Hope Leslie Essay Example for Free

Hope Leslie Essay In the novel, Hope Leslie, Catherine Maria Sedgwick uses personal analysis as well as historical information to create an uncannily realistic tale of romance, racial prejudice and religion. Throughout the book, Sedgwick emphasizes relations between the Native American peoples and the European Americans living in Massachusetts in the 1640’s. She is able to do this specifically with the characters of Magawisca, the Native American slave with the will of a lioness, Everell Fletcher, the handsome much wanted white male protagonist, Hope Leslie, a strong headed young woman who symbolizes modernism in the piece and Esther Downing, Hope Leslie’s literary foil. Through the relationships between Everell and each of the three female protagonists, Magawisca, Esther and Hope, Sedgwick stresses that the relations between Native Americans and Americans will never be fully amiable due to religious, societal, natural influences. The first relationship of the three relationships that are mentioned in the writing is that of Everell and Magawisca. Sedgwick uses the mother, Mrs. Fletcher, to introduce this young love between the white boy and his Native American acquaintance in a letter to Mr. Everell while he is away from their home at Bethel. â€Å"The boy doth greatly affect the company of the Pequod girl, Magawisca†, she writes,† He hath taught her how to read† (32). This action between the two children shows Magawisca gradually assimilating into the American society and thus, becoming more Americanized and less â€Å"savage† as literacy is considered a civilized ability. As Magawisca dismisses the basic principles of Puritanism, however, it is clear that there is a definitive divide between the Native American and her new family’s beliefs. As religious tenets are defining features of a person and his or her background, Magawisca can never completely assume the American ways without acknowledging the religion. Thus, the relations between her and Everell will not be able to last due to their difference in. Thus, religious differences create adversities in the relationship and ultimately attribute its failure. Mrs. Fletcher directly highlights the fact that the relationship will inevitably fail when she compares the two adolescents to plants: â€Å"Two young plants that have sprung up in close neighborhood, may be separated while young; but if disjoined after their fibers are all intertwined, one, or perchance both, may perish† (33). This statement implies that nature will undoubtedly separate the Everell and Magawisca in the future and the longer they stay together, the more difficult it will be for each of them to survive when they are torn apart. The emphasis on the fact that nature will tear the Native American and the white boy apart is particularly interesting because towards the end of the book Sedgwick brings up the relation between nature and love when speaking about Everell and Hope. In the later case, however, Sedgwick writes, â€Å"Nature will rejoice in reciprocated love, under whatever adversities it comes† (351). This contradictory statement brings to light the idea that reciprocal love between and American and Native Indian will never last no matter how strong the connection is, yet reciprocal love between two Americans will last no matter how many hardships the couple face. Based on Sedgwick’s blatant double-standards, it is clear that relations between the same races are favored, creating yet another issue between Native American and White relations. As the novel progresses, Everell encounters another relationship except this time with Esther Downing. Though this kinship does not directly involve a Native American counterpart, the future diminishment of this bond is directly based on Native American-white relations specifically concerning Magawisca. When Magawisca is apprehended after meeting with Hope Leslie, she is captured on the grounds that she is â€Å"suspected of being an active agent in brewing the conspiracy forming against [the white people] among the Indian tribes†(245). Therefore she is solely arrested on the basis of suspicion, not proof, and only because of her racial affiliations and the skepticism surrounding the Native American peoples at the time. It is this imprisonment of Magawisca that proceeds to highlight the differences between Everell and Esther and future accentuates the fact that relations between the two races will never be completely peaceful. The reactions both Everell and Esther have towards the situation seem to be the same, however the way each of them handle it show that no matter how much the Americans want to have loyal relations with the Natives it will not work. Once Magawisca is imprisoned Everell tried to enlist the help of Esther to free her however, Esther believes that they â€Å"had not scripture warrant for interfering between the prisoner and the magistrates† (292) implying, that she was too morally and religiously strict to free Magawisca without consent to do so. It wasn’t that Esther disliked Magawisca, in fact, she plainly stated that â€Å"those who love [Everell] need no know this maiden to feel that they would save her life at the expense of their own, if they might do it† (293). The restriction on the loyal and amicable friendship both Esther and Magawisca could share was not hindered by distaste for one another, but instead because of strict religious views and moral conduct. This dissent between Everell’s wishes and Esther’s duty brings about the notion â€Å"that there was a painful discord between them† (293) and they are evidently not compatible. The final relationship, between Everell and Hope, shed a positive light the fact that white relations with Native Americans could in fact be successful. Magawisca’s freedom gave both Everell and Hope a mutual cause to fight for and finally allowed them to express the feelings they had suppressed for so long. She pushed both parties to reveal their true love for each other. â€Å"Ask you own heart, Hope Leslie, if any charm