Reflective Autobiography Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflective Autobiography - Assignment Example At a very young, when I had just started school, I was taught about the family and here the subject of diversity first emerged. My teachers and my parents taught me on how diversity played a significant role in the family make-up. Not only were roles played by each individual in my family were diverse, but I also came to learn having different families leaving in the same community and in harmony despite their many differences represented a significant role of diversity to the community. Just like a family, the community is linked to a more complex state of diversity as there are so many factors involved in distinguishing not only families but individuals as well. It is at this stage that I was able to learn factors such as ‘nuclear,’ ‘single’, ‘extended’ and many other terms that were used to describe families (Harris). Then while interacting with my peers and the community as a whole I was able to notice how we all looked different. Growing up reflected many incidences of diversity, and I grew to understand its meaning in-depth. Later into life as my education advanced is when I started understanding the meaning of diversity under more complex subjects and contexts such as its role in communication, business, sociological, political, and technological. I came to realize that diversity is the uniqueness in every aspect of our life, the differences that define each of us as a person. These aspects include race, age, religion, political ideology, ethnicity, sexuality, physical appearance and abilities, preferences, as well as cultural practices (Unzueta, Knowles, and Ho). As I grow older, I realized that diversity is what determines every step in my life including the diversity in the choices I made for my lifestyle. Having been born and raised in China and later moving to the US where I have been studying the English language for the last ten years has been a great step for me as far as diversity is concerned. Not only have I

Shakespeare and Angela Carter and their works Macbeth and Blood Chamber Essay Example for Free

Shakespeare and Angela Carter and their works Macbeth and Blood Chamber Essay Shakespeare and Angela Carter present through their work of ‘Macbeth’ and ‘The Bloody Chamber’ the struggles of women rebelling against gender stereotypes and how they fall victim to the patriarchal society they are a part of. Firstly, Shakespeare shows the importance of gender boundaries in society and how women who do not conform to their gender stereotypes will be punished. In Macbeth Shakespeare uses the character of Lady Macbeth to show this. Lady Macbeth throughout the play influences and controls her husband Macbeth for personal gain, she does this by taunting her husband which is already the first sign that she doesn’t conform to the stereotypical 16th-century woman who would usually be submissive to their husband. â€Å"When you durst do it, then you were a man† here we see that the gender roles have switched because it’s the wife who has the power here, by saying you ‘were a man’ is telling of this, she is almost mocking him by inferring that if he doesn’t murder Duncan then he is a ‘woman’ in the sense that he was too weak to carry out the murder showing how society viewed women as almost ‘delicate’ however in this scene it’s the woman who has the power. Lady Macbeth teases Macbeth because she knows how if he murders Duncan that she will gain power, now as they’re in a highly patriarchal society Lady Macbeth would not have had any social hierarchy over men but if she becomes queen she will have that power and this would have been desirable for her, as Shakespeare has shown us through her not follow social stereotypes that she has more ‘masculine’ desires rather than women who conform to society by following their only purpose in having children which Lady Macbeth opposes through her description of infanticide she has no interest in having children. To a Jacobean audience, this would be absurd because women’s only purpose in society in the 16th century was to provide men with children. Shakespeare is showing us here how she is against the most feminine thing for a woman and is almost striving for her own personal gain of power which is more masculine in the sense that in most Jacobean plays/stories it is onl y men who strive for power and is a masculine trait traditionally. In The Bloody Chamber, we see a masculine trait again is given to a female character, Carter gives the role of the hero who saves the damsel in distress to the protagonist’s mother which again in traditional stories is a male stereotype where a man would come to save the female who has been captured. The mother is identified with power as she’s described as having â€Å"furious justice† which shows that Carter and Shakespeare have both given female characters that power or shown that like Lady Macbeth they are capable of wanting/having that power. However, a female craving this power is not punished in The Bloody Chamber like it is in Macbeth with her being haunted by her feeling of guilt with her having visions of blood on her hands â€Å"come out, damned spot! But I command you!† as we can see from the way Shakespeare wants this presented as she’s shouting it’s obviously driving her insane as she can see it but no one else can and thus Shak espeare shows how a woman is punished for rebelling against gender stereotypes by her seeking power and has gone insane due to a man’s actions and therefore takes the consequences. But The Bloody Chamber doesn’t punish women for trying to gain power like in Macbeth but through the use of fetishes and sexual desires, they are punished. In The Bloody Chamber, the main protagonist is seen as having sexual desires through the words â€Å"thrusting†, â€Å"ecstasy†, †burning cheek† and â€Å"tender† the main protagonist is usually described with sexual words like this throughout the story. This is a continuative theme throughout the story even by things such as the red necklace she is given by the count which can symbolize blood is a reference to sexual fetishes and desires. However, the same intrigue that allows her to explore sexuality also forces her to explore the secret room which allows her to discover the bodies of the counts old wives. Like Lady Macbeth who is punished for her husband’s actions, the main protagonist in this story would also have been punished for her husband’s actions that being that she discovered his murders and would have been killed by him for discovering them until she is saved by her empowered mother. Secondly, we also see the rebelling of gender stereotypes through the merging of the genders with female and masculine traits being given to opposite-sex characters in Macbeth and The Bloody Chamber. In Macbeth, we see the characters of the witches who cross the line between female and male gender stereotypes. â€Å"You should be a woman, yet your beards forbid me† showing that Shakespeare even blurred the lines of gender through their appearance and thus they rebel against the patriarchal society by not conforming to these stereotypes of looking like a woman and it shows through the confusion of Banquo who has been indoctrinated by the patriarchy and knows nothing else. However, even with the witches who have tried to rebel from gender stereotypes even through appearance they still fall victim to the patriarchy. They have received the punishment of being segregated from a society which is most likely due to the time being that in the 16th century England the fad for witch hun ting was at its peak. A critic states: ‘Of all Shakespeares female characters Lady Macbeth stands out far beyond the rest — remarkable for her ambition, strength of will, cruelty, and dissimulation.’ I agree with this statement that Lady Macbeth stands out and has traits such as ‘strength of will’ because of â€Å"That made you break your enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man† it would have been unheard of for someone like Lady Macbeth who is a representation of a woman in 16th century Elizabethan England to stand up and taunt their husband like she does which does show strength, it also shows her rebelling against gender stereotypes because it’s unfeminine for a woman to mock their husband for not being a man in considering if she wasn’t married she would have no power at all in society and therefore doing this could be seen as a risk to a woman and therefore making Lady Macbeth ‘strong’ and ‘ambitious’ As Lady Macbeth propels her husband toward committing Duncans murder, she indicates that she must take on masculine characteristics. Her most famous speech

