Omam Essay Questions - 2412 Words

What do Steinbeck’s first description of George and Lennie tell us about their characters? Discuss this in the regards to the role/relationship of Itinerant workers in the 1930’s Great Depression: In the 1930’s itinerant workers were migrant workers who travelled from land to land to find jobs, any occupation available to allow them to fend for themselves and survive in the disastrous world, they were living in at the time. We know George and Lennie are migrant workers due to the period of time the novella is based on. It was a catastrophic world as it was when The Great Depression occurred, unemployment and recession increased vigorously. Bearing this in mind, the way in which Steinbeck’s first description of George and Lennie, at the†¦show more content†¦George says, â€Å"You d drink out of a gutter if you was thirsty. Here we have the duplicate of a man who is not intelligent enough to check if the water is fresh and eligible to drink, but w ho also drinks in a very animal-like fashion. Lennie s mental delay comes across clearly, as he is presented as to be dehumanised in all situations when his actions are compared to those of ones of an animal. Good discussion about Gamp; L Aqsa, However you need to include much more evidence when you are explaining key scenes-you must make sure you back them up or your great interpretation will be invalid! The ending here needs to be tied up in relation to The great depression and role of itinerant workers in more detail. Talk about the desoeration, the need for this to work-how does George epitomise these struggles/sense of urgency? Choose on theme presented in OMAM and discuss its significance and development throughout the novella The theme I shall be discussing (do not need this-introduce it in a more sophisticated way! is light and the significance and development of it throughout the novella. The use of light is used in various sections of the novella and is first symbolic when we are introduced to Curley’s Wife,† the rectangle of sunshine/was cut off†. Some readers may interpret from this that Curley’s Wife wants to be the centre of attention so she â€Å"cuts† off the only light source presented in the passage. Others may understand from

Weakness Of Homelessness - 1232 Words

Strength. There are health centers for homeless to aid in not only their health, but their outreach programs set them up in the right direction. Like in this case study, the center assisted him in signing up for health insurance and food benefits. Some programs, give homeless the psychological help. Weaknesses. Unfortunately, homeless must want to not live on the streets and give up the additions to recreational and prescription drugs and alcohol. They tend not to because they feel ostracized, being criminalized and bused from one city to the next. Opportunities. There are many opportunities for assisting the homeless population. Increasing community awareness to there are not as privileged and no roof over their head and what they can do†¦show more content†¦California has the most unsheltered homeless population as well. The prevalence of being homeless is 1 in every 332 people. Riverside county, located in southern California, reported that there 2,165 homeless. Of those 2,165, only 841 were considered shelter while on the other hand 1,352 were unsheltered. They ran the same test for 2017 and the numbers increased. 2,413 are now accounted with the number of sheltered decreased to 775 and unsheltered increased to 1,638. (County of Riverside, 2017) There are numerous underlying problems as to why people experience homelessness. There is a lot of misconception of why or how people become homeless. Most people assume that others are homeless because they cannot maintain a steady line of work. However, 25% of homeless are employed. They are low-end jobs with little pay. Housing. The scarceness of affordable housing is the ultimate source of people being homeless. For renters to be able to meet the expense of a two-bedroom apartment, they would have to make twice the national minimum wage. (National Coalition for the Homeless, n.d.) Employment and Income. Underemployment and low wages are not sufficient to meet even the minimum requirements for the cost of living and is another cause of homeless. This issue burdens millions of people whether they are homeless or not. (National Coalition for the Homeless, n.d.) Health. Many individuals and families are reduced toShow MoreRelatedHomelessness Intervention Paper : Homelessness1134 Words   |  5 PagesHomelessness Intervention Paper Identify the problem Poverty and homelessness are connected when individuals, families and the working poor attempt to live below the poverty threshold. The underprivileged and those living under the poverty threshold are â€Å"frequently unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, health care, and education† (nationalcoalitionforthehomeless.org). Housing accounts for a major percentage of income and often must be eliminated. â€Å"Two issues that contribute to increasing povertyRead MoreHomelessness Of The United States Essay1459 Words   |  6 PagesJessy Clark Dr Iudicello English 102 30 November 2016 Homelessness in America â€Å"On a single night in January 2015, there were 564,708 people experiencing homelessness in the United States. Sixty-nine percent of those who were homeless were in sheltered locations and 31 percent were found in unsheltered locations† (Facts). People living in poverty are most likely have a high risk becoming homeless. Many other reasons why becoming homeless is due to economic conditions such as unemployment and increasingRead MoreHomelessness Is A Whole Spectrum1453 Words   |  6 Pagespeople out of every 1000 people experience homelessness (National Alliance to End Homelessness). In 2014, statistics have revealed that on any given night, almost half a million people experienced homelessness. Many people have a misconception that homelessness simply means living on the street. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development suggests homelessness is a whole spectrum. According to the HUD, people experiencing homelessness are people who don’t have a fixed and regularRead MoreThe Problem Of Becoming Homeless Essay1485 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"On a single night in January 2015, there were 564,708 people experiencing homelessness in the United States. Sixty-nine percent of those who were homeless were in sheltered locations and 31 percent were found in unsheltered locations† (Facts). People living in poverty are most likely have a high risk becoming homeless. Many other reasons why becoming homeless is due to economic conditions such as unemployment and increasing housing costs (Why). In addition, with all the new economic rules they areRead MoreHomelessness Persuasive Speech1217 Words   |  5 PagesHomelessness is the condition of people that do not have a permanent place to live, like a house or an apartment. The issue of homelessness is not subjected to one area, but it is a worldwide problem. Homelessness can result by depending upon a countries economy, and their government because the officials often ignores th e issue. Manila, Philippines has 22.8 million who reside in the slums, and 1.2 million of those people are children who live by peddling, or begging on the streets, (Castillo). TheRead MoreHomelessness Is A Big Global Problem1154 Words   |  5 PagesWhat do people think of homelessness? People think that they are people who can’t get a job and are too lazy to work.Seeing people on the streets, some yelling at others, some sleeping on the ground with no roof over their head,digging in the recycle to get as many bottles they can for money.Imagine living on the streets with not much food to spare or and love to spread,just concrete maybe a cardboard and a small blanket is all homeless will have. We can do so much more to help them. We can giveRead MoreWhat Ways Does Immigration Status Impact Homeless And Why?1631 Words   |  7 Pagesvulnerable to be be homelessness and stay homelessness than a resident (Thurston, Roy, Clow, Este, Gordey, Haworth-Brockman, McCoy, 2013). They lack social support, not enough resources available, shortage of affordable housing, jobs, family and social services and citizenship support (Thurson et al., 2013). The purpose of this Literature review is to find in what ways does immigration status impact homeless and why? What programs or laws need to be implemented to help reduce homelessness among LatinosRead MoreResearch Literature Review1653 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ SOWK 562 – Summer 2014 Assignment #3: Intervention Literature Review July 20, 2014 Dr. Hsin-Yi Hsiao Intervention Description There are two distinct service models for persons experiencing homelessness that also have issues with mental illness and/or addictions, the treatment first model or the Housing First model. Housing First models utilize a supported housing approach in which consumers start with permanent, independent apartments and providers work with consumers regardlessRead MoreHomeless Veterans: The Fight at Home1367 Words   |  5 Pagesturmoil and homelessness. The authors of Homelessness and Money Mismanagement in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans claim that soldiers â€Å"are less likely than civilians to meet their basic needs and more likely to have significant credit card debt† (Elbogen et al. S248). Adding these factors to the already difficult transition between military and civilian life a soldier can easily upset the delicate balance of family and financial stability, which can lead to unemployment and homelessness. After returningRead MoreHomeless Children : The Poverty Rate, Lack Of Affordable Housing And Single Parent Households1476 Words   |  6 PagesHomeless Children According to recent reports child homelessness, an estimated 2.5 million children are homeless in the United States. Sadly, nearly half of these children are under the age of five. In fact, one in every thirty children is considered homeless and the numbers continue to increase annually (Bassuk, E., DeCandia, C., Beach, C., Berman, F., 2014) Though many factors contribute to this social epidemic, the high poverty rate, lack of affordable housing and single parent households are

Terrorism and Religion for Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick

Question: Discuss about theTerrorism and Religion for Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick. Answer: Terrorism is one of the major threats which the world is facing at the moment and the mitigation of this is very important for the maintaining the harmony as well as the status quo of the world (Jongman 2017)[1]. It is significant to note that in the present times there are various reasons for the rise in the number of the terrorists activities which the world is facing at the moment like the economic condition of the various third world countries of the world, the injustices which the various communities or segments feel have been committed against them and various others (Nacos 2016)[2]. Therefore, religious terrorism is on the rise and many people are becoming victims to this particular evil. It is often seen that many culprits use the name of religion to justify their terrorist and other anti-social activities which cause a significant amount of damage to the other innocent people of the society (Spalek 2012)[3]. This paper seeks to compare and contrast two article related to the genre of terrorist activities, namely, The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities by Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick and the article What's so religious about religious terrorism? by Jeroen Gunning and Richard Jackson in the context of the views articulated by them in their articles. The article The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities written by the authors Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick and published in the International Review of Law, Computers Technology in the year 2011 seeks to give an