No More Guns - 729 Words

Paul Chung Transition English Four April 21, 2011 Essay No more Guns The year 1774 was pivotal in the history of the United States. It marked the beginning of the Revolutionary war, which lasted thirteen years and claimed thousands of lives. Fighting against the British, the Americans had to rely on individual citizens because they did not have a well organized army. As famers and hunters, many citizens already owned guns. These rifles proved indispensable in defeating the British. After the war, citizens were reluctant to give up their rifles, as they feared future invasions. Because of this war an amendment was added to the Constitution of the United States guaranteeing citizens the right to bear arms. Times have changed, However.†¦show more content†¦Since the fact that, they outlawed guns, they rate of the crime decreased. Also, in Arizona, college students were able to access to the guns. Due to this there were a lot of crimes, because university students could not control themselves of the use of gun. This would not happen if college students were not able to get access to the guns. The streets access to the fight and college students would not carry around them. If guns were illegal, people would be less likely to harm loved ones in moments of anger. Once, a family was going a vacation. Then an 11-year-old boy was killed in an accidental gunfire in Sharma. The gun went off while one of the family members were unloading bags and did not know the gun was loaded. If the guns were banned, then they would not even have the gun from the first place. This could have prevent the lost live of that11- year-old boy. If the guns were illegal, people would harm their loved ones just like this poor boy. Some people say that they feel safer having a gun at home. However, if guns were more difficult to own, it would even be safer. Fewer guns would lead to a decrease in the number of gun-related crimes and victims. For example, an 11-years-old boy was killed in an accidental gunfire. Even though they believed that ha ving a gun with them would make them safer, the unintentional, accidental gunfire killed that poor 11-years-old boy. Guns should beShow MoreRelatedMore Guns, More Problems?792 Words   |  4 Pages More Guns, More Problems? It seems like every day I turn on the news there are more and more horrifying stories of violence around the United States. Our children are not safe playing outside in the front yard as they once were. The new terrifying social phenomenon going around today is violent rampage, shooting sprees or mass murder. Gun Violence has widespread effects, not only national grief but also stricter gun control laws that effect law-abiding citizens. The causes for gun violenceRead MoreMore Guns, More Violence1893 Words   |  8 Pages More Guns, More Violence Guns have been around for centuries; they’ve shaped countries, politics and the shape of human and animal life forever. Many look at guns as dangerous, and destructive to who humans are. Especially when we turn on the news and see another teenage boy killing children in middle America. Although we go root on our local military men and women as heroes. This paper will dive into the deep, vast, and grey area that is gun control and the problemsRead MoreAre Guns Equal More Violence?867 Words   |  4 Pageslarge quantity of guns in the United States are culpable for the country’s murder rates. While the United States population and number of guns have steadily gone up since 1994, the rates of all different crime types have drastically gone down (Planty). Over the last nineteen years, almost fifty million guns have been added to the US, yet firearm violence has been reduced by more than two thirds (Federal Bureau). This completely contradicts the statement that more guns equal more violence. To compareRead MoreMore Gun Control Essay946 Words   |  4 PagesMore Gun Control One of the biggest issues in the United States that I would change would be gun control. The government is constantly proposing legislation for more and more gun control. Slowly they are chipping away at our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. You must ask yourself: For what reason does the government want to restrict law-abiding citizens from owning guns? Certainly government is not so naive to think criminals will adhere to gun control laws. There justRead MoreNo More Gun Control Needed1281 Words   |  6 PagesNo More Gun Control Needed The debate of whether or not the government should ban the sell of guns, and attempt to remove all guns in existence has been debated for a long period of time; I believe that banning guns is not only implausible, it will do more harm than good. In this essay, I’ll be discussing the history of this debate, as well as discuss some misinformation that’s been proposed by those wishing to ban guns. I’ll also discuss how guns do not turn ordinary, law abiding citizens intoRead MoreRe : More Gun Control Essay1898 Words   |  8 PagesTO: Senator Ryan McDougal From: Sean T. Bowles (Researcher) Date: November 8, 2016 RE: More Gun Control in Virginia Executive Summary Today there is a problem with guns in our society. People have easy access to firearms and here in Virginia it is much easier for anyone to get a firearm through private sales without any kind of background check into their mental health or criminal status. The reason that this is a problem is because people who are able to get a weapon without having a backgroundRead MoreAmerica Needs More Guns: Say No to Gun Control Essay2237 Words   |  9 PagesGuns do not kill people, people do. The American Dream is being able to work towards and achieve whatever makes you happy, whether it be owning your own business, joining the military, or staying at home raising a family, but the only way to reach your dream is to do it without living in fear that your dream will be taken away. In the last couple years mass shootings and attacks on schools have sadly become a common tragedy. Those who have been victims of public shootings or any other life scarringRead MoreAmerica Needs More Gun Cont rol1881 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Give me the money.† She pulled out her gun from her back pocket and shot him in the toe. She didn’t kill him, but she prevented herself from getting killed. That gun saved her life and my life. You never know when something bad might happen. It could come out at any time, any day, anywhere. If my aunt hadn’t been allowed to carry that gun, we both might not be alive today. Even though some people believe America needs more gun control, this country needs less gun control because people need a way toRead MoreNo More Gun Control in America Essay570 Words   |  3 PagesClass, firearms have been an element of the American tradition as defense and a means of hunting or activity. As we progress through the 21st century the use of guns has changed significantly. Any additional gun laws should not be imposed on American citizens because of the second amendment, the need for protection, and the need for food and recreational sports. The second amendment in the United States Constitution clearly states that as American citizens, we have a right to bear arms. The ConstitutionRead MoreEssay America Needs More Gun Control1409 Words   |  6 PagesConstitution to the United States really mean? Does every citizen have the right to own a gun? Should there be limitations on who can possess a gun? Gun right advocates believe they have the right to possess a gun without restrictions. Gun Control advocates on the other hand support more limitations on the accessibility of guns and also want to ban certain types of guns. They argue that the more guns there are the more crime there will be. Is either one of these arguments justified? Which party is right

The Titular Character Of William Shakespeare s Macbeth

The titular character in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a typical hero who undergoes a series of nasty situations, and gradually loses his humanity in the process. Although he begins the play as a traditional hero, he most certainly does not retain that title towards the end. Over the course of the play, the reader can see Macbeth gradually decline in his mental and emotional state. From the beginning, he is portrayed as a traditional hero, with his courage on the battlefield and his honor at all times, not to mention his natural mercy and loyalty. Toward the end, however, he is a cruel and treacherous-as well as overly ambitious-tyrant. Throughout the play, we see challenges occur to make him this way, beginning from the point at which the witches spoke to him, and prophesied for him his rise to power. Before evaluating Macbeth’s character, it is important to define both a traditional hero and an anti-hero. Dictionary.com defines a hero as: â€Å"a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.† The Macbeth that we see at the commencement of the play most certainly fits this description, and never better than in the opening remarks in regard to him by the sergeant. On the other hand, an anti-hero is described by the same source as: â€Å"a protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure, as nobility of mind and spirit, a life or attitude marked by action or purpose, and the like†. What we see as the play progresses is thatShow MoreRelatedcompare and contrast1507 Words   |  7 PagesStory Time and Macbeth 4. Compare and contrast the dramatic function of deception in two plays. The two plays that are going to be compared are ‘Macbeth’ and â€Å"Old Story Time†. Macbeth is written by a well-known dramatist by the name of William Shakespeare. Old Story Time is written by one of Jamaica’s best playwrights Trevor Rhone. ‘Macbeth’ is often said to be one of Shakespear’s most powerful tragedies. According to Poem hunter.com William Shakespeare was widelyRead MoreMacbeth : Not A Rare Monster1832 Words   |  8 Pages Macbeth: Not a Rare Monster Many directors, actors, and audience members have different opinions regarding the titular character of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Harold Bloom, author of Bloom’s Guides: Macbeth, states that â€Å"Macbeth is a villain, indeed a monster of murderousness† (Bloom 7). Even Macbeth’s rival, Macduff, calls him a â€Å"rare monster† (Macbeth 1.5.76-8). Macbeth is not a rare monster, he is human. In fact his humanity is a major theme in both Shakespeare’s script and in manyRead MoreAnalysis Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet And Macbeth 1854 Words   |  8 PagesThe work of William Shakespeare is, to many, the purest representation of theatricality there is. He is the most instantly and internationally recognizable playwright, and so works like Hamlet and Macbeth have come to be seen as staples of the dramatic genre, expected to be studied and performed, with critical acclaim, on a massive scale. However, as with so many forms of art, Shakespeare s work was not necessarily appreciated as such in his own time, specifically by certain critics of the theatre

