Alexander Pope Essay on Man :: essays research papers

Alexander Pope was born May 21, 1688, in London. His father was a cloth merchant living in London, both his parents were Catholic. It was a period of intense anti-Catholic sentiment in England, and at some point Alexander's family was forced to relocate to be in compliance with a statute forbidding Catholics from living within ten miles of London or Westminster. They moved to Binfield Berkshire where Pope's early education was affected by his Catholicism. The Catholic schools were illegal but, they were allowed to survive in some places. Prior to his move to Binfield Pope spent a year at Twofold, where he wrote "a satire on some faults of his master," which led to him being whipped and beaten until he became ill. Then once again he was taken from his family. Alexander went to study with Thomas Deane, a convert to Catholicism who lost his position at Oxford as a result of his religious beliefs. After the Pope family moved to Bin field Alexander became self-taught. Pope's disease apparently tuberculosis of the bone became evident when he was about twelve. Later in Pope's life, Sir Joshua Reynolds described him as "about four feet six high; very humpbacked and deformed. Pope was also afflicted with constant headaches, sometimes so severe that he could barely see the paper he wrote upon, frequent violent pain at bone and muscle joints shortness of breath, increasing inability to ride horses or even walk for exercise. William Wycherley, impressed by some of Pope's early poetry, introduced him into fashionable London literary circles in 1704. Public attention came with the publication of Pastorals in 1709. The Rape of the Lock helped secure Pope's reputation as a leading poet of the age. Pope moved Twickenham in 1717 there he received visitors just about everyone, attacked his literary contemporaries although notable exceptions were Swift and Gay, with whom he had close friendships and continued to publish poetry. He died May 21, 1744 at Twickenham Village. He wrote a poem called the Essay of a Man in 1733-1734) Pope examined the human condition against Miltonic, cosmic background. Although Pope's perspective is well above our everyday life, and he does not hide his wide knowledge, the dramatic work suggest than humankind is a part of nature and the diversity of living forms each beast, each insect, happy in its own.

The Chosen, My name is Asher Lev, In the Beginning, and The Book of Lights :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Assimilation and the American Jew in Potok’s The Chosen, My name is Asher Lev, In the Beginning, and The Book of Lights.  Ã‚  Ã‚   America has always been a country of immigrants, since it was first settled by Europeans over five hundred years ago.   Like any country with a considerable immigrant population, American has always faced the problem of assimilation.   Because America was founded and settled by immigrants, her culture is a combination of the cultures of other countries. Should these immigrants isolate themselves from the mainstream American culture, or should they sacrifice the culture of their homelands for the benefits American culture has to offer?   Judaism in particular has had to deal with the assimilation question.   One of the world’s oldest religions, it has remained strong over its six thousand year history by remaining distinct – and isolated – from other cultures. Chaim Potok focuses on how Orthodox and Hasidic Jews have handled this problem in his books The Chosen, My name is Asher Lev, In the Beginning, and The Book of Lights. Many of Chaim Potok’s characters want the American Jewry to remain isolated from the mainstream American culture: The world kills us! The world flays our skin from our bodies and throws us into the flames! The world laughs at Torah! And if it does not kill us, it tempts us! It misleads us! It contaminates us! It asks us to join in its ugliness, its abominations! (The Chosen 127)  Ã‚   The Chosen â€Å"deals with the problems Jews have faced in trying to preserve their heritage – in particular, the problem of how to deal with the danger of assimilation† (Young). The Jews have always been professionals occupying jobs in medicine, law, education, and other fields requiring a college degree. American Jews, however, face a dilemma: â€Å"Ideas from this secular world inevitably impinge upon an individual born in a church community or a synagogue community, especially when that individual embarks on a college experience† (Potok 2). American Jews must either take on nonprofessional jobs, assuming an identity completely different from that of European Jews, or expose themselves to secular America. Isolation is thoroughly impractical for the American Jew. Chaim Potok’s works often focus on main characters whose talents draw them to the outside world:    When individuals are brought up in the heart of such a community or culture [as Danny’s and Reuven’s did in The Chosen] they learn to commit themselves to its values †¦ They see the world through the system of values of that unique community.

