The Role of Jim in Huckleberry Finn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Role of Jim in Huckleberry Finn - Essay Example We meet Jim in the second chapter, in a role next to only Huck. He remains throughout a 'noble cause and an ignoble foil' in Twain's masterpiece supposed to be a departure from usual European literary work, which was initially denounced for the irrepressible need of better treatment to slaves. It used frontier humor, vernacular speech and according to Ernest Hemingway, is the novel from which "all modern American literature comes. There has been nothing as good since." http://www.enotes.com/twentieth-century-criticism/adventures-huckleberry-finn-mark-twain Ralph Ellison defends Twain's presentation of Jim as ""not only a slave but a human being, a man who in some ways have to be enviedJim is drawn in all his ignorance, and superstition, with his good traits, and bad. He like all men, is ambiguous, limited in circumstances, but not in possibility," Callahan (1995, p.88). Twain presents natural justice and raises the characters above the prevailing selfishness of society and racism. While doing so, he introduces perhaps one of the most endearing characters to literary world rivaled only by his protagonists, Huck and Tom for reader's affection. "The test and proof of natural goodness, which raises Jim and Huck above religious hypocrisy and selfish romanticism, is its transforming power upon him. The fear-ridden slave becomes in the end a source of moral energy. The shifting of Jim's shape is reversed at the end, as he sinks back from his heroism to become the bewildered freed darky of reconstruction days, grateful to the young white boss for that guilt-payment of forty dollars," Mensh (2000, pp.110-111). When most African Americans were depicted as fools, superstitious, ignorant and idiotic, Twain dares to initiate a diverse characterization in Jim, who, from being a humble servant, goes up to be the savior of both boys, traveling the distance with ease and kindness. "He embodies all the qualities-loyalty, faith, love, compassion, strength, wisdom-of the dynamic hero, and his willingness to sacrifice his freedom and his life for two young boys establishes him as a classic benevolent character" http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/id-20,pageNum-94.html Huck becomes the inheritor of Jim's worthy qualities, an entirely different angle where a white boy learns generosity and kindness from a slave black. Jim's ability to predict the storm shows the inherent simply cleverness, even though uneducated and roughly used. The runaway black slave, fearing for his freedom, with entire world against him, reveals several things about himself, subtly showing that slaves are human, as human or perhaps more human than their American owners, and value their freedom and yearn to be treated in a humanitarian way. The message is loud and clean that Twain wanted slavery to perish. An aggressive message would not have been so suitable. "The 'fury' is certainly an important element in Huckleberry Finn, but it is not itself patently active; it is subsumed into the whole critical and poetic view of the human condition so wonderfully resented in the book," Grant (1962, p.80). It is surprising to note how reader thinks more often about Jim and less of

