Saturday, October 5, 2019

Hyatt Regency Hotel Walkaway Collapse Assignment

Hyatt Regency Hotel Walkaway Collapse - Assignment Example When the walkaways reached the floor, they killed 114 people (Lewis, James, Ralston, Norb& Wheatly 2). The accident left 200 people injured (Banset & Parsons 273). The disaster is related to engineering disasters because of a flaw in the connection of the walkways and the support rods. The disaster led to a number of significant changes in engineering practice. For instance, the engineer who authorized its design lost his license. After restoration, the hotel is currently functioning normally. The Hyatt Regency collapse occurred on July 17, 1981 in Missouri (Banset & Parsons 273). The hotel is located in Kansas City. The accident led to the death of 114 people and caused the injuries of 200 others (Banset & Parsons 273). The disaster has been selected for this paper because it was the most tragic structural collapse in American history at that time. During that fateful night, many people had gathered in the atrium to attend the highly publicized tea party. A significant number of peo ple stood on the walkways. When the accident occurred, all the walkways were packed with many patrons. The design of the walkaways contributed to the extent of the disaster. The fourth-floor bridge was suspended over all the subsequent bridges. In addition, the third walkaway was set off a few meters from the other two. Investigations established a flawed design alteration that increased the load on the connection between the support beams of the fourth walk away and the tie rods that were used to carry the weight of the next walk away. The engineers had clearly failed to observe due diligence. For example, the new design could not handle the weight of the structure. In addition, it could not support the weight of the hundreds of spectators that were standing on it. Consequently, the bridge failed and both walkaways ended up crashing into the lobby. The accident led to the death and injury of many people.

Friday, October 4, 2019

Core concept needed to be an effective youth worker Essay

Core concept needed to be an effective youth worker - Essay Example These organizations also look for sponsors to finance various projects. However, the most significant requirement is probably that of trainers and facilitators, who directly interact with the youth. The youth workers who work for various government and non-government organizations can instinctively follow certain moral principles and also take the help of formal training in order to develop the core competencies required for this mission. The core competencies needed to be an effective youth worker are many and varied since motivating and managing the youth is a challenging job. The entry-level youth development workers require domain knowledge, analytical skills and positive attitude. In addition to that they must have enormous level of patience as most of the times they will find themselves working actually on the mindsets of the target audience than anything else. The youth workers should be able to understand how a person evolves through the various stages of life and what kind of evolution takes place before, during and after the adolescence. They should have the fundamental knowledge of youth development programs and the processes associated with that. They should be able to apply this basic knowledge taking into consideration the contemporary trends and issues that influence youth development. These workers should be able to develop and facilitate age appropriate activities for the group. The activities should be engaging and the participants should be able relate these activities to their lives. The objective of the youth developmental work is to enable the youth to take decisions that add to the social, economic, political and ecological well-being of the community. To attain this objective, the workers have to develop effective programs. Once these programs are executed it is also required to follow up the programs in order to check the progress and bring amendments wherever necessary making sure that the goals and objectives of the programs are achieved. Again, for ensuring the success of these programs it is important to develop strategies for evaluating the effect and outcome of these programs. Workers involved in the youth development projects undertaken by the government organizations, voluntary organizations, trusts and public bodies must have the core competencies that are necessary to promote effective leadership, decision-making and implementation skills among the youth. Those organizing the youth development programs should think of more and more activities related to youth leadership development. Apart from summing up the basic leadership qualities, the youth should be provided mock leadership experience through participatory activities, which will enable the participants to understand the challenges of leadership role. These organizations should hire facilitators, faculty and agents who would be able to build a rapport with the youth and would be able to communicate the objectives of the programs. For this they need to be concerned about and interested in the feelings, the inadequacies and the ambitions of the youth. The facilitators should be good listeners who can listen with empathy and objectivity and without being judgmental. They can start with sharing the various problems that face the youth, for example, they can talk about job opportunities to the unemployed youth. But for that they need to be aware of suitable job

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Sample Statement of Purpose for Recreation and Leisure Studies Essay Example for Free

