Saturday, August 3, 2019

Use of Imagery in Chopin’s The Awakening Essay -- Chopin Awakening

Use of Imagery in Chopin’s The Awakening Several passages in The Awakening struck me because of their similar imagery—a bird, wings, and nudity. The first passage I looked at is in Chapter 9 where Edna Pontellier has a vision of a naked man â€Å"standing beside a desolate rock† (47) on a beach who is watching a bird fly away. This image was evoked by a one particular piece that Mme Ratignolle plays which Edna significantly calls â€Å"Solitude. † Apparently Edna frequently envisions certain images while listening to music: â€Å"Musical strains, well rendered, had a way of evoking pictures in her mind† (47). Listening to this piece Edna envisions a solitary, naked man with an â€Å"attitude [†¦] of hopeless resignation† (47). This scene presents solitude in many different ways. The figure standing alone and naked near the â€Å"desolate rock† illustrates the mood of solitude and resignation. I was reminded of that scene at the end of the novel in chapter 39 where we find a description of a very similar situation. Now it is Edna Pontellier herself standing alone on the beach at Grand Isle. She takes ...

Henry David Thoreau and the Power of Non-Violent Resistance Essay

Thoreau contends that men have lost the free will to make individual decisions regarding war, slavery, and domestic issues because government imposes on its citizens only in its own self interests. (Thoreau 1706). He states government loses its integrity when willing to consider profit over the interests of its citizens, and basic human rights such as slavery and war. (Thoreau 1707). He considers slavery as a â€Å"hateful and stupid enterprise? (Eulau 119). Thoreau feels such deep disgrace being associated with a government who condones slavery, that he refuses to vote, pay taxes, and makes his only contact with this government the tax collector. (Eulau 121). Thoreau personally does not want to be bothered with the issues of government or slavery, but because of his writings he is sought out by Abolitionists to give speeches for them. He feels idealism, individualism and democracy are not achievable in a society willing to maintain slaves. (Eulau 123). He is obsessed with right, t ruth and justice for all citizens and encourages nonviolent resistance as the means to effectively abolish slavery. (Eulau 124). This position is different than most Abolitionists of the time. During this time most of his attention is directed at the southern slaves states. The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 is the event that leads him to become detached from the State. The treatment of a runaway slave weighs heavily on his emotions. His anger leads him to encouragepeople to withdraw farther from the State ...

