Edgar Allan Poe :: essays research papers

Edgar Allan Poe was a master of his craft, gifted with the talent of introducing each reader to his or her own fears. As the first writer to compose tales of horror, death, and mystery into literature and poetry, he is blessed, maybe even cursed, with an imagination that set higher standards in the field of writing. However sinister or dark it may be, Poe’s writing continues to have an impact on the world of writing. A look into Poe’s childhood might shed some light on where his fascination with death comes from.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edgar Allan Poe was born in 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts to drifting actor parents. Denying his parental responsibilities, Edgar’s father abandoned his wife and children, leaving her to support the family as best she could. He died somewhere around 1810. His mother traveled through various cities acting in as many stage performances as she could get, but the struggle eventually took a toll on her health. Towards the end of 1811, shortly after turning 2, while in Richmond, Virginia, she became ill and died. Her three children were put into homes. His brother William died young, his sister Rosalie later became insane, and Edgar was placed into the home of a well-off, yet unsupportive man named John Allan. Allan was emotionally detached from Poe, refusing to even legally adopt the boy. This move would begin a chain of events, eventually triggering a drinking problem, that would cause majority of Poe’s psychological troubles later in life. He was raised in an wealthy home, but lacked the emotional support needed to build determination and confidence in himself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edgar would attend the finest boarding schools to train to be a proper gentleman. But, when it came time to go to the University of Virginia in 1826, his foster father barely gave him enough money to survive. In those days, the average college freshman was nineteen years old. Edgar was certainly wise beyond his years, enrolling in college only a month after his seventeenth birthday. This made it harder on Edgar to survive out on his own at such an early age. John Allan had always been strict and harsh, and sometimes even cruel to Edgar, but this was the first time he denied him the means to survive outside of his home. Adding insult to injury, he also forbade Edgar to study what his heart so desired: poetry.

Socrates :: essays research papers fc

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The wise and inquisitive Socrates was both a philosopher and a martyr, not just in his words but in his actions as well. Socrates was so adamant about his principles that he wouldn’t deny them to save his own life. A lesser man left in his shoes would have done anything to stop the fate that he faced. Socrates practiced what he preached through and through and for the most part only taught good morals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next four pages consist of the life of Socrates, his contributions to the world, his family life, appearance, events leading to his death and his death. You should see how strict the Greek government was. Most of all this paper should teach you what kind of a person Socrates was and what kind of a person you are. 2 Socrates   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is known about Socrates stems from the works of his pupil Plato and the historian Xenophon. Since both men were about 45 years younger than Socrates, the only first hand knowledge they had of him was from the last 10 to 12 years of his life. Some believe that since Xenophon and Socrates weren’t close, the information that he had of Socrates was drawn from Plato. Since Socrates never wrote anything down and didn’t leave anything behind, the accuracy of his history is questionable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Socrates was born in Athens, Greece in 469 B.C. where he lived all of his life. His father was a wealthy sculptor named Sophroniscus and friend to the family of Aristides, the founder of the Delian League from which the empire arose. His mother was said to be a â€Å"midwife† (which implies nothing about her place in society) named Phaenarete.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Socrates was known as a great fighting man, his appearance wasn’t pretty. He was short and stout, big nostrils on a small stubby nose, and prominent eyes. Despite his appearance, those who knew him were aware that his true beauty was on the 3 inside. It was said, that he had great self-control and endurance, along with unparalleled intelligence, and sophistication.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a youth Socrates was the pupil of Archelaus and studied scientific theories of Anaxagoras. Later in life Socrates abandoned physical studies and focused on the building of moral character. He believed that to do wrong is to damage the soul and that it is worse to do wrong than to be wronged, so you should never do wrong to right a wrong.

