Lévi-Straus Essay Example For Free At Magic Help - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 12 Words: 3567 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Anthropology Essay Type Essay any type Did you like this example? Question: What was the reaction of British anthropologists to Là ©vi-Strausss work? Claude Là ©vi-Strauss (1908) was and is the pope of structuralism, to quote Marcel Hà ©naff. (1998:2) As my account of his contribution to the shaping of this ‘method or ‘tool as he himself insisted on calling it (Kuper 1996:175, Hà ©naff 1998:6) later in this essay illustrates, that is something that can hardly be disputed. It is not so self-evident, however, what the overall importance of his work for social anthropology was, and how well-received his ideas were at the time of their emergence. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Là ©vi-Straus Essay Example For Free At Magic Help" essay for you Create order In this essay, I will focus on the latter question in the context of Britain, in particular with reference to Edmund Leach (1910-1989). To come to an answer to this question, I will first briefly describe the British anthropological landscape before the introduction of Là ©vi-Strausss concept of structuralism. Then I will give an outline of Là ©vi-Strausss ideas and his applications thereof, and assess of every aspect of Là ©vi-Strausss work to what extent it was valued, adopted and applied by British anthropologists such as Leach. It is hereby necessary that I pay attention to the positive reactions as well as the substantial criticism Là ©vi-Strauss received from British anthropologists. Finally, by summarizing previously made points, I will hopefully be able to assess whether the reaction of Leach and others to Là ©vi-Strausss structuralism and the ideas it brought forward was predominantly positive or negative and what the overall impact of Là ©vi-Strauss on Leachs an thropology was. Needless to say, Là ©vi-Strauss was not the first French theorist whose ideas would have noticeable influence in British anthropology. In the first half of the 20th century, after the ‘fall of Frazers evolutionism that aimed to compare the details of human culture on a worldwide scale, Durkheims sociological theories were a major inspiration for one of the central figures in British social anthropology: Radcliffe-Brown. (Leach 1970:7) His focus was on coherence within groups in (primitive) societies; put very simply, the dominant view was that all institutions and ‘aspects of cosmology such as religion served primarily to maintain the group structure, by functioning as tools for the recreation of appropriate sentiments and the enforcement of norms. (Kuper 1996:160) Radcliffe-Browns anthropology was clearly naturalist, in the sense that Radcliffe-Brown and his followers tended to assume that the associations and oppositions which people seized upon were somehow presented to them by their environment. (Ibid:170) Another important aspect of British anthropology, introduced by its ‘founding father, Malinowski, was the fact that it was thoroughly empiricist. The belief reigned that theories had to be distilled from empirical facts obtained through fieldwork. (Ibid:170) Malinowski and those in his tradition can be classified as functionalists, for the purpose of their research was to show how a community functioned as a social system, and how its individual members lived their lives. (Leach 1970:7) Là ©vi-Strauss was not the first anthropologist to be concerned with structure either. In fact, the Oxford school in the 1940s, led by Radcliffe-Brown, were already looking into the explicit code of social behaviour. However, they did not pay much attention to ‘psychological problems, that is to say, processes of thought, which was a result of their sociological orientation characterized by neglect of the tradition of Tylor and the culture concept. (Kuper 1996:159-160) It is worth noting that Là ©vi-Strauss entered anthropology from philosophy, for this explains the choice of many of his focal points. (Hà ©naff 1998:2) Là ©vi-Strauss, too, was inspired by Durkheim particularly by his later work on a model of society built up of segments integrated by force of mechanical or organic solidarity as well as by Mausss work on exchange, yet he came to different conclusions than Radcliffe-Brown and other British anthropologists, as we will see. (Kuper 1996:160,162) Other sources of inspiration for Là ©vi-Strauss were American cultural anthropologists from the tradition of Boas, as well as trends in psycho-analysis (notably Freud), mathematics and communication. (Leach 1967:XVI) But the most determinative influence on his work came from Roman Jakobson and his De Saussure-inspired linguistic theory, based on the distinction between ‘parole (code, utterances) and ‘langue (message, gr ammar). (Kuper 1996:160, Leach 1970:45-46) In the following section of my essay I will give an outline of the conclusions Là ©vi-Strauss came to through his research inspired by the abovementioned. I will first explain the goal of his work and his definitions of and views on certain concepts, and then discuss how he applied his method of structuralist analysis to the major themes in his work (in chronological order): kinship, primary classification, and myth. At the same time, I will shed light on the reactions of British anthropologists to these ideas, with specific reference to Leach. The interest of British social anthropologists in structuralism arose in the 1950s and 1960. British imperialism was falling into decay, and partly because of these circumstances British anthropology became more open to new, foreign ideas. (Kuper 1996:161) The goal of Là ©vi-Strausss anthropology was a fundamentally different one from that of functionalists. His ultimate concern was to und erstand social relations by uncovering the social structure and, in that way, to establish facts which are true about ‘the human mind. To achieve this, he reasoned, one should use models. (Hà ©naff 1998:14, Leach 1970:7) â€Å"In anthropology as in linguistics [†¦], it is not comparison that supports generalization, but the other way around. If, as we believe to be the case, the unconscious activity of the mind consists in imposing forms upon content, and if these forms are fundamentally the same for all minds ancient and modern, primitive and civilized [†¦] it is necessary and sufficient to grasp the unconscious structure underlying each institution and each custom, in order to obtain a principle of interpretation valid for other institutions and other customs, provided of course that the analysis is carried far enough.