Friday, August 2, 2019

A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-two

Arya The one-eared black tom arched his back and hissed at her. Arya padded down the alley, balanced lightly on the balls of her bare feet, listening to the flutter of her heart, breathing slow deep breaths. Quiet as a shadow, she told herself, light as a feather. The tomcat watched her come, his eyes wary. Catching cats was hard. Her hands were covered with half-healed scratches, and both knees were scabbed over where she had scraped them raw in tumbles. At first even the cook's huge fat kitchen cat had been able to elude her, but Syrio had kept her at it day and night. When she'd run to him with her hands bleeding, he had said, â€Å"So slow? Be quicker, girl. Your enemies will give you more than scratches.† He had dabbed her wounds with Myrish fire, which burned so bad she had had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. Then he sent her out after more cats. The Red Keep was full of cats: lazy old cats dozing in the sun, cold-eyed mousers twitching their tails, quick little kittens with claws like needles, ladies' cats all combed and trusting, ragged shadows prowling the midden heaps. One by one Arya had chased them down and snatched them up and brought them proudly to Syrio Forel . . . all but this one, this one-eared black devil of a tomcat. â€Å"That's the real king of this castle right there,† one of the gold cloaks had told her. â€Å"Older than sin and twice as mean. One time, the king was feasting the queen's father, and that black bastard hopped up on the table and snatched a roast quail right out of Lord Tywin's fingers. Robert laughed so hard he like to burst. You stay away from that one, child.† He had run her halfway across the castle; twice around the Tower of the Hand, across the inner bailey, through the stables, down the serpentine steps, past the small kitchen and the pig yard and the barracks of the gold cloaks, along the base of the river wall and up more steps and back and forth over Traitor's Walk, and then down again and through a gate and around a well and in and out of strange buildings until Arya didn't know where she was. Now at last she had him. High walls pressed close on either side, and ahead was a blank windowless mass of stone. Quiet as a shadow, she repeated, sliding forward, light as a feather. When she was three steps away from him, the tomcat bolted. Left, then right, he went; and right, then left, went Arya, cutting off his escape. He hissed again and tried to dart between her legs. Quick as a snake, she thought. Her hands closed around him. She hugged him to her chest, whirling and laughing aloud as his claws raked at the front of her leather jerkin. Ever so fast, she kissed him right between the eyes, and jerked her head back an instant before his claws would have found her face. The tomcat yowled and spit. â€Å"What's he doing to that cat?† Startled, Arya dropped the cat and whirled toward the voice. The tom bounded off in the blink of an eye. At the end of the alley stood a girl with a mass of golden curls, dressed as pretty as a doll in blue satin. Beside her was a plump little blond boy with a prancing stag sewn in pearls across the front of his doublet and a miniature sword at his belt. Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen, Arya thought. A septa as large as a draft horse hovered over them, and behind her two big men in crimson cloaks, Lannister house guards. â€Å"What were you doing to that cat, boy?† Myrcella asked again, sternly. To her brother she said, â€Å"He's a ragged boy, isn't he? Look at him.† She giggled. â€Å"A ragged dirty smelly boy,† Tommen agreed. They don't know me, Arya realized. They don't even know I'm a girl. Small wonder; she was barefoot and dirty, her hair tangled from the long run through the castle, clad in a jerkin ripped by cat claws and brown roughspun pants hacked off above her scabby knees. You don't wear skirts and silks when you're catching cats. Quickly she lowered her head and dropped to one knee. Maybe they wouldn't recognize her. If they did, she would never hear the end of it. Septa Mordane would be mortified, and Sansa would never speak to her again from the shame. The old fat septa moved forward. â€Å"Boy, how did you come here? You have no business in this part of the castle.† â€Å"You can't keep this sort out,† one of the red cloaks said. â€Å"Like trying to keep out rats.† â€Å"Who do you belong to, boy?† the septa demanded. â€Å"Answer me. What's wrong with you, are you mute?† Arya's voice caught in her throat. If she answered, Tommen and Myrcella would know her for certain. â€Å"Godwyn, bring him here,† the septa said. The taller of the guardsmen started down the alley. Panic gripped her throat like a giant's hand. Arya could not have spoken if her life had hung on it. Calm as still water, she mouthed silently. As Godwyn reached for her, Arya moved. Quick as a snake. She leaned to her left, letting his fingers brush her arm, spinning around him. Smooth as summer silk. By the time he got himself turned, she was sprinting down the alley. Swift as a deer. The septa was screeching at her. Arya slid between legs as thick and white as marble columns, bounded to her feet, bowled into Prince Tommen and hopped over him when he sat down hard and said â€Å"Oof,† spun away from the second guard, and then she was past them all, running full out. She heard shouts, then pounding footsteps, closing behind her. She dropped and rolled. The red cloak went careening past her, stumbling. Arya sprang back to her feet. She saw a window above her, high and narrow, scarcely more than an arrow slit. Arya leapt, caught the sill, pulled herself up. She held her breath as she wriggled through. Slippery as an eel. Dropping to the floor in front of a startled scrubwoman, she hopped up, brushed the rushes off her clothes, and was off again, out the door and along a long hall, down a stair, across a hidden courtyard, around a corner and over a wall and through a low narrow window into a pitch-dark cellar. The sounds grew more and more distant behind her. Arya was out of breath and quite thoroughly lost. She was in for it now if they had recognized her, but she didn't think they had. She'd moved too fast. Swift as a deer. She hunkered down in the dark against a damp stone wall and listened for the pursuit, but the only sound was the beating of her own heart and a distant drip of water. Quiet as a shadow, she told herself. She wondered where she was. When they had first come to King's Landing, she used to have bad dreams about getting lost in the castle. Father said the Red Keep was smaller than Winterfell, but in her dreams it had been immense, an endless stone maze with walls that seemed to shift and change behind her. She would find herself wandering down gloomy halls past faded tapestries, descending endless circular stairs, darting through courtyards or over bridges, her shouts echoing unanswered. In some of the rooms the red stone walls would seem to drip blood, and nowhere could she find a window. Sometimes she would hear her father's voice, but always from a long way off, and no matter how hard she ran after it, it would grow fainter and fainter, until it faded to nothing and Arya was alone in the dark. It was very dark right now, she realized. She hugged her bare knees tight against her chest and shivered. She would wait quietly and count to ten thousand. By then it would be safe for her to come creeping back out and find her way home. By the time she had reached eighty-seven, the room had begun to lighten as her eyes adjusted to the blackness. Slowly the shapes around her took on form. Huge empty eyes stared at her hungrily through the gloom, and dimly she saw the jagged shadows of long teeth. She had lost the count. She closed her eyes and bit her lip and sent the fear away. When she looked again, the monsters would be gone. Would never have been. She pretended that Syrio was beside her in the dark, whispering in her ear. Calm as still water, she told herself. Strong as a bear. Fierce as a wolverine. She opened her eyes again. The monsters were still there, but the fear was gone. Arya got to her feet, moving warily. The heads were all around her. She touched one, curious, wondering if it was real. Her fingertips brushed a massive jaw. It felt real enough. The bone was smooth beneath her hand, cold and hard to the touch. She ran her fingers down a tooth, black and sharp, a dagger made of darkness. It made her shiver. â€Å"It's dead,† she said aloud. â€Å"It's just a skull, it can't hurt me.