Understanding Ourselves in the Age of the Internet Essay -- Sherry Tur

Understanding Ourselves in the Age of the Internet In her book, Life on Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet, author Sherry Turkle explains the effect technology has on the way individuals view themselves, and how this relates to the growth of postmodernist thinking. According to Turkle, the rapid expansion of network technology, specifically the Internet, is responsible for introducing millions of people to new spaces and ways of interactivity with one another. This revolutionary method for relating to others is swiftly changing how we view our minds, our sexual interactions, the forms of our communities, and even our own identities (Turkle 9). In the excerpts selected for our class reading, Turkle cites Internet communication technology such as chat rooms, MUDs (Multi-User Domains) and IRC (Internet Relay Chat) as the basis for the further exploration of our identities because, "it is on the Internet that our confrontations with technology as it collides with our sense of human identity are fresh, even raw. In the real-time communities of cyber space, we are dwellers on the threshold between the real and virtual, unsure of our footing, inventing ourselves as we go along" (Turkle 10). As we invent new identities in order to harmonize with the changing frontiers of technology and society, our culture moves from the modernist idea of calculation to a postmodern concept of simulation (Turkle 20). To understand the difference between the postmo dernist impact on contemporary thought as opposed to the modernist view, it is important to hold a basic understanding of both ideas. Modernist thought is difficult to accurately define - the gradual evolution of philosophy makes it hard to determine how long modernism has ex... ...l life and what is considered computer simulation. After all, most chat users argue, "why grant such superior status to the self that has the body when the selves that don't have bodies are able to have different kinds of experiences?" (Turkle 14). The technological culture of simulation is gradually affecting the way we view our minds as well as our bodies, and a majority of mainstream computer programs are designed with this postmodern influence in mind. Rather than expecting to program aptitude directly into their computers, programmers now believe it is the interaction of smaller subprograms to each other that can create a greater intelligence. The relation of these programs to each other may become too complex to properly define or completely understand, but so are our brains - and this never prevented them from functioning competently (Turkle 20).

Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

In this essay I intend to analyse the attachment theory of well-known British psychiatrist Dr John Bowlby. I will examine both the primary and secondary research behind the theory and look at some of the arguments against it before going on to explore the impact Bowlby’s research has had on the early years setting. Edward John Mostyn Bowlby was born in London on February 26th 1907 to a fairly upper-middle class family. His parents were of the belief that too much parental affection would in fact spoil a child and therefore spent very little time with him, as little as one hour per day.His primary care-giver was the family nanny until, when he was four years old, the nanny left. Bowlby later described this as being: â€Å"as tragic as the loss of a mother† (www. mentalhelp. net/poc/view_doc. php? type=doc;id=10104;cn=28) He was then sent away to boarding school at the age of seven. It is therefore entirely comprehensible that he became increasingly sensitive to childrenà ¢â‚¬â„¢s suffering and how it appeared to be connected to their future mental health. Bowlby began his study at Trinity College Cambridge where he studied psychology.He excelled academically and spent time working with delinquent children. He then went on to study medicine at University College Hospital and enrolled in the Institute of Psychoanalysis. Upon his graduation he began working at Maudesley Hospital as a psychoanalyst. It was while studying medicine that he volunteered in a children’s residential home and began to develop his interest in children who appeared to him to be emotionally disturbed. While working in the residential home he encountered two particular children who intrigued him.The first of these was a very isolated, affectionless teenager who had no permanent, stable mother figure and the second was a young boy of seven or eight who followed Bowlby around constantly. This led him to speculate that there was a possible link between a child’s mental health problems and their early childhood experiences. It was generally believed by many early theorists that the need to make a bond with a mother or mother substitute was part of our ‘biological inheritance’ and Bowlby’s experience and observations lead him to whole-heartedly agree.The resulting body of work and research carried out by Bowlby became known as the attachment theory. It was his firm belief that babies are ‘biologically programmed’ to be dependant on their mother. He went so far as to say that there was a ‘critical period’ in a child’s life from birth to age three where the child would be irreparably damaged psychologically by a prolonged absence from the mother. He referred to this absence as ‘maternal deprivation’. He wrote in his book, first published in 1953; Prolonged breaks (in the mother-child relationship) during the first three years of life leave a characteristic impression on the childâ€℠¢s personality. Such children appear emotionally withdrawn and isolated and consequently have no friendships worth the name† (pg 39, Bowlby J. Child Care and the Growth of Love, 1974) While working at the Child