Film Studies Coursework Genre Essay Example

Film Studies Coursework Genre Essay The film that I have chosen is Blazing Saddles directed by Mel Brooks, who is a director that is famous for making comedy films for example, The Producers. So from the outset we can expect this film to fit into his style. This film fits into the comedy/western genre. The film is a parody of the western movie and takes on many influences from famous westerns that can be seen throughout the movie. This film takes western genre norms and gives them a comic twist in order to create the comedy/ western theme. The comedy used is mostly slapstick and visual comedy. A brief synopsis of the run up to this scene would be typical of the comedy/western genre. There are a group of African Americans who are being made to work on putting a railroad through the town of Rock ridge. The problem with this is that the townsfolk will have to leave before the rail road can go through the town. The assistant to the governor appoints one of the slaves as sheriff of the town in a ploy to make the townsfolk so repulsed that they will leave the town, from here the scene commences The first shot we see is a long shot of the street in the middle of the town. From this establishing shot we can see this is definitely a western. There is no road just dirt which is hardened by the horses that are also in the shot. Every store and house is made out of wood which is typical in western films. We can see women in this shot. The women are dressed in dresses that are typical to western movies and very commonly seen, they also wear bonnets with ribbons on them. All these factors are typical in western film. There are two different types of men that we can see in the shot. There is the gentleman who is wearing the suit outside the bank and then the rest of the men are wearing the cowboy style costume. In a typical cowboy costume we see a dust coat, sandy coloured chino trousers, cowboy boots, Stetson hats, chaps, Waistcoats and Spurs worn on the boots. The costume of the cowboy is iconic to the western and the way the costume looks makes the cowboys what they are. We will write a custom essay sample on Film Studies Coursework Genre specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Film Studies Coursework Genre specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Film Studies Coursework Genre specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The editing through the first half a minute of this scene is very slow there arent many shots. The editing plays a big part as for the action to go somewhere we need the scene to start of slow and paced so that the action can progress a technique often used in western films. The music that goes along to this scene is specially written for it. The lyrics of the song are very important in putting across the comedy aspect of its genre. The lyrics that go with the establishing shot are, there was a peaceful town called Rock Ridge, where people lived in harmony the instruments that back this up are instruments that would be associated with the western vibe. Instruments such as the acoustic guitar and the clarinet are used. These instruments give the western feel to the scene. Also the fact that the vocals are done by a choir, this we would associate with the choir at the town church which we later see. A tracking shot is used to show the stores and places that are in the town of Rock Ridg e for example, Howard Johnsons Ice-cream Parlour which is made comic by the fact that the sign outside says 1 flavour. The surname Johnson is a running joke as we find out after the song finishes. Everyone in the town is a Johnston which gives the impression that the townspeople are inbred. A little touch that also gives the western genre to this film is the way they have the bars that you ties horses up to, outside every store or house and on some there are horses to make it authentic. The location on the camera goes entirely with the lyrics of the song. When the lyrics are talking about the town itself the camera shots are all of the town and the town folk. When the lyrics then change to talking about the town saloon the camera is now in the town saloon. The town saloon is also iconic in the western and this is why it is included in this scene though the part that makes this comical is the fact that there are cattle just wandering about the barroom and no one takes any notice of them. The camera shot again here shows us the whole of the barroom then cuts to the bartender Anal Johnson the lyrics behind this shot are Behind the bar stood Anal Johnson, he always kept things nice and clean at the moment these lyrics are sang Anal Johnson who we see close up is covered in dirt and sweat and looks altogether disgusting, spits into the glass and wipes it. This gives the scene its comical side as he is the exact opposite of what the lyrics are saying. The barroom itself includes some features strongly associated with western movies for example, the swinging saloon doors. These are essential in a bar to give the film a western feel. Another feature is the small round wooden tables which we often see in westerns being overturned in shoot-outs and bar-brawls. These two things show that the film is western. The music behind the part of the scene in the bar consists of instruments that add to the western feel and that are often maybe found in western bars for example the honky tonk piano. As the scene moves onto the part where the murderers and thieves ride into town the music quickens and instruments change to violins which are often used in high action sequences. The editing becomes much faster which is expected in this scene as the action is now at its highpoint and the editing being much quicker is typical of a western style action sequence. The murderers and thieves who ride into town have a very striking appearance which is common in westerns. They are wearing the darker coloured black cowboy hats and are galloping in on horses. They all have whips and weapons of some sort which shows us that they are the villains in this scene, the fact that their weapons are whips and revolvers definitely gives the western feel to this part of the scene. A comical aspect which is added to this sequence in the scene is the part where one of the villains chases down a man who is on foot and the man jumps through a window to escape then jumps right back out the other one because he is being shot at from inside. This gives the action sequence a bit of a comical twist to it. Another part shortly after this which shows the comedy within the scene is when a man in a suit gets his foot caught on a rope and is dragged through the mud by a horse. He says, Well, thats the end of this suit which is funny because this is supposed to be an action scene where the villains are taking over and this man is worried about his