† Yet somehow the monster seemed to know she was there. She could feel its empty eyes watching her through the gloom, and there was something in that dim, cavernous room that did not love her. She edged away from the skull and backed into a second, larger than the first. For an instant she could feel its teeth digging into her shoulder, as if it wanted a bite of her flesh. Arya whirled, felt leather catch and tear as a huge fang nipped at her jerkin, and then she was running. Another skull loomed ahead, the biggest monster of all, but Arya did not even slow. She leapt over a ridge of black teeth as tall as swords, dashed through hungry jaws, and threw herself against the door. Her hands found a heavy iron ring set in the wood, and she yanked at it. The door resisted a moment, before it slowly began to swing inward, with a creak so loud Arya was certain it could be heard all through the city. She opened the door just far enough to slip through, into the hallway beyond. If the room with the monsters had been dark, the hall was the blackest pit in the seven hells. Calm as still water, Arya told herself, but even when she gave her eyes a moment to adjust, there was nothing to see but the vague grey outline of the door she had come through. She wiggled her fingers in front of her face, felt the air move, saw nothing. She was blind. A water dancer sees with all her senses, she reminded herself. She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing one two three, drank in the quiet, reached out with her hands. Her fingers brushed against rough unfinished stone to her left. She followed the wall, her hand skimming along the surface, taking small gliding steps through the darkness. All halls lead somewhere. Where there is a way in, there is a way out. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Arya would not be afraid. It seemed as if she had been walking a long ways when the wall ended abruptly and a draft of cold air blew past her cheek. Loose hairs stirred faintly against her skin. From somewhere far below her, she heard noises. The scrape of boots, the distant sound of voices. A flickering light brushed the wall ever so faintly, and she saw that she stood at the top of a great black well, a shaft twenty feet across plunging deep into the earth. Huge stones had been set into the curving walls as steps, circling down and down, dark as the steps to hell that Old Nan used to tell them of. And something was coming up out of the darkness, out of the bowels of the earth . . . Arya peered over the edge and felt the cold black breath on her face. Far below, she saw the light of a single torch, small as the flame of a candle. Two men, she made out. Their shadows writhed against the sides of the well, tall as giants. She could hear their voices, echoing up the shaft. † . . . found one bastard,† one said. â€Å"The rest will come soon. A day, two days, a fortnight . . . â€Å" â€Å"And when he learns the truth, what will he do?† a second voice asked in the liquid accents of the Free Cities. â€Å"The gods alone know,† the first voice said. Arya could see a wisp of grey smoke drifting up off the torch, writhing like a snake as it rose. â€Å"The fools tried to kill his son, and what's worse, they made a mummer's farce of it. He's not a man to put that aside. I warn you, the wolf and lion will soon be at each other's throats, whether we will it or no.† â€Å"Too soon, too soon,† the voice with the accent complained. â€Å"What good is war now? We are not ready. Delay.† â€Å"As well bid me stop time. Do you take me for a wizard?† The other chuckled. â€Å"No less.† Flames licked at the cold air. The tall shadows were almost on top of her. An instant later the man holding the torch climbed into her sight, his companion beside him. Arya crept back away from the well, dropped to her stomach, and flattened herself against the wall. She held her breath as the men reached the top of the steps. â€Å"What would you have me do?† asked the torchbearer, a stout man in a leather half cape. Even in heavy boots, his feet seemed to glide soundlessly over the ground. A round scarred face and a stubble of dark beard showed under his steel cap, and he wore mail over boiled leather, and a dirk and shortsword at his belt. It seemed to Arya there was something oddly familiar about him. â€Å"If one Hand can die, why not a second?† replied the man with the accent and the forked yellow beard. â€Å"You have danced the dance before, my friend.† He was no one Arya had ever seen before, she was certain of it. Grossly fat, yet he seemed to walk lightly, carrying his weight on the balls of his feet as a water dancer might. His rings glimmered in the torchlight, red-gold and pale silver, crusted with rubies, sapphires, slitted yellow tiger eyes. Every finger wore a ring; some had two. â€Å"Before is not now, and this Hand is not the other,† the scarred man said as they stepped out into the hall. Still as stone, Arya told herself, quiet as a shadow. Blinded by the blaze of their own torch, they did not see her pressed flat against the stone, only a few feet away. â€Å"Perhaps so,† the forked beard replied, pausing to catch his breath after the long climb. â€Å"Nonetheless, we must have time. The princess is with child. The khal will not bestir himself until his son is born. You know how they are, these savages.† The man with the torch pushed at something. Arya heard a deep rumbling. A huge slab of rock, red in the torchlight, slid down out of the ceiling with a resounding crash that almost made her cry out. Where the entry to the well had been was nothing but stone, solid and unbroken. â€Å"If he does not bestir himself soon, it may be too late,† the stout man in the steel cap said. â€Å"This is no longer a game for two players, if ever it was. Stannis Baratheon and Lysa Arryn have fled beyond my reach, and the whispers say they are gathering swords around them. The Knight of Flowers writes Highgarden, urging his lord father to send his sister to court. The girl is a maid of fourteen, sweet and beautiful and tractable, and Lord Renly and Ser Loras intend that Robert should bed her, wed her, and make a new queen. Littlefinger . . . the gods only know what game Littlefinger is playing. Yet Lord Stark's the one who troubles my sleep. He has the bastard, he has the book, and soon enough he'll have the truth. And now his wife has abducted Tyrion Lannister, thanks to Littlefinger's meddling. Lord Tywin will take that for an outrage, and Jaime has a queer affection for the Imp. If the Lannisters move north, that will bring the Tullys in as well. Delay, you say. Make haste, I reply. Even the finest of jugglers cannot keep a hundred balls in the air forever.† â€Å"You are more than a juggler, old friend. You are a true sorcerer. All I ask is that you work your magic awhile longer.† They started down the hall in the direction Arya had come, past the room with the monsters. â€Å"What I can do, I will,† the one with the torch said softly. â€Å"I must have gold, and another fifty birds.† She let them get a long way ahead, then went creeping after them. Quiet as a shadow. â€Å"So many?† The voices were fainter as the light dwindled ahead of her. â€Å"The ones you need are hard to find . . . so young, to know their letters . . . perhaps older . . . not die so easy . . . † â€Å"No. The younger are safer . . . treat them gently . . . â€Å" † . . . .if they kept their tongues . . . â€Å" † . . . the risk . . . â€Å" Long after their voices had faded away, Arya could still see the light of the torch, a smoking star that bid her follow. Twice it seemed to disappear, but she kept on straight, and both times she found herself at the top of steep, narrow stairs, the torch glimmering far below her. She hurried after it, down and down. Once she stumbled over a rock and fell against the wall, and her hand found raw earth supported by timbers, whereas before the tunnel had been dressed stone. She must have crept after them for miles. Finally they were gone, but there was no place to go but forward. She found the wall again and followed, blind and lost, pretending that Nymeria was padding along beside her in the darkness. At the end she was knee-deep in foul-smelling water, wishing she could dance upon it as Syrio might have, and wondering if she'd ever see light again. It was full dark when finally Arya emerged into the night air. She found herself standing at the mouth of a sewer where it emptied into the river. She stank so badly that she stripped right there, dropping her soiled clothing on the riverbank as she dove into the deep black waters. She swam until she felt clean, and crawled out shivering. Some riders went past along the river road as Arya was washing her clothes, but if they saw the scrawny naked girl scrubbing her rags in the moonlight, they took no notice. She was miles from the castle, but from anywhere in King's Landing you needed only to look up to see the Red Keep high on Aegon's Hill, so there was no danger of losing her way. Her clothes were almost dry by the time she reached the gatehouse. The portcullis was down and the gates barred, so she turned aside to a postern door. The gold cloaks who had the watch sneered when she told them to let her in. â€Å"Off with you,† one said. â€Å"The kitchen scraps are gone, and we'll have no begging after dark.