Limitations: Sample and Respondents

————————————————- Limitations The market research process carries many limitations. It is important to recognize these limitations as they can lead to less accurate or bias results.. The following points are recognized as limitations that must be addressed. * Method used * Respondents to the method * Time constraint * Resources Method used: When sampling our population a non-probability sampling method was chosen known as convenience sampling. This method possesses limitations which must be taken into consideration.Due to the nature of the method it can often have a poor reflection of the whole sample. In this research it has been found that through our method, younger age students are the students who are answering the surveys. Also a majority of respondents were from the business faculty rather than the arts, science etc. These factors can all limit the accuracy of the re sults. Respondents to the method: Corresponding with our chosen method is the limitation of accurate results due to respondents responses. They may give an answer that is not necessarily accurate due to laziness or inconvenience.The online surveys are also limited as researchers do not receive detailed knowledge or reasoning of why people have put certain answers. Internet surveys can also lead to misunderstandings and it may be hard to follow up respondents, as you may not know who has answered the survey. Time Constraint: Other limitations that should be recognized is time. Due to the duration constraint placed upon the research process, limitations arose. Through more time the market research could have been done in a more detailed and thurrer manner using the most effective method.Resources: The resources available also limited us to get the most accurate results as possible; we were not able to get a list of all Macquarie students to ensure a more accurate reflection of the pop ulation was used. Also It is known that experience of the actual researches themselves can vary results. Inexperienced researches may not use the best survey method and may subconsciously jump to conclusions throughout the research. As this is our first time conducting such research limitation occur due to this. ————————————————-Recommendations for overcoming limitations The method used did tend to limit the accuracy of our research. This could be overcome by using another method, one categorized under probability sampling such as simple random sampling would produce a more accurate reflection of the sample and there would be less room for a bias result. Respondents may also give conclusions that are not accurate. This can be overcome by assuring the survey is simple, easy and clear. It could be done in many languages to overcome limitations with students who do not speak fluent English.The issues with time had an impact on the richness of research. To follow respondents up with interviews or any further questions, the survey could include a space for the respondents email. This could also enable in depth interviews to create a deeper understanding of respondents answers. Lastly the fact that this research has been carried out by inexperienced first time researchers is a limitation. This can be overcome through advice from professional researchers in order to achieve the most accurate results possible.

Business ethics Essay

The role that ethics plays in strategic management has changed drastically in the last 20 years. It was rare to find companies that had ethics in the forefront of their management plans in the 1990s. Business was all about maximizing profit/shareholder equity. Incidents like Enron’s bankruptcy caused a big change in management style. â€Å"Enron’s failure in 2001 represents the biggest business bankruptcy ever while also spotlighting corporate America’s moral failings. † (Silversmith, 2013) That spotlight showed a moral environment fraught with greed and shortsightedness where long term growth for companies was concerned. New government regulations on business make it more important that the Board of Directors, CEO and CFO takes more responsibility for how they run the company. Shareholders are also demanding more of the leaders of businesses. For a time, shareholders did not pay attention to how the company was run as long as they received their dividends. Now they are are much more aware. Many people were hurt financially by the bankruptcies and re-valuations of those companies with questionable practices. Pursuit of profits is no longer the main emphasis for many companies. The emphasis is now on ethical issues including environmental, employee satisfaction, and consumer satisfaction. â€Å"Ethics and integrity are at the core of sustainable long term success. † Says Richard Rudden, managing partner at Target Rock Advisors in New York State. â€Å"Without them, no strategy can work, as Enron demonstrated, enterprises will fail. That is despite having some of the ‘smartest’ guys in the room. † Another area that was affected by the lack of corporate ethics was the mortgage industry. Regulations were relaxed, and some larger banks took it as a chance to make a lot of money very quickly. They wrote bad loans for people that could not pay. Using sub-prime methods led to a lot of people that could not afford to buy a home getting mortgages. When they could not pay, the banks found is financially more advantageous to foreclose rather than try to work with the borrowers. They are still doing that to this day, even with government mandated refinance programs. Unfortunately, some people/organizations take longer to learn a lesson than others. References Silversmith, K. (2013, May 14). Enron, Ethics and Todays Corporate Values. Retrieved from Forbes. com.

Cisco’s Web Enablement Essay

CEO John Chambers believed that â€Å"by providing the end-to-end network plumbing, we can change the way entire companies and industries operate. † How did Cisco’s IT web-enablement initiatives reinforce and demonstrate that belief? Explain your answer with examples. Cisco began web development in early 1990s. Cisco invested around $100 million to web-enable all the applications using standard set of tools and smart group of people. Most of the interactions with customers, partner and suppliers were network-based and began at Cisco’s home page which allowed them to do business with Cisco more efficiently and effectively. Below are some of the examples of the intranet and internet applications that were built part of this initiative: Intranet Applicationss: Employee Self-Service & Communication and distance learning: Cisco’s corporate intranet, Cisco Employee Connection, a centralized portal to access the information, tools and resources needed to streamline processes, facilitate knowledge exchange and maximize employee productivity met the unique needs of 40,000 plus employees. Training modules were available to employees to be trained from their desktops through the distance learning application. The usage of training modules was tracked to improve the quality and its effectiveness. Personalized home pages using ‘My Yahoo! ’ retrieved information from the internet based on user preferences and pushed it to their desktops. Cisco’s quarterly meetings were available for employees to be viewed from their desktop. This not just doubled the attendance but also enhanced the Cisco’s culture of maintaining a strong relationship with each employee. Internet Applications: Customer Self-service through website Cisco’s customer self-service portal built on Cisco. com, a comprehensive, web-based, online resource for information and networked application, was the primary vehicle for delivering responsive, around the clock support for its customers. They relied on Cisco. com to get their questions answered, diagnose network problems, provided solutions and expert assistance worldwide. It was translated into 17 languages for international customers. Cisco’s customers were highly satisfied and enjoyed the lower cost of doing business with Cisco than those who do not used internet based applications to support. Net commerce through the web: Cisco was an early pioneer in using the internet for full electronic commerce. Customer could place and track their orders using Cisco. com. As of January 2001, internet-commerce-based revenue represented 92% of the total revenue base. Productivity gains of 60% for Cisco and 20% for Customers and resellers were being realized through online commerce. Besides the above examples there were other intranet and internet based applications which increased the productivity of its employees and improved supply chain process & customer satisfaction. Thus the above web-enabled systems reinforce and demonstrate the CEO’s belief of changing how companies and business operate. It was very clear that Cisco was successful in the principles of using internet in doing general business.

Summarize Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Summarize - Essay Example This means that students were expected to understand the lectures through the discussion forum. This helps the students in learning the lecture in a wider context. This leads to learning environment where speaking is not necessary. No set rules regarding learning strategy was provided by the instructor but the instructed provided guidelines regarding how communication should take place between students in the forum. The coursed focused on team based work as students helped each other in finding solutions and students were even encouraged to look for solutions on their own. Attendance for the course was not required, lectures were not deemed necessary, topics were given to the students and students were made to find content for the topics on their own. The course seemed to be quite vague as the course did not even provided any guidelines regarding course outcomes. The course overview already focuses on the interaction and the learning

The Climate for Change by Al Gore Pg. 301 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Climate for Change by Al Gore Pg. 301 - Essay Example children would want the people today to hear and recognize the truth of the prevailing situation, before everything might be too late (Laurence and Rosen 301). Al Gore was simply trying to show special concern on the preservation of life in this world. Based on his speech, this looks like the very reason in the first place why he initiated primary move of encouraging and informing everyone of the prevailing condition of planet earth in the advent of man-made contribution to the climate change. Thus, the entire speech of Gore consists of very important points in order to justify what he actually would want to convey to the people prior to convincing them so as they would create elemental actions for the preservation of life. The first point was all about addressing the climate crisis. For Gore, attending to this problem is just the same way on how one should do it with the prevailing concerns on economic and energy security crisis. â€Å"Here is the good news: the bold steps that are needed to solve the climate crisis are exactly the same steps that ought to be taken in order to solve the economic crisis and the energy security crisis (Laurence and Rosen 301). Gore was just actually emphasizing at this point on how exactly to simultaneously hit various opportunities with one essential decision. He was offering in as much as possible the best move to initiate in order to address both economic and environmental concerns associated with global warming issue. For him, it would be the best move to identify first the real cause of the problem and after that initiate an action plan as the basis of actual implementation for the solution-making process. So as for the second point of Gore’s speech, here are the important plans or suggestions that he presented to the people (Laurence and Rosen 302-303). For Gore it would be now the right time to invest in alternative sources of energy such as geothermal, wind, and solar energy. To implement this, Gore encouraged the executive