Pratt Essay Arts Of The Contact Zone Example For Students

Pratt Essay Arts Of The Contact Zone The moment at which I realized that Utopia was impossible to obtain, made it a mission to seek out the thing that would elf me accept different cultures and found a way to connect with them. I will be the first to say that was never taught that white people were bad, but was taught that they were different. As I grew, found myself subconsciously limiting myself to not only talking to just black people, but subjecting myself to act and talk a certain way. It wasnt until my juniors of high school that started to actually become irritated by this so called community we black people had, because I knew that it was made up. Cited to reach out to other races, and I used the fact that was black as a way to reach a contact zone. Contact zones are defined as social spaces where cultures meet, clash, and grapple With each Other, often in highly asymmetrical relations. (Pratt 487). In the Mary Louise Prates essay, Arts of the Contact Zone, Pratt reports the advantages and disadvantages that co ntact zones bring. Pratt emphasizes that a contact zone allows people to interact between cultures and break the cultural boundary. When a contact zone is established, people are able to gain a new perspective because they are able to interact with people of a foreign culture. For example, when first met my best friend, Jill Simon, saw her as typical white girl. Figured that she probably talked proper, had a dog, and wore Juicy Couture. Although she did live up to the typical white girl standard that is expected, she grew to become one of the most important people in my life, We started our friendship when she overheard me making a comment about my hair. Being black, I obviously had different hair than she did, and she wanted to know how worked with mine. Her interest in my hair is what led to us talking about where was from, Vichy led to the subject of my culture and Vichy community identified myself with. Our difference in race coerced us to a subject that later allowed me and Jill to adhere our different cultures. Valuing our differences is one thing that helped our friendship grow. However our differences did come With ups and downs. Being that we were from completely different backgrounds, different situations were difficult for Jill to understand about me, and for me to understand about her. Couldnt just go and sleep over at her house without my parents knowing at least a few days in advance. Couldnt just leave my house at any time without my parents knowing, ND I feel that we had a different level of respect for our parents. Its not that Jill was rude to her parents, its just that there were something that she and her siblings got away with, that my siblings and would never even come close to getting away with. Live that this difference was something that was hard grasp in the beginning of our friendship. She would call me and want me to go out with her within the next hour, and she would actually get upset when had to decline, As our friendship progressed, Jill understood me and my family more. If she anted me to go somewhere with her, she would communicate that to me days in advance as to avoid me not being able to go out with her. This shows how Jill adapted to my way of planning things which brings on an example that Pratt gives in her essay. Pratt explains a story about the piece of work called, New Chronicle of Good Government written by Gunman Pomp, a Quiches mar What was written by Gunman Pomp was a 1,200 page letter in two languages that told the unique story about a culture that was dominated by the Spanish. It spoke about the torture that the Spanish brought which is quite different than he glorified, Spanish version Of the conquest that many Other countries had grown to know. .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c , .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c .postImageUrl , .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c , .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c:hover , .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c:visited , .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c:active { border:0!important; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c:active , .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5100f2c8897eb4eee0ba78405579ef2c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Macbeth EssayPomp writes his story from both points of view which brings on Prates point Of transfiguration. Transfiguration is important because it is the process of cultural transformation, as in the creation of new cultures and societies, resulting from intercultural conflict, struggle and change (491). When it came to the Spanish contrasting the Quiches culture, Pomp had to learn how to adapt to the new culture and new rules, however he didnt lose his own culture, hence him telling his story from two perspectives. The same applies for how Jill had to adapt to my familys way of doing things, and how transfiguration of both our cultures helped aid the conflict of miscommunication between me and Pratt argues that transfiguration seers to reflect the natural tendency of people to resolve conflicts over time, rather than exacerbating them (491). This bringing together of different cultures helps people live in realistic communities rather than the perfect, imagined ones that come to mind when a community is brought up. In Arts of the Contact Zone, Pratt quotes author, Benedict Anderson and acknowledges what he calls %imagined communities. Imagined communities are communities in which people will never know most of their fellow members, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the mind of each lives the image of communion (493). We, as human beings tend to make communities out to be a place where everybody gets along everybody else, and everyone accepts the culture of their neighbor _ However this is not the case in most, if not all, communities. As Brooklyn Park showed me, along with a community comes different cultures, beliefs and languages. Jill and I live in the same city but found that culturally we were very distant. Transfiguration and using race as a way to reach a contact zone helped me and Jill find a centered sense Of reality. Transfiguration, Pratt argued, was the product of contact zones (491). I agree that transfiguration described the phenomenon Of merging and converging different cultures, and that it is much needed between the black and the white community because there has been so much separation from the beginning. The whole conflict of slavery and racism in the past, is the main thing that aides to he separation of the two communities. Although there is still sometimes conflict within the white and the black community, the past few years have brought on a sense of transfiguration with the fact that we have schools exploring different cultures with things such as foreign exchange programs and international day, Interracial and intercultural relationships are becoming more acceptable and we are realizing that there is black on black crime as there is white on white crime. We are not always jumping to the conclusion that race has to do with every negative thing that happens to one us. We are slowly, but surly moving on.

World War Two caused America to reluctantly abandon the policy of Isolationism Essay Example

World War Two caused America to reluctantly abandon the policy of Isolationism Paper I have mixed feelings about whether World War Two spelt the end of US Isolationism. I believe that to some extent this time was the least Isolationist the US had ever been, however, in my opinion American interests always focused worldwide despite some presidents isolationist foreign policies. Churchill wanted the United States involved in the war, openly seeking a fighting incident that would bring the neutral nation into the conflict. On August 4, 1941, Churchill and Roosevelt met for the first time, after corresponding for two years. The Atlantic Charter was one result of their meeting; another was the beginning of a deep personal friendship. They shared several common characteristics: both came from elite backgrounds, both were patricians, and both saw their roles as democratic noblemen. Churchill returned to England and told his War Cabinet that Roosevelt would wage war but would not declare it. The incident Churchill needed occurred on September 4, 1941, when the USS Greer, on a mail run to Iceland, was involved in a fighting incident with a German U-boat. In his subsequent address to the nation, FDR tended to distort the actual facts, using the occasion to begin unrestricted convoying and a limited, defensive naval war. Then on October 31, 1941, a German U-boat torpedoed a U.S. ship. This signaled what was to be the end of American neutrality. The bombing of Pearl Harbor in December, 1941, marked the definite end of American isolationism in practical terms. We will write a custom essay sample on World War Two caused America to reluctantly abandon the policy of Isolationism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on World War Two caused America to reluctantly abandon the policy of Isolationism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on World War Two caused America to reluctantly abandon the policy of Isolationism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer During the war, the U.S. sent troops to Asia, Africa and Europe. After the wars end, the remnants of the League of Nations re-formed as the United Nations, and this time the United States was front and center. Under the Truman Doctrine, American economic and military aid went to nations threatened by communism. The Marshall Plan helped rebuild Europe and the Cold War made an American military presence abroad a foregone conclusion for the next 50 years. Roosevelt did not live long enough to see the war unfold though after declaring war he suddenly died of a brain hemorrhage. Roosevelt was replaced by Harry Truman. The US had avoided war in World War One because of many factors economic reasons and public opinion being the most important ones. However by 1945 things had changed and Truman looked upon the war as a brilliant opportunity. Fuelled by German Hatred after the events of Pearl Harbour, Truman had the public on his side. He had the backing of Congress and his own personal views that the US needed war as an economic opportunity (selling munitions) and his slogan to make the world safe for democracy. (Safe from German Imperialism.) With all of these positive factors the US entered a war of opportunities. Abroad, World War II brought an end to American isolationism. In the spring of 1945, the US joined delegates from 50 nations in signing the charter for a permanent United Nations, a year before the International Monetary Fund and World Bank were established to promote economic cooperation among nations. But the biggest challenge facing the United States in the postwar world was the souring of relations with the Soviet Union as a result of that countrys domination of Eastern Europe and support of communist insurgencies around the world. As part of the effort to contain the Soviet spread and to revive the economies of Western Europe, the United States launched the European Recovery Program (usually known as the Marshall Plan,) which poured $13 billion of aid into the region. In addition, the US adopted a policy of containment, shoring up non-communist areas in danger of encroachment. Thus, when the Soviet Union blockaded all surface routes into Berlin, the US and Britain launched the Berlin Airlift, supplying the western sectors of the city by air. We do have to question however whether the US was truly Isolationist. It would have been ignorant for any president to ignore world matters as if there was an opportunity for intervention then the US may have been able to capitalize on a situation and gain extra lands. After all, raw materials in the US could not last for ever. In my opinion Truman had no intention of remaining Isolationist for the World War, despite his election pledge of US Isolationism. Throughout the war he supplied Britain with loans and fighting equipment as well s increasing the US armies and Navies and supporting the Ententes blockade of Germany. World War Two was a major point of change for the US. From now on they saw it their duty to intervene in world matters (world policeman) because they were the worlds most influential power, and after all could benefit with the gaining of land and resources from certain countries. Take for example the recent war in Iraq, a country where the US is now gaining valuable amounts of oil from. Although the US role as a world policeman is supposedly world based, in my opinion this is not the case. Take for example events after world war two. There have been major wars in Vietnam and in Iraq, but these were only brought about because of threats to the US country. Indeed the US are reluctant to get involved in any war which has no effect on them. Vietnam was brought about by American fear of Communism, and wars in Iraq because of its valuable resources and the terrorism attacks of September the eleventh. During the Cold War, some Americans argued that the country should withdraw from the United Nations; but the Cold War, as a patriotic and ideological crusade, kept those voices from receiving widespread support. Today, the United States government and military is whatever word would best describe the extreme opposite of isolationist. In my opinion this is how they have always secretly been. US interests were always widespread; its just that when World War Two arrived the US were economically and socially ready to develop a world role. The breakout of war provided a perfect opportunity/excuse for the US to move away from its Isolationist image. The Challenge to Isolationism. 1. What was FDRs immediate response to the outbreak of war in Europe? Roosevelt was re-elected by the US public on the promise that he would keep the US out of World War Two. However he soon realized that war in Europe could lead to war in America and so supported the allied policy of appeasement to ensure peace. Roosevelt wanted to prepare America for the worst though. He believed the security of Europe was crucial to the security of America. He was able to persuade Congress to approve the Naval Expansion Act allowing a 20% increase in the US navy. In 1939, he got an extra $525 million for air defence. At the start of the Second World War, however, the American army still only numbered 185,000. 2. Did a majority of the US public and politicians favour isolationism in the early months of the war? 3. What legislation was included in the Neutrality Act of 4/11/39? During the 1930s, US public opinion as well as several Senators questioned the validity of US involvement in the Great War. The belief became increasingly common that the nation was deceived into taking part in this bloody conflict by Allied propaganda and to serve the interests of profit-thirsty bankers and industrialists. The conclusions of the Nye Committee in 1934, tasked with investigating the excessive profits made by the war armament industry, reinforced the antiwar position of the American people and finalizes the countrys isolationist policy. As a reaction to Germanys re-armament, and to prevent any US involvement in a possible European war, the US Congress voted the Neutrality Act, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 31, 1935. The Act prohibits trade in military material with warring countries and travel by US nationals on ships belonging to warring countries. It was amended in 1936 to prohibit loans to warring countries, and then in January and March 1937 to include civil wars. At the beginning of WWII, the possibility that Great Britain could be defeated is real and the growing Nazi threat is a cause for fear. Roosevelt realizes that the Neutrality Act imposes restrictions on possible US actions; amendments will be adopted to diminish the legislations scope. Supplying nations at war will be authorized on the cash and carry principle. President declares area around British Isles a combat zone in November 1939, and loans of military material will be possible on a land-lease agreement. Summary of Neutrality Act of 1939; This act repeals the arms embargo and substitutes a policy of cash and carry; prohibits United States vessels and citizens from entering combat zones; establishes the National Munitions Control composed of the Secretaries of States, Treasury, War, Navy, and Commerce. 4. What impact did Hitlers successful Blitzkrieg have on American attitudes? The speed with which the German army overran Western Europe shocked the American public. By June 1940, the Nazis were in control of Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium and France. Through the summer and autumn the Battle of Britain was fought with Britain and its empire standing alone against the Nazi threat. The broadcasts of journalist Ed Murrow from London during the Blitz did much to communicate to Americans the intensity of the struggle taking places, and this led to cries from the US public for American intervention in the war.