Disability Assignment Essay Example for Free

Disability Assignment Essay Ageism has been addressed and there have been many solutions made to help stop it. The ADA was established to stop the discrimination of the disabled, which many elderly people are. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was established to protect workers 40 years of age or older from being fired because of their age and replaced with younger workers who presumably would receive lower salaries. None of these have been a miracle, but they have slowed down the discrimination of the elderly. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Meachan v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory stating that employers under ADEA had to prove that laying off older workers wasn’t based on age but â€Å"some reasonable factor† (Schaefer, 2012). Is the number of aging population expected to rise in numbers or decrease? The number of the aging population is expected to rise in numbers. According to  The Demographics Of Aging  (2009), today, one out of every 9 Americans is old—another former youth turns 50 every 8 seconds. Those age 65 and older now exceed 35 million, a number poised to explode. The upcoming aging population will be different from those of past decades. They will live longer, maintain better  health  and have more active life styles than previous generations. With the increase in the elderly population comes the need for more Social Security, disability and medical care. This could affect the economy in a negative way. †¢ What types of legislation may or may not be affected by the aging population? I think Bills will be affected by the aging population because they will need to be enforced more. There are many Bills and laws that have been passed for the equal rights and fair treatment of the elderly. There are many private and public bills that I am sure will be enforced more with the increase in the elderly population. With the rise of the elderly, there will be a rise in voting also. More elderly people vote during an election year than any other age group. These are the only two ways that I can think of that would be affected by the ageing population. How does poverty affect the ageing population? Many elderly people live right at the poverty level because of all the expenses they have. Prescriptions, doctor’s appointments, housing, etc. are all expenses that elderly people have to pay for every month. Most elderly people have insuran ce, such as Medicare, but this doesn’t always pay for all the medical expenses they incur. Poverty can affect the ageing population in negative ways. They can become stressed that they might not be able to pay all their bills, which can lead to health issues. If Social Security benefits did not exist, an estimated 44%  of the elderly would be poor today, assuming no changes in behavior (Cawthorne,  2008). There are many in the ageing population who are still working today because they don’t have the means to retire. With the downfall of the economy, many have to come out of retirement and become employed again because their government benefits aren’t enough. Part III †¢ How have people with disabilities been treated in the past? The disabled population has been treated very unfairly in the past. They are discriminated against and are shown prejudice because of their state. Many were denied employment because of their disabilities and public venues didn’t have the proper means to accommodate a disabled person. Some disabled individuals were treated like they had a disease. They were given dirty looks or were stared at like they were a zoo animal. The disabled were left in institutions or homes to live out the rest of their lives because no one wanted to â€Å"deal† with them. They weren’t given the same treatment as the non-disabled. There were also cases of parents of a disabled child being told they were better off â€Å"putting them out of their misery† because there weren’t very many resources available. All of this treatment led to the passing of laws and the creation of many organizations to help the disabled receive fair treatment. †¢ How has the attitude toward people with disabilities changed over time? The attitude toward and treatment of people with disabilities has changed drastically over time. Since the introduction of the ADA, which is the Americans with Disabilities Act, the disabled have been receiving equal rights and have been able to fight against discrimination. Almost every public venue has the means to accommodate the disabled, such as a wheelchair ramp or automatic opening doors. There are events now made specifically for the disabled so they can still be a part of their community, like the Special Olympics and charity events. My nephew has Down Syndrome and they have a special baseball league every summer that he participates in called the â€Å"Miracle League†. People are embraced more for their disabilities instead of being shunned. There is much more technology available in order to keep the disabled active and social. Also, with the passing of the ADA, there are more disabled individuals gaining employment. Granted, the jobs they acquire aren’t top level executives, but they do provide them with a sense of security and pride. †¢ What are some unique circumstances or issues encountered by people with disabilities? There are quite a few unique circumstances or issues that I can think of encountered by people with disabilities. If the disabled individual is in a wheelchair, they have many obstacles they have to overcome. They are the first to board an airplane since they take the longest to get on the plane. When they go through metal detectors, they have to be wanded afterwards because they go off every time. Disabled individuals with any kind of physical disability have a harder time moving around places and enjoying the same recreational activities as a person without a physical disability. Individuals who are blind have braile on signs and also can’t enjoy the same activities that the seeing population can. Disabilities to me are a unique circumstance in itself that other individuals have to be kind and respectful about. †¢ What is being done to address those issues? The ADA has been passed which prevents the discrimination of the disabled. They cannot be discriminated in the workforce, restaurants, transportation, etc. There have been many disabled individuals who have fought with the basis of the ADA behind them. There are resources that can be used by the disabled in order to make their lives easier, such as wheelchair ramps. These things make the lives of the disabled much easier. There is also Social Security Disability available for those who cannot work and need the income to live. †¢ What types of legislation have been introduced to address issues faced by people with disabilities? There are many types of legislation that have been introduced to help the disabled. The ADA, which I have already discussed in previous answers, protects the disabled from prejudice and discrimination. The Developmental Disabilities Assistance Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) ensures that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families have access to community-based services and supports to promote opportunities for independence, productivity and inclusion. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. The Rehabilitation Act (Rehab Act) authorizes the formula grant programs of vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, independent living, and client assistance. It also authorizes a variety of training and service discretionary grants administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

