by Linda, the two sons, charley and his son Bernard. Linda could not stand the strain of separation from her beloved husband; but still she stooped down and dropped flowers on the grave of Willy. DEATH OF A SALESMAN AS A TRAGEDY: According to the traditional views based on Aristotelian cannons, the tragic hero was to be a person of high rank and status. So that his down fall could produce an inevitable emotional effect on the audience. In ancient Greek tragedies, fate or destiny is mainly responsible for the downfall of human beings. But Shakespeare and Marlow attributed human misfortune mainly to the personal draw backs of the tragic heroes themselves and hardly to the hidden forces which we describe as fate or destiny. Miller generally departs from both these concepts of tragedy as in the tragic hero in the Death of a sales man belongs to the middle class. He does not hold the view that tragic effect can be produced only by the downfall of a highly placed individual in society. It matters not at all whether hero falls from a great height or small one, whether he highly conscious or dimly aware of what is happening ,if the intensity is their ‘America grows like a giant in unimaginable proportions ‘. Willy symbolically stands for all the low men in American business community not just salesmen -who in a way sell themselves. Willy sells himself and in the process wears himself out and he is finally discarded when he is no longer useful. Willy begins as a salesman 36 years ago, opens up unheard of territories to their trade mark, but in his old age they take his salary away. It is pity that once Willy’s energy is exhausted by the work that  society has assigned to him, he is thrown aside and dismissed by the son of his old boss. Willy protests, â€Å"you cannot eat the orange and throw them peel â€Å". Man is not a piece of fruit no doubt ,Willy loman is a superannuated employee, but he is rejected and ill treated by his employer at the end of his career. Even a change of job with less travelling was denied to him. But still it may not be fully correct to say that Willy is wholly a victim of the prevailing social system. His own responsibility of his tragedy is by no means insignificant or negligible. In the first place he failed to realize his own limitations and short comings Willy has the conviction that success depends on personality, contacts and good cloths and that these will bring everything one wants in life. Obviously Willy is a prey to that magical book of Dale carnegie’s ‘How to win friends and influence people ‘ we know that mistake is that Willy had chosen a wrong profession for himself under the impression that the selling profession is the best in the world. Secondly the sense of guilt which he carries with him due to his past infidelity to his wife has also serious repercussions in his mental stability .His affair with the woman in the hotel when he was visited by Biff hangs on his conscience. Biff’s discovery of Willy’s infidelity marks the crucial turning point in the relationship between the father and the son .There after Biff no longer believes Willy . Another point to be noted is Willy’s incurable optimism .He has had higher expectation about the future of his elder son Biff who looks so charming as the Adonise in Greek mythology and who has earned high reputation as a good football champion. Biff has become disillusioned .For Biff ,life came to be an end with his match. He could neither make a mark in business nor could he go back to school to finish his course. Ironically Bernard who never represented University of Virginia, Bernard who pleaded to carry Biff’s helmet or shoulder guards , prospered. Bernard wins glory by pleading before the supreme court ,but he does this without any pushing from his father. According to Willy, they ought to be success at all; for both Charley and Bernard were not well liked. These tragic experiences shatter Willy’s conception of American dreams. No human or super natural agency interfered his life .The sense of frustration and psychological neurosis upsets his  mental equi librium and shatters him to pieces. CHARACTER LIST WILLY LOMAN: An insecure, self-deluded traveling salesman. Willy believes wholeheartedly in the American Dream of easy success and wealth, but he never achieves it. Nor do his sons fulfill his hope that they will succeed where he has failed. When Willy’s illusions begin to fail under the pressing realities of his life, his mental health begins to unravel. The overwhelming tensions caused by this disparity, as well as those caused by the societal imperatives that drive Willy, form the essential conflict of Death of a Salesman. BIFF LOMAN: Willy’s thirty-four-year-old elder son. Biff led a charmed life in high school as a football star with scholarship prospects, good male friends, and fawning female admirers. He failed math, however, and did not have enough credits to graduate. Since then, his kleptomania has gotten him fired from every job that he has held. Biff represents Willy’s vulnerable, poetic, tragic side. He cannot ignore his instincts, which tell him to abandon Willy’s paralyzing dreams and move out West to work with his hands. He ultimately fails to reconcile his life with Willy’s expectations of him. LINDA LOMAN: Willy’s loyal, loving wife. Linda suffers