Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck Essays - English-language Films

Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck CONFLICT Protagonist: The protagonist of the story is George. He is the kind-hearted ranch hand who is concerned about his friend Lennie and watches out for him. Antagonist: The antagonist of the story is George's trying to care for the handicapped Lennie. Because he has a giant's body and a child's mind, Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife; at the same time he kills the dream of owning a farm that has kept George and Lennie positive about the future Climax: The climax occurs when Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife. George knows that he can no longer save Lennie, for Curley will want revenge. Outcome: Of Mice and Men ends in tragedy. George feels compelled to mercifully kill his friend and companion, Lennie, in order to save him from a brutal death. The death of Lennie also marks the death of the beautiful dream they have been nurturing. Table of Contents MOOD The dominant mood of the story is that of expectation. This mood is developed through the dreams of the major characters. The other mood that prevails is premonitory, of impending doom. There are also other moods evoked through the actions of the characters reflecting sorrow, pity, and brutality. The novel ends on a tragic note. The mood at the end is definitely one of depression and frustration. Table of Contents PLOT (Synopsis) One evening, two men, on their way to a ranch, stop at a stream near the Salinas River. George, who is short and dark, leads the way. The person following him is Lennie, a giant of a man with huge arms. During their conversation by the stream, George repeatedly asks Lennie to keep his mouth shut on the ranch, suggesting that Lennie has some kind of problem. After supper and before going to sleep, the two of them talk about their dream to own a piece of land. The next day, George and Lennie travel to the ranch to start work. They are given two beds in the bunkhouse. Then Old Candy introduces them to almost everybody on the ranch. They meet the boss and the boss's son Curley, who is quite rude. They also meet Curley's wife when she comes looking for her husband. She wears heavy make-up and possesses a flirtatious attitude. George warns Lennie to behave his best around Curley and his wife. He also suggests that they should meet by the pool if anything unfortunate happens to either of them on the ranch. George and Lennie are assigned to work with Slim, who is sensible and 'civilized' and talks with authority. George finds Slim an understanding confidante, and a bond forms between the two of OF MICE AND MEN KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This book is set in two places. It starts beside a stream, close to the Salinas River, a few miles South of Soledad. It then moves to a ranch, where the major part of the story is set. At the end of the novel, the setting comes back to where it started. George and Lennie are introduced by the stream. They are on their way to a near-by ranch. The surrounding land is thick in vegetation and has its own wild life. Men frequent it, as there are ash piles made by many fires and the limbs of the sycamore tree have been smoothed by the many men who have sat on it. The ranch, where the major part of the story takes place, appears isolated and lonely. It includes a ranch house, a bunkhouse where the ranch workers live, a barn, and a harness-room off the barn. Table of Contents CHARACTERS Major Characters George - the protagonist and main character of the book. He is a caring, compassionate, and understanding human being who dreams of owning his own piece of land. Lennie - the obedient friend of George. He has a child's mind and a giant's body. It is these contrasting qualities that cause him problems. Old Candy - one of the lonely ranch workers. He is a cripple, working as a 'Swamper'. Crooks - a black ranch hand. He is sensible and neat, with a mind of his own. He is a lonely character,

Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea

Charlotte Bronte and Jean Rhys composed their novels in different centuries and came from very different backgrounds. However despite these disparities the use of symbolism in their narratives can be compared. Jean Rhys's 1966 novel Wide Sargasso Sea is a creative response to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, a nineteenth century classic, which has always been one of English Literature's greatest and most popular love stories. She seemed such a poor ghost, I thought I'd like to write her a life. [Jean Rhys] Jane Eyre is a story of true love that encounters many obstacles and problems, but surmounts these troubles to fulfil destiny. The main source of trouble is Rochester's insane first wife, Bertha Mason, a lunatic Creole who is locked in the attic of his country house, Thornfield Hall. The problem is eventually solved, tragically, when Bertha escapes and burns Thornfield to the ground, killing herself and seriously maiming Rochester in the process. The social and moral imbalances between Jane and Rochester are then equalled by his punishment for his previous actions, and Jane's rise in status due to an inheritance. This ending, however, did not satisfy the Dominican-born Jean Rhys. She disagreed with Bronte's presentation of Bertha Mason and set out to write 'a colonial story that is absent from Bronte's text'. Rhys's story tells the story of Bertha, and relates Bertha and Rochester's meeting, and their doomed marriage. In Wide Sargasso Sea Rhys shifts the perspective on Jane Eyre by expressing the viewpoints of the different characters in the source material, so taking a different structural approach to the first-person narrative technique employed by Bronte. She wrote her version as a multiple narrative, giving Bertha a previously-unheard voice. Rochester, even though un-named in Wide Sargasso Sea, takes over the narration in part two, and Grace Poole enlightens us at the opening of part three. Rhys can be seen as repaying Bron... Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea Jean Rhys wrote â€Å"Wide Sargasso Sea† in 1966. It tells the story of a young woman, Antoinette Conway. When her family is ruined, as many plantation owners were, by the abolition of slavery, she is left to grow up entirely neglected, unacceptable both to the white community and to the former slaves living around the plantation. It is only when the family fortunes are restored after her mother makes a second marriage that she attends school. This upbringing and her disastrous relationship with her stepfather sow the seeds of Antoinette’s strangeness, but it is not until her own marriage to deeply conventional Englishman that his attempts to force her to live more like a young society woman begin to turn eccentricity into madness. She is completely trapped, for the law of the time meant that she would have no right to any property if she should leave him – it all passed absolutely to him on their marriage. Antoinette’s narrative in Part Three works to humanize our conception of her. Given the emptiness of Antoinette’s days and her isolation from the outside world, she necessarily loses track of time and place. Otherwise, Antoinette seems to be lucid, as she questions the reasons for her captivity and abuse. The reader is able to see firsthand the horror of her entrapment, which calls to mind the slavery in her native land. Two of the major themes in the book are slavery and British colonialism. The emancipation of slavery had already taken effect. Slaves were now free, however, they still labored for a wage. This stipend, unfortunately, was not being given to the slaves. Because of this, the now freed slaves were very angry with the white people, and some were uprising against this injustice. Slaveryalthough a thing of the recent past in Antoinette's experiencetaints everything. Entire estates are in decay, and the creole landowners are suspicious and live in fear. The specter of slavery and entrapme... Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea Charlotte Bronte and Jean Rhys composed their novels in different centuries and came from very different backgrounds. However despite these disparities the use of symbolism in their narratives can be compared. Jean Rhys's 1966 novel Wide Sargasso Sea is a creative response to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, a nineteenth century classic, which has always been one of English Literature's greatest and most popular love stories. She seemed such a poor ghost, I thought I'd like to write her a life. [Jean Rhys] Jane Eyre is a story of true love that encounters many obstacles and problems, but surmounts these troubles to fulfil destiny. The main source of trouble is Rochester's insane first wife, Bertha Mason, a lunatic Creole who is locked in the attic of his country house, Thornfield Hall. The problem is eventually solved, tragically, when Bertha escapes and burns Thornfield to the ground, killing herself and seriously maiming Rochester in the process. The social and moral imbalances between Jane and Rochester are then equalled by his punishment for his previous actions, and Jane's rise in status due to an inheritance. This ending, however, did not satisfy the Dominican-born Jean Rhys. She disagreed with Bronte's presentation of Bertha Mason and set out to write 'a colonial story that is absent from Bronte's text'. Rhys's story tells the story of Bertha, and relates Bertha and Rochester's meeting, and their doomed marriage. In Wide Sargasso Sea Rhys shifts the perspective on Jane Eyre by expressing the viewpoints of the different characters in the source material, so taking a different structural approach to the first-person narrative technique employed by Bronte. She wrote her version as a multiple narrative, giving Bertha a previously-unheard voice. Rochester, even though un-named in Wide Sargasso Sea, takes over the narration in part two, and Grace Poole enlightens us at the opening of part three. Rhys can be seen as repaying Bron... Free Essays on Wide Sargasso Sea Wide Sargasso Sea Set in Jamaica during the 1930’s, Wide Sargasso Sea is the story of Antoinette Bertha Cosway, a beautiful Creole heiress living on a decaying plantation. Her father had many children by Negro women. She can be accepted neither by the Negro community nor by the representatives of the colonial center. As a white Creole she is nothing. The ratial hate she goes through and the suspicion that she is mentally imbalanced brings about her down fall. Antoinette grows from a frightened, unwanted child, to a hated, unwanted wife. Although the Creole has inherited some aspects from both cultures, but were rejected by both societies. The English women did not trust Antoinette or her mother. According to Annette, Antoinette’s beautiful mother, a lot of visitors use to come. However, she lost them wither her English husband’s death. Negro’s called Antoinette â€Å"white cockroach† and hated her deeply. From childhood, Antoinette has known little of happiness. Lost, lonely, shunned by her insane mother, hated by her stepfather, and friendless at her convent school. Antoinette’s only joy came from the tropical island she inhabits and the native people who nurse her from birth. When Antoinette came of age she was married to a strange English man who needs her for her fortune. After Antoinette’s father and brother’s death, and her mother who became insane, this was the only way she figured to save herself. Being the second son Antoinette’s husband (whose name is not mentioned) does not obtain the right to his family wealth and thus considers marrying Antoinette. Antoinette falls wildly in love with her husband who never returns her feelings. Her husband despises Jamaica and wants to return to England. His distrust of her and hatred towards the home and people Antoinette loves soon results in an insurmountable barrier between them. Even when it is obvious to outsiders that the marriage is doomed, Antoinette does...