suit. After this a public shower that is covered in a wood box is pulled down by a horse and there is a man left standing covered in soap bubbles trying to cover himself, this is obviously comedy as it is quite random and the audience dont expect it. The next part is a close up shot involving to villains and an old lady who being b eaten up by them. The way they are beating her up is over-exaggerated the punches have fake sounding sound effects this makes the violence cartoon like. She turns to the camera and says, Have you ever seen such cruelty? this again is funny but also we can see clearly from her appearance that this film is a western. Also speaking to the camera breaks the rules of cinema but as the audience we dont see anything wrong with it. She is wearing a material kind of hat round her head, a poncho over her shoulders and a purple coloured dress. This kind of dress is typical of women in western films. After the sequence in the scene where the villains try to take over the town the editing becomes slower again and more zoom and tracking shots are used rather than quick cutting. There is an establishing shot of the typical town church which is often seen in western film, its almost an iconic feature that lets the audience know for definite that this is western. The last verse of the song goes as follows. Now it is time of great decision are we to stay or up and quit? Theres no avoiding this conclusion our town is turning into shit. This verse is comical as the lyrics are now being sung by the town folk in the church. The fact they say our town is turning into shit makes this comical as the audience we do not expect this from the scene that has been set, especially because of the fact it is inside the church. This kind of song is quite typical of songs sang by Frankie Lane they are typical western style songs and the usually describe action that is taking place on the screen or give background on the film films like 3:10 to Yuma have this in them. The song finishes and the priest in the church starts to talk to the crowd. A line that he says gives us notification of the western and comical style themes when he says, Sheriff murdered, crops burned, stores looted, people stampeded and cattle raped. This line gives us a sense of western style as the crimes he speaks of are very much typical of western film the reference to the sheriff shows us that we are clearly in a western. The comical side of this is the way he says that people were stampeded and cattle were raped as this is obviously said the wrong way round yet, the town folk agree with him. This is what makes these lines funny. The priest says that the time has come to act and act fast and then says, Im leaving this is funny because what the audience expect is an emotional and moving speech that lifts the town folks spirits but we dont get this at all. Through the rest of this scene we are introduced to very typical characters that would often be seen in westerns. We are first introduced to the town drunk who is dressed very scruffily in an old shirt and has very long grey facial hair and looks altogether messy. We see this character often in westerns and they are often used as a character that will bring laughter out of their actions. The way this character speaks shows us a lot of the phrases that are used in western film, the language that they speak basically. The thing that makes this funny is the way that this character actually uses nearly every one of the slang words in every sentence he uses. We are then introduced to the business men who wear very clean cut suits and talk normally and clearly. The se business men both have good jobs, one is the owner of the ice-cream parlour and the other is the doctor for the town. The reverend asks the congregation to rise and starts by saying he will read from the book of Matthew, Mark, Luke and duck! at the point when he says duck, a bunch of dynamite sticks are thrown through the window. This is an instance of comic timing on the director part as we can clearly see how it fits with the dialogue in the scene at this point. The dynamite sticks themselves are also an indication of the western genre as these are iconic weapons used in a lot of westerns. Overall I think the scene works well. The camerawork and sound especially make the scene as effective as it is. The editing change in the middle of the scene makes the contrast between the harmony within the town and the action. This directors take on the comedy/western genre is typical to the director himself. The comedy used in this scene is mainly visual as well as some audible comedy that comes through in the song. The visual comedy is also typical to the directors style. I think overall the way the director has taken the western theme and made it comical is well done as we clearly see all the aspects of the western along with the comedy that comes through in the dialogue and visual interactions between characters.

Medical Ethics essays

Medical Ethics essays The Hippocratic oath has been used for centuries, and was created to provide standards for physicians in the past. The oath is still used today, but it is usually a revised version of the oath. There are opposing views on rather the oath should have been modernized or not, and rather the new modernized oath is equivalent to the qualities stressed in the original Oath. The father of medicine, Hippocrates, created the Hippocratic oath. The exact date is argued, some experts say it was established in the sixth century B.C. while others say it was the fourth century B.C. The original form of the Hippocratic oath doesnt allow abortion, euthanasia, surgical procedures, and sexual relations with patients. The oath has been used through decades and most medical schools to this day take a type of the Hippocratic oath. This oath has stood the test of time, but does undoubtedly need the reforms that have been applied through the years. Many argue that it is a tradition and should not be changed, but with advancing technology some parts must be changed. One aspect that should not be changed in the Hippocratic oath is do no harm. Doctors have control over many peoples lives daily, which provides them the knowledge and opportunity to either heal or kill. The Hippocratic oath stresses that a doctor should not use his or her skills to harm the patient. Doctors are expected to value humanity and provide compassionate care, and this is a major common understanding. Having one ethical guideline helps physicians to make the correct decisions. Hippocrates wanted people to trust and respect the person they trust with their life to; therefore, he established an ethical guideline. The Hippocratic oath was first changed due to the Nuremberg trials. It was revised to prevent physicians from discrimination, and not providing the same care to all people. This fi ...