overview of the terrorism and also the concept of counter-terrorism and the role of the religion in the process (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[4]. The article puts special emphasis on the role of the Muslim religion in the process of terrorism and how this particular religion is used by the various people to justify their anti-social activities which lead to a destruction of many valuable lives and property on a yearly basis (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[5]. The authors also seek to analyze the various legislations and policies which have been developed to counter the increasing number of terrorist activities in the various Muslim nations (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[6]. The article What's so religious about religious terrorism? by the authors Jeroen G unning and Richard Jackson published in the Critical Studies on Terrorism in the year 2011 also seeks to provide an overview of the concept of terrorism and it seeks to validate the concept of religious terrorism which is being committed in the various nations of the world in the name of the religion (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[7]. Furthermore, the article argues that the distinctions typically drawn between religious and secular terrorism are problematic (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[8]. Moreover, the article also seeks to provide an overview of the concept of the political religion and tries to relate it to the current definitions of terrorism (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[9]. It is to be noted that whereas the first article by the authors Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick seeks to repudiate the concept of terrorism and criticizes the role of religion in the process of terrorism (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[10] whereas the second article by the authors Jeroen Gunning and Richard Jackson, on the other hand, seeks the validate the concept of religious terrorism and also the concept of political religion which the major terrorist organizations of the world as well as the individuals use to justify their acts of criminality and terrorism (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[11]. Furthermore, it is to be noted that whereas the article by Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick focuses on the various legislations passed by the diverse nations of the world like the United Kingdom and others to curb the rising terrorist activities in the various Muslim nations of the world (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[12]. The article by the authors Jeroen Gunning and Richard Jackson, on the ot her hand, focuses on the role of beliefs and institutional structures, religious or otherwise, in producing political violence (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[13]. Furthermore, both the articles articulate the concept that just the development of policies as well as legislations is not enough. The various first world nations of the world also need to find out and analyze the major reasons behind the growing number of terrorist activities and address them in the most effective manner in a bid to resolve the evil of terrorism which the majority of the nations of the world are facing at the moment (Richardson 2013)[14]. In addition to these the various nations of the world also needs to develop other relevant strategies for the mitigation of this particular risk faced by the world presently (Spalek 2012)[15]. The primary strength of the article The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities can be said to be the penetrating insight which it provides into the concept of terrorism and the role which religion plays in the process of terrorism. Another significant strength of the article can be said to be the fact that it also tries to show how religion is used by the various people to justify their terrorist activities (Choudhury and Fenwick 2011)[16]. On the other hand, the strength of the article What's so religious about religious terrorism? can be said to be the fact that it seek it provide an insight into the process of religious terrorism and also seeks to validate the use of the concept of religion in the process of terrorism (Gunning and Jackson 2011)[17]. The weakness of the article The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities can be said to be fact that the article fails to take into consideration the role played by the other factors in the process of terrorism. The sole focus of the article is on the role which religion plays in the terrorism and not on the major factors. The weakness of the article What's so religious about religious terrorism? can be said to be the fact that the article puts too much emphasis on the concept of political religion and seeks to validate the concept of religious terrorism which is completely unethical. To conclude, it becomes evident that the problem of terrorism is one of the major issues which the world is facing at the present moment. It is significant to note that the various individuals use the concept of religion and other factors to justify their acts of criminality and brutal behavior which should not be the case. Therefore, the world needs to address this particular evil as it causes a significant amount of damage to property as the loss of lives on an annual basis. It is a reflection of this that the various nations of the world have developed certain legislations and policies related to the control of terrorism in the various nations of the world. However, just the mere development of policies is not enough the various first world nations of the world also need to address the major issues which give rise to the various terrorist activities. References Combs, C.C., 2017.Terrorism in the twenty-first century. Routledge. Jeroen Gunning and Richard Jackson 2011. What's so religious about religious terrorism?, Critical Studies on Terrorism, 4:3, 369-388, DOI: 10.1080/17539153.2011.623405 Jongman, A.J., 2017.Political terrorism: A new guide to actors, authors, concepts, data bases, theories, and literature. Routledge. Martin, G., 2017.Understanding terrorism: Challenges, perspectives, and issues. SAGE publications. Nacos, B., 2016.Mass-mediated Terrorism: mainstream and digital media in terrorism and counterterrorism. Rowman Littlefield. Richardson, L., 2013.The roots of terrorism. Routledge. Spalek, B. ed., 2012.Counter-terrorism: Community-based approaches to preventing terror crime. Palgrave Macmillan. Tufyal Choudhury and Helen Fenwick 2011. The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities, International Review of Law, Computers Technology, 25:3, 151-181, DOI: 10.1080/13600869.2011.617491