† â€Å"I'm not a beggar,† she said. â€Å"I live here.† â€Å"I said, off with you. Do you need a clout on the ear to help your hearing?† â€Å"I want to see my father.† The guards exchanged a glance. â€Å"I want to fuck the queen myself, for all the good it does me,† the younger one said. The older scowled. â€Å"Who's this father of yours, boy, the city ratcatcher?† â€Å"The Hand of the King,† Arya told him. Both men laughed, but then the older one swung his fist at her, casually, as a man would swat a dog. Arya saw the blow coming even before it began. She danced back out of the way, untouched. â€Å"I'm not a boy,† she spat at them. â€Å"I'm Arya Stark of Winterfell, and if you lay a hand on me my lord father will have both your heads on spikes. If you don't believe me, fetch Jory Cassel or Vayon Poole from the Tower of the Hand.† She put her hands on her hips. â€Å"Now are you going to open the gate, or do you need a clout on the ear to help your hearing?† Her father was alone in the solar when Harwin and Fat Tom marched her in, an oil lamp glowing softly at his elbow. He was bent over the biggest book Arya had ever seen, a great thick tome with cracked yellow pages of crabbed script, bound between faded leather covers, but he closed it to listen to Harwin's report. His face was stern as he sent the men away with thanks. â€Å"You realize I had half my guard out searching for you?† Eddard Stark said when they were alone. â€Å"Septa Mordane is beside herself with fear. She's in the sept praying for your safe return. Arya, you know you are never to go beyond the castle gates without my leave.† â€Å"I didn't go out the gates,† she blurted. â€Å"Well, I didn't mean to. I was down in the dungeons, only they turned into this tunnel. It was all dark, and I didn't have a torch or a candle to see by, so I had to follow. I couldn't go back the way I came on account of the monsters. Father, they were talking about killing you! Not the monsters, the two men. They didn't see me, I was being still as stone and quiet as a shadow, but I heard them. They said you had a book and a bastard and if one Hand could die, why not a second? Is that the book? Jon's the bastard, I bet.† â€Å"Jon? Arya, what are you talking about? Who said this?† â€Å"They did,† she told him. â€Å"There was a fat one with rings and a forked yellow beard, and another in mail and a steel cap, and the fat one said they had to delay but the other one told him he couldn't keep juggling and the wolf and the lion were going to eat each other and it was a mummer's farce.† She tried to remember the rest. She hadn't quite understood everything she'd heard, and now it was all mixed up in her head. â€Å"The fat one said the princess was with child. The one in the steel cap, he had the torch, he said that they had to hurry. I think he was a wizard.† â€Å"A wizard,† said Ned, unsmiling. â€Å"Did he have a long white beard and tall pointed hat speckled with stars?† â€Å"No! It wasn't like Old Nan's stories. He didn't look like a wizard, but the fat one said he was.† â€Å"I warn you, Arya, if you're spinning this thread of air—† â€Å"No, I told you, it was in the dungeons, by the place with the secret wall. I was chasing cats, and well . . . † She screwed up her face. If she admitted knocking over Prince Tommen, he would be really angry with her. † . . . well, I went in this window. That's where I found the monsters.† â€Å"Monsters and wizards,† her father said. â€Å"It would seem you've had quite an adventure. These men you heard, you say they spoke of juggling and mummery?† â€Å"Yes,† Arya admitted, â€Å"only—† â€Å"Arya, they were mummers,† her father told her. â€Å"There must be a dozen troupes in King's Landing right now, come to make some coin off the tourney crowds. I'm not certain what these two were doing in the castle, but perhaps the king has asked for a show.† â€Å"No.† She shook her head stubbornly. â€Å"They weren't—† â€Å"You shouldn't be following people about and spying on them in any case. Nor do I cherish the notion of my daughter climbing in strange windows after stray cats. Look at you, sweetling. Your arms are covered with scratches. This has gone on long enough. Tell Syrio Forel that I want a word with hirn—† He was interrupted by a short, sudden knock. â€Å"Lord Eddard, pardons,† Desmond called out, opening the door a crack, â€Å"but there's a black brother here begging audience. He says the matter is urgent. I thought you would want to know.† â€Å"My door is always open to the Night's Watch,† Father said. Desmond ushered the man inside. He was stooped and ugly, with an unkempt beard and unwashed clothes, yet Father greeted him pleasantly and asked his name. â€Å"Yoren, as it please m'lord. My pardons for the hour.† He bowed to Arya. â€Å"And this must be your son. He has your look.† â€Å"I'm a girl,† Arya said, exasperated. If the old man was down from the Wall, he must have come by way of Winterfell. â€Å"Do you know my brothers?† she asked excitedly. â€Å"Robb and Bran are at Winterfell, and Jon's on the Wall. Jon Snow, he's in the Night's Watch too, you must know him, he has a direwolf, a white one with red eyes. Is Jon a ranger yet? I'm Arya Stark.† The old man in his smelly black clothes was looking at her oddly, but Arya could not seem to stop talking. â€Å"When you ride back to the Wall, would you bring Jon a letter if I wrote one?† She wished Jon were here right now. He'd believe her about the dungeons and the fat man with the forked beard and the wizard in the steel cap. â€Å"My daughter often forgets her courtesies,† Eddard Stark said with a faint smile that softened his words. â€Å"I beg your forgiveness, Yoren. Did my brother Benjen send you?† â€Å"No one sent me, m'lord, saving old Mormont. I'm here to find men for the Wall, and when Robert next holds court, I'll bend the knee and cry our need, see if the king and his Hand have some scum in the dungeons they'd be well rid of. You might say as Benjen Stark is why we're talking, though. His blood ran black. Made him my brother as much as yours. It's for his sake I'm come. Rode hard, I did, near killed my horse the way I drove her, but I left the others well behind.† â€Å"The others?† Yoren spat. â€Å"Sellswords and freeriders and like trash. That inn was full o' them, and I saw them take the scent. The scent of blood or the scent of gold, they smell the same in the end. Not all o' them made for King's Landing, either. Some went galloping for Casterly Rock, and the Rock lies closer. Lord Tywin will have gotten the word by now, you can count on it.† Father frowned. â€Å"What word is this?† Yoren eyed Arya. â€Å"One best spoken in private, m'lord, begging your pardons.† â€Å"As you say. Desmond, see my daughter to her chambers.† He kissed her on the brow. â€Å"We'll finish our talk on the morrow.† Arya stood rooted to the spot. â€Å"Nothing bad's happened to Jon, has it?† she asked Yoren. â€Å"Or Uncle Benjen?† â€Å"Well, as to Stark, I can't say. The Snow boy was well enough when I left the Wall. It's not them as concerns me.† Desmond took her hand. â€Å"Come along, milady. You heard your lord father.† Arya had no choice but to go with him, wishing it had been Fat Tom. With Tom, she might have been able to linger at the door on some excuse and hear what Yoren was saying, but Desmond was too single-minded to trick. â€Å"How many guards does my father have?† she asked him as they descended to her bedchamber. â€Å"Here at King's Landing? Fifty.† â€Å"You wouldn't let anyone kill him, would you?† she asked. Desmond laughed. â€Å"No fear on that count, little lady. Lord Eddard's guarded night and day. He'll come to no harm.† â€Å"The Lannisters have more than fifty men,† Arya pointed out. â€Å"So they do, but every northerner is worth ten of these southron swords, so you can sleep easy.† â€Å"What if a wizard was sent to kill him?† â€Å"Well, as to that,† Desmond replied, drawing his longsword, â€Å"wizards die the same as other men, once you cut their heads off.†