Music Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Music Market - Essay Example Increases the thought as to whether or not the availability of illegal digital music online has an affect on the traditional music delivery sales. Thus driving the music industries marketing developers into over coming such possible downfalls in the traditional music delivery sale statistics and push for a contemporary style of integrating tradition and modernism into an approach that will appeal to the higher and lower income groups, therefore hopefully decreasing the consumers need to illegally acquire their favorite tunes online and buy at a nominal subscription fee. The Australian music industry has been performing experiments within the online music industry, by various companies fighting to stay alive and keep up with the technological storm. Various online stores such as HMV (http://www.hmv.com.au) and Sanity (http://www.sanity.com.au), JB Hi-Fi (http://www.jbhifi.com.au), Chaos Music (http://www.chaosmusic.com), Whammo (http://www.whammo.com.au) and the Dick Smith Electronics (http://www.dse.com.au) have and are been supplied with downloadable music by a hosting company called Destra (http://www.destra.com). In April 2004, ninemsn had launched their music download service (http://ninemsn.com.au/music) and other telecommunications companies such as Telstra (http://www.telstra.com) have been also experimenting within a similar neighborhood, by keeping up with subscription based music supply, the Australian and global market will stay alive says Ninemsn Pty Ltd (1997 - 2007). The most innovative distribution of technological modernism within the global market is the Apple iTunes (http://www.itunes.com) system. Declaring more than thirteen million legal downloads. Apple has not yet announced their release date within the Australian market yet, however it will be inevitable. Apple iTunes allows the consumer to pay for their favorite tune, download it, use the tune as they like, however only accessing the ability to play that tune on their Apple iPod player and no other devices, thus limiting the cause for mass piracy. The one area that has succeeded against piracy of mass illegal music downloading is through convincing the consumers to pay for the downloaded music as ring-tones to their mobile phones. Ninemsn Pty Ltd (1997 - 2007) stated the ring-tone sales were escalating over revenue sales of one billion US dollars within 2003 alone, according to the IDC (http://www.idc.com.au). The modern consumers are demanding for more and more as newer kinds of technological devices and file delivery formats are being designed and released onto the market. The buying power has shifted from traditional delivery devices to more modern digital delivery devices and software. Global statistics have shown the consumers would rather unethically download illegal music through free systems such as Kazaa, because as the traditional music delivery devices such as Cd's and DVD's prices increase, the consumers are forced to buy less than what they had in the past because it is just too expensive to buy full albums and only essentially require half of the songs on it. This is one of the factors why consumers are moving towards the online music market and because it is extremely simple to find the songs they require online rather than searching in a If Music is the Food of Love, Log on 3 music

Organizational Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organizational Analysis - Assignment Example Since its commencement in 1911, IBM has transformed as technological leader to presently possess around 433,000 employees and was accredited by Fortune as the second biggest United States based company with regard to employee number. Moreover, it is determined as fourth biggest in terms of market capitalization and ninth ranked in terms of profitability (ClearNexus, 2012). Besides, IBM holds many awards for its business-leading employment procedures and policies (IBM, n.d.). The company generates value for its customers and resolves business problems through rendering many different solutions that pull information technology and deep knowledge of business processes. IBM Global Services enable the company to address the needs of varied individual and organizational customers with the aid of IT consulting and services (IBM, 2012). Mission Statement and Role of HR in IBM IBM, as a company, deeply cherishes three of the most important values that are very much required for a company in o rder to reach exceptionable heights. IBM takes care of its employees and trusts its employees along with enabling the whole organization to follow their personal responsibilities at all levels in order to sustain themselves with the global standards. Thus, the three main mission statements that IBM follow: Devotion towards each and every client’s accomplishment Innovation and creativity that matters-for the organization and for the world Trust and human responsibility in each of its relationships (IBM, n.d.) Role of HR in Fostering IBM’s Mission Statement The role of human resource (HR) manager and department is considered to be one of the most critical constituents, which requires a lot of skills such as recruitment, staffing, brainstorming, designing payrolls, talent management, and employee retention among others. It is a kind of role that requires significant amount of multi-tasking skills and is very challenging (Dessler, 2011). IBM, being a company with a very la rge manpower, functions in a challenging and innovative environment in terms of managing the human assets as its resources. It believes in taking care of its customers and employees through different sections catering to the needs of the different people (Dessler, 2011). IBM follows a different HR aspect which was reorganized by Randy MacDonald, the senior vice president of human resources of the company. He segregated IBM’s 330,000 employees into three segments of customers including executive and technical employees as well as managers along with rank and file. Randy MacDonald has set up separate human resource management teams comprising training, recruitment and compensation specialists who concentrate on addressing the requirements of each staff segment. These particularly trained or specialized teams ensure that all the employees in the different segments get proper training, information and compensation as per the requirement and competency of the employees in order to support IBM’s needs (Dessler, 2011). Thus, IBM strongly believes on segmentation of the teams so that the needs and requirements of the different employees and customers can be taken care of. By following this policy, IBM not only caters to the need of the people but also manages the workplace in a very suitable manner. It also enables the company to dedicatedly meet its

Human resources management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human resources management - Assignment Example It mainly encompasses the domain of tasks which seeks to ensure the welfare of workers and taking care of their concerns. However, the modern HRM functions has emerged out of the concept of regarding employees and workers as resources in their organizations required for meeting organizational goals and objectives. HRM considers people as their first priority and tries to secure management objectives by maximization of the return of investment of those resources (Brumfitt, Barnes, Norris & Jones, p.4). 1.2 Contribution of HRM function to Virgin Atlantic There have been major changes in Virgin Atlantic since its ownership by the Virgin Group and Singapore Airlines. This necessarily implies a complete restructuring of its existing policies and strategies. The focus has been towards retaining a customer centric approach and deliver new and innovative services towards its customers. The main idea is to retain its market position by setting new standards of services towards customers. It i s imperative that this would require recreating HR strategies for meeting the new organizational needs. In this case particularly, restructuring would call for resistances and opposition from the workforce of the organization which needs to be handled. New HRM functions would mainly cater towards helping the organization towards meeting its purpose, motivating employees through the change process and handling change management issues at large. 1.3 Roles and Responsibilities of line Managers in Virgin Atlantic Line Managers are said to remain in close contact with the employees and as such they remain most aware of the present issues and concerns of the employees. This called for the involvement of line managers in managing the human resources in the organization. They are responsible for understanding the present and the future conditions of the organizations and the external environment in which it operates. They are also responsible for knowing the future requirements from the lea ders in the organization. That means they focus on the potential performance of the organization. This means developing the human resource in the organization so as to develop the potential performance. Line managers are also involved in various developmental activities which include group session, one to one activities, conducting company projects, conducting a feedback and system and a coaching system too. Line managers are associated with personal development programs catering to the needs of the organization too (Martindale, â€Å"Guide to leadership development in 11 steps†). 1.4 Legal and Regulatory framework on HRM in Virgin Atlantic Since the profitability of any airline links closely with the economic growth of the region, it remains subjected to various rules and regulations. Recently the UK Government has become particularly cautious about security checks at UK airports. The UK CAA is especially responsible for monitoring risk based performance of the airline. Apar t from that the SRG employs a team of specialists to monitor the activities of the airline in different areas (Civil Aviation Authority-a, â€Å"The Specialist Teams†). This includes testing pilot capacities, aircraft maintenance, flying, training and recreational activities etc. The airline industry is

Children and Advertisement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Children and Advertisement - Essay Example The advertisers target the children in their advertisement since they are the most likely to change and adopt the corporations ideologies. Companies and large advertising agents seek to create a future investment by influencing the children today without considering some of the effects they pose to these children. Changing a child’s perspective today means that the child will be oriented into buying the said product in the future and has a minimum chance to be influenced by the then advertisements. The paper will deliberate on the effects caused by television advertisements to children. The paper will reference children as a term to represent all those below the age of eighteen years. The first effect attributed to watching commercials on the television is being persuaded to seek the product. Dittmann (2014) states that children tend to recall most of the ad’s content following a single exposure to the commercial. These commercials increase a child’s desire to possess the advertised product without considering the limitations and the challenges associated with the acquisition. Commercials incorporate psychological research to make them more compelling and convincing (Dittmann, 2014). Through the use of doublespeak, these advertisements persuade the children that they ought to have the product and an easy way to achieve their goal is to nag the parent. Doublespeak is the deliberate use of language that disguises the actual meaning (Lutz, 1997). Advertisers have adopted the use of doublespeak in their commercials to mask their intent and persuade children into acquiring these products. Lutz (1997) states that advertisers use words to show product superiority even when the products are of equal quality to the competitors’. For example, advertisers gloss over the competition’s disadvantages that certain products present through the manner in which they

Construction Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Construction Project Management - Essay Example Current projected demand for planned wind farm construction ranges between US$ 8 – 10 billion, based on an estimate of US$ 200 million for 50 MW wind farms (European Bank, 2011 and Bobylev, 2009). Wind power in Russia is still low compared to other European countries. Thus, the following are some of the anticipated large projects in Russia: However, it has been observed that factors such as corruption, differences in language and culture, a tendency by the government to indulge in politically motivated campaigns against foreign firms as well as terrorism are likely to pose problems to investors. However, given the lucrativeness of the construction industry in Russia, it is possible for Natural Power Consultants to overcome such difficulties. It has been proposed that a cautious approach has to be taken upon entry into this market. The company must have something to offer and the impact of corruption should not be ignored. This section of the study seeks to critically analyse information about Russia, its construction industry as well as various cultural issues that often shape the operations of organisations in this country. Thus, according to Datamonitor (2011b), the construction and engineering industry in the Russian Federation shrank by about 20 percent in 2009. Although most of the construction within the energy sector emphasises oil and gas pipelines, Russia has on-going wind farm projects. These include the ones within the 50 – 150 MW rated capacity range (European Bank, 2011). Recently, Russia announced a plan for investment of about US$200 million for what is yet to become the largest wind farm project in the country. This includes the 50 MW city of Yeisk wind farm located on the coast of the Sea of Azov (RIA Novosti, 2010). Based on a construction cost figure of US$200 million / 50 MW capacities for a wind farm in Russia, the following relatively large projects