Instructional planning and design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Instructional planning and design - Essay Example While no textbook is perfect, how do teachers go about deciding if a proposed textbook will be chosen? What makes a particular instructional material adequate? One of the most important criteria is design. If the textbook in question does not align with the standards being addressed, then what use can it be? Textbooks that actually help achieve these standards must also be free from errors with documented sources that can be referred to if a question of accuracy arises. This is especially important in subjects such as geography where place names and maps change over time. Textbooks must also address both the desires of teachers and students in order to be effective. It is here that design tends to overlap with the criteria of clarity, efficiency and procedure. Teachers wish to have a book that emphasizes important points. Actual text should provide enough information in a grade/age appropriate manner but also facts that can assist in initiating discussions. While students should be challenged to go beyond the basics of the standard being addressed, they do not need to be overwhelmed with irrelevant information. Teachers want a sufficient number of questions to reinforce the topic being studied but not so many that students take one look and panic. Activities should provide practice of the basic skill but also encourage students to stretch a little and engage their critical thinking skills. While many teachers have created their own assessments over the years, some may want to be able to use the prepared assessments that come with new textbooks. If the teacher has to make major revisions to the prepared assessments in order to use them then the textbook may not be adequate. In addition, teachers want to be able to train students to use the textbook as an aid in the individual learning process. Once this training has been completed, the instructions for textbook activities should be such that teachers can use them

Response to Room No.12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Response to Room No.12 - Essay Example This portrays women as despised members of the society since the hotel manager automatically assumed that there is no way that a woman who looked as lovely as Bahiga al-Dahida could have acquired her wealth alone. Her identity card had not given any indication that she was either married or employed. It seems unfair that the hotel manager could not have assumed that the woman could have inherited the money that she was using. The woman in the story is a representation of generation difference. In traditional Egyptian society, a woman was expected to be submissive and dis-empowered. Bahiga al-Dabida could also have been placed in the story to illustrate a change in social and gender roles. Egypt had experienced a change in attitudes of people towards traditional roles expected of different gender and social roles. When Bahiga arrives at the hotel, she is directed to her room by the bellhop who asks her to remove the bed covers and move the bed to the wall, and later tips the bellhop generously (Mahfouz 221). The bellhop also mentioned to the hotel manager that he heard the lady talking to herself while he was passing by her room. This creates a lot of suspense in the story as the reader is compelled to find out whether the woman is talking to herself, or talking on the telephone, or she could also be talking to spirits or demons. The story gets compelling when the lady orders lunch. She orders so much food that the hotel manager thinks it is enough for six people. Though the manager does not openly express his shock, he feels surprised when the plates are licked clean after one hour when a hotelier goes to clear the table in her room(Mahfouz 222). The hotel manager concludes that the woman is strange; from the way that she looked and acted. The manager tried not to think about the woman, but he later admitted that he could not avoid it. He found her fearful yet attractive. He also looked familiar but he could not remember

Darfar, African Crisis, Politics and Aid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Darfar, African Crisis, Politics and Aid - Essay Example a number of seemingly rational reasons like maintenance of personal freedom, adherence to social balance, and maintenance of law and order are the common refrains that can be heard from people who believe that human rights are being given more importance than that it ideally should get in the international scene. There are many concerns that are debated when human rights issues are raised in the international forums. Often it has been seen that human rights issues have been used as a convenient tool to corner nations that are out of favor with the power blocks of the world. Darfur in Sudan has been in the news recently for gross violation of human rights that is happening in the country. The crisis that started in 2003 attained international significance when the government of the country was alleged to be abetting human rights violation. The country faced severe censure in many international forums and was criticized for the way in which it handled the issue. The crisis started when rebel forces attacked government installations accusing it of ignoring the black population of the country in favor of people of Arab origin. In retaliation, the Sudanese government forces and militia of Arab origin, also called as the Janjaweed, has let loose a campaign of terror that has so far claimed about 200,000 lives and left about four million people homeless. The crimes perpetuated on the black population include murder and atrocities on women in addition to arson and plunder. It has been reported that the militia surround refugee camps and attack refugees if they venture too far away from the camp. Even though military were deployed to control the militia many human rights groups claim that the military acts in collusion with the Janjaweed. Opposing the military and Janjaweed is the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement, both of which have volunteers recruited from the local black tribes. [BBC, 2007] The Sudanese government has interfered in

Strategies To Improve Parental Involvement Education Essay

Strategies To Improve Parental Involvement Education Essay Introduction Parental involvement in students education has become a greater challenge in recent years and has posed a problem for educators in Jamaica. Parents have competing priorities which oftentimes reduce the quantity and quality of time available for their involvement with childrens education. Now more than ever, mothers constitute a large part of the workforce which does not allow for quality time to be spent with children. Many children are living in low-income single female headed households without the basic necessities such as proper food, clothing and shelter. In spite of the Ministry of Education implementations of parenting seminars and workshops to help parents with the job of parenting, not much has change. This paper seeks to discuss and find strategies to improve parental involvement. In an article published in the Daily Gleaner dated May 26, 2008, Sylvester Anderson the president of the National Parents Teachers Association of Jamaica stressed that there is a great need for better parental involvement in students educational development. He stated that things had been improving but, there was still a long way to go as attendance at PTA meetings was pretty low with attendance rate of about 20 to 30 per cent, which is not good enough for a partnership. In addition, most parents show up for the first meeting of the school year, but the rate dwindled to a severe low for the remainder of the school term, while others do not even bother to visit the schools or collect their childrens academic report. Consequently, parents are reminded that their job does not end with just sending their children to school, but they need to be involved in every part of the childs growth. However, as childrens first educator, parents