Sample Statement of Purpose for Recreation and Leisure Studies Essay Sample Statement of Purpose for Recreation and Leisure Studies The Martial Art (wushu) and the Technique of Deep Breathing (qigong) constitute an integral part of Chinese traditional culture and one of the essential cultural legacies of the world civilization. Even now, those two ancient health-building techniques are still indispensable in facilitating people’s health. Yet, it is regretful to notice that they seem to have stopped developing in the modern era. I believe that the best way out of this dilemma is to integrate those two traditional health-building techniques with the latest research achievements of western recreational and leisure studies. I believe that by undertaking a Ph. D. program in recreation and leisure studies at your esteemed university, I will be well positioned to make contributions to this integration. I completed my undergraduate and postgraduate programs respectively at xxxxx Institute of Physical Education and xxxxxx University, arguably two first-rate sports universities in China. I first majored in the Chinese martial arts then in Chinese traditional Taiji and health Qigong. This systematic and rigorous educational background has given me a necessary academic foundation for your program. My 7-year education allowed me to not only learn the theories and the skills in my specialties but also gain insights into the essence of the wushu and qigong—the perfect union between the physical and the mental. In two programs, I was particularly fascinated by a number of courses such as Martial Arts Serial Exercise Training, Taiji Boxing, Health Cultivation Qigong, Yoga, Exercise Physiology, Sport Medicine, and Sport Anatomy. I benefited from the martial arts training, taiji boxing and qigong exercises by deriving the spirit of perseverance and the pursuit of an active and balanced life characterized by a tactful aggressive attitude. In this way, I maintained a tranquil state of benign physiological-psychological cycle. Energetic and aggressive, I made efforts to win academic successes one after another. Entering the xxxxx Institute of Physical Education as the third top student in my province in that year’s national university entrance examination, I maintained a leading position in my academic performance, not only winning scholarships (available only to the top 5%) every year but also receiving the honor of Outstanding Student, Outstanding Graduate and Excellent Intern. With top scores in the qualifying examinations for the postgraduate program, I was enrolled into Beijing Sport University. As a postgraduate, I had ample teaching assistant experience. First, I taught taiji boxing and health cultivation qigong to undergraduates. Then, because of my sound English proficiency and interpersonal skills, I worked as a teacher of taiji boxing and health cultivation qigong, on behalf of our university’s Foreign Affairs Section, to foreign students and taiji-qigong fans from France, Canada, the United States, Japan and African countries. In addition, I was a voluntary teacher offering free taiji-qigong trainings to the elderly people at Martial Arts Association of China Academy of Sciences and Beijing Ever-Green Geracomium. All those activities helped me accumulate important teaching experience and raise my service awareness. The research I have done in writing my undergraduate thesis and postgraduate dissertation is closely aligned with the program I am currently applying for. Entitled The National Characteristics of Chinese Martial Arts, my undergraduate thesis demonstrates the underlying cultural features and the healthcare medical effect of the martial arts—their ability to temper one’s psychology and cultivate one’s temperament in addition to their direct health cultivation through physical exercises. My Master’s dissertation focuses on the Philosophical Characteristics of Chinese Traditional Sport Health Cultivation Practices. By an in-depth analysis of the theoretical premises of Chinese traditional sport practices, such as â€Å"the supremacy of prevention†, â€Å"parallel development of internal and external mechanisms,† and â€Å"equal emphasis on mental and physical cultivation†, the dissertation offers an interpretation of the philosophical basis