Assessment methods, their merits and demerits Essay Example for Free

Assessment methods, their merits and demerits Essay Mainly, three types of assessments are in practice, initial, formative and summative assessment. Initial assessment can be a formal or informal process of identifying each learner’s strengths and help them to understand their areas of development, and the setting action plan accordingly. In formative assessment, teacher or assessor monitor students learning performance during the learning time against a set criteria. Students struggling areas are identified by feedback records and action plan for teachers to adopt teaching strategies and student to motivate for more study is adjusted. In Summative assessment, teacher evaluates the learner’s performance at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against a standard and other students’ performance. Summative assessments are high stakes or high point values and include: a)Written exams b)Quizzes c)Dissertations and projects d)Instead of comparing the advantages and disadvantages of these assessment types, I would prefer to discuss assessment instruments I used in these assessments and talk about their merits and demerits. Assessment typeStrengthLimitations 1.Written exams 1. Good tool to assess students’ knowledge without guessing. 2. It forces student to think and articulate that thinking. 3. Take less time to create test as compared to MCQ where assessor has to make more choices and student will choose one. 4. Teacher can provide better feedback on answers. 1. These tests needs language skills with and ESL students can’t demonstrate their capabilities. 2. These tests are time bounds and a slow writing student may not able to show his full knowledge. 3. Performance in these test based on memorizing facts instead of showing creativity. Assessment typeStrengthLimitations 2.Oral Exams1. This format decreases miscommunication and misunderstanding  while questioning or answering. 2. Student doesn’t need to follow any set lines for answer. 3. Give more chances to examiner to ask how student came to this answer. 4. More assessors can take part in this format. 5. More areas can be covered in less time. 1. Could be biased and less fair result oriented. 2. Requires a trained examiner to set such format which cost more. 3. Shy students can be distracted by other factors and c\they may not give their fullest. Assessment typeStrengthLimitations 3. Portfolios1. Assess and promote critical thinking. 2. Give opportunity learner to be self-directed, active, peer -supported and independent. 3. More than one assessor validates the performance. 4.Promotes creativity and problem solving 5. can be used to assess professional and personal development.1. Difficult to identify whether this is student’s own effort or somebody else’s. 2. Involve large amount of paper work which gives less time to focus on course. 3. Reliability issues. 4. Student can easily hide their weaknesses in this type of assessment. Assessment typeStrengthLimitations 4. Projects and dissertations1. All round ability testing i.e practical, analytical and interpretative skills. 2. Teaches students time management and if in group then teaches leadership and team work skills. 3. Increase motivation to complete task quickly and in time.1. Making of such format assessment is hectic and time consuming. 2. Validity and reliability of assessment is not high as compared to other formats. 3. If resources not available to learning, performance will be compromised. In my teaching career, I have gone through all above mentioned assessment tools and found written exams are widely used in many parts of world. People love written exams because they pile up work and when exam is near, they memorize it and ready for exam, no creative work during the term just collecting the notes. Trend is slightly changing in the world and other assessment tools are in practice, mostly university are assessing courses by  assignments, project and dissertations and these formats require continuous study and work that’s develop students other skills along with the completion of these tasks.

Analysis of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Analysis of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton Context By the time the bloody chaos of the First World War finally came to an end on November 11, 1918, the American novelist Edith Wharton had already been living as an expatriate in Paris for five years. During that time, she had essentially ceased to write fiction and had turned her energies instead to the Allied effort by providing war relief for soldiers and refugees. Her devotion and enthusiasm for her work was, in fact, enough to win her the French Legion of Honor. By the end of the war, however, Wharton found herself disturbed by what she saw as the profound social disruptions that had been brought on by the war. In the months after the armistice, she again picked up her pen to write what many critics consider to be her war novel. One would be hard pressed, however, to find any elements within The Age of Innocence that even remotely address the disruption and the bloodshed of the First World War. Set in 1870s New York, Whartons novel depicts a society that is in many ways the antithesis of war-devastated Europe. Old New York, Whartons term to describe this wealthy and elite class at the top of the developing citys social hierarchy, was a society utterly intent on maintaining its own rigid stability. To Wharton, Old New York imposed on its members set rules and expectations for practically everything: manners, fashions, behaviors, and even conversations. Those who breached the social code were punished, with exquisite politeness, by the other members. The differences between the fractured society following the First World War and the Old New York of The Age of Innocence are without a doubt