Quotes From the Novel Great Expectations

Quotes From the Novel Great Expectations We can learn a bit more about the life and experiences of Charles Dickens by reading his semi-autobiographical novel, Great Expectations. Of course, the facts are immersed in fiction, which is part of what makes the novel such a masterpiece. The novel follows life and misadventures of Pip, the orphaned protagonist from his encounter with an escaped convict as a child to  his eventual happy ever after with the woman he loves. The novel has been popular since its original serialized publication in 1860. Great Expectations Quotes Now, I return to this young fellow. And the communication I have got to make is, that he has great expectations.Take another glass of wine, and excuse my mentioning that society as a body does not expect one to be so strictly conscientious in emptying ones glass, as to turn it bottom upwards with the rim on ones nose.Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.It was understood that nothing of a tender nature could possibly be confided to old Barley, by reason of his being totally unequal to the consideration of any subject more psychological than gout, rum, and pursers stores.That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would neve r have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day. I never had one hours happiness in her society, and yet my mind all round the four-and-twenty hours was harping on the happiness of having her with me unto death.So now, as an infallible way of making little ease great ease, I began to contract a quantity of debt.It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. Theres no better rule.Some medical beast had revived tar-water in those days as a fine medicine, and Mrs. Joe always kept a supply of it in the cupboard; having a belief in its virtues correspondent to its nastiness. At the best of times, so much of this elixir was administered to me as a choice restorative, that I was conscious of going about, smelling like a new fence.We spent as much money as we could, and got as little for it as people could make up their minds to give us. We were always more or less miserable, and most of our acqua intance were in the same condition. There was a gay fiction among us that we were constantly enjoying ourselves, and a skeleton truth that we never did. To the best of my belief, our case was in the last aspect a rather common one. All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretenses did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I should innocently take a bad half-crown of somebody elses manufacture, is reasonable enough; but that I should knowingly reckon the spurious coin of my own make, as good money!In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong.Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of the earth, overlying our hard hearts.So, throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the people whom we most despise.I was always treated as if I had insisted on being born, in opposition to the dictates of reason, religion, and morality, and against the dissuading arguments of my best friends.And could I look upon her without compassion, seeing her punishment in the ruin she was, in her profound unfitness f or this earth on which she was placed, in the vanity of sorrow which had become a master mania, like the vanity of penitence, the vanity of remorse, the vanity of unworthiness, and other monstrous vanities that have been curses in this world? Source All Quotes - Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Gender in the Mediterranean community of Tunisia Research Proposal - 1

Gender in the Mediterranean community of Tunisia - Research Proposal Example Not being a really rich nation, the people of Tunisia still succeeded in transforming it into a modern society; particularly in areas a little urbanized. Having an expected life of more than 70 years and medical services accessed universally, noticeable profits are collected from the social sectors, having significant contribution to the position of women in Tunisia. Modification of constitutional legislation for promoting gender equality has been done as well, but practicing laws as well as traditions are still creating obstacles in the way of true changes in many way. (Euromed, 2010). Hard endeavors are made while the last decade was running in order to promote the gender equality by legislation as well as social and economic means. As the rates of literacy for women are increasing gradually, females are now distinctly over smarting males in various field of higher education. Females are eventually taking entry into work force and leading positions these days. Legislation is undergoing continuous updates in order to promote the equality in gender. While equality in gender is given by the country’s law and supported by the government, the patriarchal heritage of Tunisia is still in a hindering progress. In the cases of, a family and inheritance court normally ruled by shari’a law of Muslims, which in these cases imposes discrimination against women. The traditional values are being lost in the most families in Tunisia as a new generation is growing up. (Euromed, 2010; Euromed, 2009) The constitution of Tunisia says about the equality of rights as well as responsibilities among all the citizens and everyone comes equally under the laws.

Project 9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project 9 - Essay Example Examples of parametric tests are t tests and z tests which are used on both paired and independent quantitative data. Nonparametric tests do not assume any particular distribution for the data; however, they look at the category or rank order of the values and ignores the absolute difference between them (Driscoll and Lecky 2001.). In addition to the application of these tests to quantitative data that are not normally distributed, nonparametric tests are also applied to nominal and ordinal data. According to Driscoll and Lecky (2001), examples of nonparametric tests include Chi Square, Fisher exact test which are used for nominal data; and Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney and Kolmogorov-Smirnov which are used for ordinal data. Chi-Square (χ2) test is a very popular nonparametric test which is used on unpaired nominal data. This paper shows how the χ2 test is applied to data relating to gender and office locations of 60 sworn officers. The test is used to determine if there is a difference in the gender distribution among the three locations. According to Salkind (2009), the Chi Square test is a very interesting test which allows the researcher to determine if what is observed in a distribution of frequencies represents what is expected to occur by chance. The data relating to gender and office locations have been grouped in order to perform a Chi Square test. The test has more than one independent variable and so is described as a test of independence. The table below shows the arrangement of the data. The table above shows that there are a total of 35 males and 25 females distributed across three locations. The test seeks to determine whether there are any differences in relation to the gender distribution across the three locations. Therefore, the null hypothesis (Ho) and research hypothesis would be stated as: According to Salkind (2009), the next step is to determine the level of