could win your affections from Everell Fletcher? † (350). These lines not only instigated a relationship between two soul mates but also affirmed a very close relationship between Hope and Magawisca. This gesture paralleled what Hope did to Esther when she let Esther have a relationship with Everell even though she loved him. It is evident that Magawisca still has feelings for Everell by her reactions to seeing him: â€Å"An involuntary exclamation burst from her lips; and then shuddering at this exposure of her feelings, she hastily gathered together the moccasins that were strewn over the floor, dropped a pair at Hope’s feet, and darted away† (193). Her burst of emotions and flustered actions prove she had feelings for Everell and by sacrificing those feelings for Hope’s happiness, she is delineating that she is in fact, just as good of a friend to Hope as Hope is to Esther. Thus, the relations between Indians and Americans can in fact occur with the upmost loyalty and respect. Though Hope and Everell’s relationship does indicate that the two races can coexist in harmony, Magawisca still makes it clear that thought the individuals may be on good terms, their society as a whole is not by dutifully stating â€Å"the law of vengeance is written on our hearts†¦ the Indian and the white man can no more mingle, and become one, than day and night† (349). The revengeful nature the Native Americans still associate with the white peoples of Massachusetts still trumps any possible platonic or affable relations between the two races. Thus, societal influence once again hinders harmony. Through each of the three relationships it is evident that good relations between the Indians and the Americans may only exist if the mindset of all parties involved is modernist and accepting of all races. In addition, Sedgwick also determines, with the relationship of Faith, Hope’s sister, and Oneco, Magawisca’s brother, that if one of the lovers in the relationship completely assimilates into the culture of the other, a healthy, loving kinship may blossom. Though Sedgwick does portray Native American people in relatively positive light throughout the novel, through her delineation of forbidden and accepted love, she makes it evident that the cultural and ideological barriers between Americans and the American Indians cannot ever be completely lifted.

Differences in liberal and realist approaches

Differences in liberal and realist approaches Every group interaction between humans in different activities entails defining the participants in discrete groups of two. The purpose of which is to differentiate between one group of participants that excel from the other group that does not. The exact labeling of these groups varies with the activity under consideration. Morally speaking, a person can be grouped into either good or evil class; Talking about football, a player can be grouped into either superior or inferior category; economics also entails dividing the people who study them as either classical or Keynesians. Though the initial two groups occupy the end points of a horizontal scale, there are many entities that interconnect these two, thereby filling the grey area. They never full advocate the logic of any one of the two rather argue for an amalgamation, offering a middle path to any eventual solution. The history of Political science as an academic field of study also has been imbued with an eternal clash of ideas between two schools of thought. Throughout generations these two schools have vied for the coveted position in explaining the nature of humans as political entities. One sees humans as increasingly self centered and find little in them to work collectively for the benefit of all humankind; the other believes in the selflessness of the same humanity and sees hope and reason to continue working for a world where everything would be characterized by principles of freedom. The former is called the Realist school of thought while the latter stance is that of the Liberals. The clash is particularly evident in the area of International Relations within Political Science. Here realists think of the international state system as increasingly anarchic, believe that all states work in their self interest and characterize international politics as power centered concentrating on balance of power, and finally that war is inevitable in the international state system. On the other hand, liberals argue that that there is great room for cooperation and benefit for all in the international state system, believe that states can and do work for mutual benefit and find evidence against the realist claim that all international politics is power politics. They also argue that war is avoidable and complex interdependence has also a role to play in the international arena. If the above demarcation separates the liberals and realists within IR, the academia within another relatively new sub discipline of Political Science, IPE, had also followed that pattern in their study of a relationship of international politics and economics. Realism in IPE has been more often called as mercantilism. In both case they represent the same school in a sense that both of them act as synonyms for a particular school of thought. Mercantilism has come to find more usage as a term within IPE as opposed to realism in IR. As the aspect of international politics economy under discussion is international tra de, I will use realism as mercantilism throughout the course of this paper to remain synonymous with the terminology used within IPE. The paper would give a brief introduction of the two discourses within IPE and then scrutinize them further side by side till the end of the paper. The conclusion aims to provide a brief understanding as to where were headed in this discussion now and in the future. Liberalism traces its roots to about two hundred years ago to economic philosophers Adam Smith and David Ricardo. Liberalism has abounded in popularity in the aftermath of the WWI and WWII. Although limitations have