Free Essays on Mariah - Cultural Perspectives

Cultural Perspectives in â€Å"Mariah† Whether it is realized or not, people view the world they reside in by means of their cultural experiences. Each event or idea is therefore seen through this lens, which shapes one’s ideas about norms, values, and their basic ideology. This theme unmistakably presents itself in Jamaica Kincaid’s â€Å"Mariah,† and is established and supported by the narrator, an au pair from Antigua. While caring for the children, she develops an ambiguous relationship with their mother, Mariah. The narrator has been deeply influenced by her past, even though she rejects her heritage and views it negatively. Her culture is a source of inner strife, further highlighting the differences between herself and Mariah, and thus the cultural differences between Antigua and the United States. The narrator is seemingly caught between her own past culture and that of Mariah’s; she cannot reconcile the two as separate entities. As a result, the narrator’s experiences ar e shaped by her unique cultural perspective. Each incident relays both the contrast between her past and present lives, as well as examines how these differences affect her as an individual and her ability to establish relationships with those whose upbringing differs from her own. One of the first instances where the narrator’s cultural difference becomes apparent is when Mariah takes her to see a field of daffodils. Mariah sees beauty in the flower and wants the narrator to experience the same joy this beauty brings her. However, she fails to realize the implications of this display. The narrator, been forced to memorize a poem about daffodils in her youth, cannot see the flower in the same simplicity Mariah does. Mariah knows the narrator’s history and apprehension toward the flower, but she insists on taking her to see them for herself, inadvertently belittling her experience. The narrator points out, â€Å"‘Do you realize that at t... Free Essays on Mariah - Cultural Perspectives Free Essays on Mariah - Cultural Perspectives Cultural Perspectives in â€Å"Mariah† Whether it is realized or not, people view the world they reside in by means of their cultural experiences. Each event or idea is therefore seen through this lens, which shapes one’s ideas about norms, values, and their basic ideology. This theme unmistakably presents itself in Jamaica Kincaid’s â€Å"Mariah,† and is established and supported by the narrator, an au pair from Antigua. While caring for the children, she develops an ambiguous relationship with their mother, Mariah. The narrator has been deeply influenced by her past, even though she rejects her heritage and views it negatively. Her culture is a source of inner strife, further highlighting the differences between herself and Mariah, and thus the cultural differences between Antigua and the United States. The narrator is seemingly caught between her own past culture and that of Mariah’s; she cannot reconcile the two as separate entities. As a result, the narrator’s experiences ar e shaped by her unique cultural perspective. Each incident relays both the contrast between her past and present lives, as well as examines how these differences affect her as an individual and her ability to establish relationships with those whose upbringing differs from her own. One of the first instances where the narrator’s cultural difference becomes apparent is when Mariah takes her to see a field of daffodils. Mariah sees beauty in the flower and wants the narrator to experience the same joy this beauty brings her. However, she fails to realize the implications of this display. The narrator, been forced to memorize a poem about daffodils in her youth, cannot see the flower in the same simplicity Mariah does. Mariah knows the narrator’s history and apprehension toward the flower, but she insists on taking her to see them for herself, inadvertently belittling her experience. The narrator points out, â€Å"‘Do you realize that at t...