Mobile Phones for University Students Essay Example for Free

Mobile Phones for University Students Essay Nowadays modern technology is developing so rapidly that people can hardly catch up with its pace. There is no doubt that mobile phones, as a new industry of modern technology, have got into people’s life. As sensitive reflectors of information and fashion, more and more mobile phone users have appeared in the campus everywhere. While some students are enjoying whatever mobile phones have brought to us, there are others who stand against it. This essay will explain the possible effects of mobile phone use on university students, focusing on the benefits and drawbacks. The main benefits of mobile phones in university are as follows. Firstly, there is no denying the fact that mobile phones have made campus life more convenient. A recent survey found that mobile phones are becoming part of university life and 99. 7% of students use their own mobile phones to communicate with others (Ransford, 2009). As it can be seen, mobile phones provide students with a fast and convenient way of communication, such as getting in touch with schoolmates and hunting for jobs, which was previously unimaginable. Secondly, instead of going to the PC lab and finding computers to look for news on current events, students can use mobile-network to search the Internet. It is by this means that university students can broaden their horizon and enrich their minds. Lastly, with the help of mobile phones, students can do work more efficiently. Many students in university treat mobile phones as electronic dictionary and chart with teachers for academic purpose. They share useful information related to their lessons and solve academic problems sometimes. In this way, mobile phones not only can save our time and energy but also help with our study. However, the negative effects are also obvious. Above all, more and more university students are indulged in Java QQ and online games, which make them weak in study. Moreover, some even use mobile phones to cheat in the examinations. It has been reported that almost 80% university students use Java QQ constantly and more than half of them are in favor of it. Only less than 1/3 of them comment that it is bad to our health and study if students spend too much time on Java QQ and online games. Some students even spend a whole day playing with their mobile phones and send thousands of short messages every day. If they do not use Java QQ a day, they will feel anxious (Yang, 2009). In other words, some university students have regarded playing with mobile phones as a kind of habit and fashion. In the second place, some students often make comparison of others’ mobile phones. They always want to own an attractive and high-grade one. Consequently, it costs them too much money and energy to buy a new style in order to gratify their vanity. Finally, mobile phones in university also bring some health risks, both physical and mental, if not properly used. It has been highlighted the fact that some pornographic video and photos of two U.  S. high school girls was spread so rapidly that even police were hard to stop them. In addition, District Attorney James B. Martin said that at least 40 Parkland High School students believed to have received the pornographic images (Rubinkam, 2008). It is really harmful to university students’ future development, especially those are immature. In conclusion, everything has its advantages and disadvantages, and mobile phone is no exception. On the one hand, using mobile phones in university can help students communicate with each other more convenient, have rich knowledge and study more efficiently. On the other hand, mobile phones can also have bad influence on learning; encourage students’ vanities as well as mental injury. In my point of view, therefore, there are three solutions which can solve this problem. Firstly the university authority should intensify publicity and education. Secondly coercive measures can be put into effect, such as shielding the mobile phones in classrooms and libraries. Lastly university students should promote themselves and fight temptation. A brighter future is awaiting us if we make good use of mobile phones.

Expository research paper Essay Example for Free

Expository research paper Essay Minority students have been discriminated against for a very long time; many people think that minorities don’t have the same opportunities as others, but in reality they have many advantages. Minority students have opportunities to get into good colleges and getting more scholarships than other non-minority students. Colleges look for the obvious things like grades, and extracurricular activities and all those things but what most really want is to have diversity in the college and therefore colleges need minority students. Colleges read students’ applications thoroughly, so colleges’ look for stuff that sticks out, stuff that makes a student different than the rest one thing that might sticks out is race. In the article is says, â€Å"An applicants final determination of what to say about race is often made consultation with a college counselor. Many counselors may convey to families that a multiracial applicant has a better chance of being admitted to a highly selective college than those in any other racial or ethnic category. †(Saulny). This tells how a multiracial student may have a better chance of getting into a good college than those in other racial or ethnic categories. â€Å"Many private scholarships are geared toward minorities because they are looking for something in particular†(Borowski). The author talks about how private colleges seek at minorities, which tells that they consider race are when choosing students. Molina 2 Scholarships are used to help students get into college, but some scholarships are targeted to specific students, most likely minority students. This also could equal disadvantages to non-minority students. In this article the author says, â€Å"Some private scholarships are based on a students characteristics such as race, ethnicity, and religion, and some are based on professional affiliations or future career choices†(Borowski). Private scholarships look for very specific things in students which show how much of a disadvantage some students have in. The article talks about one student’s problem, â€Å"As Johnson found, private scholarships can extremely selective. â€Å"When I research all the grants and scholarships out there, they are all really specific, targeted towards everyone but me, he says, Are you a Pacific islander who plays tuba? There is a scholarship for you. Or a woman from an inner city who works with animals? There’s a grant for you. But a hard working boy from the suburbs? Nothing. †(Borowski). The author shows how very specific scholarships can be and how they affect other people who do not fit the description of what that scholarship wants. Another reason why minorities have an advantage is because of stereotypes even if it doesn’t apply to that student. In an article a student says, â€Å"I just realized that my race is something I have to think about,† she describes herself as having an Asian mother and a black father. â€Å"It pains me to say this, but putting down black might help admission. †(Saulny). This states how putting down a specific race might better or worsen someone’s chances depending on that particular race. A mother states, â€Å"My 17 year old son is a high B student and an excellent athlete, but we’ve been unable to find any scholarships for him because he’s white. † Elizabeth says, Johnson also says â€Å"We aren’t wealthy. We don’t take on fancy vacations and we do without a lot of things. Yet because I’m white, I don’t get a hand. There are all kinds or nationalities at Molina 3 my high school, whose families have a lot more money than we have, and yet they are getting scholarships. †(Saulny). This tells how stereotypes can give minority students an advantage by colleges stereotyping and giving help to those who don’t really need it instead of to the ones that do. Minority students also think that it is a disadvantage being a minority but in reality it can be an advantage against non-minority students. Minority students are what colleges look for. There are scholarships targeted towards minorities, and due to stereotypes there are advantages. These affect more than just minority students, it basically affects everyone because being a non-minority is at a disadvantage of getting a scholarship or getting into a good college. In today’s society someone’s race could affect their future. Saulny, Susan, and Jacques Steinberg. On College Forms, a Question of Race, or Races, Can Perplex. New York Times 13 June 2011: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. http://www. nytimes. com/2011/06/14/us/ 14admissions. html? pagewanted=all_r=2. Borowski, Susan. Scholarships and the White Male: Disadvantaged or Not? Insight into Diversity. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. http://www. insightintodiversity. com/ scholarships-and-the-white-male-disadvantaged-or-not-by-susan-borowski.