The factory system on the rise of labor movements in the period before the Civil War Essay Example for Free

The factory system on the rise of labor movements in the period before the Civil War Essay The factory system that developed in the early nineteenth century utilized new complex technology to manufacture consumer items on a large scale.   These products, traditionally produced by families in their homes or by small shops in a â€Å"cottage industry,† could now, by means of the machines and assembly lines of the factory system, be turned out of large facilities in standardized qualities, and by a mass of workers in tremendous volumes. These workers were pulled away from their farms and homes in the countryside to be housed together and to labor side by side in the factory shops.    In these conditions the workers could be organized, supervised, trained, and managed efficiently. As a result of these machines and organizing methods, the cost of the finished consumer products fell dramatically, driving small shops and craftsmen out of business.   Intense competition developed between competing factories and their owners, and this led to the ruthless exploitation of labor, including the abuse of women and children, the working of long hours without rest, and meager wages, as the primary ways of cutting costs and increasing competitive advantage. The factory system allowed for the accumulation of enormous profits to the owners, but the workers grew increasingly weary of these oppressions and so they began to organize themselves into unions for collective actions and collective bargaining, to develop and consume anti-capitalist philosophies such as those taught by socialists and communists, and to go on strikes.   In the beginning, governments in Europe and the U.S. generally sided with the factory owners and helped to suppress worker strikes, but workers continued over time to resist, to organize themselves, and to agitate for change. 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chief Justice John Marshall emphasized that the Constitution gave Congress the power to make all â€Å"necessary and proper laws† needed to carry out its delegated powers. How did the necessary and proper clause apply to the case of McCulloch v. Maryland? What was the impact of this clause on the scope of federal power? In 1817 a dispute arose between the Maryland Legislature and the Second Bank of the United States.   The Bank, without charter of the legislature, began operations in Baltimore, and set about competing with other duly-authorized banks.   In response, â€Å"on February 11, 1818, the General Assembly of Maryland passed an act entitled, an act to impose a tax on all banks, or branches thereof, in the State of Maryland, not chartered by the legislature. James McCulloch, head of the Baltimore Branch of the Second Bank of the United States, refused to pay the tax.   Maryland sought collection, and asserted that the Constitution of the United States gave no specific authorization for the Federal Government to charter a bank, and in court, Maryland won the case.   The Bank appealed to the Supreme Court, where Chief Justice Marshall overturned the decision and forever altered to nature and expression of federal power. Marshall cited the â€Å"necessary and proper clause† of the Constitution, asserting that this empowered Congress to employ any means necessary to achieve any objectives that are not specifically forbidden by the Constitution.   He said â€Å"let the end be legitimate, let it be within the scope of the constitution, and all means which are appropriate, which are plainly adapted to that end, which are not prohibited, but consist with the letter and spirit of the constitution, are constitutional.† The Federal Government has since employed this precedent repeatedly to justify ordinary and controversial legislation and centralization of authority, to the extent that the several States retain exclusive jurisdiction over practically nothing.

My Development as a Writer Essay -- Reflection of my Writing

My English Literature major has helped me to achieve an outstanding level of appreciation, enjoyment, and knowledge of both American and British Literature. As a high school AP English student, I struggled through great works like Hamlet and To the Lighthouse. My teacher’s daily lectures (there was no such thing as class discussion) taught me merely to interpret the works as critics had in the past. I did not enjoy the reading or writing process. As a freshman at Loras, I was enrolled in the Critical Writing: Poetry class. For the first time since grade school, my writing ability was praised and the sharing of my ideas was encouraged by an enthusiastic and nurturing professor. Despite the difficulty of poetry, I enjoyed reading it. Because of my wonderful experience in Critical Writing, my love for reading and writing was renewed and my confidence in my abilities as a writer had been restored. I decided to take a second chance on English by declaring Literature and Writing a s my majors. Over the past three and half years, my love to read and write has been continually nourished and supported by the English department at Loras. Professors enlightened me to the real meanings and values of great literary pieces. Class discussions fueled by ideas and questions from both the professor and the students helped me to form my own ideas about literature and to think about literature on a higher level. My ability to analyze, synthesize, critique, research, and make my own judgments flourished because I finally had professors that truly were passionate about literature and helping their students. More importantly, the personal attention and wonderful feedback I received on my papers and assignments strengthened and honed my writing ... ...sm are fundamental to pharmacy. As a pharmacist, I will be analyzing the effects of medication on patients, researching and developing new drugs, and studying the criticism of specific drug therapies and trials. While I may only see my patients through the window at the pharmacy counter, I will be able to relate to them on a deeper level because the study of literature has helped me better understand human nature. In addition, literature has played a significant role in shaping and affirming my morals and values. Consequently, I will bring a high standard of ethics to a field in which they are essential. Today, pharmacists are the most trusted professionals in the United States. I know that the passion, the skills, and the abilities that I have developed as a result of my English Literature major will provide me with a strong foundation to build my pharmacy career.

