College Admissions Essay: Moving Beyond Pastry :: College Admissions Essays

Moving Beyond Pastry A few days ago, I innocently happened upon what, according to the bakery sign, was an almond croissant. Delighted, I ordered one, and dreamily handed over my two dollars as memories of bustling Parisian streets and morning bakery smells drifted back to me. However, as I took my first bite a record screeched in my head, violently thrusting me out of my daydream and landing me back into the reality that I was not in Paris, but in the middle of the USA, eating what amounted to a dry piece of wonder bread with two barely distinguishable almond bits on top. Ah, Paris! If you were to ask me why one should live, visit, or return to Paris my answer would undoubtedly be, "Pastry." But on a more serious note, as much as I love pastries and sweets, I didn't take out student loans, search for scholarships and cross the Atlantic Ocean so I could eat a crepe or a pain au chocolat as shamelessly thin, stylish people wearing black walked by. I thought I was going to France to study French. And this I certainly did. My classes were all in French, including a religious studies class at the graduate level (funny how no one mentioned this to me before it was too late to drop it!). But the true benefits of my studies abroad continue to become more and more apparent the longer I am home in the United States. In short, I understand that the world is great big place with all kinds of places and people not in an abstract sense, but as a result of experience. When I see the Mona Lisa on television I think of my first visit to the Louvre as I stared awestruck at her small, mischievous face. When I heard that 200,000 Germans gathered in solidarity at the Brandenburg Gate to express their sympathy for the US citizens in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attacks I think about the German people I met this summer and the day that I walked through that gate myself. And when I heard that the Paris traffic and metro stopped as a display of sympathy and grief, I felt my eyes sting with tears.

Frankenstein and Creature

frank 2000 Many works of literature not readily identified with the mystery or detective story genre nonetheless involve the investigation of a mystery. In these works, the solution to the mystery may be less important than the knowledge gained in the process of its investigation. Choose a novel or play in which one or more of the characters confront a mystery. Then write an essay in which you identify the mystery and explain how the investigation illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot. 2003 According to critic Northrop Frye, â€Å"Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning. † Select a novel or play in which a tragic figure functions as an instrument of the suffering of others. Then write an essay in which you explain how the suffering brought upon others by that figure contributes to the tragic vision of the work as a whole. 006 Many writers use a country setting to establish values within a work of literature. For example, the country may be a place of virtue and peace or one of primitivism and ignorance. Choose a novel or play in which such a setting plays a significant role. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the country setting functions in the work as a whole. Setting is crucial in any given novel or p lay. However, in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the country setting is crucial in understanding the emotions, characters, and events to come featured in the novel. As a romantic herself, Shelley utilizes the images of several scenes of nature to emphasize particular themes and ideas. From the changing seasons, violent storms, and the mountain and lakes, the country shows a multitude of aspects that relate to the story of Viktor Frankenstein. The transition of summer to winter not only highlights Frankenstein's character, but is a useful tool for foreshadowing. Much like summer's bright and energetic characteristics, Frankenstein proves to be bright and energetic as well. As a child, Frankenstein had the love and affections from a happy family and a growing thirst for knowledge. This thirst for knowledge eventually thrusts Frankenstein into the University of Ingolstadt. It is here that Frankenstein's ambitions to surpass his colleagues and professors are highlighted. He soon becomes enveloped in his studies, which to him, is complete pleasure. He soon discovers the secret of animating a corpse and sets to construct a breathing organism. Frankenstein however, begins to describe the qualities of summer, where the days are long, and the nights are short. The long days serve to emphasize Frankenstein's happiness. Right now in the novel, Frankenstein believes to be doing great work in the field of science. However, when the creation of the monster becomes close, summer comes to an end. Frankenstein loses his previous optimistic character and his dreams become dark. The light begins to fade as darkness empowers it, much like Frankenstein's realization about his creation. Tortured by images of his creation, Frankenstein falls ill. But as both time and his illness pass, spring begins to emerge. Frankenstein's recovery and the emergence of springtime correlate to one another as it is a time of new beginnings. It is here that Frankenstein leaves the University of Ingolstadt and starts a new journey with his friend Clerval. A noteworthy characteristic found in the country is their violent storms. Shelley masterfully uses storms to emphasize ominous events and the emotions of characters. In several instances, the lightning of a storm represents the godlike power of creation. This is emphasized in the passage when Frankenstein witnesses a tree wiped out by lightning. The lightning gives Frankenstein inspiration to uncover the spark of life. It is here where his desire to control the same power as lightning is conceived. But just as the tree was destroyed, Frankenstein and his world around him will be destroyed as well. As the story progresses, storms become intertwined with the idea of destruction. This is first introduced in the Monster's rage towards the DeLacey family. After being refused love and affection, the Monster erupts into a terrible rage. Driven with anger, the Monster finally burns down the cottage where they had first lived. As this is done, Shelley describes the wind to pick up and the might of the storm to roar with the same anger shown by the Monster. With each death found in Frankenstein, a violent storm is quickly followed after. After young William is strangled to death, a storm erupts over Geneva. Frankenstein is outside to witness this and exclaims that this is his funeral. The storm represents the turmoil faced by the Frankenstein family with the passing of William. Next, a powerful storm is what brings Frankenstein to Ireland. This is where he is placed in jail to be tried against the murder of his best friend, Clerval. Finally, a storm flares up over Elizabeth and Frankenstein on the day of Elizabeth's death. This storm serves to show that she is soon going to die at the