† (Là ©vi-Strauss 1963:21) In order to understand his work, it is important to determine what Là ©vi-Strauss understood when using the term ‘social structure. He went further than Radcliffe-Brown, who defined social structure as the set of social relations organized in a system, by arguing that a structure was in fact a model of which social relations are just the â€Å"raw materials† and that therefore â€Å"social structure can, by no means, be reduced to the ensemble of the social relations to be described in a given society†. (Hà ©naff 1998:13-14) According to Là ©vi-Strauss, a structure was conceivable only where there was a sufficient degree of internal motivation (as opposed to arbitrariness). Therefore, certain objects only were receptive to the structural approach; their nature had to be closed and finite, and their function had to be to differentiate and order positions and statuses and to link groups through individuals. Là ©vi-Strauss focused primarily on primitive soci eties, for their forms of organization were stable and tending toward stability, and their activities limited and integrated. (Ibid:8-9) This groundwork of structuralism became a source of inspiration and guidance for various social anthropologists in Britain, such as Douglas, Needham, and most notably Leach, who Kuper described as â€Å"the most enthusiastic and original of the British social anthropologists who experimented with structuralism† and who was responsible for extending its range of applications. (Kuper 1996:173) Là ©vi-Strauss revived their interest in the study of systems of thought and encouraged them to apply linguistic methods onto their anthropological research, as I will illustrate when discussing individual themes in Là ©vi-Strausss work. Leach and other British structuralists adopted his notion of an ‘underlying grammar, that was based upon a series of binary oppositions which were related to form a system. (Ibid:172) Moreover, Leach always praised Là ©vi-Strauss for causing innovation in anthropology, in the sense that the latter was responsible for applying an original method to categories of orthodox ethnography and directing anthropologists attention towards problems that earlier British anthropologists scarcely considered. (Leach 1967:XVI-XVII) However, this is not to say that Leach was a ‘slavish imitator of Là ©vi-Strauss. (Leach 1967:XV) In fact, he challenged or in some cases even set aside some of the very foundations of Là ©vi-Strausss approach. (Hà ©naff 1998:70) First of all, the goal of Leachs research was different from Là ©vi-Strausss. Leach did not aim to identify psychological universals, but rather to elucidate particular social systems. (Kuper 1996:167) This different viewpoint on the purpose of structuralist analysis was caused by Leachs non-belief in the universality of the mind; he saw it as Là ©vi-Strausss own ‘invention, meant to create a philosophical extension of ethn ological results. (Hà ©naff 1998:113) Besides, Leach considered the linguistic model Là ©vi-Strauss employed too simplistic for the purpose of reaching into ‘the human mind. (Leach 1970:112) Rather than displaying the structure of the human mind, Là ©vi-Strauss had â€Å"ended up by telling us something about the structure of aesthetic perception.† (Ibid:113) Through ‘verbal juggling, as Leach called it, Là ©vi-Strauss tried to convince his readers of this theory that was generalized and paradoxical, for what is universally true must be natural while Là ©vi-Strauss held the humanity of man to be non-natural by definition (as I will explain in the section on primary classification). (Ibid:82,112) Leach, for one, never came to understand Là ©vi-Strausss notion of the mind fully. (Hà ©naff 1998:262) But perhaps the most important point of criticism from Leach and other structuralists and critics of Là ©vi-Strauss was that the initial model revolving ar ound ‘universally true, basic meaningful principles which Là ©vi-Strauss relied on was in fact a product of the observers own prejudiced presuppositions and rarely corresponded closely to an ethnographic reality. (Leach 1970:19,110) This point is related to the different stances on empiricism that Là ©vi-Strauss and most contemporaneous Anglo-American anthropologists held. Là ©vi-Strauss did value and indeed conduct observation, but as he believed in an underlying social structure and universality of the human mind, he saw ethnographic facts as displays of a theoretical model at work; mere examples of what is possible. (Ibid:42) As Hà ©naff put it: â€Å"In fact, he asked anthropology to proceed just like any science of observation: to be very empirical and meticulous regarding data gathering and very conceptual regarding the theorization of the set of such data.† (Hà ©naff 1998:15) Not surprisingly, this position caused significant resistance among Briti sh social anthropologists, even those who viewed structuralism positively. According to Leach, among others, it led to Là ©vi-Strauss treating his topics too theoretically and systematically and ignoring time, space, emotion and taboo throughout his research. (Leach 1970:87,60) In other words, he criticised Là ©vi-Strausss reductionism. Là ©vi-Strauss generally provided too little ethnographical evidence, and if he did, he seemed to select this ethnographical evidence to fit his theories. (Ibid:87,90,98,117) A consequence of this is that the contrary is difficult to demonstrate, and therefore Là ©vi-Strausss theories can not be critically tested. (Ibid:50,117) Kinship was the first object that Là ©vi-Strauss regarded receptive to the structural approach, and this is the field where the influence of Mauss was most perceptible. Là ©vi-Strauss came to the conclusion that reciprocity was the key for understanding kinship. He went as far as to say that marriage was the pri mary exchange system and that the system of exchanges of women formed the basis for the organization of all societies with any ideology of unilineal descent. (Ibid:104) A central position in his theory about kinship was occupied by the incest taboo, which provided certain prohibitions and in ‘simple kinship systems also a positive marriage rule as to who one can/cannot/should marry. In the case of the latter he drew an additional distinction between generalized and restricted exchange, and created a third ‘bastard form: delayed reciprocity, which is basically a generalized exchange system where the next rather than the same generation returns a woman. Là ©vi-Strauss identified the problem that generalized exchange was speculative and led to differences between groups in terms of their ‘richness in wives despite its egalitarian and integrative nature, an idea that Leach agreed with. (Kuper 1996:162-164) While studying kinship, Là ©vi-Strauss assumed that bot h the marriage rules and the actual marriage choices were more or less independent refractions of the single underlying, unconscious grammar of reciprocity and opposition. Therefore, he believed that the way to discover this grammar was either through an analysis of the peoples model, or of the statistical distribution of