Child Marriages in Modern India

Child Marriages in Modern India Case study: Rajasthan community; the Shaikh The aspect of child marriages is common among the Muslim communities especially among those living in South Asia and sub- Saharan Africa. Early marriage entails the marriage of children and young people who are below the age of 18 years. It is, however, predominant among those living traditional lifestyles especially in the rural areas.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Child Marriages in Modern India specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are various reasons why parents may opt to marry their children while they are still very young, for instance, poverty where parents view marriage as an opportunity for the young girl and her family at large as a source of protection against sexual assault and unwanted pregnancies among others. This paper discusses early marriages through a case study of an ethnic group in India, the Shaikh of the Rajasthan community. Extent of the Practice of Child Marriage The Shaikh of Rajasthan is a constituent of the larger Shaikh community present in South Asia. It is the largest Muslim community in Rajasthan. The Shaikh community faces adverse effects of child marriages in addition to parallel cousin and cross-cousin marriages as it is being practiced to great extent. There have been many incidents of child marriages among this community for instance a marriage occurred between a five-year-old girl and a ten-year-old boy in the community. Other child marriages have also been witnessed. These two victims are far below the adult age as they should be at least eighteen years for the girl and twenty one years of age for the boy. The laws enacted in regard to marriages especially on child marriages seem ineffective due to the contradicting customs among the Muslim communities for example the prevention of Child Marriages Act. There have been instances where people come to homesteads and demand for girls who are underage stating that they want to marry them. Most of the people get married when they are too young without the knowledge of what marriage really entails. Most communities other than the Shaikh also practice child marriages especially days that are deemed to be of religious importance for example the Dev Uthni Ekadashi. The practice of child marriage continue to take place among the communities due absence of political will as some politicians view their actions of restricting the practice as a threat to their political prosperity. They fear their stand could make them lose votes and support from the people who value and appreciate the practice and would do anything to safeguard its existence.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The practice of child marriages among the Shaikh and the Rajasthan community at large has been exacerbated by the government’s reluctance in preventing it a nd to make the matter worst, it seems to be very supportive of the same. This can be seen from its attempt to register all marriages including the child marriages. This action raises heated debate among citizens of India and also outside the country as many people who are against early or child marriages can not comprehend the reason behind its registration. The government fights back by saying that the registration of such marriages does not mean their legalization but instead it is a positive step towards keeping a record of the number of the existing marriages of such kind for easy detection. The Child marriage Prevention Act also seem to be ineffective as it does not provide for punishment of individuals and parents who plan and advocate for child marriages. This makes it more comfortable to execute this practice as those involved do not fear the legal consequences that may befall them as a result of their actions (Mahan 1). Effects of Child Marriage in the Community The concept of child marriage in the Indian communities has been promoted by the Indian culture which places women in very low status and their roles in the family institution stipulate they should be submissive and be good wives to their husbands. They do not have many rights like men. Early marriages are a major cause of increased population in the community as the young people add to the number of people through child bearing (India planning commission 51). Child marriages also deny the victims their childhood and adolescence as they experience sexual relationships very early in life hence lacking freedom. This leads to poor performances in marriage and in general life of the victims as their social development is interfered with.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Child Marriages in Modern India specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The girls that get married during their early age also do not pursue their education and hence they become incompetent in various aspects of life like critical decision making. There is also some health issues associated with child marriages, for instance, sexually transmitted diseases and premature pregnancies that lead to high rates of maternal and infant mortality. Fight against Child Marriages Despite increased practices among the various communities in Rajasthan like the Shaikh, there are many people who are against the practice and are ready to fight it. A good example is the establishment of a group, the Mali community, which is set to completely do away with the practice of child marriages through taking necessary actions against those who are involved in promoting it, for instance, parents who let their underage children to engage in marriage and also those who coordinate them. Some people have also pledged not to take part in any action tends to support child marriages. A social boycott seem to be the only option left of ending this impunity as others like the use of th reats and educating the society of the bad effects of child marriages has previously failed. To fight this problem, there should be educational campaigns to increase the legal age of marriage and educate people of the adverse effects of child marriages and also establishment of an effective marriage registration system. Conclusion It is evident the practice of child marriages has been in existence in many parts of India and other Muslim communities. The policy makers have also been keen to the details associated with child marriages but it has proved difficult and almost impossible to enforce laws that govern the issue. Various studies show that the Indian government is usually not good when handling personal laws that affect particular communities and do not hail from grassroots movements. There is, however, efforts to solve the problem for instance, bills passed like the Marriage Bill which advocated for enactment of a uniform law in regard to marriages and compulsory registration of marriages introduced in 1994 to prevent practices of polygamy and child marriages. Unfortunately, the law did not pass. Other laws as mentioned above are also present but they are not effective since they have been implemented to end child marriages. India Planning Commission. Rajasthan Development Report. New Delhi: Academic Foundation, 2006.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mahan, Rajan. â€Å"Rajasthan endorsing child marriage?† NDTV News. Jan 22, 2010. 05 Feb. 2011. https://www.ndtv.com/india