The Korean War: Tactics and Logistics

The Second World War officially ended in the year 1945. It was a devastating war that many hoped that it should be fitting to end all wars and for a change give the world a breathing space, to be granted that very elusive peace. Yet, perhaps those who wished for a world in harmony after World War II may have underestimated mankind’s appetite of some leaders who wanted to be supreme rulers of the globe. So, five years after the guns were silenced in the Great Theater of war in Europe, another dangerous conflict is brewing in Korea. Here, one can see a display of things to come because Vietnam and Afghanistan are still future events.  In the Korean War the world became witness to what happens when superpowers decide to play chess. Unfortunately, this game is not played the traditional way with wooden pieces and all. This time the chessboard is the Korean Peninsula and the pieces are either the native Koreans or imported as in soldiers coming in from all over the world. It is interesting to note that this is not a World War in the truest sense of the term, but the true players are global leaders who happened to confine their violent resolution in a specific location, Korea. The United States, Russia, North and South Korea, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other Asian nations were participants in this war of attrition. The battle lines were drawn and it was named the 38th parallel. This allowed for a little bearing in a very confusing time, hoping to give a little bit of clarity in a very agitating situation. According to Carter Malkasian, â€Å"It was the only occasion in the Cold War when the military forces of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Soviet Union, and the USA (plus its Western allies) met in combat [†¦] Thus, the Korean War was not merely a war fought between proxies of the major powers, like the latter conflicts in Vietnam or Afghanistan, but a much more significant conflagration† (p. 7). This paper seeks to understand the Korean War. This can be done by looking at a brief historical background before the war and the events that added fuel to the tension between two Korean governments. Since the Korean War like many conflicts is so complicated this study focuses on tactics and logistics, and less on the historical figures that played a major role in this important period not only for Koreans but for Asians in particular and the world in general. Historical Background The Korean War was sometimes called the â€Å"Forgotten War† and this may be so because like Vietnam there are only a few people who understand its significance. Yet an â€Å"†¦outpouring of books, articles and film in the last decade as well as an impressive memorial on Washington, DC’s Mal (and the realization that) †¦it would be practically impossible to understand the Cold War†¦Ã¢â‚¬  have created a revival of interest on this subject (Sandler, p. 1).  The conflict in this area of the world does not surprise the experts and the grizzled veterans of war. In fact the professional soldier can easily read the undercurrent of history and be able to predict what will happen in the struggle for power and supremacy. This was eerily demonstrated by a seemingly prophetic Commodore Matthew Perry when he spoke these words in the year 1856, a century before the Korean War: The people of America will, in some form or other, extend their dominion and their power [†¦] upon the eastern shores of Asia. And I think too, that eastward and southward will her great Russian rival [†¦] The antagonistic exponents of freedom and absolutism must thus meet at last, and then will be fought that mighty battle on which the world will look with breathless interest; for on its issue will depend the freedom or the slavery of the world (as cited in Huston, p. 200). It boggles the mind of the average person when analyzing as to how Commodore Perry was able to ascertain his claims. What is more amazing is the accuracy of his predictions. It is like looking in a crystal ball and seeing very clearly what will happen. And indeed what Perry prophesied came to pass. Russia became a superpower and just like what the Commodore had said, the Russian government exerted tremendous influence over China. And of course his final statement about the necessity of a crucial war that will showcase the fight for freedom as opposed to absolutism was also played out just as he predicted. This can only mean that even before the first bullet crossed the 38th parallel, there are already forces at work even as far back as the late 19th century. Perry was able to read the signs and the saw the root cause of conflicts in this part of Asia. Yet it was only in the 1950s when the seed planted by those who wanted to control this region grew and blossomed into a passion that could only be satisfied with conquest. Blindsided Commodore Perry was praised here because of his foresight, a very important talent that a general should possess. If only the leaders of the free world in the 1950s were as gifted, then things would have turned out differently. But as fate would have it, from the U.S. and UN side was able anticipate what is going to happen. Either they were blindsided by the Communists or they were preoccupied by their paranoia. And that paranoia is brought about by the fear of being overrun by a westward move by the Union Soviet Socialist Republic. Stanley Sandler remarked on this and he wrote: A Soviet thrust into Western Europe seemed a far more threatening contingency than a possible dust-up between two unattractive regimes in a bleak former Japanese colony that most Americans could not find on a map. But Americans [†¦] would become acquainted with Korea in a war that would turn out be the third bloodiest in their history [†¦] and which for Koreans themselves would prove the greatest catastrophe in their national history (p. 2). First Blood It depends which side is asked. For the U.S. and UN Command, it was the North Koreans who drew first blood and attacked without warning nor any form of declaration of war. It seems that history is repeating itself once again for Americans just like in Pearl Harbor. But according to the communist-backed regime they were just retaliating from what the South has been doing for the past several months. The truth of the matter is that both sides were engaged in skirmishes that were serious prelude to war. Sandler asserts that it was an, â€Å"†¦armed conflict between the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea and the Republic of South Korea, which had been conducting mutual border raids for more than a year† (p. 2).  