Causes And Prevention Of Child Abuse Social Work Essay

Causes And Prevention Of Child Abuse Social Work Essay Many difficulties stem from the victims that have faced and will face child abuse and neglect on a daily basis. The research into the root causes, effects, intervention, and prevention of child abuse and neglect has become abundant to the point, that it is unclear as to which approach would be most successful in curbing the tide of child violence and neglect. A thorough analysis of the research that is currently available helped to enable finding options for addressing the problem, how early prevention works, warning signs to look out for, and effective programs developed for schools. To properly evaluate how effective the current wellness programs in preventing or treating victims of child abuse and neglect, it is important to first define what the issue entails. Each State provides its own definitions of child abuse and neglect based on minimum standards set by Federal law. Federal legislation lays the groundwork for States by identifying a minimum set of acts or behaviors that def ine child abuse and neglect (Child Welfare Information Gateway). An essential aspect of the Federal government, in this sense, is to define the laws broadly so that the states can make more stringent regulations as they see fit. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum: Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm (Ibid). Uniting a movement to improve programs and literature so the issue can be prevented from occurring to a child is paramount to a youths development in any region of the world. It is therefore extremely important to note the issues early, so that possible victims and caretakers can be proactive versus reactive. Examination of child abuse and neglect victims in the field of psychology has shown that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦problems with self-management, impulse control, frequent anger outbursts, substance abuse, developmental delays, antisocial [behavior], [as well as] difficulty with concentrating in school and symptoms of psychopathology, for example, depression, psychotic disorder (Christoffersen DePanfilis, 2009, p. 32). These symptoms cannot always be avoided, no matter what treatment is applied later, which is the reason that early education is crucial. Developing a holistic approach to treat such conditions early on and to continue to monitor, as well as, educate participants is definitely the best route to take, but it can also be expensive and possibly unaffordable. Research Figures Statistics about child abuse and neglect victims help lay a foundation of what factors are in the equation in order for appropriate policy, regulations, and campaigns to be produced. Mogans Christoffersen and Diane DePanfilis journal article, Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and Improvements in Child Development (2009), studied whether an improvement in mental development of children could be enriched by the reduction of certain abuse and neglect conditions. Their research indicated that, 70 percent of children in the study who had been exposed to physical abuse were exposed to psychological maltreatment as well, while 73 percent of the children who had not been exposed to physical abuse did not experience psychological maltreatment (Christoffersen DePanfilis, 2009, p. 31). Another even more concerning topic is the underreporting with some of the conditions or stimuli found in their research. They found that, child abuse and neglect on the basis of recorded files may underestim ate the number of abused children in the community, (Ibid, p. 37) because of the ramifications of such actions. Child victims can sometimes fear reporting because of not wanting to get in trouble, as well as, adults that fear that they could cause a child to be taken away from his or her family. Preparedness for addressing these types of frequently asked questions should be a key aspect of treatment for victims. The article indicated that a comprehensive assessment should specify the treatment because different types of abuse and neglect require different types of interventions (Ibid, p. 38). Maltreatment of children has numerous more categories than just abuse or neglect. Therefore, a tailored treatment to the situation needs to be used; otherwise the intervention part of treatment will be inadequate. Policymakers and researchers have found that child abuse affects the development of a number of mental and physical factors in a child, which may not be apparent at first glance. While physical abuse might be the most visible sign, other types of abuse, such as emotional abuse or child neglect, also leave deep, long lasting scars (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010). It was found that, our failure as a nation to implement effective policies and strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect costs taxpayers $104 billion per year and does not consider the personal toll on the victimized child (Hmurovich, 2009, p. 12). In these studies, it became apparent that the effects of not attempting to discuss this issue more have adversely affected all of the stakeholders involved. It is therefore within the best interest of the United States, as well as, many countries around the world to be more mindful of the problem. The old adage, timing is everything is crucial to the matter of early intervention and prevention services. A reason for this is, the earlier abused children get help, the greater chance they have to heal from their abuse and not perpetuate the cycle (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010). What may shock many people about this issue is the people that are generally involved in these matters already know each other. About, 95 percent of the sexual abuse of youngsters is done by family members, those who work with children, or those who know them. Current information indicates that strangers essentially make up about 5 percent of the reported documented cases (Friedman, 2010). The stigma that ensues for parents of child abuse victims is that they do want their childs past to follow them around for the rest the childs life. Caretakers and parents of many children might prefer to use alternative methods to resolve the matter in a private way so as to not have it show up anywhere on the childs per sonal record (Ibid). This form of underreporting unfortunately allows the criminal to continue to repeat his or her actions and not get punished (Ibid). It is the responsibility of the community to be a sort of checks and balances to counteract this type of disregard for the greater good of their municipality. Putting research into action, enough to make a significant difference, is the next logical step for thwarting child abuse and neglect. An abused childs life can be and will be forever changed after the action that occurs. Much of the research in academia about the matter, [shows] a strong correlation between child abuse and neglect and debilitating and chronic health consequences, delinquency, criminal behavior, mental health illness, drug dependency and lower academic performance (Hmurovich, 2009, p. 12). The result is a child that has unnecessary issues, which could have been avoided with earlier treatment. In the United States, abuse and neglect is a high enough concern, for the general populace, that it justifies talking and working with families and providers about what they can do. Emotional distress from unpermitted behavior of a penalizing adult or older child always causes deep impacts in the community at large (Friedman, 2010). The community has to therefore communicate wit h children at different stages in the education process. Addressing the Problems A multifaceted approach of, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦child abuse and neglect prevention must be understood uniformly and the message must be to prevent child abuse and neglect from ever happening. To implement a national child abuse and neglect prevention policy, it is essential that funding streams be assessed and then realigned (Hmurovich, 2009, p. 12). After finding where and how much cash will be needed to provide the solutions to the problem it is necessary to make a strategic plan of how to implement the changes. An integral part of the strategic plan should be training community members, specifically youths, in ways to be sensitive to the problems of child abuse and neglect. Training methods can be divided into two distinct groups: information-based approaches and behavioral skills training programs. In information-based approaches information is presented verbally by the trainer or through the use of a video, play, or activity book (Kopp Miltenberger, 2009, p. 193). In information-bas ed training the material that children learn include, how to prevent attacks or abuse, and then are tested to see if they retained the information (Ibid). The other approach known as behavior skills training seeks to see how well a child has retained information by having them perform specific actions. Children in behavioral skills training programs are presented with similar information; however, behavioral skills training programs emphasize active rehearsal of skills by the participants (Kopp Miltenberger, 2009, p. 193). At the moment, there is no foolproof method to determining which families in communities are at higher risk for child abuse and neglect (McCurdy, 1995). There are no social, economic, gender, racial, or political barriers that can properly be correlated or connected with the type of person that will commit such behavior. Since the act of abusing a child seems to cross all barriers; it becomes paramount to find ways to strongly address this issue. Coordinated efforts have been established to try and see if there is a connection between any particular groups of people other than by demographic. The results were definitive, but are not quite as simple to recognize as a standard indicator. A plethora of, theoretical models exist that suggest that certain personal, familial, and environmental factors contribute to an increased likelihood of maltreatment. For example, learning theories suggest that individuals who have been raised in abusive or neglectful environments or have had limited experiences with positive relationships are likely to replicate these parenting behaviors with their own children (Ibid). Models however are only one aspect of the comprehensive effort to reducing the epidemic of child abuse and neglect that occurs in the United States every day. Not only is it surprising that it is usually a family member or close friend of the child that performs the malicious act of child abuse and/or neglect, but also stress can cause onset reactions towards underlying motivations to the action. Individuals under stress or lacking the emotional or financial capacity to deal with the demands of child rearing may lash out at their children. Still others argue that social policies that fail to nurture positive human interactions and leave communities without adequate social, health, or educational infrastructures create an environment ripe for abusive and violent behaviors (Ibid). On the neglect side of the issue, there are also many warning signs that the community needs to examine. An example could be that a home is normally empty with no adult supervision, while the children in the household cause issues in the community or the streets (Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance). Whether it is abuse or neglect that a community is dealing with, it is always crucial to start interpreting the root causes sooner rather than later. Early Prevention Recognizing the signs of abuse before they become a problem that can be solved without criminal or legal action can usually help people have a greater ability to cope. Moreover, it is useful to demonstrate to communities across the country that abuse and neglect are a global problem, and not just one found in the United States (Phakathi, 2009). If the issue were to hit closer to home such as a, husband or boyfriend of the victims mother, than it would not be as hard for the family to notice sexual abuse, according to a study done by the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States of America (Ibid). Conversely in the same study it was found that, emotional abuse typically came from female relatives (Ibid). Naturally the information found from the study can be used to help recognize and prevent some of the frequently caused risk factors associated with abuse. In order to avoid the externalities that face communities if they do not take a path towards early intervention and prevention, it is helpful to remind them of the loved ones that are in danger if appropriate actions are not taken. Moreover, the pictures of missing children that appeared on milk cartons, billboards, and telephone books were and are constant reminders that untold numbers of children have disappeared, some possibly becoming victims of sexual abuse (Reppucci Haugaard, 1989, p. 1266). Reporting improper conduct can be a difficult aspect to swallow for those that are most at risk because they may not be mature enough to comprehend the gravity of the situation (Ibid). First, the child must recognize that he or she is in an abusive situation. Then the child must believe that he or she can and should take some sort of action. Finally, the child must possess and use specific self-protective skills (Ibid, p. 1267). According to the article Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse: My th or Reality by Reppucci and Haugaard (1989) they found that in order for programs to be effective they must also be age appropriate. Warning Signs Being highly perceptive to the needs of a community or to the needs of an individual child takes training and some common sense. A greater awareness cannot only save the lives of some but improve the lives of many. The research done from the website Helpsite.org on the topic of child abuse and neglect sheds some light on the subject. The warning signs that a child might exhibit include: Lack of trust and relationship difficulties Abuse by a primary caregiver damages the most fundamental relationship as a child that [they] will safely, reliably get [his or her] physical and emotional needs met by the person who is responsible for [his or her] care. Without this base, it is very difficult to learn to trust people or know who is trustworthy. This can lead to difficulty maintaining relationships due to fear of being controlled or abused. It can also lead to unhealthy relationships because the adult doesnt know what a good relationship is (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010). Core feelings of being worthless or damaged [Many are] told over and over again as a child that [they] are stupid or no good, it is very difficult to overcome these core feelings. [The child] may experience them as reality. Adults may not strive for more education, or settle for a job that may not pay enough, because they dont believe they can do it or are worth more (Saisan, Smith, Segal, 2010). Trouble regulating emotions Abused children cannot express emotions safely. As a result, the emotions get stuffed down, coming out in unexpected ways. Adult survivors of child abuse can struggle with unexplained anxiety, depression, or anger. They may turn to alcohol or drugs to numb out the painful feelings (Ibid). Prevention Programs Child abuse prevention efforts are of 3 general typesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦primary prevention effortsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [which] address a broad segment of the population (such as all new parents), secondary prevention efforts, such as the home visitation (or nurse-family partnership) programà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦target a specific subset of the population considered to be at higher risk for child maltreatment, [and] tertiary prevention efforts target perpetrators of