4 Tips for Finding Online Sources You Can Trust - Proofed

4 Tips for Finding Online Sources You Can Trust - Proofed 4 Tips for Finding Online Sources You Can Trust Online sources can be vital when researching a college paper. But the internet is also a massive repository of lies and nonsense. And that means that you need to be careful when citing a website in your written work. So, then, how can you find online sources you can truly trust? 1. Check the Credentials Look at who wrote and published the page you’ve found. Ideally, it will have a named author who you can google to find their qualifications and past publications. If you cannot find any information, look elsewhere. Likewise, online sources published by well-known organizations are usually more trustworthy. For example, an article about urban myths posted on the Scientific American website will be more trustworthy than a post by Mad Bob the Bigfoot Hunter taken from www.crypto-news.bz. With evidence like this, why wouldnt you believe Mad Bob?(Photo: RyanMcGuire) 2. Writing Quality A reliable source should be well written and error free, so look out for spelling or grammar mistakes on websites you want to cite. If nothing else, a lack of proofreading may suggest the author has been similarly careless when it comes to fact checking! Similarly, the tone of a website can tell you a lot. It is typically a good sign if the language is formal and academic. If it is informal or full of slang terms, however, you might want to look elsewhere. 3. Crosscheck Sources If you find new information online but aren’t sure you trust the website, check whether it cites any sources. This could be a reference list, but it could also be links to other sites that provide extra information or data to back up the point being made. It is also a good idea to crosscheck sources against one another. If you find a useful statistic on one website, for instance, look to see if it is used on other reliable sites. This is especially important when a page was published years previously, since the information may not be up to date. 4. Don’t Cite Wikipedia We have nothing personal against Wikipedia. In fact, it is a fantastic free source of information on a huge array of topics for day-to-day life. The problem is that is isn’t always entirely factual. Even Wikipedia admits that Wikipedia is not a reliable source. Anyone can edit a Wikipedia page, after all. And that is a bit like anyone being able to come along and rewrite the books in your college library, which we imagine would cause problems. But while it is not an academic source, Wikipedia can be helpful. If you find some interesting facts in an article, check the citations at the bottom of the page. These should point to more reliable sources, such as books or journal articles. You can then find these and use the original sources instead.

Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Marketing - Research Paper Example Our products taste just as good as regular bakery items, if not more, and one can hardly depict that one is consuming a low-fat or fat-free item. We keep the two ranges of products as well as bakery items, namely the low-fat and fat-free separate to cater for the interests of customers with different levels of commitment to the lean-body lifestyle. Our Mission Statement To provide our consumers devastated by obesity and its negative impacts on their life with healthy alternative options of both ingredients and ready-made bakery items to help them keep and look healthy without having to compromise upon the taste and quality of the food they eat. Our Vision Statement To be a pioneer in the spread of lean-body lifestyle culture to have a positive influence on the society and fulfill our corporate social responsibility by providing our customers with healthy alternatives to the high-fat food to eradicate obesity from the society, improve the health and safety of our customers and their q uality of life as a whole. Our Principles and Values We Consider Our Customers’ Needs Superior to Ours’ We have a very good reputation of excellent customer service. From time to time, our company has been adopting measures and implementing strategies to provide our customers with more comfort and convenience. Recently, we have started the home-delivery service within a radius of 5 miles from any branch that we have in any city, considering the fact that we normally open our shops approximately at a distance of 10 miles maximum from each other. Our products and services are just a call away from our customers. Achievement of the customers’ satisfaction is our prime goal, and we go to any length to achieve this. We Appreciate Diversity Considering the fact that we make part of and operate in a society which is multicultural, we appreciate diversity at all levels. This can be assessed from the fact that we have two basic lines of products, one of which is Halal an d the other one is General. Moreover, our workforce is diverse. We have employees from different cultures, nationalities, regions, and religions which not only helps us understand the individualistic and collective needs of a wider population of customers, but also provides us with a way to diversify in different ways. We Value Innovation Our research and development (R&D) department works in close collaboration with universities to come up with new tastes, techniques, and products. This helps us involve in a mutually beneficial relationship with the students wherein they find a setup and equipment to conduct the experiments, and we benefit from the results they produce to take our company to the next level. We had initially started our business with making just low-fat ingredients. Over the time, we opened two distinct lines of products i.e. low-fat and fat-free, and recruited expert chefs to use our ingredients to make bakery items for our customers that they can consume without w orrying about their looks, weight, and calorie-count in their diet. We Work With Integrity We have earned fame in the market for doing our business with utmost integrity, dignity, and pride. We appreciate change at all levels and make a continuous