come around in the inability of liberalism to bear the fruit which it so vigorously argued for, liberals are found everywhere today in the business community of the West, Wall Street, IMF and World Bank etc. Liberals praise the benefits of free market and trade. Liberals most important contribution is the idea that all participants in a system of free markets and trade are beneficiaries (Cohen, p 12, 2008). The view does not stop at the junction of free market. They fail to give due importance to the role of Politics in free markets and trade. State for most liberals is a negative and holistic entity which should be kept out of the affairs of the free market as it impairs the Laissez-faire idea of market regulation. Mercantilism rightly claims to have the longest intellectual tradition because this emphasizes the importance of nations and power in thinking about economic issues. Mercantilists contrast most sharply with liberals in asserting that the gain of one nation usually comes at the expense of others (Cohen, p. 12, 2008). As a result mercantilists see international economy increasingly characterized by a close relationship between economic, technological and military strength; all topped by a greater national influence. Mercantilist arguments are increasingly used by countries and groups disadvantaged by international trade as a cover for their inability to stimulate domestic development process. They argue for self serving initiatives like protectionism etc. in the areas of economics and military technology. The contribution of mercantilists is to recognize that international economic relations operate within a world of competitive and conflictual nations (Cohen, p. 12, 2008). For mercant ilists, power and economic motives both play an important role in the shaping of international economic cooperation or competition. The two ends of the spectrum are linked together by a multitude of theories and discourses. The links at times appear to be very convincing while at other times add to the already prevalent confusion in this field. This uncertainty is what makes IPE as a discipline so interesting to study. The feeling of intrigue very much abounds within oneself as one studies more and more the web that connects nations in international politics or separates them. International political economy is not an easy subject and the major tool for analyzing IPE, trade, becomes harder to critically analyze with the aim of reaching towards a specific conclusion. Hence one should delve further into IPE with an open mind and let the discourse guide oneself towards any eventual conclusion. The modality of the topic requires me to compare and contrast liberalism and mercantilism. The framework that I intend to use is to analyze both in terms of their key actors, key dynamic and their stand on conflict and cooperation in the international arena of trade. I also intend to put side by side their inception as an academic school of thought and see if any meaningful result can be deducted from it. The origin of the mercantilist school of thought can be traced back to the emergence of nation based politics in Europe during the fifteenth century. Liberals found root in the wake of the industrial revolution of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. In this sense Mercantilism ideas have had a longer life than their liberalist counterparts. Liberal ideas earned much approval and favoritism in the wake of the failure of realism as an effective discourse describing and governing the international politics that led to the bloody World Wards I and II. Liberals see the international trade system as interdependent rather than anarchic and self serving as advocated by realists. Realists see the international trade as a zero sum game, the gain of one country is the loss of another, which liberals see it as a positive sum game that the growth of international trade is of benefit to everyone. Liberals give the idea of the growing of a pie, as the pie gets bigger the slice each participant ge ts also increases. Here one should question that this example fails to give due account to the question that which participant gets the bigger slice. Also that due to the comparative or absolute advantages that some countries hold over the other, those countries grow at a rate higher than the others. Also the countries not possessing the comparative or absolute advantage require huge domestic political costs to be entailed if a shift is made from no advantage sectors to ones having comparative advantage in its domestic economy; these costs include unemployment, temporary inflation, public backlash, loss of political support for the government in power etc. For example during the Vietnam war, President Nixon decided against raising taxes to cut back US trade deficit because it might weaker his already fragile political support. Now this differential growth rates for different countries presents itself as a dilemma for a state especially since the concept of a state is an entity that is supposed to provide the best possible package of security, progress and life style towards its citizens. In the pursuit of this self or collective interest of realists and liberals respectively, the former believe that power has an equal, if not stronger, role to play along with economics in the international economy and trade relations; the latter tend to underplay the role of power in the international politics and emphasize the ability of states to choose between attractive courses of action. Nevertheless, mercantilist arguments have often come to be chosen as routes for underdeveloped nations to catch up with their developed counterparts. Alexander Hamilton writing in the 1970s urged Americans to protect their manufacturers from foreign competition so that they could industrialize and increase their power. Almost a hundred years later, Fredrick List argued that Germany should industrialize behind trade barriers so that it could catch up to the economic might of Great Britain (OBrien Williams, 2004). The