Essay --

The Effect of Religion On The Arab Springs Movement Neil Gallagher Beal 2/12/14 My paper analyzes the role of religious intolerance on the Arab Springs. My first two articles discuss trends of religious intolerance and categorize the Arab Springs countries based on their levels of tolerance. Secondly, I define religious tolerance by analyzing a country that is considered religiously intolerant and one that is not. By comparing these two cases I create a concrete definition of a religiously tolerant country and one that is not tolerant. Thirdly, I analyze Egypt and compare it with the rest of the Arab Springs Countries in. Fourthly, I analyze the root causes of the Arab Springs Movement. Lastly, I analyze the effect of religion on the Arab Springs revolution, and the events that came after. 1. Arab Spring And Its Effect On Religious Tolerance. Chicago Citation: Brian J. Grim, â€Å"Rising Tide of Restrictions on Religion, Pew, September 20 2012, http://www.pewforum.org/2013/06/20/arab-spring-restrictions-on-religion-preface/ After the end of Arab Spring there was a large desire to persuade governments to create more religiously tolerant law’s. This is in part because religion was one of the issues that sparked revolutions throughout the Arab world. According to previous pew research, there is a strong correlation between religious intolerance and social revolution.( Grim, 2013) Currently, many of the countries that are experiencing revolution are labeled by pew religiously intolerant countries. These countries include Egypt, Yemen, Syria Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan. However, according to a 2012 study done by pew, despite this correlation, countries did not become more, but less religiously ... ...mpante, 168) Another key factor in Arab springs is economic inequality and its association with education level. ( Campante, 171) As stated above the individuals inside Arab Spring countries were intelligent, however they were unable to obtain economic success in their respective countries. ( Campante, 171) The Arab Spring countries were some of the most economically unequal countries in the world. The economic policy of the Countries rewarded the friends of the king and left the majority impoverished. The education that was supplied toward the Arabs was not able to prepare them for the current economic atmosphere of the Arab countries. ( Campante, 171) This agitated the general population and made them even more likely to rebel against the current governmental structure. I will use this source to help analyze the factors that caused the Arab Spring revolution.