Leonardo Da Vinci 2000-07-02 Essays - Giftedness,

Leonardo Da Vinci 2000-07-02 Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the greatest and most ingenious men that history has produced. His contributions in the areas of art, science, and humanity are still among the most important that a single man has put forth, definitely making his a life worth knowing. Da Vinci, born on April 15, 1452, is credited with being a master painter, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer, and scientist. He was born an illegitimate child to Catherina, a peasant girl. His father was Ser Piero da Vinci, a public notary for the city of Florence, Italy. For the first four years of his life he lived with his mother in the small village of Vinci, directly outside of the great center of the Renaissance, Florence. Catherina was a poor woman, with possible artistic talent, the genetic basis of Leonardo's talents. Upon the realization of Leonardo's potential, his father took the boy to live with him and his wife in Florence (Why did). This was the start of the boy's education and his quest for knowledge. Leonardo was recognized by many to be a Renaissance child because of his many talents. As a boy, Leonardo was described as being handsome, strong, and agile. He had keen powers of observation, an imagination, and the ability to detach himself from the world around him. At an early age Leonardo became interested in subjects such as botany, geology, animals (specifically birds), the motion of water, and shadows (About Leonardo). At the age of 17, in about 1469, Leonardo was apprenticed as a garzone (studio boy) to Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio's workshop Leonardo was introduced to many techniques, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. In 1472 he was accepted in the painter's guild of Florence, and worked there for about six years. While there, Leonardo often painted portions of Verrocchio's paintings for him, such as the background and the kneeling angel on the left in the Baptism of Christ (Encarta). Leonardo's sections of the painting have soft shadings, with shadows concealing the edges. These areas are distinguished easily against the sharply defined figures and objects of Verrocchio, that reflect the style called Early Renaissance. Leonardo's more graceful approach marked the beginning of the High Renaissance. However, this style did not become more popular in Italy for another 25 year (Gilbert 46). Leonardo actually started the popularization of this style. For this reason Leonardo could be called the Father of the High Renaissance. Leonardo's leading skills emerged through his paintings and his techniques. Leonardo's talents soon drew him away from the Guild and in 1472 Leonardo finished his first complete painting, Annunciation. In 1478 Leonardo reached the title of an Independent Master. His first large painting, The Adoration of the Magi (begun in 1481), which was left unfinished, was ordered in 1481 for the Monastery of San Donato a Scopeto, Florence. Other works ascribed to his youth are the Benois Madonna (1478), the portrait Ginevra de' Benci (1474), and the unfinished Saint Jerome (1481). Leonardo expanded his skills to other branches of interest and in 1481 Leonardo wrote an astonishing letter to the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. In this letter he stated that he knew how to build portable bridges; that he knew the techniques of constructing bombardments and of making cannons; that he could build ships as well as armored vehicles, catapults, and other war machines; and that he could execute sculpture in marble, bronze, and clay. Thus, he entered the service of the Duke in 1482, working on Ludovico's castle, organizing festivals, and he became recognized as an expert in military engineering and arms. Under the Duke, Leonardo served many positions. He served as principal engineer in the Duke's numerous military enterprises and was active as an architect (Encarta). As a military engineer Leonardo designed artillery and planned the diversion of rivers. He also improved many inventions that were already in use such as the rope ladder. Leonardo also drew pictures of an armored tank hundreds of years ahead of its time. His concept failed because the tank was too heavy to be mobile and the hand cranks he designed were not strong enough to support such a vehicle. As a civil engineer, he designed revolving stages for pageants. As a sculptor he planned a huge monument of the Duke's father mounted up on a

Louis XIV Essays

Louis XIV Essays Louis XIV Paper Louis XIV Paper Louis XIV was known as one of the greatest Kings of France.Louis XIV ruled as an absolute monarch.He was a great patron of the arts in France. He is responsible for many elegant buildings in France and especially Paris.He was also involved in many wars throughout his reign of France. The reign of Louis XIV lasted an astounding length of seventy-two years.Louis XIV was born on September 16,1638.His reign started when he was only four years old when his father Louis XIII died on May 14, 1643.Louis XIV chose the sun as his emblem.The sun was associated with Apollo, god of peace and arts, and was also a heavenly body that gave life to all things.Like Apollo, Louis XIV brought peace and was a patron of the arts. Louis XIVs father Louis XIII ruled with Cardinal Richelieu, who served as First Minister.When Louis XIII died Cardinal Richelieu also died shortly after the Kings death.Richelieus successor, Cardinal Mazarin, governed the country until Louis XIV grew up.He always wanted to be able to rule alone.So when hisfirst Minister Mazarin died, he decided against ruling with a First Minister.Only a limited share of power was allowed to the able comptroller general of finances, Jean Baptiste Colbert.Colbert believed in an active economic role for the State, he promoted manufacturing and commerce, built up the navy, and developed the French colonies overseas. Louis XIV was not highly liked among the people of France.Previously the kings of France had lived rather close to their people, traveling about a good deal, in war or peace, visiting towns and their poorer subjects.When Louis XIV became a deity, the people bowed down, but felt that the king no longer belonged to them.The French, however, only really love what belongs to them.Louis XIV held a very strict court.He forced all the nobles to live with him at the Palace of Versailles.