marriage choices, with a preference for the first method because of the influence political, economic and demographic factors have in practice. Là ©vi-Strauss was convinced that analysis of simple kinship systems could also illuminate complex kinship systems, for his research had shown that even in the absence of explicit rules a pattern of choices could be discovered. (Kuper 1996:164-165) Leach and his students adopted Là ©vi-Strausss view of society as a system of communication in which women were the ‘message. He made Là ©vi-Strausss analysis more specific by defining the units that exchanged women: local groups of adult males recruited by descent . (Kuper 1996:166-167) Leach did however reveal ambiguities in Là ©vi-Strausss ideas about kinship: Là ©vi-Strausss confusion of ‘marriage and ‘exogamy, the unclear meaning of ‘elementary structures and the mistaken presumption that unilineal descent systems were universal. (Leach 1970:102-105) Most importantly, Leach argued against Là ©vi-Strauss by pointing out that forms of exchange were adapted to political and economic circumstances. (Kuper 1996:167) In the 1960s, after having published several books on kinship systems, Là ©vi-Strauss himself too noticed that kinship was too embedded in social action to provide a sure guide to mental processes, which is why he shifted his scope to ‘purer expressions of social thought that did not deal with objects: primary classification and myth. (Ibid:169) In his works La Pensà ©e Sauvage and Le Totà ©misme aujourdhui, among others, Là ©vi-Strauss studied the way in which the social and natural environment was ordered by verbal categories. The human mind, he argued, imposed patterns on its world by classifying objects using terms that were arbitrary, yet the relationships between these terms had a more universal character. In this way, our process of thought created a set of binary oppositions that formed a system that could be applied to other kinds of relationships, for example between social groups. (Ibid:169-170) The most important oppositions in the structural conceptual system, and therefore in Là ©vi-Strausss work, were Culture/Nature and closely related Humanity/Animality. (Ibid:172, Leach 1970:36) Totemism, the application of transformations of the animal level categories to the social classification of human beings, is a method for members of a society to distinguish their fellow humans according to their mutual social status. (Leach 1970:39-40) Là ©vi-Strauss saw distinguishing between ‘two poles as necessary in the analysis of primitive thought and manifes tations thereof, such as myth, language, colours, and foodstuffs and their modes of preparation: â€Å"Where Barthes opposes system and syntagm, the corresponding contrasts in Là ©vi-Strauss are metaphor and metonym or sometimes paradigmatic series and syntagmatic chain [†¦]. Although the jargon is exasperating the principles are simple. As Jakobson put it, metaphor (system, paradigm) relies on the recognition of similarity, and metonymy (syntagm) on the recognition of contiguity.† (Ibid:48) The final conclusion Là ©vi-Strauss came to on the topic of the human mind, was that its ‘algebra could be represented as a rectangular matrix that could be read horizontally and vertically, and that this principle was universal.(Ibid:52) Là ©vi-Strausss works on primary classification belonged to his most Durkheimian, and they therefore became the ‘entry for many British social anthropologists to structuralism. (Kuper 1996:169) As I have made clear earlier, B ritish structuralists were extremely critical of Là ©vi-Strausss use of mathematical models. Despite the fact that he did not take all of Là ©vi-Strauss applications of structuralist analysis in the field of primary classification seriously (as was the case with Là ©vi-Strausss study on food preparation), Leach applied his less reductionist version of structuralist analysis in ‘new fields, for example on animals. Leach, as well as Douglas, had a particular interest in anomaly, and the taboos originating from it. Douglas was more critical than Leach on this point: she rejected Là ©vi-Strausss system of categories of thought for it failed to take into account the emotive force of symbolic action, and she also suggested the addition of a third term to binary oppositions. (Ibid:173) More or less simultaneously with studying primary classification, Là ©vi-Strauss started looking into myth. According to Là ©vi-Strauss, the aim of myths was to provide logical models ca pable of resolving some of the contradictions and problems people faced in their lives. (Ibid:172) Many of the myths he analysed had by that time already become divorced from their religious context, but in Là ©vi-Strausss eyes this did not make them any less valid for they still possessed their essential structural characteristics. (Leach 1970:56) Put very simply, Là ©vi-Strauss believed that the real message of myth was contained in a system of relationships (often binary oppositions) with which the myth concerned itself. (Kuper 1996:172) To identify these relationships, the myth should be broken up into incidents. (Leach 1970:62) Là ©vi-Strauss already referred to the importance of taking all versions of one myth into account in order to compare them. He saw the mythology of a given society as a whole as a ‘system, and each individual story as a syntagm of that system. (Ibid:67-69) Leach developed this latter notion further. According to him, the existence of multi ple myths was a matter of ‘redundancy in communication and an intrinsic and necessary feature of mythic tradition, for it ensured that the message, determining the myths social and political value by being a system of concepts and categories in terms of which a claim for power or status may be made, got through. The combination of several versions of one myth formed a structured system of categories organised in local relations of identification, opposition and mediation, which blurred the otherwise stark paradoxes and mysteries that arose. Therefore myth had a cognitive function. Only structuralist analysis could reveal abovementioned system, Leach argued, and thus discover the real message of a myth. (Hugh-Jones and Laidlaw 2000:14-15) While clearly using his method, Leach criticized Là ©vi-Strausss own research on myth for using sources that ‘normal people could not consult, and for considering predominantly myths about animals endowed with human attributes, th ereby supporting Là ©vi-Strausss from Rousseau derived thesis that the Humanity/Animality (or Culture/Nature) opposition was a primary concern in human thought. (Ibid:15, Leach 1967:IX) Finally, Leach disagreed with Là ©vi-Strausss belief that structuralist analysis could not be applied to the traditions of the world traditions as it was ‘sacred history rather than myth. Leach proved his point by conducting structuralist