Charlemagne Study Guide - Important Facts

Charlemagne Study Guide - Important Facts BiographyTimelinePeople Birth and Family: Charlemagnes parents were Pippin III and Bertrada, who wed in 744.His traditional date of birth (742) makes him illegitimate. Most scholars agree he was born after his parents married, possibly as late as 747.Charlemagne married five times and had numerous concubines and children. He kept his family around him nearly always, sometimes bringing his sons with him on campaigns.Only one legitimate son, Louis, survived him to inherit the empire. Campaigns, Conquests Expansion: Charlemagnes methods could be extreme, but the end result was the largest territory to be governed under one ruler in Europe in the Middle Ages. (See map.) Avars: 791-796The Avars had once controlled a small empire near present-day Belgrade. Charlemagne virtually eliminated their society, the remains of which would succumb to the Bulgars in the 9th century.Bavaria: 788When Duke Tassilo reneged on his oath of fealty, the king removed him from power and put Bavaria under his jurisdiction. This brought the territory of all the Germanic tribes into one political unit.Lombardy: 771-774Answering the call for help of Pope Adrian I, who was pressured by the Lombard king to anoint Carlomans sons as Frankish kings, Charlemagne launched a campaign that included an extended siege of Pavia, Lombardys capital. Saxons: 772-804The war against the Saxons, though interrupted by truces, pledges of allegiance and mass baptisms, was particularly bloody and included the execution of 4,500 Saxon prisoners in one day. In all, Charles engaged the Saxons 18 times.Spain: 778Charlemagnes most serious defeat took place when he failed to take Saragossa, retreated across the Pyrenees, and was ambushed by Basques. The death of one of his lords would later be memorialized in the epic poem, The Song of Roland. Administration: Charles generally delegated authority as follows: Comtes (Counts) ruled regions within the stable territory of FranciaMargraves governed newly-acquired territories (marches), where military measures were necessary to maintain orderBoth comtes and margraves reported to Dukes, governors of the larger divisions of land who were Charlemagnes close relatives and most trusted friendsMissi dominici acted as his emissaries and inspectors general, traveling throughout the empire Cultural Impact: Charlemagnes patronage of learning would result in: A Carolingian Renaissance in which art and literature would flourishThe preservation of numerous Latin manuscripts that would otherwise have been lostThe establishment of a good number of monastic schoolsThe creation of Carolingian Miniscule, an alternative to the capital letters used in Latin text Charlemagnes Legacy: Although the empire Charles built did not long outlast his death, still his consolidation of territory was an important stage in the growth of Europe. In addition, many of the changes and developments made by Charles himself, or fostered due to his patronage, would endure long beyond the Carolingian Empire. The offices created or adapted by Charlemagne would persist for centuries in the variations of counts, dukes and marquises across Europe and Britain.Charlemagne reorganized the monetary system, devising the system of pounds, shillings and pence used throughout Europe in the middle ages and in Britain until the 1970s.The monastic schools Charlemagne developed would preserve a tradition of learning, which in turn made an important burst of medieval scholarship possible in what became known as the 12th-century Renaissance.90% of the works of ancient Rome now in existence are preserved in the form of eighth- and ninth-century manuscripts copied in Carolingian monasteries.The Carolingian miniscule script would eventually become the lower-case letters we use today.The Song of Roland, inspired by events that took place in Charlemagnes worst defeat, is the earliest known chanson de geste. It is part of a cycle of works that revolve around Charlemagne, about whom many legends sprang up. These legends, known as the matter of France, would influence French and European literature through the centuries to today. Charles had a palace and a cathedral built in his favorite town, Aachen (or Aix-la-Chapelle), where he also died and was buried. Aachen became the location of the coronation of every emperor until the 16th century.The Carolingian Empire would inspire a tenth-century ruler, Otto the Great, to consolidate his territory in what came to be known as the Holy Roman Empire. Covering much of what Charles had controlled during his lifetime, the Holy Roman Empire was one of the most significant political entities of the Middle Ages. Charlemagne Study Guide BiographyTimelinePeople

Requisitos para sacar una visa americana no inmigrante

Requisitos para sacar una visa americana no inmigrante Los requisitos para la visa americana son variados, pero dos son fundamentales. Probar que no se tiene la intencià ³n de quedarse en EEUU y tener medios econà ³micos suficientes. Este artà ­culo aplica a las llamadas visas de no inmigrante, como la de turista o paseo (placer), la de estudiante y las de trabajo temporal. Requisitos para la visa Americana Dos requisitos destacan sobre todos los dems: en primer lugar, es necesario probar que la persona que solicita una visa no tiene intencià ³n de quedarse a vivir en Estados Unidos o ms tiempo del permitido por el visado. Para ello hay que demostrar que se tienen fuertes lazos familiares o de trabajo o de estudios en el paà ­s de uno. Es decir, se tiene esposa o marido e hijos, o un buen empleo o se est estudiando. En segundo lugar, es necesario probar que el extranjero que solicita la visa, si viaja