Political and Social Reality of the City of Seoul Research Paper

Political and Social Reality of the City of Seoul - Research Paper Example Polarization refers to the process of grouping of two opinions into two extreme ends. Social polarization arises from the normal societal stratifications and depicts itself in nearly every aspect of life in the people habiting a particular geographical location. Polarization arises from conventions of life some of which people abide by naturally yet others follow economic capabilities and stratification mechanisms. Every community, including the modern day urban settlements, have different opinions among its inhabitants often resulting in either polarization or quasi polarization.   The city of Seoul in southern Korea is therefore no exception and experiences one of the most radical extents of polarization evident in its pattern of habitation and the people’s way of life in the city. The special city of Seoul is the capital city of South Korea and arguably the largest modern day metropolis in the entire Korea. It is home to approximately fifty million people most of whom are South Korean nationals but also provides residence to more than ten million international business people (O'Loughlin 33). The city has an elaborate design, one that considers and showcases the economic growth of the country and its interesting history. The architecture of most skyscrapers in the city embodies the modernism in design and comfort but also imbed the rich cultural history of the South Korean people. The wide clean highways, the artistically tall building structures, and the every glaring subway stations among other interesting features such as Seoul’s nightlife all act as a unifying feature to the diverse people of the city. However, behind the glamor and the beauty, the truth of the city lies in a more analytical scrutiny of the residences’ way of life. ...where is accessible and every product available in the market, the price tag on the commodities and services in the market always ensure that the rich rarely interacted with the poor. Additionally, it provides for an effective mechanism of keeping the rich to their own society and possibly denying the poor access to such societies. Seoul is one such city. Being an industrial country, the South Korean economy grows very fast with international businesses giving rise to extremely wealthy businesspersons and business empires. The wealth disparity and economic imbalance influence the design since the city has to include all its residences despite their financial positioning. This has resulted in the birth of two residential regions namely the Gangnam and the Gangbuk.  

Qualitative Methods in Research Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Qualitative Methods in Research - Case Study Example Exeter City Council is unhappy on certain counts about the way in which the festival is being conducted. The Council is interested to find out which events of the festival is being liked by the visitors, and what improvements in the opinion of the visitors must be done to make the festival more effective from the cultural and economic point of view. The Council is un-desirous of using the questionnaire survey method. It is interested in engaging some social research method that can provide an in-depth analysis of the views and opinions of the visitors and on that basis want to devise new programmes for conducting the festival in the future. In general the qualitative research is being supported by different research methods such as ethnography, participant observation, direct observation, unstructured interviewing, case studies, content analysis, and focus groups. The method of ethnography is used normally in research issues connected with the anthropological issues where the method entails an extended period of participant observation, it is considered unsuitable for this study. ... (2) To outline the programme of research for the method selected to do the research and also to detail the features of the research method that makes it suitable for the study (3) To present the final report to the City Council on the recommendations of the research method and the ways in which the qualitative data can be interpreted 4.0 Method In general the qualitative research is being supported by different research methods such as ethnography, participant observation, direct observation, unstructured interviewing, case studies, content analysis, and focus groups. The method of ethnography is used normally in research issues connected with the anthropological issues where the method entails an extended period of participant observation, it is considered unsuitable for this study. Next came in to consideration is the research based on more or less exclusive interviews which is considered as a better alternative for the collection of qualitative data. However interviewing, the transcription of the interviews and the process of analysing the transcripts are all very time consuming. Hence the focus groups and group interviewing is considered as the best suitable method for conducting the research for gathering the qualitative data for advising the Exeter City Council on the possible issues in conducting the festival in the perspective of the visitors. 4.1 Focus Groups Academic literature has provided various definitions to the term 'focus group'. The following are some of the important elements which the focus group method has contributed to the field of social research: Organised discussion (Kitzinger, 1994) Collective

Training and Development Initiatives in an Organization Essay Example for Free

Training and Development Initiatives in an Organization Essay Training and development refers to the process to obtain or transfer knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) needed to carry out a specific activity or task. It includes not just factual and explicit KSAs but also incorporates KSAs that are often difficult to articulate. Training and development will assist employees in the use of new technologies, and communicate and function better in improvised work systems. In order to meet the current and future challenges, training and development assumes a wide range of learning actions, such as training of the employees and knowledge sharing, which would then expand individual and organizational effectiveness. Thus, this would then allow the organization to fully utilize employee’s tacit and explicit knowledge and expands individual, group and organizational effectiveness. Why is Training and Development Important? Organizations are experiencing great, rapid changes due to new technologies, corporate restructuring, continuous rising competition and globalization. These factors have increased the importance of learning and capitalizing on human capital in order to have a sustained competitive advantage over the competitors. Tracey (2003) defined human capital as ‘the people that staff and operate an organization as contrasted with the financial and material resources of an organization. ’ Tracey (2003) also states that human resources refer to the organizational function that ‘deals with the people who manage, produce, market and sell the products and services of an organization. A comprehensive training and development program helps in the consideration of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are needed to achieve organizational goals and to create a competitive advantage. (Peteraf 1993) Training and development process has assumed a strategic role in organizations. (Stavrou et al. 2004; Apospori et al. 2008). Apospori et al. (2008) had deduced that there is a considerable impact of training on employees’ performance. With the right training and development strategy, rganizations can benefit though enhanced innovation, efficiency, productivity and improvement in the quality of products and services they will be able to provide to their customers. This will yield higher financial gains and it will definitively enhance the organization’s reputation and allow the organization to compete competitively in its industry. Organizations that are consistently and extensively creating new knowledge implements it quickly within its organization through the adoption of new technologies. These activities determine a learning organization, which realize that creation of new knowledge through training and development is becoming the key to success (Vemic, 2007). Training and Development Initiatives: How and why the relationships are expected? Given that human capital play an enormous role in an organization’s competitiveness, training and development initiatives are designed in a way that will help the organization successfully implement its strategy and reach organizational goals. Training is regarded as critical to employee skill acquisition and has been shown to improve productivity at organizational and individual levels (Bartel, 1994). Training and development does increase employment duration and continuity (Gritz, 1993) and managerial advancement. Organization managements have also realized that training and development is an imperative procedure that can contribute to employees’ increased work morale as well as increased motivation and job satisfaction. With an increased motivation and job satisfaction, this would ultimately improve employees’ performance in the organization. Studies have also shown positive relationships between training and development strategies and employees’ performance and work morale (Vemic, 2007). This is especially so as the relationship between the organization and the employee has changed tremendously over the years. There is a greater importance and value attached to employees’ contributions. In today’s society, employees play a key role towards establishing a successful organizational performance. Training and Development has Positive Impacts on Employee’s Work Morale/Motivation Studies have also found that the success of training and evelopment is directly related to the degree of employees’ motivation (Colquitt, LePine and Noe, 2000). This is because employees’ motivation/work-morale is derived from the training and development opportunities, which allow them to enhance their skills and move up the corporate ladder. Employees consider training and development a non-monetary incentive or a form of reward for an employee. (Fischer and Nunn, 1992) In addition, when employees are selected for training and development programs, it increases employees’ post-training organizational commitment, self-efficacy and training motivation. Employees tend to feel a higher job satisfaction and empowerment in their workplace. Thus, the higher the training motivation, the more the employees are willing to participate in future training and development programs and the better the employee’s work morale/motivation becomes (Tharenou, 2001). Training and Development has Positive Impacts on Employees’ Performance Training and development allows organizations to achieve management objectives, resolve issues and align cultures to their mission and values. With training and development, employees learn new skills and knowledge, such as specialized skill training, which not only increase safety and productivity but also leads to improved employees’ performance. Studies have also found that it increases efficiencies in organizational processes and an increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods. In Chart’s (2000) Exploratory Benchmark Survey, 70% of the respondents have agreed that training and development has a positive impact on their work performance and organization’s ability to improve occupancy and overall financial profitability. In addition, well-trained employees are also happier with their jobs and are more likely to stay, hence increasing the retention rate in the organization (Berta, 2001). Theoretical Gap: Training and Development can have Negative Impact on Employees’ Performance and Work Morale However, training and development can also have negative impact on employees’ performances and work morale. In every organization, there are underrepresented groups who have fewer hours of training and development than others. Some are even deprived of training and development opportunities. For example, research has found that women are likely to gain fewer hours per year of training and development than men because they are at lower managerial levels. It could also be due to the fact that mostly female employees are having additional responsibilities from their families. Similarly, those with disabilities and from non-English-speaking backgrounds are found to have less training and development opportunities. Secondly, studies have also suggested that employees who are not selected for training and development programs will feel a high and intense level of deprivation in the organization. When employees are deprived of training and development opportunities, they tend to reflect on the loss and the valence of the outcome. This reflection leads to thoughts about how their outcomes could have been different if they were given the opportunity to participate in the organizations’ training and development programs (Epstude Roese, 2008). This would then lead to the recognition and resentment of this deprivation. Deprived employees will then start evaluating the unfairness and their disadvantaged situation. As a result, it further decreases their intention to participate in future training and development initiatives, as they feel resentful. Therefore, deprived employees may perceive unfairness in the organization’s structure and this will negatively affect and impact on their work performance and work morale/motivation. Lastly, training and development can also have negative impact on employees’ work morale/motivation especially when employees have participated in the training and development courses but there is no sense of self-efficacy in the workplace and employees feel alienation. In this case, employees’ work-morale/motivation is measured at a higher level such as the responsibilities given to the employees, the avoidance of routine tasks and the employees’ participation in organization’s decisions and strategic planning. Instead of feeling motivated after training and development, if the employee is not given the recognition or the desired opportunities to take up distinguished leadership roles in the organization, they become resentful, which will then affect their work morale and result in negative work performance (Pettigrew, 2002). Conclusion Overall, this research takes a step towards better understanding of the extent to how training and development initiatives in an organization can impact on employees’ performance and work morale/motivation. As the global economy becomes increasingly knowledge based, the acquisition and development of human capital has become increasingly essential to firm’s sustainability and success. Organizations often carefully select workers who are willing and eager to participate in training and development initiatives. However, organizations must have a better understanding about what their employees want to learn and improve in (Maxey, 2002). In addition, organizations should also provide equal and fair advancement opportunities to all employees within the organization, regardless of factors such as gender and work experience. Based on the above analysis, future research should focus on employees’ motivation for training and development. This would allow organizations to better identify the various reasons their employees are motivated to attend training and development programs. With a better understanding in this area, organizations can utilize these motivational factors to increase employees’ willingness and desire to participate in training and development programs. As such, this can then improve their work-morale and work performance. In addition, future research should focus on how to establish a fair training and development procedures as these procedures are important cues to employees about their worth within the organization and it also communicates respect and value to their employees (Smith Tyler, 1996).