Interview report about education Research Paper

Interview report about education - Research Paper Example People make money by selling their scientific knowledge and related skills to the concerned buyers. This imparts the need to improve the quality of education in general and the scientific education in particular so that the world’s civilization can touch new heights. Likewise, improving the quality of schools as the platforms of deliverance and exchange of knowledge is no less important. To achieve these purposes, a qualitative study was conducted to evaluate people’s perceptions on education and the potential ways in which education can be improved. A total of 15 people were included in the survey, 11 of which were students and were outside the professional education community, while 4 of the research participants were from the professional educational community. There were 8 questions in total in the survey. Question statements are shown in Table 1. Table 1: Questions of survey Question No. Question Title Question Statement 1 Significance of schools Why do you think w e have schools? 2 Significance of science classes Why do you think we have science classes? 3 Outcome of holistic success of schools If all schools were very successful, what do you think the result would be? 4 Outcome of holistic success of science classes If all science classes were very successful, what do you think the result would be? 5 Learning needs and processes What do you think students should learn and how should they learn? 6 Learning needs and processes of science classes What do you think students should learn in science classes and how should they learn it? 7 Ways to improve schools What would you suggest that schools do differently so that they could be successful? 8 Ways to improve science classes In the sciences specifically, what should be done differently in order to be successful? Table 2: Particulars of the research respondents Name Maximum Education Gender Age (Years) Religion Country A PhD (Geotechnical Engineering) Male 62 Christian USA B MS-Comparative Reli gion Studies Female 35 Christian USA C Master of Business Administration Male 25 Muslim India D BSC-Mechanical Engineering Female 33 Christian USA E Intermediate Male 18 Christian UK F Grade 9 Male 15 Jew Israel G Grade 8 Male 14 Christian Australia H Grade 7 Female 13 Jew Australia I Grade 6 Female 12 Muslim Pakistan J Grade 5 Male 11 Hindu India K Grade 3 Male 9 Christian China L Grade 2 Female 8 Hindu Nepal M Grade 1 Female 5 Christian USA N Upper Nursery Male 5 Muslim USA O Lower Nursery Female 4 Buddhist Japan Findings Common themes in the responses to all questions were identified. Table 3 lists the common themes identified in the answers of the respondents along with the respondents that supported them. Table 3: Common themes in responses Question No. Common Themes in Response to Question 1 To have a formal and structured educational system 2 To develop an understanding of the way things work 3 Demand of good jobs would outweigh the supply 4 Very rapid technological advanceme nt 5 Students should learn ethics and science. They should learn them in schools 6 Corporate social responsibility in addition to the traditional science education. Teachers of science should be experts in professional ethics 7 Upgrade the curriculum to incorporate latest knowledge 8 More practical work, and provision of technical training including software Response to Quest

On September 11th 2001 the world was forever changed Essay Example for Free

On September 11th 2001 the world was forever changed Essay On September 11th 2001 the world was forever changed. The horrific events, which occurred at the World Trade Centers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington and on Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania, have forever altered the way Americans view their safety. Every household in the U.S. tuned in to the news on TV, radio, or Internet to see how the world was being twisted in front of their eyes. These events dramatically proved that the United States, the greatest nation in the world, was no longer safe from outside threats. . The stock market crash of 1929, which led to the depression, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and the terrorist attacks of September 11th were all unexpected events that no one could have predicted but had such dramatic effects that they can never be forgotten. All three events seem to be categorized together for a few simple reasons. To the average American citizen these horrendous events were unforeseen, but noted historians would beg to differ. They believe in such instances as Pearl Harbor, The stock market crash of 1929, and September 11th, that the government and many political figures were forewarned. If they had taken their admonitions more seriously and acted upon them, historians believe that they could have at least made the consequent effects minimal. There were several proceedings that should have elicited American retaliation. It is said that Bin laden himself declared war on America in 1996. In the early 90s, The World Trade Center was car bombed, and Osama Bin Laden was the primary suspect for this assault. Even after that incident no one saw Bin laden as a serious threat and didnt think his dangerous ways could jeopardize our countries well being as a whole. After the attack of September 11th it seems the unification of the American people became so strong its virtually indissoluble. Our previously fragile society became a link so strong we believe it cant be touched by the outside perils of the world. The rise in Nationalism came about in a wave of red white and blue colors. It seemed every face in America was painted with the stars and stripes of our grand old flag. Our countries banner was now the latest fashion; closets were overflowing with the celebrated colors of our patriotic nation. Every news station put American flags on their lapels, and waving red, white and blue graphics were put on most channels. Many well-known Hollywood figures and successful businesses put together charities benefiting the victims and families affected by September 11. September 11 mended our nations pride and restored our dignity. Such a strong sense of nationalism can easily be compared to that of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, when East and West Germany celebrated their reunion as one, after being isolated for so long. Subsequent to September 11, the United States faced many abrupt transformations as far as pastimes, lifestyles, and entertainment goes. There were a few noticeable differences from the changes following WWII, to those of September 11th. For example, Baseball, the great American pastime was brought to a standstill after September 11, where as Roosevelt motivated people to go to baseball games, and had baseball play a part in the healing of the country. Another difference from 9-11 was that after Pearl Harbor, and the crash of 1929, there were severe cut backs and limitations on how much of certain commodities, such as gasoline and sugar, the average American could use. The difference now is that we are currently at war with the oil capitals of the world. The gas prices are booming and dont appear to be coming down any time soon; however, this does not stop the typical egotistic American from buying a brand new fuel consuming SUV. Racism is another topic that has been significantly affected by September 11th .In WWII we knew who the enemy was, it was strictly the Japanese and Germans, however, now its a pin the tail on the donkey1 mentality. After Pearl Harbor many Japanese men were put into internment camps to be interrogated for information and kept there, that did not happen after 9-11 however, many Arabs were questioned and racial profiling became a major issue. There was also a great deal of hate crimes aimed at the Arab race and people who had the visual characteristics of the middle-eastern inhabitants. The U.S. was unsure of which persons were solely responsible for the crimes, therefore no individual has the right to go pointing their fingers at any particular group, But the stereotyping and profiling still persists. . Exactly one year after Pearl Harbor the stock market had climbed up to almost where it was before (within 10%) now we are suffering a recession because of 9-11. Another fact is that before Pearl Harbor, the country was just coming out the depression and wasnt even fully out. The war effort boosted production. 9-11 happened right when the US was at its prime in the economy and the attack destroyed industry and commercial enterprises. Also the government suspended a monopoly trial against GE so that it would not hurt the war effort. After 9-11 the government focused on companies such as Enron and WorldCom. Noticeably there are numerous features of September 11th that could be considered. However, It would be virtually impossible to cover all the aspects and phases of such an important date. September 11th, 2001 was a horribly significant date in not only American history but in world history as well. It brought back horrific memories of such instances as The Bombing of Pearl harbor and can even be compared to the hardships and struggles of The Stock Market Crash of 1929. As a result, the American people came together as one in a battle we like to call the war on terrorism 2. It is obvious this war may be infinite but it is worth the struggle, just knowing, in the future we may perhaps avoid such devastating events. As James Baldwin once wrote A country is only as strong as the people who make it up and the country turns into what the people want it to becomewe made the world were living in and we have to make it over. 3 I think we should all recollect on the events step by step of September 11th, and take into mind, the advice that Baldwin has given us. Someday our country can completely overcome all of its vulnerability and end any chances of a date like this form reoccurring. Bibliography: www.time.com/archives/911 www.encarta.com/911 www.bostonherald.com/911/media www.bostonherald.com/911/race www.american-history.com/history/september11.mgi www.alternet.org/story.html ENDNOTES: 1. Lauren mills, a noted historian currently attending B.H.S. September 15th 2002. 2. George W. Bush Jr., AlterNet: One Year Later: Unintended Consequences of 9/11 and the war on terrorism. War against Iraq pg 3 3. James Baldwin, AlterNet: Before and After Septemeber11 True courage pg. 5