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Economic Recovery of the 1930s Essay

â€Å"The economic recovery of the 1930s can be explained entirely by the effects of the New Deal.† How valid is this view? In 1932 Franklin D Roosevelt won the presidential election as a response to the â€Å"Great American Depression† which saw the collapse of the USA’s economic life continuing throughout the 1930s as a result in the inadequate action of Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Henry Hoover to alleviate the sheer hardships that came with the depression. Roosevelt and the Democrats took a more interventionist approach to recover the economy, provide relief for the unemployed and enact reform in order to create a fairer society. â€Å"The economic recovery of the 1930s can be explained entirely by the effects of the New Deal.† The â€Å"New Deal† was the interventionist programme Roosevelt initiated to tackle the issue and is key in explaining the USA’s economic recovery of the 1930s and is split into two factors in order to determine the validity of the previous statement; the first hundred days known as the First New Deal and from1935 to 1937 known as the Second New Deal. However, there were other factors which were important in the recovery of the USA’s economy. The growing power of the Federal Government to defend these reforms. The rearmament in preparation for the Second World War that reduced unemployment and increased industrial production. However, it was Roosevelt himself that revitalised the economy as he went a long way to rebuild confidence with the American public. Therefore the New Deal was undoubtedly a considerable factor in explaining America’s economic recovery but other factors although associated with the New Deal were independently important in the economic recovery. The economic recovery of the 1930s can be explained by the First New Deal, to an extent. During the first 100 days of Roosevelt’s office a flood of new legislation most becoming laws quickly providing relief and recovery. This meant that â€Å"Alphabet Agencies† were established and run by groups of Americans known as â€Å"The Brain Trust† in order to carry out work in tackling relief and recovery. The National Industrial Recovery Act passed on the 16th of June 1933 introduced joint economic planning between the Government and industry to stabilise prices, expand purchasing power, relive unemployment and improve working conditions. This was important as it represented greater government intervention in regulating and planning the country meaning that businesses would return to a living rate again by address issues such as  banking and lack of intervention which were initial kick-starters of the depression. The Public works Administration created jobs for unemp loyed industrial workers through large scale work schemes such as building schools, hospitals and parks which were of public benefit. This was effective in providing both relief and recovery as it created jobs for industrial workers as well as assisting the recovery of the economy by building necessary institutes for a functional economic system. Finally the Work Progress Administration (WPA), aimed to offer carefully chosen jobs that would be beneficial to the individuals community and was one of the most effective agencies. The WPA was one of the country’s largest employers between 1935 and 1941 at a staggering 2 million per year particularly employing the unskilled into large building schemes but also artists, actors and photographers into civic duties. Additionally around 11,000 schools and public buildings had been built nationwide along with 43,000 miles of road. This was important as the number of unemployed people significantly decreased which in turn led to an improvement to the economy as the employed raised revenue through taxation and because people would soon be purchasing more goods from important trades as the wages were respectable. However, the WPA only employed people for a year meaning that people would become unemployed again leading to a fall in investment into the economy taking the USA back to square one. Overall the First New Deal was successful in providing emergency relief and recovery as after the 100 days; national income rose by 23%, unemployment dropped by 2 million and factory wages rose. The impact of it was felt by millions and the money people were making meant that they began spending which brought the nation’s trade and business back to life, this was referred to as â€Å"priming the pump† as the Government’s spending fuelled the nation’s economic machinery and it started to move again. However, Roosevelt’s measures were being challenged in court and many were declared as unconstitutional and therefore illegal, restricting the progress and impact the New Deal could have. Additionally The First New Deal focused more on relief and less on reform and recovery which had shortcomings so it can be criticised for not being more radical and completely changing the USA and therefore cannot explain the economic recovery of the 1930s as factor more work needed to be done through The Second New Deal and other factors. The Second New Deal can also explain the economic recovery of the 1930s to an extent. By, 1935 Roosevelt’s New Deal was being greatly challenged by the courts and a newer more radical House of Representative, in order to solve this issue Roosevelt started over and produced a new flood of legislation. This legislation was more extensive than before and aimed to radically change the USA by focusing towards socio-economic reformation by improving long term living and working conditions due to the widening gap between the rich and poor which contributed market saturation. The social security act of 1935 provided a state pension scheme for the old, widowed, and disabled as well as poor children with payments ranging from $10 to $85 a month, paid from taxes on earnings and employer’s profits. This was important as it was the first attempt to provide for those at the highest risk of falling into poverty and it was the longest lasting New Deal. However, Welfare legislation lagged behind Europe as only 24 out of the 48 states at the time had old age pensions. Additionally there were wide gaps in payments between different states. The National Labour Relations act of 1935 gave the right of union to workers. This was important as the Government became integrated into industrial relations and resulted in the exponential increase of union membership and power. Finally The Wealth act of 1935 sought to raise revenue for the New Deals by now targeting wealthy with taxes, referred to by William Randolph as â€Å"soak the successful†. However very little was raised as loopholes were exploited by the most elite lawyers as the wealthy could afford them. Overall was a successful response to the opposition he faced from the courts. However, the issue remains that Roosevelt was attempting to radically change socio-economic situation in the USA at the expense of the rich and this reform promised by The Second New Deal was not fulfilled to an entirety. Therefore The Second New Deal and as an extension the first did cannot entirely explain the USA’s economic recovery although it undoubtedly contributed and helped other factors such as the increased power of The Federal Government which the New Deals helped to increase though they stand by themselves individually to explain the recovery. The increased power and role of the Federal Government in social and economic affairs was another important factor in the overall explanation of the USA’s  economic recovery. During this period Roosevelt’s New Deals faced opposition which led to Roosevelt using methods to challenge them as he believed he was elected to save big business and was disappointed by their