a Estados Unidos, no se va a convertir en una carga econà ³mica pà ºblica. Para ello, lo mejor es demostrar que se tienen medios econà ³micos suficientes para pagar por el viaje, la estancia e imprevistos que puedan surgir, como un accidente o enfermedad. En pocas palabras, hay que convencer al oficial consular de que se va a viajar a Estados Unidos, salir a tiempo, no violar ninguna ley migratoria, como por ejemplo se tiene intencià ³n de buscar empleo cuando se solicita una visa de turista, y que durante la estancia no se va convertir en una carga pà ºblica. Estas son 20 causas por las que se niegan las visas. Cà ³mo se prueba que se cumplen con los requisitos fundamentales para sacar la visa Bsicamente, el cumplimiento de los requisitos para la visa se demuestra con documentacià ³n. Sin embargo, es fundamental entender que el oficial consular no est obligado a verificar y ni siquiera mirar el conjunto de papeles que se le presentan. Adems, el cà ³nsul puede tener acceso a datos que el solicitante de la visa no sabe. Por ejemplo, en algunos paà ­ses, verifican con los burà ³s por posibles deudas pendientes. Asimismo, los oficiales  consulares son muy conscientes de que en algunos paà ­ses algunos abogados inescrupulosos presentan documentos falsos. Hay que recalcar una y otra vez que si este es el caso y en el consulado descubren el fraude, va a ser prcticamente imposible que la persona que presentà ³ los documentos falsos consiga ahora o en el futuro una visa. Y no importa que diga que no sabà ­a nada, que toda la culpa fue de un abogado. Hay que saber quà © documentos se presentan. Tambià ©n es muy importante la entrevista, ya que la impresià ³n que se causa en el oficial es fundamental para que pueda hacerse una idea de las intenciones que tiene el solicitante de la visa. En la Embajada o Consulado en el que se tramita tienen libertad para interpretar los documentos y la entrevista y decidir si se concede la peticià ³n de visado o, si por el contrario, se deniega. Por ejemplo, es posible que dos personas con los mismos ingresos por nà ³minas reciban distintas contestaciones en el mismo consulado, y que una reciba la visa y otra no. Y es que se tienen en cuenta factores como el tamaà ±o de la familia, và ­nculos de toda clase y la impresià ³n que se causa en la entrevista. Asà ­ que aunque los datos pueden ser similares, lo cierto es que cada solicitante es diferente y la respuesta del consulado tambià ©n lo puede ser. Por à ºltimo, es cierto que la carta de invitacià ³n es un elemento importante en el proceso de solicitud de visa. Pero no es necesario. Y por supuesto que tener una no equivale a que el visado se obtenga. Lo importante no es la situacià ³n familiar ni los ingresos ni la intencià ³n de la persona que invita a otra a visitarle. Lo fundamental, y esto hay que entenderlo muy bien, es la situacià ³n del que solicita la visa. Se puede tener una carta de invitacià ³n perfecta, incluso de un ciudadano americano con ingresos econà ³micos fuertes. Pero si el consulado sospecha que el solicitante tiene la intencià ³n de quedarse a vivir en Estados Unidos, no se va a conceder la peticià ³n. Otros requisitos a tener en cuenta Adems de los ya mencionados, conviene saber lo siguiente, ya que ignorarlo puede tener como consecuencia que no se obtiene el visado: Seguir los pasos para solicitarlaPedir la visa adecuada. Por ejemplo, si se va a estudiar, no se va como turista. O si la intencià ³n es contraer matrimonio, mucho ojo con casarse con visa de turista.Ciertos delitos  impiden que se puedan conceder visas. Si el cà ³nsul se entera de un delito despuà ©s de haber dado la visa, puede llamar a su titular al consulado para anularla o incluso puede hacerlo sin notificacià ³n alguna. Basta con incluir los datos de la persona en el sistema de computacià ³n de visas estadounidense y queda cancelada.La violacià ³n de las leyes migratorias tambià ©n pueden tener consecuencias negativas. Si se ha tenido una visa previamente y se ha permanecido en Estados Unidos ms tiempo del debido, la vida puede cancelarse o revocarse inmediatamente y ser difà ­cil conseguir una nueva. Adems, hay que saber que la presencia ilegal previa hace que por un nà ºmero de aà ±os, que van de tres a diez, no se pueda regresar a EEUU. Quà © hacer si no se obtiene la visa Lo primero es que hay que tener claro es la causa. Si es que no se ha probado lazos suficientes hay ciertas reglas que conviene tener en cuenta a la hora de volver a solicitar la visa y asà ­ evitar pagar una cuota y obtener un no cada vez que se va a la entrevista. Si la causa es otra distinta, como por ejemplo, una violacià ³n migratoria anterior o incluso un delito, lo ms sensato es hablar con un abogado de inmigracià ³n y valorar la posibilidad de solicitar con à ©xito una waiver (tambià ©n conocida como perdà ³n). Consejos para mantener la visa sin problemas Estos consejos prcticos son relevantes para conservar el visado, si es que se obtiene. No sobrepasar tiempo permitido. Para saber hasta cundo se puede permanecer en EEUU, ver la fecha en el I-94, no la de expiracià ³n de la visa. Saber que permanecer ms tiempo puede dar lugar a la revocacià ³n automtica del visado. Si se est en EEUU y se quiere extender la estadà ­a, hacerlo a tiempo. En ciertos casos, adems, ser posible cambiar una visa por otro, como la de turista por la de estudiante. Reportar adecuadamente y de forma inmediata el extravà ­o o robo de un pasaporte que contiene una visa. Renovar el visado antes de que expire o en los meses siguientes a su expiracià ³n. Informacià ³n que quiz te interese Antes de comenzar los trmites para sacar la visa es aconsejable informarse sobre el tiempo  de demora  que toma su tramitacià ³n asà ­ como quà © se puede hacer si se necesita una visa  de emergencia a Estados Unidos. Tambià ©n es importante saber cul es la cuota  o arancel de los visados, teniendo en cuenta que no se recupera el dinero en los casos en que la visa es denegada. Finalmente, se aconseja tomar este test sobre la visa de turista. Despeja dudas e inquietudes importantes y brinda conocimientos relevantes para ayudar a sacar la visa y a conservarla. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