Black & Decker Essay -- essays research papers

Background Black and Decker (B&D) is a pioneer in portable power tools. In 1991, it is a $5 billion in sales company with 29% of these sales coming from Power Tools and Accessories. B&D is the world’s larges producer of power tools and the U.S. market overall leader. Problem Statement B&D has a strong market share in the consumer and industrial markets, but is weak in the P-T market as it is currently experiencing decreased market share. In this segment, B&D is not generating profits and, at the same time, retailers want more advertising allowances and rebates. Analysis The U.S. power tools market is divided into three segments: Consumer (home use buyers), Professional-Tradesmen (P-T) (contractors who purchase their own tools), and Industrial (procuring professional buying in large quantities for industrial usage). The P-T segment is the one experiencing the largest growth potential. B&D is one of the most powerful brands in power tolls. Its products are generally regarded to have high quality. B&D currently has 45% of the Consumer and 20% of the Industrial markets. However, in the P-T segment B&D holds only 9% of the market and is in near parity with Milwaukee Electric (10%) and trails Makita, which has captured 50% of the market. Makita was able to grow rapidly in the P-T market as its dominance was aided by the rapid development of a new type of distribution channel, the Home Centers such as Home Depot, which Makita actively sought. B&D, however, was not able to grow quickly in the P-T market due to Tradesman’s perception of its P-T Line. The Tradesman market perceives B&D as a â€Å"Consumer† product that is not on par to handle professional tasks. This is evident in that in studies of brand perceptions in the P-T segment, six manufacturers out-rank B&D, three tie with B&D, and only one is rated with lower quality. On blind trials the quality of B&D P-T products often outranked those of the manufactures whose quality was perceived to be better, implying that B&D’s problem is not of having bad products, but of having a bad reputation. One factor contributing to the perceived higher quality of Makita and Milwaukee is that both are priced at a premium, and on average, are 5-10% more than B&D. This difference in price contributes to foster the perception by the P-T market that because the competitors’ prod... ...f B&D P-T line may remain. The recommended Option 3 is that B&D should go with the established DeWalt and Industrial Yellow. Marketing DeWalt alone is a better choice, as there are negative perceptions of the B&D line concerning reduced quality. Increasing the DeWalt brand awareness and improving the perceived quality will be easier and more successful to accomplish than increasing B&D’s perceived quality at the P-T market. The color of the new line should be â€Å"Industrial Yellow† because other power tool companies have not used this color. It is a bold color, and will stand out compared to the other P-T colors. In the early stages, the positive associations will be associated with the original DeWalt Company’s reputation and safety as this color is used to indicate safety. As the DeWalt line’s positive market perceptions grow, Industrial Yellow will be easier to identify the high-end P-T line and will automatically be associated with high quality goods. Although not sufficient by itself, Option 4 is also interesting for B&D, since Makita has already damaged relationships with retailers, and retailers â€Å"push† of products is an important element in driving sales.