have the responsibility to ensure that they participate in their childrens school life in order for children to reach according to Vygotsky, their zone of proximal development (cited in Berk, 2006, p. 260). In Jamaica, especially in the inner-city community, the high fertility rate resulting from teenage pregnancies has shown a marked difference between adolescent parenting versus adult parenting, as teenaged parents lack the resources and maturity to care for their children adequately. However the problem of poor parental involvement is not only seen in adolescent parents but adult parents too. This is oftentimes manifested in the interest shown in the activities at school. Many parents have lost interest or have little or no time to be involved in school activities which has affected their childrens performance. Some however, are illiterate, lack training or skill and have not completed secondary education hence their inability to secure jobs to care for their children or assist them in their school activities. Despite being unemployed, some parents still do not go to meetings unless refreshment is provided or they can gain tangible rewards. This shows that parents places very little value on their childrens educational experience. In addition, some mothers are oftentimes busy caring for younger children which resulted in their absence from all activities that takes place at their childrens school. In many of the homes fathers are absent leaving the responsibility of parenting on the mothers. Some are involved in gangs and show little inclination to participate in school activities although they are unemployed. Many parents do not seem to have their childrens education as priority but instead are more interested in partying, fun and fashion than in the education of their children. This is evident in the small number of children registered at birth or fully immunize in spite of the service for the latter being free (taken from the school admission record for 2008-2011). As a result, these children are at a risk of not developing to their fullest potential. For example, there are some children who can perform well academically but display disruptive behaviours, while there are others who are socially competent but are academically challenged. Through the many parenting seminars which are poorly attended, parents are informed that researchers of parental involvement in schools have stated definitively that parental involvement has direct and lasting impact on childrens learning and academic achievement (Wishon, Crabtree Jones, 1997). However this has not changed the action of many parents to become involved in school activities. From all appearances it seems that many parents of lower socio- economic status are unaware of the impact they have on their childrens performance when they are involved. Nevertheless, parents are their childrens first and most important teachers. As they guide their childrens behaviour, they teach and prepare them for school. Parents must realize that they need to have a connection with the school environment in order for their children to succeed and for the school to be a success. The school must also realize that this is a two way process and they need to work with parents and parents with the school in order for children to succeed. Lyons, Robbins, Smith (cited in Wishon, Crabtree Jones, 1998) stated that when parents provide supervision and support for their children they are more likely to succeed as teachers have high expectations of their children. Parental involvement in school activities also guarantee that teachers treat parents with respect and show interest in their children. Parental Involvement In an article written by The National Centre for Parents, Parental involvement is defined as the participation of parents in every facet of childrens education and development from birth to adulthood, recognizing that parents are the primary influence in childrens lives (retrieved July 3, 2009, http:www.ctpta.org/parenting/parent involvement.htm). Parents in this context can be referred to as childrens closest caregivers or members of their extended families. In their definition of parental involvement Hoover-Dempsey Sandler (2005) refer to two types of parental involvement activities oftentimes used by parents. One type is home-based involvement which includes activities that takes place between the child and parent outside the school setting. This entails helping child with homework, revising for test, monitoring of childs progress, providing enrichment activities pertinent to school success and corresponding with childs teacher on a regular basis. The other type is school-base in volvement which includes activities wherein parents focus on their individual child in the school setting. These activities include parent-teacher conference, in-class observation of child, informal discussions with teacher, attending school events and volunteering to assist on class field trips. Barriers to parental involvement Although there are many benefits to parental involvement there are also some barriers. Some are attributed to parenting styles which have both positive and negative impact in the school and wider society. In assessing the different parenting styles and their impact on children Berk (2006) posits that authoritative parents are warm but firm, attentive and sensitive to their childrens needs, while the authoritarian parents appear cold and rejecting and frequently degrade their children by mocking and putting them down. On the other hand the permissive parents are overindulgent, inattentive and have little control over their childrens lives which is similar to the uninvolved parents who have little involvement in their childrens lives, are emotionally detached and oftentimes depress. As a result of the above parenting styles it is indicative that the permissive and uninvolved parent would not be involved in their childrens school activities. The former Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, in an article entitled Government to set up support group for parents, states that poor parenting is manifesting itself in children who are not socially well adjusted and who leave the private domain of the home and misbehave at school and in public. He further stated that the first strategy to solve this problem is education, so that parents can be introspective about their behaviour and reform achieved. Parents on the other hand have many problems that have prevented them from being involved in school. Some of the barriers to parental involvement are; parents being too busy, frustrated, too tired, having other siblings to care for, economically deprived, disinterested or too burdened by their own problems. Parents also fear being involved, not fully understanding what they can do and how valuable their contribution is to their childrens academic achievement. Parents also fear that they do not have the ability to help their children. Eldridge (2001) confirms this in a statement by parents that they believe that their assistance is not needed by the schools or teacher (p. 66). Some teachers do not help the situation either as they think parents have nothing to contribute. Becher (1984) opines that teachers fear that parents will take over their teaching responsibilities and be too critical of them. In addition, some teachers are also uncomfortable talking about issues in front of parents as they do not trust them. In order to alleviate parents fear, teachers must create an environment in which parents are perceived as partners in the educational process and not as adversaries. Epstein (1995) opines that single parents have been identified as another barrier to parental involvement. This is as a result of single parents being poorer, less educated, and younger than is the case of two parents in two-parent homes. Despite their status parents play an important role in the life of their children even if they are single, uneducated or economically deprived. Benefits of Parental Involvement ? need fi find out who seh dis Parental involvement benefits children, parents, teachers and