What sex education programs work best Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What sex education programs work best - Essay Example On the other hand, there are many scholars and professional organizations that criticize abstinence-based programs as being too narrow in scope; these arguments tend to argue for what has become known as comprehensive sex education programs. This essay will examine both arguments with particular attention being paid to the potential for bias and the research data that has been discovered. Despite vociferous protests to the contrary, it would appear that comprehensive sex education programs work best. A typical defense of abstinence-based programs is the one presented by the Heritage Foundation; it is typical because it phrases its philosophy in moral terms while only presenting data which supports its position. The approach is therefore twofold: (1) this type of argument presumes to speak for all Americans in terms of social values and mores and (2) this type of approach does not reference research studies or data that conflict with its desired position. Rector, for instance, writing for the Heritage Foundation, argues that â€Å"Abstinence education programs for youth have been proven to be effective in reducing early sexual activity. Abstinence programs also can provide the foundation for personal responsibility and enduring marital commitment† (2002). A careful reading of these statements demonstrates the author’s motivations and bias. Rather than stating common public health objectives, such as the prevention of pregnancy or the prevention of sexually transmissible disease, the author instead relies on ethical norms such as â€Å"personal responsibility† and â€Å"enduring marital commitment†. There is an early deviation from the anticipated goals and this should make the reader suspicious of any subsequent statements or conclusions. The Heritage Foundation, after all, is a conservative think tank often associated with religious groups and social conservatives. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that their research would lean towards an

Contract Administration and Change Issues Term Paper

Contract Administration and Change Issues - Term Paper Example This is significant as it gives them the right to deal with contract changes as they deem them appropriate. They also approve the use of experts. Additionally, the right to terminate contracts reduces chances of conflicts and lawsuits where there is the likelihood of disagreement. Government contracting binds the terms of the contract between the contractors and the contracting officers as employees of the government, contracting officers and administrators ensure that contracts are run smoothly as per the agreed terms, while at the same time safeguarding the interests of America (Department of State Foreign Affairs, 2012). The officers and administrators ensure that funds are available for procurement and contract activities. GAO investigated the department of energy due to the high costs involved in them. With the responsibility of ensuring that there is adequate use of resources, with calls for lower government spending, then effective monitoring of costs achieves this purpose. Contract schedules identify the activities to be carried out in the contract agreement; it spells out the time for the completion of the activities in a chronological order. Adequate allocation of the available resources is also required to avoid unnecessary delays in contract implementation. Contract activities are then linked together to produce the overall schedule of activities, this, ensures that there is no duplication of activities. Another essential part is estimating the shortest time in which the contract can be completed; this follows the individual time of the activities. There is a need for analysis of the risk factors inherent in the contract, which may delay its completion. An improvement of the methods used in scheduling leads to a better estimate of the time required and the cost involved. Revenue flows can be better projected using the time

A comparative analysis of The Sun Essay Example for Free

A comparative analysis of The Sun Essay Newspapers are a form of communication and words and photographs can be used very powerfully. New stories attract your attention and styles of writing / reporting is used as an effective device. The media use these devices each and every day. An article they have read in a newspaper has at sometime influenced everyone. However, it is important that you realise you are being influenced and how this is being achieved. Just by purchasing either The Sun or The Guardian to read is the most influential decision you do! This media assignment is a comparative analysis of The Sun a tabloid newspaper and The Guardian a broadsheet newspaper. The front pages will be compared, as will be a news story and also the editorials from both editions. Front Page The Sun Tuesday, March 18 2003. The Guardian Tuesday, March 18 2003. The visual presentation in both front pages of The Sun and The Guardian play a very important role. The Sun has used the front page as a presentational device; this is representative of the journalism in The Sun. The whole of the front page is dedicated