of those practices. I also examined how those philosophical principles are embodied in the actual practices. I applied an interdisciplinary approach in writing this dissertation, soliciting constructive comments from senior professors in Chinese medicine, arts, social sciences, and, of course, sports. My work experience since the completion of my Master’s program is related to sports administration as I have been working at the Center of Health Qigong Administration, State Administration of Sport. Our center is a governmental organization devoted to providing consultations to elderly citizens concerning sports activities and exercises. Apart from drafting major government policies, I have taken part in important academic activities over the past two years. I have been a member of a research team on two research projects sponsored by the State Administration of Sport and other relevant departments—Creating and Standardizing Certain Health Qigong Practices from Chinese Traditional Health Cultivation Forms and Evaluating their Physical Effect and Research into the Current State of Public Health Qigong Activities. For the first project, I have received the National Award for Sports Science and Technology Advances. In addition, I have co-authored four books published by the People Sports Publishing House, including Tendon Changing Classic of Health Qigong Practices (please refer to my Resume for detail). I have also attended important academic conferences, acted as research assistant and trainer. In this way, I have developed valuable practical experiences, enhancing my teaching, training and research abilities. In my proposed program, I am deeply interested in studying recreation and leisure. My work experience shows that Chinese traditional health cultivation practices like qigong and martial arts, themselves recreational and leisure events, have sound preventive and therapeutic effects. It is a pity that, without scientific guidelines, we have not made full advantage of those important resources. The underlying reason is that we have not been able to perform systematic and comprehensive research. Another reason is that, even though people now enjoy much more spare time than ever before, they have little idea how to spend their leisure and undertake recreation in an intelligent manner. I hope that I can help people understand the importance of the principle of â€Å"live well through healthy lifestyle. † I also hope that, through your program, I can continue to broaden my administrative knowledge so that I can ultimately facilitate recreation and leisure activities through government and community channels. I would like to apply for admission into the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation of xxxx University. Your program of Recreation and Leisure Studies offers an interdisciplinary study that encompasses a rich variety of subjects ranging from Recreation Management to Leisure Behavior. You have advanced facilities, mature curriculum and effective research methodologies, thereby providing a sound condition for me to carry out my studies and research. I would like to concentrate on Therapeutic Recreation, Recreation Administration, Recreational Sport Management, and Leisure Studies, Leisure and Health, Leisure and Healthy Lifestyles, Leisure and Aging, Sports for Seniors. I am particularly interested in Therapeutic Recreation because I hope to focus on exposing the socially underprivileged people, that is, the weak and the elderly, the patients of chronic and deeline diseases, the handicapped and the mentally retarded, to a satisfying leisure lifestyle by practicing yoga, taiji boxing, qigong, and martial arts. I wish that your program will develop me into a researcher, administrator, teacher and/or counselor in recreation and leisure who can treat and rehabilitate people in need by using recreational sports and therapeutic recreational services. My undergraduate and postgraduate specializations and my work experiences all point to my qualifications as a worthy candidate for your Ph. D. program. I believe that my Oriental background, especially my understanding of traditional Chinese philosophy and my skills in Yoga, Taiji boxing, Qigong and Martial Arts will be a unique contribution to the diversity of your program.