Cooperative Learning Essay

What is cooperative learning? Cooperative learning can be characterized in the following Chinese proverb: Tell me, and I’ll forget Show me, and I’ll remember Involve me, I’ll learn. Cooperative learning can be defined as a strategy for the classroom that is used to increase motivation and retention, to help students develop a positive image of self and others, to provide vehicles for critical thinking and problem solving, and to encourage collaborative social skills (Calderon 1987) Assumptions about cooperative learning 1. Cooperative skills must be learned. Humans are not born instinctively knowing how to cooperate with others. In the classroom, students will not automatically start cooperating as soon as you put them into small groups. Cooperative group skills must be taught – just like skills in math, reading, writing. Because most students have not been taught to work effectively with others, they can not do it. Traditional forms of education do not encourage cooperative activity; students work independently and compete for recognition with their peers (Slavin 1979). 2. The physical and spatial arrangement of the classroom affects cooperative work. If students in EFL classes are to cooperate, activities must be structured so that students can cooperate and talk to each other. If they want to have a conversation with someone, they can’t talk facing back-to-back or front-to-back. They need to talk face-to-face. 3. Peer support and group dynamics are the keys to successful group work. The members in the group are the ones who determine how well the group will function. †¢ Will the group share responsibilities or will some group members monopolize the time? †¢ Will they respect each other? †¢ Will low-performing group members be included? These are all problems that must be solved with the cooperation and support of peers in the group and through well-structured teacher guidance. There must be a careful balance between pressure for learning cooperative skills and support for doing so. The earlier students can be taught these skills, the easier it will be for them to learn how to cooperate (Johnson and Johnson). Strategies for group dynamics Christison and Bassano (1987) have identified 6 strategies for helping teachers understand group dynamics and promote peer support in the second/foreign-language classroom. Strategy 1: Restructuring. Restructuring activities usually require students to interact physically as a group. Students are given specific instructions for carrying out the task. There is minimal participation by the teacher. These activities help students adjust to future small-group, cooperative experiences by breaking down student expectations for the traditional teacher-controlled classroom. Strategy 2 : One-Centered. These activities put one student in the ‘spotlight’ for a few minutes. Activities are structured so that each student is given individual attention for a limited period of time. For aggressive students, this â€Å"spotlight focus† reaffirms their importance to the group. They are less apt to â€Å"steal show† from he other group members when their position has been reaffirmed. For shy students, these successful, one-centered experiences increase the likelihood of contributions in the follow-up discussions and in additional activities later on. Strategy 3: Unified Group. Unified-group activities promote cooperation in the group. Students begin to think about group goals instead of individual goals. Praise and positive reinforcement are given to promote group success. These activities require the participation of each group member. No members may â€Å"bow out†. If someone chooses not to participate, the group can not be successful. Strategy 45: Small group. Small-group activities are more loosely structured than pair activities. They require patience, motivation, and good listening habits. The teacher acts only as a facilitator, so the responsibility for success lies with the group itself. These activities help students develop techniques for fair group interaction. Strategy 5: Large Group. Large-group activities are similar to small group activities in their objectives and structure. The only difference is the inclusion of a larger number of students requires more skills among group members in fair group interaction. Strategy 4: Dyad. These activities give students the opportunity to work one-to-one with others in the class. Through these activities, students become better acquainted with each other and begin to feel more comfortable sharing personal ideas and views. Almost any activity can be structured . for pair work. Steps in teaching cooperative skills There are four steps that teachers must follow in teaching cooperative skills. 1. Students need to understand why it is they are doing things differently and how it will help them reach their goals. †¢ Explain why they are doing cooperative work †¢ Do brainstorm session on the possible value of a cooperative group work †¢ Place posters around the room to remind learners of the benefits of cooperative group work. 2. Students must be aware of the necessary skills for successful group work in order to know what they are supposed to do. The teacher should demonstrate and model the skill to further clarify the points to the students. Concentrate on one skill at a time. 3. Students must practice the skill. The major responsibilities teachers have in cooperative learning are to design and set up practice situations. 4. Students need to process the skills they have practiced. Processing means that students need to become aware of what exactly it is they have practiced and to evaluate how successful they have been in the practice of the skills. Levels of cooperative skills In cooperative learning, setting up practice sessions is the chief responsibility of the teacher. According to Johnson and Johnson (1975), there are 4 levels of cooperative skills that teachers can focus on. These skills can be categorized in the following way. 1. Forming. Forming skills are directed towards organizing the group and establishing behavioral norms. Groups who have mastered the skills of forming can move into their groups quickly and quietly, use quiet voices, stay with their groups for the duration of activity, encourage participation within the group, use group members’ names. Teachers who claim that cooperative group work is too noisy or takes too much time are working with students who have not been allowed to master the skill of forming. 2. Functioning. Functioning skills are directed to completing tasks and maintaining good relationships within a group. Groups must understand, f. e. , what the time limits are and how the activity should be carried out within their groups, step by step. Activities that focus on the skill of functioning give learners a chance to ask for help, paraphrase previous comments, clarify, explain, and express support. 3. Formulating. The skill of formulating is directed towards helping learners to develop a deeper understanding of the material being studied and to develop better reasoning strategies. Activities that focus on the skill of formulating help learners develop the following strategies: †¢ Summarizing out loud. †¢ Adding important information to the summary †¢ Pointing out information that may not have been summarized properly †¢ Relating material from a previous activity to the one being focused on 4. Fermenting. The highest-level skill for cooperative groups is fermenting. This skill involves helping learners explore more thoroughly the material the material they have been exposed to. When students can begin to challenge each other’s ideas, to explore different ways of looking at the material and reconceptualize these ideas, they are using the skills of fermenting. Benefits from using cooperative techniques. †¢ Academic achievement. Most studies that high, average, and low achievers gain equally from the cooperative experience. Wheeler (1977) found that the student affect weighed heavily on the results. Studies also supported the concept that the more tightly structured methods of cooperative group work will have the largest effects on basic skills. Higher-order cognitive skills are best improved by the more open-ended methods used in cooperative learning. †¢ Self-esteem. Through cooperative learning techniques, students can become real partners in the learning enterprise. Since most consequential problems are solved via collaboration, students who learn to work together in an educational setting are better prepared to meet life’s obligations. Through cooperative learning techniques learners are asked to do things in FLT classroom that they are asked to do in real life – take charge of and responsibility for their own learning. Co-operative learning occurs when students work collaboratively towards a common goal (Panitz, 1996) Achievements are positively correlated with the other cooperating students. Students work together in small clusters or groups. Effective co-operative learning promotes–positive interdependence – a feeling of connection with other members of the group as they accomplish a common goal – individual accountability – every member of the group is held accountable for the group’s achievements – face to face interaction – group members engage at close range and are influenced by each other’s verbal communication – social skills – students become aware of the human interaction skills involved in effective group cooperation – group processing – groups may reflect and discuss how well they are functioning as a unit and how effective their working relationships are developed. Recommended literature: 1. Teacher development making the right moves (Selected articles from the English Teaching forum 1989-1993) Thomas Kral 2. Jean Brewster and Gail Ellis. The Primary English Teacher’s Guide. (Penguin English, 2003). 3. Opal Dunn. Beginning English with young children. Macmillan publishers LTD, 1993 4. Daniel A. Prescott, Ed. D. The child in the educative process, McGraw-hill book company, inc. , 1957. 5. Diane Phillips, Sarah Burwood and Helen Dunford, Oxford University Press, 2005.