to the image of a group of soldiers in action; with the headline Green light for War which is echoed by the whole of the front page tinted in green, which is the apparent view through a soldiers night vision binoculars. This relates well to the article itself; it communicates to its readers without having to first read the text. The use of the colour green and the headline Green light is almost a metaphor; it suggests to the reader that war is forth coming and at hand. These are stylistic choices made to appeal to readers and are eye-catching. Also the main information needed is contained within the headline. Within the text on The Suns front-page one sentence is represented as one paragraph this is to allow the readers eye to travel to points and draw the image and the text together. The style of writing adopted has a bearing on the theatrical; In the ghostly green light. stealthily towards plus the use of bold text adds to the effect. The structures of the sentences are very simple, abstract and condensed easy for the reader to digest. The tone of the piece is informal, a technique to make it easier for the assumed audience to read. In contrast to The Suns front page The Guardian has many glaring differences between the two. The Guardian uses much more information throughout. By comparison the images used in The Guardian of Robin Cook MP and President Bush are also important national and international events as Bush is seen looking very solemn and serious seated at his desk. It seems that The Guardian is trying to strike a chord with the reader by including above the photograph of Bush a sub heading; Bush throws down gauntlet to Saddam: Go into exile with your top men or face massive invasion. Whilst not overdoing it to seem patronising, a well-fixed balance seems to have been found the image reflects the sub heading. The photograph of Robin Cook and sub heading balances out the layout of the front page it looks neat and methodical. The Guardians choice of text and language differs greatly to The Sun the style is also abstract but uses literary angle History will be astonished at the diplomatic miscalculations. This indicates that the people who read this newspaper have a higher level of education, as this paper is more difficult to understand. The Guardian uses long, complex sentences this once again indicates a reasonable level of intelligence expected from the readership. Statistics are used in The Guardian to prove several points this is used as evidence for the sub heading Support for attack jumps, but opposition still in majority. It helps the reader understand the neutral reporting by stating the statistics the article is laying out the information for the reader to absorb. All three articles on the front page of The Guardian use direct speech; in total contrast The Sun does not supply any direct speech on its front page. This is not the only difference between the two newspapers the content is completely different. The different audiences at which the papers are aimed are apparently much more in the content and language of the two newspapers than any other factors affecting them. Newstory The Sun Thursday, March 13 2003: Tarrant: I like to make them sweat. The Guardian Thursday, March 13 2003: Judge provides lifeline as Tarrant fails to answer barristers opening question. Both newstories are visual both have a photograph of the TV celebrity Chris Tarrant. One of the effective differences is The Sun uses colour photograph and The Guardian has gone for the black and white option. This is influential towards the audience colour is communicable and catches the attention of the reader. Plus The Sun has devoted two pages to the story albeit one page is dedicated to photographs and a sketch of inside the court. The Guardian is quite restrained and formal concerning the current trial involving TVs Chris Tarrant and Major Ingram and his alleged cheating on the popular TV game show. Considering the popularity and interest in the case The Guardian does not sensationalise or dramatise the reporting in its article. It is an objective piece of journalism giving the reader a balanced point of view, it is there to inform only. In comparison The Sunis not concerned with serious public interest, but only with what entertains the intended reader and therefore it sees its readers as enjoying celebrity news / scandal. All journalism is there to elicit a response from the reader. The article in The Sun creates an atmosphere of amusement. Spread across the top of the two pages like a mini-headline that reads Millionaire courtroom in stitches as game show host takes witness box this is intended to make the story sound more amusing and an added factor is the over large photograph of the jovial Chris Tarrant; this only reinforces what The Sun thinks its audience wants to see. The Guardian uses articulate language throughout; the sentences are longer and structured and are also approached in a formal manner. There is no striking headline instead this article has a smaller lower case text, and is located on the middle of the second page of The Guardian. Furthermore there is no use of puns, clichi s or jokes to cheapen the article. The way, in which the article is written provides more evidence, it is a conservative style of journalism this appeals to an intellectually wider audience. Whereas The Sun reports a similar story throughout, but its use of language is distinctive to tabloid newspapers. By using monosyllabic style The Sun creates easy reading most paragraphs are short bursts theses are designed to keep the readers attention. The Sun also uses a form of pyramid journalism, they put the juicy news first as many readers dont read more than the first couple of