dramatic. However, there is more of a connection between them than may first appear. Edith Wharton herself was born into the claustrophobic world of Old New York. When she began, at the age of fifty-seven, to write what would become her Pulitzer-prize winning novel, she had already witnessed an astounding amount of social change. Both horrified and fascinated by the chaos and the freedom of the new century as it headed towards modernism and war, Wharton was prompted to compare this new age with that of her own past. The Age of Innocence, then, stands as both a personal recollection of the culture of Whartons youth and an historical study of an old-fashioned world on the brink of profound and permanent change. It is believed that the expression keeping up with the Joneses once specifically referred to Edith Jones Whartons parents, who were known throughout New York for their lavish social gatherings. Born into such an atmosphere of opulence, Wharton had access to all the privileges of an upper- class upbringing: education, travel, and the assurance of a good marriage. Yet for all the luxury of her youth, Wharton felt her individuality continually stifled by the rigid expectations and narrow perspectives of her class. Not surprisingly, these sentiments become central themes in The Age of Innocence. Unhappily married at an early age to a man thirteen years her senior, Wharton faced, like Ellen Olenska, the temptations of adultery and the censure of divorce. As a writer, too, Wharton faced the criticisms of her class, who disdained and feared what they called the bohemian life of artists and writers. Post-war Paris was a far cry from this stifling environment, and Wharton was interested in tracing the differences between her past and present not only on a personal level, but also a historico-anthropological level. By the end of the War, rigid Old New York appeared as a lost world, a defunct civilization that bore little similarity to the present era. Like many authors of her time, Wharton was interested in evolutionary theories and the newly developing field of anthropology. To a great extent, it is this interest in the sociology of Old New York that gives the novel its keen sense of detached irony. While post-Civil War New York saw itself as the pinnacle of civilization, Wharton undercuts this picture by comparing its unbending societal customs to those of the most primitive tribes. Plot Overview Newland Archer couldnt be more pleased with his recent engagement to the beautiful debutante May Welland. However, his world is thrown upside down by the sensational arrival of Mays cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska. Recently returned to America after separating from her husband, a philandering Polish count, Countess Olenska shocks the staid New York aristocracy with her revealing clothes, carefree manners, and rumors of adultery. Because the Countesss family, headed by the powerful Mrs. Manson Mingott, have chosen to reintroduce her into good society, Archer and May feel it necessary to befriend her. As Archer comes to better know the Countess, he begins to appreciate her unconventional views on New York society. Meanwhile, Archer becomes increasingly disillusioned with his new fianceà ©, May. He begins to see her as the manufactured product of her class: polite, innocent, and utterly devoid of personal opinion and sense of self. The Countess Olenska soon announces her intention of divorcing her husband. While Archer supports her desire for freedom, he feels compelled to act on behalf of the Mingott family and persuade Ellen to remain married. At a friends cottage near Hudson, Archer realizes that he is in love with Ellen. He abruptly leaves the next day for Florida, where he is reunited with May and her parents, who are there on vacation. There, he presses May to shorten their engagement. May becomes suspicious and asks him if his hurry to get married is prompted by the fear that he is marrying the wrong person. Archer reassures May that he is in love with her. Back in New York, Archer calls on Ellen, and Archer admits that he is in love with her. Just then, a telegram arrives from May, announcing that her parents have pushed forward the wedding date. After their wedding and honeymoon in Europe, Archer and May settle down to married life in New York. Over time, Archers memory of Ellen fades to a wistful image. But on vacation in Newport, he is reunited with her, and Ellen promises not to return to Europe as long as she and Newland do not act upon their love for each other. Back in New York, Archer learns that Count Olenski wants his wife to return to him and that Ellen has refused. After the stroke of her grandmother, Ellen returns to New York to care for her. She and Archer agree to consummate their affair. But suddenly, Ellen announces her intention to return to Europe. May throws a farewell party for Ellen, and after the guests leave, May announces to Archer that she is pregnant and that she told Ellen her news two weeks earlier. Twenty-five years pass. In that time, the Archers have had three children and May has died from pneumonia. Now Archers son convinces him to travel to France. There, they arrange to visit the Countess Olenska at her Paris apartment. However, at the last minute Archer sends his son alone to visit her, content instead to live with his memories of the past. Character List Newland Archer The novels protagonist. Archer is a wealthy young lawyer married to the beautiful debutante May Welland. He is in love, however, with Mays cousin Countess Ellen Olenska, who represents to him the freedom missing from the suffocating environment of the New York aristocracy. Archer is torn between his duty to May and to his family, and his passion for Ellen. In the end, he remains faithful to his wife and comes to be known in society as a philanthropist and civic figure. Countess