The Role of Child Death Inquiries

The Role of Child Death Inquiries Recently the benefits of child death inquiries and serious case reviews have come under particular scrutiny (Corby, Doig and Roberts, 1998). This assignment will use evidenced based information and practice to find other approaches or how to improve the form of the inquiry so its benefits outweigh its limitations. The United Nations estimate that every week two children in the United Kingdom die from abuse or neglect (UNICEF, 2003). The United Nations Convention, article 3 on the rights of the child places a duty on countries to protect children from abuse or neglect, the best interests of the child must be the primary concern when making decisions which may affect them, article 6 focuses on the importance of safeguarding their right to life (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1992). There are two types of child death inquiries; serious case reviews and public inquiries. A serious case review takes place when a child dies and abuse or neglect is suspected. They also take place in other circumstances where serious situations have occurred for example where a child has suffered from serious sexual abuse. The purpose of child death inquiries according to Working Together, 2010 is for agencies and individuals to learn where problems have arisen and to learn from these to improve their practice. The lessons learnt should be given to all individuals who work in this area to ensure they safeguard children in the correct way. When agencies already know where certain problems lie they should improve upon them before the serious case review is finished. A public inquiry for example The Colwell Report (1974), The Climbà © inquiry (2003) is a inquiry ordered by the government to review events, in this case child deaths. To conclude where practice could be improved upon, rec ommendations can be given and lessons can be learnt. Under regulation 5 of the local safeguarding childrens board requires that the local safeguarding children board undertakes reviews of serious cases. Serious case reviews must establish lessons to be learnt, identify which lessons are within agencies and which between and how long they have to act upon the changes to be undertaken. The reviews must also improve upon inter and intra agency working to promote and safeguard the wellbeing of children (chapter 8, Working Together, 2010). Laming (2009) states that serious case reviews are an important tool for learning lessons. Currently there is debate regarding the approach used in serious case reviews some believe that there are different approaches to take to learn from poor social work practice. Effective safeguarding practice is an approach considered, to learn from what is already proven to work. The obvious aim of child death inquiries is to try and avoid future tragedies. There is a repetitive circle within child protection. Families collide with professionals and most of the outcomes involve protection. The tensions involved between families and professionals involve competition of rights. The Human Rights Act, 1998 article 8 stipulates the familys right to a private family life and to be able to conduct their lives according to their culture and understanding. The opposite to this argument is to ensure all children are protected. When should professionals become involved? Parton (1991) describes the dilemma of how can the state establish the rights of the child and still promote the family to be an independent body in which to raise their children how they see fit and not intervene in all families and consequently reduce its autonomy. Depending on the theoretical viewpoint the professionals and current Government takes would impose when the state should intervene. A laissez-faires government would have little intervention. State paternalism is a perspective which favours more involvement of state intervention to protect children from abuse. This theory regards the childs welfare as more important than family autonomy. This perspective was reflected in the Children Act, 1989 as it introduced the expression likely for the child to be in significant harm. If there is a likelihood of significant harm there are possibilities of child protection orders being produced, and in other extensions of state power. Tensions between the duties that social workers have to safeguard children, the familys right to a private family life, the rights of the child, working in partnership with the parents and understanding when the state should intervene cause problems within social work practice. Knowing when to intervene has always been a problem for social workers within this area. Malcolm Hill (1990) found that published child abuse inquiry reports identified working with parents as a common problem. He found that papers noted access difficulties, in a number of cases parents didnt cooperate when the social worker needed to see the child at risk. Hill (1990) concluded that papers found social workers were too ready to believe parents. Hill (1990) concluded that the Colwell report (1974) found that social workers should focus on parents demonstrating their parenting skills and not to assume all was well because the parents said so. Social workers also need to look at the care the child is receiving holistically not focus on single areas of the family where they are showing positive steps, for example social workers may be satisfied as the family are participating in counselling but they need to still look at their parenting at home whilst this continues. Thus depending on the theoretical viewpoint the social worker takes decides when they should intervene. This assignment will adopt a state paternalism perspective, this perspective although draws conclusions that the child is likely to suffer significant harm which may affect the family relationships and autonomy its better to intervene now then wait until abuse or neglect has taken place and then safeguarding the child. This perspective takes a view that children have a high priority in society, they have rights to high standards of care and using this approach ensures that they are protected at all costs by the force of the law (Fox Harding, 1997). Child death inquiries are seen as an important tool used to improve local practice and implementing wider community health approaches to improve upon infant mortality rates. Bunting and Reid (2005) found that there numerous benefits to serious case reviews taking place. These included; more effective multi agency working, improved communication between agencies, they found that death certificates had become more informative they also found that from participating in serious case reviews practitioners had more knowledge surrounding child death and the causes of them ensuring a further focus on preventative measures of child death rather than focusing on child abuse. Corby et al (1998) have found that there is a growing concern on the impact of child inquiries on professionals especially social workers. They found that whilst inquiries were taking place social workers face continual criticism. The Maria Colwell case made social work practice public and put it under great scrutiny. Professionals within this case became points of focus of criticism, their work was scrutinised in incorrect contexts focusing on training of social workers affecting their morale significantly (Corby et al, 1998). The impact of child death inquiries on social workers and other professionals in this area can be psychological and emotional. Corby et al (1998) argues both sides of the case that child death inquiries can highlight poor practice and the need for the public to know why children already known to social services and other departments can still go on to be abused and killed. However the emotional and psychological effects on social workers can be so detrimental because of the scrutiny they are under, their work will be affected, and affecting further work they do. Corby et al (1998) investigated child abuse cases and inquiries and how useful they are and what changes have been made by using child death and abuse inquiries as an approach. Of the seventy inquiries they investigated between 1945 and 1997 they all produced similar recommendations in areas of improving inter agency co-ordination, training of professionals, improving child protection systems and using more experienced staff. Corby used this information to highlight that changes made between 1945 and 1997 have not been substantial as inquiries continue to make the same recommendations. Child death inquires do have their place in the public eye specifically when practice goes wrong, nevertheless they have a number of limitations. Child death inquiries affect personal confidence of the social workers and other professionals when they become embroiled within the investigation. Due to the nature of the child death inquiries the public only see the negatives of social workers, social workers fear the association of such inquiries. Practice will not change when inquiries focus solely on the structure of children and families department. If social workers feel like the target when involved in inquiries their work will be affected therefore affecting the work they do further on for example other children may be more at risk because social workers have no confidence in the work they are practicing. To use child death inquiries as a vehicle for policy development may not be the most effective approach to take. Child death inquiries are very expensive. If a more effective approach was to be taken and social workers and other professionals were able to learn more from this different process it would be more beneficial to take this approach than to carry on using money and concluding the same issues. Parton (2004) has found that the same issues have been identified on numerous times without any obvious changes in social work practice. Devaney, Lazenbatt and Bunting (2010) found that child death inquiries can still be effective but more emphasis needs to be on recommendations, implementing and acting upon them. Devaney et al (2010) also argue that policy makers need more understanding of the difficult situations in which children are at more risk from abuse or neglect. Devaney et al (2010) argue that this can help the policy makers express what social workers can do and make a disti nction between that and what should be done. Child death inquiries make assumptions that something has gone wrong and that the inquiry can find out what and give recommendations to learn from the mistakes. It assumes that practice will change because of the recommendations given and many inquiries dont focus on acting upon the recommendations, if they did then future inquiries wouldnt produce the same recommendations. Inquiries assume that the method they use is sophisticated. However, research into inquiries and literature has shown that other approaches could be more effective and less intrusive in practice and less strain can be put on professionals. Inquiries assume that multi agency working will be more effective, though if tensions between professionals are problematic then these will be difficult to resolve. Inquiries cannot assume that these tensions can be worked at by the professionals they need a superior management style to overlook the different professionals to be able to work effectively together. As well as the implications for social workers individually and for policy makers regarding the process of child death inquiries, organisational structures will be also be impacted upon when changing child welfare policy. Due to changes within organisations, for example changes in roles of professionals involved in child death inquiries the foundations of interprofessional multi agency work are not secure, concluded because inquiries focus excessively on the role of social workers rather than the antecedents of child death or abuse. With regards to the case of Maria Colwell (1974) the Secretary of State Barbara Castle concluded that social workers alone cannot solve the underlying problems. All professionals in this field of child welfare need to understand their role but if child welfare policy continues to change constantly the role cannot be undertaken as professionals have poor ideas of what their role is and how they should practice. All professionals need to work effectively to gether and have an understanding of delivering comprehensive services to diverse communities so no children are lost in the system or ignored. The importance of effective interprofessional multi agency work is such that until there is a balance of role and practice then the safeguarding of future children may be affected. Contemporary social work values may be affected, social workers have their own values personally and from learning from experience. Social workers must focus on human rights and social justice as their motivation for social work. Some critiques may argue that depending on the theoretical framework for example state paternalism some social workers may not be able to justify their motivation to impose this framework in their practice by not letting the family have a right to private family life (Human Rights, article 8) and be too quick to intervene. To ensure anti discriminatory practice social workers must understand different cultures have different behaviours when it comes to parenting. The social worker may think it is not appropriate, the family however may believe differently. This can lead to the social worker to not act at all. The social worker must ensure anti discriminatory practice, they need to see things from the perspective of the culture the family employs. Though stil l maintaining the values and knowledge they have regarding child abuse and when they should intervene. They must keep each case individual and make judgements based on evidence, not on their assumptions. To evaluate how useful child death inquiries are as a vehicle for policy development evidence needs to be considered whilst investigating journal papers to gain an understanding of where bias may occur. Using a wide range of sources gives a broader idea of what has been proven to work in social work practice (Roberts and Yeager, 2006). Research evidence is more valued than other sources, those papers that are repeatable and use a large amount of participants are more likely to have less prejudice in concluding how useful child death inquiries are as a vehicle for policy development. Higgs and Jones (2000) propose that evidence is knowledge derived from various sources, which has been tested and found credible. Having read all the information the weight of evidence suggests that changes need to be made to the approach of child death inquiries. The limitations and implications to practice are too substantial to ignore. Professionals and public havent seen any major changes because of the recommendations give by the inquiries. Corby et al (1998) found that of seventy public inquiries between 1945 and 1997 the main focus of recommendations was on improvements on inter agency co-ordination and improving the training of staff. The gap between the time of the death of the child and receiving the results of the inquiry is detrimental to social workers. Corby et al (1998) also argue that the cost of inquiries and the negative impact on social workers affecting their future practice may create more risk to other children they are safeguarding because they dont have the confidence to practice anymore. The most effective approach to take would be one that focuses with less scrutiny on the social worke rs so their confidence is not affected and acts upon the recommendations it has made. Policy can develop by using a different vehicle instead of child death inquiries. At the minute the impact of changing child welfare policy on social workers and organisational structure is considerable. An improved approach to child death inquiries can be more effective in changing policy than the constant changes that are currently happening because of the results from child death inquiries.