Guidance Clinic in London in the 30s and 40s Bowlby began to suspect that not only was a child’s mental health affected by the lack of bond with their mother but there may well be a correlation between delinquent behaviour in children and ‘maternal deprivation’.This led him to carry out his own study between 1936 and 1939 to try and prove this to be the case. The resulting scientific paper was published in 1946 and entitled 44 Juvenile Thieves. The study involved Bowlby selecting 88 children from the clinic. Of this group of children 44 had been referred to him for theft and 44 had been referred due to emotional problems. Half the children in each group were aged between five and eleven years of age and the other half were between twelve and sixteen. There were thirty-one boys and thirteen girls in the first group and thirty-four boys and ten girls in the second.The two groups were roughly matched for age and IQ. On arrival at the clinic, each child had their IQ tested by a psychologist and at the same time a parent was interviewed by a social worker to establish and record details of the child’s early life. Bowlby, the psychiatrist at the clinic, then conducted an initial interview with the child and parent. The 3 professionals then met to compare notes. Bowlby then went on to conduct a series of further interviews with the child and/or parent over the next few onths to gather more in-depth information about the history of the child, specifically in their early years. Bowlby considered his findings to be entirely conclusive. Of the 44 thieves Bowlby diagnosed 32% as ‘affectionless psychopaths’. He described this condition as involving a lack of emotional development in the children, leading to a lack of con cern for others, a lack of guilt and an inability to form meaningful and/or lasting relationships. Bowlby concluded that this condition was the precise reason why these children were capable of stealing.His speculation was further strengthened when he discovered that 86% of the children with affectionless psychopathy had experienced a long period of maternal deprivation in the first five years of their lives. They had spent the majority of their early years either in institutions or in hospital with little or no visitation from their parents. Interviews also showed that the majority of these children had been undemonstrative and unresponsive since approximately two years of age. Only 17% of the thieves who were not diagnosed as affectionless psychopaths had experienced maternal deprivation in the early years.Of the second group not one child proved to be affectionless and only two of them had experienced prolonged maternal separation. Bowlby concluded in the resulting paper; â€Å" There is a very strong case indeed for believing that prolonged separation of a child from his mother (or mother substitute) during the first five years of life stands foremost among the causes of delinquent character development† [Bowlby J. pg 41] Many have however argued that Bowlby’s findings were not reliable. It has been suggested that as the study was carried out retrospectively this may have tainted the results.It is possible that the parents or the children had not recalled events accurately or indeed that they had not responded truthfully to questioning in order to put themselves in a better light. Michael Rutter suggested in 1981 that some of the children in the study had never had a mother figure at all so their delinquency was not due to maternal deprivation but rather to ‘privation’ of any sort of loving attachment. Bowlby looked at research done by others which could support his own findings. He examined both animal studies done by Hinde and H arlow and Lorenz as well as child studies.He noted in particular the work of Rene Spitz and Katharine Wolf. Spitz and Wolf had observed 123 babies during the first few years of their lives while they were being looked after by their own mothers who were in prison. When the babies were between 6-8 months old their mothers were moved elsewhere within the prison for a period of three months and the babies were cared for by others inmates. Spitz and Wolf noted that the babies lost their appetite, cried more often and failed to thrive during this period of separation. Once the babies were returned to their mothers their behaviour returned to what it had been previous to the separation.These results certainly appeared to support Bowlby’s hypothesis however others disagreed. In Czechoslovakia in 1972 Koluchova wrote of twin boys who had suffered extreme deprivation. Their mother had died soon after the boys were born and their father struggled to cope on his own. At eleven months of age the boys were taken into care and were considered to be normal, healthy children. A few months later their father remarried and at the age of eighteen months the twins returned to their fathers care. Unfortunately the father worked away from home a great deal and their step-mother treated the boys horribly.They were beaten, given very little food, made to sleep on a plastic sheet on the floor and sometimes locked away in the cellar. This continued for five and a half years and when the boys were examined at the age of seven they were found to be severely mentally and physically retarded. The twins were hospitalised until they were able to be placed in a special school for mentally disturbed children. They coped well with their schooling and went on to be fostered by a very affectionate, kind lady and in her care they blossomed.By the age of 15 the boys IQ was normal for their age and their emotional health had improved immensely. Koluchova’s work would appear to demonstr ate that it is in fact possible for a child to recover from maternal deprivation in their early years if they are given the love, support and security required later in their childhood