Life Is a Gift

Life†¦ a four-letter word yet given with a pile of various meanings and values. It is an abstract idea that has brought into reality with every living thing. If we are to pause and sit back, thinking those days as we dwell on this earth, had it also occur to us how we live our life with? Have we ever realized how blessed we have been to get up each morning alive to face another day? Today, before we complain about what has life brought us, we should think first of those things which we may find less of value.As frequently said, â€Å"Every great thing starts from the little ones,† so why not appreciate every little thing we got? Life is precious. People are priceless. We have got life likewise; we have got people whom we can cherish our life with. Perhaps, there were times when we felt like giving up; when we were so depressed about everything that was happening, and when we thought life has been cruel to us. But, what we did not think so is the reason behind of all the m isfortunes we encounter. Challenges make us wiser, our sufferings make us tougher, and our yearnings make us stronger.So, we should try not to worry if things did not turn out well the way we expect them to be. Each passing day is a treasure, a great sign that we are given another chance to live and eventually, to turn into a new leaf so we could be a better person with brighter future. These reasons are enough to make us realize the significance of life. So, when depressing thoughts seem to get us down, we should always be reminded with those beautiful things that will lift us up and be grateful with the gift of life.

Othello By William Shakespeare †What is the dramatic significants of the first scene? Essay

Q. What is the dramatic significants of the first scene? A. During his reign as literature king Shakespeare wrote the play Othello. The play is based mainly on the conflict between Italy and Cyprus in the early 1600’s; Shakespeares characters also reflect this troubled time. Act one Scene gives the reader their first glimpse as to what the play might represent. The scene starts in the middle of an argument between Iago and Rodergio somewhere in Venice. They are arguing about Othello marriage to Desdemona (the daughter of Brabantio a important Venetian senator.) Roderigo questions Iago about his lack of knowledge surrounding this event. From the language used we know that Iago has taken money from Rodreigo to keep track on Desdemona as Roderigo is secretly in love with her. Iago has failed by not knowing about Othellos secret wedding to Desdemona. â€Å"That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse as if the strings were thine shouldst know of this.† The fact that this scene begins mid way through an argument is very significant as this would of grabbed an audiences attention in the early 1600’s as there were no microphone and no proper way of showing the audience that the play has begun. In starting this way the play has interested the audience and left them with the question, what is this argument about? Iago is what was known as during the time of Elizabethan theatre a Machiavliel villain. This means the audiences know this character is untrustworthy; he is only really out for himself. Iago wants Power and money. Through out this scene money terminology is used to a great affect. This shows that money and status was very important at this time. â€Å"By debitor and creditor; this counter caster, he, in good time, must be a lieuitenant be,† Iago is a very bitter man he wants to take his own revenge upon Othello even if this means Othello will truly suffer the consequences as he was not given the top job, which he believes he deserves. However Othello gave the job to Michael Cassio who we not yet been introduced too. Iago makes cruel comments about Michael Cassio stating he is all talk and no action on the battlefield this is highly insulting. Iago is also very cruel when talking with Roderigo about Othello he is very racist and patronizing Othellos name is never used throughout this scene he is referred to as â€Å"The Moor.† I believe this to be very rude and pure jealousy on Iagos part. However this does not really matter at this moment as Othello is highly regarded within this society. Within this scene Iago clearly shows he is not someone to be trusted. He is very ironic with that the fact that he shows Roderigo and the audience he is who he is and no one can change that about him. At this point the audience sense the Irony of this particular line. He is admitting he cannot be trusted. â€Å"I am not what I am† Iago decides that one of the ways in which to seek his revenge upon Othello is by telling Brabantio (Desdemonas father) about her secret wedding to Othello. However Iago is very cunning as he talks Roderigo into calling upon Desdemona father and telling him the truth, as obviously he doesn’t want this crime to be traced back to him this plan makes perfect sense. â€Å"Call up her father, Rouse him, make him after his poison his delight.† Brabantio then enters this scene he asks about what is all the noise about as this scene takes place in the middle of the night. Brabantio is obviously worried as Iago calls out and say thieves are at Brabantios this creates a lot of fuss. Iago tells him that someone close is plotting against him (Othello) and that he should be more aware. Iago wants to be seen as a hero. Roderigo then takes the lead, as Iago does not want to get into trouble as he has still got to go back to Othello. Roderigo breaks the news to Brabantio. The language here shows that Roderigo is trying to break this news gently but the truth is he does not care about the consequences. â€Å"The worser welcome, I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors; in honest plainness thou hast heard me say etc Upon malicious bravery dost thou come to start my quiet.† Branbantio cannot believe what he is hearing he is in shock as he regards Othello highly. This clearly shows Othello has a very high status. Roderigo swears it is true and Iago backs this up showing his character to be a liar. Brabantio is forced to believe them making him insanely jealous and totally nieve. Iago then explains that Desdemonas happiness is important to him; once again Iago seems like our unlikely hero. Brabantio decides that he must go and find Othello to confront him. At the end of this Roderigo and Iago are once again left alone this is very significant to the scene as it shows that this scene had begun and ended in a very similar way. Roderigo finally reminds Iago of their deal the only thing they want is revenge on Othello. They strongly believe he deserves it, however as an audience we cannot make this judgement, as we have never met him. The only thing we as an audience can go off if what other characters have said about him. We believe Othello to be noble and brave not cunning and kneiving. Iago finally leaves to go back to Othello. This shows Iago is a plotter by going between these two characters, we do not know where his loyalty lies. Finally Brabantio returns and goes to find Othello he is angry and upset. Roderigo decides to go and find Othello too. This scene ends on a semi tense cliffhanger. This scene leaves the audience wondering what may lie ahead. The dramatic significants within this scene shows dramatic irony mainly focusing on Iago. This villain needs to be stopped, but how? Is the question still to be answered.   