Express Quantity in English for Beginning Speakers

Express Quantity in English for Beginning Speakers There are many phrases used to express quantities and amounts in English. In general, much and many are the  standard quantifiers  used to express  large quantities. Which expression you use will often depend on whether the noun is countable or uncountable, and whether the sentence is negative or positive. While much and many are among the most common, the following expressions are often used in place of much and many, especially in positive sentences: A lot ofLots ofPlenty ofA great deal ofA large number of These expressions can are combined with of in the sense of most, many, or much. A lot of people enjoy listening to jazz. A great deal of time is spent understanding these issues. But note that much, most, and many do not take of. Most people enjoy listening to some type of music. Not: Most of  people... Much time is spent understanding math. Not: Much of time is spent ... Much Much is used with uncountable nouns: There is much interest in learning English around the world. How much money do you have? There isnt much butter left in the refrigerator. Much is used in negative sentences and questions, too: How much money do you have? There isnt much rice left. Note that much is rarely used in the positive form. English speakers generally use a lot of or lots of  with uncountable  nouns. We have a lot of time. Not: We have much time. There is a lot of wine in the bottle. Not: There is much wine in the bottle. Many Many is used with countable nouns: How many people came to the party? There arent many apples on the table. Note that many is used in the positive form, unlike much:   Andrew has a lot of friends / Andrew has many friends. A lot of my friends live in New York / Many of my friends live in New York. A Lot of / Lots of /  Plenty  Of A lot of and lots of can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. A lot of and lots of are used in positive sentences: There is a lot of water in that jar. Hes got lots of friends in London. Note that generally speaking, lots of sounds less formal than a lot of.   A Little / A Few A little and a few  indicate a quantity or number. Use a little with uncountable nouns: There is a little wine in that bottle.   There is a little sugar in my coffee. Use a few with countable nouns. He has a few friends in New York. We bought a few sandwiches on our way to the park. Little / Few Little and few indicate a limited quantity. Use little with uncountable nouns: I have little money to spend. She found little time for work. Use few with countable nouns: He has few students in his class.   Jack finds few reasons to stay. Some Use some in positive sentences when there is neither a lot nor a little. Some can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns. We have some friends who work in Los Angeles.   Ive saved some money to spend on vacation this summer.   Any (Questions) Use any in questions to ask if someone has something. Any can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns: Do you have any friends in San Francisco? Is there any pasta left?   Note that when offering or requesting something use some instead of any  for polite questions. Would you like some shrimp? (offer) Would you lend me some money? (request) Any (Negative Sentences) Use any with countable and uncountable nouns in negative sentences to state that something doesnt exist. We wont have any time for shopping today. They didnt have any problems finding our house.   Enough Use enough  with countable and uncountable nouns to state that you are satisfied with the amount of something. She has enough time to visit her friends in Dallas. I think we have enough hamburgers for tomorrows grill.   Not Enough Use not enough when you are not satisfied with the amount of something. Im afraid theres not enough time to continue this conversation. There are not enough people working at the moment.   Each / Every Use each or every when referring to the individuals in a group. I think every person in this room would agree with me. Im sure each step of this process is important.   Large / Big / Vast / Huge Amount of Use these adjectives with amount of with uncountable and countable nouns to express large quantities. This form is often used to exaggerate just how much there is. There is a huge amount of work to be done to today. Tom has a vast amount of knowledge about the subject.   Tiny / Small / Minuscule Amount of   Use these similar adjectives with amount of to express very small quantities. This form is often used in exaggeration to express how little there is of something.   Peter has a small amount of patience, so dont joke around with him. There is a minuscule amount of time left to register. Hurry up!

Benefits of using electronic whiteboards as a teaching aid Essay

Benefits of using electronic whiteboards as a teaching aid - Essay Example It is possible to maintain cleanliness in the environment while using whiteboards, as there are no chalks or dusters. Besides providing the convenience of using flipcharts, pictures, maps and charts during demonstration which otherwise would not have been possible, it mainly provides the following benefits: It serves as an excellent tool for brainstorming sessions, either in meetings or classrooms, the demonstrator has the benefit of conducting question-answer session in several ways, which after analyzing and ensuring that all pupils are taking part, uses symbols or communication aid to mark the answer as true or false or to transfer their views on whiteboard for display purpose. It is easy to get students' attention, as it is a colourful medium. Whiteboard is ideal in situations where the computer access is limited as it is an interactive tool, which works best when there is only a single computer in classroom. While working along with computer and projector and in addition to displaying lectures or information, it can also send that information to all students in a class and possess the ability to research a topic using Internet along with the class. Electronic whiteboards help in daily updating of lesson plans.

Developmental Timeline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developmental Timeline - Essay Example The final stage is the formal operational stage and this stage goes from the age of 12 and ends at death. In this stage, children can think articulately about concrete objects and they have a strong sense of reasoning. There are also substages to these stages. The first substage to the sensorimotor stage is from the ages of birth to one month and it occurs through reflexes like grasping and sucking. In this stage knowledge is acquired through these reflexes. Substage 2 happens from the ages of 1 to 4 months. Reflexes are organized into larger more complex behaviours where behaviours like grabbing a rattle to suck occurs. Substage 3 occurs from the ages of 4 to 8 months where repetition of actions causes pleasing or interesting things to happen as in the case of banging a rattle. Substage 4 occurs from the ages of 8 to 12 months. This occurs when objects can be imagined with the mind even when they are out of sight. Substage 5 occurs from the ages of 12 to 18 months where an object is used in a variety of ways. For example, banging a spoon against a high chair.