hands of Frankenstein's monster. Constantly through the novel, Mary Shelley uses storms to stress the black and sinister nature of the book. 2008 In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast or comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of the minor Frankenstein, speaking of himself as a young man in his father’s home, points out that he is unlike Elizabeth, who would rather follow â€Å"the aerial creations of the poets†. Instead he pursues knowledge of the â€Å"world† though investigation. As the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the meaning of the word â€Å"world† is for Frankenstein, very much biased or limited. He thirsts for knowledge of the tangible world and if he perceives an idea to be as yet unrealised in the material world, he then attempts to work on the idea in order to give it, as it were, a worldly existence. Hence, he creates the creature that he rejects because its worldly form did not reflect the glory and magnificence of his original idea. Thrown, unaided and ignorant, into the world, the creature begins his own journey into the discovery of the strange and hidden meanings encoded in human language and society. In this essay, I will discuss how the creature can be regarded as a foil to Frankenstein through an examination of the schooling, formal and informal, that both of them go through. In some ways, the creature’s gain in knowledge can be seen to parallel Frankenstein’s, such as, when the creature begins to learn from books. Yet, in other ways, their experiences differ greatly, and one of the factors that contribute to these differences is a structured and systematic method of learning, based on philosophical tenets, that is available to Frankenstein but not to the creature. Frankenstein speaks fondly of his youth because his parents were â€Å"indulgent† and his companions were â€Å"amiable† (21). His parents’ policy in the education of their children is that there should neither be punishment nor â€Å"the voice of command† (26). Instead, they encourage their children to pursue their studies with vigor by â€Å"having the end placed in view†(21) and by having them discover the process by which to reach the end and not by making them learn tedious lessons. Frankenstein’s testimony to this is that he learnt better and retained his knowledge well. The approach to Frankenstein’s education in the home is strongly influenced by Rousseau, one of the most eloquent writers of the Age of Enlightenment. In his influential novel Emile, Rousseau expounded a new theory of education that emphasises the importance of expression rather than repression to produce a well-balanced and free-thinking child. His theory also led to more permissive and psychologically oriented methods of childcare. [1][2] A child brought up according to these precepts is significantly more a free man than those who were not because part of the hidden syllabus allows for the constant discovery of new processes and methods and another part denies the past scholarly masters from having too strong an ideological and pedantic hold on the newer generations. It is a unique combination of structure and liberty that one finds here and it is this combination that produced the modern day disciple of Alberta Magnus and Paracelsus in Frankenstein, who forges his ancient fantasies with modern scientific tools. The creature, on the other hand, is an untamed and extreme version of the free individual. Without the support and shelter of a family, and the systematic approaches of an education system, the creature nevertheless gains an education of sorts. And he does this by reacting to his basic needs for shelter, food, warmth and company. In her book, Mary Shelly: Her Life, Her Fiction, Her Monsters, Anne Mellor argues that the creature is Mary Shelly’s allusion to Rousseau’s â€Å"noble savage† who is â€Å"a creature no different from the animals, responding unconsciously to the needs of his flesh and the changing conditions of his environment. †(47) In the debate on the importance of nature versus nurture, Mellor explains that Frankenstein shows nurture to be crucial because the creature â€Å"rapidly discovers the limitations of the state of nature and the positive benefits of a civilisation grounded on family life. (48). This is the informal education that the creature experiences, which in modern society, is termed â€Å"socialization†[2][3]. The De Lacey family is metonymic of the general population or the working egalitarian base of a society. The creature learns about the gentle love and respect that the members of the family show to each other; the division of labour among the able-bodied members that keeps the family alive; in Safie’s story and the De Lacey’s unfortunate past, he learns about the problems that society has its problems such as greed and corruption. Sadly, although he learns about the wonderful aspects of civilised life, the creature also learns of his own status in â€Å"the strange system of human society†(96). He has no history because he is ignorant of his creator and creation, he does not possess money, friends or property, and he â€Å"was not even of the same nature as man†(96). The creature’s discovery of knowledge led to his own self-knowledge and he finds that all his knowledge has somehow become part of him and his identity: â€Å" ‘Of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind, when it has once seized on it, like a lichen on the rock’† (96) Like a lichen, knowledge also covers the mind and to look outward from the mind into the world is to see it through the colour and the thickness of the lichen. The principles that first gripped Frankenstein’s mind are those of prominent alchemists from as early as the thirteenth century. Cornelius Agrippa defended the status of â€Å"hidden philosophy† or magic and once set up a laboratory in the hopes of synthesizing gold. Albertus Magnus was a medieval theologian who, while maintaining that human reason could not contradict divine revelation, defended the philosopher’s right to investigate divine mysteries. Paracelsus was a doctor and chemist also concerned himself with alchemical knowledge like Agrippa but also defied the medical tenets of his time, asserting that diseases were caused by agents external to the body and that they could be countered by chemical substances[3][4]. These writers were, as Waldman explained, â€Å"men to whose indefatigable zeal modern philosophers were indebted for most of the foundations of their knowledge†(31). However, not all their ideas were considered scientific or even socially acceptable because they contradict strongly held religious beliefs. It is Frankenstein’s father who tells him not to waste his time with these writers because â€Å"a modern system of science had been introduced, which possessed much greater powers than the ancient, because the powers of the latter were chimerical, while those of the former were real and practical†(23). Instead, he is extorted to take up the study of natural philosophy, the eighteenth century equivalent of the sciences like physics and chemistry. Although his first attempts at attending lectures were interrupted