English Exit Exam Essay

My writing journey this semester has been a roller coaster. Since the beginning of this course I have improved in so many different areas. When I first began in this class, I didn’t have a clue how to start my essays. I wasn’t very good with being descriptive either. On top of that, revising was something I hated to do. My writing process was very messy and organization was never something I considered when writing a paper. Since taking this class my skills in organization, revision, and description have improved tremendously. I wasn’t a big fan of drafting before I started this class. My writing process has always been all over the place. I could be writing paragraph one and then skip to paragraph four for no apparent reason. Sometimes I would just write different paragraphs on different pieces of papers and then put them all together afterwards. In this class I was taught why drafting is so important to my writing process. It helped me be more organized and less stressed. My mind was in one place and on track, rather than all over the place. If drafting and organizational skills weren’t already big enough issues to deal with, then revision definitely was. In the past, I hated having to read over my paper repeatedly until it was near perfect. On top of that, event though my personality is big, it doesn’t mean I’m big on sharing my work. I was scared that if I made a simple mistake the person revising my paper would think I was stupid. After reading over some of my classmates’ papers I learned they made some of the same mistakes as me. Then I came to realize I’m only human and I’m going to make mistakes. It was something I had to get use to and I’m glad I fixed that problem in my life. Even though I did a lot of writing in my English class, there were other things we had to do also. Almost every night we had to read in our textbook. The textbook taught me a lot about the right and wrong things to do while writing. It also explained to me the different styles of writing and gave plenty of examples. Not only did I read the book, but I finished an online writing class. This Writing Class was mainly about grammar and how to correct grammar errors. Before writing class, I really didn’t know how to use commas. I would guess most of the time and hope I was right. I should have known one day it was going to catch up with me and it did. Luckily for me, I had a wonderful professor to teach me and help me with my problem. After studying my professor’s lecture and doing the online activities, I was ready to take the online quiz. When I took it, I passed it with flying colors. I really worked hard in all the subjects in Writing Class and I ended up passing all of the quizzes, even the post test. I was recently instructed to revise two of my previous essays I’ve written in class for my portfolio. I automatically knew which ones I wanted to revise. My first one was about my writing journey throughout life. I needed to be more descriptive and also had some grammatical errors to fix. The essay was based upon how I used to read to my peers in Pre-K, which led to me making my own short stories. It also tells about the time I had my poem published in high school by my teacher. Not being descriptive was the main problem I had with this essay. When I wrote my draft I didn’t paint a picture for my audience to see where I was coming from. Instead of saying â€Å"The big red chair†, I would just write, â€Å"the chair† and the difference in these two quotes are obvious and can automatically tell which one is more descriptive. With many changes made to this essay I would say I worked really hard on this one. Especially since it was a more personal subject, I put a lot of work into it. My second essay assignment was to write about a club or organization on campus. The purpose of the essay was to get new college students to join the club of my choice. I chose ROTC because I was a part of it in high school. I love the feeling I got from my lieutenant and cadets. We were all like a big family and kept up with each other a lot. From speaking to a former cadet that attends GGC, I have confirmed that ROTC is the same at this school in many aspects. When writing my draft, again, I didn’t explain things thoroughly. I needed more evidence to support my claims. In many sentences I didn’t use the right word either. Misspelled words and comma splices were all through my paper. When I took the time to revise it, I was able to fix these problems. Instead of letting Microsoft Word find my mistakes, I carefully read through it and did it myself. I reviewed the comma splice lesson and was able to find where those were in my paper. When I did more research on the club, I was able to add more details to my paper. In no time my final copy looked completely from where I started. As a child I was told hard work will definitely pay off. With all my hard work in the class I am hoping that it will surely pay off in me exiting this class early. I have learned to revise my papers, be more descriptive, correct grammatical errors, and last but not least have an organized writing process. With the skills I’ve learned in this class I will be able to succeed in my other classes. Every class in college has some form of writing so I will never get away from it. In order to succeed in my major, I will need to take my writing seriously. It is amazing how I was able to learn so much in so little time. I am glad I was able to fix my faults and write a great paper. I think you will enjoy my portfolio and be more than happy to pass me.

Chilhood memories of Frankie Lennon and mine

Reading     Frankie Lennon   feels like you become part of the story, you feel connected and involved at every scene that unfolds. The characters she introduces makes it more vivid and real, you can’t help but think of your own family and relatives that have been part of   your past and shaped your own present life. You begin to look back at your own childhood and adolescent years and recall the many struggles you went through to become the person you are now. It makes us think back and wonder how we got over the conflicts and complications and been able to confront them. Readers connect to the stories due to similarities in culture, race, sexuality, and childhood.The author said in an interview, and to quote her:â€Å"†¦I narrate stories starting with my childhood and take you with me on my turbulent life journey and struggle to find freedom from the many prisons that bind me.I tell stories that make you think and re-evaluate issues. I offer the reader the chanc e to see and experience my naked feelings, conflicts, fears, and struggles and you get the chance to experience my trials and tribulations along with me. It will be exciting, funny, and heartbreaking. And it will never be dull.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"The   Mee   Street Chronicles: Straight up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life is a turn pager narrative of blunt memories in her struggle to live her own life and sexual identity. The book passes through generations dealing with sensitive issues like racism, oppression, homosexuality, and   Ã‚  alcoholism   that   still   exists in our society today. It lets us enter to places never seen before but will make us aware of our own feelings, in what we love and fear of, of our desires and what we value in life. The book mirrors that presents to readers what has happened and still happening in our lives.   Many people identify and unconsciously reflect with at least one story in the book. In a special way, it surprised and touched re aders on their own personal journey.Like the author, we also preserve our memories through journals, diaries, photographs, and keep it in our hearts. We become proud of these memories because it is what our identity is all about. We pass them on to our children to tell them who we are to reveal secrets setting us free from denial. This book reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles. We may think we are strange and has a dark past, but who doesn’t? It inspires to move on no matter how bad it seemed or what people have done or said or how bad it appeared. Others out there also   went through the same difficulties and survived. Others who repeat the same mistakes just when they have lifted themselves up, and picking themselves back in shape and has finally found their way.In it, stories on childhood life were depicted like it was your own. Significant characters were portrayed as if they were your own family. It is amazing to relate because you have your own aunt , gra ndmother, uncle, and cousins who can be irritating and unpleasant when they are around you, on the other hand you truly adore. People who in one way or another   have contributed in shaping your life as a whole.One chapter in the book entitled â€Å"Adversaries† narrates some fragments on the childhood events in the author’s life. At a very young age she could still remember clear details and accounts of family members and various emotions in facing her auntie and the tensed encounters that prevail between them. You feel a little bit at the edge of your seat as words and emotions are revealed that causes you to be anxious and empathize with the girl..Somehow, upon reading this particular story, I was able to relate to the characters and circumstances that the author encountered.   Similar   events and people I grew up with. I remember these people and what they signify had an impact in my life, may   it   be   Ã‚  good or bad memories. Reading through it br ings back memories of kids being punished for reasons not explained very clearly would sometimes make you think now that it was senseless. Folks back then were not even aware that we kids need to be treated fairly sometimes. They just come lashing out of nowhere and give you spanking for all the world to see. I had my own taste of that ‘cruelty’ back then.   I   experienced   some old school discipline where I can get so ashamed of myself for something I have done wrong, just because the ‘crime’ is against the elder’s rules.  Characters like â€Å"Auntie† were also part of my so called privileged childhood. My mother’s sister would sometimes go on a vacation in our house and would stay for a long time I think for decades and my life miserable. I remember her as the lady who keeps an eye on me, scary sometimes because she would watch every move I make. She was so stern and uptight and she is so particular about being proper.She m ade a great deal of impact in the whole household with her continuous bickering, comparing her life to my mother’s. What’s worse is we have to bear with her and leaves us no choice, but   be under her rule when my parents are away for a few days. I did my best to please her and make her feel that I liked her though I was faking it. I pretended hard to be somebody else just for her to accept me and have a harmonious relationship altogether. She is now a ‘stigma’ among us cousins and her grand kids because of   the character she played in our lives.The author in the story had to go through that kind of misery.   The emotions she felt in some instances and the way she describes ‘Auntie’ in detail like her appearance, reactions, and attitude made me think back and reminds me of my own aunt. I   was touched so much by the incident that her aunt would bad mouth her father. I cannot forget the way my aunt would back-stab my mother and insult her in front of us and for other people to hear. She compares her life and her way of   raising her kids to that of my parents. She boasts of a better life and material things compared to my mother who has to work harder for a better life.My aunt and I did not talk too much. I tried the best I could to avoid her, not to be in the same room with her   and even look her in the eye. I was not sure if it is because I was scared of her or hated her. She, like Aunt seemed to be so powerful to make us frightened of her.   Picturing Aunt in my mind while reading makes me feel scared just by recalling how my own aunt was.However, unlike the author, I was never confrontational. I never talked or fought back. Frankie had the courage to stop Aunt from hitting her. I had my share of hard spankings courtesy of   not only of my aunt, but in some instances from my own parents. But I just take it as part of growing up and that is how I should be disciplined. Sometimes I would ponder, regrett ing that I did not question or prevent it from coming or could have ran away.If only I had the choice and wishes come true, I could have spent more time with my mother and have spent more loving moments with her. I could have understood it better if the she did the spanking herself.REFERENCE :Sundararaj, A. ( 2007, March 14). How to Tell a Story, A Beginner’sGuide to Storytelling. Interview with Frankie Lennon. RetrievedMay 23, 2007, from   www.howtotellagreatstory.com/byot/byot70.html – 60k- Chilhood memories of frankie lennon and mine Reading     Frankie Lennon   feels like you become part of the story, you feel connected and involved at every scene that unfolds. The characters she introduces makes it more vivid and real, you can’t help but think of your own family and relatives that have been part of   your past and shaped your own present life. You begin to look back at your own childhood and adolescent years and recall the many struggles you went through to become the person you are now. It makes us think back and wonder how we got over the conflicts and complications and been able to confront them. Readers connect to the stories due to similarities in culture, race, sexuality, and childhood.The author said in an interview, and to quote her:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"†¦I narrate stories starting with my childhood and take you with me on my turbulent life journey and struggle to find freedom from the many prisons that bind me.  I tell stories that make you think and re-evaluate issues. I offer the reader t he chance to see and experience my naked feelings, conflicts, fears, and struggles and you get the chance to experience my trials and tribulations along with me. It will be exciting, funny, and heartbreaking. And it will never be dull.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"The   Mee   Street Chronicles: Straight up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life is a turn pager narrative of blunt memories in her struggle to live her own life and sexual identity. The book passes through generations dealing with sensitive issues like racism, oppression, homosexuality, and   Ã‚  alcoholism   that   still   exists in our society today. It lets us enter to places never seen before but will make us aware of our own feelings, in what we love and fear of, of our desires and what we value in life. The book mirrors that presents to readers what has happened and still happening in our lives.   Many people identify and unconsciously reflect with at least one story in the book. In a special way, it surprised and to uched readers on their own personal journey.Like the author, we also preserve our memories through journals, diaries, photographs, and keep it in our hearts. We become proud of these memories because it is what our identity is all about. We pass them on to our children to tell them who we are to reveal secrets setting us free from denial. This book reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles. We may think we are strange and has a dark past, but who doesn’t? It inspires to move on no matter how bad it seemed or what people have done or said or how bad it appeared. Others out there also   went through the same difficulties and survived. Others who repeat the same mistakes just when they have lifted themselves up, and picking themselves back in shape and has finally found their way.In it, stories on childhood life were depicted like it was your own. Significant characters were portrayed as if they were your own family. It is amazing to relate because you have your own au nt , grandmother, uncle, and cousins who can be irritating and unpleasant when they are around you, on the other hand you truly adore. People who in one way or another   have contributed in shaping your life as a whole.One chapter in the book entitled â€Å"Adversaries† narrates some fragments on the childhood events in the author’s life. At a very young age she could still remember clear details and accounts of family members and various emotions in facing her auntie and the tensed encounters that prevail between them. You feel a little bit at the edge of your seat as words and emotions are revealed that causes you to be anxious and empathize with the girl..Somehow, upon reading this particular story, I was able to relate to the characters and circumstances that the author encountered.   Similar   events and people I grew up with. I remember these people and what they signify had an impact in my life, may   it   be   Ã‚  good or bad memories. Reading throu gh it brings back memories of kids being punished for reasons not explained very clearly would sometimes make you think now that it was senseless. Folks back then were not even aware that we kids need to be treated fairly sometimes. They just come lashing out of nowhere and give you spanking for all the world to see. I had my own taste of that ‘cruelty’ back then.   I   experienced   some old school discipline where I can get so ashamed of myself for something I have done wrong, just because the ‘crime’ is against the elder’s rules.  Characters like â€Å"Auntie† were also part of my so called privileged childhood. My mother’s sister would sometimes go on a vacation in our house and would stay for a long time I think for decades and my life miserable. I remember her as the lady who keeps an eye on me, scary sometimes because she would watch every move I make. She was so stern and uptight and she is so particular about being prop er. She made a great deal of impact in the whole household with her continuous bickering, comparing her life to my mother’s. What’s worse is we have to bear with her and leaves us no choice, but   be under her rule when my parents are away for a few days. I did my best to please her and make her feel that I liked her though I was faking it. I pretended hard to be somebody else just for her to accept me and have a harmonious relationship altogether. She is now a ‘stigma’ among us cousins and her grand kids because of   the character she played in our lives.The author in the story had to go through that kind of misery.   The emotions she felt in some instances and the way she describes ‘Auntie’ in detail like her appearance, reactions, and attitude made me think back and reminds me of my own aunt. I   was touched so much by the incident that her aunt would bad mouth her father. I cannot forget the way my aunt would back-stab my mother an d insult her in front of us and for other people to hear. She compares her life and her way of   raising her kids to that of my parents. She boasts of a better life and material things compared to my mother who has to work harder for a better life.My aunt and I did not talk too much. I tried the best I could to avoid her, not to be in the same room with her   and even look her in the eye. I was not sure if it is because I was scared of her or hated her. She, like Aunt seemed to be so powerful to make us frightened of her.   Picturing Aunt in my mind while reading makes me feel scared just by recalling how my own aunt was.However, unlike the author, I was never confrontational. I never talked or fought back. Frankie had the courage to stop Aunt from hitting her. I had my share of hard spankings courtesy of   not only of my aunt, but in some instances from my own parents. But I just take it as part of growing up and that is how I should be disciplined. Sometimes I would ponder , regretting that I did not question or prevent it from coming or could have ran away.If only I had the choice and wishes come true, I could have spent more time with my mother and have spent more loving moments with her. I could have understood it better if the she did the spanking herself.REFERENCE :Sundararaj, A. ( 2007, March 14). How to Tell a Story, A Beginner’sGuide to Storytelling. Interview with Frankie Lennon. RetrievedMay 23, 2007, from   www.howtotellagreatstory.com/byot/byot