The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho 2.The alchemist (in the form of Melchizedek) says to Santiago, When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true. Write or create a response which captures a time in your own life when you had a wish, and you felt that the whole universe conspired for OR against you. What happened to make you feel that way? Did your wish come true? 3.Santiago is guided by his dreams and by omens which appear to him throughout his journey. Write about a noteworthy dream you have had, or about an omen which guided you somehow during the course of your life. How did you interpret the dream or omen, and how did it influence your life? 4.The old man states that the worlds greatest lieà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.is that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of whats happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. Do you, like the old man, believe this is a lie, and that we are always in control of our destinies? Why/ why not? Why do you think people believe the Worlds greatest lie? Orà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..Write about/explore artistically a time in your life when you felt as though you had lost control, and your fate was being determined by other forces. Why did you feel that way? Did you regain control? 5. Santiago is told that people are afraid to pursue their most important dreams because they feel they dont deserve them, or that theyll be unable to achieve them. Create a written or artistic response to the following: Do you have a goal or dream which intimidates you? Why do you feel unworthy or fearful of it? What practical steps might you take to make the goal more accessible or easier to accomplish? On the other hand, are there some dreams which we are correct to fear? Do you believe some dreams should simply remain as dreams? Why/why not? Geographical Locations in the Novel: Andalusia Al-Fayoum (oasis in Egypt) Tarifa El Cairum (p.76) Salem (Jerusalem) Nile Tangier (p. 44) Coptic Monastery Ceuta (p. 44) Moors (p.27) Mecca (p. 54) Sahara Desert (36) Regional, Cultural or Spiritual Allusions and Terms: Narcissus (Prologue) Esperanto (p.66) King Melchizedek (Genesis14, King Most High) Helvetius, Elias, Fulcanelli, Geber (p.82) Koran (p. 54) Scarab (p.161) Muslim Simum (p.148 Mecca Coptic (153,154) Allah (p. 71, 97) Tiberius (p.158) Levanter (p.27) hookah (p. 114) Maktub (p. 59) The Alchemists Terms/Expressions: The Soul of the World Philosophers Stone ((p.66) The Unspoken Language Elixir of Life (p. 66) The Language of the World Master Work (p.81) Personal Legend Emerald Tablet (p. 126) Principle of Favorability (p. 29) Urim and Thummin (p. 30) Vocabulary: scabbard (37) treasonous (129) conspire elixir (133) scimitar (112) contemplate (134) brandish (112) fixedly (136) dialect (106) flourish (145) prognostication (111) sirocco (146) monotony (124) tether (151) tracts (126) recount (153) agitated (128) disciple (153) centurion (158) avidly (159) scarab (161) sacristy (163) alchemy infidel (34) Preliminary Notes About the Novel: The Alchemist is written in a fable format. What is a fable, and why would Coelho use it to tell his story? Generally speaking, fables use recognizable, simple characters and settings in order to illustrate a simple truth about life or human nature. What is it that Coelho attempts to teach? Even though you may not initially understand some of the unusual terminology in the story (Soul of the World, for example), its themes are ones which are probably familiar to you. Can you think of some old, familiar proverbs or songs that capture some of these ideas? For example, think about what ends up being more important for Santiago-the journeyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.or the destination Where is it that Santiago eventually finds happiness? People have been writing and singing about the answers to these questions for years! The novel integrates ideas and philosophies of many faiths and historical periods. Many of these ideas concern the pursuit of truth, ones intended destiny and the attainment of personal happiness. Coelho refers to these combined elements as ones Personal Legend. He tells the story of Santiago in order to teach us how we may find and live out our own Personal Legends. These ideas, though, have been explored since ancient times in one form or another by countless faiths and peoples. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Christianity, Judaism, countless tribal cultures, in addition to ancient and modern philosophers, all attempt to define the idea of ones Personal Legend (though they may call it by different names), and all subscribe paths to achieving personal fulfillment. Thus, although the legend is about no faith or philosophy in particular, it is about all faiths and philosophies. Alchemy is the medieval science of transforming rocks into gold. Alchemy plays an important part in the plot (literal level) of the story, but it also becomes a symbol, or allegorical device, in the legend (figurative level). Coelho is really using characters, events and symbols as tools to show us how to achieve spiritual alchemy. In other words, how do we find or recognize the gold, our Personal Legend in the rocks of the everyday, ordinary, simple details of our lives? As Santiago discovers, sometimes the gold is not faraway, not glittery, not exotic, and not complicated, but it may require a journey of courage, faith and perseverance to discover what it is and where it is hidden. In an interview, Paulo Coelho talks about Four Pillars of Alchemy- four important tips for finding ones Personal Legend: One must believe in The Soul of the World. The ancient Latin term for this concept is anima mundi. In short, this idea suggests that everything in the world is interconnected; that is, what one does affects everything else, from the smallest grain of sand to the largest whale, and vice versa. Writers and thinkers such as Plato, Walt Whitman and Khalil Ghibran have attempted to illustrate this interconnectedness in their works. One must listen to the voice of the heart. Coelho suggests that sometimes we must follow our feelings and intuitions, even if we do not fully understand them. Through feeling one gains wisdom. One must be faithful to ones dreams, for they both test and reward us. In other words, the path to achieving ones Personal Legend may not be an easy one, but we must endure the tests in order to gain the rewards. One must surrender oneself to the universe. Coelho suggests that we must allow ourselves to be open to recognizing and learning from omens and signs which come our way. Questions for Novel Study: Why does Coelho open with the modified myth of Narcissus? How does the new version differ from the original one? How does it change the myths meaning? What might the author be suggesting about how we perceive ourselves and the world? The novel opens with Santiago thinking about his sheep. What does he observe about their existence? How might the sheep symbolize the way some people live their lives? How does his observation that they have forgotton to rely on their own instincts foreshadow later events in the story? How does Santiagos father react when his son tells him that he wants to travel?