The Effect of Technology on Globalization

The Effect of Technology on Globalization Technology is understood to be the driving force of globalization that began in the 18th century and has continued ever since to the 21st century, in-between three industrial revolutions have taken place. The 1st industrialization revolution was in the 18th century that took place in manufacturing industries. The 2nd industrialization revolution was in the services industries. The 3rd industrialization revolution of the 21st century which we are going through is know as information age as described by Adam Smith. This technological development has helped globalise the world economy and it is also known as the Kondrative long Wave process (K-wave)  [3]  . As the diagram below shows:- The diagram describes the tends of technological changes that have taken place since the industrialization revolution, relating from production, distribution and communication, that has fuelled the globalization. It has brought about innovation and interaction between nations that werent possible before. That has led to some of the greatest invention that revolutionized trade, communication and interaction to a whole new level and increased globalization .As Thomas Friedmans said Globalization is not a choice. Basically, 80% of it is driven by technology  [4]  . According to Cable (1995) Transportation costs are falling with improved physical communication with the help of improved technological advances in telecommunication, computing, fibre optics and satellites.  [5]  Which has resulted in the speeding up of information flow and the transportation of goods across nations more quickly and efficiently . This is being achieved through the technologies mentioned above, that is at the heart of the communication and transportation globalization, which is ongoing. Joseph Schumpeter has called it a glaze of creative distraction  [6]  . Take for instance transportation system wouldnt have been made possible without the invention off steam engine in 1796 a problem solved by James Watts  [7] The diffusion of steam engine technology to streamline ships, with the help of propulsion technology and the introduction of Jet Aircraft in 1950s brought about new dynamics of globalization which has allowed flexibility in movement of labour freely. This innovation has allowed massive economic expansion to take place and caused Global Shrinkage, in terms of distances. As the Diagram below illustrates on how travelling distances have been reduced over time and made world smaller: The diagram shows the Global Shrinkage: the effect of changing transportation technologies on Real distances  [8]  . Improvements made in transportation and the development of containerization allowed goods to move from place to place and continent to continents ever since its launch in 1956 to move goods from Newark, New Jersey to Houston Texas through the Gulf of Mexico  [9]  . Shipping ports around the world have cranes built to lift the containers more efficiently and thus saving money and speeding trade. Compare to pre-containership era of 1960s where trade was slow and unreliable that also fall due to bad weather or thieves. As Economist Paul Kurgnam says that the result is new economic geography requiring new theories of location and trade. The changes have been both technological and political  [10]  . Technological development has helped increased globalization. A prime example of technological globalization is that China and India have benefited economically as technologies like airplane, container ships have allowed China to export its goods to Europe and US vice versa and allowed countries to exploit their comparative advantage in trade. Article named The container that changed the world published by Virginia Postrel in New York times re-enforces the point that Low transport costs help make it economically sensible for a factory in China to produce Barbie dolls with Japanese hair, Taiwanese plastics and American colorants, and ship them off to eager girls all over the world, writes Marc Levinson in The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger  [11]  . According to Kondrative Wave (K Wave) system we are in the fifth cycle that is known as the Information Age. The Internet /World Wide Web has been the biggest thing to come out of Information technology advancements. That has revolutionized how information is passed or its availability thus creating an economy based on knowledge. The Internet has been described as a decentralized, global medium of communication comprising a global web of linked networks and computers.  [12]  As people across countries can trade and communicate instantaneously economically, for example e-mail has allowed instant communication through the World Wide Web, World Wide Web on the other has made World One as countries can now trade with each other, all made possible due to the cost effectiveness technological advance like the internet /world wide web. Where information is been exchanged at a global level instantaneously. As Information is the new mantra that spells success in the modern world  [13] Technology like the Internet has given rise to E-commerce; E-commerce that refers to business conducted through means of electronic communication networks like Internet. That has brought about new dynamics to the globalization of businesses. Where virtual business can be set up and trade worldwide without any barriers stopping them. For example business like Amazon, Borders and eBay that have sprung up because of Internet have transformed the way small business operate and have given opportunity to individuals to enter these global markets. As Internet help provides a cheaper faster way of communication between business and its consumers worldwide. Another sector that has seen the biggest impact because of technological globalization is the financial sector, where diffusion of information based technology has made possible people around the world to trade 24/7 trading has moved to electronic system from the physical system making money move more efficiently and on a faster level, thus allowing more participation of those people who are connected with the internet. Technology has also impacted the cultural globalization with inventions like telephone and television. Telephone has made it feasible for any one to talk to each other regardless of where they are geographically in the world, all made possible with the help of satellites and mobile phones that has made possible to make a call, receive e-mail, texts and even allow video call. It is due to technological advancements made in the field of communication, as seen no countries are now really apart. All made possible due to technological breakthrough in communication that have revolutionized business, commerce, and linked millions of people. TV on the other hand has connected parts of world, where they feel and see without having to leave the room. On TVS by just a touch of the remote button, that allows people to explore worlds on different channels it is made available because of Internet, communication advances and with the help of sounds and visual that are transmitted through the TV. Co mmunication technology has brought the world closer and people closer regardless of where they are in the world. We have found out that form the 1st industrial revolution Technology has had a great impact in the globalization as it help join the world together, where distance is no barrier for trade and is considered to be an essential part of economic globalization activity. As Friedman pointed out that 80% of globalization is technology driven. The technological development made in areas like communication and the invention of telephone and Mobile phones all with the help of satellites has made help removed the time and distance that has excited before. Transportation on the other hand has allowed trade to take place more efficiently and cost effectively with the help of the containerships, Jet Airplane and electric trains. It has helped facilitated growth between nations, as countries are able to take advantage of their comparative advantages as large goods can be exported and imported between countries. The spread of information technology has made production networks cheaper and easier, all made possible because of digital networks like the Internet that is cost effective. This has been one of the fundamental economic globalization factors that have helped overcome the friction of distance and time. Without these technological advancements globalization would not be made possible or even achieved As the K-Wave shows the types of technologic advances at different stages of industrialization and there economic impact that all began in the late 18th century.