analysis on the Bible. (Hugh-Jones and Laidlaw 2000:16) Now I have described both the praise and criticism of Leach and some of his fellow British anthropologists that Là ©vi-Strausss structuralist analysis and his applications thereof received, the moment has come to return to the central question of this essay: what was the reaction of British anthropologists, specifically Leach, to Là ©vi-Strausss work? As I have shown, Là ©vi-Strausss structuralism was a departure from the functionalism and empiricism that reigned British anthropology in th e middle of the 20th century. The reductionism and the supposed universality of the human mind that Là ©vi-Strauss advocated were generally rejected, and his cavalier use of ethnographic evidence was disapproved of. Leach definitely was a fierce critic of the errors in Là ©vi-Strausss analysis, but at the same time he considered the ‘study of fallacies rewarding, and the complexity of Là ©vi-Strausss work revealing. (Leach 1970:111,118) Moreover, he and most other British ‘reviewers of Là ©vi-Strausss work could not deny that Là ©vi-Strauss had made significant theoretical observations and was responsible for creating a ‘new anthropology. Leach, like Douglas and Needham, drew a great deal of inspiration from Là ©vi-Strauss structuralism as abovementioned examples from the fields of myth, primary classification and to a lesser extent kinship have demonstrated. By taking both positive and negative aspects of Là ©vi-Strausss method into account, Leach dev eloped a less generalized, more empirical form of structuralist analysis, with a more realistic goal in mind, which he used come to improved conclusions on topics Là ©vi-Strauss had already looked into as well as to study other phenomena. â€Å"He has provided us with a new set of hypotheses about familiar materials. We can look again at what we thought was understood and begin to gain entirely new insights. It is not a question of Là ©vi-Strauss being right or Là ©vi-Strauss being wrong; it is more like literary or dramatic criticism. Faced with the challenge of a new point of view one is suddenly able to see the familiar in quite a different way and to understand something which was previously invisible.† (Leach 1967:XVIII) Bibliography Hà ©naff, M. 1998. â€Å"Introduction: Là ©vi-Strauss and Structuralism†, â€Å"Structures of Kinship†, â€Å"Unconscious Categories and the Universality of the Mind† and â€Å"Notes†. In Claude Là ©vi-Strauss and the Making of Structural Anthropology, 1-21. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Hugh-Jones, S. and Laidlaw, J. 2000. â€Å"On Scholastic Nonsense: Myth and History†. In The essential Edmund Leach, Volume II: Culture and Human Nature (ed.) S. Hugh-Jones and J. Laidlaw, 13-18. New Haven/London: Yale University Press. Kuper, A. 1996. â€Å"Là ©vi-Strauss and British neo-structuralism†. In Anthropology and Anthropologists: The modern British school, 3rd edition, 159-175. London: Routledge. Leach, E. 1967. â€Å"Introduction†. In The Structural Study of Myth and Totemism (ed.) E. Leach, VII-XIX. London: Routledge. Leach, E. 1970. Là ©vi-Strauss. London: Fontana/Collins. Là ©vi-Strauss, C. 1963. â₠¬Å"Introduction: History and Anthropology†. In Structural Anthropology, 1-30. New York: Basic Books.

How does the author create suspense in chapter two of the novel, in which Carl Heine’s body is discovered Free Essays

In this essay I am going to explain how the author, David Guterson creates suspense in chapter two. The author helps create suspense by using the typical technical structure of story writing and emphasises their use. David Guterson throughout the whole of the book uses a lot of descriptive imagery, especially in this chapter, which makes a significant additive in the story line. We will write a custom essay sample on How does the author create suspense in chapter two of the novel, in which Carl Heine’s body is discovered? or any similar topic only for you Order Now The main protagonists in this chapter are Art Moran, the town’s sheriff and Abel Martinson a young officer. The beginning of chapter two starts without informing the reader about the death of Carl Heine, so the reader doesn’t know Carl is dead, this is not revealed until the end of the chapter. The setting and pace of this chapter I think are the two most important elements that help create the suspense. This is because they create the atmosphere. The setting of most of chapter two is set on Carl Heine’s deserted boat, deserted as in the middle of the harbour and lonely in the thick fog, ‘A fog as palpable as cotton’ Is the description used by the author to describe the weather. The suspense is built up thicker and leaves the reader wondering why the boat is alone and not moving. Just before Carl Heine’s body is recovered the weather starts to change slightly and the fog starts to become clearer, which is a hidden meaning that the truth is becoming clearer, they are getting closer to the truth. On the boat Abel and Art find a lot of unforeseen objects that makes them wonder what is going on and again with the reader. ‘Silent fish’ Is the word to describe the salmon that has been found and has obviously been there for a while. The word silent is the keyword as it represents the atmosphere and possibly Carls death. Then the coffee cup tipped on its side, which shows struggle. The most mysterious item found was the battery dead that I think is symbolic of Carl Heine being dead. The pace of this chapter starts off very, very slow which reflects Carl Heine’s death. David uses a lot of history when describing the different characters, not to mention the specific details he goes in to describe them. ‘The sheriff was a lean figure, unimposing, who habitually chewed a stick of juicy fruit gum’ Is just one example of the description used. Also the author uses very long sentences, which again slows down the pace of the chapter, this changes towards the end of the chapter. The pace increases in speed, which also increases the intensity and the fact that something is going to happen. This is similar to a movie when they use music to create the atmosphere, start it off slow and then increase the speed to let the audience know something is going to happen but music cant be used in a book so they use the sentences and words to create their atmosphere. When the author increases the pace he uses words like ‘Thrust’ This is onomatopoeia, which David adds to create sound to the chapter. The pace slows down once Carl Heine’s body is discovered which lets the reader come to reality that the body or what Abel and Art were looking for has finally been found. This creativity also comes into use with the language. The language often stays the same throughout the chapter, but in this sense it helps the reader create a vivid image or picture of the person in your head. The language is also very repetitive which builds up the atmosphere in a sense of panic. The author then leaves Carls face as the last thing the two see and the fact that they don’t want to see it and they will have to eventually, is this sense of realisation. Not just for Abel and Art but for the reader, as it is such an intimate chapter. So therefore as seen the author very cleverly creates suspense by using and changing the language, pace, setting and using the characters wisely which makes this chapter more effective as it leaves the reader asking questions like, Why is the boat there? where’s Carl Heine? And most importantly what’s going to happen next? All these answered are eventually found out in the end of chapter two. How to cite How does the author create suspense in chapter two of the novel, in which Carl Heine’s body is discovered?, Papers