lack of support. In 1944 Congress opposed to the Farm Security Administration of 1935 after it had already helped to settle 11,000 families and provided 41,000 long-term low interest loans to help tenants and sharecroppers purchase their own farms due to its provision of medical schemes for black and white migrants. Although a result of prejudices and partly a result of the New Deal this shows the increased role of the Government in deeming the act illegal and the act making it to that point on the New Deals part. Additionally it highlights how the success of the New Deal may have been restricted. In order to stop the Supreme Court, Roosevelt himself put forward the Judicial Reform act which appointed six additional judges that agreed with him to the pre-existing nine in order to help with the workload. This was important as the power he exerted over the Supreme Court, meant resistance to the New Deals was reduced increasing the power of the executive branch which aided the alphabet agencies’ progress in economic recovery. It also meant that people began to look more towards the Federal Government for help instead of the State Government. However, the judges were aware of this and restricted their duties. Overall the expanding role of Federal Government can explain the economic recovery of the 1930s as it gave the executive more powers to pass legislation that would improve the economy such as the New Deal particularly the survival of the Social Security Act and people look towards the federal government which increased their role in society which meant they could work towards economic recovery. Therefore the success of the New Deal is a result of this increased executive branch presence as it allowed Roosevelt to pass them, meaning that the New Deals alone can’t entirely explain the USA’s economic recovery. However, it was Roosevelt’s efforts in renewing the public’s confidence that explained the economic recovery as the New Deal would not have been successful in motion or in the legislative process without the support of the public. Arguably Roosevelt’s efforts in building the public’s confidence in the Government and its role in the economy explained the economic recovery of  the 1930s almost to an entirety as the New Deal carried some of the confidence. Roosevelt was popular among the public as they believed he cared about them as he was the first president to speak to the dispossessed and the have-nots in society, for example he spoke to those who had concerns with the Government regulating banks as part of the New Deal by ensuring their safety in using them. He said, â€Å"I can assure you that it safer to keep your money in a reopened bank than under your mattress.† Thousands wrote letters to him to show their appreciation. This was important as Roosevelt’s popularity among the electorate meant he won four presidential elections and the Democrats were voted into both Houses of Congress with a secure majority of 2/3 in the senate and  ¾ in the House of Representatives proving his popularity. This meant he was able to increase the role of Federal Government and improve the economy as he could only pass the New Deals with the support of the electorate and have them contribute to the economy with their confidence in the system as prior to him showing care the public were suspicious. However, not all of the elected Democrats agreed with the New Deal for example Ed Johnson who strongly disagreed with it saying it was â€Å"the worst fraud perpetuated on the American people.† Roosevelt also appointed an unprecedented amount of Catholics, Jews, blacks and women and used radio to keep the public updated. This was important as Roosevelt was appealing to minority groups which at the time were having severe problems and including the public in political affairs meaning that they would back the New Deal which would ultimately improve the USA’s economic situation and it made important social changes to minorities which were affected by poverty the most therefore improvi ng their economic status was vital in economic reform. Therefore the confidence that the public had in Roosevelt and the Government in addressing social reform explains the economic recovery during the 1930s as the backing he received was vital in the passing of the New Deals as he spoke to them like no other president which meant he remained in office for four terms and had more powers to pass acts in order to recover the economy. This means that the other factors would not have had any impact without the support he had from a public confident that he could save the economy. Therefore the New Deals do not explain the economic recovery of the 1930s entirely as there were more important factors alone and that affected the New Deals themselves, particularly the  confidence in the economic system that Roosevelt worked hard to build. However, there were still shortcomings of the legislation passed by the New Deal as a result of this confidence, which the Second World War helped in the USA’s economic recovery. An additional, important factor to be considered in explaining the economic reform of the 1930s was the rearmament in preparation for the war. In 1937 a new, less severe depression had arisen because Roosevelt had cut the federal Government’s spending budget causing a fall in the stock market and industrial production as well as a 4 million rise in unemployment. In response to the outbreak of war out with the USA Roosevelt convinced Congress to invest billions in National defence, improving the economy as he increased the wages of military personnel and offered subsidies for defence manufacturing which proved effective as unemployment plummeted to 10% during the war. Additionally the conservation during the war saved money and the immigration particularly Jewish people from Germany to California led to an economic boom. This was important as the war Kick-started the economy as the increase in wages and economic production during the war lowered unemployment and improved the economy post war as this industrial boom continued. Overall this contributed greatly to the economic recovery of the 1930s meaning that the New Deal cannot not entirely explain this recovery. However, it stills stands that the confidence built by Roosevelt explains the economic recovery as though the end of the war saw the end to the Great Depression it was Roosevelt’s support that got him to investing in defence which began the war’s industrial production. Therefore the New Deal can only partially explain the economic recovery of the 1930s as though they provided relief, recovery and worked towards reform, the New Deal did not radically change the face of the USA which did happen later but not as a result of the New Deal. This means that the statement is invalid as though the New deal was undoubtedly a considerable factor in the USA’s economic recovery other factors were also important. The growing power and role of the Federal Government in economics meant that Roosevelt had the power to pass the acts of the New Deal and the public looked towards the Federal Government meaning economic recovery could be  initiated nationally. The rearmament in preparation for the Second World War was more important as it significantly reduced unemployment and increased industrial production which planted the seeds for a post-war economic boom ending the Great Depression. It was Roosevelt’s personal work in building public confidence in the economy which proved to be the most important factor as it provided Roosevelt with the support to remain in office, change the role of the Federal Government which in turn meant he could get backing from both Congress and the public to improve the economy and later invest in the war industries that without would have kept the depression going post-war.