and that the results of maternal deprivation need not be permanent. Schaffer and Emerson also disputed Bowlby’s findings and argued that, although an infant needed to form a bond, children could form multiple attachments and they could benefit greatly from the attention of the extended family.They performed a study in Glasgow in 1964 where they observed 60 children from birth – eighteen months. They met with the mothers once a month and interviewed them to ascertain who the infant was smiling at, who they responded to etc. They found that many of the infants were forming numerous attachments. Twenty of the children studied were not attached to their mothers but to another adult, in some cases the father and in others another family member or even a neighbour. Schaffer states; â€Å"Ther e is, we must conclude, nothing to indicate any biological need for an exclusive primary bond† [Davenport G.C. pg 38] In 1950 the World Health Organisation, who had been following Bowlby’s work closely, commissioned him to write a report on the mental health of homeless children in post-war Europe. While researching the report Bowlby visited several countries and met with many childcare professionals and experts giving him the opportunity to look further into his theory on attachment and the importance of a strong bond between mother and child. His findings supported his thinking entirely and the report was written in six months and published in 1951, entitled Maternal Care and Mental Health.Bowlby went on to publish further papers and books and his findings and research on attachment and the mother child bond has had a profound impact on childcare in general and that of the early years setting. As Juliet Mickleburgh states in her article Attachment Theory and the Key P erson Approach â€Å"Bowlby's research is recognised as the foundation for our understanding of the centrality of making secure attachments in infancy. † [Juliet Mickleburgh, www. eyfs. info] There have been numerous changes to childcare practice since the 1940s and Bowlby’s influence must be acknowledged.It can be no coincidence that ‘family allowance’ was introduced in 1946 in the UK, the same year 44 Juvenile Thieves was published, making it affordable for mothers to stay at home with their children. Bowlby made a plea for reforms in the care of young children in hospital and advocated ‘rooming in’ where the baby stays with mother from birth in the maternity ward. Although some children’s hospitals were already extending visitation rights of parents many more followed their lead after the publication of Bowlby’s W. H. O report, ensuring that the mother/child bond remained as strong as possible.In the early years setting we hav e witnessed the implementation of the ‘Key Person Approach’ pioneered by Elinor Goldschmied. This approach recognises that an infant will be comforted by a secure relationship with one specific adult. We can now see this in practice in the nursery, each child has their own ‘Key Worker’ who has the duty of monitoring the child’s needs and development. This approach also accepts the need for parents and early years practitioners to work together rather than independently and the key worker regularly liaises with the parents regarding their child.Parents are also encouraged to become actively involved with the life of the nursery and to work in partnership with the nursery staff to provide their child with a positive, stable and stimulating learning environment. In my view as a parent and an early years practitioner I believe that Bowlby’s research has benefitted both children and families immensely. As a mother I feel that society supports my ri ght to be at home with my children until they go to school and that I am the child’s most vital resource in their early years, not only for nourishment but for their emotional development.To echo the words of John Major, Bowlby laid the foundation for mothers in the 21st century to go ‘back to basics’. As a practitioner I believe that the implementation of the ‘key person approach’ can be immensely beneficial for both the child and the parent. The child knows that there is always someone there to whom they can turn if necessary and the parent knows that there will always be someone looking out for their child in the setting and that he/she is being given the attention and care of a trained adult in their absence.I have witnessed first-hand in the nursery how a child who is upset by the departure of their mother can be comforted by the attention of their key worker. I have also observed how the key workers are constantly monitoring the children to pin point any needs, to witness the achievement of developmental milestones and to document this for the parents in the form of the Personal Learning Plan, a written and photographic record of the child’s achievements within the setting.In conclusion, although there have been arguments against Bowlby’s research methods many professionals agreed with his findings regarding the importance of a secure attachment in the early years. These findings, and undoubtedly those of others in the field, have led to positive reforms in childcare. As we progress through the 21st century women are feeling the need, either for financial reasons or the belief that they too have the right to work, I find myself asking will society continue to regard the bond between a mother and her child as paramount or will ‘maternal deprivation’ increase and society as a whole be damaged as a result?Bibliography www. mentalhelp. net/poc/view_doc. php? type=doc;id=10104;cn=28 Bowlby J. 1953. Ch ild Care and the Growth of Love, 2nd ed, England, Pelican Books Davenport G. C 1994. An Introduction to Child Development, 2nd ed, London, Collins Educational www. eyfs. info/articles/article. php? Attachment-Theory-and-the-Key-Person-Approach-66 .