(p.9) To what degree is his fathers observation about travelers (They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same people they were when they arrived.) true about Santiago? Why does the old fortune teller say that Santiagos dream is difficult to interpret?(p.12-14). Why is Santiago suspicious of her? The old man tells Santiago the story about the miner and the emerald on p. 24. How does it connect to Santiagos situation? What does he mean when he says that treasure is uncovered by the force of flowing water, and it is buried by the same currents? What does this quote have to do with the miner/emerald story? What point does the old mans story about the boy in the castle and the drops of oil (p.30-32) make? How might this story apply to us in our modern lives? How does the King assist Santiago in recognizing omens? When does Santiago use this help? How do Santiagos thoughts and perceptions about himself and the world begin to change on pp. 42-44? Describe three things that Santiago sees now that he had never noticed before. What lessons does Santiago learn by working at the crystal shop? Why do you think Coelho chose crystal? How does the crystal merchants explanation for not taking the pilgrimage to Mecca (p.55) highlight the difference between Santiago and the merchant? What effect does the merchant say Santiago has had on him? The Englishman and his goals are described on pp.65-70. What is he looking for? What does he demonstrate to Santiago that he already knows? On p. 78, he says that the progress made at the crystal shop is an example of the principle of the Soul of the World. What does he mean? How does he define this? How does he connect the idea to the relationship between the caravan and the desert? The oasis is described in great detail. How does its lushness, laughter and color reflect what Santiago finds there? Where else in the story does Coelho provide details about the physical setting in order to lend more meaning to the events which occur there? Explain how Santiagos union with Fatima represents the Language of the World, according to Santiago on p.93. Why does Fatima accept that her new husband wanders the desert, as she explains on p.98? What is the meaning of the two dead hawks and the falcon in the oasis? How does this omen change Santiagos status in society? During his trek through the desert with the alchemist, Santiago is told of many basic truths. The alchemist says,There is only one way to learn. Its through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey(p.125). What are some of the things Santiago has learned through action? Why do you think the alchemist tells Santiago the story about the mans dream about the two sons (the poet and the soldier) on p. 156? Why did Santiago have to go through the dangers of the tribal wars on the outskirts of the oasis in order to reach the Pyramids? At this point, the boy remembers the old proverb: The darkest hour of the night came just before the dawn. How does this apply to his situation now? At the end of the journey, why did the alchemist leave Santiago alone to complete it? Earlier in the story, the alchemist told Santiago when you possess great treasures within you, and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed. At the end of the story, how did this simple lesson change Santiagos life? How did it lead him back to the treasure he was looking for? Topics for Research: What is alchemy? What processes were involved? Who performed it and why? Who were the famous alchemists of the medieval period? Who is Melchizedek? What role does he play in the Old Testament? What are the Five Pillars of Islam (p. 54). What is the Koran? Explore the concept of Soul of the World as different religions and philosophies define it. Research the tribal ways of the Bedouins of the Sahara (77). Research one of the geographical settings from the novel. What are the basic theories of Freuds or Jungs dream analysis theories? Catalog all of the dreams that occur in the book, and attempt to interpret one according to a theorist. Research levanters, siroccos and other regional weather features described in the book. Post-Reading Activities: Map out Santiagos journey. Include obstacles he encounters and lessons he learns in their geographically correct locations. Provide a key which suggests ideas, progress, symbolism, etc. (I will explain) Read Walt Whitmans Leaves of Grass and keep a reaction journal which connects his verse to Coelhos Soul of the World idea. Keep a dream journal for one week. Try to interpret what you think they mean on your own, then research what they might mean according to Freud or Jung, or according to an ancient culture (medieval, Egyptian, Greek, African,etc.) Create a dance, pantomime, musical or other performance in which you use Unspoken Language to convey the story of Santiago. Create a painting, collage, photo-essay, shapescape (I will explain) or sculpture which captures an idea, relationship or moment from the story. Provide a written explanation of your work. Produce a creative writing piece which captures some of the central ideas of the book. Some ideas: Journal: A Day in the Life of a Shepherd Two or three songs (with lyrics) from The Alchemist: The Musical Rewrite a portion of the story from a different perspective: Fatima, the Alchemist,the Fortune Teller, the crystal merchant the sheep! Write Santiagos How-To Find Your Treasure Handbook, or Personal Legends for Dummies Scrapbook (with explanatory notes) of Santiagos travels-feature pictures and items which Santiago accumulates as he learns about life Letters between Fatima and Santiago Unspoken Language Journal-Tune in to the various forms of unspoken language we experience around us every day. What gestures, facial expressions, intuitions and signals do we give and receive to guide us in our responses, actions, reactions and relationships? Observe interactions at school, at home, in nature, and in public places, and record incidents which illustrate that unspoken communication is sometimes as (if not more) powerful than the spoken word.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