Peter Skrzynecki free essay sample

Several aspects of belonging can be explored through any of Peter Skrzynecki’s poems in the Immigrant Chronicle. Peter Skrzynecki explores belonging and its effect on him and his family. Belonging is a feeling that every human has a need to feel. When a person feels like they don’t belong they lose the feeling of security, they lack self esteem and an individual’s physical and physiological wellbeing can also be affected. In the poem â€Å"St Patrick’s College† shows the feeling of being unable to belong in such a day to day setting and the feeling of making his mother proud of him despite how embarrassed he felt not being of the same class with the students wearing the uniform that impressed her so much. In similarity the words expressed in the poem â€Å"Feliks Skrzynecki† again highlight the enormous feeling of isolation captured within the perimeters of his father’s world as he chose to exist in his own little cocoon bordered by memories of his homeland in Warsaw Poland. And my third and final poem is â€Å"10 Mary Street† which emphasizes the hardship many immigrants face on a cultural level. My chosen related texts to the poems mentioned above are â€Å"Camp Rock† a movie directed by Matthew Diamond and the childhood story of â€Å"the ugly duckling†. In the movie Camp Rock it explores a young girls desire to fit in to a school of musicians and the lengths she goes to in order to belong and be accepted amongst her peers. Just like Peter Skrzynecki need to also belong this movie is relative in the personal, cultural, historical and definitely the social contexts of belonging somewhere in life. As we all know, the moral of the story behind the meaning of the Ugly Duckling is that individuality is what we think is important but the pressure to be like everyone else is socially acceptable. The ugly duckling does not see herself as not belonging and the story is a great example of what it really means to belong. Peter Skrzynecki has shaped the poem St Patricks College into a personal and social context of belonging. In the poem you see Skrzynecki does the same routine every school day for eight years but each day on his way home he’s uncertain of his surroundings. An example of this in the poem is when Skrzynecki reveals â€Å"Like a foreign tourist, Uncertain of my destination Every time I got off† The simile expresses that his reflection on the way he felt that he was being treated as if he was a foreign tourist, due to his background not being Australian. The use of the simile helps the reader understand more on how Peter Skrzynecki felt at the time using descriptive language. The use of the word â€Å"every time† emphasises that he felt that way constantly. Skrzynecki symbolises the time he spent at the college using the technique of repetition on the three words â€Å"For eight years† This attracts attention to the length of time he spent at school and creates a feeling that he had been waiting so long for the eight years to be over so he could leave. In the first stanza Skrzynecki writes â€Å"Impressed by the uniforms Of her employers sons , Mother enrolled me at St Pat’s With never a thought To fees and Expenses – wanting only â€Å"What was best†. This quote describes that his mother wants him to attain the same status as her employers sons and has placed her belief system on her understanding that she is providing him with a better future then what she had by him attending the college. The poem reflects an extremely negative view of Skrzynecki’s time at the college seen in the second stanza when Skrzynecki is sitting under the principal’s window sticking pine needles into the school’s motto of his uniform. This shows the lack of respect that he has for the school which then follows up the thought that Skrzynecki is disrespecting the college because he doesn’t belong there, he feels that he isn’t accepted within the school community and this is his way of releasing his hurt and anger. In the last stanza Skrzynecki describes his last day at St Patricks College with the quote â€Å" That the darkness around me Wasn’t â€Å"for the best† Before I let my light shine† Concludes his journey as he detaches himself from the dark years at school and how he is now been set free to finally let his light shine. Throughout the duration of his eight years at St Patricks College his actions are indicative of his personal feeling of not belonging. This is also seen in Skrzynecki’s poem â€Å"Feliks Skrzynecki†. This is shown in the fifth stanza when the department clerk asks â€Å"Did your father ever attempt to learn English? This quote uses the technique of direct speech breaks down and asks the question of how someone can integrate into Australia and not know or learn the nationwide language. The poem also involves a historical context which is viewed through the concept of his desire to not socialise and integrate within the Australian community. This is shown in the third stanza when Skrzynecki writes â€Å" Talking, they reminisced About farms where paddocks flowered With corn and wheat. † The techniques used in this quote are imagery and descriptive language. With the use of imagery the reader depicts a visual image which creates a deeper understanding of the times Feliks is reminiscing and reflecting with his Polish friends. The Descriptive language used creates the descriptive understanding of what went on during pre – war Europe and the memories saturate the minds of Feliks and his friends. This technique explores the concept of belonging as we read Feliks exclude himself from the Australian culture which creates a cultural concept of not being accepted. 