Peer Reviewed Article Summary

Peer-reviewed Articles Kimberly Winkler Psy/500 October 8, 2012 Bridgette Jenkins Abstract Resilience in any human being is vital but it also is important because it is the human capacity to face, overcome and strengthen by or even transformed by the adversities of life (Grotberg E. , Unknown). Every individual faces some sort of adversities which means that no one is exempt (Grotberg E. Unknown). Children are no exception to adversities so they must form resilience so they can overcome trauma (Grotberg E. , Unknown).Articles that will be discussed will show different mother-child interaction and resilience in children with early developmental risk and also using the resiliency scales for children and adolescents who are in the school settings. An article which discusses the comparison of maternal and paternal influences on young children’s behavior and resilience will also be deliberated upon. Mother-Child Interaction and resilience in children with early developmental risk M other Child interaction and resilience in children with early developmental risk speaks about a study which tests 50 children with early developmental delays.The article focused on the contributions of child characteristics and mother-child interaction to the prediction of formal intellectual disability (ID) among children with identified early developmental delays (Fenning & Baker, 2012). Children become resilient in certain situations and the study that was performed showed that children remain at risk for learning difficulties and teaching them resilience tools will help the children at risk for ID (Fenning & Baker, 2012).This article was extremely informative because it showed that mother-child interaction are very important to a child’s wellbeing and if not appropriately followed through with during preschool period they can be at risk for ID which increases resilience. Mother-child interaction is essential to resilience and this article portrays the importance of this. Fenning, R. M. , & Baker, J. K. (2012). Mother–child interaction and resilience in children with early developmental risk. Journal Of Family Psychology, 26(3), 411-420. doi:10. 1037/a0028287Assessing Personal Resiliency in the context of school settings: using the resiliency scales for children and adolescents Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents (RSCA) is a method to measure resiliency in students that is applicable for schools private use to utilize within the classroom environment (Embury, 2011). The RSCA will test students and pay attention to the strengths and limitations in personal resiliency (Embury, 2011). Resiliency interventions are then put into place depending on the results of the RSCA test and can be used in the school setting.School settings are just as significant as a child’s environment at home and when testing the children it will only set a foundation to better a child’s personal resiliency tools. The RSCA is easy to use and has ta ken studies pertaining to resilience and put them into a test form for the benefit of children in the school setting. Prince-Embury, S. (2011). Assessing personal resiliency in the context of school settings: Using the resiliency scales for children and adolescents. Psychology In The Schools, 48(7), 672-685. doi:10. 1002/pits. 20581The Comparison and Interdependence of Maternal and Paternal Influences on Young Children’s Behavior and Resilience We all go through tough times in our life and more people than others suffer with bouts of depressions and that does not exclude mothers and fathers. Systematically it has been understood that a mother-child relationship and a mothers depressed mood will affect children more so that a father-child relationship and a fathers depressed mood (Malmberg & Flouri, 2011). Research was done to decipher how depression affects young children’s behavior and their resilience to situations.I was intrigued to discover that economic deprivatio n and family stress have a negative effect on the mother-child relationship and in turn have a poor child outcome. Also, it was stated that during the research there was little evidence that showed the quality of father-child relationships promote resilience ( Malmberg & Flouri, 2011). As important as parent-child relationships are we can learn from them to promote positive behavior and form a positive resilience which is a natural part of young children.Malmberg, L. , & Flouri, E. (2011). The Comparison and Interdependence of Maternal and Paternal Influences on Young Children's Behavior and Resilience. Journal Of Clinical Child ; Adolescent Psychology, 40(3), 434-444. doi:10. 1080/15374416. 2011. 563469 References Edith H. Grotberg, Ph. D. (Unknown). Early Childhood Development: Practice and Reflections. In Guide to Promoting Resilience in Children: Strengthening the Human Spirit. Retrieved October 8, 2012, from http://resilnet. uiuc. edu/library/grotb95b. html.

Has EU aviation policy failed to meet its overall objective of producing safe, affordable, convenient and efficient services for its customers?