protectionist apprehensions or favoritism continue till this day. As recently as on the 17th of November this year, President Hu Jintao of China in a joint news conference with President Obama called for joint opposition to trade protectionism (China and US to work together, 2009). Realists see the state as the key actor in the international arena, while for liberals the starting point of analysis is the individual. Liberals argue for a complete freedom for the needs of the individual by arguing that if left alone the individuals would maximise the gain of the entire humankind regardless of their origin. Liberals see state interference in the market as negative and advocate the freedom of the market to self govern. Realists on the other hand believe that there is nothing natural about markets. They are artificially within the social contract of each state, which requires that a markets functions have to be regulated by a higher authority. Similarly realists doubt the role firms have to play within the domestic markets and as expected for liberals the presence of firms is a positive omen in a sense it increases the overall wealth of any country. Realists prefer state to the individual and for liberals its vice versa. Even within liberal thought, there exist a de marcation separating those who are hardcore liberals and those who acknowledge the role state has to play. It ranges from those who see the state fading away in an emerging borderless world (Ohmae 1990) that will be dominated by private business to liberal institutionalists (Keohane and Nye, 1977) who stress the continuing importance of the state, but see it enmeshed in webs of interdependence and international organization (OBrien Williams, 2004). Moving towards the dynamics of these two discourses, for liberal theorists the market lies at the centre of economic life (OBrien Williams, 2004). Realists feel the rational activity of the state characterizes the dynamics of international trade and cooperation. Here the rational activity by any is undertaken with an aim to get the best possible outcome for its citizens. Liberals admit the shortfall of markets to weave their magic in certain fragile times of international trade but theyre almost certain in their belief that any further state involvement at that fragile instant is certain to worse the already weak market situation. Realists back out of this argument by maintaining that market relations are important but market is governed by the activities of the state. Economic activities and actors are subordinate to political agendas and actors respectively. The consequence of the salience of the state is that international economic relations become international political relatio ns (OBrien Williams, 2004). Realist scholars believe that the nature of global economy reflects the interests of the most powerful states by arguing that free trade regimes tend to exist during the times when a single state dominates the entire world system; as the hegemon can absorb the costs associated with imposing the free trade system. As the system degrades towards a multiple power centre system, conflict characterizes the international relationship between states as interests contradict. Liberals maintain that if all the countries maintain free trade policies and shun self centered motives, conflict would certainly not take place. They give the example of Europe following the WWII and also that liberal democracies never go to war with one another. The phenomenon of globalization has evoked two tiered response within both the realist and the liberal school of thought. Defensive nationalists within realism admit the presence of globalization and work to undermine it rather tha n skeptics who dont see any form of globalization at all. Within liberalism too a similar trend is produced; hyper globalists see globalization as breaking down barriers between countries and unleashing a force of production bound to produce further happiness for humankind (OBrien Williams, 2004). Liberals influenced with Keynesian principles still see the problems of free markets in certain scenarios as cause for possible hesitation towards globalization; it might have some unwanted outcomes. They support the need for market reform till its perfection is achieved. Finally dealing with the aspect of conflict and cooperation, liberals see international trade as essentially cooperative as opposed to the realist view that it is conflictual. Example of theories within both the schools that advocate their respective ideas include the theory of comparative advantage within liberalism that describe that even while possessing a comparative advantage, not absolute, in a certain area of production, one can benefit from trade in the international trade. Realist power based theories moan the absence of any higher authority in the international state system which they see as must to regulating any cooperation and mutual benefit in the international trade. The concern for liberals with nationalist policies is that they lead to conflict. Liberal theorists see trade interaction as strengthening bonds for peace and stability. The liberal belief in the connection between protectionist policies and conflict and the reverse argument, namely that capitalist favours peace and conflict and the reverse argument, namely that capitalist favours peace, is central to the liberal critique of the international economic order. (OBrien Williams, p. 20, 2004) Immanuel Kant foresaw an era of perpetual peace when all the world market systems would be characterized by Free states and international state an alliance of democratic states. Woodrow Wilson advocated adopting liberal principles for the international state system following World War I; also a founding principle for the League of Nations. Similar nationalist policies following the Great Depression were understood to have aggravated relations between countries leading up to the World War II. Citing the pluralist nature of international trade and economic system, liberal theory