European Women’s History Essay

The role of women in society has greatly evolved. Prior to the emergence of today’s modern world, women were restricted and confined by the norms and dictates of society. Gender inequality greatly prevailed especially during the early societies. There was little room for progress for women. More often than not, women were prohibited from pursuing careers. Such personal growth was attributed solely to men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, with the evolution of the society came the change in perception of the role of women. It can be said the change in society’s perception with regards to the role of women was initiated by the querelle des femmes, or the debate over women. Such debate began in the 14th century and lasted until the 18th century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the said period, various questions were raised with regards to how women should be viewed or treated in society. The status of women in society became the center of the debate. Questions regarding the rights of women as well as their capabilities were likewise raised. Misogyny was likewise an important issue that continuously raged on in the debate. Primarily, the basic question that emerged was regarding the capability of women for rational thought. Men and women argued on whether women are rational beings who could determine what is logical and rational. In other words, such question dealt with whether women have the ability to make decisions on their own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From such debate emerged the changes in society’s perception over the role and status of women. Various assumptions were developed and were brought about the long debates and arguments. Among the most vital assumptions that were developed was one that concluded that women were indeed rational beings. Women were capable of rational thought and thereby had the inherent ability to make decisions for themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To supplement such nature of women, education for women was encouraged. Many philosophers argued that educating women was vital in order to establish their place in society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, it is not only with the querelle des femmes that questions over the role and status of women were argued upon. Such questions were continuously discussed even with the emergence of the enlightenment period. In both cases though, gender equality was the main point of debate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another assumption that emerged from such debates dealt with the fact that the role of women is society is a product not just of misogyny of men but with the education of women. Before the said period, women were educated in such a way that they would become submissive to men. Such mindset is one of the reasons why women were viewed as inferior beings in society. With the emergence of women writers in the aforementioned periods, the call for a change in the education of women began to emerge. The15th to 18th centuries saw an abundance of literary works that called for equal education between men and women. As previously mentioned, education was one of the key questions in the debate. Moreover, such literary pieces called for society to treat women as intellectual equals of men. In other words, the proponents of the movement demanded that women be considered intellectuals and thus be given intellectual education. It was no longer enough that women be trained to become mere housewives. The debate changed the type of education that women usually received. The debate reformed the view that women were ignorant and that they were only capable of performing household duties. With the many arguments raised in the centuries-long debate, such perceived nature of women was changed. The pro-women stand had several proponents. Each of them took on the battle using their pen and paper. It is through literature that women combated the misogynists of the time. Various literary works emerged that tackled the many questions that arose from the querelle des femmes. Women writers were at the forefront of the battle for a reformation of women’s rights and more importantly, the nature and role of women in society. The negative view of women was tackled directly and indirectly through prose and poetry. In each literary work, women writers such as Pizan and Wollstonecraft signified women’s desire to be considered as equal of men. More importantly, such works pinpointed the wanting of women to be viewed as intellectuals who deserve the proper training and education that will allow them to pursue further personal growth and development. The pen served as the weapon of choice for women. Through the pen, women were able to prove that they were intellectually capable of rational thought. Through the pen, women were able to voice out their dislike for the manner by which men and society in general viewed their importance and role.