through Willy’s grandiose dreams and self-delusions. Occasionally, she seems to be taken in by Willy’s self-deluded hopes for future glory and success, but at other times, she seems far more realistic and less fragile than her husband. She has nurtured the family through all of Willy’s misguided attempts at success, and her emotional strength and perseverance support Willy until his collapse. HAPPY LOMAN: Willy’s thirty-two-year-old younger son. Happy has lived in Biffs shadow all of his life, but he compensates by nurturing his relentless sex drive and professional ambition. Happy represents Willy’s sense of self-importance, ambition, and blind servitude to societal expectations. Although he works as an assistant to an assistant buyer in a department  store, Happy presents himself as supremely important. Additionally, he practices bad business ethics and sleeps with the girlfriends of his superiors. CHARLEY- Willy’s next – door neighbor. Charley owns a successful business and his son, Bernard, is a wealthy, important lawyer. Willy is jealous of Charley’s success. Charley gives Willy money to pay his bills, and Willy reveals at one point, choking back tears, that Charley is his only friend. BERNARD – Bernard is Charley’s son and an important, successful lawyer. Although Willy used to mock Bernard for studying hard, Bernard always loved Willy’s sons dearly and regarded Biff as a hero. Bernard’s success is difficult for Willy to accept because his own sons’ lives do not measure up. BEN – Willy’s wealthy older brother. Ben has recently died and appears only in Willy’s â€Å"daydreams.† Willy regards Ben as a symbol of the success that he so desperately craves for himself and his sons. THE WOMAN – Willy’s mistress when Happy and Biff were in high school. The Woman’s attention and admiration boost Willy’s fragile ego. When Biff catches Willy in his hotel room with The Woman, he loses faith in his father, and his dream of passing math and going to college dies. HOWARD WAGNER – Willy’s boss. Howard inherited the company from his father, whom Willy regarded as â€Å"a masterful man† and â€Å"a prince.† Though much younger than Willy, Howard treats Willy with condescension and eventually fires him, despite Willy’s wounded assertions that he named Howard at his birth. STANLEY – A waiter at Frank’s Chop House. Stanley and Happy seem to be friends, or at least acquaintances, and they banter about and ogle Miss Forsythe together before Biff and Willy arrive at the restaurant. MISS FORSYTHE AND LETTA – Two young women whom Happy and Biff meet at Frank’s Chop House. It seems likely that Miss Forsythe and Letta are prostitutes, judging from Happy’s repeated comments about their moral character and the  fact that they are â€Å"on call.† JENNY – Charley’s secretary THEMES, MOTIFS & SYMBOLS THEMES Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. THE AMERICAN DREAM Willy believes wholeheartedly in what he considers the promise of the American Dream- that a â€Å"well liked† and â€Å"personally attractive† man in business will indubitably and deservedly acquire the material comforts offered by modern American life. Oddly, his fixation with the superficial qualities of attractiveness and likeability is at odds with a more gritty, more rewarding understanding of the American Dream that identifies hard work without complaint as the key to success. Willy’s interpretation of likeability is superficial-he childishly dislikes Bernard because he considers Bernard a nerd. Willy’s blind faith in his stunted version of the American Dream leads to his rapid psychological decline when he is unable to accept the disparity between the Dream and his own life. ABANDONMENT Willy’s life charts a course from one abandonment to the next, leaving him in greater despair each time. Willy’s father leaves him and Ben when Willy is very young, leaving Willy neither a tangible (money) nor an intangible (history) legacy. Ben eventually departs for Alaska, leaving Willy to lose himself in a warped vision of the American Dream. Likely a result of these early experiences, Willy develops a fear of abandonment, which makes him want his family to conform to the American Dream. His efforts to raise perfect sons, however, reflect his inability to understand reality. The  young Biff, whom Willy considers the embodiment of promise, drops Willy and Willy’s zealous ambitions for him when he finds out about Willy’s adultery. Biff’s ongoing inability to succeed in business furthers his estrangement from Willy. When, at Frank’s Chop House, Willy finally believes that Biff is on the cups of greatness, Biff shatters Willy’s illus ions and, along with Happy, abandons the deluded, babbling Willy in the washroom. BETRAYAL Willy’s primary obsession throughout the play is what he considers to be Biff’s betrayal of his ambitions for him. Willy believes that he has every right to expect Biff to fulfill the promise inherent in him. When Biff walks out on Willy’s ambitions for him, Willy takes this rejection as a personal affront (he associates it with â€Å"insult† and â€Å"spite†). Willy, after all, is a salesman, and Biff’s ego-crushing rebuff ultimately reflects Willy’s inability to sell him on the American Dream-the product in which Willy himself believes most faithfully. Willy assumes that Biff’s betrayal stems