At any rate the U.S. led forces were caught by surprise that fateful day of June 25, 1950. Even if they will deny it, it is now clear that the North were prepared to launch an attack and the offensive move was purely intentional. Buildup Kim Il Sung the de facto leader of the newly established North Korean Regime began to make plans to invade South Korea. This plan was of course made in secret but nevertheless in close coordination with Russia’s Stalin and China’s Mao Tse-tung. According to Allan Millett the origin of this plan can be traced back to a change in the policy of Kim Il Sung’s benefactor to communize the whole Korean Peninsula (p. 102). It seems that Russia is no longer contented with being kept in check by a ridiculous 38th parallel and would like very much to gobble the whole Korean Peninsula. â€Å"The Soviets, however, came to realize that the goal of communizing the entire peninsula could not be achieved through such limited tactics, and decided to resort to more violent means† (Millet, p. 102). In December of 1948 the Soviets made the first tactical move to befuddle the U.S. by withdrawing their troops unilaterally out of North Korea. Then the Russian government turned around and invited the top brass of North Korea and China’s military for a buildup. Millet bared that the troika agreed to â€Å"†¦build up the strength of the North Korea People’s Army (NKPA), around 6 shock divisions, 8 combat and 8 reserve divisions, and 2 armored divisions and to complete the war preparations within 18 months (i.e., by June 1950)† (p. 103). The NKPA was able to do all of these like clockwork revealing a tremendous level of preparedness and dangerous intent. Level of Preparedness While the NKPA was psychologically and physically prepared to engage in battle the ROK (Republic of Korea) army though prepared for future skirmishes and for another round of border raids was not truly ready for a full scale war. The South was not ready to face an enemy dead set in gobbling them up and desiring to unite the whole peninsula once again. It took at least five days after the initial offensive of NKPA for the U.S. to make a coherent response. â€Å"On June 30, US President Harry S. Truman authorized US ground forces to stop the North Korean attack† (Boose, p. 4). This led to losses in the early rounds of the fighting and led Boose to comment, â€Å"It was able to do little to delay the KPA, but additional forces were on the way† (p. 4). Aside from differing interests and the reasonably defective intelligence from the Western nations – or they would have known of an imminent attack – there is the psychological reason for being unprepared. Sandler made a comment why it was unlikely for the Korean Peninsula to be plunged into such a bloody conflict. And he wrote: In looking back (before World War II) †¦ it would be difficult to imagine a more homogeneous and united nation than Korea. [†¦] they are of the same culture with minor north-south variations throughout the peninsula, and the Korean language – Hangul – is universal. Korean cultural homogeneity can be illustrated in its place name, a source of confusion for non-Korean UN personnel throughout the war: Inchon/Ichon, Masan/Musan, Paengnyong/Pyongyan/Pyonggang Pyongchang, Taejon/Taechon, Pukchong/Pukchang†¦(p. 3). That and the eighteen month head start is creating a great advantage for the NKPA. In the end this advantage would create a stalemate and would result in the present division of Korea and the unexpected survival of this communist state even though its patron the great USSR had long been dismantled. NKPA Preparedness The North Korean and the communist forces were not only decisive and aggressive they were able to create a force enough to challenge U.S. and UN supremacy in the South. The book, â€Å"Communist Logistics in the Korean War† by Charles Shrader is an excellent source in getting an in-depth look at what happened on the other side. Too many times the victors or the presumed victors in the case of the Korean War are all too willing to gloss over their mistakes and hype their successes. The focal point of this book is the refutation of the myths perpetuated by the Americans and UN forces that were then passed on to people back home and unfortunately was taken in as gospel truth. Shrader asserts and this is quite a revelation: One of the more persistent myths of the Korean War is that North Korean and Chinese communist solders were able to subsist on a mere handful of rice per day obtained all their arms and ammunition from their enemies, and moved all supplies by animal cart or human porters. Although supply requirements of NKPA and CCF in Korea were amazingly low when compared to the requirements for equivalent UNC units, the Communist forces did generate substantial requirements for formal supply and transport forward of tremendous quantities of food, petroleum products, weapons, and ammunition (p. 89). The U.S. and UN led coalition were more technically advanced but this is not the most important thing in any given war. It is the level of preparedness that is important. That level of preparedness can only be gauged in relation to the environment where a battle will be waged. Let’s say for example that forces are slugging it out in a heavy-forested area with a very steep incline. No matter how sophisticated the military jeeps are, this kind of technology will be rendered effective. In another example where the passageway in a body of water is narrow and shallow no matter how technologically advanced the frigates are it would be foolish to attack using this route since one sunken vessel can immobilize the whole fleet. In other words tactics and logistics are the most important aspects to consider and not just technology. This is the bone of contention in Shrader’s books – the South Korean forces was wrong in thinking that they were technically superior. This led Shrader to remark that:  NKPA-CCF logistical doctrines and methods were characterized by flexibility and innovation, which allowed them to compensate for