and not at all fruitful, he enjoys reading the works of Pliny the Elder and Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc, Comte de, both of whom wrote extensive encyclopaedic books on natural history[4][5]. Frankenstein begins to build on his scientific knowledge and when he goes to Ingolstadt and finds a mentor in Waldman, he also starts to take his study of chemistry seriously. There, he becomes part of the new science[5][6] that penetrates â€Å"into the recesses of nature, and shew how she works in her hiding places†(30). The sexual imagery of such as invasion of the female privacy cannot escape detection of course, but furthermore, throughout his education, he seems to have only male teachers. As he clearly states, â€Å"My father directs our studies, and my mother partook of our enjoyments. †(25). Frankenstein grows up in an environment where the intellectual side of things is controlled by men and women are delegated to be in charge of games or of nursing the younger members of the family. Furthermore, not only do the women, like Elizabeth, prefer poetry to science, their emotions overrule their reason, such as when Frankenstein’s mother insisted on seeing Elizabeth when the girl was ill with scarlet fever and contracted the deadly disease as a result. The author seems to show an overwhelming male presence in the Frankenstein household as the males are able to become surrogate parents easily, such as when Frankenstein becomes the instructor of his brothers. He also looks upon Elizabeth as a creature more fragile and unthinking in her carefree life than he is, and sees her a a favourite animal†(21). Katherine Hill-Miller in her book, â€Å"My Hideous   Progeny†: Mary-Shelly, William Godwin and the Father-Daughter Relationship, explains that even in his role as an overreaching scientist, Frankenstein can also be read as a father figure because â€Å"Part of his motivation in fashioning his creature, after all, is his desire to receive homage and th e thanks of beings dependent on him for their generation. †(60). However, ideas are simply not enough to cause a young and intelligent man like Frankenstein to try to take on the role of the ultimate Creator and bring life to a corpse. Shelly shows us that the external or the society at large will always intermingle with the internal or the emotional and psychological makeup of the person. It is Frankenstein’s own â€Å"chimerical† makeup- a confidence in the male scientific ability, a belief in the male prerogative to control nature by the accumulation of knowledge, the absence of a tempering maternal influence and his own hubris, that leads him to â€Å"circumvent the natural channels of procreation†[6][7]. His knowledge of the world is ironically one that is created in piecemeal; hence the creature can be seen as a physical representation of the terrible patching up of mismatched parts to make a whole. In trying to be more than he is, that is, a human being, Frankenstein finds himself wedged in between nature and God, becoming estranged from his immediate society as he becomes burdened with the tragedies brought about by the creature. As Frankenstein’s creation, the creature is also exiled from the two important categories of existence known to society- God and Man. Unlike Frankenstein, however, who tries to put himself above other men, the creature is portrayed as being caught in between Man and animal. Yet, the creature seems to obtain an understanding of human life as a complex interwoven fabric from his observation of the De Lacey family and from the books that he reads. From the â€Å"Sorrows of Werter†, the creature becomes acquainted with the tremendous range of human emotions that he found â€Å"accorded well with my experience among my protectors†(103). By reading â€Å"Plutarch’s Lives†, he learns â€Å"high thoughts† and discovers that, through the processes of his mind and the examples of great lives of other men, he is able to be â€Å"elevated†¦above the wretched sphere† (104) of his own reflections. He also reads Paradise Lost in which ideas like free will and pedestination are discussed. The creature’s develops a critical insight into his own life as â€Å"Plutarch’s Lives† is not only a historical work but also a series of character studies which reveal a person’s morality[7][8]. And in by reading Paradise Lost, he is able to put words to his own condition, drawing parallels between himself and Adam and exposing the differences. Unlike Frankenstein’s choice of a solitary life, the creature yearns for the support of a family and the companionship of a female. Hence, one finds that Frankenstein’s encyclopaedic knowledge is undermined by his lack of self-knowledge and of the nobler aspects of human emotional life, which, ironically, is compensated for in his creature which he rejects. Not simply a stock symbol for a part of Frankenstein’s psyche, the creature also portrays a natural and innocent man who becomes the victim of his social conditions because he reacts to the adversity he faces with negative emotions. After being convinced of the De Lacey’s high level of nobility of character, the creature attempts to introduce himself into their lives with disastrous results. In their rejection, the creature witnesses and experiences the contradictions in human behaviour when Felix attacks him without asking him his story and Safie runs from the cottage without stopping to assist Agatha who has fainted. The creature, however, is not simply a victim of his socio-political circumstances. He also chooses to react in hatred and bitterness to his surroundings and to allow the full play of his feelings for revenge(113). In Greek mythology, the Chimera is a monster that has the head of a lion, the body of a she-goat and the tail of a dragon. Sometimes it is also portrayed as having two heads[8][9]. I find it apt as a symbol that represents the incomplete education of Frankenstein and his creature, and also as an image that draws our attention to the their conditions. Frankenstein possesses detailed knowledge of the physical world but lacks in that of the emotional world. He tries to combine the fantastic with the real and creates the creature who possesses a mind as human as any but is trapped in a body that is a tragic travesty of the human body. Both are chimerical and together, they form a chimera, linked to each other but in a monstrous way. character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Choose a novel or play in which a minor character serves as a foil to a main character. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the relation between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of the work. 1989 In questioning the value of literary realism, Flannery O'Connor has written, â€Å"I am interested in making a good case for distortion because I am coming to believe that it is the only way to make people see. † Write an essay in which you â€Å"make a good case for distortion,† as distinct from literary realism. Analyze how important elements of the work you choose are â€Å"distorted† and explain how these distortions contribute to the effectiveness of the work. Avoid plot summary.