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Study guide answer exam

Keep in mind that I am looking at your exam questions while writing the study guide. Be sure you know what the terms are, how they have been researched, and describe your answers In your own words. I decided to limit your test to the first three chapters. You can do quite well focusing on the material below. Enjoy! Why is drug withdrawal a painful experience for addicts? Using drugs puts an excess amount of neurotransmitters in the body.When there is an overflow the brain stops making it naturally and when the drug wears off it takes mime for the brain to star making the chemical once again on its own system. Some neurotransmitters are dopamine, serotonin, Acetylene's, Morphogenesis, Gamma- nonparametric acid, Endorphins. Endorphins are natural opiates. Brooch's area and Wrinkle's area in the brain and their responsibilities. B- speaking W-understanding What does It mean to be randomly assigned? The design of a study such that all subjects have an equal chance of being assigned to an y group or condition.What does it mean to be debriefed? A discussion of procedures, hypothesis. And subject reactions at the completion of the study. Explain what a correlation is and its mathematical representation. A correlation exists when 2 variables are related to each other. May be positive or negative depends on nature of the association between the variables measured. Correlation Indicates the 2 variables that change together In the opposite direction. Strength of correlation depends on size of coefficient.Be very clear about the difference between correlation and causation. What is responsible for carrying information from the central nervous system to tissue? What s an independent and dependent variable? What do we know about Alchemist's disease, schizophrenia and neurotransmitters? Alchemist's brains show to have low levels of ACH-Acetylene's. Schizophrenia is linked to excess levels of dopamine. What Is an agonies/antagonist and how do they work? Chemical that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.Antagonist *jiff]: Chemical that opposes the action of a neurotransmitter. Agonies works with the muscles, and the antagonist is the muscle working against it Know all of the various schools of psychology and their arguments. Structuralism was eased on the notion that the task of psychology is to analyze consciousness into its basic elements and investigate how these elements related. Functionalism was based on the belief that psychology should investigate the function or purpose of consciousness, rather that it's structure.Natural selection inherited characteristics that provide a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely the alternative characteristics to be passed on to subsequent generations and thus come to be â€Å"selected† over time. Behaviorism is a theoretical orientation based on the premise that scientific psychology should study only observable behavior. Humanism is a theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualit ies of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for personal growth. What is research replication and why do it?The repetition of study to see whether the earlier results are duplicated. What were the Greek philosophers interested in discovering? Know our policies described on our syllabus well. Know the key points and messages of ALL of our video presentations; Know all of the research methods discussed in class along with their strengths and weaknesses. What is the magical responsible for? What comprises the limbic system, endocrine system, sympathetic nervous system, peripheral nervous system & central nervous system.Limbic systemic: Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Hippopotamus, and the magical. Endocrine systemic>?k G: Group of glandless* that secrete†Z chemicals into the bloodstream that help control bodily function. Sympathetic nervous immobilizers the body resources for emergencies. Peripheral nervous all those nerves that lie outside the brain and spinal cord. Cent ral nervous G: Brain and spinal cord. How do neurons communicate? Axons and dendrites carry information to and from the cell body. Neurotransmitters send signals chemically between neurons.What is the placebo effect? According to ancient Greek civilizations, what is psychology? A definition for a topic of study. Psyche was used to refer to the soul, spirit, or mind, as distinguished from the Know all of your brain lobes, their location and their responsibilities. Frontal lobes: speaking, muscle movements, making plans, Judgments Parietal lobes: sensory area Occipital lobes: vision Temporal lobes: auditory In order to measure either a physical or mental construct, what criteria must the measure meet?Mean, median, mode they have been researched, and describe your answers in your own words. I decided material below. Learn a lot and earn an A. Enjoy! Why is drug withdrawal a painful experience for addicts (hint: What are the brains' natural opiates called)? Text & Lecture Your brain sto p produce dopamine†¦ Because the drug give too much†¦ And when you stop taking them. There are no dopamine left What does it mean to be randomly assigned? Text & Lecture Randomly select object or†¦.It can generalize the whole population that represent chi What does it mean to be debriefed? Text Ex: give you the different reason for certain study†¦ And tell you the truest after Explain what a correlation is and its mathematical representation. Text & Lecture Ex: something cause other things to happen†¦ A cause B†¦ Ex: not study cause bad grade†¦ Mathematical representation—positive +1 no correlation negative correlation -1 as the research close to O, that means it have no correlation What's the relationship between ice cream sales and pool drowning?Lecture Relation between this too is summer. Cause more sale in ice cream, the more people go swim and more people drowning. A- ice cream b-PDP C heat c cause A and B so more B=more What is an inde pendent and dependent variable? Text & Lecture Independent-music they listen dependent- how many world they memorize (amount that been measure) to Lecture Alchemies – schizophrenia-have ex dopamine or lack neurotransmitters (page 75)(he like to test drugs and what effect) What is an agonies/ antagonist and how do they work?Lecture Agonies- keep the reaction going antagonist-stop the reaction going (ex antagonist can stop the pain) Know all of the various schools of psychology and their arguments?structuralisms, Functionalists, Behaviorist's, etc. Lecture Structuralism- need name v†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ First school in German-take what you have experience and break down-(ex what make you anger) Functionalism- †¦. James – ex(why people drop out school†¦ ) stall-study the whole not parts of the brain he study dreams†¦ Hypnoses John Watson-more about behavior and something that can measure skinner-rewards and punishment