the school. Research has shown the positive impact that even the smallest efforts on the part of parents can have on childrens learning. Education should be viewed as a shared responsibility and as a method of improving its outcome the school should reach out to the family. Furthermore, when children view their parents as a part of their educational journey, they feel motivated to achieve and feel justified in sharing achievement. As a result, when parents are closely involved with their childrens pre-school programme, there is no doubt that children tend to bloom. According to Pena (2000) increase communication, increase volunteerism, better school support and better attitudes are just a few ways that parental involvement benefit parents, children and school. Additionally, when parents take an active interest in their childrens education, cognitive and physical development is enhanced; the child develops greater problem-solving skills and a significant increase occurs in the childs receptive and expressive language skills (Wishon et al, 1998, p.124). Several studies ( Berk, 2006; Wishon et al, 1998) concur that parental involvement in school benefits children as they demonstrate greater responsiveness to both school and home environments and achieve academic success and wellbeing. Additionally, students benefit by getting higher grades, better attendance, and getting more homework done which builds their self-esteem. Parents also benefit when they participate in their childrens education in many ways. They learn a great deal about child care from their early child care and education programmes as they learn their homes benefit tremendously as they become more intellectually stimulating. This is as a result of parents adopting activities and ways of interacting that they encountered at the schools their children attends. Parents can also develop more positive attitudes towards themselves including greater feelings of self-confidence, self-worth and competence if the programme embraces and works with them. As parents become involved with schools in parents related activities they develop a better understanding of child development which expands their understanding of the home as a place for learning. As a result of this parents are better able and more willing to help their children at home. One of the most significant benefits to parents partnering with schools is that teachers develop a greater understanding of parents, their challenges and their cultural heritage. However, parents sometimes can be difficult to deal with and as a result they put a strain on the parent-teacher relationship. This often become a barrier and hinders the parent-teacher relationship. Evidence of this is seen when they ignore all attempts at communication by not reading letters sent home or answering calls from school. Despite this Pena (2000) recommends that teachers do not give up as it is the challenging parents who most need the teachers attention and resources. Therefore, with a better understanding of a familys situation, teachers are more likely to be more supportive of the parents and less likely to be judgmental of them. According to Epstein (1995) children whose parents are involved in their education are more motivated to learn. Motivated students tend to be more involved in class, more concerned about homework and more successful academically. In addition, childrens success in school will be dependent on the level of involvement of parents in the process. Schools need to keep parents involved so they will better understand the importance of their role in the educational process. For parents who are illiterate, invite them in and explain work child is presently doing, so they can ensure that child is assisted at home. She further asserts that parents are valuable resources in the classroom, if schools assist with the continuing education of parents, they will increase and enhance their resources. The school can also provide on the job training for parents who work as volunteers in the classroom. The school should established proper communication with parents frequently and not only when child is giving trouble. A high level of parent involvement is critical to a childs educational success so, schools must involve parents as early as possible. When schools facilitate better parenting, parents will develop better awareness as to the importance of school. This will help them to pass on and enhance positive values and attitudes in their children. Another beneficiary of parental involvement is the school, as there is improve morale among teachers, higher ratings of teachers by parents and more support from families. Wishon et al (1998) agreed that when parents become involved with the school they develop a better understanding of the goals set for both the school and students and the plans for achieving those goals. Strategies for improving parental involvement Epstein (1995) posits that schools should promote and support parenting skills and make communication more meaningful and regular between the home and school. Parents should be welcomed as volunteers, and their advice sought, since they know their children better than anyone else. The school can also help parents to understand the educational process and their role in supporting students achievement. Parents should help with decision making as they are full partners in their childrens education, and have many ideas that can be shared with the school. She further states that schools should provide grade level opportunities for parents to learn about parenting and child-rearing. This can be done through workshops, use of video tapes and phone voice messages. Parents can also be provided with suggestions on how to improve home conditions that support their childrens learning. The school can also help by; providing training or educational courses for parents that will help them to get jobs, direct parents to support programmes for health, nutrition and other services, assist parents in establishing home environments to support children as students, teach parents activities that build self-esteem and competence in their children, encourage parents to give children responsibility, so children can take responsibility for their learning, host grade-level parenting workshops to discuss childrens progress, conduct home visits as this is an effective strategy for involving parents especially in the inner-city where parents hide from the sch ool. In addition, the school can initiate community meetings to help families understand schools and to help schools understand families, teach parents about child development and what to expect from children at different ages, teach parents behavior modification strategies so they can discipline their children without force, help parents to develop ways they can stimulate their childrens intellectual and emotional growth, while parents are waiting to collect their children show videos about how children learn and how to work with children with special needs, help parents educate their children by ensuring that parents understand concepts being taught, offer parents opportunities to familiarize themselves with classroom materials and discuss grade-level curriculum. Parents can also be provided with upcoming topics to be taught, so they can prepare their children for that learning or activity. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that, parental involvement is important to the school, parents and the child. There can also be definite improvement in childrens academic performance if parents are involved in the process. Despite the obstacles, the parents and school should ensure that they each do their part in promoting parental involvement. It is also important that the school take the initiative in developing a positive relationship with parents. The key to removing the barriers to effective parent involvement is the teacher who can achieve this before school begins and foster it throughout the school year. Parental involvement can benefit the school to a great extent which will in effect benefit the students academic performance.