0 Mary Street is a cultural and social context shaped within belonging. As long hours and long days subside to daily rituals as quoted in the poem â€Å"For nineteen years We departed Each morning † Of the keeping the memories of Poland alive within the walls of the family home only highlight the isolation for Peter Skrzynecki as his feeling of not belonging to his Australian roots run deeper that the vegetable roots so lovingly watered each day in the backyard. Personification, similes and metaphors have been used in the poem to create the meaning of how the Skrzynecki’s put themselves in the category of â€Å"outsiders† choosing not to adapt to their new life and trying to establish their old life in their new surroundings. My first related text camp rock shows the significance of the â€Å"belonging† connection between Skrzynecki and â€Å"camp rock† is easily attributed to the belief system of what the word actually means to each person. Mitchie wants to be a musician but believes she will not be accepted based on her perception of what she thinks will make her feel accepted by the group so she presents with a false exterior in the hope of finally â€Å"belonging†. For my second related text Ugly Ducking reveals that born being different and basically labelled â€Å"ugly† is certainly a stereotype no one ever wants to feel. The meaning behind this story is relative in our desire to be accepted and the hurdles we may endure along the way. If you look into the mirror you see a reflection you are supported to accept no matter what you see. What happens inside our head is based on our inner strength and this story reflects and confirms that even the animal kingdom face rejection and the need to be needed. In conclusion the poems can be collectively summarised via personal, cultural, historical and social context so for example if you are the â€Å"ugly duckling â€Å"or â€Å"Feliks† living on â€Å"10 Mary Street† attending â€Å"St Patricks College† hopeful to graduate to the prestigious â€Å"Camp Rock† the message to hold onto is just be yourself no matter what uniform you wear, whatever country you are in, there is somewhere we all belong.

11 Things You Must Avoid During ACT Practice Tests

Things You Must Avoid During ACT Practice Tests SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re using practice tests for your ACT prep, great job! That’s the best way to prepare for the ACT, but how do you make sure you’re learning from each ACT practice exam you take? How do you make sure you’re really prepared for the actual ACT? You must sit for each ACT practice exam with realistic testing conditions. What might you be doing (maybe on accident) that’s destroying your realistic testing conditions? #1: Not Using Accurate ACT Timing When taking ACT practice test, you need to use the exact timing from the real ACT.The ACT is extremely tough on time. It’s a very fast-paced test.If you’re not using the actual timing in your practice, you won’t be ready the day of your ACT test. Use the real ACT time on your practice test, so you have your pacing down when you take the real ACT.Think of ACT prep like marathon training. You wouldn’t show up to run a marathon without timing your practice runs and expect to win 1st place. Do you know the exact timing of the ACT?If not, you can find the time allowed for each ACT section listed on the first page of that section of the practice test. See below: If you’d like to know more about timing, read about the exact timing of the ACT. #2: Using Your Cell Phone Wait, Dora, didn’t you just say I need to time my ACT practice tests, and if I can’t use my cell phone, how do I do that?You need to use a watch.If you ignore my advice and use your cell phone to keep time, you’ll likely feel a little lost in timing when you’re not able to use your cell phone the day of the test. (NOTE: you can’t use your phone at all at your test center even during the test breaks). So don’t use your cell phone! Buy an inexpensive watch like this one which you could use when you take the real ACT.Buy the watch now so that you can start using it during practice tests, so you get familiar using it to pace yourself. But, Dora, what if I time myself with my cell phone in airplane mode?No!!!That’s better than using your cell phone in regular mode. However, you will still feel lost the day of the test when you can’t use it to time yourself the day of the test. Dora, what if I need to use my cell phone as a calculator?BAD!As I said, you won’t have access to your cell phone at all while at your test center, so buy yourself an approved calculator now if you don’t have one and use it during your practice on ACT Math. You can check Instagram when your practice test is over! #3: Using Your Calculator During the Entire ACT Practice Test While we’re talking about calculators, remember you can only use your calculator on the math section.Do not have your calculator on your desk for the Reading, Writing, Science, and the Essay.Only have your calculator during the one math section that allows you to use a calculator. #4: Watching TV, Listening to Music, and/or Wearing Ear Plugs Some students watch tv and/or listen to music while taking ACT practice tests, and it will be a distraction, decreasing their score because they can’t concentrate.Others watch tv and/or listen to music, and it helps them maintain their focus, artificially increasing their score.Whichever category you fall into, you should never have the TV or music playing while you take an ACT practice test.Familiarize yourself with taking the ACT in a quiet room. However, you cannot wear ear plugs during your practice tests.I understand many people like wearing ear plugs because it cuts out background noise and helps maintain focus.The ACT doesn’t allow you to wear ear plugs. Get used to hearing background noise as you take your practice tests because when you take the ACT, you’ll have to deal with background sounds of paper moving, pencils writing, erasers rubbing, and more. #5: Eating and/or Drinking At the real ACT, you cannot eat during the test.However, you’ll be able to eat and drink outside of your testing room during the breaks.Don’t eat/drink while taking your ACT practice tests (except during breaks). There are two important reasons not to:If you're attempting to eat/drink and take the test at the same time, you may be very distracted and reduce your score.Also, you get a boost of energy when you eat or drink.This boost may make the ACT seem â€Å"easier.