Plot, Setting, Comparing Themes, Character, Style, Tone, and Mood, Irony, Narrator and Voice Symbolism and Allegory Essay Example

Plot, Setting, Comparing Themes, Character, Style, Tone, and Mood, Irony, Narrator and Voice Symbolism and Allegory Paper Plot A series of related events in a story, each connected to the next. Sequence The order in which a storys events take place. Exposition The opening of a story, when the characters and their conflicts are introduced. Conflict A struggle between two forces. External Conflict Two characters, character and a group, character and an animal, or character and a force of nature. Internal Conflict A struggle that takes place in the characters mind or heart. Climax The most exciting part of a story; the moment when the outcome of the conflict is determined. (usually at the end of a short story.) A major decision. Resolution (denouement) The very end of the story, when loose ends are tied up. Flashback An action that interrupts the story to introduce an event that took place in the past. Flash-Forward An action that jumps ahead of the story to narrate an event that happens at a later time. Foreshadowing Hints in the story that certain events are going to happen later. Setting The time and place in which the story happens. Atmosphere Mood or feelings brought on by a storys setting. Subject The topic of a work of literature. The subject can usually be started in a single word or phrase. Theme The general idea or insight about human life that a work of literature reveals. The theme can be stated in one or more sentences. Generalization A broad statement that applies to many individuals, experiences, situations, or observations. A kind of conclusion that is drawn after considering as many facts as possible. Themes are expressed as generalizations. Genres The different forms of literature. (Short stories, novels, plays, poems) Universal themes Can be found in literature from different times, countries, and cultures. Universal themes cross genres as well as national boundaries, languages, customs, and historic periods. Characterization The way writers create characters in a story. Direct Characterization The writer tells us directly what a character is like (good or evil or lazy) Indirect Characterization The writer tells us clues in the story to decide what kind of person the character is. Protagonist The main character in a story. Antagonist The character that the main character struggles against. Subordinate Characters Minor characters on the story. Motivations The reasons behind a characters actions and feelings. Flat Characters A character who is not fully developed in the story. A flat character is almost never the main character. Round Character A character who is fully developed, just as a person in actual life. Dynamic Character A character who changes during the story. The change might involve recognition of some truth about life. Static Character A character who does not change during the story. Dialogue The conversations characters have with other characters. First-Person Narration A story told be an I(character) narrator. Style The particular way a writer uses language. (Word choice, sentence structure, and tone.) Diction The writers choice of words- an essential element of a writers style. Connotations Meanings and emotions associated with a word that go beyond its dictionary definition. Figures of Speech Imaginative comparisons in which one thing is described in terms of another. They are not meant to be understood on a literal level. Imagery Language that appeals to one or more of the 5 senses. Tone The writers attitude toward a subject or character, or toward the audience. Mood The overall feeling or atmosphere of a work of literature. Irony The difference between what we expect or what seems suitable and what actually happens. Verbal Irony When someone says something but means the opposite. Situational Irony An event that is contrary to, or the opposite of, what we expected. Dramatic Irony When we know what is going to happen to a character but the character doesnt know. Ambiguity A quality that allows something to be interpreted in several different or conflicting ways. Narrator The teller of a story. Omniscient Point Of View The narrator can tell us everything about the characters, including how they think and feel. First-Person Narrator A character in the story who refers to himself or herself as I or me. It only tells what the narrator know and chooses to reveal. Unreliable May not always tell the truth about characters or events in the story. Diction The writers choice of words. Tone The writers attitude toward the subject of a story, toward a character, or towards the audience. Voice The writers use of language and overall style, created by ton and choice of words. Symbol An object (a person, animal, or event) that stands for something more than itself. Public Symbol A symbol that has become widely recognized, such as the bald eagle (a symbol of the United States) or the olive branch (a symbol of peace). Invented Symbol A symbol invented by the writer, which usually stands for something abstract, such as evil, innocence, or love. Allegory A story which characters and settings stand for something beyond themselves, usually virtues and vices. Sometimes the characters in an allegory are given names that indicate what they stand for.