Edmund Spencer compared to Shakespeare Essay

Sonnet 1 by Edmund Spenser and Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare differ greatly in form, tone, content, meaning, and persona. Shakespeare begins with a rather unflattering attribute; â€Å"My mistress’ are nothing like the sun† while Spenser, praises his love by wishing he were a book she was reading. Sonnet 1 by Spenser follows a rhyme scheme of his own devising (ababbcbccdcdee) that combines interwoven thoughts. In this sonnet he praises his wife’s beauty and attempts to flatter her through conveying the thought that if he could just have her touch or even a glance he would rather be a book than what he is now. The tone is that sappy type that almost make s one sick. His talent is consumed in a effort to win over someone that he is already married to. His words sound as if they have a sick desperation in them because something is wrong within the relationship. On the other hand Sonnet 130 by Shakespeare has a point to it. It contains the message that one cannot judge by looks alone but on what the person is like on the inside. Shakespeare does not praise the woman’s beauty or her fair voice or her soft touch but at the end he says that his love is rare and he would not get rid of it for any reason. Spenser’s sonnets have intertwined messages that follow his rhyme scheme (ababbcbccdcdee) while Shakespeare uses three quatrains and a couplet which is usually the â€Å"zinger† turning the whole sonnet around and changing the meaning. Spenser does not do this however, his thought patter seems to follow one and only one line of thought’ to praise the woman that he loves and naught else. Shakespeare’s tone seems to be rather sarcastic until the couplet at the end of his sonnet when he explains that he would rather have her than the most beautiful woman in the world. It is along the same lines as â€Å"Don’t judge a book by its color†. On the other hand Spenser believes that his wife is the most beautiful being in the universe and he relates that he would do anything just to have her look at him or his book of sonnets which he wrote for her. Shakespeare breaks his own form while Spenser adheres to a strict form and rhyme scheme.

Foundation of knowledge and Profesional Skills Essay

Foundation of knowledge and Profesional Skills - Essay Example Objectives. The author aims to establish that contemporary slavery exists and that there is need for more fair trade practices, and to explore how select marketing communications can enhance awareness, influence consumer perceptions and create actions that foment anti-slavery activities, human rights and fair trade in supply chains. The Rugmark and Cafedirect campaigns from the carpet and coffee industries respectively provide model cases for the study. Assumptions. The author's assumption is that, "Changing the nature of the coffee market to introduce fair trade, rather than free trade, would have immediate impact on several stakeholders in the supply chain and symbolic importance" which could "also influence trade practices in other commodities/industries." [pg. 646] Method. An interpretive research design, spread over three years, was adopted covering site visits, interviews, and examination of extant policies, documents and trends. [pg. 646] Eisenhardt's (1989) eight-step procedure for theory development was used. Analysis was done by a process of coding, memoing, and developing propositions, which were then confirmed through triangulation. When ambiguity arose respondents were invited to comment on the author's theoretical developments. The public confusion regarding the terms 'slavery' and 'fair trade' due to interpretations by various agencies is addressed by offering standard definitions. Slavery: People generally believe slavery to be a historical phenomenon abolished years ago. [pg. 648] Contemporary slavery is however a flourishing business despite its obvious cruelty and illegality (Lees, 1995; The Economist, 1996) and a matter of human rights. Anti-Slavery International (ASI) which works to promote 'the basic right of human beings to be subjects rather than objects' (Anti-Slavery International, 1995a) defines slavery as the status of a person on whom the right of ownership is exercised by capture, acquisition, disposal or exchange, tantamount to acts of trading or transportation of the individuals. Fair Trade. Culled from interpretations of several fair trade organisations including the Fair Trade Federation (FTF) the article suggests that when organisations benefit artisans, work with co-operatives employing democratic principles, reinvest profits to benefit communities engaged in production, and work towards moving more processes to the Third World, it constitutes fair trade [pg. 643] and their products display a fair trade label. The Rugmark and Cafedirect Campaigns. The Rugmark Campaign espoused by ASI in 1994 is an illustration within the UK of interconnections between the first and third worlds. A Rugmark label on hand-knotted carpets from India indicates that no child labour was used during production, and that workers were paid the prescribed minimum wages. The author agrees that the ASI initiative was intended more to convey to the developed world the alienation suffered by 'slaves' lacking the basic human right of freedom and how their efforts to merely subsist sometimes impacted environment, making it a green issue also, than an utopian effort to close the North-South divide. [pg. 650] As for Cafedirect, UK's pioneering fair trade coffee brand, its phenomenal success (4% market share since launch in 1992) was attributed to the impact on distributors and