comparative lack of material resources and modern technology [†¦] NKPA and CCF logistical organizations were equally flexible and often exhibited great variation in form, strength, and equipment of the assigned service units (p. 25). What contributed well to the high level of preparedness by the NKPA – aside from the Soviet support of course – is the broad range of natural resources present in North Korea. This includes water, power, timber, rare strategic materials e.g. tungsten, zinc, graphite reserves, substantial iron ore deposits, copper, lead, cobalt, asbestos, molybdenum, nickel, gold and silver (Shrader, p. 60). This resulted to an almost miraculous surge in North Korea’s war time production of needed materiel that surpassed pre-1945 levels: 1) 166,000 tons of pig iron; 2) 144,000 tons of steel ingot; and 3) 116,000 tons of finished steel (Shrader, p. 61). Summing it all up the major source of military materiel came via USSR which supplied the NKPA with aircraft, tanks, vehicles, communications equipment, heavy artillery, and ammunition. In addition to that, a portion of their needs were supplied by third country suppliers (Shrader, p. 60).  Thus when the communist forces launched the initial attack in June of 1950 their combined forces produced the following massive force in the eve of the attack:  Ã¢â‚¬ ¦135,000 men in two corps comprising eight full-strength infantry divisions, two half-strength infantry divisions, an armored brigade, an independent infantry regiment, a motorcycle reconnaissance regiment, and five brigades of the Bo An Dae, or Border Constabulary (Shrader, p. 90). What is more amazing is the development of the NKPA forces after the 1950s. After suffering setbacks from the retaliatory attacks of the UN command, the NKPA in the middle of 1951 the â€Å"rebuild NKPA included 213,600 men in twenty-three infantry divisions, one mechanized division, one armored division, and two independent infantry brigades controlled by seven corps headquarters. NKPA strength peaked in October 1952 at around 266,000 men in eighteen divisions and six independent brigades† (Shrader, p. 90). If this was not enough to give the South Koreans and its allies a full plate, the Chinese and the Soviets entered the fray in the guise of helping a beleaguered brother-in-arms. The forces supplied by the People’s Republic of China was more than enough to bring this regional level conflict into World War scale. The following data proves the serious intent of the communist bloc: By late November 1950 some 300,000 Chines Communist troops were in Korea: 180,000 in the six armies (eighteen divisions) of the XIIIth Army Group [†¦] 120,000 in the three armies (twelve divisions) of the IXth Army Group [†¦] on 1 July 1952, fify-one CCF divisions with some 540, 200 men manned the line across Korea from the west coast to the central Taebaek Range and were supported by about 10,000 Soviet and Soviet-bloc advisors and technicians (Shrader, p.90).  This is the extent of the level of North Korea’s preparedness and a sample of their resolve to win this war. ROK Preparedness Stanley Sandler in a few words was able to encapsulate the true state of South Korea’s forces before the attack by saying that June 25, 1950 was a Sunday and that fully one-half of the ROK Army was on leave (p. 48).  In the initial stage of the attack which was not at all done quietly and with any subtlety: heavy bombardment, followed by a blitzkrieg attack of some 150 Soviet-built T-34-85, 110 warplanes and a crossing of the 38th Parallel by a rampaging Korean People’s Army. Still there was an awfully delayed reaction to the events at hand. Sandler explained the reason for such a weak response due to the aforementioned soldiers who were on leave, the high number of civilian leaders who were out of the country and the mistaken notion that what just occurred was another border raid.  With regards to the presence of U.S. troops, Gordon Rottman lamented that fact that it was such in great shape a mere five years before the conflict and would have come handy in a time like this. But Rottman revealed that the U.S. government intentionally reduced its military strength not only in Korea but also in the Far East. Rottman comments on the closest source for help which are the forces stationed in Japan and he wrote: Tank companies stationed in Japan had only M24 light tanks as Japanese roads and bridges could not support heavier M4A3 and M26 tanks. M24s were no match for North Korean T-34s, one of the best tanks to appear in World War II. The divisions in Japan also lacked their reconnaissance, military police, and replacement companies [†¦] These divisions consisted of 12,500 to 13,600 troops rather than the full-strength 18,804 (p. 3). At first glance, South Korea does not stand a chance against the forces of Communism. Ironically, the same benefactor who gave NKPA a tactical and logistical advantage (USSR) became the source of their demise. Sensing that the North/South conflict is just a prelude for something bigger Russia’s enemies were banded together for a common cause, which is to prevent the USSR and Communism from expanding worldwide. This resulted in a pledge of commitment to provide support in a scale reminiscent of Word War II. When the NKPA was not able to achieve total victory, this gave the U.S. and UN led coalition to regroup and pose a decent defense of South Korea. Rottman expounded on this idea by saying that: The Korean War was to be the UN’s first commitment of armed forces to conduct and end a war [†¦] the UN called on all member nations to support the military effort in Korea. Fifty-three countries approved of armed action against North Korea: 15 committed ground combat forces, nine provided naval forces, six sent air force elements, and five contributed medical support, either military or civilian (p. 117). Bright Spot In general there is nothing that U.S. armed forces could be proud of in the Korean War. There was really no clear victor, no territory was gained and as mentioned earlier it was the third bloodiest in the history of war where casualties are at a significant high.  