Introduction I don’t agree the EU aviation policy has failed to meet its overall objective of producing safe, affordable, convenient and efficient service for its customer. Mega-policy, according to De (2011, p.22) is master policy that deals with overall goals, certain basic assumption policy instruments and implementation strategies with the aim of typically large scale investments, and is divided as internal and external policy. In the EU aviation industry context, internal policy is meant to govern EU registered airlines whereas External governs non-EU registered airlines. The main aim of EU is to achieve a safe, affordable, convenient and efficient service for consumers. To provide a safe, affordable, convenient and efficient services1. Internal Policyi.Safety: EU established the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) with the goal of ensuring civil aviation safety for its member countries (European Commission, 2009). The agency’s main task is to ensure air transport is safe as well as sustainable. To achieve this important goal, the agency has developed some of safety and environmental rules that must be adhered to by all stakeholders. In addition, it constantly monitors implementation of these standards through regular inspections of member states’ adherence to the rules, as well as offering technical support through training. Through EASA, EU regulates pilot and other crew member training as well as issuance of licences for European pilots. The establishment of single aviation market has been a huge success in enabling the EU agencies to collaborate in monitoring safety policy implementations. For example, European Commission, European Aviation Safety Agency and Eurocontrol have collaborated under the pillar of safe aviation services to the passengers through licensing regulations. Other agencies involved in safety regulation are national civil aviation authorities, and safety investigation authorities, who work to incorporate all stakeholders, including aircraft manufacturers and airline companies, in safety measures. The agencies operate under the common safety rules, which enable them to do random safety inspections at any European airport. Statistics show that, despite the rise in traffic over the last two decades, EU’s air safety initiatives have successfully maintained high standards in terms of aviation safety (EASA Annual Safety Review). It must, however, be noted that despite the raft of security measures, the notion of ‘zero risk’ in aviation does not exist, and occasional cases of accidents may occur. In such cases, EU advises that thorough investigations is the best approach, as studies show that accidents do not occur as a result of single event but a combination of multiple prior events (Ferroff et al., 2012). ii. Freedom to establish & provide services: EU’s establishment of a single European Aviation Market, from the initial 27 national air transport markets all over Europe, has created an atmosphere of success in terms of freedom to all markets. The initiatives were meant to: Increase market access top every European carrier, with no restriction on capacity; Ensure no discrimination in terms of license provision across Europe; Ensure freedom to provide services to the aviation industry Ensure operators’ freedom to pricing their product and services Ensure implement penalties on those who infringe on the procedures The increase in more choices has also seen the number of EU routes increase by 25 percent from 1992 to 2011. The increased competition has led to 420 percent rise in intra-EU routes with more than two carriers over the same period (Zamarreno, 2012). Finally, the EU initiative led to rise in new entrants, which facilitated competition thus the emergence of market for low-cost air services, which currently account for 40 percent of EU aviation market.2. External Policyi. Market Opening The external aviation policy has been an integral part of EU’s strategy in effort towards greater flexibility, consistency and transparency in matters international civil aviation. To achieve these goals, EU has been gradually and consistently making and ratifying bilateral and multilateral agreements with other international aviation bodies outside EU. As such, EU has been carrying out is horizontal mandate of bringing the existing bilateral and multilateral agreements into line with EU laws. They also identified the creation of a Common Aviation Area with neighbouring nations, including United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil and India among others as an important step towards realising sustainable growth. This realisation has led to: Over 117 non-EU states accepting EU designation; Close to 1000 bilateral aviation safety agreements have conformed to EU laws, which have translated into over 70 percent rise in EU air traffic; Some neighbouring countries willingly participate in a pan- European Common Aviation Area e.g. agreements with Morocco (signed in December 2006) and Israel (signed in July 2012) among many other nations; Comprehensive agreements with key partners such as United States, Canada and Brazil, which aims to open partners’ markets, removal of investment barriers, and converging regulations across borders; Increased level playing field through adoption of common rules and standards that ensures greater aviation safety, efficient infrastructure, consumer protection and lower prices due to competition (Zmarreno, 2012). ii. Affordability and Convenience An external policy has meant that EU citizens benefits from reduced prices and more travel offers resulting from competition between EU and international airlines. Moreover, every airline must up its game by offering better services in terms of quality and convenience to withstand competition. The European Union aviation industry employs more than five million people around the world and contributes ˆ365 billion to the European GDP (Sandbag, 2012). In spite of the current economic crisis, it is projected that global aviation industry will continue to experience an average annual growth of 5 percent till 2030. When EU emphasises its commitment to external partnerships through their external aviation policies, their goal is to ensure barriers to growth is eliminated through removal of any limiting factor of investment (e.g. airline ownership). It must be noted that initial ownership of airlines were highly regulated, with governments restricting foreign ownership in what was cited as national security measures. However, the discriminatory approach to ownership was removed, thanks to EU’s raft measures to increase fairness, allowing more openness in market access and competition. For example, EU has a general ownership rule that allows up to 49 percent foreign owne rship of a European aviation company (European Commission, 2009). This is much better than the United States’ 25 percent of voting stocks restrictions to foreign ownership. Arguably, this arrangement has made EU aviation industry more attractive to external investors, hence the region’s benefits from large economy of scale. iii. Environmental Safety Aviation industry is responsible for 2.5 percent of the total global carbon emission (Sandbag, 2012). This percentage rises to 4.9 percent of the total anthropogenic carbon effect if all the radiation components are included. Put to context, this would make aviation industry the seventh largest carbon emitting ‘country’ worldwide. The forecast from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) indicates that by 2036 carbon emissions from the industry alone will hit 300% compared to 2011 levels (Bows, et al., 2010). European Union’s decision to include aviation industry into its carbon market, with the introduction of Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), signalled their desire to protect the global climate. More importantly, EU member countries ensured EU law has primacy over national law, hence giving the union broader power to control any form of environmental destruction that may emerge from a single country’s non-compliance. In December 2012, EU’s court of Justice made a major landmark decision when it ruled out that the decision by the EU to include the international aviation in the ETS did not contravene international law as claimed by many international airline operators (Sandbag, 2012). This meant that the court gave EU authority to implement the carbon emission policy. Although there is still an ongoing row that has escalated into a number of non-EU members joining forces together to challenge EU and its emission policy, the steps towards safer environment is on course, with EU leading the park towards realising this important milestone It is important to note that major EU airlines are in the process of adopting ETS to set pace for their international peers. This is an important step considering that 25 percent of the total aviation emission comes from the region’s airlines (Braun, 2008). Conclusion EU aviation policy has been hailed around the world as one that has achieved success amid the biting economic challenges facing many airline industry players. EU aviation industry has seen tremendous growth and development for the last two decades. One of reasons for this astronomical growth has been attributed to the union’s efforts to provide safe, affordable, convenient and efficient service for its customers. Policy formulation, research and implementation are some of the most important operational aspects of aviation sector the union has embraced. Despite the numerous challenges, some of which are cross-border related, various reports show that EU’s efforts have resulted into some measurable success that is not comparable to any other regional union around the world. The union’s mega policy on aviation, which consists of internal and external, has seen substantial changes in safety, freedom to establish and provide more choices, opening of more markets, incr eased affordability & convenience and environmental safety. These initiatives have also led to affordable pricing by the airlines, convenience, and safer environment. It’s no doubt the reason why EU is considered the world’s largest and the most successful regional market integration with the most liberalised air transport. References Bows, A., Mander, S. Randles, S., and Anderson K. (2010). Aviation emission in the context of climate change: a consumption- production approach. Final Policy Report. June 2010. Braun, M. (2008). The evolution of emission trading in the European Union- The role of policy networks, knowledge and policy entrepreneurs. Accounting Organisations and Society doi:10.1016/j.aos.2008.06.002: 1-19. De, P.K. (2011). Public Policy and Systems. New Jersey, NJ: Pearson Education. EASA Annual Safety Review: http://easa.europa.eu/newsroom-and-events/general publications European Commission. (2009). FWC Sector Competitiveness Studies- Competitiveness of the EU Aerospace Industry with focus on: Aeronautics Industry. European Commission Final Report, 15 December 2009. Ferroff, C., Mavin, T.J., Bates P.R. and Murray, P.S. (2012). A case for social constructionism in aviation safety and human performance research. Aeronautica, Issue 3, p. 1-12. Sandbag (2012), Aviation and the EU ETS: What happened in 2012 during ‘Stop the Clock’December 2012. Last retrieved on 14 May 2012 from http://www.sandbag.org.uk/site_media/pdfs/reports/Sandbag_Aviation_and_the_EU_ETS_2012_171213_1.pdf Zmarreno, C.M. (2012). EU aviation policy in terms of access market. Presentation for Euromed Aviation II: initial workshop on Market Access, Brussels, 17 December 2012.