Choosing your theorist and theory

Much research and thought has been put into our school's programs to meet the needs of many diverse learners. Throughout time, theorists have developed any theories that we, as educators, continue to use to this day. Thanks to their contributions, we have been provided with the best educational tools to cultivate young minds today. Every educator has their own opinion as to what theory they think is best. After reading various theories, there is one in particular that I truly believe to be the most beneficial which is The Behaviorism Theory. Behaviorism theory, also now as behavioral psychology Is a theory of learning based upon the Idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning† (Cherry, 2011 B. F Skinner and John B. Watson are the two creators of the behaviorism theory. They stated that development included learned behaviors. These learned behaviors are based on positive and negative experiences within their everyday environments. Every action has a consequence. I think that's a way to look at the way children learn over time.For example; when I was teaching at a different Children's Center, here was a little girl who would cry nonstop till I or someone else picked her up. We believed that at her house, the minute she cried, someone would be there instantly to pick her up. She never learned how to self soothe and knew that crying would get her the attention she wanted. She learned this behavior at home and brought it to school with her, thinking it would also work there. She had never been taught that crying wasn't a way to get what you want. It was our responsibility at school to break that habit.Instead, I would say directly to her, kneeling down to be on her level, â€Å"I will elk to you when you use your words and big girl evolve to tell me what you want†. Over time, she learned that crying wasn't getting her the attention she wanted. She decided to take the approach I offered her instead. This ultimately worked out the best for e veryone involved, her parents included. It was a learned behavior. This is what B. F Skinner defined as Operant Conditioning; which is â€Å"The behavior is followed by a consequence and the nature of the consequences modifies the organisms' tendency to repeat the behavior In the future† (Before, 2000).Operant conditioning can also be used for a positive behavior as well. There was a little boy I recently anatine for, his parents were ready to begin potty training him and they weren't sure how to go about it. After they thought it over, they decided to go about it with a rewards approach. If the little boy sat on the potty for 3 minutes, he'd receive a piece of candy. After a few attempts at sitting on the potty, he caught on. Sit on the potty, get a piece of candy. Then, the trick was to get him to actually go while sitting. When he affably went, Mom was clapping and praising him.He was so happy! She continued praising helm every time he went and he Is now fully potty traine d. Positive reinforcement was key in this situation. This is what's known as â€Å"Continuous Reinforcement†. I truly believe in being a constructive, firm, respectful and motivating educator. Providing a child with an environment full of positive reinforcements and consequences encourages the children to continuously strive to do their best. It children listened really well during circle time, they'll get extra time on the laggardly that afternoon.I believe that children learn in their own ways and grow at different rates. I believe that providing a hands on approach to learning is key in a child's development. There are 5 developmental domains that we as educators really focus on. These domains are physical, intellectual, language, emotional and social development. These different domains can be easily remembered as PILES. There are many ways to help children develop in each of these domains. For example, having age appropriate toys ND activities readily available can help their intellectual and physical domains.I feel that it's important to provide a stimulating environment for children to grow and develop emotionally, socially, and intellectually. Our classroom gives you child the opportunity to learn on many different levels. We provide age appropriate books, crayons, paper, and art activities to help create your child's language development. We encourage the children in our class to work together as a team and form friendships among their peers. By doing this, we are helping develop their social and motional skills.We have full access to our playground as well as our multi-purpose room for all our physical activities. We take advantage of our playground and being outside on a daily basis to keep our kids active and healthy! My classroom is a place where children can laugh and learn throughout the entire day. I feel that applying the theories many educators have set forth helps us provide the best education possible for today's youth. Children are our future and it is our responsibility to help them become the best person they can be.