Compare and evaluate multiculturalism and assimilation as alternative Essay

Compare and evaluate multiculturalism and assimilation as alternative approaches to dealing with immigrant populations. Use evid - Essay Example The rate of immigration has doubled in the last five decades alone, accounting for the greater proportion of workers in the industrialized nations of the world (Shah, 2008, para. 4). The estimated number of international immigrants represented about three percent of the global total population. Many of these immigrants either came from Asia or Africa, and most of them are undocumented migrant workers using illegal means or channels to gain entry. Half of all immigrants are women; other than the reasons cited earlier, immigrants also choose to leave their own countries due to ethnic persecution (if they belong to a minority), avoidance of military or armed conflicts, and political harassment. A new reason recently cited as driver for increases in immigration is increased globalization, in which their original home countries suffered from open trade policies, making them losers due to greater economic inequality (ibid. para. 8). Some people also immigrate for better educational opportu nities while others do so for a good retirement place in another country, such as a warmer climate and lower costs of living. An improvement in transportation technologies, cheaper travel rates, and shorter travel times have in many ways also contributed to the heightened phenomenon of global immigration today. Discussion The United Nations considers international migration as one of the basic human rights, and the sacred right to freedom of travel and movement is included in its Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Relatedly, basic human rights apply to everybody, whether as an immigrant or not; the U. N. agency charged with carrying out this mandate is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (or UNESCO) to encourage all member states to respect all rights of immigrants at par or level with that of its own native citizens (Ban, 2007, para. 1) and to promote the speedy, orderly, and peaceful integration of migrants to society in general. It is quite i ronic how many Western countries had previously urged Russia and China, in the past decades, to allow their citizens to move freely and migrate if they want to go, but now these Western countries are reluctant to accept more migrants and put up hindrances, controls, or new laws to limit immigration. Admittedly, there are benefits to free immigration such as lower labor costs that help the host country, contribute to cultural diversity of society, enhance mutual understanding, alleviate labor shortages, and increase the talent pool of the nation (Fassi, 2011). Moreover, countries with declining populations also benefit from new people. But on the other hand, some people resist immigrants because of competition for scarce jobs, cultural adulteration or influences, social adjustments, increased demands on social services like health care, policing, sanitation, food, housing, educational facilities, welfare and pension benefits, among others (Sterba 2009). In some European countries, a new element of the drawbacks of immigration has been added, that of cultural conflicts, social intolerance, and religious extremism. Some immigrants resist integration, and prefer ethnic segregation. Precisely due to these existing and other incipient problems related to new immigrants, various countries have tried several approaches towards achieving faster

Automated data reconciliation of the clinical and safety databases Thesis

Automated data reconciliation of the clinical and safety databases - Thesis Example It saves time, and more importantly, gets rid of possible discrepancies between databases. Whenever discrepancies are possible, it necessitates extra quality assurance steps for resolving mismatches (Zhengwu Lu, & Lu, Zhengwu, 2009). Serious Adverse Event, SAE, and Adverse Event, AE, reconciliation compares specific data between two databases; a clinical database and a safety database. A clinical database defined as s closed system while a safety database as an open system. A clinical database can review data for only a short time period that is lasting of the trial, hence defined as closed. A safety database on the other hand, is an open system due to its continuous reception of new SAEs or updates of SAEs that already exist concerning any clinical trials even when they are locked (Van et al 2012). Data management performs the task of SAE and AE reconciliation. Two departments are normally involved, the pharmacovigilance and drug safety, and clinical data science. During the data reconciliation, SAE is collected in the safety database and in the clinical database. Data cleaning takes place according to the specifications of data validation (Dwivedi & IGI Global, 2009). SAE reconciliation is performed continually between first patient first visit, FPFV, and last patient last visit, LPLV. The reason for such timely performances provides data that is reliable and trustworthy, that is of greatly useful in decision-making processes on a drug’s safety profile and successive trial design. It also ensures consistency in reporting to health authorities regarding individual Safety reports, New Drug Application, and the annual Investigational New Drug Update (Trasi, 1994). The skill set accessible in the data management section, many additional things can be done. The interior talents of the section are not fully utilized. It is not fulfilling for persons and the organization. The prospects and the demands are there.

Critical analysis of I heard a fly buzz; Wounded deer; and From cocoon Research Paper

Critical analysis of I heard a fly buzz; Wounded deer; and From cocoon forth a butterfly by Emily Dickinson - Research Paper Example Her concern with these problems and the expressions of her judgement that she has made in her own highly individualistic idiom has probably led to the classification of much of her poetry as mystical. (Humiliata, 144) The work and life of Emily Dickinson became known to the world after her death. She led a secluded life and her work is shaped by her individualistic thinking. She mostly concerns herself with themes of: life, death, material and immaterial things, particularly in ‘I heard a Fly buzz’; ‘Wounded deer’; and ‘From cocoon forth a butterfly’. The running them in ‘I heard a fly buzz’ is death and the momentous experience during the final breaths of life. It is an experience of dying and feeling the last remnants of life. Life is associated with the buzzing sound of a fly- a minute living object. Though everything is still around her; yet it feels as if she is surrounded by a storm. The buzzing sound of the fly is contrasted with â€Å"heaves of storm† (4). Dickinson employs contrast to enhance the various themes in her poetry. The fly is moving while everything else in the room is still. She doesn’t personify the persons present around her deathbed but focuses on their emotions of grief. She does so purposefully so she could heighten the effect of the revelation of the king in power. ‘King’ could be anything- Christian God, or Death.... Even if life is trivial with respect to death or transcendental- it doesn’t let go that easily. The poet can feel life till the last moment. In the last stanza, she symbolizes light as life and darkness as death and the transcendence from light to darkness is gradual and painless. The poet is preoccupied with themes of life and death in this poem. â€Å"Death was important to Emily Dickenson. Out of some one thousand and seven hundred poems, perhaps some ‘five to six hundred’ are concerned with the theme of death...† (Nesteruk, 25-43) The first line of the poem startles the reader: ‘I heard a fly buzz when I died;† (1) because this statement apparently doesn’t make sense (no one can feel anything once dead). But the idea behind this is to elucidate the strong connection of life that a person experiences till the last moment. This poem is about feeling that moment where life and death intercede. Death is associated with power, stillness, a nd darkness. Sound and pictorial imagery is handled very delicately in this poem. The phrase ‘see to see’ is also the culmination of the poem’s complex sound play. It echoes the repetition of ‘stillness’ in stanza 1, and it is the last of the series of sibilants, or hissing sounds (s, sh, z) that run through the poem, building up to the Fly’s ‘buzz’... ... While there are those who see fly as a statement of nihilism that ridicules the notion that death is transcendence, others see the image as more ambiguous. For all its mindless uncertainty, the fly is a symbol of blind, persistent life, and as such, worth clinging to until the very final instant of consciousness. (Leiter, 104) ‘A wounded deer’ is a narrative of a hunter that explains to the poet how a wounded deer behaves when

How Far Were The Parlements Responsible For Bringing About An End To Assignment

How Far Were The Parlements Responsible For Bringing About An End To The Ancien Regime - Assignment Example Parlements were political institutions that developed of the previous "Kings Councils, the Conseil du Roi or Curia Regis. Originally there was just one Parlement, that in Paris, but by mid-Fifteenth Century there was one in Toulouse, which extended its authority over much of Southern France. From 1443 until the explosion of the French Revolution there were fourteen other parlements created, in cities such as Arras, Grenoble, and Perpignan. Importantly, all these cities had always been administrative capitals of their regions (often stemming from the Roman rule) and had strong traditions of independence from central control. Officially parlements were not legislative bodies, but rather courts of appeal. However, they did have the responsibility to record all edicts and laws and could refuse to apply such laws when they went against "fundamental law", or the local costumes. Increasingly, and this was particularly the case with the Parlement of Paris, the parlements began to "challenge royal edicts" (Doyle, 2001, p.1). These challenges often took the form of deliberate delaying tactics until the king held a lit de justice or sent a letter de cachet that would essentially force them to act. The parlements developed the power to pass arrests de reglement, which were laws that essentially applied within their jurisdiction. So the Parlements were, in fact, part of the bedrock foundation of the Ancien Regime, and it was their wish to preserve that regime, with bourgeois, noble and royal privilege that may have led to its demise, at least in part. The apartments often prevented central authority (ie. the King) from carrying out miscellaneous reforms, such as changes to fairer forms of taxation. The ironic part of their attitude is that the parlements' refusal to allow these reforms actually challenged the very absolute power of monarchs that was at the basis of the ancien regime.During the eighteenth century, the parlements started to increasingly challenge the authority of King, ironically because he sought to change France. Thus they "frequently protested royal initiatives that they believed to threaten the traditional rights and liberties of the people . . . in widely distributed publications, they up the image of a historically free France and denounced the absolute rule of the crown that in their vi ew threatened traditional liberties by imposing religious orthodoxy and new taxes" (Encarta, 2006) (my emphasis). The Parlements, while essentially conservative institutions in their wish not to change the precepts of the ancien regime, actually provided part of the energy that would lead to its downfall.