Smileys people, spy game

â€Å"In the world of espionage the value of trust Is paramount† represents a valid statement to an extent. The characters values and Ideologies are a reflection of the context of which they live. The novel Smiley people by John Lee Care, the movie Spy Game, directed by Tony Scott and the Interview Kim Billy's great betrayal presented by Phillip Adams represent this statement through different portrayals of the world of espionage. These three texts exhibit a power struggle between communist and western democratic societies, both very different political ideologies.The world of espionage is fraught with manipulation, betrayal and deceit and aiming to achieve the â€Å"greater good†. It is a world where its inhabitants will do anything – even if it means performing acts that are seen criminal by mainstream society – Just to complete a mission. It Is a world where information is gold and an important document Is worth more than a persons life. Trust sustains a relationship In the spy world, a relationship that allows communication and control of knowledge and power. The spy world demonstrates a context where trust Is a value, not valued by all who inhabit this world.For spies that â€Å"play the spy game† they have to have trust in those that control their missions and must have trust in themselves, to be able to get the job done. But for others such as defectors and double agents trust is tool used to get information and used to manipulate and gain power over the opposing side. A clash between the personal and the professional values is seen in Tony Scoots Spy Game, through the character of Tom Bishop. It is shown in the scene where Bishop must bring Schmidt across the border from east to west Germany. When Bishop andSchmidt realism that they will get killed if they attempt to cross the border, Schmidt pleads with Bishop to take him â€Å"But my wife, my kids†. When Schmidt says this we can see Bishops realization that Sc hmidt Is human and not just an expendable pawn, or an asset. This clash between the personal and professional values of Bishop challenges his moral outlook on life. However in order to stay alive and protect himself he must leave Schmidt, whys trust he has manipulated for use of his own organization and his own professional gain. Whilst having to trust someone who may be doing the same thing to him.The context has had an effect on the values of Bishop, his values compromised by the situation he has been placed in. The choice to leave Schmidt behind to die was not a choice that Bishop would have made on his own accord, yet he has had to. This is a direct result of his immediate context, which has forced a re-evaluation of his values. The value of trust one that all spies must have, has turned bishop against his personal humanity and has set him to achieve what Is seen as the greater good, to leave Schmidt because he Is less Important.The trust placed In agents to carry out the Nilsso n that they are assigned with Is a tepee for agencies to take in process of completing the mission. The agents who are to best that they should or mess it up completely, it is in these times that the value of trust is seen to be most paramount. An example in Tony Scoots Spy game is when Bishop is sent to manipulate the doctor to have the sheik assassinated however he let down Mir and he didn't get there in time so Mir had sent in a suicide bomber to blow the apartment building.Bishop had played on Emir's trust and let him down, after the explosion Bishop asks Mir if he's happy with the outcome â€Å"Seventy four casualties and an entire apartment block leveled, one dead terrorist. Yeah IM happy' is the reply from Mir. In this statement we can see the stark contrast in perspectives of success and the values required in order to obtain this success. Seventy four casualties for one terrorist is a high price to pay, but it shows that Mir is more about getting the Job done, and working for the greater good as he believes that their sacrifice is better than one terrorist living.Mir throughout the book is a representation of freedom pictured almost always with the American flag which is a presentation of the values upheld by the county and the values that he upholds within himself driving him to become better as a spy, the flag is a symbol of the trust placed in him by his superiors working in the CIA and other government organizations it is because of this trust and expectation that Mir pursues his missions to the fullest extend as he is not a person to those who trust in him down. George Smiley on the other hand, an old school spy born and raised in a democratic society.Stuck in his ways as a spy is more wary about who to trust. Smiley is enraged with the circus or MUM for breaking their promise to protect Vladimir. This trust that Smiley had placed in MUM, much like that of Mir in Bishop, is broken. Smiley must now take matters into his own hands not sure who to trust but close friends. To find the truth is what fuels Smiley search for the mystery behind the death of his old friend Vladimir. Smiley is a perfect representation of a mans internal struggle of conflicting values, and he must overcome the conflict to get to the bottom of the case an bring down Karl.The conflicting values is depicted in the quote â€Å"Wrestling with troubled dreams†. Smiley eventually through internal conflicts of morals and values rings down Karl. Smiley disregards this as a victory as he had compromised values precious to him, he sees the victory as double edged the fact he caught his man but had to give up who he is to do this his views on the sanctity of human life differ from those of Mir, Smiley is seen throughout the novel to try and save people like Castrato's and not to let them die.His use of manipulation and deceit was what had allowed him to get the information he needed, but has left him feeling dejected that his morals and values have become irrelevant in order to achieve the greater good. Deception is the way of the spy and most of them have used methods of this nature to obtain information and as a way of being able to use people we see this in the interview â€Å"Elliot deceived by Kim Philly' Elliot was one of Philips friends inside MUM and the trust that he showed in Philly was the weak link in the relationship.Although some spies might consider the morals behind their actions on the other end of the scale there are those that don't have moral and will use trust for their own gain and take advantage of those closest to them. These are the people that totally n the novel Smiley People would be something along the lines of a evil master mind set to take smiley out at all costs. Karl however isn't, he has mixed his personal with professional because of the love for his daughter.Trust in the spy world is complicated due to the fact that everything is to be kept secret from each other, so how are you supposed to trust someone whilst they aren't telling you everything that they know. This is where trust comes into play, to be able to trust someone and their Judgment of what is right whilst figuring out for themselves what their values and morals say is right is what the fullest extend of the rust in the world of espionage.Trust in the spy world isn't at a constant in different contexts, situations, different people and agents will all see trust in a different light, and of different importance. Trust is what keeps agents alive to able to trust yourself at any time to do what is best for those around you and to trust those around you that they have your back. Yet there is no difference in those fighting and working for the greater good and those working against trust is recognized as a necessity and a value needed to be able to compete in the spy game.