Social and Cultural Framing in America Essay Example

Social and Cultural Framing in America Paper Social and Cultural Framing in America People build a series of mental filters through biological, social, and cultural influences, and they use these filters to make sense of the world. This is called framing. Framing is so effective because it is a mental shortcut, human beings are by nature lazy thinkers, and we don’t like to think too much or too hard. Frames provide people a quick and easy way to process information. Diana Kendall, a sociology professor at Baylor University has studied how mass media has portrayed upper, middle, working, and poverty classes by how they stereotype them in different ways. Rather than providing a meaningful analysis of inequality and showing realistic portrayals of life in various social classes, the media either play class differences for laughs or sweep the issue under the rug so that important distinctions are rendered invisible† (Kendall 330). The media has created the notion that in society the affluent are rewarded and the workin g class and poor are punished. TV shows like The Simple Life, Life of Luxury, and The Fabulous Life show how socio-economic classes are either played-up or minimalized and used for laughs. In a mass-mediated culture such as ours, the media do not simply mirror society; rather, they help to shape it and to create cultural perceptions† (Kendall 331). The media blurs the line between what is real and what is not when it comes to perceptions of economic or social class. Televisions shows, magazines, and newspapers tell us that the only way to move up in the world is to identify yourself with the rich and powerful and to live â€Å"vicariously† through them. My mother watches Entertainment Tonight and reads those tabloid magazines, and I constantly ask her â€Å"Why Mom? Why do you bother reading up on these people that waste their undeserved riches and get married and divorced at least 10 times? † and she just says â€Å"Well I want to know what’s going on in their life, and hear all the gossip†. But WHY?! How does their life affect YOU at all? The media bombards the middle and lower classes with these useless tabloid stories. Diana Kendall explains that â€Å"Viewers feel a sense of intimacy with elites, with whom they have little or no contact with in their daily lives† (Kendall 332). Non-elites over identify with the wealthy, because the media tells us that these upper class people are better than us. In contemporary society, equality does not exist. Although, media audiences can purchase material items that can somehow make you equal to higher class people. Take Paris Hilton, a woman famous for just being born into a wealthy family. She has made millions and millions of dollars by marketing products to her lower class fans so they can get a taste of her life, so they can be â€Å"Just like Paris†. We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Cultural Framing in America specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Cultural Framing in America specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Cultural Framing in America specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Not stopping at just jewelry, Ms. Hilton has decided to exploit people in even more ways: Calendars, toys, autobiographies, and another book about her dog’s life. But I can’t just pick on Paris Hilton; thousands of celebrities do the exact same thing. These egocentric people will slap their name on anything to encourage unnecessary consumerism among all their fans. The media loves to glorify the material possessions of these celebrities, as if ravenous consumerism can make you happy. People who extensively watch television have an exaggerated sense of how wealthy most Americans are and how they spend their money. Also, since television stimulates consumerist desires, extensive viewing may lead to more spending and less saving. Which makes sense, considering every commercial implies that â€Å"YOU NEED THIS† or â€Å"THIS MAKES YOUR LIFE EASIER†. Most media framing about the wealthiest class is positive, ranging from framing that depicts members of the upper class to be like everyone else, to framing that portrays them as generous, caring individuals. But the most popular type of framing for the wealthy class is called â€Å"emulation framing†. This type of framing suggests that people in all classes should â€Å"reward† themselves with a few of the perks of the wealthy, such as buying Paris Hilton’s jewelry. Many adults who try to live the â€Å"good life† through trying to buy happiness end up in the poor house. When will normal people realize that they do not have the household funds to just go off and spend food or house repair money on frivolities? Many reports are showing that middle and working class people are incurring massive debt because of the reckless spending on big houses, expensive vehicles, and other items that are beyond their budget. There is a stark contrast between the media framing of the upper class to the framing of the lower classes. At best the poor are portrayed as deserving of our sympathy only around the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas). Around