Gray and Goldsmith’s Attitudes towards Loss

Death as man’s fate can never be controlled by anyone or by anything. This is what one can infer from the poems of Thomas Gray and Oliver Goldsmith. These poems deal about death or loss of life and all other losses humans experience in life. Consequently, this paper is a comparative analysis of the attitudes of Gray and Goldsmith towards death or loss in their poems. This includes a discussion of the similarities and differences of the poet’s attitude which can be deduced from the speaker’s involvement or attachment, the speaker’s feelings towards the subject and the tone of the poems â€Å"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard† by Thomas Gray and â€Å"The Deserted Village† by Oliver Goldsmith. Obviously, both poets have similar attitudes and feelings about the subject. However, Gray communicates stronger attitudes about loss or death in his poem than what Goldsmith articulates about the subject in his poem. To begin with, Gray’s â€Å"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard† is a poem composed of 128 lines grouped into stanzas and it focuses on the dead people buried in a country churchyard. While, Goldsmith’s â€Å"The Deserted Village† is a poem consisting of 430 lines grouped into irregular number of lines per thought and it talks of the wretchedness of a village named Auburn. These poems have the following similarities. Initially, both poets are emotionally attached to the topic on hand. Gray feels the loss as he contemplates of his own death someday. Meanwhile, Goldsmith has personally experienced the loss of happy memories in Auburn especially in the first 34 lines of the poem. Next, the poems â€Å"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard† and â€Å"The Deserted Village† attest that death prevents humans from doing what they were used to doing and from experiencing the pleasures they used to experience. In lines 17 to 28 of Gray’s poem, the speaker cites that the dead can no longer wake up every morning with the sounds of the â€Å"swallow†, the â€Å"cock† and the horn, be with their wife and children or go to work in the farm fields. Likewise, lines 243 to 250 of Goldsmith’s poem say that those who die can no longer enjoy the different pleasures in life. Another is that according to the two poems, death or loss will come to any person regardless of his/ her social position, prestige and economic status. No one is exempted from experiencing death. It comes to the poor as well as to the rich. It comes to the kind and to the unkind. This is exemplified in the lines 33 to 40 of Gray’s poem which point that even the rich will die and their riches will not prevent death or loss from happening. It is also cited in the lines 107 and 109 of Goldsmith’s poem that man will â€Å"meet his latter end† and will go down â€Å"to the grave†. The lives of the â€Å"village preacher† in lines 140 to 187 and the â€Å"village master† in lines 196 to 240 both exemplify that death comes to anyone in the poem â€Å"The Deserted Village†. Subsequently, both poems show that a human being goes to another place after his or her life on earth is over. Gray mentions the word â€Å"heaven† found in line 124 and â€Å"God† in the last line of the poem. Goldsmith also speaks of â€Å"heaven† in lines 112 and 188. This means that both poets believe that when death comes to a person, he or she has the hope of going to heaven to be with God who is the creator of man and of the universe. Lastly, the tone of Gray and Goldsmith’s poems is similarly mournful, hopeful and wishful. Since the poems talk about death or loss, they are obviously in a state of mourning for the dead. Gray evokes an atmosphere of mourning in the first twelve lines of the poem with the images of â€Å"the parting day† (line 1), the farmer going home, and the coming of darkness. Gray also uses the wailing of the â€Å"owl† in line 10 to conjure this tone. Meanwhile, Goldsmith uses the words â€Å"saddens† in line 38, â€Å"cries† in line 46, â€Å"griefs† in line 84 among others to present this tone. But in spite of the tone of mourning in these poems, they also express the hopes and wishes of the poets that after death or loss, there will be a new life or a new beginning as alluded to in words â€Å"heaven† in lines 122 and 124 and the word â€Å"Father† and â€Å"God† in line128 of Gray’s poem. In addition, Goldsmith mentions the word â€Å"heaven† in line 188 and the phrase â€Å"worlds beyond the grave in line 374 of his poem. The differences in the attitudes and feelings of Gray and Goldsmith towards loss in their poems are the following: first, Gray seems to feel uninvolved in the poem because he uses the pronouns â€Å"them† and â€Å"their† most of the time. Perhaps, this is because he does not personally know the people who died and who were laid in the country churchyard. In fact, he was just making guesses or contemplating of possibilities of what these could have become and what could have happened to them if they did not die yet. In contrast, Goldsmith feels very involved because he uses the personal pronouns â€Å"my† and â€Å"I† for many times in the poem. This could mean that what he has written in the poem is based on his very own experiences. Second, Gray demonstrates that death prevents anyone from achieving their ambitions or from discovering their hidden potentials. This can be interpreted from lines 45 to 64 where Gray elaborates the things that those who have died could have done in their lives if they were still alive. The speaker thinks of someone who could be a â€Å"Penury† in line 51, a â€Å"Hampden† in