Characterization of Pheonix Jackson Essay

Eudora Welty, in her character Phoenix Jackson, creates humanity’s counterpart of the phoenix firebird from oriental tradition. Although Phoenix Jackson can not lay claim to the immortality manifested by consuming fiery rebirths (as does the mythological bird), she possesses a fiery spirit and is consumed by love for her grandchild. Ana4rzing the character of Phoenix is pleasurable because the characteristics of her â€Å"roundness† are primarily positive, static traits. She is tenacious, confident, wise, and resolute with a clear sense of purpose which guides her fearlessly toward her goal. One word can summarize Phoenix‑‑noble. Even in the one situation when the reader sees Phoenix being sly, her slyness is immediately forgivable. Her slyness is a minor negative characteristic in comparison to her innumerable positive ones and is not a conflicting quality. It is, instead, justifiable in light of the pureness of her motivation‑‑love. Ihe similarities of the phoenix bird and Phoenix Jackson are readily apparent in the author’s physical description of Phoenix; â€Å"†¦her head tied in a red rag,† â€Å"†¦a golden color ran underneath,† and â€Å"†¦a yellow burning under the dark†(457). Further confirming the parable between the woman and the bird is the cornme made by Phoenix at the spring, â€Å"Sweetgum makes the water sweet’ (459). (Sweet‑gum K supposedly, the firebird’s source of nourishment) Since it is obvious that Ms. Welty has made these comparisons, it is noteworthy that the phoenix, in addition to symbolizing immortality, is said to be a good and wonderful bird, possessing qualities not unlike the eagle’s: nobility and powers of endurance. Phoenix Jackson shares these same qualities. Phoenix Jackson is an old Negro woman (456). Being black and female in Natchez, Nfississippi, any time prior to 1963 was particularly treacherous. Since Phoenix refers to the â€Å"Surrender,† the reader knows that she lived during and after the Civil War. This fact confirms that society afforded her little respect. Indeed, the majority ofwhite people would have considered her little more than an animal. However, an investigation of Phoeribes interaction with other (obviously white) characters in the story proves that her noble character commands respect despite her age, race, and sex. For exam ­ple, when the hunter points his gun at her, Phoenix responds by standing firm and facing him straight on. The hunter’s respect is evident in this comment, ‘Well, Granny, you must be a hundred years old and scared of nothing’ (460). Fur ­thermore, when the elegant lady on the street stoops to tie Phoerlik’s shoes, the reader sees Phoenik’s commanding, noble character at work. In fact, it would appear that out of a crowd of people, Phoenix actually chooses this one particu ­lar woman to lace up her shoes: She paused quietly on the sidewalk where people were passing by. A lady came along in the crowd, carrying an armful of†¦presents; she gave off perfume like the red roses in hot summer, and Phoenix stopped her (460). Tradition says the phoenix bird has an affinity for frankin ­cense, aromatic gums, and spices. It is also worthwhile to note that the â€Å"nice lady,† as well as the hunter, initially responds to Phoenix In a negative, perhaps derogatory, way by calling her â€Å"Granny’ or â€Å"Grandma.† But in the final analysis, the lady is (at least momentarily) at Phoenix7s feet, and the hunter voices his admiration. Phoenix’s physical stature stands in sharp contrast to the enormity of her journey. Welty establishes in the first para ­graph that Phoenix is very old and small. Me fact that her walking could be aided and sustained by a thin, small cane made from an umbrella provides the reader with a graphic Illustration of her diminutive size. Her small size, of course, emphasizes, by contrast, Phoenixs giant‑sized determination and perseverance. Effects of old age, particularly poor eyesight, intensifies Phoenix’s dangerous trek. When the path runs up a hill, Phoenix says, â€Å"Seem like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far† (457). Poor vision is indicated throughout the story, for example, â€Å"Old eyes thought you was a pretty little green bush† (457). However, one uncanny incident occurs regarding PhoenbCs eyesight. She sees â€Å"†¦with her own eyes a flashing nickel fall out of the man’s pocket onto the ground† (459). This episode supports the parallel drawn between Phoenix and the firebird‑‑she exercises ‘bird‑like† vision. Perhaps she has long contemplated what she would do if she had a nickel or a dime.