child maltreatment and seek primarily to prevent recidivism (Dias, et al., 2005). The most commonly used programs that fall under primary prevention are student education programs done in public schools. These programs are extremely popular, because they teach children at a very early age what abuse really is, and how to protect themselves against it. Because child abuse prevention education can be a very frightening introduction to sexual issues, (Whatley Trudell, 1988) many of these school based programs are taught as part of a larger p ersonal safety or health and wellness course. This also eases some parents objections that the subject matter is too intense for small children. In addition to arguments regarding subject matter, there are also opponents of school based abuse prevention instruction that feel these programs implicitly challenge the sanctity of the family (Whatley Trudell, 1988) by taking the power to educate children away from the parents. These detractors are in the minority, however, and as of 1991, 61% of all elementary schools report[ed] offering some kind of preventive education (Plummer, 2001). While these programs are popular with public schools nationally, Indiana itself has no law mandating sex abuse education courses, and there is no uniformity among the schools that do teach it. Some education classes are taught as aforementioned, in connection with the health and safety curriculum by the students teacher, while others are only taught briefly, during a special presentation for the class o r the entire school. Still other public schools, and many private schools do not teach the curriculum at all, due to limited funds, lack of staff, lack of trained staff, topic not viewed as a high priority, topic should be addressed by parents, [or] counselors handle the problem when necessaryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Lanning Massey-Stokes, 2006). Another common form of primary prevention efforts focus on educating the parents about child neglect, child abuse, and sexual abuse, before an incident arises; often before a child is even born. Because the highest percentage of victims of maltreatment are under the age of one (Wu, et al., 2004), many preventative programs seek to educate parents on how to deal with excessive crying, stress, or post-partum emotions before the birth of the child. One program, utilized in 16 New York hospitals required all families to undergo a Shaken Baby Syndrome tutorial, with bilingual leaflets, a short video, and a question and answer session with a nurse before they were permitted to be discharged (Dias, et al., 2005). Each parent also had to sign a contract stating that they had received the tutorial and understood the dangers of shaking their child. Evaluation of this program revealed that there was a statistically significant reduction in infant maltreatment, and more specifically Shaken Baby Syndrome among recipients of this educational program. There are other preventative programs for expectant teenage mothers, and even parenting education courses offered at many high schools. The state of Indiana offers public high school students a course titled Child Development and Parenting, which covers all aspects of parenting from nurturing a child, to how much money is necessary to meet the needs of a child, as well as how to handle stressful situations in a calm manner (Education, 2005). Many other primary preventative programs assist parents to maintain an adequate standard of parenting by providing parents with information about the challenges of parenting and the skills they need to parent effectively, and by enhancing their access to social supports (Tomison, 1998). These programs not only offer skills training and counseling, but partner with other government and non-governmental organizations that provide welfare services such as WIC, food stamps, and job training courses to help prevent the poverty and hopelessness that can lead to child neglect or abuse. There are also programs that offer education about sex abuse to parents, to help reiterate what their children are taught in school about the subject. Many parents do want to discuss this topic with their children, but studies have shown that many are ill informed about the subject, and may pass on incorrect information to their children. Parents often believe, and tell their children that child molesters are always male, and always strangers, when in fact, most abuse is perpetrated by someone the child knows quite well, who could be either male or female (Wurtele Kenny, 2010). Parents can also endanger their child when explaining what to do in a potential abuse situation. Many parents will tell their child to first say no or try to get away, but some parents will even tell their child to fight back against an abuser, which could have potentially life-threatening results. These educational programs can also inform parents what to do if they believe a child is being sexually abused. According to Wurtele, a study of parents who did not attend child abuse prevention workshops showed that parents more often mentioned notifying the victims parents or the abusers employer in response to a disclosure ofà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ child sexual abuse, (Wurtele Kenny, 2010) instead of notifying child protective services or the police department, which would have been the correct approach. Educating parents about sexual abuse not only gives them a better understanding of the truth about molestation, but also shows them the proper steps to take when confronted with abuse, and how to pass on correct information to their children. Secondary preventative efforts, or programs that target a specific at-risk sub-population are usually in home visitation programs where a social worker or trained nurse will visit the family and offer parent education and/or family support including information on health, nutrition and safety, and advice on the mother-child interactionand may also monitor the childs wellbeing and assist families to connect to other services and resources (Kovacs, 2003). Families that are selected for secondary preventative efforts are usually either identified as high risk for possible maltreatment, or have had issues of abuse previously and are being monitored by child protective services or another non-governmental agency. In the state of Indiana, Healthy Families Indiana uses a multi-tiered assessment process using participation in WIC and other state funded assistance programs, along with other variables to determine if a family falls under the high risk category, and thus into the voluntary home visitation program (IN.Gov, 2010). These programs help to reduce the stress of the parents, while simultaneously giving them the tools needed to get out of the high risk category through career training, monetary support with WIC and other welfare programs, and development of parenting skills. These visitations also allow the social worker to carefully monitor the child and the home for any signs of neglect or maltreatment before they arise or quickly enough afterward to begin counseling and limit the emotional or physical damage. Finally, tertiary prevention efforts are there to help families that have already suffered from a form of child abuse, and to prevent further abuse, or recidivism, from occurring. These programs are mostly state agencies such as child protective services, which monitor families much in the same way that they are monitored in the home visitation programs. The only difference is that this intervention is not voluntary on the part of the family, and the families are selected based on the specific criteria that abuse has already occurred in some form within the home, making these families even more at risk than any other group (Dias, et al., 2005). While there are distinct differences in the structure, targeted audience, and accessibility of each of the types of prevention efforts, all three have a common problem: awareness. Many organizations, especially non-profit organizations, are either ill equipped monetarily or lack the necessary marketing skills to advertise their programs within the community, and therefore fail to reach families that desperately need their services (Kovacs, 2003). Marketing outlets such as brochures, flyers, television and radio ads, as well as billboards not only increase awareness about the programs in a specific area, but also about the issue of child abuse, how important it is, and how it can and needs to be prevented. The Basics of Nonprofit Marketing In order understand why a public education campaign would be useful, appropriate, and feasible to a nonprofit organizations cause, one must first have some background information on how campaigns fit into the overall marketing strategy for an organization (Andreasen, 2008). Public Education Campaigns Public education campaigns send messages to target audiences in order raise awareness of social issues, change beliefs, and in some cases inspire a behavioral change (Tabachnick, 2001). The goal of a public education campaign is to motivate people and to change social behaviors and norms (Pollard, 2006). Public education campaigns are very important, because raising awareness around issues leads to behavioral and attitude changes, which leads to changes in actions and community norms (Tabachnick, 2001). For example, a child abuse and neglect prevention campaign geared towards adults could educate adults about what the signs of abuse are, then they can start to look for or identify possible signs of abuse when working with children, and eventually they will start to take action and call authorities when neglect happens, or talk with parents before the abuse even takes place. Specifically, a child abuse and neglect prevention campaign can translate complicated messages into specific, easily understood, messages about prevent, they can also reach a wider audience and educate more individuals. Once the campaign is actually implemented, it can reduce the marketing and communications staff time, because the messages are out there and going viral, the research, messages, and implementation strategies can also be reused for long-term projects (Ibid). In order to be upfront and proactive, it is important to address some of the drawbacks of public awareness campaigns. First of all, a successful and effective campaign will take many hours of staff time researching, planning and coordinating. Many organizations decide to work with a marketing and public relations firm to conduct their campaigns as to not take their staff away from every day duties (Ibid). In fact, some research suggests that it is a must for an individual to have worked with an advertising agency for a successful campaign. An ad agency represents a concentration of creative talent, production skills and proven marketing success, and they are skilled at analyzing public trends and communicating with specific target audiences. A public institution is unlikely to have these skills (Murray Seabeastan). Secondly, campaigns using mass media may not connect with every audience member. Some may feel that the message is not geared toward them and are not relevant. Often time s campaign messages are too complicated and confuse people with new concepts and requests. The golden rule in this instance should be less is more (Ibid). Another drawback is that campaigns can be very difficult to assess their effectiveness. One cannot easily judge how many drove by and actually read a billboard, watched the PSA, listened and remembered the radio ad, etc. This can be very costly to assess who was affected positively by the campaign in large communities (Tabachnick, 2001). Best Practices in Public Education Campaigns There are several ways to conduct public education campaigns, and in fact, there is no one right way. All organizations research, plan, implement and evaluate their campaigns very differently, and have different resources, inputs, and experts guiding this process. However, through research, there are several best practices that have emerged to conduct an impactful and lasting public education campaign. Some of the best practices include: identifying the scope and location, researching the target audiences, messaging, goals, implementation steps, evaluation techniques, updates on campaign, and conducting a reminder campaign. Stop It Now!, a national child sexual abuse prevention program with affiliates in several states, did a great job creating local campaigns and identifying the correct scope for each location. Each of their public education campaigns conducted were based off of their local needs, local stakeholders and had a local look and feel in regards to messaging. Examples of focus areas and specific target audiences messaging for different state campaigns include: Georgias focus is on bystanders caring adults in a position to help, Virginias focus trusting your gut, Philadelphias focus is on warning signs, and Minnesotas focus is on targeting the challenged population. Focusing on local audiences avoids stereotypes, while honoring stakeholder expectations and local sensitivities and proves for a more successful campaign that effectively reaches campaign goals (Tabachnick, 2001). One of the first full-scale public health campaigns designed to target adults for prevention occurred in Vermont, and depended upon a plethora of research to implement a successful campaign. Officials first reviewed the publics attitudes, awareness, knowledge that adults face as obstacles to preventing child abuse (Ibid). Through research they identified several obstacles, such as characteristics of an abuser and enabing factors. Once this background research was conducted, the public education campaign strategies could be planned, implemented and evaluated. When a campaign chooses a message, it is important to be consistent and to use the same one throughout all media channels in order to stick with the public. The messages may also need to be translated or re-written for diverse cultures to identify with (Ibid). An example of this comes from, Paro, a nonprofit health care provider located in San Francisco that was reaching out to a diverse group of local residents that come for low-income homes. The organization was not seeing an increase in the number of clients served and the residents that were aware of their helpful programs. Therefore, the organization made a strategic communications decision to focus on translation services, sensitivity to cultural differences, and response to public feedback. They began by translating their marketing materials in various venues at an appropriate reading level including outdoor billboards and posters, collateral material and their website. Then, they created separate documents for each ethnic gro up in their service region (Hispanics, Vietnamese and Chinese) and paid close attention to the colors of the documents to not offend any particular culture. Finally, Paro made an assertive effort to hire more multicultural employees and set up a member advisory committee. This campaign was literally designed for and by the residents benefiting from Paro services (Nastu, 2007). When planning and public education campaign, it is important to remember that thoughtful well-written messages that the target audience identifies with, need to be future oriented and support solutions that are helpful and essential for the whole community (Hughes, 2009). Once a scope, location, target audience, and messaging is identified, then one can start to implement their campaign through a variety of steps and marketing and public relations strategies. There are many examples of way organizations implement their public education campaigns, which include: hotlines, educational vides, advertising on tv, radio, and print media, public service announcements, pocket guides, social marketing, websites, billboards, transit advertising, community action kits, posters, educational booklets, as well as promotional materials such as t-shirts, wrist