Ellen Olenska Mays cousin and Mrs. Manson Mingotts granddaughter. Ellen was educated and raised in Europe. There, she married a Polish count, who cheated on her and prompted her to leave him. Upon her return to New York family, she hopes to be reintegrated to American life, but she finds only judgmentality and stifling mores. Her behavior is deemed too unorthodox for her to fit in to Old New York. To Archer, however, she is free and truly alive, her own person. May Welland The dewy-eyed and artless young thing who marries Archer. May appears to be unassailably innocent. Over time, Archer comes to see her as the living embodiment of New York society: incapable of thinking on her own, conditioned to act as she is expected. Despite her apparent innocence, May is not as naà ¯ve as Newland thinks. However, she remains a loyal wife even after she suspects that Newland is having an affair with Countess Olenska. Mrs. Manson Mingott Grandmother to May and Ellen, Mrs. Mingott is a fat and fiery old aristocratic lady who wields great influence over the New York clan. While her moral standards are irreproachable, she has some unorthodox social views. She insists on family solidarity and remains confident in Ellen, supporting her financially when she leaves New York to return to Europe. Henry and Louisa van der Luyden The descendants of pre-Revolutionary Dutch aristocracy, this elderly couple is the last word in social authority. They are last in a long line of powerful social leaders. Very quiet and non-adventurous people, they are rarely seen in public and only rarely invite guests to their solemn Madison Avenue mansion. Julius Beaufort Little is known about this British bankers past, but it is widely rumored that he left Europe after some shady business deals. With his elaborate annual balls, Beaufort is one of the most important and lavish hosts of New York entertainment. Following a scandalous business failure, he is swiftly exiled from good society. Mrs. Archer and Janey Archer Mother and sister of Archer, these two women act almost like sisters. Somewhat socially timid, they love to gossip, grow ferns, and make lace. While they are devoted to Archer, they are nonetheless frequently shocked by his social views. Lawrence Lefferts Widely considered to be the arbiter of good taste and moral values, Lefferts is also a huge gossip and an unfaithful husband. There are suspicions that he courted Countess Olenska soon after her arrival and was soundly rejected. Sillerton Jackson An elderly gentleman and good friend of the Archer family. Jackson is the unofficial archivist of all New York gossip and family history. Medora Manson The eccentric old aunt of Ellens, Medora raised her after the deaths of Ellens parents. A penniless itinerant, she is repeatedly widowed, and is tolerated by society only because of her family connections. Ned Winsett The bohemian journalist friend of Archer. Ned Winsett is one of the few people with whom Archer can really converse. He sees him as both an emblem of social freedom and its immense costs. Mrs. Lemuel Struthers Although as heir to a shoe polish fortune Mrs. Struthers is considered common, she becomes a popular hostess known for her artistic gatherings. Summary The novel opens in the new opera house, where all of New Yorks high society has assembled in its expensive box seats to see and to be seen. Newland Archer, the protagonist, has just arrived fashionably late and joins his friends in time for the climax of the opera. As he glances across the filled theater, he spots May Welland, his new fianceà ©, seated in the box of her aristocratic old grandmother, Mrs. Manson Mingott. Archer, struck anew by her pure and innocent beauty, dreams of blissful married life with May. His reverie is abruptly interrupted by his acquaintance Larry Lefferts, who notices a stranger entering the Mingott box. A slim young woman wearing a theatrical and low-cut dress takes a seat in the box, seemingly unconscious of all the attention she attracts. With shock, Archer realizes that this woman is no other than the Countess Ellen Olenska, cousin to May Welland, who has returned to New York after having lived abroad for many years. Lefferts, considered to be the authority on form, or style and fashion, and Sillerton Jackson, the unofficial archivist of all family histories and scandals within the upper class, are both shocked that the Countess would appear in good society with the rest of her family. We learn through their gossip that it is rumored that she had left her unfaithful husband, a Polish count. Newland admires the fiery and somewhat unorthodox determination of Mrs. Manson Mingott to support this black sheep of her family by not only hosting her indefinitely in her home, but also by allowing her to appear publicly in the family box at the Opera. Yet at the same time he is bothered that all of New York society will see such a scandalous figure sitting next to his innocent young fiancee. As the men continue to gossip, Archer feel compelled to take decisive action. As the fiancà © of May Welland, he decides that he has the responsibility to defend the Mingott clan. During intermission, he hurries over to the Mingott box. Although no words are exchanged between May and himself as to the reason for his sudden appearance, she shows her understanding of the situation and her gratitude to Archer with her smile. Both she and Archer are aware that by appearing in the Mingott box with the Countess Olenska, Archer is demonstrating his connection to that family and his support of their decision to include the Countess in their social activities. Archer is introduced to Olenska, who was one of his childhood playmates. He is struck by her flippant, friendly manners and finds her descriptions of New York society rather disrespectful. After the opera, many of the wealthy New York families attend the annual ball