American Foreign Policy since 1877 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Foreign Policy since 1877 - Assignment Example In its formative years, American foreign policy dealt with issues like challenging the Great Britain, maintaining their trade in the overseas, etc. In spite of these early hindrances, the country has managed itself by emerging into a key international power or even a sole superpower by the end of the twentieth century. During the Gilded Age, instead of having robust foreign policy, America turned its focus on internal growth paving the way for political, military and economic stability of the country. â€Å"In the years that followed, the United States lapsed into diplomatic inactivity, not out of weakness but for lack of any clear national purpose in world affairs. The business of building the nation’s industrial economy absorbed Americans and turned their attention inward.†1 In the early 1920s, the country followed the path of isolationism in their foreign policy by avoiding key role in the League of Nations and seeking to have a free operating authority. However, as time went, the country’s foreign policy turned from cautious into aggressive dealing due to the confident intervening strategies. In the period of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, he confidently intervened in the world affairs through various strategies of presidential diplomacy. As his term coincided with the Second World War, his key role in ending the War and also his successful handling of the colonial conflicts between the nations strengthened American’s position in major areas of the world. In addition, along with United Nations, America invested heavily for strengthening the war-devastated European democracies through the Marshall Plan. This expansion of its foreign policy strategies into Europe also led to the establishment of trade relations with those countries, thereby giving it strong influence in those countries. Thus, its victory in the Second World War and its key role in the post-war phase elevated United States as the most powerful nation in the world leading to dramatic changes in its foreign policies from the political perspective. â€Å"By the end of the war, the United States stood alone, easily the most powerful nation in the world, its power greatly increased by its mobilization and war effort, its rivals defeated, and its allies exhausted†.2 In the days of Woodrow Wilson, the economy of the country expanded into overseas markets as well, and that provided the platform for America to exercise its dominance over Third World Countries, thereby orienting its foreign policy further. That is, the prodigious development of American economy in late 19th century and early 20th century demanded the Americans to look abroad for further economic growth and expansion. â€Å"Through the 19th century, America concentrated on creating a nation that spanned the continent, and it avoided foreign entanglements. Once industrialized and more prosperous, it began looking for foreign markets and colonies.†3 America’s gross d omestic product quadrupled towards the end of the 19th century, which in turn led to the export of surplus products. â€Å"Roughly one-fifth of the nation’s agricultural output was exported, and as industry expanded, so did export of manufactured goods. Between 1880 and 1900, the Industrial share of exports jumped from 15 percent to over 30 percent.†4 These heightened exports and foreign trade relations paved the way for industrial expansion of the country into European as well as

How did the designations aliens ineligible for citizenship and the Research Proposal

How did the designations aliens ineligible for citizenship and the yellow peril negatively affect Asian Americans in the years prior to 1952 - Research Proposal Example Second, this designation led to separated or hurt families (Hutchison 44). Such families suffered mental effects because of this designation. Male-controlled familial structures among Asian Americans were not common in the United States before 1952. The statistical and social supremacy of Chinese males, together with domestic separation and customary diversity extended the assimilation procedure for Asian immigrants. This is the third negative effect of this designation that also allowed the dominant perception of Asian Americans as alien immigrants (Brilliant 34). Fourth, the â€Å"Aliens Ineligible for Citizenship† policy led to increased demands for Asian prostitution because of the absence of Asian women (Brilliant 34). Frequently disguised as business wives, selected Americans drew or bought and shipped women from Asian nations like China to serve as prostitutes in the United States. Shortly afterwards, Asian prostitution was perceived as an annoyance alongside West Coast and legislators responded by passing the Page Law in 1875. This law enabled customs officials at ports to refute entrance to Asian women believed to be imminent prostitutes in the United States (Brilliant 36). The designation â€Å"Yellow Peril† radically transformed into one of the approvals as Asian success tales began becoming increasingly common all through the American community (Allred 58). Before this transformation, this policy was the source of some of the worst discriminations against Asian Americans in history. This designation coined the phrase â€Å"model minority† to refer to Asian in the United States (Allred 61). This phrase acted as a model for other minorities. As a result, Asian Americans became a widespread outcast in America and suffered more discrimination than any other minority group. Secondly, as a type of subtle discrimination, the â€Å"Yellow Peril† designation fostered the spread

Flexural Test For Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer Coursework

Flexural Test For Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer - Coursework Example After that a flexural test will be done using a three point bending method. The main objective of this experiment is to expand the knowledge about the GFRP and its behaviour. Glass fibre reinforced unsaturated polyester (GFRP) were subjected to water immersion tests to know the results of the water absorption on the mechanical properties. 20 specimens with 10cm long of GFRP were used to this experiment, measuring their weight under different types of water and temperatures. Salt water and normal water was under 20c and 60c temperatures. The weight of these specimens was taken during a different time periods. The weight of the GFRP specimens was increased slightly in both types of water for a few days until it was stable. After that a flexural test (three point bending test) was done on these GFRP specimens. (H Dhakal, Z Zhang, M Richardson, 2006) Equipment 1: Water absorption test The absorption of water for the Glass fibre-reinforced polyester (GFRP) remains the key mechanism for de grading mechanical property in this experiment. A water bath machine as in the figure (ten) and two cups of glass as on the figure (eleven) were used in this experiment. The water bath has 6oc water and the two cups were at 20c water temperature. The weights of one single specimen from each group were taken in a different time periods.     ... Group 1 and 2 were in two jars marked with A and B as on the figure (thirteen). Jar A was containing fresh water and jar B was containing salt water. The 2 jars were inside a water bath machine at 60c water temperature. Group 3 and 4 were in two cups of glass marked with A and B as on figure (eleven). Cup A was containing fresh water at 20c and cup B was containing salt water at 20c as well. Every group has five specimens. The weights of one single specimen from each group were taken in a different time periods using a sensitive scale as on figure (fourteen). At the first day the weight was taken every hour for 6 hours. After that the weight was taken once every day until the weight is settled. At the end the flexural test was done for all the specimens and every specimen has its own flexural graph. Figure thirteen: jars at 60c temperature Figure fourteen: sensitive scale Results and Discussion: Water absorption test Water absorption test were conducted by immersing the GFRP specimen s in de-ionised water and salt water. The water bath machine at 60c was containing 2 groups, group 1 was in A jar containing a normal water and group 2 was in B jar containing a salt water. Groups 3 and 4 were at 20c in a glass cups group 3 was in A glass cup containing a normal water and group 4 was in B glass cup containing a salt water. The immersion for the specimens into the water was totally for 144hr. after immersion for 1hr, one specimen from each group were taken out of the water and all surface water was removed with a clean soft dry cloth. The specimens were weighed regularly at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 24, 48, 72, up to 144hr. ( H Dhakal, Z Zhang ,M Richardson ,2006) After immersion the GFRP specimens into the water for a week at ambient temperature at 60c and 20c, all