of complex interdependence explain the connection between increase economic exchange and interconnectedness and the long peace among Western nations after 194 5represent classical liberal political economy (OBrien Williams, p. 21, 2004). The belief of international cooperation and conflict of realists tend to start with their lack of total belief in the abilities of market. Markets for realists produce both positive and negative outcomes. Since, due to their inherent assumption I believe, most realists see markets negative outcomes more than their positive ones realists argue for state control of important economic variables of their domestic economy. A liberal economy sees these very controls as measures of protectionism. Mercantilist arguments are prevalent more in sectors which are either critical to a nations existence or has to do with their cultural values. Examples of either of these could be a countrys defence industry or their local film and music industry etc. With the culmination of the cold war as well as the communist setups of many countries around the globe it appears liberal policies have seem to be dominate, for now. It remains to be seen how long does this majority support goes in red efining the international economic and political structure. Some liberals went as far as to claim that history had ended because the liberal democratic model had triumphed over other forms of social organization (Fukuyama, 1992). Robert Cox said, Theory is always for someone and for some purpose (p. 207, 1986). The presence of different ideas in analyzing one aspect of international economic system finds its roots in a number of reasons. The first of these is that although all the theories are trying to explain one single phenomenon, they are looking at it from different angles. One theory looks at it from the angle of security, for the other its economics that holds the upper hand and for another school of thought, Marxism or critical perspective, its all about class struggle. Another reason is the group of people the theorization is coming from. Rich and influential people would tend to favour liberal trade policies as it offers the least resistance in conducting their business and reaping profits. Under privileged group of people would advocate for protectionist policies that would protect their interests. One last reason is that due to the subjective nature of opinions and reasons, it is not possible to g et an absolute categorization of a theory as right or wrong. Theories are based on observations, not mathematical truths. Thus their rightfulness depends on the value judgment that particular groups of people apply to them. It is important for us to realize is that we do not have to follow any one particular school of thought blindly. The presence of multiple layers of explanation presents one with a tool to apply ones thinking to any specific case. More over one can find any amalgamation describing ones own stance between these layers of theorizations that has taken place until now within International Political Economy. References Cohen, B. (2008). International Political Economy An Intellectual History, 17 39. OBrien, R., Williams, M. (2004). Global Political Economy Evolution and Dynamics, 11 36. (2009, November 17). China and US to work together. BBC News. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8363643.stm

Essay --

Emily Kotroco Paper 1 Wordsworth poems â€Å"Tintern Abbey† and â€Å"Preface to Lyrical Ballads† During Wordsworth time as a poet he made it his mission to have poetry be read by not only the aristocrats but also now the common man something that has never been done. In both poems Wordsworth makes his poems relatable by incorporating themes that everyone can relate to even if they haven’t personally had that experience, although both poems do differ when it comes down to structure and form but also when trying to convey a message, these poems are important because these ideas have never been done before and now even the average Joe can finally participate in a conversation about poetry and this brings two world together. Wordsworths â€Å"Preface to Lyrical Ballads† is his ideas on how he is going to be writing his poetry. In the â€Å"Preface to Lyrical Ballads† The Principal Object of the Poems. Humble and Rustic Life (Wordsworth 434) he discusses how in his poems he wants to create a situation in common life and have all different kinds of people relate them to a personal experience they once had in a common language,â€Å" To throw over them a certain colouring of imagination, whereby ordinary things should be presented to the mid in an unsual way; and ,further, and above all, to make these incidents and situations interesting by tracing them truly through not ostentatiously, the primary laws of our nature: chiefly, as far as regards the manner in which we associate ideas in a state of excitement.† by saying this in this stanza one can directly relate it to how he then writes â€Å"Tintern Abbey†. In â€Å"Tintern Abbey† Wordsworth uses this imagination to mak e things like walking through a abbey with your sister can become a magical incident that sends... ...eople that are from two different classes could talk about one poem and how they feel about it. This really changed the how poetry was viewed considering Wordsworth was one of the best of his time other poets look at what he was doing and responded to his actions and thoughts. Wordsworth explores common themes of the romantic era and makes them apparent to his readers by finding something important to the common man and using common diction. Before William Wordsworth wrote "Tintern Abbey" and â€Å"Preface to Lyrical Ballads†, poetry, was written pretty exclusively for and about rich people. Wordsworth's mission was to open up literature and to make it more accessible and enjoyable to normal, everyday people. He did this by setting up his thoughts in â€Å"Preface to Lyrical Ballads† and then exhausting them in â€Å"Tintern Abbey† and showing how poetry really should be written.