from Biff’s discovery of Willy’s affair with The Woman-a betrayal of Linda’s love. Whereas Willy feels that Biff has betrayed him, Biff feels that Willy, a â€Å"phony little fake,† has betrayed him with his unending stream of ego-stroking lies. MOTIFS Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes. MYTHIC FIGURES Willy’s tendency to mythologize people contributes to his deluded understanding of the world. He speaks of Dave Singleman as a legend and imagines that his death must have been beautifully noble. Willy compares Biff and Happy to the mythic Greek figures Adonis and Hercules because he believes that his sons are pinnacles of â€Å"personal attractiveness† and power through â€Å"well liked†-ness; to him, they seem the very incarnation of the  American Dream. Willy’s mythologizing proves quite nearsighted, however. Willy fails to realize the hopelessness of Singleman’s lonely, on-the-job, on-the-road death. Trying to achieve what he considers to be Singleman’s heroic status, Willy commits himself to a pathetic death and meaningless legacy (even if Willy’s life insurance policy ends up paying off, Biff wants nothing to do with Willy’s ambition for him). THE AMERICAN WEST, ALASKA, AND THE AFRICAN JUNGLE These regions represent the potential of instinct to Biff and Willy. Willy’s father found success in Alaska and his brother, Ben, became rich in Africa; these exotic locales, especially when compared to Willy’s banal Brooklyn neighborhood, crystallize how Willy’s obsession with the commercial world of the city has trapped him in an unpleasant reality. Whereas Alaska and the African jungle symbolize Willy’s failure, the American West, on the other hand, symbolizes Biff’s potential. Biff realizes that he has been content only when working on farms, out in the open. His westward escape from both Willy’s delusions and the commercial world of the eastern United States suggests a nineteenth-century pioneer mentality-Biff, unlike Willy, recognizes the importance of the individual. SYMBOLS Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts. SEEDS Seeds represent for Willy the opportunity to prove the worth of his labor, both as a salesman and a father. His desperate, nocturnal attempt to grow vegetables signifies his shame about barely being able to put food on the table and having nothing to leave his children when he passes. Willy feels that he has worked hard but fears that he will not be able to help his  offspring any more than his own abandoning father helped him. The seeds also symbolize Willy’s sense of failure with Biff. Despite the American Dream’s formula for success, which Willy considers infallible, Willy’s efforts to cultivate and nurture Biff went awry. Realizing that his all-American football star has turned into a lazy bum, Willy takes Biff’s failure and lack of ambition as a reflection of his abilities as a father. DIAMONDS To Willy, diamonds represent tangible wealth and, hence, both validation of one’s labor (and life) and the ability to pass material goods on to one’s offspring, two things that Willy desperately craves. Correlatively, diamonds, the discovery of which made Ben a fortune, symbolize Willy’s failure as a salesman. Despite Willy’s belief in the American Dream, a belief unwavering to the extent that he passed up the opportunity to go with Ben to Alaska, the Dream’s promise of financial security has eluded Willy. At the end of the play, Ben encourages Willy to enter the â€Å"jungle† finally and retrieve this elusive diamond-that is, to kill himself for insurance money in order to make his life meaningful. LINDA’S AND THE WOMAN’S STOCKINGS Willy’s strange obsession with the condition of Linda’s stockings foreshadows his later flashback to Biff’s discovery of him and The Woman in their Boston hotel room. The teenage Biff accuses Willy of giving away Linda’s stockings to The Woman. Stockings assume a metaphorical weight as the symbol of betrayal and sexual infidelity. New stockings are important for both Willy’s pride in being financially successful and thus able to provide for his family and for Willy’s ability to ease his guilt about, and suppress the memory of, his betrayal of Linda and Biff. THE RUBBER HOSE The rubber hose is a stage prop that reminds the audience of Willy’s desperate attempts at suicide. He has apparently attempted to kill himself  by inhaling gas, which is, ironically, the very substance essential to one of the most basic elements with which he must equip his home for his family’s health and comfort-heat. Literal death by inhaling gas parallels the metaphorical death that Willy feels in his struggle to afford such a basic necessity. QUESTIONS The play ‘Death of a Salesman’ revolves mainly around a conflict between ? What are the reasons for Willy’s failure as a business man? American dream in the play ‘Death of a salesman’. What is the central theme of the play ‘Death of a salesman’. The father son conflict in the play ‘Death of a salesman’. The hotel scene in the play ‘Death of a salesman’. The role of mother Linda Loman in the play ‘Death of a salesman’. Why did Biff Loman leave the school? The significance of the title’Death of a salesman’. Why did Willy commit suicide? The flash back scene in the play ‘Death of a salesman’. Miller’s play as a critique of the American way of life.