paragraphs this is stereotypical of tabloid newspapers. The main headline Tarrant: I like to make them sweat is an excellent example of journalise; its clichi ridden which is characteristic of The Sun. Once again in The Sun one sentence is equal to one paragraph. The opening paragraph is bold and in lower case text and is a simple explanation to the reader about the main headline. From the opening paragraph and into the sixth paragraph the text has changed four times from bold to italic text, the purpose of this is to keep the reader attentive and engaged. The sketch in The Sun in which Chris Tarrant looks like hes being questioned by the prosecutor, has text below quote Final answer? is a splendid example of the use of a clichi / pun, as it makes reference to Chris Tarrants TV game show. The readers of The Guardian are more likely to be scholarly as much of the language that The Guardian uses is academic, such as its use of polysyllabic text: impassionate, strategically, specifically, steepled and persona are examples of this type of language which is used in the article. It crates a more accurate coverage and reporting of this particular news story, which is apparently how the readers of The Guardian prefer their newspaper to report, more focus on the facts than entertainment. Editorials The Sun Says Thursday, March 13 2003: Only the right way remains. Comment Analysis The Guardian Tuesday, March 18 2003: Left behind to starve. The editorials from both The Sun and The Guardian have corresponding themes war. How they contrast greatly is all down to the content and style of each article. At present the threat of war hangs heavily around the world if not more so in the UK. How each newspaper responds co-insides with its intended audience and how they are expected to respond. The Suns editorial has a bold underlined heading Only the right way remains. What is the editor implying here? Is there no other way, have we no other choice? This type of journalism is impressionable, eliciting an emotional response from the reader. The use of bold lower case text and then a short, three-word sentence followed by a four-word sentence is a clever grammatical and punctuation style of journalism, it make the reading of the article more dramatic and powerful. Puns, clichi s and sensationalised text flow throughout this editorial, the UN are seen as minnows and small fry, people are dangerous dictators, President Chirac displays arrogance and greed. All these styles are designed to influence the audience into the editors way of thinking. The opening paragraph is more of a statement than a piece of journalism; the editor is trying to play on the emotional side of the reader. What becomes apparent throughout is the patriotism shown, is the editor trying to play on the readers conscience? Possibly to sway their views and opinions? Stylistic methods and the use of hyperbolic text like: That is the measure of Blairs courage and determination which does seem a deliberate overstatement; added to the fact the text is bold and underlined is this for confirmation? Half way through the editorial The Sun quotes Blair on his tough stance: Its best to work out what the right thing is and do it. The use of monosyllabic language doesnt co-inside really with Blairs supposedly tough stance; its not much of a powerful quote! The simple use of language makes it not too complicated for the reader to perceive. In stark contrast to The Sun Says, The Guardian takes a different side to the inevitable war. This article takes a more poignant look at the effects of war and is entitled left behind to stave. From the headline and minimalist fashion of drawing the audience is exposed to an emotive style of journalism. In the first paragraph the reader is prepared for the oncoming purpose of this editorial. The first paragraph almost preps the reader Citizens would demand that their governments spend as much on humanitarian aid as they spend on developing new means of killing people. This is straight and to the point writing and also it is a very emotional style. The amount of space that this editorial is given [estimate 1000 words] is a representation on how it feels the importance of this story is needs to be told. The disclosure throughout from the amount the US will spend [$12bn] on the war, to Burundi, which is officially the third poorest nation on earth, is poignant and also emotionally striking. It is an article that exposes another side to war that many people would not have contrived. The Guardian carries throughout it this editorial the use of academic language disproportional, institutional collapse, consolidated appeal, unprecedented and uninhabitable this is what makes The Guardian is serious and educational newspaper. The Guardian discusses the logical and realistic effects around the world, whereas The Sun is not open for debate. This can be seen in the choice of language, it is churlish Treachery of France Small fry at the UN America, the mightiest nation on earth It is a typical device The Sun uses to win over the reader. The Guardian on the other hand lays down an argument and then explores it; sees the problems and evidence, then puts the factual data in for the reader to reflect and to consider. The Guardian has produced a convincing and statistical article that appeals to the readers moral stance rather than The Suns political powers of irrational thinking. The final closing paragraph [bold underlined] of The Sun Says has Tony Blair cemented in history is the reader to assume he is heroic and legendary, The Sun presumes so. The Guardian concludes with an ethical paragraph and cleverly uses a personal pronoun we, this accomplishes the objective to sound more real which it is.