The Vikings Essay -- Scandinavian Pirates History Vikings Essays

The Vikings The word Viking in the Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language says that the word Viking means the following. â€Å"Vi†¢king 1. any of the Scandinavian pirates who plunder the coasts of Europe from the 8th to 10th centuries. 2. a sea-roving bandit: pirate. 3. a Scandinavian. 4. U.S. Aerospace. One of a series of space probes that obtained scientific information about Mars.† (1) The Vikings lived about one thousand years ago in the lands that we now call Iceland, Lapland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. To most people the Vikings were raiders that got in their longboats and sailed somewhere and then went from town to town killing and pillaging. This is not completely true, because the Vikings were also great adventurers. They set up trading links and looked for land that they could settle down make a home and have a farm. But not to say that the Vikings weren’t fierce warriors, because they were great warriors that won almost every early battle. Although they never had an empire, the King of Denmark ruled Norway and England for a brief time from 1030 to 1035.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Vikings had many reasons for leaving their homeland and living up to being the great adventurers that they were. One reason to leave was that the land that the Vikings were living in was becoming over populated, such that one family couldn’t own as much land, as he would like. Also the land in Scandinavia, that they lived on was very mountainous and had very little land that could be farmed. Likewise Sweden contained many forests that made it not fit for farming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Viking people were divided up into different classes much like many other societies. They were divided up by how much land and money that they had. There were the â€Å"kings† that ruled over each township. Below him came the rich noblemen, or jarls. The king and the jarls were the most powerful people in a township. Then below the jarls there were the freemen or the karls, which included craftsmen, merchants, and farmers. At the very bottom of the totem pole were the slaves otherwise known as thralls.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The majority of Vikings spent very little time away from home on raids. Instead they were at home working as farmers, growing oats, barley, rye, and vegetables, and tending to their cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats. They also kept fruits, such as apples, and nuts such as hazelnuts and walnut... ... Inc,  ©1996, page 2122 2. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 49 3. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 49 4. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 50 5. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 54 6. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 54 7. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 27 8. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 27 Bibliography 1. Done by Committee. Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language. New York, NY; Random House Value Publishing, Inc,  ©1996. 2. Martell, Hazel Mary. What Do We Know About The Vikings? New York, NY; Simon & Schuster Young Books,  ©1992. 3. Ganeri, Anita. Focus On Vikings. New York, NY; Aladdin Books,  ©1992 4. Streissguth, Thomas. Life Among the Vikings. San Diego, California; Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999 5. http://www.sandiaprep.org/library/bib/bib.html 6. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/village.html For the video’s on CD. The Vikings Essay -- Scandinavian Pirates History Vikings Essays The Vikings The word Viking in the Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language says that the word Viking means the following. â€Å"Vi†¢king 1. any of the Scandinavian pirates who plunder the coasts of Europe from the 8th to 10th centuries. 2. a sea-roving bandit: pirate. 3. a Scandinavian. 4. U.S. Aerospace. One of a series of space probes that obtained scientific information about Mars.† (1) The Vikings lived about one thousand years ago in the lands that we now call Iceland, Lapland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. To most people the Vikings were raiders that got in their longboats and sailed somewhere and then went from town to town killing and pillaging. This is not completely true, because the Vikings were also great adventurers. They set up trading links and looked for land that they could settle down make a home and have a farm. But not to say that the Vikings weren’t fierce warriors, because they were great warriors that won almost every early battle. Although they never had an empire, the King of Denmark ruled Norway and England for a brief time from 1030 to 1035.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Vikings had many reasons for leaving their homeland and living up to being the great adventurers that they were. One reason to leave was that the land that the Vikings were living in was becoming over populated, such that one family couldn’t own as much land, as he would like. Also the land in Scandinavia, that they lived on was very mountainous and had very little land that could be farmed. Likewise Sweden contained many forests that made it not fit for farming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Viking people were divided up into different classes much like many other societies. They were divided up by how much land and money that they had. There were the â€Å"kings† that ruled over each township. Below him came the rich noblemen, or jarls. The king and the jarls were the most powerful people in a township. Then below the jarls there were the freemen or the karls, which included craftsmen, merchants, and farmers. At the very bottom of the totem pole were the slaves otherwise known as thralls.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The majority of Vikings spent very little time away from home on raids. Instead they were at home working as farmers, growing oats, barley, rye, and vegetables, and tending to their cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats. They also kept fruits, such as apples, and nuts such as hazelnuts and walnut... ... Inc,  ©1996, page 2122 2. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 49 3. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 49 4. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 50 5. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 54 6. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 54 7. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 27 8. Streissguth, Thomas, â€Å"Life Among the Vikings†, Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999, page 27 Bibliography 1. Done by Committee. Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language. New York, NY; Random House Value Publishing, Inc,  ©1996. 2. Martell, Hazel Mary. What Do We Know About The Vikings? New York, NY; Simon & Schuster Young Books,  ©1992. 3. Ganeri, Anita. Focus On Vikings. New York, NY; Aladdin Books,  ©1992 4. Streissguth, Thomas. Life Among the Vikings. San Diego, California; Lucent Books, Inc,  ©1999 5. http://www.sandiaprep.org/library/bib/bib.html 6. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/village.html For the video’s on CD.

Relationships in a World without God Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical

Relationships in a World without God In a world in which lives are shaped by irreversible choices and by random events, a world in which everything occurs but once, existence seems to lose its substance. Life in this designless universe raises questions of identity and can cause turmoil between the relationships of the self to others, the self to history, and the self to God. Through the words of existentialist novelists and philosophers Milan Kundera and Jean-Paul Sartre, we witness the philosophical and psychological struggles for identity, existence, and ‘being’ of the characters in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and Nausea. In connection with other philosophic writings of Heidegger, Kierkegaard, Tillich and Sartre the ideas of existentialism expressed in these two novels become more apparent, and the relationships of the characters in this world-without-God can be explored. Our principle readings rested in the argument of man’s existence and being. Sartre’s Nausea and Kundera’s Unbearable Lightness of Being both depicted the stories of humans struggling to accept their own realities in a state of what Heidegger referred to as â€Å"thrown-ness†. Heidegger’s existential thoughts are concerned with the question of the meaning of Being. Heidegger based his philosophy upon the science of existence. The scientific method was that of phenomenological reduction. Although Sà ¸ren Kierkegaard accepted the paradox of being defining itself, as a scientist, Heidegger could not accept this paradox. According to Heidegger, a concept must be defined without using itself as reference. The difficulty of definition was confronted by defining Being as a collection of concepts. In his essay â€Å"The Fundamental Question of Metaphysics†... ...r own histories, their struggles with purpose and meaning, and the plight of their thrownness create a compelling and emotionally engaging novel that resemble the insecurities and consciousness of our own lives. Heidegger states that time only reminds men of how insignificant they are, how endless the universe is, and how all they can really do is seek to accept themselves on their own terms in anticipation of death, to wonder at the meaning of it all. Kierkegaard and Miller address the loathing of the impasse that threatens their lives as a result of historicism (and the absence of God). And Nietzsche claims that we must use history to escape animal-ness, but not so far as to become further imprisoned within our consciousness. Throughout history, and in each man’s life, there is return: to the center, to the same errors, and to that danger and fear of nothingness.

Dairy Products :: Nutrition, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals

Milk is an excellent dietary source of high-quality protein vitamins and minerals. Dairy products like cheese also are an important part of a well balanced diet Cheese is contain of the same basic materials found in milk, but in the form concentration. Include casein, fat, some vitamins , soluble and insoluble salts. Soy bean protein is a popular food ingredient used throughout the world for its nutritional and functional properties, especially after the FDA in the United States allowed a soy health claim in 1999(Fukushima, 2001). This claim has sparked the development of new soy foods (Zhong, Wang, Xu, & Shoemaker, 2007).The traditional product coagulation of soy proteins has also been considered a way of producing soy protein gels, The milky white floid obtained from soybean by soaking ,grinding and filtering is called soymilk.(A.A. Gatade, and, & Sahoo, 2009)Soymilk contains some major and minor components like protein ,fat, carbohydrate ,calcium ,iron, sodium, carotene, vitam in-E, and riboflavin(A.A. Gatade, et al., 2009). The soymilk is used in many products like yogurt, cheese, etc.(Wang, Xiong, & Wang, 2001). Uses of animal rennet became limited for religious reasons .Most of Muslim people consider that cheese is produced by an enzyme which comes from an animal and slaughtered on the non Islamic way no halaal. And also soybean cheese for vegetarian people who did not eat animal product .. Calf rennet which prepared and obtained from the fourth stomach of calves sucking (Nagodawithana & Reed, 1993) one of the important enzymes is traditionally used for cheese making all over the world . Since 1960s. the production of cheese increase considerably and number of cattle decrease this caused lessen in rennin. Owing to the rapid growth and the relative inexpensive growth substrate the microbial rennet like milk-clotting enzyme (MCE) proteinase is very important in dairy technology has become a popular rennet substitute.(Pei, Yu, & Chou, 2005).Proteinase is capable of cleaving protein into peptides and amino acids, they are characterized by their optimal pH (acid, neutral or alkaline), their temperature, their ability to hydrolyze specific proteins (Law,1999). Milk coagulation is the basic step in cheese manufacturing. Milk clotting enzymes are the primary active agents in cheese making, which involves the enzyme-mediated cleavage of kappa-casein which covering the protein micelles at the peptide bond Phe 105-Met 106 that renders the casein micelles unstable and eventually causes aggregation that yields a clot or a gel.