Death, Life and Identity :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites A classical point of departure in defining Death, seems to be Life itself. Death is perceived either as a cessation of Life - or as a "transit zone", on the way to a continuation of Life by other means. While the former presents a disjunction, the latter is a continuum, Death being nothing but a corridor into another plane of existence (the hereafter). Another, logically more rigorous approach, would be to ask "Who is Dead" when Death occurs. In other words, an identity of the Dying (=it which "commits" Death) is essential in defining Death. But what are the means to establish an unambiguous, unequivocal identity? Is an identity established through the use of quantitative parameters? Is it dependent, for instance, upon the number of discrete units which comprise the functioning whole? If so, where is the level at which useful distinctions and observations are replaced by useless scholastic mind-warps? Example: if we study a human identity - should it be defined by the number and organization of its limbs, its cells, its atoms? The cells in a human body are replaced (with the exception of the cells of the nervous system) every 5 years. Would this imply that we gain a new identity each time this cycle is completed? Adopting this course of thinking leads to absurd results: When humans die, the replacement rate of their cells is infinitely reduced. Does this mean that their identity is better and longer preserved once dead? No one would agree with this. Death is tantamount to a loss of identity - not to its preservation. So, a qualitative yardstick is required. We can start by asking will the identity change - if we change someone's' brain by another's? "He is not the same" - we say of someone with a brain injury. If a partial alteration of the brain causes such sea change (however partial) in the determinants of identity - it seems safe to assume that a replacement of one's brain by another will result in a total change of identity, to the point of its abolition and replacement by another. If the brain is the locus of identity, we should be able to assert that when (the cells of) all the other organs of the body are replaced (with the exception of the brain) - the identity will remain the same.