Advanced Medical Technology Corp Essay

There are numerous factors, apart form the amount involved and security or collateral offered, a bank or any lending institution considers when granting a loan to potential borrowers. Some of the most important are a business/company’s financial standing, its financial obligations, the purpose for borrowing, past financial dealings of the borrower and its existing businesses with other entities. All of these are important factors to determine whether or not a bank shall tie its money down to the borrower. Advanced Medical Technology Corporation (AMT), a growing company, is eagerly interested in borrowing capital from Western National Bank of San Francisco, California in the amount of $8 million to maintain its current market position and to exploit new markets. The president of AMT believes that given the current standing of the company, sales will continue to grow in the same pace. Here are the issues Western National Bank of San Francisco should look into and study in order to come up with a decision regarding the loan request of AMT: (1)Current financial condition The financial statements of AMT for the years 1983, 1984 an 1985 shows that the company has been experiencing net losses for the past three years, primarily brought about by heavy spending on research and development. However, despite the losses, it seems that the company’s net profit margin has been improving in a continuing velocity. From 1983 to 1984, the net profit margin of the company improved considerably from -9.77% to -5.44%. This continued the following year with a net profit margin of -4.82. From this, we can infer that should the company continue its aggressive and competitive market stance, its net income would continue to improve. However, given the percentage of increase, the company will still continue to see negative income in the coming years. Reviewing the company’s financial statements also shows that company is realizing negative return on assets. Albeit negative, AMT’s return on assets improved significantly from -14.1% in 1983 to -7.15% in 1984. This growth in ROA continued the following year. Because AMT relies heavily on credit lines to finance its needs for research and development, it is important to look into the ability of the company to pay off its debt given its current earnings and assets. The current ratio of the company is decreasing. In 1983, it had a current ratio of 2.57. It dropped down to 1.78 in 1985. This shows the ability of AMT to pay-off its short-term debt. With the current ratio of the company, it may be safe to infer that the company has the ability fulfill its short-term obligations. (2)Security/Collateral The possible sources of security for the bank are accounts receivables, inventories and investments. AMT has a total of almost $6 million outstanding receivables in 1985. Given the aging of accounts receivable that year, it seems that there is a lot of room for improvement in the AR collection of the company. AMT should also implement a more rigorous investigation prior to granting a credit line to clients or customers. This is to ensure that the company attains a more acceptable average collection period. The investment of AMT totaling a little more than $1 million may be a good source of security for Western National Bank of San Francisco, California. Recommendation Given the factors stated above, this paper does not recommend the granting of the requested line of credit in the amount of $8 million. The ratio analysis clearly shows that AMT will continue to see negative returns and profits in the coming years. Its heavy investment in research and development leads to disproportionate operational expenses, which subsequently results to net losses. While the president of AMT is confident that sales will continue to increase at unprecedented pace, this may not be enough for the company to generate profits from its assets and investments. Given this, AMT is most likely to have a difficult time in managing and paying off a loan in this amount.

Cigarettes: United States Constitution and American Medical Association Essay

Should the production and sale of cigarettes be made illegal? Cigarettes have had a declining reputation ever since they were linked to various forms of cancer, and other debilitating conditions. Cigarettes were not seen as harmful until public awareness was raised about the issue. Now, there are many advocates for cigarettes and many against them, but does the government have the right to make decisions for the public? Sadly, in the democracy we live in today, there is not much democracy at all. If the government wanted cigarettes to be banned, cigarettes would be banned. The government follows its own agenda, regardless of the general public opinion. The government will always find a way to put a facade over the law and argue that no rights are being violated. According to the United States Constitution, under the authority of Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3, better known as the commerce clause, it reads, â€Å"The congress shall have power †¦ To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This states that the federal government has the authority to govern and regulate any commerce within the states. Article one also states, â€Å"The congress shall have power†¦ provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . So if the government decided to ban cigarettes they could use this Article to argue that they are looking out for the best of the public. It is under this law that the government is able to place bans on uncontrolled substances as well. So, if the Supreme Court holds power to ban an uncontrolled substance, like marijuana, but not cigarettes, it would be inconsistent. If it has the power to ban one, it has the power to ban both, under United States law. Both marijuana and cigarettes are considered parts of commerce amongst the states, so the federal government is able to place bans where they find applicable on both. How constitutional this is is infinitely arguable, and all bans placed on uncontrolled substances have been narrowly constitutional; however, it is the law. Cigarettes should not be banned because of the amount of money the government would lose from tobacco taxes. The government makes a considerable amount of money every year from cigarette taxes. Banning cigarettes would also create a black-market for the product and cause more trouble than good. Also, a ban on cigarettes would cause an increase in unemployment worldwide. Even with tens of thousands of people becoming unemployed, the potential for black-market cigarette retail, and a proportional loss in revenue for the government, critics argue cigarettes need to be banned. The problem with these critics is that their points of argument are thin at best, and fail to give substantial reasons for banning cigarettes. Most notably, the outcry of non-smokers claiming they have to pay extra taxes for old-aged smokers that have acquired costly health problems. An interesting proposal when there are so many studies that suggest the opposite. An article from The Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that in order to have full fairness, smokers should be paid between 22 cents and $1. 