The only good thing that could be seen or learned from this incident is the demonstration of what bravery and commitment can do to an organization. Here one can also see the difference between a regular soldier in the U.S. Army as opposed to the brave and the few of the U.S. Marine Corp. Hugh Deane quoted Andrew Greer when describing the essence of being a marine, â€Å"In any small unit battle the outstanding behavior of a few men is always discernible over the others [†¦] The scale is tipped by a few – by the ten percent – who rise to the heights where the enemy and death can be met without a hesitant step† (p. 97). British historian Max Hastings remarked, â€Å"Most of the Eight Army fell apart as a fighting force in a fashion resembling the collapse of the French in 1940, the British in Singapore in 1942. But he reported the praiseworthy strong resistance of the U.S. Marines in the northeast† (as cited in Deane, p. 111). A particular example was raised by Deane when he commented on the enemy’s attack tactics that looked like suicide attempts characterized by sending small units that more often than not gets wiped out. This is followed by wave after wave of such small unit attacks against a selected point until a breakthrough is achieved and here comes the main force. This was effective in demoralizing troops. But according to Deane this would not work against the marines. â€Å"†¦but against the marines in the Northeast the results were often frustrating. The marines constructed strongly fortified outposts in the hilly-forested Chosin area and defended them fiercely with a good deal of success (p. 129). Conclusion Almost all wars are considered a waste of time, money, effort and lives of men. The Korean War was no exception. Considering the following statistics makes one shake hid head over the folly of war:  The North Korean armed forces lost approximately 600,000 men in the fighting, in addition to two million civilian casualties. The Chinese [†¦] an estimated 1 million casualties. Losses to the ROK are estimated at 70,000 killed, 150,000 wounded and 80,000 captured. One million South Korean civilians were killed or injured. The USA lost 33,600 men kiled nad 103,200 wounded (Malkasian, p. 88). What adds insult to injury is the futility of not having a clear victor, no territories were gained and nothing significant was achieved except perhaps for a few lessons in the book of tactics. The level of preparedness of both camps explained the reason for the stalemate. The South Korea side was backed up by a technologically superior U.S. and UN led coalition but it was not mentally prepared to wage this war. Almost every action done on the part of South Korea was mostly reactionary and defensive. Most importantly, the United States was treading on thin ice since a miscalculation and overkill can easily escalate the regional conflict into a global war. With the Second World War fresh from people’s minds there is no incentive to go full force. Although the NKPA was well prepared and very much flexible in their serious bid to unite the Korean Peninsula it does not have the technological edge to overpower the U.S. and UN forces. On a more important note, the attack on South Korea was a supposed to be a defensive act. Therefor the USSR could not be seen as fully involved and thus it can only work from the background.  That sums up the futility of this exercise but nevertheless it is a good prelude to understand the Cold War and the other similar conflicts that came after it like Vietnam and Afghanistan. References Deane, H. (1999). The Korean War. San Francisco, CA: China Books and Periodicals, Inc. Huston, J. A. (1988). Outposts and Allies: U.S. Army Logistics in the Cold War. New Jersey: Associated University Press. Malkasian, C. (2001). The Korean War. University Park, IL.: Osprey Publishing. Shrader, C. (1995). Communist Logistics in the Korean War. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Millet, A. R. (1997). The Korean War. Seoul: Korea Institute of Military History. Sandler, S. (1999). The Korean War: No Victors, No Vanquished. Kentucky: University of Kentucky Press. Rottman, G. (2002). Korean War Order of Battle. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.            

Music Provides Insight to the “Outsiders” Essays

Music Provides Insight to the â€Å"Outsiders† Essays Music Provides Insight to the â€Å"Outsiders† Essay Music Provides Insight to the â€Å"Outsiders† Essay Essay Topic: The Outsiders â€Å"Jane Says† is a moving depiction of a prostitute addicted to heroine written and performed by the band Jane’s Addiction.   The band was named after this woman, who was a person the lead singer Perry Farrell knew well.   He was moved enough by her situation that he did this in her honor. The song is one of the more mainstream Jane’s Addiction tracks and is played on several radio stations capturing a large American audience. Jane’s only real love is the drug that consumes her.   The lyrics state that she has never been in love and only knows when a man wants her for sex.   Her life is a vicious cycle that only other â€Å"outsiders† understand.   She prostitutes for drugs, uses the drugs and goes back out seeking money.   She keeps promising herself to no avail that she will â€Å"kick tomorrow†, as in stop using heroine.   She, also, believes that she will save her money and go to Spain. The lyrics suggest that she is sad and angry, but does not know how to get out of this bad situation. This song can be analyzed in the context that all outsiders experience these issues in different forms.   One begins dangerous behavior and alienates themselves from mainstream society.   They then begin a roller-coaster of what society labels deviant and their cycle continues and spins out of control. I believe that it is positive that this song is played on many American radio stations, so that those, who do not understand the plight of these â€Å"outsiders† can be somewhat enlightened.   The important token to be taken from this lyrical work is that even those in the most destitute situations still have dreams and feelings. In conclusion what â€Å"Jane Says† is what all outsiders say in different ways.   We should not give up on people in these situations, just because mainstream society has shunned them.   When people still have dreams of a better life, they may change.   The problem is they will never be able to fully integrate back into the mainstream with so much judgment and misunderstanding on people ignorant to these lifestyles.   This only pushes them back in the trenches.