Why Do Chemists Classify Matter

Why do chemists classify matter? Well classifying matter is very important in chemisty. See chemists want to know what things are made of and what type of things they are. They also like to mix different things together. So they need to know what two or more peices of matter don't like to be created. If they didn't know what kinds of matter don't mix well, it could be very dangerous. Classifying matter isn't very hard it is actually quite simple. I'm going to refer to the classification pyrimid. This is how the pyrimid is set up. At the top it has materials or matter. Then to the lower left and right it has homogeneous matterials and heterogeneous matterials. Below the heterogeneous materials it just classifies as an heterogeneous mixture due to it has more than one piece of matter in the material. Now under homogeneous material you have a choice it's either a pure substance which is ususally solid, or a homogeneous mixture (solution). Usually solutions end in ite, ate, ide, etc. A pure substance is usually solid. Under that it is then classified as an element or a compound. How do you know if it's an element? Well look at the periodic table of elements if its on there then it's an element. How do you know if its a compound? Well a compound is made up of two or more elements. So look at the name for example NH3 then it is a compound because it has a nitrogen molecule and 3 hydrogen molecules. Science changes everyday and without our current knowledge of the elements and classifing matter then who knows where we'd be.

How does Hansberry write about dreams in ‘ A Raisin in the Sun’? Essay

Setting: Lorriane Hansberry wrote ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ in the late 1950’s. Hansberry’s choice of a very poor, working-class Black family in the setting of Southside Chicago in the late 1950s, underlines the important role of dreams as a driving force in the lives of people with no other hope of survival or breakthrough from poverty and despair. The Younger family is typical of most Black families in the American south in the late 1950s. The Younger apartment is the only setting throughout the whole play emphasising the centrality of the home. Most were the descendants of freed slaves who lived in ghettos, had no landed property of their own, had little or no education and were still subject to extreme forms of prejudice, racial discrimination and humiliation from the majority White population. In such an environment, dreams are the means of support of hope and aspiration. The ‘American dream’ is being able to rise through their own ability, share prosperity and have a good way of living. The play opens with the author’s vivid description of the Younger family’s cramped, cockroach-infested, two-bedroom apartment with externally shared toilet and bathroom facilities. The carpet is threadbare and faded; the furniture upholstery has been covered and the apartment is so overcrowded that Travis, the young son of Walter Lee and Ruth, has to sleep on the living-room sofa. The family poverty is so dire that the ten-year old boy has to struggle to get fifty cents out of his mother or offer to earn the money by carrying groceries for shoppers at the local supermarket. The horrible poverty despite, an audience would observe a proud, law-abiding family held together by Walter and Beneatha’s sixty-year old mother, Mama Lena Younger, whose manner portrays dignity and a set of values that date back many years. Dreams: Ruth Younger, Walter Younger’s wife. Ruth is about thirty years of age. Ruth appears in the play disappointed and exhausted. Ruth is emotionally strong. Ruth has economic and marriage problems to face in the course of the play. Walter Lee Younger, the central character of the play. Ruth’s husband and also the older brother of Beneatha. Walter Lee is revealed in the play as a desperate man in need of money. Walter despises the fact he is living in poverty and prejudice. Walter Lee is tries to provide a better standard of living for his family. Walter Lee is also passionate about seeking a business idea to overcome economic and social issues. Travis is Ruth and Walter’s son. The only child existing in the play. Travis is secluded and over protected by the adults he lives with. Beneatha Younger is Walter’s younger sister and Mama’s daughter. Beneatha’s main ambition is to become a doctor. A strong willed woman in the drama. Ruth also takes a lot of pride in being an intellectual. Mama is the mother of Walter and Beneatha and Ruth’s mother-in-law. Mama is a very strong and religious woman in the play. Mama wants her daughter Beneatha to become a doctor. Mama also supports Ruth in many ways as a mother- in- law. Joseph Asagai is an African student who is very much proud of his cultural background and also admits his love to Beneatha. Joseph also provides Beneatha African robes and records and supports her aspirations into becoming a doctor. George Murchison is the rich boyfriend of Beneatha. George is disrespectful of other black people. George is very arrogant in his behaviour with Beneatha. Beneatha who prefers Joseph to George. As a common theme of her play, Hansberry portrays dreams in a great variety of ways. It is interesting to note from the play as a whole that virtually all the characters have dreams. Some are ambitious whilst others are modest; they are a source of frustration as well as of happiness; they are a reflection of an individual’s character and personality traits and as Walter Lee demonstrates, they are dynamic and subject to change according to the prevailing circumstances. Walter Lee is the central character of the play. Hansberry portrays him as an intense, very bitter and deeply frustrated man suffering the early start of a mid-life crisis. In Act 1 Scene 1 (pg.18), he says: † I ‘m thirty-five years old; I been married eleven years and I got a boy who sleeps in the living room and all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live.† Then again in Act 1 Scene 2, he sees into the future at edge of his days, as a big, looming blank space†¦full of nothing.† Walter’s dream is to achieve a breakthrough in business that would give his family a better life and establish him as a man who is the main breadwinner and head of his household. His immediate hope of a business venture is to invest in a liquor store the full $10,000 insurance money his mother is about to receive as a result of Big Walter’s (her husband’s) death. His dream to lay hands on that money rapidly becomes an overwhelming obsession. When neither his mother Lena nor his wife Ruth approve of such a venture, Hansberry illustrates the depth of total frustration to which a man can sink as his dream becomes more and more indefinable. He becomes abusive to his wife, implying she belongs to â€Å"a race of women with small minds† (pg. 19); he is dismissive of sister Beneatha’s dream to become a doctor, telling her â€Å"go be a nurse like other women†¦or just get married and be quiet;† and he yells at his mother when the much-awaited cheque finally arrives. Walter Lee resorts to drinking heavily when his mother refuses to support his investment in a liquor store; he shows bitter resentment towards George Murchison, whom he thinks was born with a silver spoon; he also loses interest in his regular job as a chauffeur. Indeed, he is so blinded by the obsession of having his mother’s money that he explodes with rage when Mama Lena reveals payment of a deposit on the family’s most essential need, namely: a larger house. Hansberry illustrates the nature of dreams when Walter Lee is offered $3,500 to use as he pleases. Whilst this sum is lower than the $10,000 he was originally dreaming of, it is a cruel twist of irony that in Act 2 Scene 2. A highly thrilled Walter Lee begins to dream of life as a downtown executive who attends conferences, employs bungling secretaries, sends Travis to America’s best schools, drives a Chrysler and can afford to buy Ruth a Cadillac convertible. However, through his dreams, Hansberry is able to reveal the downfalls in Walter Lee’s character: compared to his wife and mother, he is a man of very poor judgement and was extremely gullible to allow himself to be duped by his supposedly loyal friend, Willy Harris. Compared to her much older and more experienced mother, Beneatha’s dreams portray the natural idealism of youth. Despite the poverty of her family background, Hansberry portrays her as a positive thinker who dreams of becoming a doctor without knowing where her medical school fees will come from. Beneatha is all the more remarkable in her ambitions because it was very unusual in the 1950s for women to enter the medical profession and even less usual for someone from a poor Black family who lived in a ghetto of Chicago. More typically for the period of emerging Black liberation, Beneatha shows a high level of political awareness, keeps in close touch with her African heritage and even dreams of marrying Asagai and settling in Africa to practise as a doctor (Act 3, pg.113). Although she is just as idealistic as her brother (Walter Lee), Beneatha is not obsessed with money as a means to achieving her dreams. She is totally unimpressed by George Murchison’s acquired wealth, arrogance and lack of consciousness of his African heritage. She declares in Act 1, Scene 1 (pg.31), that she could never really be serious about George because he is so shallow and is heard shouting again in Act 3, towards the end of the play, that she would not marry George if he were Adam and she were Eve (pg.114). In contrast to her children, Mama Lena is a realist who has cherished a single lifetime dream, which she shared with her late husband, Big Walter Younger. Hansberry portrays her as a God-fearing, law-abiding but poor mother with strong family values. Consequently, her dream is a modest but seemingly unattainable desire to acquire a comfortable house with a garden (which she describes in Act1, Scene 1- pg.28) and to fix it up for herself and her family. Hansberry’s use of symbolism is illustrated by the way Mama Lena keeps her dream alive in much the same manner as she nurtures her potted plant. In a second reference to her wish for garden (pg.35), Mama describes her plant as the closest she ever got to have one. She compares the strong will and spirit of her family with the survival of her plant, which â€Å"ain’t never had enough sunshine or nothing† but continued to thrive against all odds. Again, it is interesting to note Hansberry’s portrayal of dreams and the human nature: when the prospect of acquiring a house actually becomes attainable, Mama Lena no longer opts for a property in Morgan Park but for a house in the more affluent and exclusive White neighbourhood of Clybourne Park. Like Walter Lee’s new vision of himself as a downtown executive, the playwright illustrates the insatiable nature of dreams. The moral of her play is that whatever their status in life or level of attainment, people will always have dreams. Although Hansberry portrays dreams as the all-important hope on which people depend for motivation and survival, she also highlights the influence of principles in the quest to achieve those goals. It is a tribute to the Youngers’ self-pride, moral fibre and strength of character that Walter Lee is compelled to discard the idea of accepting a pay-off from Mr Lindner not to move into the White neighbourhood of Clybourne Park after he had lost the bulk of the insurance money to Willy Harris. After he announced he had called Mr Lindner to accept the payment, Mama Lena says to Walter: â€Å"Son, I come from five generations of people who was slaves and sharecroppers but ain’t nobody in my family never let nobody pay. ’em no money that was a way of telling us we wasn’t fit to walk the earth. We ain’t never been that poor. We ain’t never been that dead inside†. (Act 3, pg.108). Beneatha dismisses him in similar terms, saying: â€Å"That is not a man. That is nothing but a toothless rate† and: â€Å"He is no brother of mine†. Eventually, Walter Lee is compelled to restore the family dignity by telling Mr Lindner what a proud family he came from, how they had earned the right to live in Clybourne Park and why they didn’t want his money.. By the end of Act 3, Hansberry leaves her audience with some answers to the questions created in the metaphors of Langston Hughes’ poem, from which her play derives its title: ‘A Raisin in the Sun’. From her demonstration that people will always have dreams, it can be concluded that dreams can be deferred but they do not dry up like a raisin in the sun. As Walter Lee demonstrates, dreams can become a painful obsession to be annoying like a running sore and stinks like rotten meat when they go bad. Typical examples are when his dream takes control of Walter Lee’s life to an extent that he becomes abusive to his family and resorts to drink as the dream is deferred. Likewise, as Beneatha’s experience shows, dreams can be likened to a syrupy sweet: good to have but false and elusive if they are deferred. Through no fault of her own, Beneatha’s dream is sweet and noble but it rapidly becomes as false as an illusion when Walter Lee loses the money that would have helped her enter medical school. Although Mama Lena’s dream was never a painful obsession that festered like a running sore, smelled like rotten meat or delude like a syrupy sweet, she carried for such a long period of her life that it sagged like a heavy load until she finally bought the house in Clybourne Street. Whilst Walter Lee and Beneatha’s dreams explode with the loss of most of the much-needed family capital, Mama Lena’s dream remains as flexible as her symbolic plant, which she takes for planting in the garden of their new home. Mama is the only one of Hansberry’s characters to realise her dream. For every one else, Hansberry’s reference to the sun may well be symbolic of the bright light and hope our dreams represent. The playwright creates the question: should we allow our dreams to dry up like raisins in the sun or should we remain strong and committed, nurturing our dreams like Mama’s plant until we achieve them?