28 by non-smokers for each pack smoked. This would balance out the societal costs and savings from the smokers habits (Manning 261:1604). So, while statistics say smokers get cancers, heart disease and other conditions that require costly care at a younger age, the same statistics state that smokers die at an earlier age. Therefore, they are not collecting their full potential of pension and social security benefits in their older age. They also do not cause long-term geriatric or nursing home bills like non-smokers do. Another point to make is that when a non-smoker gets lung cancer it is blamed on genetics, but when a smoker gets lung cancer it is assumed it was from smoking. Who is to say that the smoker’s lung cancer was not genetics as well? It should also be noted that lung cancer is a quick, degenerative form of cancer that kills fast which again, supports the claim that smokers cost less for taxpayers. The American Medical Association was not the only organization making these claims. Later in 1993, The U. S.  Office of Technology Assessment stated, â€Å"Reduction or elimination of smoking would improve health and extend longevity, but may not lead to savings in health care costs. In fact, significant reductions in smoking prevalence and the attendant increase in life expectancy could lead to future increases in total medical spending, in Medicare program outlays, and in the budgets of the social security†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (OTA 60). If that is not enough to convince one, the Congressional Research Service conducted a similar study with similar conclusions in 1994 which was then published in 1997 in the reputable New England Journal of Medicine. The Congressional Research Service stated, â€Å"Health care costs for smokers at a given age are as much as 40 percent higher than those for nonsmokers, but in a population in which no one smoked the costs would be 7 percent higher among men and 4 percent higher among women than the costs in the current mixed population of smokers and nonsmokers. If all smokers quit, health care costs would be lower at first, but after 15 years they would become higher than at present. In the long term, complete smoking cessation would produce a net increase in health care costs† (Barendregt et al 337). If you are interested in learning more about cigarette smokers and their cost to the public, read From Cash Crop to Cash Cow, by W. Kip Viscusi. So smokers end up not costing as much as the public thinks in terms of healthcare, but what are some other reasons cigarettes should not be banned? How about the large chunk of money the government would lose from tobacco taxes? This is a very valid point seeing how revenue from tobacco taxes are used by the government as funding for hospitals, schools and other public amenities. Banning cigarettes would directly affect the amount of money the government has for these building costs. This would have a negative effect on the general public, particularly, their wallets. According to the United States treasury, in their fiscal year 2013 budget planning documents, the total federal revenue for tobacco is mentioned at over fifteen billion dollars for 2011. (U. S. Dept. of Treasury 16). With a lack of money coming from tobacco sales, the government would have to find another way to get funding for these projects and that would become evident with increases in property, income or alcohol taxes. Banning cigarettes would cause a general disturbance amongst smokers. To be able to smoke freely one day then for it to become illegal the next day would cause a lot of commotion. Harmless people in society would soon turn to illegal activities, such as smoking a cigarette, and be prosecuted for it. People are addicted to cigarettes, so a ban would not stand in the way of a lot of smokers trying to get what they want. Not only would there be a lot of irritable citizens, there would be a lot of productive and useful citizens being booked for petty crimes like possessing cigarettes. A black-market would ensue the ban and cause more trouble for the government than good. Foreign countries notorious for black-market activity would hop on the bandwagon as soon as they got word of the ban and start selling cigarettes illegally to under the table distributors in the United States. In the end, the government would end up spending more money monitoring the illegal sales of cigarettes instead of spending it on more beneficial things to society like finding and prosecuting murderers, kingpins, and organized crime. Overall, it would not be worth it. Loss of jobs needs to be accounted for as well. Not just the cigarette industry but also all the workers that contribute to the process of making a pack and selling it to distributors. There are people employed to make the cardboard-like cigarette boxes, people employed to make the paper that wraps around the cigarettes, people employed that make the designs on the packs, people employed to make the cellophane that wraps the outside of the pack. Also the truck drivers that deliver the cigarettes, and the engineers that keep the machines running in the cigarette factories, and the people who harvest tobacco, and all of the executive positions within all of these companies. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stated 662,400 people are employed with tobacco related jobs in the United States alone and worldwide, in the tens of millions (NCDA&CS 2). What people against cigarettes do not realize is how far the ban would reach and affect the livelihoods of a massive amount of people across the globe. Banning cigarettes would cause more problems and be another thing to worry about for the government and the citizens. The government would lose money from its tobacco tax, a black-market for cigarettes would be made, forcing the government to take action, and most importantly tens of millions of employed people would be without a job. It would not make sense to stir up commotion because a few people are concerned about health risks or smokers causing extra taxation for healthcare. As stated before, smokers cost less than non-smokers and a complete cessation of smoking would cause an increase in health care taxes in the long run. For the critics saying how bad smoking is for someone’s health, they have no authority to tell people how they should live their lives. People have the freedom to choose what they do to their bodies. The general public is able to make their own decisions and the government should not be able to make decisions for the public in regards to what they put in to their bodies. Even though constitutional law saws congress has the power to make choices for the welfare of its citizens, it still should not be allowed. What personal freedoms do we have if the government starts telling us we cannot smoke cigarettes? Soon they will be telling us to stop eating so much and sleeping so little. The government will say it is for the better of the people and that they are trying to keep the public healthy, but since when does the government genuinely care about the public? The government runs its own agenda regardless of the public. It is well known that the government is not planning on banning cigarettes anytime soon. Whichever party is responsible for that decision will lose a very large amount of its support network and neither political party is willing to take that risk. Plus why take that risk when there is a chance for the government to make more money by increasing cigarette taxes? The government just wants money. The government is addicted to cigarette taxes as much as smokers are to cigarettes.