Kim by Rudyard Kipling

Kim by Rudyard Kipling What the Story is All About The novel â€Å"Kim† by Rudyard Kipling is an adventure story revolving around a young man named Kimball O’Hara. The story begins by highlighting the young boy, Kim, meeting Lama and deciding to follow him in quest of his religious fulfillment as a disciple. On page 14, â€Å"†¦Kim followed like a shadow† (Kipling 14).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Kim by Rudyard Kipling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More What Lama is talking about has totally mesmerized Kim as he sees Lama to be totally different. He (Kim) decides to investigate him (Lama) as he would for a strange festival in Lahore city. Lama is searching for the River of the Arrow, which he believes will provide him the salvation he wants and cleanse him of his sins (Kipling 29). Kim is an Irish boy living in India, born to a father who was a soldier. He grew up as an orphan as his father and mother died when he was at a tender age. Kim wanders with Lama into Lahore where they look at the Buddhist relics as Lama seeks to get off the ‘Wheel of Things’. Kim is fascinated by Lama while Lama, on the other hand, feels that Kim is sent to him as a disciple or ‘chela’ (Kipling 29). As Lama seeks the prophecy made by his father, this quest leads Kim into another strand of the novel His recruitment in the British secret service. Besides some interruption of their friendship, Lama and Kim remains friend even when Kim is attending school. However, the recruitment in the secret service allows him to participate in the ‘great game’ of spying to fight Russians. The Novel is mainly about friendship of Teshoo Lama and Kim, also between Kim and colonel Creighton. Women also play a crucial role in the novel, but they feature as providers and prostitutes though there is some mention of respectable women, the widow of Kulu †¦ Kim’s mother was Kulu (Kipling 288), and there is also Shalegh. Kim is captured when he found some secretes. Kim holds the native culture and the soldiers have British mentality. There is a unique way of showing clash of culture as used by the author. Even as he thinks of escaping back to Lama, Kim is imprisoned and forced to wear what he describes as Horrible stiff suit (Kipling 288), the form of clothing he says rasped his arms and legs (Kipling 288).Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Kim finally meets Colonel Creighton, a man he can revere, a father-figure and a man similar to Lama. The colonel recognizes the intelligence and exceptional skills Kim had, and he markedly influenced Kim’s life as he seeks to define himself. Kim trained as a spy. Kim and Lama are interdependent since that was an excuse for Kim to travel around India and an ideal cover up to spy, whereas Lama mostly depended on Kim to solicit shelter and a shoulder to lean on literally. The climax of the story is when Kim sets to intercept two foreign spies, one French and Russian, working in Himalayas. Kim and Babu both secret agents are crucial in preventing the spies. Lama brings the espionage mission to success because as Kim fought one of the spies who had provoked Lama tearing his diagram, Kim stumbles into the spies secrete documents. The fight ends Lama’s quest as he finds the river of the Arrow and Kim hands the secret documents to authorities. Levels of Meaning in Kim Kim is a novel that can be described to have had multiple levels of meaning. The novel is a drama about Kim who is ambitious and having his way. The book is also an adventure tale of Kim following Lama and finding himself in espionage activities. The book is also a mystical exegesis of a certain way of behavior. Kim presents different sets of meaning related to cultural imperialism and colonial dispossession. These factors foreshadows Kim’s ending. In the story, Kim, the Kipling developed the phrase Wheel of things to describe the religious symbol (16). Lama says that people are usually held up in their lives and struggle to get freedom from the wheel, or the routine of events. The wheel of things has a number of Buddhist connotations, the routine way of conducting their day to day activities. Human beings are deemed to have a destiny; to live and work as they live on earth and life after. Buddhism provides humanity an escape to cycle, the wheel. Religion provides spiritual guidance and renunciation of earthly delusions and attachments. This level of meaning by symbolism makes use of the wheel to represent time. In fact, Buddha has a Jain concept which is its emblem. Lama believed that by finding the river of the arrow, he can bath in it and his soul would be cleansed and then set free.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Kim by Rudyard Kipling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The novel describes the journey of Lama and Kim through India. They experience a marvelous spectacle of different landscapes, peoples and works. The world is experiencing notable works that seem to be continuous – the book describes it as the world is going and coming. Kipling also brings in the experiences of different people, â€Å"bankers and tinkers, pilgrims and potters, barbers and bunnias† (63). Among these people, there are those with long hair, those with a strong scent and food sellers etc. all these different descriptions of people were symbolically bound on the wheel – they are bound from life after life. Lama says there are some things that have not yet been exposed to these people. They strive through mile upon mile†¦ they are journeying through Samsara (Kipling 34). The Authors Attitude to the Government of the British Raj Rudyard Kipling foregrounds the way the non-western countries were colon ized and dispossessed by the imperialist capitalist