Closing the Gap between Disabled and Nondisabled Essay -- Essays Paper

Closing the Gap between Disabled and Nondisabled The democratic ideals that the United States were built upon are freedom and equality; it is in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and used as a defense when a person can think of nothing snappy to say (i.e. "It's a free country!"). However, while American culture is based on the notion that you have the power and ability to become anyone or achieve anything, it is painfully obvious to people with disabilities that government and the mainstream public has forgotten about their needs. While most nondisabled people do not need to depend on family or government for financial or medical assistance, people with disabilities are often denied jobs and opportunities, forcing them to become dependent on a family member or government assistance. It may be an unconscious factor for those who do not have a disability, to forget that others may need a special menu, table, or space. Simple things like a special bathroom stall or books on tape are on par with a more inclusive American culture, one that can help people with disabilities become more independent and free. Most of the problems people with disabilities face today stems from language and how they are considered to be separate from those who are able. Not only does this create the basis for oppression and discrimination for those who used to be considered ‘cripples,’ or ‘retards,’ but it also creates can create a confusion over a person’s identity as a person with disabilities. While legislation, corporate policies, and public places may be slowly changing to become more inclusive to those with disabilities, there are still certain aspects of the mainstream US culture that can mean nothing to a member of the... ...who are able. As the language evolves and the activism becomes more developed and evident in mainstream culture and media, then there will be more and more advances in the future. The days in which Siamese Twins, the Elephant Man, and other people with disabilities who would be considered ‘freaks,’ ‘retarded,’ or ‘crippled’ and be immediately institutionalized or ostracized from people have mostly disappeared, leaving other battles, like the fight for an accessible urban environment, to be fought and won in later years. Works Cited Fielder, Leslie A. The Tyranny of the Normal. Gleeson, Brendan. Can Technology Overcome The Disabling City? Linton, Simi. Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity. New York: New York University Press, 1997 Marks, Deborah. Disability: Controversial debates and psychosocial perspectives. London: Routledge, 1999 Closing the Gap between Disabled and Nondisabled Essay -- Essays Paper Closing the Gap between Disabled and Nondisabled The democratic ideals that the United States were built upon are freedom and equality; it is in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and used as a defense when a person can think of nothing snappy to say (i.e. "It's a free country!"). However, while American culture is based on the notion that you have the power and ability to become anyone or achieve anything, it is painfully obvious to people with disabilities that government and the mainstream public has forgotten about their needs. While most nondisabled people do not need to depend on family or government for financial or medical assistance, people with disabilities are often denied jobs and opportunities, forcing them to become dependent on a family member or government assistance. It may be an unconscious factor for those who do not have a disability, to forget that others may need a special menu, table, or space. Simple things like a special bathroom stall or books on tape are on par with a more inclusive American culture, one that can help people with disabilities become more independent and free. Most of the problems people with disabilities face today stems from language and how they are considered to be separate from those who are able. Not only does this create the basis for oppression and discrimination for those who used to be considered ‘cripples,’ or ‘retards,’ but it also creates can create a confusion over a person’s identity as a person with disabilities. While legislation, corporate policies, and public places may be slowly changing to become more inclusive to those with disabilities, there are still certain aspects of the mainstream US culture that can mean nothing to a member of the... ...who are able. As the language evolves and the activism becomes more developed and evident in mainstream culture and media, then there will be more and more advances in the future. The days in which Siamese Twins, the Elephant Man, and other people with disabilities who would be considered ‘freaks,’ ‘retarded,’ or ‘crippled’ and be immediately institutionalized or ostracized from people have mostly disappeared, leaving other battles, like the fight for an accessible urban environment, to be fought and won in later years. Works Cited Fielder, Leslie A. The Tyranny of the Normal. Gleeson, Brendan. Can Technology Overcome The Disabling City? Linton, Simi. Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity. New York: New York University Press, 1997 Marks, Deborah. Disability: Controversial debates and psychosocial perspectives. London: Routledge, 1999

Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock : Representation of Modern Man Essay

Often called the first Modernist poem, â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† was published in the prestigious American journal Poetry in June 1915. About the Poem: The poem centers on the feelings and thoughts of the eponymous speaker (the somewhat neurotic Prufrock) as he walks through the streets of London route to meet a woman for tea. He is considering a question (perhaps, broadly, the meaning of life, or, more narrowly, a proposal of marriage). Far more than just the â€Å"love song† of a romantic, agonized young man, the poem explores the Modernist alienation of the individual in society. Thomas Stearns Eliot, 1888 – 1965 Born into a prosperous Midwestern family, Eliot attended Harvard and then went on to study at Oxford. Although born an American, Eliot married an Englishwoman, gave up his American citizenship, and lived most of his life in London. Eliot made his living as a teacher, a banker, and an influential literary critic. He popularized the modernist style of thinking and writing. In fiction, modernism was represented by the stark realism of such writers as Ernest Hemingway, but in poetry this new sensibility was quite different. The Imagists, including Eliot’s close friend and fellow poet, Ezra Pound, believed in the motto, â€Å"No ideas but in things,† in other words, the image is most important, the meaning secondary. Modernists embraced free verse (no regular rhyme scheme or meter) and freedom of thought (often their writing questioned accepted ideas and social norms). This anti-traditional and anti-romantic trend began before World War I; however the unprecedented loss of humanity during the war accelerated the popularization of modernism. The war caused many people to reexamine their previous beliefs in religion and the innate goods of humankind, and one radical branch of modernism, known as Dada, claimed that the only legitimate emotion left was disgust. â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,† An Overview The entire poem, â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† is an interior monologue based on the traditional dramatic monologue, a solo speech that often puts into words the speaker’s inner turmoil, as in Hamlet’s famous â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy. Prufrock often alludes to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but admits, â€Å"I am not Prince Hamlet.† He has no such grand illusions. His thoughts and feelings tend to be humble and full of self-doubt. He worries not about â€Å"outrageous fortune,† as Hamlet does, but about growing old and being rejected by a woman. Critically Analyzing the poem: Contrary to what the title implies, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, by T.S. Eliot, is anything but a love song. It is instead quite the opposite. Although the poem is open to several interpretations, after careful reading of the poem, the several underlying themes can be expressed by one central idea. In the poem, the narrator, J. Alfred Prufrock, portrays his disappointment with the society he lives in. By interpreting aspects of imagery, speaker and intended audience, one can easily assess Prufrock’s views of life. His interpretation of everyday life can be described as a vacant, bleak, and repetitive. Early on in the poem, Eliot creates a scene that does not seem very inviting. Prufrock describes his surrounding on an evening out with phrases that insinuate melancholy and depression. In line 6, Prufrock describes the night as â€Å"restless† and says that the streets are â€Å"tedious arguments of insidious intent†. From this the reader can infer a certai n discontentment that Prufrock has with his surroundings. He refers to his, and his companions’, destination as â€Å"one-night cheap hotels and sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells†. Even though these descriptions leave the reader only approximately 10 lines into the poem, we already have a feeling of restlessness and dissatisfaction from Prufrock about his life. As the poem continues, the reader is bombarded with even more imagery that conveys Prufrock’s discontentment with his surroundings. Prufrock talks of the â€Å"yellow fog† that â€Å"rubs its back upon the window-panes† and the â€Å"yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window panes†. He also mentions the â€Å"soot that falls from chimneys†. Later on in the poem, Prufrock refers to smoke again while describing the streets he is walking on. All this imagery leaves the reader feeling that the place Prufrock is at is dark and hazy and not at all welcoming. Among the feelings that Prufrock expresses in this poem, no feeling comes across more clearly than his feeling of restlessness and wasted time. We get the feeling that Prufrock, who is aging, would do things differently if given another chance. In lines 49-54, Prufrock asserts his overall boredom with life. He says he has â€Å"known them all already, known them all-have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons†. From this we can infer that Prufrock seems to feel as if his life is over and he has no more to offer. He makes statements similar to this throughout the poem. He proclaims to have known â€Å"the eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase† and