Analogy of Nature vs Nurture

The Human Genome Project, which has attracted its fair share of controversy, set out in the early 1990s to map all 25,000 genes of the human genome (â€Å"About†). The hope was that such discoveries would provide a roadmap to the specific genes which could â€Å"allow us to accurately predict who will develop heart disease, become violent, or become homosexual† (Young). Psychologists, however, have countered this process by pointing out the importance of environmental factors to overall social development. Professor Robert Plomin of the Institute of Psychiatry in London says that â€Å"individual differences in complex traits are due at least as much to environmental influences as they are to genetic influences† (qtd. in Young). This is, in essence, a modern-day battle of nature versus nurture. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein the conflict is perfectly encapsulated in the character of the monster; is he inherently evil and bloodthirsty, or did harsh societal treatment force him to be that way? It is an age-old question, still yet to be solved. However, through her writing and characterization it becomes clear that the monster began life as fresh and innocent as a regular newborn baby. He only became a true â€Å"monster† in the archetypal sense after enduring hatred and isolation at the hands of the humans he so longed to be. He is, in effect, nurtured into being the murderer that he becomes. Despite his unnatural birth, Frankenstein's creation still exudes the freshness and naivety of a young child discovering things for the first time. The prime example of this is his discovery of fire: â€Å"I found a fire which had been left by some wandering beggars†¦ in my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain† (Shelley 89). He obviously has no life experiences to guide his actions and spends his first few weeks investigating and trying to understand the world around him, much like a newborn would. He even says that â€Å"no distinct ideas occupied my mind† (Shelley 88). This is not a being born a raving lunatic, his mind awash with murderous thoughts. He is simply a blank slate. Once he begins to distinguish light and sound, he continues his fresh exploration, discovering such things as animals, foliage, and warmth. At one point he wanders into an old man's hut, scaring him off. He doesn't intend to cause the man harm, nor does the reaction his appearance receives cause him any emotional distress or give rise to vengeance. He is not the being that he is by the end of the novel, a clear indication of the influence of social and environmental factors on development. In fact, it is not until he sees the De Lacey family for the first time that he begins to truly grasp basic emotions like happiness and sadness; until that point he had only known physical pain and hunger. The De Laceys are essentially the monster's first nurturers, however unknowing they may be. By observing them he becomes aware of human relationships, human emotions, and even human history. He develops a high level empathy for the family; their trials and tribulations were his, and when their were sad so was he. In a way he is exhibiting a highly pure and limited form of emotional expression and understanding for, much like a very young child or even a pet, his own feelings are greatly influenced by, and reflective of, those around him. Since the family provides the basis for the monster's impression of humans, he originally thinks fairly highly of them. The monster, who had started out taking some of their food for his own survival, stopped doing so when he â€Å"found out that in doing this [he] inflicted pain on the cottagers† (Shelley 96). To make amends he instead gathers firewood for them, and is filled with satisfaction upon knowing that he saved them from even a small amount of hardship. It is from the De Laceys that he first learns of kindness and love, and of the bonds of family and friendship. If he was truly born a monster it is doubtful that he would have any capacity whatsoever for empathy and love. At this point in the novel, though, it's quite apparent that the so-called â€Å"demon† has a interior that belies his frightening exterior appearance. The monster also learns how to read, write, and speak by intently observing the De Laceys. This act of humanization further endears the family to him, and is his major step towards joining human society. Of course this is all thrown out the window when, after meticulously planning on how to reveal his presence to the family, they receive him with less than open arms: Felix violently ejects him from their cottage, while Safie runs away in disgust and Agatha faints upon seeing his form. This is the first of several traumatic experiences with the human race that totally throws the monster's worldview out-of-whack; where before he saw only gentleness and love he soon comes to associate humans with hatred and violence. Next the monster gets shot after saving a girl from drowning in a river. However he still does not respond violently towards either the girl or the attacker; instead he merely wanders off, injured and confused. It would seem that he has yet to become the violent murderer the majority of the story sees him as. At this point, though, he does vow â€Å"eternal hatred and vengeance on all mankind† (Shelley 126), which is a far cry from the admiration he expressed for their race only days before. This is the turning point in the monster's behavior; from here on out his thought process is radically changed. Society and mankind have totally rejected him by this time, and again like a child he takes these insults to heart and responds in a somewhat over-the-top manner. The monster's brutal murder of William, Frankenstein's younger brother, is the first occurrence to truly display any sort of demonic tendencies. By this point, though, his heart and mind have been shaped by nearly two years of life experiences, many of them negative. After all, he lives, apart from observing the De Laceys, in total isolation. He is then deemed a monster by all of society, and cast out. He is even shot for doing a heroic deed. Add on his knowledge of the bloody history of human civilization (which is filled with war and revenge) and his exposure and identification with Satan in Milton's Paradise Lost and it is not entirely surprising to see his mindset so rapidly altered. Of course he goes on to kill many more of Frankenstein's loved ones, and eventually indirectly causes the death of Frankenstein himself, though these heinous crimes are born out of a lack of nurture, not simply just his natural personality. In fact, like many serial killers before and after him, the monster lacks any sort of parental figure. His father, Frankenstein, was so disgusted by him that he ran away and never came back. History has shown us that growing up fatherless can have severe ramifications upon a child's psyche and development. Numerous sociologists and psychologists have come to the conclusion that a fatherless childhood increases the likelihood that said child will turn to a life of crime or depression, and with 70% of long-term prison inmates and 72% of adolescent murderers coming from fatherless homes that assumption appears to be correct (Popenoe). This is a clear endorsement of the importance of nurture over nature in that this environmental change has such a large effect on the future of these children. Many, of course, come to resent and hate the man who walked out on them. This is the case with the monster, whose quest for vengeance against his creator provides the main plot of the novel. The monster falls victim to the numerous environmental forces working against him, from societal isolation to the abandonment of his father. His ultimate personality is filled with rage and anger, though it is not without the kinder traits he picked up from the De Lacey family. He confesses at the end of the novel of his remorse at his crimes: â€Å"No guilt, no mischief, no malignity, no misery can be comparable to mine† (Shelley 203). Two of the most important quotes, though, appear at the end of the novel as well: the monster essentially conveys Shelley's exact point in the nature vs. nurture battle when he says that his â€Å"heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy† (Shelley 202) and that he â€Å"cannot believe that [he is] the same creature whose thoughts were once filled with sublime and transcendent visions of the beauty and majesty of goodness† (Shelley 204). Even he recognizes the changes that have taken place inside his own psyche, and he understands that it is his life experiences and environment that is to blame for this. In these final quotes, he also makes it clear that he started out life fresh and new, without a demonic cell in his body, and that his first experiences were those of kindness and joy. It was not until after his mind began to form that he was exposed to the concepts of hatred and vengeance. With the character of Frankenstein's monster, Shelley has created not only one of the most iconic misunderstood villains of literature but also formed an entire thesis on the concept of nature versus nurture in human development. By making the monster a blank slate, and morphing his personality based upon the different cataclysmic events that shape his life, Shelley clearly states her support for the nurture side of the argument. In a way the entire novel could be seen as an argument in defense of the belief that it is the child's environment and form of nurture received (be it good, bad, or non-existent) that provides the basis for their personality and character. Of course genetics does play a role in such areas. People are generally not born serial killers, nor are they born as charitable saints. Parenting plays a huge role in early development, as many professionals have proven, and the monster's lack of a single parent largely attributes to his personality defects. This point, combined with the isolation and hatred that he endured, are the reasons that he turned towards a path of murder and destruction.