Ralph Polo Lauren Case Essay Example

Ralph Polo Lauren Case Essay Example Ralph Polo Lauren Case Paper Ralph Polo Lauren Case Paper - Polo Ralph Lauren Case - 1. Polo Ralph Lauren is an American apparel company that was founded in the 1970’s. When it was founded it had three branches in the apparel business: design and development, manufacturer management, and inventory/stock handling. Because they did not want to own factories, they outsourced the garment manufacturing to Luen Thai, an apparel manufacturing company in China. Luen Thai got their fabric supply from the textile firm Ruentex in Taiwan. Not only was Luen Thai responsible for garment manufacturing, they were also in charge of product quality, making sure the deliveries were on time to Polo, and managing Advanced Shipment Notices, which ensured that information about the products (such as SKU numbers, carton and pallet numbers, and quantity) was sent to Polo ahead of the product shipment. A third party logistics operator was used to deliver the products to Polo’s warehouses in the United States where the inventory was then organized for distribution. Polo’s warehouses then delivered the goods to the different retail outlets. Originally, Polo’s supply chain was set up to take advantage of the participating companies’ competencies. Because Ruentex and Luen Thai are located in areas of the world that have less expensive labor, the textile and apparel manufacturing were done there. Polo Ralph Lauren did the designing because it is a more complex process and involves a lot of technical specifications. Polo Ralph Lauren is also located in the United States which is the country that buys the final product, so the designers there knew better what kinds of designs would sell. This kind of supply chain worked well for Polo Ralph Lauren in the past. There were lags in information sharing which caused inventory buildups, stock outs, and less efficient logistics, but overall Ralph Lauren was able to be competitive. - In 2005, however textile quotas were going to be lifted, which would change the whole competitive environment of the apparel industry. Polo Ralph Lauren needed to look at their supply chain structure to see how they could make it more efficient and therefore more competitive. - 2. Using the Exhibit 1 as an example, we can see a model for the Polo’s supply chain. Each step in the supply chain operation as a whole can be understood as a unit in a big international organism. With that in mind, the bottleneck concept can be applied and we can understand that each of those steps, if improved, will not affect the whole organism unless it is a bottleneck. If you improve the bottleneck your process will be improved, otherwise no sensible change will be observed. The big challenge managing supply chain, in this case, will be identifying which step is really the bottleneck in your chain. Polo must know well its process to define where is the real bottleneck among the material provider (Ruentex), the manufacturing activity (Luen Thai), the 3PL operator, or the warehouses (Polo). - 3. Sharing information will be the most important tool in the process of improving Polos’ supply chain. A better management can be achieved through a real time information system, which will help to identify more easily where the bottlenecks are. On the same side, all â€Å"work-in-process† generated for the system and the entire inventory can be managed more precisely as well. On the other side, sharing information can be dangerous when expose its business competitive advantages and strategies. In this scenario, the middle of the chain to the end looks to be the ones that will benefit the most from information sharing in face of the new strategies adopted to create efficiencies. Having opted for being ahead on fashion trends, this differentiation associated with the need of minimum stock and time management, makes real-time information a crucial asset to Polo. So, the end of the supply chain will be the most affected if a non-controlled system starts to generate undesirable levels of inventory. - 4. The Ruentex supplies good quality raw materials to Luen Thai, which produces the final goods according to the design elaborated for Polo. A 3PL operator will deliver the goods to Polo’s warehouses and then the products are delivered for the different retail outlets. The main change that could be highlighted in this process is the transfer of design activity to Luen Thai. Once transit of information is a major factor of reducing efficiency in that supply chain, reducing the need of intensive communication during the design process could be a plus. But it has a cost. To design is not an area of expertise for Luen Thai, so some risk is attached to the learning curve associated to that transfer of activity/know-how from Polo to them.