GCSE English Coursework Gothic Prose Stokers Dracula versus Shelleys

Perhaps one of the most dramatic genres of literature, the gothic genre, already set in unpredictable and unsettling times of revolution ingeniously set the stage for such horror stories as were never before seen by modern society. Artists like Bram Stoker, who was bedridden until the age of seven, and Mary Shelley, whose mother died giving birth flourished, and produced literary pieces that, in the midst of revolution, started their own revolution. Bram Stoker, born in 1847, was a sickly child, and was bedridden until the age of seven. Naturally, due to his being bedridden for such a long period of time, Stoker developed a sense of drama and literature at a young age, and wrote stories all through his life. However, as if to make up for his childhood, Stoker became a superior athlete, and after university, he went on to work in civil service. During his civil work, Stoker continued to write, and his first story, â€Å"The Crystal Cup†, was published in 1872. One of Stoker’s many short stories, â€Å"Dracula’s Guest†, is an example of the gothic brilliance that Stoker brought to dark times. Stoker used the elements of fiction perceptively to his advantage, and created a gothic masterpiece. Stoker’s protagonist, an innocent and adventurous Englishman, is spending â€Å"Walpurgis Night† (the mythical night of the devil) in Germany. Interestingly, all is not as it seems, as the first dialogue from the protagonist is the imploring question, â€Å"Tell me Johann, what is tonight?†, implying that the adventurous Englishman is more ignorant than innocent and foreshadowing his later vulnerability. In addition, the weather and development of increasingly suspicious landmarks become gradually more threatening throughout the story. Stoker uses setting i... ...and so are human, which shows the reader the inhumanity of the protagonist. This creates horror, because human readers can no longer relate to the protagonist, and he becomes increasingly more inhuman to the reader. Both Stoker and Shelley use setting, character and plot in their stories for the development of horror and suspense. While Stoker’s story is more physically frightening in its nature, following a terrified, ignorant protagonist on his journey through a city of the damned, Shelley’s story is equally as horrific as it traces the metamorphosis of a human being into an inhuman immortal who is caught in eternal life. Both authors use dramatic irony and an increasing threat to the protagonist to develop horror and suspense in their stories, and although the two stories use different techniques, both authors succeed in creating unfailingly gothic prose.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Conformity and Fear in Self-Reliance :: Self Reliance Essays

Conformity and Fear in Self-Reliance The quote that most provoked thought and emotion from within me comes from the essay "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. "To be great is to be misunderstood" was used by Emerson to explain the lagging growth of the conception of ideas and thoughts of his generation. Original and novel ideas were scorned by conservatives who believed the best method for learning was by repetition and memorization of proven classics written by previous generations. The continuing timelessness of his quote is still in effect today as the scientific community has evolved to accept unaccustomed theories, yet encounters difficulty when relating to the public new and extreme ideas that rebut the system. In history, the results of individualism has been spread world wide. Important leaders, thinkers, and philosophers with radical ideas in virgin areas of research were making significant finds rapidly. Yet progress was slowed by short-sighted men who failed to see greatness. Aberham Lincoln was a revolutionary in his time with his views on slavery and forgiveness of the South. Yet his death was the result of one man's refusal to accept what was once a proud and rich land reduced to tatters- left to ruin because of her failure to accept civil reform. Herman Melville's work in Moby Dick was considered a classic, yet Melville died a figure with lost prestige, poor and unaccepted. When he was laid to rest in 1891, he was remembered only as the author of entertaining novels of the South Seas. It was not until 1920s when his place in America's foremost writers was assured. His works are now great masterpieces of emotion that were misunderstood while he was still alive. Another important example is democracy. In medieval times, monarchies and kingdoms ruled the land. Today, the monarch is merely a figurehead behind the power of democracy. At the birth of the democratic rise of the United States of America, the colonists were thought of as upstart fools- dreamers believing the impossible. English royalists were aghast at the indignation of the colonies to separate from England and form their own country. In present day, the United States is the sole world power, a great