Brave New World Essay

Rhetorical Mode and Purpose It is better that one should suffer than that many should be corrupted.? Existing under a socially oppressive government, Bernard Marx constantly endures mental distress as a consequence of his unorthodox views. In Brave New World by Adolf Huxley, the primary protagonist struggles to voice his bitterness and disgruntled opinions, but the repressive World State tyrannize the society, and he ultimately loses his fight in becoming exiled. Narrated in the third person, Huxley details a technocratic government where signs of emotions are rendered treacherous and extreme consumerism forms the core of society. However, even more revolting is the unconscionable replication of nature through mass cloning, affirming the loss of everything fundamentally human. Through Brave New World, Huxley warned past governments who sought to increase effectiveness and stability, and continues to admonish the modern world, against increasing government intervention. Through narration, Huxley provides a panor amic scope of the horrific details and events residing under the command of a domineering government that asserts its omnipresence in all aspects of life. PASSAGE 1 (114-116) I chose this passage for both analytical purposes and interest value. Its surfeit in syntax variations stood out as a highly appealing passage to be analyzed, and the language effectively aroused suspense out of me. As the world of the savages unravels before Lenina?s eyes, her disgust heightens with each event that takes place, furthering repelling her from the culture. The underlying tone of hypnotic anticipation leads the audience through a series of events that build towards the climatical action of the passage. Through rhythmic syntax that propels the scene forward, dissonant diction and savage details, Huxley provides a lurid atmosphere as the lead-in to the horrifying act of sacrifice. Immediately, cacophonous diction begin to agitate the auditory senses. ?Harsh metallic? male voices answering the ?shrill? cries of the women initiates a perturbed mood and foreshadows deplorable events. As the audience?s sense of hearing wears away, ?a ghastly troop of monsters hideously masked or painted out of all semblance of humanity? enters to disconcert the visual senses. Nothing more than monsters completely devoid of human aspects. Monsters capable of executing actions that would appall Lenina?s society. Anticipation builds as the shrieks become ?louder and louder?; their dances, ?round and round? – and ?round and round? again. Their actions echo in successions of hypnotic movements that lull the reader into a trancelike state. ?More and more,? the leader flings black snakes ?brown and mottled.? The periodic sentence emphasis this final action as a symbol of savagery and remnant of a primitive culture that ultimately disgusts Lenina. Dull diction such as ?brown and mottled? assembles a drab layer of atmosphere that looms over the tribal ritual. Adverbs and conjunctions advance toward additional events that further feed anticipation. ?And then the dance began?Then the leader gave a signal?Then the old man lifted his hand.? Syntax and diction continue to build suspense as it mounts toward a most horrific action event. Semicolons and commas function as the dominant driving force behind the passage. Instead of inserting common periods, Huxley surrogates punctuations as a link between closely related details that incrementally build towards the summit. Without paragraph breaks to detract from the anticipation, the events flow in a continuous stream while sentence lengths and punctuations determine the rhythm and pacing. The compound-complex sentences are brought to a sudden halt with the ceasing of the drums. ?The drums stopped beating, life seemed to have come to an end.? The device that signaled life halts suddenly and a series of medium length sentences supercedes the long ones. Just as the storm the eye of the hurricane provides temporary respite, the momentary arrest of the beating only creates further anticipation, leaving the reader waiting for the other half of the hurricane. Rather than satiating expectations, syntax lurches the rhythm suddenly to induce greater anticipation and thirst so th at when it resumes, the resulting effect will be of greater impact. The scene shifts from the panoramic view to focus on the interaction between two specific characters, the old man and the boy. Analogous syntax structure directs attention to the progression of actions. ?The old man clapped his hands?The old man made the sign?The boy moved on Succinct details are unaccompanied by imagery or flowery language that would detract from the crucial suspense-arousing events. ?The coyote-man raised his whip; there was a long moment of expectancy, then a swift movement, the whistle of the last and its loud flat-sounding impact on the flesh.? The actions of the savages tapestry the shroud of luridity that continue to repel Lenina while the clause between the semicolon and comma mirror the silence before the strike of the whip. At last, the ?whistle? signifies the anticipated action that syntax, details and diction have all along foreshadowed. ?Twice, thrice, four times round he went?.Five times round, six times round? Seven times round.? Lone words that constitute sentences and telegraphic phrases cut by commas reflect the sound of the lashes. Enumeration of each lash as if a scene from a movie being played in slow motion, grants equivalent emphasize of the pain from each blow. ?A few drops fell, and suddenly the drums broke out again into a panic of hurrying notes; there was a great shout.? The anticipation is finally satiated confirmed by the abrupt burst of drums. PASSAGE 2 (142 – 144) The details and diction in this passage was striking in conveying John?s fascination with Lenina. It immediately evoked in my mind a scene from Sleeping Beauty where the Prince stumbles upon the bewitched Princess. Lenina?s introduction to John at this point of the novel likens to a scientific experiment where a new and exotic life form is presented in a previously pedestrian environment. John, engrossed with every aspect about Lenina, adopts a