line 57, a â€Å"Milton† in line 59, and a â€Å"Cromwell† in line 60. On the contrary, Goldsmith does not mention the what- could-have-been in his poem because he primarily talks about the loss of the simple pleasures as part of village life. Third, Gray encourages that man should be prepared to die because it is a part of the natural course of life. Just as a day in a person’s life comes to an end as literally stated in lines 1 to 4 of the poem so does a person’s life on earth ends. If there is a beginning, there is also an ending. Nothing is ever permanent in this world. Everything is temporary. What has been commonly quoted by many: â€Å"The only thing that does not change is change itself† and â€Å"There is an end to everything† are indeed true. Gray tells us in the poem that humans need to prepare for that time when they will die because it is inevitable. He even makes himself an example of a person who gets ready for his death. As a matter of fact, he includes in lines 116 to 128 of the poem an epitaph that is to be written in his own grave. However, Goldsmith implies fear or suggests dread for the day of one’s death in lines 363 to 370 of his poem. The words or phrases â€Å"sorrows gloom’d†, â€Å"look’d their last†, â€Å"wish’d in vain†, and â€Å"shudd’ring† gives an idea that the poet is not yet prepared to die if he feels that death is something that comes to everyone. Fourth, Gray presents that nothing can bring back a dead person to life. He asks in the form of rhetorical questions in lines 41 to 44 if the things he has mentioned are able to bring back a dead person’s â€Å"breath†. Since these are rhetorical questions, obviously the answer to all these is a resounding â€Å"NO†. There is really nothing that can be done or no one can do anything to make life come back to someone who is already dead. A realization can then be made based on this. A person has to do what he can do and what he wants to do while he/ she is still alive because when he dies he can never do them or he cannot return to life to do them. Goldsmith, on the other hand, does not talk about these things. Fifth, Gray feels that those who are still alive should honor and remember those who have died. This is implicitly expressed in lines 77 to 112. The words â€Å"memorial† (line 78), â€Å"tribute† (line 80), â€Å"forgetfulness† (line 85), â€Å"unhonour’d† (line 93), and â€Å"tale relate† (line 94) are some of the hints that tell us that the poet wants to be honored. He also wishes in these lines that a friend or a â€Å"kindred spirit† (line 96) would remember him when he has died. Contrariwise, Goldsmith does not refer to these hopes in his poem. Instead he has other things revealed. Sixth, Goldsmith in â€Å"The Deserted Village† presents that loss is caused by a person’s discontentment or his/ her desire for luxury and wealth. The loss specifically referred here is the loss of the â€Å"ignorance of wealth† which leads to the loss of the simple pleasures in life that is analogous to the loss of one’s own life. It can be surmised from the poem that when humans lose their desire for the simple sources of joy and happiness and instead desire for luxury and wealth, then destruction or loss of life results just like what happened to Auburn. The speaker implicitly condemns â€Å"luxury† which caused the desolation of Auburn in lines 51 to 56 and lines 385 to 390. The discontentment of the village people for the simple pleasures referred to in the words â€Å"sports† (line 18), â€Å"pastime† (line 19), â€Å"sleights of art and feats of strength† (line 22), â€Å"dancing† (line 25), and â€Å"laughter† (line 28) led the people to â€Å"leave the land† (line 50). This idea is indeed true but Gray was not able to mention it in his poem. Seventh, according to Goldsmith, loss causes pain or is very painful on the part of the person who has lost someone or something very dear to him/ her. The words â€Å"pain† in line 82, â€Å"vexations† in line 95, and the phrase â€Å"sorrow, guilt and pain† in line 172 prove that it is painful to loss someone or even something. Likewise, the loss of happy memories can be as painful as having lost one’s body part. Conversely, Gray is silent about pain in his poem. Perhaps, he does not consider a natural process of life which is death as something painful or something which causes sorrow. Eighth, Goldsmith proposes that loss comes after luxury, wealth and pleasures. So for him, one should stay away from these things. He even calls â€Å"luxury† as â€Å"curst by Heaven’s decree† in line 385. He also demonstrates through irony in lines 52 to 56 that when riches abound, men’s lives deteriorate. In addition, lines 63 to 74 support the proposition that â€Å"trade’s unfeeling train† (line 63) resulted to â€Å"mirth and manners† (line 74) being lost. Finally, the tone of Gray’s â€Å"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard† reveals his attitude or feelings for the poor, his readiness to die and his resignation to the inevitability of death whereas; the tone of Goldsmith’s poem is a mix of happiness, sadness, irony, and condemnation. Furthermore, the tone of Gray’s poem remains constant throughout the poem. In contrast, the tone of Goldsmith’s poem changes its tone from one feeling to another such as being happy then sad, ironic then condemning. To sum it up, both Gray and Goldsmith feel that death or loss comes to every human being whether he or she is poor, rich, kind or unkind at anytime. When loss comes, one can no longer do what he or she used to do or would want to do. And that loss comes with hope of going to heaven to be with God.