The Surrealist movement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Surrealist movement - Research Paper Example The essay "The Surrealist movement" analyzes surrealism. Unlike the romantics, the surrealists believed that they could find revelations on the street and in daily life. The ideas of the Surrealist with regard to the subconscious mind, their interests in primitivism and myth shaped the concepts adopted by the Abstract Expressionists. Salvador Dali, a surrealist painter, was born in Figueras, Catalonia-Spain in 1904. He studied art in different parts of Spain and mastered the effortless adaptation of various styles into his repertoire. As a teenager, he became fascinated with the concepts and ideals of psychologist Sigmund Freud. He liked how the subconscious mind and artistic works linked. This caused him to focus greatly heavily on his art content. He was also influenced by the works of the Paris Surrealists who painted from the subconscious mind with no definitive purpose in mind of how the outcome of the work should be. The Persistence of Memory is arguably one of the most famous works of Dali which he painted in 1931 while a relatively young man. The painting depicts a number of pocket watches that are detached from their chains, slowly melting on a tree branch and on rocks. It is quite deceptive to the eye because the scene is a fantasy that is placed in a lifelike setting of the ocean. The main aspect portrayed by the painting is that objects known to be hard become inexplicably limp in the dreamscape. This has been interpreted to mean that things that appear strong and purposeful always reach a point.

George Orwells The Lion and the Unicorn Essay Example for Free

George Orwells The Lion and the Unicorn Essay George Orwell, the author of The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius, wrote this essay during the British leadership crisis in the beginnings of World War II. Wanting to unify the English, he reminds them of their past and how it makes them stand out as a nation. While writing to the elite intellectuals, he also worked to unify the middle and working classes. He writes to the English people to relate to them through maintaining their tradition, culture, and faith in the government by using culture and customs that both are familiar to and will unite the country. In this way, he reminds the people that although they may be different they all live in the same country. Though Orwell strongly was against some of the things his country did, he believed he always had a duty to her. Many people thought he was anti-war and military, but, in fact, he said he would always fight for his country no matter what the battle. He even tried reenlisting on September 9th, 1939 (Rossi, p128). To fully understand the content, knowledge of Orwells personal history, Britains history, customs and culture are necessities. At this time, Britain was about to go into war. Germany and Italy had led their countries by dictators and totalitarianism. Orwell hated totalitarianism because it supported the intellectuals and upper class. He also did not see much of a difference between fascism and capitalism. He believed that both gave too much power to too few and that would corrupt the English. Orwells goal was not only to educate and bring together Britains people, but almost threaten the intellectuals. He tries to show England that they are unique in comparison to other countries because they do not need communism, capitalism, or fascism. About England he says, the beer is bitterer, the coins are heavier, the grass is greener†¦ mild knobby faces, their bad teeth, and gentle manners, are different from a European crowd (Orwell p57). In this quotation, Orwell explains to his fellow countrymen what makes them English and why they should be proud. He wanted to join them nationally into socialism because the people are in the fields and the streets, in the factories and the armed forces, in the four ale bar and suburban back garden (Orwell p 59). He told the Partisan Review in January 1941 that the bulk of the middle class are just as anti-Hitler as the working class, and their morale is probably more reliable (Rossi p128). He wanted to make the point  that the middle class was essential in the changing England. Historians use The Lion and the Unicorn as a great source to show what a cross road England was at before the war. It is also a source as to the beginnings of socialism in mid-twentieth century Britain. England had so many different directions to go and not many intellectuals agreed on just one. Orwell was often compared to two other socialists, William Morris and H.G. Wells. Orwell often had conflicts with H.G. Wells who wrote such novels as War of the Worlds and The Invisible Man. Wells was also considered a socialist claiming democracy to be inefficient. Wells believes that putting power in the hands of the ignorant lower class would be a disaster. He also thought nationalism was unrealistic because no country could be independently powerful. Their biggest difference was Orwell believed that man would evolve better by law whereas Wells believed he would improve by science and technology (Partington p50). Orwell and William Morris show more similarities to each other. Morris, a poet and artist, is one of the fathers of socialism in England and lived in the nineteenth century. He is best known for his works The Wood Beyond the World and The Well at the Worlds End. Many historians believe his ideas are parallel to Orwells because they both write romantically about their country and the liberty and justice of it (Vaninskaya p19). Orwells main purpose in writing The Lion and the Unicorn is to convince the people the importance of a social revolution. Orwells work is used in reference to the history of socialism, patriotism, and nationalism. Today parts of socialism, capitalism, communism, and fascism are all still thriving. Even though socialism doesnt run Britain, it did bring about a lot of changes. Because of it Britain has public healthcare, housing for the poor and affordable universities for the working class. Many people feel that Orwells arguments were empty and accomplished nothing, but they cannot deny the results of socialist democratic influence. He believed the only way to accomplish this was an England united by a deep sense of patriotism. Bibliography: Orwell, George. The Lion and the Unicorn; Socialism and the English Genius London 1941Partington, S. John. The Pen as Sword: George  Orwell, H.G. Wells and Journalistic Parricide Journal of Contemporary January 01, 2004, Vol. 39 Number 1 p45-56, 12pRossi, John P. George Orwells Concept of Patriotism. Spring 2001, Vol. 43 Issue 2, p128, 5pVaninskaya, Anna. The bugle of justice: the romantic socialism of William Morris and George Orwell. Contemporary Justice Review, March 2005, Vol. 8 Number 1 p7-23, 17p