humble position and invests her with rapt wonderment. Upon finding her possessions, he takes immediate fascination to his discovery and indulges himself in her relics. John?s actions reflect that of a worshipper. Thus, Huxley employs a tone of reverent infatuation to manifest John?s idolization of Lenina. Dominated by alluring details, the passage aims to manifest John?s unqualified adoration for Lenina. Without delay, olfactory appeal works to captivate John by providing a sense of familiarity, an indication of Lenina?s presence. In ?breathing Lenina?s perfume? and discovering ?a cloud of scented powder?, he conveys his fanatic infatuation, and then continues to ?fill his lungs with her essential being.? A meager waft proves inadequate to satiate John?s desires. Instead, he relishes in bliss, the effusive outpouring of her presence, breathes in her scents like a drug, and allows it to pervade all of his internal organs. In addition, he imagines the ?touch of [her] smooth skin against his face, while other tactile details confirm his nostalgic longing for her. As if in the presence of a goddess, he executes his actions with the most scrupulous care. Bending over the precious box, he touched, he lifted into the light, he examined. Polysyndetons and parallel structures emphasizes each action as distinct entities with equivalent importance. Commas retard the process so as to display not cursory haste, but fastidious devotion   not coarseness, but refinement – and not brashness, but the delicacy of a worshipper in tending to a higher life form. Abstract diction continue to manifest John?s obsessive attachment to Lenina. Huxley attributes her possessions with desirous diction, labeling her perfume as delicious, her box as precious, her puzzle, a delight. John becomes entranced by her divine possessions, and muses over Lenina reverently. Delving further into the passage, comparative details attributed to Lenina and syntax portraying John as a stalker reveal the extent of his infatuation. Metaphors ascribe enigmatic aspects to Lenina, which intrigues John and plunges him into enchantment. Infatuated, he derives pleasure from unriddling her bewitched apparels. A simple pair of velveteen shorts likens at ?first a [to a] puzzle, then solved, a delight.? Lenina, furnisher of magically exotic appeal, jolts excitement into his previously mundane life of savagery. Huxley portrays her through John?s eyes as analogous to a mystery to be demystified, lock to be unlocked, cipher to be deciphered ? all of which fascinates John and builds on his infatuation. However, his conspicuous adoration becomes suppressed into a concealed form when agitation forms over the possibility of being discovered. Covert syntax and  diction depict John as an infatuated stalker. ?He heard something ? something like a sigh, something like the creak of a board.? Huxley purposefully employs ambiguous diction such as ?something? as opposed to concrete observable details. Disclosing her hiding position, Lenina?s appearance gradually comes into scope. John replies with stealthy obsession and strategically planned actions, reflected by extra inserts of commas that mirror his wary movement. ?He tiptoed to the door and, cautiously opening it, found himself looking on to a broad landing.? With enchanting metaphors and furtive syntax, literary devices continue to manifest John?s infatuation. Upon reaching the climatical action of John finally disclosing Lenina?s position, the tone ultimately assumes one of consummate reverence. Descriptive details of Lenina fast asleep enhances her chaste qualities. ?So beautiful in the midst of her curls, so touchingly childish with her pink toes?so trustful in the helplessness of her limp hands and melted limbs, that the tears came to his eyes.? Excessive use of the adverb ?so? heightens the degree of her qualities, implying an empyrean life-form inspiring awe. The child-like characteristics solicits sacred protection from John. Huxley?s delineation of her as ?limp? and ?melted? with a ?grave? sleeping face suggests death and ascendance into heaven. John, captivated, reveres her as one would of a goddess. Complex-compound sentences embroiders her purity and innocence while allusions to Shakespeare?s Romeo and Juliet continues to attribute divinity. ?On the white wonder of dead Juliet?s hand, may size/ And steal immortal blessing from her lips.? Comparison to Juliet further implies the notion of her resemblance to a goddess possessing immortality and an ethereal aura. In a humble manner, John ?very slowly, with the hesitating gesture? reach out to affirm the heavenly presence. However, his hands ?hung trembling? as he ruminates on the sacrilegious. Dare he ?profane? with his ?unworthiest? hand? Awe-inspiring details and sacredly connotated diction avouch the tone of infatuated reverence. PASSAGE 3 (232 – 233) The tone of this passage was not presented by the narration or characters in the novel, but rather created by a passage from a book being read by one of  the characters. I thought it was interesting to analyze a tone inside a passage of a passage. The abstract and metaphysical level of Brave New World reaches its apex when Mustapha Mond proceeds to read a passage from Maine de Biran?s book that justifies man?s eventual submission to God. While Biran holds the creed that individuals ultimately lose control of their lives and inevitably capitulate to the overwhelming siren call of God, Mond challenges that with the World State, one never experiences loss and thus will never seek counsel of religion. Huxley employs a tone of forensic instructiveness to allow both sides to present their cases effectively. Persuasive syntax utilized in Biran?s excerpt efficaciously compels the audience to assume his position. Immediately, the passage adopts the structure of a formal argument with Biran?s proposal of his thesis. ?We are not our own any more than what we possess is our own. We did not make ourselves, we cannot be supreme over ourselves. We are not our own masters. We are God?s property.? Simultaneous use of the pronoun ?we?, and three consecutive negatives carves away at the monolith of individual confidence. The anaphora build