at the Beaufort residence. Julius Beaufort, we learn, is a handsome, charming, and disreputable Englishman with a shady financial history and a strong tendency toward infidelity; his wife Regina is a pretty but dull woman of reputable family background. Although many consider the Beauforts to be common, no one would ever pass their elaborate and ostentatious balls, which provide a cornerstone for New York social activities. At the ball, Archer and May officially announce their engagement. In a moment alone together in the conservatory, they express their happiness. May suddenly asks Archer to announce their engagement to her cousin Ellen Olenska. Ellen, to the relief of her family, did not attend the Beauforts ball. Analysis In the opening chapter of The Age of Innocence, Wharton immediately evokes a specific time, a place, and a society. Her panoramic description of the opera is highly effective as an introductory setting, for it not only acclimates the reader to the fashions and entertainment preferences of Old New York, but it also presents the members of this society as if they were an assembly, a closely-knit collection of individuals and families. The fact that everyone in good society attends the opera demonstrates immediately their similar tastes in art and entertainment. Yet the opera does not serve merely as a bonding activity for the very rich. Indeed, the members of the audience scrutinize each other far more than the opera itself, singling out in particular the fashions and manners of their peers. One goes to the opera to see and to be seen, to judge and to be judged. This may explain why Wharton is quick to introduce two characters who are otherwise minor to the plot. She singles Larry Lefferts out of the crowd as the foremost authority on form. Form, or a code that indicates the acceptable tastes in fashion and manners, is extremely important to this society, which is so concerned with appearances. And an unusual dress or a flippant attitude may, in fact, signify more than just a lack of taste but also a lack of proper moral values. Such a potential wantonness threatens to destabilize the delicate existing code and is therefore judged harshly. In addition to Lefferts, Wharton pauses over the character of Sillerton Jackson, the unofficial archivist of family histories. Not only does Jackson know every blood and marital relationship within the tight clan of Old New York, he also knows each familys scandals, whether real or rumored. Thanks to Jackson, ones private history does not remain a secret for long. Here and throughout the novel, Wharton employs certain imagery by which to portray Old New York society. She describes the evening at the opera as an extremely predictable event: one arrives there fashionably late, every family has a carriage waiting for them at the entrance, and even the ball at Beauforts that follows is an annual tradition. On a basic level, Whartons language indicates how boring such a world can be; no one acts differently from anyone else and there is no variation in the course of events from year to year. In the following chapters, Archer will become more and more frustrated with the monotony of this stultifying environment. On a more symbolic level, Wharton ironically compares the traditional behaviors and codes of cultured Old New York with those of primitive or ancient cultures. Both are obsessed with ritual events and behaviors, she indicates, and Archers concern with acceptable behavior is no different from the totem terrors that had ruled the destinies of his forefathers thousands of years ago. It is, of course, the arrival of Countess Ellen Olenska that brings tension to this perfectly ordered scene. Thanks to the good memory and loose tongue of Sillerton Jackson, Ellens appearance is preceded by her reputation. It is important to note Jacksons exclamation upon seeing Ellen in her familys opera box: I didnt think the Mingotts would have tried it on. With this statement is the implication that the actions of an individual reflect upon the family. Jackson is shocked not only because a woman of somewhat ill repute is seen amongst good society, but also because her family is choosing to support such a black sheep. Newland Archer is aware of the crucial importance of the Mingott familys sense of solidarity. When he sees how his friends negatively respond to the appearance of Ellen, he rushes over to the Mingott family box. Since May is a member of this family and Archer soon will be, it is his duty to defend their decision to include Ellen. Simply by appearing in the Mingott box, Archer is sending a clear non-verbal signal to the rest of the New York clan. This gesture, just like Mays grateful glance at Archer, is a subtle but unequivocal form of communication. Throughout the novel, Wharton must interpret these actions for her readers, for often the spoken words of her characters do not contain as much meaning as (and in some cases relate the opposite meaning of) the gesture. In the third chapter, the character of Julius Beaufort provides a clear example of the discrepancy of appearance versus reality. His personal history is spotty at best, and he is notorious for his womanizing. But because of his immaculate dress and public display of manners and hospitality, he is accepted by the New York clan. As long as Beaufort-or anyone, for that matter-can hide the unpleasantness of his past, he will be welcomed into good society. Chapters 4-6 Summary As is expected of all newly engaged couples, Archer and May begin a series of betrothal visits to their friends and relatives. The first is to Mrs. Manson Mingott, who lives by herself in a grand and unorthodox mansion near Central Park. Because of her tremendous obesity, she is confined to her house; but because of her social influence, she is not isolated from the rest of society. Mrs. Mingott happily receives the couple and