American literature realism Essay

In American literature realism, is an approach that attempts to describe life without idealization or romantic subjectivity. Realism has been mainly concerned with the commonplaces of everyday life among the middle and lower classes, where character is a product of social factors and environment is the important element in the dramatic complications. The realism sought to explain why ordinary people behave they way they do. What, for example, fuels the ambitions of a young man who has come from the country to the city to make his fortune? Why does an apparently happily married woman decide to have a love affair? What leads a woman to accept or reject a particular man? In trying to answer these questions, realistic novelists often relied on the emerging sciences of human and animal behavior–biology, psychology, and sociology–as well as on their own insights and observations. Realism from 1865 to the present has changed. As authors have moved into a global world, their writing has become less regional and therefore less realistic. Writers today do research instead of writing about what they already know about. As the world has become more global, authors have become more full. To a certain extent, realism is about presenting a limited view because is very much about regionalism. An author can only write realistically about what he/she knows. Authors like Mark Twain and F. Scott Fitzgerald gives a â€Å"tell it like it is† writing in the stories. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the setting has a large influence on Huck’s character. The period of time that Huck lived in was a distinct era. The country was changing rapidly. During this period steam engines enabled rivers to be used as mass transportation, an idea that had never been explored until now. There were many traits of this era that can be seen by looking at the components of Huck’s character, his language, actions and thoughts. Some of these traits are subtle and can be easily missed but others are very obvious and powerful. This period of change was the setting of Huck’s childhood. One trait that is indicative of the era is the social class of Huck and Huck’s  language. It is greatly affected by his social class and setting. The broken English is a sign of Huck’s low social class. In addition it also shows that he is from a southern river town. This can be seen from his expressions and accent. The rules of the time that Huck’s character is governed upon, Huck was never educated. During the early 1800s there was no law that required children to go to school, therefore his low intellect has a strong impact on Huck’s character. It gives him a â€Å"plain and simple† outlook on life, this trait can been seen throughout the book in Huck’s character. One specific area it affects is Huck’s plans for his future. Huck only thought about what he was going to do for present. Huck had an incapable father. He was thought of as the town drunk, and would often come home intoxicated and abuse Huck. At one point his father locked Huck up in a small room without food or water for days. The setting is important here because if Huck’s father were to treat his son in an abusive manner today, he would lose custody of his child. A good example of Huck’s unloving relationship was Huck’s reaction to his father’s death. When notified of his death he was relieved and felt safe. This detail can be used to illustrate the abuse that Huck went through in the beginning of the book, while living with his father. Since Huck’s father had irresponsible actions, Huck ran away at a young age in the hope that someday he would find freedom from his father and society. Huck’s separation from his father is also the reason for his freethinking, responsibility and innocence. These times of hardship formed him into a mature person and helped contribute to his independent personality. Without the influence of the setting Huck would have never been able to achieve the freedom that he had by being independent. When Huck ran away he joined up with Jim, who was also running away, but from something different. Jim was fleeing from slavery, a common practice of the time. Huck’s relationship with Jim contributed to Huck’s non-prejudice thinking. Another factor that gave Huck an understanding of how the slaves must have felt was the prejudice that he experienced himself, being part of the lower class. Huck  was infuriated when people looked down upon him for something that was no fault of his; he was born into the class because of his father’s social status. For these reasons Huck always treated Jim as an equal, making Huck ahead of his time. Jim knew that Huck respected him, as a result Jim risked his own life to save Huck. In the story you find humor with Huck’s character. In real life you have humor being part of life. For example, Huck’s account of his reasons for participating in what he knows to be the ridiculous schemes of Tom Sawyer’s gang. He recognizes that their â€Å"swords† are â€Å"only lath and broom-sticks† and he does not believe, in any case, that they â€Å"could lick such crowd of Spaniards and A-rabs†. At one point one finds that Huck seems to accept Tom’s values. Before boarding the Walter Scott he says â€Å"Do you reckon,† he asks Jim, rhetorically, â€Å"Tom Sawyer would ever go by this thing?† It is here at the Phelps farm, where he even takes Tom’s name. Huck’s independence and lack of education resulted in a mind that was never influenced by adult’s beliefs. This allowed Huck to have thoughts based on what he believed in, not traditions that are simply carried on by messengers of the past’s beliefs. Although traditions are often good they prevent new ideas from entering people’s minds. This made Huck original; this individuality could be seen with his relationship with Jim. During this period of American history slaves were looked down upon, but Huck, being an independent thinker, looked up to Jim for who he was, not for the color of his skin. This change in dialogue clearly illustrates how the relationship grew stronger during their adventures. By the end of the novel Huck risked his own life to free Jim in the final escape attempt. His dependence made him loyal to the Mississippi River. The personification of the river that Huck uses clearly shows his feelings and thankfulness to the river. It also helped show how important the river was too not only Huck but to all of the river towns and people. The Great Gatsby’s best qualities is Fitzgerald’s incredible use of realism. This realism is evident in the development of plot, setting, and characters throughout the novel. The novel is well known for its deeply entangled plots  and sub-plots. At first Fitzgerald used realism to develop these plots by choosing plots that would be believable to readers. For example, the main plot of â€Å"The American Dream† (Jay Gatsby’s dream of becoming rich and successful in order to impress Daisy) is easily believable and is still a quite common dream today. Smaller plots, such as Tom Buchanan’s affair with Myrtle, are also very realistic and are a common occurrence in every day life. From here Fitzgerald deepened the story by using realism to entangle these plots. Fitzgerald then grew upon these plots by making them all have realistic outcomes (such as Gatsby’s demise), rather than your typical story book endings. Fitzgerald uses realism to clearly depict the setting of the Great Gatsby. This use of realism could be mostly due to the fact that Fitzgerald lived during the time of the novel, and by using great detail, he was able to reproduce his interpretation of the 1920’s. The novel takes place during the summer in New York as Nick Carraway has just moved to pursue a career in the bond business. This is a very realistic setting because just after World War 1 the eastern United States were flourishing with people and business. Large, fancy homes and big parties (such as Gatsby’s) were also quite popular. Fitzgerald realistically demonstrates the inexistence of the middle class at that time. For example the contrast between Tom Buchanan and Mr. Wilson shows vast difference between the upper and lower classes. The exact geographical location of the novel does not exist, but Fitzgerald does a great job in using realism to convince the reader of the setting. No matter how significant realism is to the setting of the novel, perhaps the most important use of realism comes through Fitzgerald’s development of characters throughout the novel. The novel characters are the basis of the novel from which the plots revolve around. Fitzgerald uses realism to ensure that all the characters in the novel are believable in both their history and interactions with each other. A prime example of this would be Daisy. Her history of having a successful family, and being the center of attention deeply influences her character into being self-centered and dependent on wealth, making her character  believable to readers. From here Fitzgerald was able to manipulate the characters. This convinces the reader of genuinely of each individual and therefore makes the whole story seem more realistic. Throughout the novel, the plot was deepened through the entangling of many realistic sub-plots, the setting was clearly illustrated using plenty of detail, and the characters were developed to be as believable and genuine as possible. In the end it is the realistic recognition of life’s imperfections that give The Great Gatsby its continuing appeal. The things that happen are real and could really happen. The characters are products of their environments. In today’s society we have somewhat the same issues. It depends on ones culture and beliefs. If you are pretty much conservative one finds that acting a certain way, wanting freedom, lying or dishonesty won’t be acceptable. The two novels that I chose both show realism â€Å"tell it like it is† but in different ways. What happens to Huck Finn is a result of how and where he lives. Events happen to him because of the real life setting and place. The central figure in Huck Finn isn’t even really Huck†¦it’s the river. Gatsby is shaped by external factors such as love, money and other people’s ideals. Nothing that happens is glorified or exaggerated. In my opinion I think that Twain and Fitzgerald both conveyed in reality. Both authors wrote there stories based upon the social restrictions of time. Today we see the same kind of American dream and look down upon the lower class. I think that we moved closer to the truth by seeing what society be really about. This is somewhat the real world and it’s either your accepted by following the rules or not accepted by disobeying the rules.