The Best and Worst College Degrees Essay -- Education College Career E

The Best and Worst College Degrees Abstract In today’s society everyone thinks they need to go to college, and over 80% of kids out of high school are. Out of all these kids going to Universities, the majority don’t even know what they want to be the rest of their lives once they get to college. Common sense would tell us that people would go into the field that paid them the most money, this is not always true. So what are the most popular fields to go into when getting out of high School? We did a little research and some comparative analysis, and this is what we came up with. Engineering: Research shows that the third most popular degree in demand is engineering. This pertains to the three major types of engineering. Whether it is mechanical, electrical, chemical Engineering, to achieve a Bachelors degree in any field of Engineering, the basic core classes consist of, mathematics, sciences, biology, chemistry, and/or physics. The number one reason people are obtaining engineering degrees, is for the cold hard cash. Engineers are ranked among some of the highest paying workers in the job force. One starting out in electrical engineering can plan on receiving over $50,000 the first year on the job, with a 2.9% increase after that. Engineers do many diverse jobs, such as architectural work, designing new medical equipment, and testing and fixing all sorts of electrical circuit. Business: Although business isn’t the highest paying profession, it still ranks second, when looking to a nation wide survey, on the most popular degrees. A business degree is one of the broader; more generalizes degrees that encompass many different courses from all aspects of the University. The main reason for getting an bachelors in busi... ... qualified. Your job is to know when this is happening. The bottom line is no matter what degree you pursue, or what job field you’re going for, make sure that you enjoy the work. Works Cited Gloecker, Geoff. (2007). â€Å"The Major Attractions Of A Business Minor†: Business Week Online. p1-11. Retrieved March 22, 2007. â€Å"Health Majors are Top Choice†(1997). : Techniques; Making Education & Career Connections; Oct. 1997, Vol. 72 Issue 7, p6. Retrieved April 1, 2007. â€Å"Job Outlook Strong For 2007 ME Grads†(2007). : ASHRAE Journal; Feb 2007, Vol. 49 Issue 2, p6-7. Retrieved March 22, 2007. Smith, Brendan.(2005). â€Å"The Buzz†: Careers and Colleges. Vol. 26 Issue 1, p2-48, Retrieved March 28, 2007. â€Å"The Top 100 Employers and the Majors in Demand for the Class Of 2004†(2004). : Black Collegian; Feb 2004, Vol. 34 Issue 2, p12-26. Retrieved April 1, 2007.

Billy Budd Essay -- essays research papers

To form simply one opinion or show merely one aspect of this story is naive, rude, and closed minded. How may one stick to one deli mea, moral questioning, or out-look on a book that jumps from such cases like frogs on lily pads? Just as Melville has done, I shall attempt to arrange my perception of Billy Budd, in a similar fashion. That is, through an unorthodox practice (that is; jumping from pt. to point), of writing an essay I shall constantly change and directions and goals of what it is I wish to state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One may perceive the book’s structure to be loose and quite flexible; one finds that the fits and starts, and the shifting of lengths between chapters are the best way to convey the feelings/ meanings of Billy’s story. Maybe the narrator believes that Billy is true on a deeper sense; in other words, it corresponds to real experience. Don’t you, yourself find that when you are trying to make a major decision, or living through some crucial event your mind keeps shifting from one thing to another, sometimes quickly and dramatically, sometimes inventing hypothetical situations to use as comparisons or differences? This is similar to the case as seen in Billy Budd. The Book doesn’t work in a strict and orderly fashion but starts out to describe at length different characters, then moves to fast actions, slows down again to a very argued trail, then draws rapidly to a close with Billy’s hanging. Even after that event, (the hanging), t he book lingers on with a comment of it and ties up all loose ends (Captain Vere dieing etc†¦). Though this story lacks orthodox format, it coheres in a profound and moving way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The style and point of view of Billy Budd can be dealt with together b/c of the strong narrative voice determines both. The narrator of the story is clearly a highly educated person with a great knowledge of mythology. Though the voice of the narrative is consistent in this novel, the point of view is constantly changing. Sometimes we are put inside the heads of the characters (he tells us Claggart’s secret thoughts about Billy, and makes us feel the anguish Captain Vere is experiencing in making his hard decision. Then again there are other times were he removes both of us (narrator, and reader), from a scene, (Best example being, when Vere goes to tell Billy that he must hang- and avoids mak... ...was drafted directly from prison. But no one knows for sure. About his intelligence, just like the snake used his intelligence to trick Mankind, Claggart too uses his intelligence to trick Billy. Thus the fall of either’s â€Å"Garden.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon this review, one can ask such a question of, does every Eden have to have its snake? The presence of John Claggart in Billy Budd suggest that evil is part of our world, and it will always attach itself to innocence and try to corrupt it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Billy Budd focuses on the inner life of a single ship. Life aboard the Indomitable is a scaled down model of life itself, yet it is apparent of the intensity and almost claustrophic this setting can be as the story proceeds and everything is heightened. Thought the wide-open sea is all around, it only isolates the men from the rest of the world. If you’ve ever been momentarily separated on a camping trip, per-say, then you know how quickly one can get on another’s’ nerves. This story captures that intensity. One must also remember that Billy is set in a time of war and mutiny, and theses factors have a major impact on the story and everyone’s decisions.