Sleep and Time Essay Example for Free

Sleep and Time Essay Reasons why I should not fall asleep on duty. If I was to get called to a traffic accident or a domestic dispute I would not be able to respond because I would be asleep. Therefore I would not be able to complete my duties as a military police officer. Being a military police officer I should up hold the standards and the law appointed to me by the United States army. If I was asleep during an active shooter event that may take place at a bank or maybe the commissary, possibly even the PX in Hainerburg housing I would not be able to respond accordingly do to my current state. Being a military police officer means that I will be discipline physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my officer tasks and duties. For instance if I was asleep on shift and there was a bomb threat at the generals quarters whatever patrol I am I would not be able to respond accordingly to the situation. This could lead to possibly danger for patrols that are in the area. Say I am patrol 2-1 and a bomb threat is at the general’s quarters. Mohawk would call patrol to 2-1 to the scene and along with the patrol supervisor 2-0 to handle the scene and secure the area making sure that no civilians are in the area within a hundred feet of where the possible bomb threat is. On top of the bomb threat being in the generals quarters there is also an active shooter going on in the commissary. Then a bank heist occurs at Andrews’s federal credit union bank. People would be counting on me to be awake and to fulfill my military task and duties while patrolling the clay kasern area. Patrols 2-5 along with the patrols 2-4 would need backup and assistance at the generals quarters for the bomb threat and the bank heist at Andrews federal credit union. Patrol 2-3 and patrol 2-2 would most likely respond to the active shooter in the commissary. But if everything was handled and taken care of at the generals quarters and or Andrews federal credit union. Patrol 2-2 and patrol 2-3 needed assistance I patrol 2-1 would not be able to assist them. Being asleep during shift is no laughing matter, this is also a serious crime and you can be issued an article 15 for your actions. Another reason why not to fall asleep during shift is because if youre asleep during shif t and your battle buddy pulls up beside you to relieve you from duty he could just be a Blue Falcon, take a picture of you, and show your leadership. Reasons behind falling asleep during shift is due to the fact of not going to bed at reasonable times and or being exhausted from recent activities the night  prior. Falling asleep during shift is not the right answer. The right answer is to get out of your patrol vehicle and to stay active within the community and housing area that you may be patrolling at that time. If I was asleep on shift and there were kids play across the street and say one of them got injured or even taken from some kidnapper. Since I would be unconscious I would not be able to perform my military police duties and subdue the kidnapper using my police skills and levels of force. Let’s say that batman is real. If I was asleep during something important within the streets of Gotham, and we got a call because the joker was robbing a bank. I wouldnt be able to assist batman or my fellow military police officers with the apprehension of the evil villain, The Joker. All of this occurred because one day one guy thought he could do what no one else thought they could do or get away with sleeping on shift.during a crisis of up most urgency for that matter. Sleeping at work can lead to death. Possible security breaches can occured and people can be in danger. If I was walking down the street one day, Then I see a stranger, he might come up and ask me what I want to be, and I’ll tell him that I am a military police officer sworn to assist protect and defend the post and community from evil. This also ensures people that I am not a bad person because I help people. But it can all be thrown away if I fall asleep on shift and don’t do my job. According to Wikipedia Sleeping while on duty or sleeping on the job refers to falling asleep while on the time clock or equivalent, or else while responsible for performing some active or passive job duty. In some workplaces, this is considered gross misconduct and may be grounds for disciplinary act ion, including possible termination of employment. In other types of work, such as firefighting or live-in caregiving, sleeping at least part of the shift may be a part of the paid work time. While some employees who sleep while on duty in violation do so intentionally and hope not to get caught, others intend in good faith to stay awake, and accidentally doze. Sleeping while on duty is such an important issue that it is addressed in the employee handbook in most workplaces. Concerns that employers have may include the lack of productivity, the unprofessional appearance, and danger that may occur when the employees duties involve watching to prevent a hazardous situation. In some occupations, such as pilots, truck and bus drivers, or those operating heavy machinery, falling asleep while on duty could put  lives in danger. The frequency of sleeping while on duty that occurs varies depending on the time of day. Daytime employees are more likely to take short naps, while graveyard shift workers have a higher likelihood of sleeping for a large portion of their shift, sometimes intentionally. A survey by the National Sleep Foundation has found that 30% of participants have admitted to sleeping while on duty. More than 90% of Americans have experienced a problem at work because of a poor nights sleep. One in four admit to shirking duties on the job for the same reason, either calling in sick or napping during work hours. Employers have varying views of sleeping while on duty. Some companies have instituted policies to allow employees to take napping breaks during the workday in order to improve productivity while others are strict when dealing with employees who sleep while on duty and use high-tech means, such as video surveillance, to catch their employees who may be sleeping on the job. Those who are caught in violation may face disciplinary action such as suspension or firing. Some employees sleep, nap, or take a power-nap only during their allotted break time at work. This may or may not be permitted, depending on the employers policies. Some employers may prohibit sleeping, even during unpaid break time, for various reasons, such as the unprofessional appearance of a sleeping employee, the need for an employee to be available during an emergency, or legal regulations. Employees who may endanger others by sleeping on the job may face more serious consequences, such as legal sanctions. For example, airline pilots risk loss of their licenses. In war time in the United States, if a sentry falls asleep on duty, he may face the death penalty under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. During the Korean War, a soldier was sentenced to 10 years of hard labor for falling asleep at his post, but was freed early following a reversal by the Court of Appeals. In 1968, New York police officers admitted that sleeping while on duty was customary. February 2008 – the pilots on a go! airline flight were suspended during an investigation when it was suspected they fell asleep mid-flight from Honolulu, Hawaii to Hilo, Hawaii, re sulting in their overshooting Hilo Airport by 15 miles before turning around to land safely. Air traffic controllers in October 2007 – four Italian air traffic controllers were suspended after they were caught asleep while on duty. March 2011 – the lone night shift air traffic controller at Ronald Reagan Washington National  Airport fell asleep on duty. During the period he was asleep two airliners landed uneventfully. In the weeks that followed, there were other similar incidents and it was revealed that other lone air traffic controllers on duty fell asleep in the towers. This led to the resignation of United States air traffic chief Hank Krakowski and a new policy being set requiring two controllers to be on duty at all times. Bus drivers in March 2011 – a tour bus driver crashed while returning from a casino in Connecticut to New York City. Fifteen people were killed and many others injured. Though the driver, who was found to be sober, denied sleeping, a survivor who witnessed the crash reported that he was speeding and sleeping. Police officers/s ecurity guards in December 1947 – a Washington, D.C. police officer was fined $75 for sleeping while on duty. October 2007 – a CBS news story revealed nearly a dozen security guards at a nuclear power plant who were videotaped sleeping while on duty. December 2009 – The New York Post published a photo of a prison guard sleeping next to an inmate at the Rikers Island penitentiary. The photo was allegedly captured on the cell phone camera of another guard. Both guards were disciplined for this action, the sleeping guard for sleeping and the guard who took the photo for violating a prison policy forbidding cell phones while on duty. The inmate was not identified. Other instances have occurred in March 1987 – The Peach Bottom Nuclear Generating Station was ordered shut down by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after four operators were found sleeping while on duty. Other cases have occurred where people have fallen asleep at work like these air traffic controllers. According to CNN Travel a NTSB air traffic controller was suspended for failing to respond to two planes heading into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has told investigators that he had fallen asleep, according to the National Transportation Safety B oard. The controller, a 20-year veteran, indicated that he had fallen asleep for a period of time while on duty, according to a statement released Thursday by the safety board. He had been working his fourth consecutive overnight shift (10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.). Human fatigue issues are one of the areas being investigated, the statement read. Federal Aviation Administration chief Randy Babbitt said earlier Thursday that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident and that the air traffic controller has been suspended from all operational duties. An FAA  official speaking on background said the controller was given a drug test after the incident. The official said the drug test was standard procedure and did not know the results. NTSB: Controller fell asleep and people ask how safe are air traffic control towers? The situation began at 12:10 a.m. Wednesday, when an American Airlines plane attempted to call the tower to get clearance to land and got no answer, said Peter Knudson, a spokesman for the safety board. The plane had been in contact with a regional air traffic control facility, and a controller at that facility advised the pilot that he, too, had been unable to contact anyone at the tower, according to a recording of air control traffic at the website liveatc.net.1012, the controller said, using the airlines flight number, called a couple of times on landline and tried to call on the commercial line, and theres no answer. â€Å"The tower is apparently unmanned. â€Å"Apparently asked why by a pilot, the controller later responded, Well, Im going to take a guess and say that the controller got locked out. Ive heard of this happening before. Fortunately, its not very often, he said. Knudson said the plane landed without incident in a situation termed an uncontrolled airport. About 15 minutes later, a United Airlines flight also failed to reach the tower but landed without any problems, he said. After that, the controller in the tower was back in communication. Knudson said one contr oller was staffing the tower at the time this occurred. The controllers admission that he was asleep during the landing emergency underscores concerns about the effect of fatigue on under slept controllers at work. In 2007, then-NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker wrote in a letter to the FAA that four plane incidents provide clear and compelling evidence that controllers are sometimes operating while fatigued because of their work schedules and poor use of rest periods. That fatigue has contributed to controller errors, Rosenker wrote. The incidents cited by the NTSB were: On March 23, 2006, an incident in which a Chicago air traffic controller cleared a plane to take off from a runway on which, 15 seconds earlier, he had cleared another aircraft to cross. The pilot of the departing plane stopped when he saw the other craft in the taxiway intersection. The controller told investigators he had slept only four hours during a nine-hour break between shifts. In an August 19, 2004, incident a Los Angeles controller cleared one passenger jet to take off and another to land on a runway at the same time. The pilot in the landing  aircraft noticed the other on the runway and pulled his plane up 12 seconds be fore they would have collided. The controller said he had slept five or 6 hours before coming to work. On September 25, 2001, an incident in which a Denver air traffic controller approved a request from a cargo plane pilot to take off from a runway that had been closed for construction. The aircraft came within 32 feet of hitting lights that had been installed in the construction zone. The controller said hed slept only two hours between work days. On July 8, 2001, an incident in which a Denver controller cleared one passenger plane to cross a runway where another was about to land. The landing pilot hit the brakes, stopping 810 feet from the other plane. The controller said he had worked three shifts in two days. Of the most recent incident, Babbitt said, In my 25 years as a professional airline pilot, Ive never seen anything happen like this. â€Å"I am outraged by it, Babbitt said. Were going to make sure something like this never happens again. Babbitt stressed that, because of a backup system, neither plane was out of positive radar contact, nor were they out of communication with the FAA, thus allowing both to land safely. â€Å"That said this should not have happened, Babbitt said. We should not have had this gap in communication. We had to rely on a backu p system, which shouldnt have happened. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood ordered the FAA on Wednesday to schedule two controllers on the overnight shift. It is not acceptable to have just one controller in the tower managing air traffic in this critical air space. I have also asked Babbitt to study staffing levels at other airports around the country, he said. Knudson said its not uncommon for planes to land at uncontrolled airports. He said control towers at some fields across the country shut down for the night, and planes still land. However, he could not comment on whether that practice was ever used at Reagan National. The American Airlines flight, which was coming from Miami, had 91 passengers and six crew members aboard, airline spokesman Ed Martelle said. The United Airlines flight was arriving from Chicago with 63 passengers and five crew members, spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said. American Airlines had no comment on the situation, saying it was leaving it to the FAA to handle. United Airlines noted that the National Transportation Safety Board is reviewing the incident, and McCarthy said the airline is conducting its own review. So even after all of these discussions and people’s arguments some say that  they sleep because it is customary and some say it’s because of not enough sleep but the truth is, is that it’s all wrong. Falling asleep on duty as a patrol is very bad and you should not do it. It can cause a lot of trouble and for no reason. Main things people have to worry about are staying awake and staying alert and ready to complete their jobs that they have to do. Most people don’t realize how people can fall asleep but it’s all too easy which sucks because the easier something is to do, the easier it is to do it often. I personally don’t like that I get tired but I fight it by staying active and doing things to take up time will working. I try to do walking patrols frequently and take short breaks outside my vehicle to stretch out and stop feeling cramped in my patrol car. Being asleep on duty is not a good thing because it can get you in trouble and being in trouble is never a good thing. It leads to not being trusted, not included in certain events, and no one wants to be around a trouble maker. Staying awake and focused on the tasks ahead is a great way to stay out of trouble and not asleep. Staying awake on shift is important in so many ways and for some people it’s hard to believe that it’s just that important. In Japanese culture it’s actually a good thing if you fall asleep at work because it s hows people that you are just sleeping because all the hard work you have been doing. There are rules to this though. One rule is you must sit up and look engaged (despite the fact that youre asleep). It must appear that you could wake up at any moment and do something great. Second rule it’s easier to get away with if youre the boss. Sleeping at work is a sign of confidence — it shows youre indispensable to the company and can get away with it. Junior staff can also get away with it because no one notices them. If this was the case for everywhere my life would be great. But alas†¦ it’s not so don’t sleep on shift. Sleeping on duty is just as bad as sleeping with a tiger that will eat you. If you wake up with the tiger and it’s going to eat you well you’re pretty screwed. Just like if you wake up to your leadership in front of you†¦. You’re pretty screwed. If life gives you lemons†¦.. Squirt them in your eyes so you can stay awake for shift. Then think about how much better off you will be now that you’re not in trouble. Staying awake on shift is crucial to surviving through your day. If you don’t stay a wake you can cause bodily harm to yourself because you will most likely be getting dusted off out back for your actions. Other ways of punishment for sleeping is writing  a RBI the most spectacular punishment ever known to man. If there can be only one man left standing between a RBI and getting corrective action the RBI will always win. Thus why you should never fall asleep during duty hours because it’s very bad. If you’re falling asleep while driving you’re definitely in the wrong and you need to pull over. Don’t try to be a hero and fight through it. Instead get out and wake up for a bit because that’s a million times better than crashing your patrol vehicle. After doing some research I’ve found out ways that can help me stay awake during work. Listen to music thats energizing to you. If possible, dance or sing along, even if you just bob your head or hum. Music thats irritating or jarring may keep you awake better than music thats familiar. Just do your co-workers a favor and remember to use headphones! Listen quietly instead of loudly. Its a common misconception that blasting music loud will help keep you awake. Actually, turning the music down to a very low l evel is more effective. It forces you to try to listen closely in order to hear the instruments, lyrics, and percussion. If youre having difficulty discerning the lyrics, then the volume is just right, because this means your minds working. Expose yourself to bright light, preferably, natural daylight. Your bodys internal clocks are regulated by your exposure to sunlight. This means you can trick your body into believing it should be awake even when it feels tired. Step outside, even just for a bit. If you can step outside (even on a cloudy day) or look out the window for a full minute, youll be more alert. Work the artificial lights. Even if youre in an environment where theres artificial light, brighter is better. Wherever you work, see if you can replace the light fixture or add a lamp that will brighten your workspace. Chew ice. If you chew ice, its almost impossible to fall asleep. The chilling temperature keeps the brain on its toes, even while you are driving late at night, exhausted, and what you really want to do is fall asleep. Chewing anything, even if its just your pen or pencil, causes your body to think you are about to eat. Your body will prepare for food intake by releasing insulin, which will make you m ore alert. Splashing cold water on your face helps out a lot. If its a little cold, take off your sweater or jacket so you stay on the chilly side. Open a window or put on a small fan, pointed at your face. The reason your body responds the way it does to cold is that its prepping itself to work to keep you warm. Your body needs to  regulate your internal temperature to keep all of its organs functioning. So if it detects ice or extreme cold, it will work to keep itself awake longer. Use your sense of smell. A pungent scent — good or bad — can make you more alert very quickly. Aroma therapists often recommend essential oils of the following plants to stimulate the nervous system and reduce fatigue. Open the bottle and take a big whiff of the following when youre feeling drowsy: Rosemary, Eucalyptus, blue gum, Peppermint, Coffee. Beans or brewed, both work: a study has shown that simply smelling coffee can awaken a person. Of course, not all of us have essential oils stored in our file cabinets. Using hand lotions or burning candles with these same scents could help. Herbs like rosemary and peppermint can often be found fresh or dried at a grocery store; for a little pick-me-up, take a pinch and roll it between your fingertips and smell it. Eat healthy. Eating can help you stay awake, as long as you avoid a full stomach. As most of us know, eating to excess often makes us sleepy, so dont eat a full pizza or that 12 oz. steak during lunch. Munch on snacks all day rather than having a big meal. The key is to not get a spike of sugar intake (followed by the inevitable crash). Predictably, the same goes for caffeine: break your coffee, soda, or energy drink consumption down into small doses. Avoid breakfasts that are high in carbs (muffins, toast, pastries, bagels, etc.). Youre giving your body a reason to crash at about 11 AM because it gets a sugar spike early on. Put a small handful of sunflower seeds in your cheek and crack them open one at a time, using only your teeth and tongue; this will require just enough active thought and tongue movement to prevent you from dozing off, and the salt of the sunflower seeds is invigorating and stimulating; spit out the sunflower husks into a paper cup as you go, as quietly as possible so as to not disturb others around you. Try stretching. Stretching and twisting your body can help improve blood circulation, which helps keep you awake. Rolling your head/neck for about 20 seconds can help as well. Use acupressure and Massage any of th e following points to improve circulation and ease fatigue: The top of your head. Lightly tap it with your fingertip or use a scalp massager. The back of your neck and Back of your hands. Right between the thumb and index finger is best. Just below the knees and also the Earlobes. Try simple exercises like jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, and squats. Dont push yourself like you do in the gym; instead, just exercise enough to get your  blood flowing and keep your coworkers from noticing your strange behavior! Stay on your feet as much as possible. If youre sitting most of the time, get yourself up every 20-30 minutes. If you need any motivation to stand more of the time, consider this: people who stay seated for less than three hours a day add almost two years to their life expectancy. If you have to sit down, get the most uncomfortable chair you can find. Try not to sit in anything that will make you sore if you stay there. Make sure the back is upright, forcing you to sit up very straight. Dont allow your head to rest on anything — your hands, the desk, the wall. Take a short walk. Some people take a short walk to re-energize them. Its generally thought to be a good distraction, especially if youre sitting in front of a computer screen all day long. Studies show that taking short breaks from work actually helps your productivity. So if youre worried about missing that deadline, dont stress! Walking breaks will help you. (You can let your boss know.)Take a power nap. If you have the time, sleeping for just 15-20 minutes can increase your alertness by leaps and bounds if you have a cup of coffee (or any other form of caffeine) right before you fall asleep. The caffeine will take about 20 minutes to begin working, so you shouldnt have any trouble falling asleep right away, and youll wake up refreshed. Sleeping just 20 minutes helps activate the right hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for processing and storing acquired information. Have a regular bedtime and a healthy diet. Brains benefit greatly from schedules. If you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even the weekends, your brain know when its time to sleep and fall into a pattern. Getting proper nutrition will also ensure that your body has the proper energy throughout the day without having to resort to naps for extra strength. How much should you sleep to ensure that youre properly rested? Adults need anywhere from 7-9 hours of sleep per night. If you are pregnant or older, you may need even more sleep, anywhere from 10-11 hours. Some recommend going to sleep with your curtains halfway open. The early morning sunlight will send signals to your I’m gay body to slow production of melatonin and start production of adrenaline, making it easier to wake up. Focus your mental powers. It sounds hard, but dont let your mind go into the fuzzy stage. When your mind starts to go blank, think about something, whether its a joke, a movie, or anything else to keep your mind working. Even thinking  about something that makes you mad can be extremely helpful. Unless theyre drinking, you typically dont see an angry person abruptly fall asleep. Falling asleep down range used to be punishable by death and also it can get you in a lot of trouble and can get your squad or team or platoon or company or somebody else’s team squad platoon or company killed and then you’re done for because you’re dead. If you were to fall asleep while as the gunner position in your vehicle you are at risk for attack and put everyone’s lives around you in danger. If there was a n attack you would most certainly die or worse someone else might die and that would be on