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The Devil and Tom Walker essays Washington Irving wrote the Devil and Tom Walker in 1824. Irving created fictitious, stereotypical, one-dimensional characters, and put them in unrealistic situations. During this same time period the slave trade was still highly profitable in the United States. This story can be read on two levels. The first could be as a folk tale. It tells an interesting story of a man who chooses to sell his soul to the devil for riches and what happens. In the end, like in all folk tales, there is the final moral that greed will destroy people and their souls. On a deeper level, Irving shows his own personal distaste for the slave trade. In certain passages throughout the short story he blatantly speaks of it. Like when the devil attempts to strike a deal with Tom Walker. The bargain is all the treasure for Toms work as a slave trader. Tom believes that the slave trade is morally wrong and will not agree. At the same time the devil proposes Tom become a usurer. As a loan shark, Tom has no conscience objection and eagerly agrees. This is one of the ways Irving shows the large gray area created by the slave trade between right and wrong. People saw involving oneself in slave trafficking as ethically wrong, but taking money from the poor white public as a simple business transaction. However, both were equally corrupt and morally wrong. Irving saw that even the rich, successful broker who foreclosed mortgages and extorted bonds could easily be in the same league as a vicious, cut throat slave trader and wanted to make the similarities painfully clear. Even the way Irving ends the story, with all of Tom Walkers fortune ending up worth nothing, he shows that even with a highly prestigious career a person can still be as corrupt and vile as the devil. Irving was a purveyor of social change and disguised his opinion as a fable. Which helped to make his feelings covertly known to the masses and enacted to change cultural mores. ...

Peregrine Trucking Co Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

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Western Alienation in Canadian Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Western Alienation in Canadian Politics - Essay Example The history of western alienation dates back to the forming of the dominion of Canada and Canada confederation in the year 1867. The conservative party prime minister J. Macdonald implemented a national policy with regard to manufactured goods and trade policies. In doing this, he was responding to the high tariffs that were in the United States. The western farmers were forced to compete with international markets when trading grains (Surhone and Miriam2010, 53). This created dissatisfaction. Western provinces thought the tariffs were freight rates were discriminatory and favored the central provinces. Western Canadian politics and culture are extremely pervaded by sentiments of an asymmetrical relationship between the two central provinces and the West (Ferguson and Simon 2009, 70-74). The feeling of being exploited is not limited to westerners. Many Canadians in Atlantic Provinces feel the same alienation (Mackenzie 1984, 29). Western alienation is both a regional and political id eology in with regard to discontent. Western alienation represents a common and shared set of political beliefs. It is viewed as both intellectual articulation and cultural expression. The alienation has a recognized constituency and history. It is got representatives and hence fundamental element of the western political culture. For many years now, Western alienation has been a vital component in the Canadian political field. The emotion and attitudes behind the term can be traced back to mid 1800s. This is pre World War I period. The term western alienation is relatively recent. Many believe Canadian political system is the main cause of this phenomenon. The federal political system is dysfunctional and unrepresentative according to many western Canadians (Alberta 2000, 41). A large portion of the literature reveals western alienation revolves around political concerns. The federal political system is accused of alienating the western provinces in Canada. The alienation has cause d ongoing struggles to defend the interest of the western Canadians (Ibbitson 2012, 2). The oil discovery in the province of Alberta, in the year 1947, led to a conflict between the province and the federal government of Canada. The premier of Alberta, Lougheed, said the province should utilize the profits from oil to propel its economy. There was a threefold agenda to complete a transcontinental railway, to create a manufacturing base and to settle prairies. The manufacturing base was to be in eastern Canada. According to J. Macdonald, this would be the solution to the problem of uniting Canada both economically and geographically. In contrast, the national policy ended up becoming a source of significant western discontent. This policy left a legacy of discriminatory freight rates. To the western Canada, the policy enhanced a resource based economy that propelled the growth of financial and manufacturing sectors in the central Canada (Mackenzie 1984, 29). It should be noted the la st half of the 20th century has witnessed enormous growth and change in western Canada. The provinces of British Columbia and Alberta have been impacted tremendously. The discovery of oil in Leduc, Alberta in 1947 changed the economy of the province although it created increasing conflict with Ottawa.