logical progression toward the thesis, whose brevity and sole affirmative adverb grants emphasis on unity with god. Also, rhetoric use of first person point of view lends itself to the notion that this pertains to all. Biran?s argument develops into a tone of instructiveness so as to provide support, illustrated by the transition, ?take this for example.? Repetitions in diction function to acknowledge the opposition. to have to think of nothing out of sight, to be without the irksomeness of continual acknowledgements, continual prayer, continual reference.? Syntactical analysis of Biran?s introduction reveal a tone of forensic instructiveness. Upon setting up the premise, Biran now proceeds to counter the opposition by providing rational support. The extensive length and complexity of the sentences that follow, broken down logically by semicolons and commas, carries the reader through a step by step process of rationally reaching a valid deduction. Diction, as well as syntax, justify man?s ultimate  submission to religion. With transitions such as ?feeling thus? and ?from which,? the progression towards the conclusions likens to a mathematical proof abundant with derivations. Anaphoric use of ?as the? and ?less? exhibits an inverse relationship between aging and the sentiments that prevented dependence on religion. Thus, with aging, ?God emerges as from behind a cloud? of with omnipotence, indicated by a series of fate-associated diction. ?Naturally,? one turns to God when he loses control of his world, and will ?inevitably? submit under his ?absolute? and ?everlasting? power. With spiritual and abstract diction, Biran?s concepts appeal spiritually and offer cleansing. ?So pure; so delightful to the soul.? The elongated sentence ultimately reaches its objective, its emphasis granted by a single dash. ? ? a reality, an absolute and everlasting truth.? Enhanced by mathematical instructiveness and persuasive diction, Biran effectively presents his case. After introducing Biran?s position, Mond assumes the tone of forensic instructiveness. He promptly proposes a qualified argument: ?You can only be independent of God while you?ve got youth and prosperity.? Mond builds his case upon the assertion that so long as one attains youthful desires and lives without the fear of death from old age, religion holds no significance in their life. Transitions prove to be the driving force of Mond?s counter-argument. ?Well, we?ve now got youth, what follows? Evidently, that we can be independent of God.? His argument, comparable to Biran?s, progresses logically and employs first person pronouns as well. ?And why should we go hunting for a substitute for youthful desires when desires never fail He summarizes his position with comparative rhetorical questions that juxtaposes both sides of the argument. The inquires detract rationale from Biran?s assertions while promoting his alternate solutions. Through forensic instructiveness, Mond?s counter-argum ent proves to be efficacious as well.

Personal development record Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Personal development record - Coursework Example environment issues incorporated in the module presented not only the responsibilities of an engineer but that the profession has great influence in several areas in the society. The site visit and guest talk added value and made the profession a real life experience. The aims and objectives of the module were well presented in the consecutive lectures. All lectures were relevant to the module towards molding of civil engineers. Lack of procurement case studies that assist in critical thinking of real life situations made the lecture slightly difficult to understand. Some lectures presented in power point slides like the Guest lecture required that they be availed to students with more emphasis on assignments to aid student be critical thinkers. The learning approaches used in the module were classroom lectures, guest talk, site visit, and group discussions. The classroom lectures were vivid and relevant to the topics of study. Through the guest talk and site visit, issues of concern in construction practice were well understood. Acquiring professional accreditation from engineering bodies such as The Institution of Structural Engineers, The Institution of Highway & Transportation, ICE, and Joint Board of Moderators among others at no cost. Professional attributes cover engineering knowledge, application, management and leadership, independent judgement, commercial ability, health safety and welfare and sustainable development. The module was well presented although interfered with reticence of individuals. At the same time, research and writing of own notes makes one get a better understanding of the subject. A career talk can be organized for the future classes, conducted with professional engineers from engineering institutions and companies. This will motivate the learner to have vision for the career. Visits incorporated in the module enhances better understanding of the module The lecture enabled me learn that a procurement route is a way of making sure

Control room Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Control room - Movie Review Example Jehane Noujaim has interviewed a number of journalists and producers, like senior producer Sameer Khader, journalist Hassan Ibrahim, and producer Deema Khatib, who had been reporting and managing war news to Al-Jazeera. American correspondents David Shuster from NBC and Tom_Mintier from CNN have also been interviewed. The film shows the time when the war was just about to begin, and when the war occurred, it shows the confinements of a press complex where the viewers see a myriad of foreign news channels, like CNN, NBC, Fox, etc. The film also shows Lt. Josh Rushing, an American serviceman, who reacts differently on seeing Arab military personnel and civilians dead one night, and American military personnel the other night. An American military spokesperson, Brooks, showed a deck of cards with most wanted enemy military personnel. The statue of Saddam Hussein was shown coming down in the square of Baghdad. In short, the film is all about the way Al-Jazeera covered the