†Then, on the real ACT, you might be surprised when the ACT seems â€Å"longer† and â€Å"more difficult† because you don’t have the artificial energy boost from food/drink. As I’ve said earlier, the ACT is like a marathon.Train for it with the same intensity.During your ACT practice, only have food/drink during the breaks. No food or drink! #6: Taking Extra Restroom Breaks You will not be allowed to leave your test to go to the restroom.You’ll be forced to wait to go to the restroom until the breaks.You need to get familiar with holding it until the break! Practice this during your ACT practice tests.You don’t want to be thinking about how badly you need to use the restroom while trying to concentrate on your ACT. I strongly suggest you use the bathroom right before the ACT begins (or you start your ACT practice test), so you start with an empty tank. #7: Not Sitting at a Desk Where you take your ACT practice test is significant, don’t take the test on your couch or in your bed!Take the ACT practice tests while sitting upright at a desk.If you ignore me and take your practice tests on the couch/bed, you might feel strange during the actual ACT when you’re forced to sit at a new, uncomfortable desk for four hours. Make sure your practice test environment is just like the actual ACT test environment.You should be sitting at empty desk or table with nothing other than your ACT practice test print out, pencils, erasers, and calculator (when allowed). Sit at a nice clean desk! #8: Splitting the ACT Practice Test Over a Few Days At the start, I said the ACT is like a marathon.Marathon runners aren’t permitted to split up a marathon over a few days.You must practice taking full-length ACTs.I understand if you don’t have 4 hours every day to take a full-length practice ACT, but you should take at least two full-length practice tests before taking the real ACT. On the days where you don’t have time for the whole practice test, you need to complete at least one full section of the ACT.For example, take the full 60-minute math section without any breaks.If you sit for just one section, the same rules mentioned in this article apply: no phone, no extra bathroom breaks, etc. #9: Not Filling Out the Scantron I know it’s tempting to forget about the scantron and just to circle the answers in your ACT practice test.Using a scantron can be tricky, so you don’t want your first time using one to be on the real ACT.While doing ACT practice tests, bubble in your answers as you work through each section. Practice bubbling in so that you don’t accidentally bubble in wrong answers the day of the real ACT.If you have some time at the end of the section, I recommend checking your scantron answers with your booklet answers to make sure you didn’t accidentally bubble any answers incorrectly. #10: Using Pen While practicing with the scantron, you also must use a pencil and eraser!You’re required to use a #2 pencil on the ACT (not even a mechanical pencil!).I suggest you have at least 3 sharpened #2 pencils when you take the ACT. Additionally, you should bring a basic pencil sharpener and a big eraser.Take your ACT practice tests with these items. On the real ACT, you want to feel confident and comfortable.To get that feeling, you need your ACT practice to be as similar as possible to the real testing environment!Get familiar having these supplies on your desk. Get comfortable sharpening a broken pencil with your hand sharpener! For many students, any small issue can be distracting during a big test (I know it did for me!).Practice with your pencils, erasers, and pencil sharpener, so you don’t get flustered on the real ACT. Don't use any support! #: Using Any Support Material Finally, don’t use any additional material while taking ACT practice exams.As I said, on the real ACT, you won’t be allowed anything on your desk except for your test booklet, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpener, and your calculator (only during the math section).So don’t use anything other than those materials during your ACT practice! Don’t use a formula cheat sheet, and don’t use a dictionary to look up words!There will be not outside help during the real ACT, so don’t use outside help during your practice. If there are words you don’t understand while taking a practice test, try to figure out their meaning using context clues.Try to answer questions without looking up vocabulary.Circle the words you don’t know, so when you’ve finished, you can easily go back to those words and look them up in a dictionary. Summary: How to Get the Best ACT Practice All of the above can be summarized in one sentence: follow the rules of the ACT during your practice tests!Realistic practice will prepare you the best to excel on the ACT and is key to feeling prepared and relaxed on the day of the actual ACT. Do you still feel uncertain as to how to make your practice tests the ideal prep for test day? Check out our guide to getting realistic ACT practice. What’s Next? Not sure where you’d like to go to college? Figure out how to find your target school. Interested in attending a top college? Check out our guides to getting into Harvard and Stanford! Struggling with your college application? Learn how to write your personal statement and how to write about extracurriculars. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

My Journey and My Walk With Him

My Journey and My Walk With Him Free Online Research Papers I was born and raised in the city of New Orleans and grew up around a diverse culture of people. At the age of fourteen my father who was a single parent decided that it would be best to move our family to Slidell, LA so that we could receive an enhanced education. The summer before starting high school as a freshman I met a sweet little old lady named Allison who lived across the street from our new home. She welcomed us as neighbors and invited us to church. I took her up on her offer and went to church with her the following Sunday. As a new visitor I couldn’t help but notice that the females had very long hair and wore long dresses and skirts. As a fourteen year old this was strange to me, but I didn’t mind being there because the people were very nice and welcoming. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the melody of the old country style gospel music and the concoction of tambourines, guitars, and drums. People were clapping, dancing, and singing songs about Jesus. The songs about Jesus were thought-provoking and I wanted to know more about him. As the pastor began his sermon I learned that God sent his one and only son to die on the cross for our sins. This saddened me, but I was gratified that a God would do such a loving act for me. At the end of the service I accepted Jesus into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior. From that moment my life changed and has never been the same. I received a peace and comfort in my heart that still remains true today. Throughout my high school years I went on youth trips, attended bible study meetings and participated with prayer around the pole. I developed friendships with other believers and learned more about Christianity. These involvements have exposed me to his truth and have prepared me for the journey. While I and my husband are approaching our six year anniversary; I must say that the journey hasn’t been easy. My faith in God has been tested and I have recently come to a contravention point in my life. I would say the lack of being able to have a family has affected my personal relationship with God. I have experienced three miscarriages, four years of unexplained infertility and one year of fertility treatments, and a failed adoption. This has caused my relationship with God