The Analysis of Kaiser and the War by Simon J. Ortiz

Simon J. Ortiz is a Native American who was born on May 27, 1941 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He belongs to the Acoma Pueblo tribe. He is considered as one of the most respected Native American writer. He grew up in the Acoma village of McCartys and spoke his native tongue of Keresan with his family. Ortiz’s father was a railroad and a wood carver. As a member of the Acoma Pueblo tribe, his father was tasked to preserve the tradition and religious beliefs of the clan (Wiget, 1994, p. 115)Simon J. Ortiz went to the McCartys Day School and then to St. Catherine’s Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In school, Native Americans were prohibited to speak their native language. Ortiz had a difficult time assimilating with the new culture he was exposed to. He began to write in his diary his experiences and create short stories. He channeled his energy to read books (p.117)While studying away from his family, Ortiz can’t bear his loneliness and returned to his hometown . He enrolled at the Albuquerque Indian School. The school is a vocational school which taught the students plumbing and mechanics. Ortiz learned metal and woodworking. After graduating from Grants High School in Grants, New Mexico, Ortiz worked at Kerr-McGee uranium plant. His experience at the mining plant inspired him to write his work, â€Å"Fight Back: For the Sake of the people, for the Sake of the Land† (p.123)Through an educational grant, Simon J. Ortiz was able to attend Fort Lewis College and he majored in Chemistry (p.125).Simon Ortiz’s Career PathOrtiz served the U.S. Military for three years. Fresh from the army, he enrolled at the University of New Mexico. He pursued his passion for writing and he was able to write his life experiences as a Native American. In 1968, he became a fellow at the University of Iowa. â€Å"In 1982, he was made an editor at the Pueblo of the Acoma Press. In 1988, he was tasked to be an interpreter for the Acoma Pueblo tribe and the following year Ortiz became the First Lieutenant Governor for the clan† (p.130)Throughout the years, Ortiz was recognized and given numerous awards for his literary works. He received the Pushcart prize for his work â€Å"From Sand Creek: Rising in This Heart Which Is Our America†. He was also given the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work â€Å"Returning the Gift† (p.133)Literary ThemesSimon J. Ortiz presented issues common to people particularly the plight of his Acoma Pueblo tribe. His work discusses themes of â€Å"alienation, colonialism, Native American struggles, the environment and the effects of technology† (Native American Literature, 1985, p.178)â€Å"Kaiser and the War†We can not divorce the life of the author from his art because his life experiences have a profound influence on his literary works. A case in point is Simon Ortiz’s short story, Kaiser and the War.The story revolves around a man who had little knowledge of the English language;   Kaiser, the protagonist opposed the idea of being enlisted in the U.S. Military Service. As a result, he escaped to the Black Mesa Mountains while being pursued by the county sheriff and the draft board agents. As I see it, Kaiser avoided the draft because he feels that the war is senseless. Like most Native Americans who mostly lived in their communities,   he does not feel an affinity towards mainstream America. So, why would he go to war? His flight for avoiding the draft is the only way he could free himself from the dictates of the Americansociety. It is a   sense of freeing himself physically and spiritually.. It is also a way of expressing his desire to return to his roots and his essence as a human being.   His escape to some extent provided him the option of dealing with his chaotic life.   However, Kaiser’s escape did not only alienate him even more from the society; it also alienated him from his family. Finally after years of hidi ng, Kaiser surrendered and he was sent to jail for escaping the draft. After serving his time in prison, Kaiser becomes isolated from society. From this experience, Kaiser succumbed to depression. He was unable to keep his life together after what transpired. He failed to reunite with his family. In the end, he lived alone and died a broken man.The themes of alienation and separation surround the story. In the Norton Anthology of American Literature, Nina Baym, â€Å"implies that this theme represents the Native Americans’ struggle†, (Baym, 1997, p.2778). The story also include events that transpired in Ortiz’s life like his childhood experiences in school where he had limited knowledge of the English language and lastly, his enlistment to the U.S. Military. The tale appears to link the past and the present with regards to feelings of alienation and separation (Encyclopedia of American Literature, 1998, p. 858).The Economic, Social and Political Conditions of th e Native Americans TodayTowards the 21st century, the themes of alienation and displacement thrive in the