British. Kipling throughout the novel portrays himself as intelligent though unusually sensitive. Despite that, he shows Kim, equally intelligent been treated as an inferior person by the British just because he is not white as he follows Lama. The western civilization regards itself as superior to other both culture racial and culture wise. This is a belief that Kip Inadvertently internalized while he was living India. Kipling uses Kim to present his feeling for the old traditions imperialist forces. The Britons colonized other countries while stating that it was a way of giving their colonies proper civilization. While doing this, the British deprived the Indians of their ancestral land and cultural inheritance. Kipling seems to be an imperialist, and his novel exemplifies attitude towards the British government ruling India. Today, the British rule is wholly undesirable and disgusting. Kipling seems to believe that the Britons h ave the right to own India and that it was proper for them to do so as they rule the Indians. This stance as questionable did not cross his mind when he was writing the book. During that time, there must have been a substantial uproar of rebellion among Indians against British rule. This is obvious, in chapter three of the book as an old soldier making comments on the 1857 downright mutiny; he dismisses it as madness. Kipling says, â€Å"The madness that was eating into all the army and they turned against their soldier’s† (100). In the following chapter, justice is overseen. They understand the land and know its customs (Kipling 124). These are just some of the ways Kipling’s Imperialist attitude towards British penetrated his story.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Like many other people who were born in India under colonial rule, he thinks that the situation should be unquestionable. The adult Kipling should, however, not look at it that way and hide in his past viewpoint or preconception as a child. There are some instances of patronizing comments like †¦the curator smiled at the mixed traditional piety and modern development that are not of the modern India (Kipling 59). This is only his opinion and not that of Kim in the story. There are several other harsh and biased generalization regarding India and its citizens. Kipling also narrates that British way of the rule was superior (28-29). Despite having an attitude against India, he also has some love. The author has incredible insider’s knowledge of Indians in the colonial period. He hence admires the culture and the people. The novel hence celebrates India, describing its landscapes as magnificent, superb rural and urban scenes as well as many fascinating native characters. Au thor’s Perception of Human Nature The author presents a range of human characters like religious beliefs and seeking for love and satisfaction in life. As Kim and Lama travel, Kim is highly social, which is human nature, and he makes acquaintances with the people they encounter. For instance, Kim could talk to Kulu, a widow who was also a traveler with her daughter. Kim was able to use his charm to get her to help them in exchange for prayers from Lama to bless her future grandsons (Kipling 129). With exceptional expedient knowledge of the human nature, Kim gets many of the things he and Lama want for their survival. In their journey, Lama continues to preach to people, impacting their emotions, actions, attachment to earthly materials. Human beings constantly seek to attain enlightenment. Kipling’s story has been prose of shallow kind. There are many wishful thoughts, particularly about human nature, and they end in multicultural insistence that British culture was su perior to other cultures like Indian culture in this instance. The Requirements of Being an Intelligence Officer, a Spy The upbringing of Kim was quite unusual as he was an orphan; he needed a father figure and a mother. He also sought to get to define himself as an important member of the society. Besides that he wanted to fulfill his spiritual duty. It is through his journeys with Lama that he meets Colonel Creighton. In him, he finds the father figure he had been looking for. This part brings out the requirements of an intelligence officer as wisdom, experience, and education. This is contrasted to the drummer boy, Bennett. Colonel Creighton identifies Kim as intelligence and having exceptional skills. These are requirements best fit for a spy. This is the highest ranking personnel of the British government to be mentioned in the novel, he influences Kim’s quest to define himself. He takes Kim for training to be a spy. He trains when he is not in school. However, Kim train ed under Creighton’s associates after he completes school. Kim is social elite who can make friends and acquaintances unusually fast (Kipling 16). This element is seen when he is used by Lama to get shelter. His zeal to make it successful in life sees him jump into the great game of espionage like a duck in water (Kipling 98). This character is perfect for spying. He developed his inquisitiveness and adventurous personality from his childhood, as he ran secret missions across rooftops in Lahore. Kim renounced his normal life to follow Lama and cover up to work as a spy. He led a life of camouflage and deception where no one understood his motives, which were ulterior. Conclusion In conclusion, the novel, â€Å"Kim† underscores the life of Kim coupled with his adventures with Lama, a religious icon. However, the story highlights different meanings of Kim. Moreover, the author plays up his attitude towards the British Empire and sheds some light on his perception of huma n nature before giving some qualities of a spy. Work Cited Kipling, Rudyard. Kim. London: Macmillan Co Ltd, 2009. Print.