Handwriting Analysis Essay

As the World’s Economy drops down, the need for jobs has rapidly increased over the years, but how do employers tell a hardworking potential from a lazy couch potato? In resumes anyone can write anything, so how do people tell the truth from a lie? In the world of businesses, the secret lies in the hands of the employees. Some employers decide to trust the resume as it is, while others choose another notion. A number of bosses have chosen to â€Å"read† their potential employees’ handwriting to understand their personality. The applicants perform a simple test. Then, people who are known as graphologists study the handwriting to uncover information about that certain person. Graphologists do not always just study a person’s handwriting. They study it and develop ways so that it is possible to uncover more information about the brain and its mysteries. Handwriting, is sometimes seen as a â€Å"blueprint to the brain† because it has been discovered to show one’s values and personality, which gives hope to the scientists around the world that the seclusive mass in the skull’s secrets can be unlocked and, maybe, be shared with the public. Handwriting analysis is an art that is used to figure out a person’s traits and characteristics. Nowadays, anyone can click on a website that shows all the rules and guidelines to become a handwriting analyzer. They then claimed that â€Å"anyone can understand their personality,† but analyzing does not mean understanding, it means discovering. So how can one understand their personality? There is always a beginning to start an end. In the history of handwriting analysis, it first started with the Emperor Nero. As everyone knows, he was paranoid and a tyrant. He had said that every letter sent to him had to be studied by an expert to see if the sender was an enemy or not. Thus graphology took it’s first flight. However, the first book about graphology was created by a scientist, Alderius Prosper about 1619. Later, in 1622, a medicine professor named Camillo Baldi created a composition about handwriting analysis. It was called â€Å"How to Know the Habits and the Character of a Person From His Letters†. Later, in 1871, another scientist named Jean Hippolyte Michan officially called the study â€Å"graphology† and created the system and rules that now help graphologists in their work around the world. Before this time, there was not much progress that helped  graphology and handwriting analysis. In 1880 – 1883 there were three German psychi atrists, Dr. George Meyer, Dr. Wilhelm Preyer, and Dr. Ludwig Klages. They all examined graphology and pointed it to a psychological turn. Around 1897 – 1927, the Germans and the Americans were having a race to see which country could establish a theory about graphology first. It ended in 1908, when the Germans scientists created the German Graphological Society. Finally in 1927, Louise Rice created the American Graphology Society. Until the time Louise Rice came along, no one in America had known what graphology or handwriting analysis was. In 1952, Klara Roman experimented with muscle tension by making a machine that could measure the pressure of the hand as it drags a writing utensil around the paper. After creating the machine device, she used it to experiment on little children’s handwritings. Then in 1955, Klara Roman and George Staemphli invented a chart that is now called the Graphological Psychogram. It puts different variables in order for an experiment which then they plotted them on the chart. For example, they would add more sleep or bring in moody people. Later, a New Yorker with the name Daniel Anthony refined the psychogram to be more accurate. When people look closely at their own handwriting, they can see that all handwriting is different and that they have their own styles. However, what most people do not realize is that they are not all unique. Instead, each handwriting has adopted a different aspect of a style. Say, there is a face. Each piece, or feature, of the face can change, but it is still the same feature. The only other difference that feature shows to other feature is their appearance. Such as it is with handwriting, each â€Å"feature† may look different, however, it is still the same. It is inevitable and can never be changed. According to dailymail.co.uk, no matter what method, formula, or any idea used to teach calligraphy, it does not affect the pupil’s handwriting. There are many â€Å"features† to handwriting that makes a handwriting unique. Such as, the handwriting’s size, spacing, signatures, shape, and etcetera. The size of one’s handwriting can be varied at times, but there is always a specific size that your hand would write into. Some people naturally have large handwriting, which can be greater than seven millimeters. A medium sized script can tend to be four to six millimeters long while a small sized font can be less than three millimeters. Also, the  spacing of one’s calligraphy can be managed as well, however, many people have never cared enough to keep their spacing even. Spacing can be determined by how far their words are from each other. Sometimes, the spacing of the words can be as far as a finger widths apart or one to two millimeters apart. The spacing can affect many parts of your handwriting. Such as it is with the signatures. The signature can be extremely hard to write or one of the most simple tasks. Whichever way it is, there is only one simple difference between them: if it is legible or illegible. That is the only difference for the signatures of one’s writing. The shape of one’s manuscript is one of the biggest differences between handwritings. They could be circular shaped, jagged points, curled, or looped. The possibilities of the different aspects can be endless. These are the different styles of one’s personal handwritings. Just like handwriting, there are many different types of personalities. However, most personalities are made up of character traits that are joined together to create one identity. Personalities are how we act or react to our daily lives. It is what links our actions and our thoughts together in what we call an attitude. There are many different types of personalities that contrast each other, but on the contrary, some tend to be alike. There are generally placed into four groups. These groups can be summarized as four characters from the Hundred Acre Woods in the Disney cartoon â€Å"Winnie the Pooh.