you. Sleep can be just as important to your mission as having enough food, water and ammunition. Although it may not always be possible to get a full night’s sleep while you’re deployed, developing healthy sleep patterns and habits can help build your resilience, improve your ability to deal with necessary periods of sleeplessness and prepare you to perform your best during a mission. Getting enough quality sleep is especially important for leaders making decisions critical to mission success. Sleep is a biological need – like air, food, or water – and is critical for sustaining the mental abilities needed for success on the battlefield. The average adult requires seven to eight hours of good quality sleep every 24-hour period to sustain operational readiness. Sleep is also incredibly restorative. It helps the body repair itself, it builds resilience by boosting the immune system and it gives people a foundation to help them tackle their tasks each day. Getting enough regular sleep will also improve learning, memory and performance. When you donâ€⠄¢t get enough sleep, it can be harder to perform your best on the battlefield. For example, lack of sleep may result in: Slower reaction times, Poor concentration, weakened immune system, Negative moods and lack of motivation, impaired memory and judgment. When being deployed having sleep is very important and people depend on you to get the job done. Doing PT before shift also comes in as a factor of why people may be sleepy before shift. Doing PT is energizing but also can be very tiring at the same time. Doing your best to not fall asleep on shift is important enough. But on top of that you have to worry mostly on your mission at hand. That is staying focused and getting to calls and responding with all the training that you have received over your time in the army. Since I’ve only been in for 9 months I’m still pretty bad at all this so I’m sorry for falling asleep. I  honestly think I suffer from sleep apnea. It could also be that I’m narcoleptic which is pretty bad. If you were to talk to people back home about how much I sleep they would say that they were surprised that I wasn’t in a coma. I use to sleep standing up at my job at Winn-Dixie as a cashier. It was only a few times but still it h appened. I use to come home from school and sleep till about 10pm and I got home at 4pm. I had a bad problem with doing my homework with this problem. I’m sorry I fell asleep SGT P. I know I’m not the best soldier but I try not to mess up and get yelled at. I’m mostly quite all the time just so people can just over look me and try not to notice me. I feel like I shouldn’t be where I’m at sometimes because the way people talk to me. I guess it’s just a normal PVT thing so I always just let what people say to me not try to affect my day or what I’m doing. Falling asleep is stupid and is very much punishable by Article 15. I need to keep trying to get squared away with everything so that maybe one day I can just be a squared away soldier that you don’t have to worry about. Joining the army has changed who I am today and I’m so thankful for that. I had to right an RBI in basic and it was about fraternization I know what you’re thinking I surprised it’s not about sleeping but when its really comes down to it we all mess up and we are all sorry about it and I’m going to try my hardest to not mess up again. I would end it here but I have 2000 more words so I’m just going to keep going and talk more about the army and my goals from here on out and why I shouldnâ€⠄¢t sleep. 10 amazing reasons why you should not sleep on shift/work/duty. #1 you can’t provide covering fire or any kind of fire if you are passed out sleeping in your cot back at the fob when you should be helping your battle buddies out and not being a blue falcon. #2 when you’re working the road you need to be awake to respond to calls and to be there for the people that live in housing if they need you. It’s your position so don’t mess it up and maybe you will get a high five at the end of shift. #3 If you are trying to be the best then it doesn’t help to get totally shit faced the night prior to coming into work and not being able to handle it. This leads to people being angry and disappointed. #4 you can literally get people killed by falling asleep. #5 says you have watch tower duty when you’re deployed and you fall asleep and the base gets ambushed. Once everything’s said and done you might as well hope that you’re dead because yo u’re going to be in some deep shit. #6 if a little girl comes  up to the car and tries to get help and she sees that your asleep she might get kidnapped because she was lost and needed help and you couldn’t provide for her. #7 if there was a fire and a pregnant mother was trapped in the house still the fireman is all busy and you’re the only one left to help. Looks like there are 2 lives that you will always have on you conscious because you weren’t there to save the day. # 8 when Mohawk calls you to the desk and he has some cases to do you won’t be able to respond because your asleep way to go.#9 If you were asleep on duty and your co-workers call you back for something you won’t be able to come cause your asleep. The sad thing about it was they were throwing you a surprise birthday party and now your just a sad disappointment to them all.# 10 last but not least you let yourself down and that should mean something to you so shame on you if it doesn’t cause you’re a really horrible person. Working shift has its ups and downs mostly its downs. A shift worker is anyone who follows a work schedule that is outside of the typical 9 to 5 business day. In the past few decades the United States has become increasingly dependent upon shift workers to meet the demands of globalization and our 24-hour society. From a competitive standpoint, shift work is an excellent way to increase production and customer service without major increa ses in infrastructure. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, millions of Americans are considered shift workers, including doctors and nurses, pilots, bridge-builders, police officers, customer service representatives and commercial drivers. However, while shift work does create potential productivity advantages, it also has many inherent risks. Some of the most serious and persistent problems shift workers face are frequent sleep disturbance and associated excessive sleepiness. Sleepiness/fatigue in the work place can lead to poor concentration, absenteeism, accidents, errors, injuries, and fatalities. The issue becomes more alarming when you consider that shift workers are often employed in the most dangerous of jobs, such as firefighting, emergency medical services, law enforcement and security. Managers and policy makers who are responsible for writing and enforcing rules regarding employee work hours must address the specific issues of a 24-hour work force in order to succeed and benefit from such a labor force. Although addressing these issues may require some investment up front for training and other measures, the bottom line is that improved sleep in  workers may lead to improved productivity. In fact, to ignore the needs of the shift worker is reckless and irresponsible when you consider that billions of dollars in yearly costs, thousands of deaths, and some of the most notorious of modern catastrophes such as the failure of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the crash of the Exxon Valdez have been attributed to human fatigue. According to the International Classifications of Sleep Disorders, shift workers are at increased risk for a variety of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. Whether this is related to the fact that shift workers are awake and active during the night hours or because they tend to get fewer hours of sleep overall than traditional workers is not known. Also, shift workers often miss out on important family and social events due to their work schedules. Most managers recognize that understanding and addressing these issues improves employee morale, performance, safety and health, and can dramatically improve the bottom lin e of the company. People who work in the transportation industry face some of the most serious challenges. They battle fatigue because of their irregular sleep schedules and endure long ted  ious hours at the controls or behind the wheel. In fact, research suggests that driver fatigue behind the wheel caused by sleep deprivation is one of the leading safety hazards in the transportation industry. According to the International Classifications of Sleep Disorders, shift work sleep disorder is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder. Circadian rhythm refers to the ~24hr rhythmic output of the human biological clock. It is considered a disorder because of the frequency with which people suffer from sleep disturbance and excessive sleepiness in trying to adapt to a shift work schedule. The main complaint for people with shift work sleep disorder is excessive sleepiness. Other symptoms include: Insomnia, Disrupted sleep schedules, reduced performance, Difficulties with personal relationships, Irritability/depressed mood. Unfortunately, treatment for shift work sleep disorder is limited. Both behavioral and pharmacological remedies can help alleviate symptoms. Some research indicates that the body may never fully adapt to shift work, especially for those who switch to a normal weekend sleep schedule. But there are ways of getting adequate sleep while doing shift work. For some shift workers, napping is essential. It can be extremely effective at eliminating fatigue-related accidents and injuries  and reducing workers compensation costs. Although most employers do not allow napping in the workplace, a ban on napping may soon prove to be a legal liability. Thus, efforts to make workplace policies nap-friendly may soon gain popularity as the issue increases in global significance. I strongly agree with a nap friendly work place. Although not everyone who works odd hours has shift work sleep disorder, a lot can be at stake. People with shift work disorder have higher rates of absenteeism and accidents r elated to sleepiness than night workers without the disorder. Memory and ability to focus can become impaired, and shift workers who are sleep-deprived often get irritable or depressed, says Wesley Elon Fleming, MD, clinical assistant professor at Loma Linda University and director of the Sleep Center Orange County in Southern California. Their relationships and social life can suffer, too. Shift workers also face potential health problems, researchers have found. Overall, those who work night or rotating shifts seem to have a higher risk of ulcers, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease. Nearly everyone has days when they feel sleepy. But for some people, excessive sleepiness actually gets in the way of daily work, childcare and even leisure activities. This is known as hypersomnia, recurrent sleepiness that makes people want to nap repeatedly, even at work. Not surprisingly, the problem of daytime sleepiness usually starts at night. Even missing just a few nights’ sleep, or not getting enough uninterrupted sleep, can slow you down and sour your mood. People who have problem sleepiness are often advised to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including on weekends. But randomly setting an ideal bedtime can lead to more frustration if you suffer from insomnia and already have trouble falling asleep. Another approach to getting into a consistent schedule is to try going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night for four nights. Then stick with the last bedtime. Gradually adjusting your schedule like this usually works better than suddenly trying to go to sleep an hour earlier. Regular mealtimes, not just regular sleep times, help regulate our circadian rhythms. Eating a healthy breakfast and lunch on time rather than grabbing a doughnut and coffee in the morning or a late sandwich on the run also prevents energy deficits during the day that will aggravate your sleepiness. Plan to finish eating meals two to three hours before bedtime. If you do all of this you should be feeling good for work and get a good  night’s sleep. Many times have people done stupid things and gotten away with them. It just so happens I wasn’t so lucky and I had to write this paper on why I shouldn’t sleep at work. I have looked up reasons why not to and people’s ideas on how to even stay awake for work. I’ve talked about what a bad person you are for doing and when you do you put everyone around you in danger and their lives. I’ve given some pretty detailed stories of other people that fall asleep at work as well. Putting all of this in one paper is really long and hard and very, very tiring. I again am super sorry for falling asleep during shift and I know now from so much research that it is an issue not only for me but for many people across the world. I promise that I will use some of these techniques I have learned to stay awake on shift and to never be looked at as the guy who fell asleep. I don’t want to be a disappointment to you any longer and I hope that we can move past this and move forward as a best as possible so we can still be an efficient team. Along with Birdwell.