Finding a Job for English Learners

Finding a Job for English Learners Understanding your potential employer can help you get the job you are looking for. This section focuses on developing interviewing skills that will help you prepare for a job interview in an English speaking country. The Personnel Department The personnel department is responsible for hiring the best possible candidate for an open position. Often hundreds of applicants apply for an open position. In order to save time, the personnel department often uses a number of methods to select applicants who they would like to interview. Your cover letter and resume must be perfect in order to ensure that you will not be looked over because of a minor mistake. This unit focuses on the various documents required for a successful job application, as well as interviewing techniques and appropriate vocabulary to use in your resume, cover letter and during the job interview itself. Finding a Job There are many ways to find a job. One of the most common is looking through the positions offered a section of your local newspaper. Here is an example of a typical job posting: Job Opening Due to the enormous success of Jeans and Co., we have a number of job openings for shop assistants and local management positions. Shop Assistant:  Successful candidates will have a high school degree with at least 3 years working experience and two current references. Desired qualifications include basic computer skills. Key responsibilities will include operating cash registers and providing customers with any help they may need. Management Positions:  Successful candidates will have a college degree in business administration and management experience. Desired qualifications include management experience in retail and thorough knowledge of Microsofts Office Suite. Responsibilities will include management of local branches with up to 10 employees. Willingness to move frequently also a plus. If you wish to apply for one of the above vacancies, please send a resume and cover letter to our personnel manager at: Jeans and Co.254 Main StreetSeattle, WA 98502 The Cover Letter The cover letter introduces your resume or CV when applying for a job interview. There a few important things that need to be included in the cover letter. Most importantly, the cover letter should point out why you are particularly suited to the position. The best way to do this is to take the job posting and point out the highlights in your resume that exactly match the desired qualifications. Here is an outline to writing a successful cover letter. To the right of the letter, look for important notes concerning the layout of the letter signaled by a number in parenthesis (). Peter Townsled35 Green Road (1)Spokane, WA 87954April 19, 200_ Mr. Frank Peterson, Personnel Manager (2)Jeans and Co.254 Main StreetSeattle, WA 98502 Dear Mr. Trimm: (3) (4) I am writing to you in response to your advertisement for a local branch manager, which appeared in the Seattle Times on Sunday, June 15. As you can see from my enclosed resume, my experience and qualifications match this positions requirements. (5) My current position managing the local branch of national shoe retailers has provided the opportunity to work in a high-pressure, team environment, where it is essential to be able to work closely with my colleagues in order to meet sales deadlines. In addition to my responsibilities as manager, I also developed time management tools for staff using Access and Excel from Microsofts Office Suite. (6) Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to the opportunity to personally discuss why I am particularly suited to this position. Please telephone me at after 4.00 p.m. to suggest a time that we may meet. I can also be reached by email at petertnet.com Sincerely, Peter Townsled Peter Townsled (7) Enclosure Notes Begin your cover letter by placing your address first, followed by the address of the company you are writing to.Use complete title and address; dont abbreviate.  Always make an effort to write directly to the person in charge of hiring.Opening paragraph - Use this paragraph to specify which job you are applying for, or if you are writing to inquire whether a job position is open, question the availability of an opening.Middle paragraph(s) - This section should be used to highlight your work experience which most closely matches the desired job requirements presented in the job opening advertisement. Do not simply restate what is contained in your resume. Notice how the example makes a special effort to show why the writer is especially suited to the job position opening posted above.Closing paragraph - Use the closing paragraph to ensure action on the part of the reader. One possibility is to ask for an interview appointment time. Make it easy for the personnel department to conta ct you by providing your telephone number and email address. Always sign letters. enclosure indicates that you are enclosing your resume. Finding a Job For ESL Learners Finding a Job - Writing a Cover LetterWriting Your ResumeThe Interview: BasicsExample Interview QuestionsListen to a Typical Job InterviewUseful Job Interview Vocabulary

American Airlines Flight 1420 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Airlines Flight 1420 - Research Paper Example , underscore several key human factor failures and investigate how each of them generated some other failures by that creating a chain of errors that finally materialized to the accident. We shall address safety recommendations that would prove useful in the air travel industry. The findings regarding the accident of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82), N215AA reveal a situation that featured 2 flight crew members. It involved four flight attendants and 139 passengers (Aircraft accident report, 2001). The death toll hit 11, a tally that featured the captain and ten passengers. There were serious and minor injuries featuring 105 passengers, the first officer, and flight attendants. 24 passengers sustained no injuries (Aircraft accident report, 2001). The plane suffered destruction from impact forces plus post-crash fire (Aircraft accident report, 2001). Details regarding the crew operating American Airlines flight 1420 affirm that the captain and first officer were certified and qualified under the federal and company requirements. They were medically fit to conduct the flight with no tangible evidence of pre-existing conditions that would have adversely altered their performance. They were placed in charge of an equipped, certified and well-maintained aircraft with no evidence to suggest pre-existing failures of the engine and the entire system (Aircraft accident report, 2001). All decisions and outcomes were thus dependent on the flight crew soon after the departure. The accident was prompted partly by human mishap.The findings suggest that the initial decision to descend into the terminal area was marred by an approaching thunderstorm. However, the crew were rational enough to imagine that they would reach that particular area before the thunderstorm (Aircraft accident report, 2001). The weather factor poses a potential threat to the safety of the entire flight. But decisions regarding a last minute change of course of action would only happen when there is