instructs May on wedding preparations. As they are about to take their leave, Ellen Olenska returns home from shopping with Julius Beaufort. Archer notices that Mrs. Mingott greets them both cordially; she does not seem to consider it improper, as he does, that a married man should be seen in daylight with a recently-separated woman. As Archer leaves, he speaks briefly to the Countess about his engagement to May. She is very pleased and asks Archer to call on her soon. As Archer leaves, he inwardly remarks that the Countesss behavior with Beaufort is most likely acceptable in Europe. All the same, he is glad he is marrying a member of his own New York clan. The next evening Sillerton Jackson dines with Archer and Archers mother and sister at their home. Jackson and the two women are eager to gossip about the arrival of the Countess Olenska. When the conversation inevitably drifts to discussing her appearance in public with Beaufort, Archer shocks his family by claiming that she has the right to go where she chooses and that he hopes the Countess will get a divorce from her brutish husband, even if such things are seldom done. He remarks that he is tired of a double standard for the affairs of men and women and that it is time for women to be as free as men. Alone in his study after dinner, Archer contemplates his approaching marriage to May. Regarding her picture, he wonders to what extent she is the product of her society. Recalling his assertion at dinner that women should have the same freedoms as men, he now concludes that the nice women of his class were brought up to never desire freedom. Archer suddenly realizes that although he wants his future wife to be free and to form her own thoughts, she has been carefully trained by her family not to possess such traits. To him, May is innocent because she is ignorant. While he remains unwavering in his decision to marry her, he begins to feel that his marriage will not be entirely what he had previously expected. A few days later, the Mingott family is in great distress. After having sent out invitations for a formal dinner to be held in honor of the Countess Olenska, they have received refusals from practically all of the invites. It is clear that New York has decided to scorn the Count ess Olenska by not attending her welcoming dinner. In protest, Archer appeals to his mother to talk with Henry and Louisa van der Luyden. The van der Luydens, a frail old couple who are seldom seen in public and receive only their most intimate friends at home, are regarded as the most powerful and most elite figures in New York society. Archer hopes that their influence can atone for the slight that has been dealt to the Countess and her family. Analysis Chapter 4 opens with one of the most humorous character sketches in the novel. The immensely large Mrs. Manson Mingott is an intriguing character to Archer because of her slightly unorthodox living arrangement and her candid way of speaking. Because of her impeccable moral character and high societal status, her free style of conversation does not scandalize others or disrupt the given social standards. As such, she can easily get away with making some perceptive and occasionally critical insights into the society of Old New York. When Beaufort arrives with Countess Olenska at Mrs. Mingotts home, she asks him if he will be inviting Mrs. Lemuel Struthers and remarks that New York is in need of new blood and new money. While Old New York is intensely close-knit and hostile to nouveau-riche outsiders, it is also in risk of isolating itself completely from the rest of the world, to the detriment of its own health. The character of Newland Archer also takes on several nuances in these cha pters. In the opening Opera scene, Archer appears to be as preoccupied with correct appearances as his friends. At Mrs. Mingotts house, Wharton demonstrates how Archers thoughts on form depart from the norm. He admires Mrs. Mingotts strong personality and the slight sense of impropriety in the arrangement of her house. Yet Archer is relieved when he discovers that Ellen is out for the day, for he fears the controversy associated with her. His acceptance of unconventionality, then, is limited. Mrs. Mingotts harmless banter is not nearly as destabilizing as Ellens behavior in walking in public with Beaufort, which threatens the social code to which Archer is accustomed. In chapters five and six, we also get a glimpse into Archers thoughts on women. At dinner with his family and Sillerton Jackson, Archer attempts to defend Ellens right to have an affair following the infidelities of her husbands by proclaiming that women should be as free as men when it came to their personal relations hips. Yet Archers attempts at gender equality are belied by many of his other comments. Later that evening, he remarks to Jackson that he is sick of the hypocrisy that would bury alive a woman of her age if her husband prefers to live with harlots. While he does here defend Ellens right to manage her own affairs, he labels other women who have made similar choices as harlots. Archer also shows his unequal treatment of women in regards to his own past. In the novels elliptical allusions to his former mistress, Archer is always inclined to judge her actions harshly. Archer is also led to wonder about the usefulness of asserting such rights for women. Although he loves and admires May, he sees that she has been brought up to be a nice woman, one who would never request the right to have an affair. With this revelation, Archer begins to realize just how circumscribed the lives of May and other women in New York society really are. They have been brought up never to question inequalities or double standards. In fact, it is as if they are not even aware that such inequalities exist. They exist in a state of perpetual innocence, untroubled by what they do not know. With