Jm Coetzees Waiting For The Barbarians English Literature Essay

Jm Coetzees Waiting For The Barbarians English Literature Essay This semester, we have looked at several works that have incorporated the theme of identity. One in particular, Waiting For The Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee , makes prevalent use of objectification language in establishing identity. Whether for the purpose of making torture easier for the torturer, or for simply creating a class for the purposes of social â€Å"planning† (i.e. conquest), objectification language is used by the characters in the story to make certain that we, as the reader, have an equally difficult time avoiding the objectification that the characters themselves are guilty of. Objectification involves establishing the identity of the â€Å"other† as well as the self in contrast to the other in whatever forms it may take. In this paper, I will briefly examine and respond to three critical analyses of Coetzee, each addressing the concept of objectification to some degree, then I will examine a typical critical response to the concept of objectification of t he self that argues that any serious intellectual analysis of the self must involve a degree of detachment. Is this same level of detachment necessary when analyzing the concept of the identity of the other? After all, Waiting For The Barbarians is only a book, right? By writing his poignant portrayal of the evils of humanity that sees itself as less than human, what is Coetzee trying to say? Can we escape the need to objectify? To begin, let us first look at Coetzees novel itself. It has the convenient quality of taking place in a completely fictional world that only resembles South Africa. At first glance, this would appear to be for the purpose of allowing the author creative exercise, as well as getting us to suspend disbelief. However, is this really necessary? Why cant his story take place in our specific history? Fictionalization gives us the ability to make poignant messages because the elements are all controllable. Youre dealing with a completely fictionalized world, so certain images can take on as much symbolic meaning as you wish, thus allowing for greater dramatic effect. Coetzees not just trying to tug at our heartstrings; such sentimentality would be insulting to an intelligent audience (if you have to resort to emotional appeals, what can really be said for the actual truth-value of your claim?). Instead Coetzee, by fictionalizing his work, is demonstrating how we cant escape this objectific ation. His character of the Magistrate, while the protagonist of the story, objectifies constantly in the novel. His dealings with the barbarian girl, intimate to the point of being sexual, are really no more personal than that between a lab technician and a guinea pig. The Magistrate (i.e. Coetzee) never even bothers to learn, or even invent, the girls name. His desire to help the barbarian girl, while good intentioned, is patronizing in the extreme. It is the same type of romantic notion as that of the â€Å"Noble Savage:† well-intentioned, but ultimately a figment of ignorance.   Besides, for every â€Å"Noble Savage,† there is a â€Å"Savage Noble.† The character of Colonel Joll, while guilty of objectification, is not guilty of the same variety as that of the Magistrate. He knows full well that the barbarians are no threat to the Empire, but he knows that their existence is necessary in order to preserve the social order. When no problems are left â€Å"outside,† they can only come from inside. His understanding of the barbarians only goes so far as necessary to assign them a motive, something that he can tell his superiors. This motive, of course, is completely fabricated, which begs the question, was his torture of the old man in the beginning even necessary? Does it simply serve to portray Joll as a sadistic murderer? I will now examine a critical response to Coetzees use of torture. Susan Van Zanten Gallagher discusses Coetzees moral dilemma in writing about torture and how he goes about trying to solve it. In responding to Coetzees two problems in writing about torture, namely that there is a fine line between portrayal of torture and the glorification of it, and thus exploiting the pain of the afflicted, and that of how to portray the torturer, Gallagher writes: â€Å"†¦in his allusions to un-centered language and the death of the metaphysics of presence, Coetzee also points to the moral vacuum that allows torture to exist in the contemporary world.†This moral vacuum involves objectification, detaching oneself from the moral (often emotional) issues.   Of the Magistrate, Gallagher writes: â€Å"with his combination of sexual and authorial images, his antonymic articulations, and his failure to discover meaning in words, the Magistrate seems to be wandering in the wilderness of deconstructive criticism†and that his â€Å"sexual and linguistic failures demonstrate his lack of authority.† Coetzee writes of him having looked into himself and seeing â€Å"only a vortex and the heart of the vortex oblivion.†Gallagher suggests that this is allegorical of how the author who chooses to write about torture â€Å"must struggle to articulate torture without falsifying it, to understand and to depict oppression without unconsciously aiding the oppressor, to find texts transparent enough to carry meaning.†One aids the oppressor by inventing the language that allows the oppressor to rationalize his actions. This objectification language is obvious in the rhetorical tool employed by Coetzee in creating an allegory that takes place in another time, albeit, a very self-aware one. As Gallagher puts it, â€Å"the effect of this time displacement is to reveal truths about any oppressive society, any society that employs torture as a technique.†In the name of intellectual â€Å"truth-revealing,† Coetzee has created a contrived world that only resembles the world in the ways that he needs it to in order to prove his point. By removing the concept of torture from a real social context, he can assign his own motivations to the torturers. By doing this, is he trying to ignore the real reasons people torture each other, or is he aware of this, and only uses this to demonstrate that we can only find truth if we fabricate it? Gallagher concludes her article by saying that â€Å"Coetzee identifies the absence of moral authority that results in torture with the absence at the heart of contemporary literature since the advent of deconstructive criticism.† This absence is of the ability â€Å"to write and proclaim the truth about this kind of oppression†¦completely and effectively.†By fabricating his own context for the torture that he portrays, Coetzee is able to accomplish this, albeit a little unscrupulously. Its almost like creating a laboratory model where your theory holds true because you can ignore all compromising circumstances. By isolating his narrative in his own fabricated context, hes guilty of objectifying. He is asserting that all instances of torture are motivated by the same primary factors (hatred, etc.). However, I dont believe that this wasnt intentional. Coetzee is simply demonstrating that the only way to establish â€Å"truth† about a subject is to detach your self from it. We can thus establish what makes the torturers all the same, as well as identify what distinguishes the torturers from us, the reader. This kind of objectification language, the â€Å"perfect-world† scenario where youre always right, can lead to some interesting realizations, as long as one understands that its only fiction, and that the moral â€Å"truths† it espouses may not be applicable to the real world. It is also not the only kind of objectification that Coetzee employs in Waiting†¦. He also uses the concept of â€Å"literary† foreignness to highlight the short-comings of allegory. Rebecca Saunders, in her article â€Å"The Agony and the Allegory: The Concept of the Foreign, the language of Apartheid, and the Fiction of J.M. Coetzee, writes that â€Å"if allegory is structured by a fundamental foreignness between its literal and proper meanings, it is also characterized by that zone of error through which we have described foreignness.†She then relays the fact that Heraclitus and Philo both originally used the term allegory â€Å"to designate thought tinctured by uncertainty.†She also writes â€Å"Coetzees text not only dramatizes the zone of error that characterizes both â€Å"literal† and literary foreignness, but insists that a consequential relationship exists between them.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Literary† foreignness, while inevitable when writing about events that havent happened to us, is the same problem that Gallagher wrote of: the problem of writing about something that we have chosen to distance ourselves while still maintaining a degree of authority. It is ironic that objectification is inevitable to establish â€Å"truth† when it may not actually be there while at the same time creating a sense of detachment that can cause the â€Å"truth† to be elusive in the first place. After all, allegory really only has truth in regards to itself (tautologous), and may not actually apply to the real situation it is purporting to describe. Saunders makes comparisons between the reportial language that Colonel Joll uses in his dealings with torture and the very idea of allegory: â€Å"It is a language in which every trace of foreignness has been deported: direct, literal certain. And that certainty is fortified by a careful management of context.† This management of context is what allows Coetzee to pass judgment with certainty. The third critical source I will examine is Barbara Ecksteins â€Å"The Body, The Word, and the State: J.M. Coetzees Waiting for the Barbarians.† She writes that the novel â€Å"is about language and the body in pain†¦[and] if its ending is desolate, it is so with a particular and moral-centered skepticism.†Even though the Magistrate comes to realize the error of his ways, his narrative still labels the native people â€Å"barbarians,† and thus he demonstrates his inability to â€Å"undo his habits of being. Neither as character nor as narrator does the magistrate point to the keen irony so evident in the etymology of the word â€Å"barbarian,†Ã¢â‚¬ namely, that which is not of the Empire. This is an example of how some degree of objectification is necessary: in order to maintain distinction between himself and the girl, the magistrate uses a term which does nothing but keep her at arms length. He cant even be concerned with her name, because doing so would cause her to cease to be different in any real sense of the word. As Eckstein puts it, â€Å"Imperialism is an assertion of objectivity†¦that converts anxiety about ones arbitrary location in time and space into an assertion that if nowhere is my home, everywhere is my home†¦. If I am there, you are other.†Objectification, here in the form of political definitions of â€Å"race† â€Å"serves imperialism and torture.†By employing objectification in defining the other, it claims to possess the same kind of certainty when defining the self. This certainty is that of distinction. â€Å"In demonstrating the differences within civilization and barbarity, animal and angel, the novel asserts one kernel of certain truth,† Eckstein writes. She then evokes the Magistrate: â€Å"Pain is truth; all else is subject to doubt†She then lays out the full â€Å"lesson;† â€Å"Torture produces the truth, for it produces pain, and pain is certain presence.† What has been said about the necessity of objectification? Patricia Sanborn writes, â€Å"The use of language to refer to the self necessitates some objectification.†She then writes, â€Å"In a study of which the self is the object, it is evident that the self is a certain kind of object. It does not lose its uniqueness because of the fact that other phenomena can also be objects.†Since, in writing about the self and our relation to the â€Å"other,† we inevitably treat these things as objects of inquiry, the first step in understanding anything, we have to accept that there is a degree of error that may be involved. Since we cant experience what others experience subjectively, our only other option is to objectify them. Coetzees novel is itself an objectification about the subject of objectification. It uses objectifying language because it is forced to by the subject matter. In order to discuss the suffering of the other, we first must distinguish the other fro m ourselves. Only then can we hope to understand our relationship with the other, and thus with ourselves (because everyone is someone elses â€Å"other†). It would seem thus, that the concept of identity and that of objectification are inexorably linked. In order to establish the identity of the self, you must first distinguish that of the other in reference to yourself. J.M. Coetzee, in writing his novel, demonstrates that, for all our moral dilemmas of objectification, we cant help but do it and say anything definitive about the world. Another persons pain is another persons pain, and we cant really experience it first-hand. We know for certain, subjectively, how we feel when we are in pain, but we cant know that of others, nor can we describe our subjective experience to them in any vivid sense of the word. Can we escape the need to objectify? No. Does this make us evil? No, just not omniscient. We only have simple human methods of understanding at our disposal, and we have to make due. Our human methods of understanding involve primarily language. Truths realized with a certain degree of dramatic (i.e. emotional) impact tend to have more poignancy. By choosing to use objectification language, Coetzee is trying specifically to cause an emotional response in the reader. We are supposed to be appalled, but in the end, we remain detached from the suffering because we know that its only fiction, even though it relates to the very real plight of those suffering under Apartheid. We are thus left wondering just how exactly we are supposed to feel about suffering that we dont â€Å"know.† In conclusion, J.M. Coetzees novel is notable for taking on the issue of inevitable objectification when dealing with the suffering of the â€Å"other.† His use of objectification language is poignant because it is necessary. We, as readers, are just as guilty of objectifying the barbarians, and thus detaching ourselves from their suffering as the Imperials in the book. Just as they arent â€Å"real† in the senses that are they are fictional, the barbarians arent real in the book because theyve been given that identity by the Imperials. They exist then in limbo, out of reach, but not too far removed from us.