to be founded on Faith, Hope, and Love. My faith has been strengthened through these difficult times and God has given me a renewed hope by revealing his love towards me. These difficult times has caused me to call upon his name and has helped me to trust in him with my life and future. I have recently learned that being a Christian doesn’t mean that you are to focus on completing a list of do’s and don’ts, but to set an example by showing God’s love towards others. I believe that this is done by accepting others for who they are without judging or condemning them. God wants us to be forgiving of each other and not hold grudges just as he has sent his one and only son to die for our sins. I would say that my present relationship with God is focusing on loving others just as he loves us. I want to make a difference in others lives and want them to know that God is love and without him you cannot have love nor can you have peace in your heart. He is my strength and my rock during the difficult time and he is my best friend as I am on this journey called life. I seek him for guidance and direction when making everyday choices that can affect me and others who surround me. I am frequently confiding in Him about personal issues that I prefer not to talk about with others. I know that he is always by my side walking with me; even though I cannot see Him. Furthermore, I not only want to make a difference people’s lives that I come in contact with on a daily basis, but also with children. I have a love for children and believe that they are a precious gift from God. I believe in my heart that God has given me the desire to teach children academically and to show them God’s love. I have a passion for children and have a yearning to make a difference in children’s lives. This is why it is my goal to work hard and receive my BA in Elementary Education and hopefully further my education and receive my Masters working with children with developmental disabilities. Additionally, I am specifically interested in attending Southeastern University because I am highly interested in the Elementary Education program. I am impressed with the spiritual classes that we are required to take. I believe that these classes will strengthen my daily walk with God and train me to be equipped to minister to children. It will be beneficial to attend Southeastern University because the spiritual environment will be a constant reminder of Christ. For me it is vital to attend a Christian University so that I can have that continuous spiritual growth. I believe that being able to attend chapel weekly will help renew my mind and spirit as I go throughout my week. Being able to apply and receive biblical principles daily will help me grow closer to God and love my brothers and sisters in Christ. Research Papers on My Journey and My Walk With HimBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Spring and AutumnComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoTrailblazing by Eric Anderson19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductHip-Hop is ArtInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesStandardized Testing

Critique on Salvador Dali's Persistence of Memory Essay

Critique on Salvador Dali's Persistence of Memory - Essay Example The essay "Critique on Salvador Dali's Persistence of Memory" aims to analyze Salvador Dali's famous painting called "Persistence of Memory". When one thinks of eccentric modern painters, one of the first names that come to mind is that of Salvador Dali. Perhaps Dali’s most well-known artwork, and certainly the one that made him famous, is his painting â€Å"Persistence of Memory,† originally called â€Å"Melting Clocks.† By analyzing this surrealistic piece of art, one can begin to understand the concepts behind the â€Å"visual aesthetic thought† triangle â€Å"Surrealism attempts to further our understanding of the human condition by seeking ways of fusing together our perceived conscious reality with our unconscious dream state†). The Spanish painter became well-known in his lifetime for his unusual way of looking at things and his willingness to share these visions with the greater world population. Dali's images - his bent watches, his figures , halfhuman, half chest of drawers – have made him the most famous of all Surrealist painters†. Typically painting images he saw in dreams or nightmares and consistently pushing the envelope in terms of subject matter, Dali had a wide range of interests that became reflected in his artwork, such as the work of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud or the mathematical genius of Albert Einstein, both of whose work have been associated with this painting. To create this painting in 1931, Dali said his limp watches were inspired by the remains of a very strong Camembert cheese.

Final project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Final project - Essay Example Food products have a natural taste because they are manufactured from natural plants. The products will be made available in two major hotels including Tiran Island Hotel and Sharm el Sheikh. They will also be made available in shopping malls like City Stars Mall located in Cairo City. Hotel services include accommodation and dishes for the ordinary family. AS noted earlier on, the two hotels include Tiran Island Hotel and Sharm el Sheikh. A family has an option of selecting hotel services of their choice especially families that are on a holiday. Hotel charges are based on the duration and packages selected by a family. For instance, a family may select to spend a night or have a meal only. The tour service component in the perfect package will aim at taking families on a visit to tourist attraction sites like the Nile River in Cairo, Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, Sakkara and Tiran Island. Families will enjoy services such as dinner cruises and private visits to the mentioned places in Egypt. In most cases, the tours will involve the use of cars in the cars of land tours and boats in the case of marine tours. The perfect package also includes video games where children will be involved in playing their favorite computer games. Children are allowed to rent video games at a charge and are also allowed to carry their own games but on a restricted basis. Below are their pricing levels for the different services and products: Some components of the perfect package such as food products are available in retail stores. Customers can also place their orders online for products and book services such as hotel and transport services. The family market segment is one of the most attractive segments in the global market for products. Research studies indicate that most of the businesses ranging from retail to wholesale at least consider the family as one of their target markets. This is because such a market segment entails different