this revelation, Archer becomes further disillusioned with the strict codes of Old New York. Chapters 7-9 Summary At the van der Luydens formal and ostentatious Madison Avenue home, Archer and his mother relate the slight given to the Countess Olenska. The van der Luydens decide to stand by the Countess on principle: if her family has already decided to support her admittance into society, the rest of society must support their decision. To make amends, the van der Luydens decide to include the Countess at their reception for the Duke of St. Austrey. In the course of the next week, before attending the reception for the Duke, Archer learns much about the past of the Countess Olenska. After the early deaths of her itinerant parents, Ellen was left under the guardianship of her aunt Medora Manson, an eccentric and frequently widowed woman. After the death of Medoras most recent husband, she packed up and left with Ellen in tow. For years nothing was heard of them, until news reached New York that Ellen had married the extremely wealthy Polish Count Olenski. A few years later, the marriage ended in disaster, and Ellen decided to return to her New York family to recuperate. After learning of Ellens history, Archer is curious to see how-if at all-she will adapt to New York society. At the Dukes reception, the Countess raises eyebrows by appearing late and somewhat disheveled. After dinner, she leaves the side of the Duke (with whom she is expected to converse) in order to talk with Archer. They discuss, primarily, his engagement to May. The Countess reveals her ignorance of New York social customs by asking Archer if the marriage was arranged. When Archer corrects her, she embarrassedly admits that she often forgets that what is bad in European culture is good, by contrast, in American culture. As the conversation is interrupted by the other guests, Countess Olenska bids Archer to call on her at her new home the next day. Archer arrives late at the Countesss shabby, slightly bohemian flat that following day, only to find her away. He decides to wait in her living room until she returns. While he waits, he examines the room, which is artfully decorated with European bric-a-brac and exotic works of art. To Archer, who is used to the standardized Italian art appreciated by those in his class, the Countesss furnishings are novel and intriguing. Suddenly, from the window he sees the Countess descend from Beauforts cab. Inside the flat, Archer is interested by the Countesss novel, if slightly shocking, opinions on the fashions and the families of Old New York. She, in turn, looks to Archer for advice about fitting in to the New York clan. When he explains how misleading appearances are in New York, Ellen responds by bursting into tears. She remarks to Archer that the most lonely aspect of living in New York is that she is required to live around well-meaning people who insist that she pretend to be someone she is not in order to spare them any unpleasantness. Their conversation is interrupted by the entrance of the Duke and Mrs. Lemuel Struthers. Archer leaves, somewhat relieved to be spared any more upsetting emotion. As he stops by the florist to send May her daily bouquet of lilies-of- the-valley, he decides impulsively to send a bouquet of yellow roses to Countess Olenska. Analysis Wharton commences Chapter 7 with a detailed account of the nature of the power structure and chain of command within the tight-knit high society of New York. As the sole descendants of one of the most wealthy and aristocratic families in the city, Henry and Louisa van der Luyden serve as legislatures, executives, and judges in regards to certain social problems. It is they who determine the laws of family solidarity. Because Ellens family supports her, everyone outside the family must honor their decision and treat her as one of them. It is also they who judge the severity of the offense against Ellen Olenska; Wharton describes them as the Court of last appeals. And finally, it is they who decide that action must be taken to amend for the insult. By inviting the Countess to their formal reception for the Duke, the van der Luydens send an unmistakable message to those who have previously slighted Ellen. Wharton makes her depiction of the van der Luydens ironic by several different means. First of all, she shows the inconsistencies between the van der Luydens as individuals and as leaders. For all the stuffy splendor of their house and the formal quality of their interview with the Archers, Henry and Louisa are shy and retiring people who dont much like to entertain. They seldom leave their home, due both to health problems and a genuine fear of venturing out in public. Secondly, Wharton describes them in anthropological terms. The van der Luydens are mouth pieces of some remote ancestral authority which fate compelled them to wield. Wharton subtly hints that there is something primitive about the van der Luydens influence over society and that their power is due more to wealth and bloodline than to their capability and temperament. For a society that prides itself on its high culture, such a hierarchy of power seems rather crude and primeval. And finally, Whartons physical description of this harmless old couple involves a large amount of death imagery. Louisa looks like she was rather gruesomely preserved in the airless atmosphere of a perfectly irreproachable existence. This is not unlike the way Wharton sees Mrs. Mingott as a doomed city trapped under her own weight in Chapter 4. In both these cases, Whartons juxtaposition of authority figures with death imagery indicates the ineffectual nature of their power. Ruled by such archaic individuals, Old New York potentially faces a waning of power itself, or even extinction. In Chapters 8 and 9, we begin to get a better grasp of Ellens personality. Up until this point, we have seen Ellen primarily through the eyes of others: through the gossip at the opera and through Archers opinions based on their brief encounters. Now the picture of Ellen becomes more complete through the recounting of her personal history, the descriptions of her exotically furnished apartment, and through her own conversations with Archer. The very nature of their discussion proves to Archer Ellens foreignness and her lack of traditional manners. Unlike May and the rest of New York who communicate indirectly through glances and euphemistic speech, Ellen is quite candid in her opinions. She directly criticizes