Native American communities. They are always dealing with issues and struggling to keep up with the changes in the American society.Many Native American tribes seek to be recognized by the government. There are currently ‘561 Native American tribes recognized by the U.S. government. These tribes are designated to have their own form of government, to enact laws, to establish tribal memberships, to issue license and regulate activities† (The U.S. Relationship to American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, 2005).Today, Native American Indians continue to be a part of the American landscape and in the U.S. economy. Native American tribes established their own governments that offer services in law enforcement and disaster management. Most of the Native American tribes have their own legal system to settle disputes (Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2006).Gambling has become a big industry for the Native Americans. Most casinos operated by the Native American governments are seen profitable and has encouraged business diversification (Columbia Law Review, 2006).Sadly, most people are unaware of the plight and struggle of the Native American communities. For many Native Americans they still believe that they are still outsiders in the country and many feel that they are mistreated by the general public.Simon Ortiz used his own personal experiences from to shape his story. He tried to reach his audience by exposing the issues that surrounds the Native American community and their continued plight. His works reveal that the Native Americans want to restore their sense of â€Å"self† in order for them to fight for their rights and preserve their way of life.ReferencesA Resolution By the Native American Caucus. (2006). http//:www.turtletrack.org 8 February  2006. Retrieved on 15 December 2007.Baym, Nina. (1997). Norton American Anthology of American Lite rature. (p.2778). London:Oxford University Press.Bureau of Indian Affairs. (2006). http//:www.doiu.nbc.gov/orientation. 8 February 2006.Retrieved on 15 December 2006.Encyclopedia of American Literature. (1998). (p.858). Connecticut: Greenwood Press.Kaplan, Karen. (2005). Ancestry In A Drop Of Blood. http//:www.racesci.org. 30 August2005. Retrieved on 15 December 2007.Mixing Bodies and Beliefs: The Predicament of Tribes. (2006).Columbia Law Review.http//:www.columbia.org. 8 February 2006. Retrieved on 15 December 2007.Rock, Roger O. (1985).Native American Literature. Connecticut: Greenwood Press.The Black Mesa Syndrome: Indian Lands, Black Gold. (2006).http//:www.shundahai.org.8 February 2006. Retrieved on 15 December 2007.The Mukeman Ohlone. (2007). http//:www.mukema.org. 22 June 2007. Retrieved on 15December 2007.The U.S. Relationship to American Indian and Alaska Native Tribe. (2006). http//:www.usinfo.state.gov.8 February 2006. Retrieved 15 December 2007.ReferencesWalking A Mile: A Qualitative Study Exploring How Indians and Non-Indians Think AboutEach Other. (2007). http//:www.publicagenda.org. 7 December 2007. Retrieved 15December 2007.Wiget, Andrew. (1994). Dictionary of Native American Literature. (pp.115-133). New York:Garland Press.

Topics for Discussion

TOPICS for DISCUSSION Society and the Media 1- Where do you get the news from? radio / newspapers / TV / Internet 2- Reality shows on TV 3- TV and children The Environment 1- Public transport: a real alternative? 2- Recycling: a good way to be green? 3- Plastic bags in shops. The World of Work 1- Teleworking (working from home): pros and cons. 2- Equal opportunities for men and women 3- Unemployment: effects on society Travelling 1- Travelling alone or travelling with friends (or family) – Rural tourism 3- Exotic holidays Relationships 1- Getting married, living together or living alone 2- Families today: working parents / single parents / grandparents bringing up children Health 1- Ways to stay healthy 2- Fast food or traditional food 3- Telemedicine: online patients Language Learning 1- Bilingual education, Internet and language learning 2- Language exchanges, courses abroad Crime 1- How to avoid street robbery or burglary 2- Crime and technology: identity theftShopping 1- S hopping centres (malls) and department stores versus small shops 2- Opening hours: on Sundays and bank holidays 3- Shopaholics Progress and Science 1- Space exploration: useless or useful 2- The best inventions in 20th century Money matters 1- Is money the most important thing when choosing a job? 2- Charities and NGO’s: for people, animals, civil rights 3- Is pocket money for children a good idea? Computers and Technology 1- Downloading films or going to the cinema – Internet and books: will libraries disappear? 3- Effects of Internet on family life Education 1- Single sex education or co-educational schools 2- State schools or private schools 3- Discipline problems in the classroom Leisure and Entertainment 1- Changes in how people spend their free time: cinema music social networks theatre clubbing computer games others 2- Ways to relax: escaping from your daily routine .