† The Tigger, the Rabbit, the Eeyore, and the Pooh bear. The Tiggers tend to be enthusiastic, nice, the happy-go-lucky open, and more approachable. Meanwhile there is the Eeyore personality. These Eeyore people tend to be sullen, and often in a corner ignoring everybody. They are not lonely or sad, but it is that they like being alone and that it is just their nature to be alone. Even though they are solitary, they are also observant. Eeyores take in their surroundings and let everything unravel as they sit and do nothing. The Rabbit people, however, are very mismatched from the Tiggers and the Eeyores. The Rabbit people are the born leaders and they take responsibility when their is no one to take charge. They are ambitious and persevere to complete a task. They can sometimes become very bossy at times and Lastly, there is the Pooh bears. They are the most caring and friendliest of the groups. Pooh bears tend to be a people pleaser  even if they have to suffer for it. However, they enjoy to be uncomfortable if everyone is comfortable too. They tend to be the very nice people and sometimes gullible. Now these are only groups that personalitees can fall into. Though, there can be a mix of two or more groups to create a different identity. Handwriting used to be seen as an innocent tool to communicate with a pen and paper. Now, scientists have uncovered that not only does handwriting tell you moods and values, it can tell about your personalities. There is a key or a system, created by Jean Hippolyte Michan that can tell about different attributes. Meaning, with each â€Å"feature† of handwriting, there is a personality trait that matches up with that feature. A large sized handwriting symbolizes an outgoing trait in that person. A wide space between the words mean that the person prefers being alone rather that being with other people. However, there is a variable that can change. When you have a mood change, you can write differently than usual. For example, if you are happy you write contrasting how your handwriting would look when you are sad. So it can change depending on your mood. It can grow bigger, tilt more to the left or right, or become more messy. Another aspect that can affect your calligraphy is y our self-esteem. Your self-esteem is what your perspective is of yourself and what kind of person you think you are. It can constantly change it can only do so if a person thinks of themselves as a higher or lower being. For instance, a person with a higher self-esteem would look different if that same person had a lower self-esteem. Mainly though, one’s handwriting would differ the most depending on if the writer is conscious of his or her piece or not. Consciously writing would mean that the writer is writing and paying attention as he/she drags the writing utensil across the paper. Unconsciously means that the person knows that he is writing, but does not pay attention to how it looks. Such is the case when it comes to handwriting analysis, the main difference between unconsciously writing and consciously writing is that when you do not pay attention to how you write, the font tends to be messier, bigger, and less accurate than how it would be if you were consciously writing. There is a great significance to handwriting to handwriting analysis.  Handwriting Analysis is an art that is occasionally practiced by the police and used to see a what kind of person someone by trying to uncover your personality. It can also tell what mood a person is whether your happy or sad. A happy person tends to have bigger handwriting. It can also determine what a person’s values are. They can see your morals or beliefs depending on what they are looking at. There are many styles of handwriting, and it is possible that it would lead to a personality trait that would describe you. This is the importance of handwriting analysis. Handwriting analysis took a slow and long journey to be able to be what it is now. From the year 54 AD to the twenty-first century, it had progressed into a flourishing study that is researched by young and old. The style of a handwriting is the heartbeat of the whole study. With many different attributes that constructs themselves into different fonts, they all look very different. Like handwriting styles, there are different character traits that makes up one gigantic personality. However, with each â€Å"feature† of a certain handwriting, there is always a personality trait that is matched up with that â€Å"feature.† As said before, one can know their personality, but many can not understand it, so how can one be able to understand his/her personality? As many struggle to become one with themselves they begin to have doubts growing in them and soon they are confused. However, there is conviction that a person can understand their personality. Works Cited Page Lowe, Sheila. â€Å"What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?† Primer Magazine. Andrew, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. Sheikh, F.D. â€Å"What Lies in Your Handwriting.† Web log post. In the Name of the Human†¦ F.D. Sheikh, 13 Mar. 2012. Web. 12 Oct. 2013. Woollaston, Victoria. â€Å"What Does Your Handwriting Say about You?† Mail Online(2013): n. pag. Mail Online. 29 July 2013. Web. 14 Sept. 2013.