Unnecessary Censorship of Literature :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Unnecessary Censorship of Literature Article One of the Bill of Rights tells us â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.† A censor is defined as an official or government entity that removes or restricts books, plays, the news media, etc. in order to suppress information or ideas that are considered objectionable on moral, political, religious, military, or other grounds (1). Censored. Banned. Challenged. These three words have loomed large in the past decade. In 1999, the number of reported challenges against books declined to 472, down from 762 in 1995 (2). According to the American Library Association’s site on the most frequently challenged books of the decade, â€Å"topping the list is Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz, accused of â€Å"being too scary† and â€Å"unsuited to age group,† followed by Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite, accused of â€Å"promoting homosexuality as a normal lifestyle.† The rest of the 10 most frequently challenged books of the decade were I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (3), The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (4), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (5), Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (6), Forever by Judy Blume (7), Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (8), Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman (9) and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. S alinger (10).† Books have been challenged and banned for a number of reasons including: objectionable, lurid, profane, vulgar, and obscene as in a case from Fairbanks, Alaska where the Bible was challenged but retained. The same happened in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with reasons cited that it â€Å"contains language and stories that are inappropriate for children of any age,† including tales of incest and murder. â€Å"There are more than three hundred examples of ‘obscenities’ in the book.† (3) Other well-known books that are frequently challenged include Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, which uses the word ‘nigger’ thirty-nine times in the first thirty-five pages of the book. Groups such as the NAACP have pushed for the removal of Huck Finn from required reading lists but say that they are not out to censor the book. The Pennsylvania chapter of the NAACP feels that the liberal use of such a derogatory word is detrimental to the self-esteem of young African-American children (4).

Education Philosophy Essay -- Philosophy of Education Statement Teache

Education Philosophy My life has been influenced greatly by teachers. Since I was a child, teaching is all I wanted to do. My mother is a fifth grade teacher. I have quite a few friends that are teachers. I have been fortunate to be influenced by some great teachers throughout my academic career. I love to be around kids and I like participating in the process of learning. I appreciate learning even today. I enjoy the learning process and hope to one day influence students in the future. I hope to one day become a high school social studies teacher. I enjoy history and geography, and I especially love politics and discussing current events. I like class discussions and letting different opinions express themselves. These are my beliefs regarding the education of a student. I would strongly agree that students should be active in the learning process. I would strongly agree that many students learn best by engaging in real-world activities rather than reading. I would strongly agree that schools should prepare students for analyzing and solving the types of problems they will face outside the classroom. I would also strongly agree that people are shaped more by their environment than by their genetic dispositions or the exercise of their free will. I would agree that material is taught effectively when it is broken down into small parts. I would agree that the curriculum of a school should be determined by information that is essential for all students to know. I agree that students should be immersed in the community’s problems, resulting in taking action or responsibility in planning a change. I do agree that the United States must become more competitive economically with counties such as Japan, and schoo... ...eaching methods would include programmed instruction, teaching machine, computer-assisted instruction, interactive multimedia, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, critical thinking skills, and cognitive problem solving. The classroom management style would include monitoring and observing events, using reward systems, and establishing rules. The evaluation of the student would include behavioral objectives and performance contracting. The teacher would be trained in the scientific method, a planner and user of behavioral objectives, controller of behavior, and an arranger of contingencies. I hope that one day I will be able to use these different philosophies in my own classroom. I hope that I keep these values, and be able to shape some young minds. I hope that I will become a great teacher, like the ones that I have experienced in my own career.