Paper Writing

Paper Writing Paper Writing â€Å"Atlas Camera Support and Stabilization System Review† VideoMaker May 19, 2011 Zach Somberg Hour.3 This article talked and reviewed the new Atlas Camera Support and Stabilization System. Video maker tested the product in many different ways to come to the conclusion that the product was fantastic and did the job extremely well. The new Atlas helps with cameraman fatigue and supports the wrist by taking the weight of the camera by transferring it to the harness strapped around your waist. They used the Panasonic HX2000 to test the stabilizer which is a great one to test because of its heavy ness and bulky size. The stabilizer handled the Panasonic perfectly. The stabilizer pans easily and looks down and up like it’s no big deal says video maker. Usually after about a half hour of just holding your camera in your hand the video becomes shaky and your hand becomes extremely sore and tired but with the new atlas your video will always look great and it will take the pain out of using your camera with no tripod. The article gives great reviews for the atlas s tabilizer and definitely recommends it to video makers. I thought this contraption looked very cool but kind of dumb looking. People would definitely stare if you were walking around with that big thing. On the other hand though it clearly does the job and would probably help tremendously with videotaping something. Video maker really liked it and I’m sure that I would too. Although I cannot think

Sample Common Application Essay Option 5 with Critique

Sample Common Application Essay Option 5 with Critique Jill writes about a person who had a significant influence on her. Her response works well for the 2018-19 Common Application essay option #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. As you read the essay, note how it is about much more than the woman who influenced Jill. Jill uses her interactions with a strong-willed and difficult woman to reveal to the admissions folks an important moment in her own personal growth. Sample Common Application Essay Buck Up  by Jill Susan Lewis is a woman that very few people would consider a role model for anything. A fifty-something high-school dropout, she has little more to her name than a beat-up truck, a Jack Russell Terrier and a ragtag herd of aging and/or neurotic horses with which shes run a largely unsuccessful riding lesson program for twenty years with no business plan to speak of and little hope of ever turning a profit. She curses like a sailor, is perpetually un-punctual, and has an erratic and often terrifying temper. Ive taken weekly riding lessons with Sue since middle school, often against my own better judgment. Because for all her seemingly unredeemable qualities, she inspires me - not necessarily as a person Id strive to emulate, but simply for her unwavering perseverance. In the five years Ive known her, Ive never once seen her give up on anything. She would sooner go hungry (and sometimes does) than give up on her horses and her business. She sticks to her guns on every issue, from political views to hay prices to her (frankly terrible) business model. Sue has never once given up on herself or her horses or her business, and she never gives up on her students. My dad lost his job not long after I started high school, and horseback riding quickly became a luxury we couldnt afford. So I called Sue to tell her that I wouldnt be riding for a while, at least until my father was back on his feet. I hadnt expected an outpouring of sympathy (Sue, as you may have guessed, isnt an overwhelmingly sympathetic person), but I certainly wasnt expecting her to yell at me, either. Which was exactly what happened. She told me in no uncertain terms that I was ridiculous for thinking that money should stop me from doing something I loved, and she would see me bright and early Saturday morning regardless, and if she had to drive me to the barn herself that she would, and Id better be wearing a good pair of boots because Id be working off my lessons until further notice. Her refusal to give up on me said more than I could ever put into words. It would have been easy for her to just let me leave. But Sue was never a person to take the easy way out, and she showed me how to do the same. I worked harder in Sues barn that year than Id ever worked before, earning every minute of my riding time, and Id never felt more proud of myself. In her own stubborn way, Sue had shared with me an invaluable lesson in perseverance. She may not be much of a role model in any other respect, but Susan Lewis does not give up, and I strive every day to live by her example. Analysis and Critique of Jill's Common Application Essay What can you learn from how this essay was written? The essay is interesting and written in an engaging style, but how well does this work for the purpose of the Common Application essay? The Essays Title The title is the first thing