the â€Å"arms that are bracleted and white and bare†. We get more of a sense of Prufrock’s disillusionment of life with his many references to time. In lines 24-34, he claims there is time to â€Å"meet faces†, â€Å"murder and create†, have a â€Å"hundred indecisions† and a â€Å"hundred visions and revisions†. It is not as though Prufrock is doing this in a hopeful manner, though. Instead we get the impression that he is reflecting on time as if it is plentiful only if you take advantage of it and perhaps he feels he did not Another aspect of this poem that is important is the interpretation of it is the speaker and the audience. Although the audience is never clearly identified, several assumptions can be made. It seems as though Prufrock is simply reflecting on life to himself. He makes several statements that would allow a reader to arrive at this conclusion. Throughout the poem, he asks several rhetorical questions of himself. In line 62, he asks â€Å"and how should I presume?†. He asks himself the same question again in line 68 and then follows with another â€Å"and how should I begin?†. These questions lead the reader to believe that the poem represents Prufrock’s inner-thoughts about life. This is important to consider because if the audience was anyone but Pr ufrock himself, the poem would more than likely take a very different course. Once you get past the initial misconceptions about the poem due to its misleading title, you can easily see that this is a poem about what happens if you do not make the most of your life. Prufrock is a character that we all can learn something from. Through an interpretation of this poem, one can assume that even though a person’s life may seem to be normal and in fact successful, sometimes that person may have a totally different view of their own life. From the poem we can conclude that Prufrock’s life was like many others during the time it was written. It talks of parties, drinking, and lovely ladies. This did not, however, bring his happiness. As he aged, Prufrock was left very disenchanted with his life. In the end, he discusses how he will behave in his old age and finally describes death as what can be interpreted as drowning in the sea. â€Å"The Love song of J. Alfred Prufrock,† by T.S. Eliot is about a man who is searching for something to break him for the dull life that he has been leading. In the beginning, the speaker invites us to go with Prufrock and come into his world with the statement â€Å"Let us go then, you and I.† Throughout the poem, the reader is following the speaker throughout an evening searching for the acceptance of a woman. Because of his lack of self-assurance, he fails to find the meaning and acceptance of his love. Prufrock is a timid man. He is extremely conscious of what others think of him and this has a great effect of his actions. He has problems with speaking what he feels and this is demonstrated when he â€Å"prepare(s) a face to meet the faces that (he) meet(s).† He also extremely self-conscious with his appearance and thinks that people talk about what he looks like and what he wears. Other’s opinion of Prufrock bothers him so much so that he does not want to â€Å"disturb the universe† by making an entrance into it. Finally, the last part of the poem, Prufrock show’s his final despair in life. He can not bring himself to tell the woman that he is in love with how he really feels. However, if he ever did decide to tell her, it would come out as a mess. He finds himself with no real role in life. He is no â€Å"Prince Hamlet, nor was he meant to be,† but rather an â€Å"attendant lord,† or sometimes â€Å"the Fool.† He hears the mermaids singing, but he thinks: â€Å"I do not think they will sing to me.† In the end, Prufrock feels left out of society, and can not find his own place in the universe. As an old man on the beach, looking out into the ocean, he questions if he did the right thing. But he missed everything, all because he was scared. He realizes that he has been living in an imaginary world. When this reality hits him, he drowns soul and all. This poem has always been a favorite of mine because the theme of can apply to the world as a whole. Each of us can sometime find ourselves searching for where we belong in the universe,but are afraid to act on our own desires because of the possible outcomes. In the end, we have to make our move, and not fear rejection so much so that we pass up an opportunity of a lifetime. Conclusion: The speaker of this ironic monologue is a modern man who, like many of his kind, feels isolated and incapable of decisive action. Irony is apparent from the title, for this is not a conventional love song. Prufrock would like to speak of love to a woman, but he does not have the nerve. The poem opens with a quoted passage from Dante’s INFERNO, â€Å"If I thought that my reply would be to one who would return to the world, this flame would stay without further movement; but since none has ever returned alive from depth, if what I hear is true, I answer you without fear of infamy.†, Meaning that Prufrock speaks only because he knows no one will pay attention to him and he won’t be heard. Purfrock repeats certain phrases to clue the reader in that they are part of the story. â€Å"You and I† in the first line, suggest that you must be with him to understand his story