An Empty Purse Frightens Away Friends

Even the purity of blood relations and innocence of love is at the verge of extinction. Friendship which once was considered the most immaculate relation is no longer filled with the heartiest emotions of devotion, abstemiousness and harmony. People, these days, like agreements more than relations and friendship. Disloyalty has been the nature of every creature ever since life was concocted. Dog is constantly used in the sayings regarding faithfulness, when gets mad, bites its own master. Some control this evil part (disloyalty) of their complexion, while others bluntly expose it. Many such examples are there in history in which acquisitiveness and perfidiousness overshadowed loyalty. In the start of human race the two sons of Adam fought, and Cain killed Abel despite their blood relation. Since then, human beings are murdering the beautiful emotions like fidelity and adherence. Its intensity has increased, and is increasing as the time is passing. And humanity is being replaced by inhumanness  in society. Friends no longer have the degree of affinity that they once used to have. Nowadays, it is not love or affection that inspires one to be friend with someone; money and status are the factors that matter these days. Persons are friends in just fair weather, when the status drops or money ends, they tend to leave one in the lurch. We read many stories regarding loyalty and friendship like â€Å"three friends and a bag of gold† in which three childhood friends murder each other just for a bag of gold, because when there is money the eyes and heart go blind. As Dr Thomas Fuller mentioned in his â€Å"Gnomologia: Adagies and Proverbs†, â€Å"Money is the sinew of love as well as war. † People want interest in everything, even if there are emotions at the stake. People make friends not because they are inspired by the loyalty or ersonality of the person but because they are seeing their profit in the friendship, and when this specific profit of theirs starts converting to loss, they disappear like they never even knew or they had a complete overhauling of their mind which made them to forget every little detail of the person they once were so close to. It is very difficult to find a friend that stands with one through thick and thin. If one has a loyal friend than one has got more than oneâ₠¬â„¢s share. An Empty Purse Frightens Away Friends Even the purity of blood relations and innocence of love is at the verge of extinction. Friendship which once was considered the most immaculate relation is no longer filled with the heartiest emotions of devotion, abstemiousness and harmony. People, these days, like agreements more than relations and friendship. Disloyalty has been the nature of every creature ever since life was concocted. Dog is constantly used in the sayings regarding faithfulness, when gets mad, bites its own master. Some control this evil part (disloyalty) of their complexion, while others bluntly expose it. Many such examples are there in history in which acquisitiveness and perfidiousness overshadowed loyalty. In the start of human race the two sons of Adam fought, and Cain killed Abel despite their blood relation. Since then, human beings are murdering the beautiful emotions like fidelity and adherence. Its intensity has increased, and is increasing as the time is passing. And humanity is being replaced by inhumanness  in society. Friends no longer have the degree of affinity that they once used to have. Nowadays, it is not love or affection that inspires one to be friend with someone; money and status are the factors that matter these days. Persons are friends in just fair weather, when the status drops or money ends, they tend to leave one in the lurch. We read many stories regarding loyalty and friendship like â€Å"three friends and a bag of gold† in which three childhood friends murder each other just for a bag of gold, because when there is money the eyes and heart go blind. As Dr Thomas Fuller mentioned in his â€Å"Gnomologia: Adagies and Proverbs†, â€Å"Money is the sinew of love as well as war. † People want interest in everything, even if there are emotions at the stake. People make friends not because they are inspired by the loyalty or ersonality of the person but because they are seeing their profit in the friendship, and when this specific profit of theirs starts converting to loss, they disappear like they never even knew or they had a complete overhauling of their mind which made them to forget every little detail of the person they once were so close to. It is very difficult to find a friend that stands with one through thick and thin. If one has a loyal friend than one has got more than oneâ₠¬â„¢s share.

Discussion Stories and the Communication Model Essay

Discussion Stories and the Communication Model - Essay Example In all four scenarios, different types of information are gathered, shared and saved in different ways. Like information can be shared through email, electronic documents, voice recording and web presentations. It can be stored directly through web pages means in a digital form or it can be printed through print out and filed them in files. This document which is assembled in the file will be a great asset for the organization. For storing a collaboration experience, you must have knowledge that that has done and stored those types of experiences, awareness of from where the information of the experience will be available and from where you can find that information. I have done research in collaboration in which our group members do not have a time to do research in same time and same place so we prefer to do research in same time, different place. In a same time, different place our group members have done research and sharing information in a same time and different places very easily through chatting, video conference, teleconference, through email, applications/white board sharing, group calendaring and through different resources. Our group members have adopted all these steps for doing that research successfully. Winkler, Ramona. (2002). Keywords and Definitions Around "Collaboration". SAP: The Best Run business Run Sap, Retrieved on 4th January 2012 from