Cambodia Case Study in Religion and Peacebuilding

Cambodia Case Study in Religion and Peacebuilding The history of Cambodia is closely associated with the intensive interaction of such important forces as the opposed political parties, influential external actors, and significant religious groups. The development of the nation in Cambodia directly depends on the relations of religion and politics in the country. From this point, it is important to focus on the effective peacebuilding activities and practices based on the religious principles and realized in Cambodia in order to regulate political conflicts in 1993 and 1998. Referring to the historic events, it is possible to state that religion is closely connected with politics in Cambodia in spite of the followed principles of the religious neutrality. Thus, Buddhism is the national religion in Cambodia, and the Buddhist monks played an important role in the political conflict regulation in 1993 and 1998 in spite of the stated ideas of neutrality and non-partisan roles. The Discussion of the Conflicts and the Timelines Before 1993, Cambodia was divided into two political factions that were in a constant developing conflict during a long period of time, without proposing any possible solutions. In addition, the Buddhist religious groups were inclined to preach peace and reconciliation as a way of diverting people’s attention from the political issues to the idea of the nation-building. The important events occurred in 1993 when the political coalition was organized as a result of the UNTAC activities and the 1993 elections. Cambodia has gained the political stability. However, the fragile coalition could not develop during a long period of time, and the year of 1997 was characterized by the examples of significant military violence. The tense situation in the country’s politics found its resolution in the elections of 1998 which aimed to promote the political stability in the country, but they also led to the post-elections conflicts (Morris 193-194). Thus, the timeline of the political conflicts in Cambodia includes several important dates which are the period of the elections in 1993, the military conflicts in 1997, the elections of 1998, and the post-elections conflicts. In spite of the fact that these conflicts were rather similar in their ideas, they differ significantly in relation to the role of Buddhist clergy and monks in these conflicts. Thus, if the Buddhist clergy focused on the peace walks as the main method to predict and resolve the conflicts in 1993, the Buddhist monks joined the opposition demonstrations in 1998, and they were actively involved in the post-election conflicts. Key Actors in the Cambodian Conflicts It is possible to determine three key actors of the Cambodian conflicts in 1993 and 1998. These actors as the opposite political forces struggling for the political dominance in the country, and the Buddhist clergy and monks who followed the principles of neutrality and non-violence proclaimed and developed by Maha Ghosananda (Morris 200). The opposed political parties followed two opposite ideologies which were based on the principles similar to Communism and Liberalism. Some politicians were inclined to use the pre- and post-elections conflicts to advance their interests and to oppress the population in Cambodia. The Buddhist clergy and monks represented the unique powerful actor in the social and political sphere of the country in spite of the fact that the ideals of Buddhism prohibited the active participation in the political activities. According to the developed Buddhism principles, the Buddhist clergy and monks in Cambodia were focused on the political neutrality in its combination with the social engagement, different non-partisan and non-violent strategies which were actively used in the process of resolving the conflicts in 1993 and 1998 (Morris 198). Religion, Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution, and Politics Focusing on the events of 1993 and 1998, it is possible to state that religion in Cambodia is a very influential tool to convince people to change their minds and follow certain practices and social paths. In spite of the shared ideology and principles of non-partisan participation and political neutrality, the approaches used by the Buddhist clergy and monks while participating the social and political events of 1993 and 1998 are rather different that is why the results of the conflicts and the role of the Buddhist monks in the processes are different. In 1993, the Buddhist monks demonstrated their focus on the social engagement without participating directly in the political conflicts, and this approach led to the effective conflict resolution. On the contrary, in 1998, the Buddhist monks were actively involved in the conflict, and they became the victims of the military violence as the other people. The conflict was not resolved appropriately (Morris, 200-201). Referring to these two situations, it is possible to state that the Buddhist clergy and monks were oriented to finding the balance between two opposite approaches in order to adjust them to the proclaimed principles of the social engagement connected with the idea of neutrality and non-partisan position of the Buddhist clergy and monks in relation to the political powers in the country. The Buddhist clergy and monks in Cambodia played an important role in relation to the peacebuilding in the country, especially with references to the events of 1993. Thus, the peace walks organized before the elections were discussed as the powerful tool to cease the tensions in the society and to calm the population (Morris 200). As a result, the ideals of the neutrality and non-violence were followed directly, and many contributions was made to the social peace before the significant political events. Thus, the associated demonstrations were discussed as peaceful ones. From this point, the conflict resolution was achieved with references to the peaceful methods. However, the events of 1998 demonstrated the results of the opposite approach used by the Buddhist clergy and monks to respond to the political and social situations. The Buddhist clergy were effective in relation to handling the conflict before the elections because of focusing on the peace activities. Nevertheless, the Buddhist clergy and monks became involved in the demonstrations after the elections of 1998. Thus, the Buddhist clergy and monks expressed their political position clearly instead of avoiding any partisan activities (Morris 202). As a result, the conflicts were not regulated effectively during a long period of time. The role of the Buddhist clergy and monks in regulating the conflicts in 1993 and 1998 was significant to influence the voter turnout positively and to contribute to the development of the peaceful activities and behaviours within the Cambodian society. However, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the Buddhist religion contributed to the peacebuilding in Cambodia with references to following the non-partisan roles and teaching the society how to handle the conflicts and stay peaceful in the context of problematic social and political situations. Morris, Catherine. â€Å"Case Studies in Religion and Peacebuilding†. Religion and Peacebuilding. Ed. Harold Coward and Gordon Smith. New York: State University of New York Press, 2004. 191-211. Print.

Discuss the meaning of the term metaphysical with regard to three poems in the book Essays

Discuss the meaning of the term metaphysical with regard to three poems in the book Essays Discuss the meaning of the term metaphysical with regard to three poems in the book Essay Discuss the meaning of the term metaphysical with regard to three poems in the book Essay Essay Topic: Andrew Marvell Poems Donne Poems The Book Of Three Metaphysical poetry is poetry that explores a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of existence and of knowledge. There are a number of trademark characteristics that feature in these poems that technically define them as metaphysical. Some of these features include the use of intellectual and reasoned persuasion, conceits, confrontational arguments and personification. In this book the metaphysical section looks at poems written before 1770 and by analysing three poems, I am hoping to identify the features that are most common in metaphysical poetry. I think it is important to discuss these features in order of importance to try and identify the main features with which you could identify a metaphysical poem. The poems I will look at are To His Coy Mistress, by Andrew Marvell, The Sun Rising, by John Donne, and To Daffodils, by Robert Herrick.Immediately, by looking at these poems, I can see that the purpose of all three poems is to persuade using reasoned logical arguments. In, To His Coy Mistress, with a series of arguments, Marvell is trying to persuade his shy love interest to have a sexual affair with him. This form of structured argument is favoured as oppose to the traditional practise of courting a woman. Because he has been courting this lady for so long and has yet succeeded in bedding her, he is frustrated and decides to embark on a different choice of tactic.This cleverly written poem aims to persuade her with an argument that is sectioned in three parts. In the first, he explains how things would and should be if they had the time. He tells her that if time werent an issue he would love her till the conversion of the Jews. This is ironic because the Jews will never convert to Christianity and this emphases the extent to which he would be prepared to wait for her virginity had he time. He tells her that if there were time to court, the way that she is torturing him would be no crime.The use of the word crime is ve ry strong and would inevitably make the lady feel like a criminal, guilty of tormenting this poor man. In the second part of the argument, Marvell turns to a more realistic note, telling her frankly that there is no time for games. He explains that with times winged chariot hurrying near they are fighting a war against time, where, if they dont hurry things along, they will loose the battle with time. He even tells her that if she doesnt have sex with him, the worms shall take her virginity when she dies. With this cruel argument, Marvell is hoping that he can scare her into sleeping with him. The argument closes with a section that tells her how they should seize the moment. By using the simile like amorous birds of prey, he is telling her that she should forget her coyness and make passionate love with him.The second poem in this section that uses an argument to persuade is The Sun Rising. In this poem, Donne is in bed with his lover and with the sun coming up, the daylight is mak ing their sexual appetite disappear. With this poem he is trying to persuade the sun to go away and leave them in the dark to make love. He says the sun is unruly to rise and a saucy pedantic wretch. From this, he is telling the sun that he is outrageous for halting his enjoyment and at the same time desperately dull for not appreciating how wonderful sex is. This use of opposites is otherwise known as an oxymoron.He tells the sun to go and wake up other people, like the king, and the the schoolboys and sour pretences because he is wasting his energy on someone who doesnt care. For him and his lover do not care for the rags of time because their love is stronger than time, Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime. He also asks him why he feels so powerful, so reverend and strong when his lover shines more brightly than the sun, and that he is surprised that her eyes have not blinded thine. In this argument Donne is trying to belittle the sun, steal his confidence and therefore, pe rsuade him to leave him in peace.In Daffodils, Herrick is trying to persuade the flowers that he loves so dearly, to stay with him forever, begging, stay stay. He compares the life cycle of a daffodil to that of humans explaining that like spring flowers have a short life, so do people. He tells the daffodils that if he waits till the evensong, which is a metaphor for winter, they can go together. He his trying to convince the flowers that they will not have to wait very long for him to die because humans have as short a spring as flowers do.Another characteristic that comes to my attention and features in all three poems is the poets use of geographical and scientific features, such as time and the cosmos to guide their arguments. In To His Coy Mistress, the theme of time and the lack of it is the main theme of the poem and strengthens his argument to his mistress. He also mentions places such as the Indian Ganges and the river Humber as part of his argument to show her how patient he would be if they had time. Even if she were on the other side of the world, he would wait. In The Sun Rising, geography and the cosmos is included in Donnes argument. He tells the sun that his lover is so precious and that her eyes are so bright, that the sun may very well see the riches of th Indias in her eyes.He also makes the sun feel powerless by telling it that the two lovers are the centre of the universe, thy sphere and that the sun is not. In To Daffodils, time and the cycle of life is the key theme of the poem. When Herrick compares the life of a daffodil to a human life he uses the different times of day as metaphors for the different seasons of the year. The early rising is the spring, noon, is the afternoon and evensong is the winter. By making this sort of comparison, he is making the daffodils relate to him and therefore encourage them not to leave when springtime ends. He encourages the daffodil slowly first, pleading with them to stay till the day is over, till the year is over and eventually till his human life is over, so that he can go with them.The last feature that occurs in all three of these poems is the use of personification. In To His Coy Mistress, time is personified when he tells his mistress that times winged chariot hurrying near means they are really fighting a personal battle with time, a war in which they have no way of winning if they do not seize the moment and have sex. In The Sun Rising, the whole poem is dedicated to the sun, indicating that the sun indeed has human characteristics in the eyes of John Donne.Further evidence of this is when he labels the sun as a busy old fool which clearly personifies the sun. In To Daffodils, the same principle applies when Herrick dedicates a whole poem to persuading the flowers not to leave him. By using the personal pronoun, you to address the daffodils he is personifying them as though they were humans. This love of personification by metaphysical poets is not the most prominent characteristic of metaphysical poems but it does feature in all three poems, so evidently it is one of the favoured devices.From my analysis there are many features which tend to define metaphysical poetry that occur frequently, and there are many more that I have not mentioned in this essay. However for me, these three are the characteristics that crop up most in these particular poems and undoubtedly, the use of a logical structured argument is not only popular but in most cases is the central purpose of the poem.