these times, the poor are depicted as people who are just down on their luck, working class families who work really hard but just can’t catch a break. The worst types of depictions of the poor are stereotypical bums, drug addicts and losers who are poor because they deserve it or because of their bad decisions. â€Å"Episodic Framing† shows some of the problems of the poor, but does not link it to larger societal problems such as limited educational opportunities, high rates of unemployment, and low paying jobs. The media will keep this status quo of depicting rich people as perfect and poor people as something to laugh at or a faceless statistic. If the media industry persists in retaining the same old frames for class, it will behoove each of us readers and viewers to break out of those frames and more thoroughly explore these issues on our own† (Kendall 346). After Hurricane Katrina, some disaster photographs were released with some controversial captions. The two pictures in the article Loot or Find: Fact or Frame? By Cheryl I. Harris and Devon W. Carbado depict two such pictures. They are both of people wading thr ough chest deep water with supplies, although the captions were different. One of them was of a black man carrying Pepsi and a suspicious black bag full of items. The caption said the black man was â€Å"looting†. The other picture showed a white couple wading through water with supplies, and the caption said they were â€Å"finding†. As you can guess, people complained that the captions accompanying the images were racially suggestive. The fact that most of the people who were not allowed to leave the city and were left to fend for themselves were overwhelmingly black made some think that maybe the executive powers did not care about blacks. We all know about Kanye West’s amusing blurt â€Å"George Bush doesn’t care about black people†. Katrina challenged the notion of â€Å"Color Blindness†, that is, that race is not a factor in how we see the world. I believe that race is a huge factor in how some people see the world. I don’t think anyone is 100% colorblind, especially when the media depicts certain races different ways. When many of the black musicians today are portrayed as tough, gritty gangsters, what are you, the viewer supposed to think? When blacks in the media are shown wearing tons of gold jewelry, baggy clothes and carrying guns, what are you going to think when you see a black man with baggy pants and jewelry walking around? I don’t think that everyone who looks that way will act a certain way, but looks are a first impression. Most of the people suffering during Katrina were black and poor, and that raised a lot of questions. Was it â€Å"†¦a case of presidential indifference? Or dislike of, poor black people? Or was it†¦the predictable consequence of a natural disaster that befell a city that just happened to be predominantly black? Was it†¦the result of a culture of dependency combined with local bureaucratic incompetence? Was race a factor in determining who survived and who did not? Or did class provide a better explanation? † (Harris and Carbado 427). The point is that during Katrina, blacks were framed into being looters, criminals, or just uncontrollable rioters. I feel that one can only explain this type of disaster if one was there in the thick of it. The existence of racial frames makes it difficult for people to confront the complex problems of racism and racial prejudices. Immigration. I am very emotionally conflicted about immigration in America today. My father’s side of my family has been in this country for around 90 years, emigrating across the Atlantic from southern Italy. My mother’s side has been here for about 50 years, coming from a French town in New Brunswick. I can imagine how difficult it was to come to a new country that wasn’t fond of foreigners, get a job, a raise a family. It’s still the same now, Mexican immigrants come into the country looking for work in a somewhat hostile environment. I hate that illegal immigrants sneak into this country, and take labor away from Americans. But I’m conflicted because America is a nation of immigrants, and if this land belongs to anyone its definatly not White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, it’s the Native Americans. In the current presidential race, some candidates don’t want immigrants in the country. But it’s usually those same candidates who give tax cuts to the wealthy and couldn’t care less about working class folks or their jobs anyway. The whole terrorism scare with immigrants is a bit tricky. I believe that there could be terrorist cells in this country, but with basically all of these guys being extremist Muslim, how can our police force, with its inefficient and bureaucratic system, go after these bad guys without being criticized for being racist and religiously prejudiced? Things are different in this country today, and we can’t cling to our old xenophobic, materialistic values anymore. How can a nation run on values and principles that were established in 1776? Things change, people change, morals change, and America needs to change or else we will run ourselves into the ground.

Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors

Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors Christopher Columbus discovered previously unknown lands in 1492, and within 20 years the conquest of these new lands was proceeding quickly. How were the Spanish conquistadors able to do it? The Spanish armor and weapons had much to do with their success. The Swift Success of the Conquistadors The Spanish who came to settle the New World were generally not farmers and craftsmen but soldiers, adventurers, and mercenaries looking for a quick fortune. Native communities were attacked and enslaved and any treasures they may have had such as gold, silver or pearls were taken. Teams of Spanish conquistadors devastated native communities on Caribbean islands such as Cuba and Hispaniola between 1494 and 1515 or so before moving on to the mainland. The most famous conquests were those of the mighty Aztec and Inca Empires, in Central America and the Andes mountains of South America respectively. The conquistadors who took these mighty Empires down (Hernan Cortes in Mexico in 1525 and Francisco Pizarro in Peru, 1532) commanded relatively small forces: Cortes had around 600 men and Pizarro initially had about 160. These small forces were able to defeat much larger ones. At the Battle of Teocajas, Sebastian de Benalcazar had 200 Spanish and some 3,000 Caà ±ari allies: together they fought Inca General Rumià ±ahui and a force of some 50,000 warriors to a draw. Conquistador Weapons There were two sorts of Spanish conquistadors: horsemen or cavalry and foot soldiers or infantry. The cavalry would usually carry the day in the battles of the conquest. When the spoils were divided, cavalrymen received a much higher share of the treasure than foot soldiers. Some Spanish soldiers would save up and purchase a horse as a sort of investment which would pay off in future conquests. The Spanish horsemen generally had two sorts of weapons: lances and swords. Their lances were long wooden spears with iron or steel points on the ends, used to devastating effect on masses of native foot soldiers. In close combat, a rider would use his sword. Steel Spanish swords of the conquest were about three feet long and relatively narrow, sharp on both sides. The Spanish city of Toledo was known as one of the best places in the world for making arms and armor and a fine Toledo sword was a valuable weapon indeed. The finely made weapons did not pass inspection until they could bend in a half-circle and survive a full-force impact with a metal helmet. The fine Spanish steel sword was such an advantage that for some time after the conquest, it was illegal for natives to have one. Foot Soldiers Weapons Spanish foot soldiers could use a variety of weapons. Many people incorrectly think that it was firearms that doomed the New World natives, but thats not the case. Some Spanish soldiers used a harquebus, a sort of early musket. The harquebus was undeniably effective against any one opponent, but they are slow to load, heavy, and firing one is a complicated process involving the use of a wick which must be kept lit. The harquebuses were most effective for terrorizing native soldiers, who thought the Spanish could create thunder. Like the harquebus, the crossbow was a European weapon designed to defeat armored knights and too bulky and cumbersome to be of much use in the conquest against the lightly armored, quick natives. Some soldiers used crossbows, but theyre very slow to load, break or malfunction easily and their use was not terribly common, at least not after the initial phases of the conquest. Like the cavalry, Spanish foot soldiers made good use of swords. A heavily armored Spanish foot soldier could cut down dozens of native enemies in minutes with a fine Toledan blade. Conquistador Armor Spanish armor, mostly made in Toledo, was among the finest in the world. Encased from head to foot in a steel shell, Spanish conquistadors were all but invulnerable when facing native opponents. In Europe, the armored knight had dominated the battlefield for centuries and weapons such as the harquebus and crossbow were specifically designed to pierce armor and defeat them. The natives had no such weapons and therefore killed very few armored Spanish in battle. The helmet most commonly associated with the conquistadors was the morion, a heavy steel helm with a pronounced crest or comb on top and sweeping sides that came  to  points on either end. Some infantrymen preferred a salade, a full-faced helmet that looks a little like a steel ski mask. In its most basic form, it is a bullet-shaped helm with a large T in front of the eyes, nose, and mouth. A cabasset helmet was much simpler: it is a large steel cap that covers the head from the ears up: stylish ones would have an elongated dome like the pointy end of an almond. Most conquistadors wore a full set of armor which consisted of a heavy breastplate, arm and leg greaves, a metal skirt, and protection for the neck and throat called a gorget. Even parts of the body such as elbows and shoulders, which require movement, were protected by a series of overlapping plates, meaning that there were very few vulnerable spots on a fully armored conquistador. A full suit of metal armor weighed about sixty pounds and the weight was well distributed over the body, allowing it to be worn for long periods of time without causing much fatigue. It generally included even armored boots and gloves