How is love presented in Pride and Prejudice Essay

The theme of love is presented in Pride and Prejudice through three main ways; firstly through the personalities of the characters, for example whether the character in question believes that love should play a larger part in the coming together of two people than the possible benefits, like wealth or societal position. Secondly, how love is presented in the actions of the different characters, this is to show what each of the characters actually does to display the individual opinions of love in the novel. I will show this through key dialogues and actions from the characters. And thirdly, I will comment on the change of the priorities in the mind of Mr. Darcy. Firstly, I will talk about the personalities of the characters. Mrs. Bennet is an obvious place to begin as she holds the most obvious state of mind in the novel. â€Å"And all the others equally well married; I shall have nothing to wish for.† Her clear desperation for the marriage of her daughters is backed up by a motive, that, when her husband dies the Bennet estate will be taken out of her hands because of an absence of a male heir. This gives Mrs Bennet a need for at least one of her daughters to be married.† In the beginning of the book, she is speaking to her husband about the coming of a man to the estate; â€Å"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!† Her comment on the large fortune does indeed show that she appears more interested in the benefit of his wealth over whether her daughter will be happy. She then mentions beauty, â€Å"I certainly have had my share of beauty,† this shows that Mrs. Bennet may also be slightly swayed by the physical appearance of Mr Bingley’s figure. In the first chapter, there is no mention of his personality at all, showing that Mrs. Bennet falls firmly on the â€Å"wealth† side as opposed to the characters who favour â€Å"love.† Elizabeth, despite being the daughter of Mrs. Bennet, does in fact fall on the â€Å"love† side shown more prominently in her refusal of Mr. Collins’ hand in marriage. â€Å"You are too hasty sir,† she cried. â€Å"You forget that I have made no answer. Let me do it without farther loss of time †¦ but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than decline them (proposals.)† Mr Collins’ is not a good example of an honourable person shown especially in his arrogant persistence to win Elizabeth’s hand. Despite this, Elizabeth remains firm, showing her individuality and self-confidence as she follows through with what she says. â€Å"Really, Mr Collins,† cried Elizabeth with some warmth â€Å"you puzzle me exceedingly. If what I have hitherto said can appear to you in the form of encouragement, I know not how to express my refusal in such a way as may convince you of its being one.† Secondly, I will talk about the actions of the characters. Mr Collins displays his preference of marriage but not for the usual wealth reason, he wants to marry to make himself seem more important, â€Å"the subject elevated him to more than usual solemnity of manner, and with a most important aspect,† which seems to be his aim throughout most of the novel. We see his clear desperation for marriage when he proposes to Charlotte two days after proposing to Elizabeth. This is not a nice thing to do and it shows that Mr. Collins had no real regard for Elizabeth and is also likely to have limited regard for Charlotte either. Mr Wickham is also an example. He tells Elizabeth a lot about his suitability to marry and also spreads a lot of tales concerning Mr. Darcy which demonstrates that he may not be very concerned with love within a couple. â€Å"I should take him, even on my slight acquaintance, to be an ill-tempered man.† Finally, I will talk about the change in Mr Darcy. Elizabeth first meets Mr Darcy at the ball and because of a poor first impression, she then thinks him to be a rude man who she should not associate with, â€Å"the is meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation,† while Darcy’s prejudice against Elizabeth’s social standing blinds him, for a short while, to her many virtues. Austen, meanwhile, poses countless smaller obstacles to the realization of the love between Elizabeth and Darcy, including Lady Catherine’s attempt to control her nephew, Miss Bingley’s snobbery, Mrs. Bennet’s idiocy, and Wickham’s deceit. The way he dismisses Elizabeth for her social class, â€Å"she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me,† shows that Mr. Darcy does not care much for the personality aspect of different people. However, later in the novel after speaking to her, Mr Darcy recognises her beauty and proposes to her and she rejects him. This shows a huge change in Mr Darcy as he recognises that he must love her to ask her again to marry him. The second time, Elizabeth accepts and the novel reaches its climax when Elizabeth Bennet becomes Elizabeth Darcy. Mr Darcy has married her for her love which shows the change inside him.