South Beach Diet Essay -- Health, Diet

History of South Beach Diet The South Beach Diet is a diet plan designed by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and dietician Marie Almon. In 1995, Dr. Agatston developed a diet to prevent heart disease for his cardiac and diabetes patients. According to the South Beach Diet website, Agatstaion knew that a low-fat diet would reduce cholesterol and prevent heart disease, but patients had a hard time sticking to the diet. Agatson wanted to find out the reason why his patients had a hard time sticking to the low-fat diet. So he turned to David Jenkins, who was working with insulin resistance. After researching with Jenkins, Agatstion found out the reason why the low-fat diets was not working because patients on low-fat diets where consuming more simple sugars and carbohydrates which was causing the insulin resistance and cycles of hunger. Also Agastaion was investigating the low-carbohydrate diet but he felt it didn’t have enough fiber and had too much saturated fats. Agagaston wanted balance in his diet so it wou ld produce the best results. (South Beach Diet Online, 2010) Agatstion made the The South beach Diet based on eating healthy carbohydrates and fats and eliminating the bad carbohydrates and fats. According to Mary Hager in her article â€Å"The South Beach Solution†, the South Beach beach diet cuts out the bad fats which are the saturated fats that include hydrogenated oils and trans fat. Also it cuts down the bad carbohydrates, the refined and process foods. Hager states â€Å"His plan emphasizes eating the good fats--olive and canola oils--and good carbs, including vegetables, legumes and whole grains.†(Hager,2004,p.63) After Agatston developed the South diet based on these principles, he started to do assessments on his patients who... ...on how to follow Phase 1 (the first two weeks) and Phase 2 (the next ten weeks) of the South Beach Diet, eating three meals and two snacks per day.† The results of the research showed that after Phase 1, the participants descrease weight, body percentage, and waist circumference. The results by the participants blood tests and the researchers concluded that the South Beach Diet helped the participants with their loss of weight and body fat. Evaluate the Nutritional Adequacy of the Diet South beach Diet during the first phase is not a well balance diet. Phase 1 focuses on mainly the meat, vegetable, diary, and oil food groups; leaving out the grains and fruit group. In order to well balance diet you need to have all the groups incoraprated into the diet. After Phase 2 the diet is less restricted and is more balanced because it incorporates all the food groups. South Beach Diet Essay -- Health, Diet History of South Beach Diet The South Beach Diet is a diet plan designed by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and dietician Marie Almon. In 1995, Dr. Agatston developed a diet to prevent heart disease for his cardiac and diabetes patients. According to the South Beach Diet website, Agatstaion knew that a low-fat diet would reduce cholesterol and prevent heart disease, but patients had a hard time sticking to the diet. Agatson wanted to find out the reason why his patients had a hard time sticking to the low-fat diet. So he turned to David Jenkins, who was working with insulin resistance. After researching with Jenkins, Agatstion found out the reason why the low-fat diets was not working because patients on low-fat diets where consuming more simple sugars and carbohydrates which was causing the insulin resistance and cycles of hunger. Also Agastaion was investigating the low-carbohydrate diet but he felt it didn’t have enough fiber and had too much saturated fats. Agagaston wanted balance in his diet so it wou ld produce the best results. (South Beach Diet Online, 2010) Agatstion made the The South beach Diet based on eating healthy carbohydrates and fats and eliminating the bad carbohydrates and fats. According to Mary Hager in her article â€Å"The South Beach Solution†, the South Beach beach diet cuts out the bad fats which are the saturated fats that include hydrogenated oils and trans fat. Also it cuts down the bad carbohydrates, the refined and process foods. Hager states â€Å"His plan emphasizes eating the good fats--olive and canola oils--and good carbs, including vegetables, legumes and whole grains.†(Hager,2004,p.63) After Agatston developed the South diet based on these principles, he started to do assessments on his patients who... ...on how to follow Phase 1 (the first two weeks) and Phase 2 (the next ten weeks) of the South Beach Diet, eating three meals and two snacks per day.† The results of the research showed that after Phase 1, the participants descrease weight, body percentage, and waist circumference. The results by the participants blood tests and the researchers concluded that the South Beach Diet helped the participants with their loss of weight and body fat. Evaluate the Nutritional Adequacy of the Diet South beach Diet during the first phase is not a well balance diet. Phase 1 focuses on mainly the meat, vegetable, diary, and oil food groups; leaving out the grains and fruit group. In order to well balance diet you need to have all the groups incoraprated into the diet. After Phase 2 the diet is less restricted and is more balanced because it incorporates all the food groups.