or gauntlets. Later in the conquest, as conquistadors realized that full suits of armor were overkill in the New World, some of them switched to lighter chainmail, which was just as effective. Some even abandoned metal armor entirely, wearing escuapil, a sort of padded leather or cloth armor adapted from the armor worn by Aztec warriors. Large, heavy shields were not  necessary for the conquest, although many conquistadors used a buckler, a small, round or oval shield usually of wood or metal covered with leather. Native Weapons The natives had no answer for these weapons and armor. At the time of the conquest, most native cultures in North and South America were somewhere between the Stone Age and the  Bronze Age  in terms of their weaponry. Most foot soldiers carried heavy clubs or maces, some with stone or bronze heads. Some had rudimentary stone axes or clubs with spikes coming out of the end. These weapons could batter and bruise Spanish conquistadors, but only rarely did any serious damage through the heavy armor. Aztec warriors occasionally had a  macuahuitl, a wooden sword with jagged obsidian shards set in the sides: it was a lethal weapon, but still no match for steel. The natives had some better luck with missile weapons. In South America, some cultures developed bows and arrows, although they were rarely able to pierce armor. Other cultures used a sort of sling to hurl a stone with great force. Aztec warriors used the  atlatl, a device used to hurl javelins or darts at great velocity. Native cultures wore elaborate, beautiful armor. The Aztecs had warrior societies, the most notable of which were the feared Eagle and Jaguar warriors. These men would dress in Jaguar skins or eagle feathers and were very brave warriors. The Incas wore quilted or padded armor and used shields and helmets made of wood or bronze. Native armor was generally intended to intimidate as much as protect: it was often very colorful and beautiful. Nevertheless, eagle feathers provide no protection from a steel sword and native armor was of very little use in combat with conquistadors. Analysis The conquest of the Americas proves decisively the advantage of advanced armor and weaponry in any conflict. The Aztecs and Incas numbered in the millions, yet were defeated by Spanish forces numbering in the hundreds. A heavily  armored conquistador  could slay dozens of foes in a single engagement without receiving a serious wound. Horses were another advantage that the natives could not counter. It’s inaccurate to say that the success of the Spanish conquest was solely due to superior arms and armor, however. The Spanish were greatly aided by diseases previously unknown to that part of the world. Millions died of new illnesses brought by the Spanish such as smallpox. There was also a great deal of luck involved. For example, they invaded the  Inca Empire at a time of great crisis, as a brutal civil war between brothers Huascar and Atahualpa was just ending when the Spanish arrived in 1532; and the Aztecs were widely despised by their subjects. Sources Calvert, Albert Frederick. Spanish arms and armour: being a historical and descriptive account of the Royal armoury of Madrid. London: J. Lane, 1907Hemming, John.  The Conquest of the Inca. London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970).Pohl, John. The Conquistador: 1492–1550. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2008.

Health Literacy and Patient Empowerment Assignment

Health Literacy and Patient Empowerment - Assignment Example Is it low, medium, or high? Explain your rating system for the three literacy levels. What are the factors that contribute to the literacy level for individuals? The three article literacy range from medium to high. The first article by Estruch, et al. (2013) about the diet for those with the chronic disease can be rated as medium as it dwells on only one type of diet and which is limited to people. The second article by Nag & Ghosh (2013) is rated as high as it discusses the rate of this chronic disease in Asia and the risk factors associated with it. This is very important information for prevention. Lastly is the article by Jeemon (2011) which is rated highly as it also provides the socio-economic reasons associated with cause and prevention as well as management of the cardiovascular disease. People as a result of the statistics on the cardiovascular diseases are running towards technology and medical books to seek every piece of information whether it is on causes, prevention or even management. The articles are peer reviewed and hence people are reviewing them mostly and relying on the information being provided. The information they present are based on research and hence are reliable. The only change would be to add more about the diet on the first article by Estruch, et al. (2013). Patient empowerment means that a patient of the chronic disease has taken time to learn about the disease and not just rely on what is being fed to him or her by the medical team. They have expansive knowledge on the area and have consulted on the best treatment plan and management methods depending on the stage of the disease or level they are in (Hebda, Czar & Mascara, 2012). A patient that is empowered is highly literate when it comes to health literacy. He or she has a wide array of knowledge that can even be used to teach others such as relatives. When it comes to patient empowerment, some of the patients are initially