Discussion of the theoretical and practical implications

criminology school of interpretation of crime The focal point of this paper is to present a discussion on the theoretical and practical implications under Marxist criminology school of interpretation of crime. This is to identify and evaluate the basic perception of crime from a perception of the Marxist philosophy. It can well be ascertained that Critical Criminology is moving on towards a new school of perception that originated during the advent of the 1990s. Under this parameter Marxism is completely excluded as it is regarded as element of the old school by the new interpreters of criminology. However, it can also be mentioned that in spite of this theoretical shift in a fundamental sense Marxism is still a useful medium of interpretation of state intervention of crime along with ascertaining criminal justice system and crime analysis. It would be interesting to know that according to Stuart Russell, â€Å"as the hallucinatory effects of postmodernism wear off along with the illusions many still harbour that capitalism has a future, Marxism will once again be able to play the pivotal role it rightfully deserves in Critical Criminology.† (Russell, 130, 2) In the same context it is relevant to mention that though the method of analysis and class division interpretation system is an effective measure of evaluation of crime with capital based approach of breakdown of problems, Marxism, however, lacks the current up gradation needed for the 21st century. At the same time it is important to juxtapose the basic principals of other school of philosophies with the basic philosophies of Marxism to harvest better result in the overall sense. Thus a combination of Post-Critical Criminology and new Critical Criminology could be extremely fruitful in this context. (Kar, 241, 3-4) On the other hand the ideas of Regina Austin can also be taken into consideration where it is argued that there are certain racial inequalities within the judiciary system. Regina Austin mentions that the basic problem starts with the discriminating act by the government and this discrimination by the law ultimately leads to the point when the deprived community starts disobeying the law or judiciary system altogether as they bear little or no faith in the system. (Austin, 301, 2) it can be well ascertained that with the application of Marxist criminology this part of the unwanted judiciary system can well be eradicated. Thus the importance of Marxist philosophy within the parameters of criminology remains relevant till date and it would be most helpful to depend on the perception of Marxism in this context of studies. (Lamb, 32, 1) In the conclusion it would be relevant to quote Stuart Russell who mentions that â€Å"despite the cynical pronouncements of those who have prematurely buried Marxism, there is great hope for the future of Marxism in Critical Criminology.† (Russell, 130, 2) It is true that the relevance of Marxism in the field of Critical Criminology is yet to be utilized in its full extent but with better formulation and updated interpretation it is possible to reach its optimum point with positive impacts. However, it should also be noted that the formulation should be done with proper methodology that should be based upon the initial affirmative concepts of Marxism with proper implementation and alignment with the 21st century. (King, 143, 5) References: Russell, Stuart; The Continuing Relevance of Marxism to Critical Criminology; Critical criminology, Vol.11, No.2 (May) 2002. Richmond, BC: American Society of Criminology, Division on Critical Criminology, c1996-. pp.113-135. Austin, Regina; â€Å"The Black Community†, Its Lawbreakers, and a Politics of Identification; Critical race theory: the cutting edge / edited by Richard Delgado. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995. Pp.293-303. Kar, P; History of Psychology and related application of Psychology; Dasgupta & Chatterjee. 2006. Pg. 241 King, H; Criminology Today; HBT & Brooks Ltd. 2001. Pg. 143 Lamb, Davis; Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata; National Book Trust. 2004. Pg. 32 (I am unable to use the third pdf article as it has been found to be decoded wrongly or is corrupted- as there is very little time to communicate and rectify I am giving it a go with the existing 2 pdfs. Plus I have incorporated 3 more books to defend the paper)