Major Shifts in the Politics of Republican and Democratic Parties

Major Shifts in the Politics of Republican and Democratic Parties The history of the Democratic Party has seen significant policy shifts since the end of the Civil War. Today, the party boasts as the sole supporter of the interests of middles class Americans, farmers, and workers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Major Shifts in the Politics of Republican and Democratic Parties specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Throughout its 19 and 20th century history, the party held socially conservative ideologies hence drawing substantial backing from working-class white males. The party’s New Deal programs of the 1930s, which immensely shaped the country’s economic direction, received widespread support from working-class Americans. From the 1930s onwards until 1960s, the politics of the Democratic Party was primarily shaped by working-class Americans, a tremendous shift in the history of the party. This was because conservative working-class citizens supported pro-working class e conomic reforms. This coincided with the time when the party sponsored the Labor Relations Act effectively controlling labor unions. Before then, unions worked independently from the government control. In the 1960s, Democratic politics rallied against global anti-Communism and safeguarded fundamental freedoms for all American citizens. The party’s policies supported effective governance system, and disproved big government and supported civil rights movements. The Democrats promoted state rights and endeavored to use federal taxes to redistribute wealth from industrialized North to the poor Southern states. During this time, the party adopted significant policies supporting progressive labor reforms, tariff revisions, and regulation of large corporations. After WWII, there was a major shift in the Democratic manifesto as the party developed a program to safeguard civil liberties. The program outlined stringent policies to curb anti-lynching and anti-poll tax, established a p ermanent Fair Employment Practices Commission and a Commission on Civil Rights, and outlawed segregation in armed forces essentially abandoning its conservative position on State Rights. Historically, the Republican Party represented Northern interests passionately supporting capitalists and America’s wealth elites and oversaw the Reconstruction in the South. Today, the Republicans strongly refute past social injustices hence forsaking several elements, which characterized America’s liberal past, thus propelling the country to its present liberal ideals such as securing independence for labor movements.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Republican platform espoused socio-economic changes promoting industrialization, liberalism, and capitalist systems. Since the Civil War, significant shifts in Republican politics have seen strengthened Federal government polici es, developed federalism and industrialization. Because of the party’s shift in political principles, it lost significant support in the Southern states after the Great Depression because of its persistent criticism of wealthy Southerners and big corporations. However, after World War II, the Republican Party abandoned its domestic policy and shifted its political ideals to focus on international diplomacy. In the 1990s and early 2000, the Republicans reduced the size of the government and balanced budgetary allocations thus abandoning its conservative philosophies that favored big government and favoritism in budgetary allocations. During the 19 and 20th centuries, Republicans supported economic policies, which favored investments in corporations and big businesses. Lately, the Republicans have taken up the â€Å"social agenda† historically adopted by Democrats. Interestingly, this shift in the party’s political ideals has put the party at odds with its conserv ative supporters in the South. Consequently, this shift in political philosophy has divided America’s working-class, some of whom have voted against their individual economic interests. Today, republican voters have embraced the free-market system and abandoned their traditional wealth redistribution system. Through taxations, corporations and big businesses have become the largest recipients of redistributed wealth and this has created unnecessary socio-economic and political imbalance making conservative Republicans to think that they are taxed to pay for liberal programs.