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

The Chinese Culture: A Chinese-American Family Reunion

My wife is originally from the southern part of China, so her family is a mixture of descendants of China and the Americans who have married into the family. A few years ago her family had a reunion to gather together and visit with one another, and I was invited to attend. While I had experienced some of the Chinese culture prior to the event, the reunion was the first time that I really got to observe the traditional culture in real life. The event was a very elegant occasion, more like a banquet than the typical American family reunion. There was tons of food, most of which was Chinese, and even Chinese decorations. There were red lanterns strung around the room, all lit as the evening approached. They were very beautiful, but as it turns out they are not used for beauty. The lanterns symbolize good luck and hope. They are used every year in China at the Lantern Festival, when they line the streets to symbolize this same meaning. The color red also has significance in the Chinese culture. It is believed to be the color of luck. Some of the older family members spoke the Chinese language, which was interesting to witness, but most everyone spoke English. I am an American with family roots in Germany, so the two cultures are vastly different. The biggest difference I noticed was how much more reserved the Chinese people seemed to typical American families. Even the children, who were laughing and playing, seemed to be more respectful than American children. This aspect of the culture impacted me the most. I realized how different people are from different parts of the world, and especially those who live in America, but have been raised with traditional Chinese values. It amazes me how different cultures can vary so greatly. I enjoyed this learning experience with my wife’s family and I look forward to many more Chinese events in the future. References: Chinatown Connection, â€Å"Lantern Festival.† Chinatown Connection. n.d.. Chinatown Connection. 5 May 2008 . Lee, Danile. â€Å"Chinese People Lifestyle.† Chinatown Connection. n.d.. Chinatown Connection. 5 May 2008 .

Monday, July 29, 2019

Ap World Histroy Dbq

Political, religious, and social factors affected the work of scientist in the sixteenth and seventeenth century in many ways. They were the reasons why natural philosophers questioned, studied, and continued to find new information in their discoveries. Developing a new scientific worldview must have required an abundance of controversy dealing with these important factors. There were people who believed that the discoveries made should not interfere with political power. *Thomas Hobbes, an English Philosopher, certainly believed in many theories’ that scientists had viewed. However he is best known for his political thought. Certainly his political views were included in his scientific works (Doc 7). Louis XVI, a political power, showed interest into the scientific studies. This evidently showed on a drawing to honor Louis XVI’s visit to the French Royal Academy (Doc 10). Clearly, science was encouraged to flourish because people knew the happiness of the country, for not only depending on the arms abroad but for also creating abundances at home (Doc 11). The social factor was furthermost likely to have been more analyzed in scientist works. Many were interested in what people thought of them and their studies. Scientist were even more proficient in removing their experiments completely if people disagreed. Marin Mersenne guaranteed that his experiments had been repeated more than 100 times, but however was willing to change them if someone did not agree. Others however, were confident in their studies and did not care for much criticism (Doc 1). The reason for why natural philosophers were sometimes held back was because they truly did not know what their objective was. This is most likely why they made slight progress in the sixteenth and seventeenth centauries (Doc 4). Religion was unquestionably a factor scientist considered. They took the principles of God into their works. It appeared impossible to them how things could have so much astonishing features and qualities and still have been created out of nature. They knew these things became to exist from an immeasurable wisdom and power (Doc 8). Just as God governs minds, minds have specific laws which place them above the moments of matter (Doc 12). Bible stories were used as comparisons with scientific views, such as John Calvin mentioning Moses who wrote in a popular style where all ordinary persons gifted with common sense and were able to be understood (Doc 2). He is a French Protestant theologian which may be what leads him to trust that astronomy unfolds the admirable wisdom of God. There were those who were not affected with political, religious, and social factors because they were limited on human rights. Women had certain difficulties in the scientific area. Margret Cavendish would have set her own school of natural philosophy if she would have not have feared the casting of a male school. *Margaret, a natural philosopher, was certainly interested in discoveries however, she understood the complications of having a part in this grouping (Doc 9). Studies should have been allowed from those who wished to learn, as well as those who selected to reject whatever is unidentified to them (Doc2). Both genders could have formed a friendship between intelligent associations; this would have been a great aid to the investigation and education of the truth (Doc 6). Political, religious, and social factors were massive topics. Natural Philosophers certainly were aware of their process of studies and experiments. They all had different views on the three factors causing old and new discoveries to be more interesting.