Ways to Serve Others This Christmas

Ways to Serve Others This Christmas Christmas is the season of giving; since our schedules offer so much flexibility, homeschooling families often have the availability to give back to their community during the holiday season. If you and your family have been considering service opportunities, try any of these 11 ways to serve others this Christmas. Serve Meals at a Soup Kitchen Call your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter to schedule a time to go serve meals. You might also inquire if they are low on any specific supply needs. This time of year many organizations host food drives, so their pantry may be full, but there may be other items that need to be restocked such as bandages, blankets, or personal hygiene items. Sing Carols at a Nursing Home Gather your family and a few friends to go sing Christmas carols at a nursing home. Ask if it’s okay to bring baked goods or wrapped candy to share with the residents. Spend some time before you go making homemade Christmas homemade cards to deliver or buy a box of assorted cards to share. Sometimes nursing homes are overwhelmed with groups that want to visit during the holiday season, so you may want to see if there are other ways that you can help or better times to visit. Adopt Someone Choose a child, grandparent, single mom, or family who is struggling this year and purchase gifts or groceries or deliver a meal. If you don’t know someone personally, you can ask local agencies and organizations that work with needy families. Pay Someone’s Utility Bill Inquire at the utility company to see if you can pay the electric, gas, or water bill for someone who is struggling. Due to privacy factors, you may not be able to pay a specific bill, but there is often a fund to which you can donate. You might also check with the Department of Family and Children’s Services. Bake a Meal or Treats for Someone Leave a little snack bag in the mailbox with a note for your mail carrier, or put a basket of snacks, soft drinks, and bottled water on the porch with a note inviting delivery people to help themselves. That’s sure to be a greatly appreciated gesture during the busy holiday season You can also call your local hospital and see if you could deliver a meal or snacks and drinks to the ICU waiting room or hospitality room for the families of patients. Leave a Generous Tip for Your Server at Restaurants We sometimes hear of people leaving a tip of $100 or even $1000 or more. That’s fantastic if you can afford to do that, but just tipping above the traditional 15-20% can be greatly appreciated during the holiday season.   Donate to the Bell Ringers The men and women ringing bells in front of stores are often recipients of the services offered by the organization for whom they’re collecting. The donations are typically used to operate homeless shelters and after-school and substance abuse programs and to provide meals and toys to needy families at Christmas. Help the Homeless Consider making bags to give out to homeless people. Fill a gallon-size storage bag with items such as gloves, a beanie, small juice boxes or water bottles, non-perishable ready-to-eat food items, lip balm, facial tissues, restaurant gifts cards, or prepaid phone cards. You might also consider giving blankets or a sleeping bag. Perhaps an even better way to help the homeless community is to  contact an organization that works directly with the homeless  and find out what they need. Often, these organizations can stretch monetary donations farther by purchasing in bulk or working with complementary organizations. Do Housework or Yard Work for Someone Rake leaves, shovel snow, clean house, or do laundry for someone who could use the extra help. You might consider a sick or elderly neighbor or a new or single parent. Obviously, you’ll have to make arrangements to do housework, but yard work can be done as a complete surprise. Take a Hot Beverage to People Working in the Cold Police officers directing traffic, mail carriers, bell ringers, or anyone else working out in the cold this Christmas season will appreciate a cup of hot cocoa, coffee, tea, or cider. Even if they don’t drink it, they’ll enjoy using it as a hand warmer for a little while.   Pay for Someone’s Meal at a Restaurant Paying for someone’s meal in a restaurant or the car behind you in the drive-thru is a fun random act of kindness any of time of year, but it’s often especially appreciated at Christmas when money is  tight for  many families.   Whether youre investing your time, your financial resources, or both to serve others this holiday season, youll likely find that its you and your family who are blessed by serving others.

Baking Powder essays

Baking Powder essays Baking powder is a fine white powder used for making cakes, biscuits, and it is also used in toothpaste (World Book, 1968). Baking powder is normally made up of three different parts: an acid, a base and a filler of some sort. The uses of baking powder are numerous. The key to baking powder is its release of carbon dioxide (www.howstuffworks.com). Baking powder has had a long-term mystique in toothpastes, there are varying opinions as to its effectiveness (dentistry.about.com). Baking powder is a mixture: an acid, such as cream of tartar, a base, such as baking soda, and a filler, such as corn starch. The baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate, with the chemical formula NaHCO3. Cream of tartar, also known as tartrate salt, has the formula KHC4H4O6. The reaction is NaHCo3 + KHC4H4O6 KnaC4H4O6 +H2O + CO2 Some baking powders also contain sodium aluminum sulfate: NaAl(SO4)2. The reaction here is: NaAl(SO4)2 + 3 NaHCO3 Al(OH)3 + 2 Na2So4 + 3 CO2. As you can tell, one of the byproducts from both reactions occurring in the different types of baking powder is CO2, or carbon dioxide (www.howthingswork.com). The use of baking powder in toothpaste is attributed to the bicarbonate, which can reduce the acidity in plaque, thereby reducing tooth decay (dentistry.about.com). The use of baking powder in cooking is for its quick reaction time. Bubbles of gas get caught in the flour mixture. The heat of baking expands the bubbles. They push against the flour mixture to make it rise (World Book, 1968). Baking powder is a very interesting compound that everyone has in his or her house. Its uses are end less every thing from baking and toothpaste to home made deodorant and air freshener. ...