a reader sees. A  good title  can immediately pique your readers curiosity and grab his or her attention. The title frames and focuses the words that follow. A missing title is a lost opportunity, and a weak title is an immediate handicap. Unfortunately, coming up with a good title can be  remarkably  difficult. Jills title Buck Up is good in that it plays with the word buck. On the one hand, the essay is about horses. On the other, it is using the phrase buck up to mean showing some courage or backbone. This kind of playfulness can work well in a title. Buck Up, however, does have some shortcomings. Namely, it isnt entirely clear to the reader what the essay will be about. The admissions folks may end up appreciating the title, but only after they read the essay. A title that makes sense only in retrospect obviously isnt doing the best job preparing the reader for the essay. The Essays Focus By focusing on Susan Lewis, someone who in many ways isnt even likable, the essay isnt typical, and it shows that the author can recognize the positive in a person who has a lot of negatives going for her. The college admission reader will be impressed that the author has shown she is a creative and open-minded thinker. The essay fully explains the influence Susan Lewis has on the author, leading her to appreciate hard work and perseverance. This was an important step into adulthood for the author. Also, think about the broader implications of the essay. If a teenager is able to recognize the positive qualities of someone as unlikable as Susan Lewis, that student is also likely to do well in a residential college where different personalities are thrown together in close quarters. The Essays Tone Striking the right tone can be a big challenge in a college application essay. When writing about someone who is rather unlikable, it would be easy to come across as mocking or condescending. The essay points out many of Susan Lewiss shortcomings, but it keeps a light an playful tone. The result is that the author comes across as loving and appreciative, not deprecating. However, it takes a skillful writer to provide just the right balance of levity and seriousness. This is a danger zone, and you will need to ensure you dont fall into a negative tone. The Quality of the Writing Buck Up is not a perfect essay, but the flaws are few. Try to avoid clichà © or tired phrases such as sticks to her guns and back on his feet. There are also a few minor grammatical mistakes. Jill does well when it comes to the essays style. The narrative has a pleasing variety of sentence types ranging from short and punchy to long and complex. The language is playful and engaging, and Jill has done an admirable job painting a rich portrait of Susan Lewis in a few short paragraphs. Every sentence and paragraph  adds important details to the essay, and the reader never gets the sense that Jill is wasting space with a bunch of unnecessary fluff. This is important: with the 650-word limit on Common Application essays, theres no room for wasted words. At 478 words, Jill is safely within the length limit. The most admirable thing about the writing here is that Jills personality comes through. We get a sense of her humor, her power of observation, and her generosity of spirit. A lot of applicants feel like they need to brag about their accomplishments in their application essay, yet Jill shows how those accomplishments can be conveyed in a pleasingly understated way. Why Colleges Ask Applicants to Write Essays Its always important to keep in mind why colleges ask applicants to write essays. On a simple level, they want to make sure you can write well, something that Jill has demonstrated effectively with Buck Up. But more significantly, the admissions folks are indicating that they have holistic admissions and they want to get to know the students they are considering for admission. Test scores and grades dont tell a college what type of person you are, other than one who works hard and tests well. Whats your personality like? What do you truly care about? How do you communicate your ideas to others? And the big one: Are you the type of person we want to invite to become part of our campus community? The personal essay (along with the  interview  and  letters or recommendation) is one of the few pieces of the application that helps the admissions folks get to know the person behind the grades and test scores. Jills essay, whether deliberately or not, answers these questions in ways that work in her favor. She shows that she is observant, caring, and funny. She demonstrates self-awareness as she narrates the ways in which she has grown as a person. She shows that she is generous and finds positive qualities in people who have a lot of negatives. And she reveals that she gets pleasure out of overcoming challenges and working hard to achieve her goals. In short, she comes across as the type of person who would enrich a campus community.