Grumman F4F Wildcat - World War II

Grumman F4F Wildcat - World War II F4F Wildcat - Specifications (F4F-4): General Length: 28 ft. 9 in. Wingspan: 38 ft. Height: 9 ft. 2.5 in. Wing Area: 260 sq. ft. Empty Weight: 5,760 lbs. Loaded Weight: 7,950 lbs. Crew: 1 Performance Power Plant: 1 Ãâ€" Pratt Whitney R-1830-86 double-row radial engine, 1,200 hp Range: 770 miles Max Speed: 320 mph Ceiling: 39,500 ft. Armament Guns: 6 x 0.50 in. M2 Browning machine guns Bombs: 2 Ãâ€" 100 lb bombs and/or 2 Ãâ€" 58 gallon drop tanks F4F Wildcat - Design Development: In 1935, the US Navy issued a call for a new fighter to replace its fleet of Grumman F3F biplanes. Responding, Grumman initially developed another biplane, the XF4F-1 which was an enhancement of the F3F line. Comparing the XF4F-1 with the Brewster XF2A-1, the Navy elected to move forward with the latter, but asked Grumman to rework their design. Returning to the drawing board, Grummans engineers completely redesigned the aircraft (XF4F-2), transforming it into a monoplane featuring large wings for greater lift and a higher speed than the Brewster. Despite these changes, the Navy decided to move forward with the Brewster after a fly-off at Anacostia in 1938. Working on their own, Grumman continued to modify the design. Adding the more powerful Pratt Whitney R-1830-76 Twin Wasp engine, expanding the wing size, and modifying the tailplane, the new XF4F-3 proved capable of 335 mph. As the XF4F-3 greatly surpassed the Brewster in terms of performance, the Navy granted a contract to Grumman to move the new fighter into production with 78 aircraft ordered in August 1939. F4F Wildcat - Operational History: Entering service with VF-7 and VF-41 in December 1940, the F4F-3 was equipped with four .50 cal. machine guns mounted in its wings. While production continued for the US Navy, Grumman offered a Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9-powered variant of the fighter for export. Ordered by the French, these aircraft were not complete by the fall of France in mid-1940. As a result, the order was taken over by the British who used the aircraft in the Fleet Air Arm under the name Martlet. Thus it was a Martlet that scored the types first combat kill when one downed a German Junkers Ju 88 bomber over Scapa Flow on December 25, 1940. Learning from British experiences with the F4F-3, Grumman began introducing a series of changes to the aircraft including folding wings, six machine guns, improved armor, and self-sealing fuel tanks. While these improvements slightly hampered the new F4F-4s performance, they improved pilot survivability and increased the number that could be carried aboard American aircraft carriers. Deliveries of the Dash Four began in November 1941. A month earlier, the fighter officially received the name Wildcat. At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the US Navy and Marine Corps possessed 131 Wildcats in eleven squadrons. The aircraft quickly came to prominence during the Battle of Wake Island (December 8-23, 1941), when four USMC Wildcats played a key role in the heroic defense of the island. During the next year, the fighter provided defensive cover for American planes and ships during the strategic victory at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the decisive triumph at the Battle of Midway. In addition to carrier use, the Wildcat was an important contributor to Allied success in the Guadalcanal Campaign. Though not as nimble as its main Japanese opponent, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the Wildcat quickly earned a reputation for its ruggedness and ability to withstand shocking amounts of damage while still remaining airborne. Learning quickly, American pilots developed tactics to deal with the Zero which utilized the Wildcats high service ceiling, greater ability to power dive, and heavy armament. Group tactics were also devised, such as the Thach Weave which allowed Wildcat formations to counter a diving attack by Japanese aircraft. In mid-1942, Grumman ended Wildcat production in order to focus on its new fighter, the F6F Hellcat. As a result, manufacture of the Wildcat was passed to General Motors. Though the fighter was supplanted by the F6F and F4U Corsair on most American fast carriers by mid-1943, its small size made it ideal for use aboard escort carriers. This allowed the fighter to remain in both American and British service through the end of the war. Production ended in fall 1945, with a total of 7,885 aircraft built. While the F4F Wildcat often receives less notoriety than its later cousins and possessed a less-favorable kill-ratio, it is important to note that the aircraft bore the brunt of the fighting during the critical early campaigns in the Pacific when Japanese air power was at its peak. Among the notable American pilots who flew the Wildcat were Jimmy Thach, Joseph Foss, E. Scott McCuskey, and Edward Butch OHare. Selected Sources Military Factory: F4F WildcatChuckhawks: F4F Wildcat

In part because it united all Americans behind a moral aim and in Essay

In part because it united all Americans behind a moral aim and in victory, World War 2 lives on in modern American memory as the - Essay Example There was a general feeling among Americans at home that the war was being triumphed by the Japanese.1 During this time, the film acted as a source of inspiration for the American population and the mixture in cast, ranging from the whites to the African Americans meant that the film acted a source of togetherness and unity despite race. Though indeed the Americans soldiers were being heavily attacked and defeated by the Japanese military, Bataan inspired Americans to believe that as much as their soldiers were dying, they were giving the war their best and dying for a country and freedom of their families back home. The film depicted how American forces were being driven out of manila by Japanese forces. An American unit of thirteen soldiers that was multi ethnic in its composition, consisting of individuals from different societal class and race decided to work together to blow up a bridge that the Japanese were using. The idea behind the move was to give the Americans and Australi an troops time to advance northwards. The group of thirteen men was headed by an experienced sergeant who was tough speaking and no nonsense. The diversity of composition of the unit of thirteen men meant that there was diversity in opinion and approach to stopping the continued invasion by the Japanese into manila territory that the US occupied. In spite of the challenge in ideology and race, the unit managed to hold Japanese army, albeit for a little time. According to Bennett (2012) the thirteen American soldiers seemed to stand their ground, almost wiping out a large proportion of the Japanese army. Unfortunately, due to their small number, the American unit of thirteen men eventually lost the battle to the Japanese army. The Japanese took to eliminating them one by one. Eventually, the last American soldier to die died holding his machine gun, charging towards the Japanese army, shooting at them. Some of the officers in the unit had differences due to past backgrounds, but due to the fact that they had a common enemy to fight, neither of them acknowledged the differences and instead the opted for unity of purpose to fight for their country. The film was set depicting how hard the American troops were fighting, the unbearable conditions they lived in and their determination to win the war. This film acted as an opener and morale booster for American citizens back home who were of the thought that the war was being won by the Japanese. Disease plagued the soldiers, some died of malaria and other disease since they were fighting in forests manifested with mosquitoes as well as other dangerous animals (Christensen 1987). The movie depicts great efforts by the American troops who were outnumbered by the charging battled hardened Japanese troops. Among these efforts were the bringing down of Japanese aircrafts as well as the eventual blowing up of the bridge that Japanese relied upon to cross over into the Bataan Mountains. The outnumbered American soldiers ble w up the bridge twice. 2During the first instance they blew it up, the advancing Japanese troops captured the area and were in the process of rebuilding the bridge when the American soldiers again hit the bridge and blew it up for the second time. This team spirit and determination to win the war despite all odds being against the unit made the movie a huge success. It inspired a sense of togetherness for the American population during the time. Though racism was a common feature in the society, the