Performance Enhancing Drugs Essay -- sports, athletes, drug addiction

Fourth quarter, three seconds left, tie game. Bodies exhausted and sweat all over. Ball in hand and the shot goes up. Swoosh, and the crowd goes wild! The intensity in the arena is insane and the fans all cheer out. This is what all athletes dream of. Playing the sport that they love and getting paid to do it, but how can a professional perform at the top of their game and have supporting fans if they waste everything away on drugs. They have people who look up to them as role models and they get paid to perform. The sport is their life and also supports others. Non-professional athletes are not held to this standard however and should be allowed to do as they please. Although some drugs can be seen as damaging to the health of individuals, especially athletes, some drugs can be used in other ways. However the main problem of drugs isn’t the use of the drug but the abuse. People become addicted to the substance and tend to rely on it rather than occasional use. Someone such as an athlete should not be addicted to something so life consuming as a drug. The lack of self-control with athletes towards the drugs has become a concerning social problem. Those who watch sports or look up to athletes have noticed the great disappointment when the drugs affect their body in many ways so professionals should be held to a higher standard than high school athletes. â€Å"High school athletes are not under contract, they do not get paid, and they don’t have social expectations. Professional athletes are expected to treat their bodies a certain way and drugs interfere with that. A high school player is without expectations and they should be able to decide for themselves what they do. Whether drugs cause enough harm to interfere with an athlete’s fu... ...Top List Of NBA's Most Valuable Teams." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 23 Jan. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. dollar-knicks-and-lakers-top-list-of-nbas-most-valuable-teams/>. "Drug Abuse & Addiction." Drug Abuse and Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Drug Problems and Substance Abuse. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. nt.htm>. "Opinion L.A." Student Drug Testing Doesn't Work [Blowback]. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. . "Parents, Experts Divided on School Drug Testing." Msnbc.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. childrens_health/t/parents-experts-divided-school-drug-testing/>.

Passion – Basketball

My Passion by: Shariar Alam Sadmun What is basketball? In technical terms as defined by Princeton, it could be defined as a game played on a court by two opposing teams of 5 players; points are scored by throwing the ball through an elevated horizontal hoop. In my own words I would describe basketball as my best friend that never backstabs or goes away from my side; it is always there by my side no matter what just like a true friend. Everyone has a passion but I think my passion is truly unique because I have loved the sport of basketball since I was seven. I remember the day I was watching my first basketball game, I still remember it as if it was yesterday. I was not very familiar with the rules and the scoring. I did not know any players. My idol, Shaquille O’Neal, was playing in that game and he was dominating the whole game until he missed two crucial free throws near the end and his team lost. After the game he said, â€Å"Me shooting 40% at the foul line is just God’s way to say nobody’s perfect. † His play that game and the way that he encountered and the way he intellectually answered the critics that day has inspired me to play and love the game of basketball. People sometimes ask me, â€Å"Why do you love basketball? All you try to do is shoot that ball through that circle. That is not fun† My response to them is always the same. I tell them basketball is not just a game, it is more than a game. It is my love, it is my passion, it is the game that is always by my side, and it is the game that gives me the most enjoyment whenever I am playing or watching it. I love to watch the game. If they show the game on television for 4 hours straight, I will watch it without getting fed up with it. If someone starts a conversation about basketball, I will turn into Manny from Ice Age who never stops talking. I hate losing, basketball brings out my competitive spirit. Basketball lets me take out my emotions, which helps me in expressing myself to others. Basketball is a game of cooperation, where the five people on the court work cooperatively to achieve the goal of winning. The great Michael Jordan once said, â€Å"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships. † Michael Jordan is a hero and an inspiration to a lot of people. He is the reason a lot of people not only in North America, but everywhere in the world started playing basketball. He once said, â€Å"I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot†¦ and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why†¦ I succeed. † His competitive spirit and his hunger to succeed have always inspired me, and every time I hear or read these awe-inspiring quotes by him it always gives me goose bumps. Basketball teaches me good discipline in terms of when to shoot and when to pass to a teammate. Basketball has given me the chance of leading by example. Basketball players not only play the game but they do a lot to help their communities. A great example of that would be Steve Nash, who is an honorary member of Order of Canada (the highest civilian honour in Canada). He is possibly the greatest Canadian basketball player ever. He is an inspiration to every Canadian. All the philanthropic work he does, the way he takes care of his body, his work ethic and the way he leads his team is just a joy to watch and hear about. It makes me proud to be a Canadian and to know that a Canadian is one of the greatest basketball player ever to step on the court. Players like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal are once in a generation type of players. The way they play with intensity and seriousness is something really commendable. I practice every day during the summer, I try to play with that killer instinct like my idols. When I was in grade five, I would play my brother every day after school and I would never win. One day he did not want to play me anymore because he told me I was not at his level. That really hit me. I remember for the next two months, I had a basketball with me. Everywhere I went, I had it with me from walking and dribbling it to the point where I slept with it. That is how much I wanted to beat my brother. I got that competitive spirit from players like Jordan or O’Neal. After two months, I requested my brother to play me and I told him if I lost I would never ask him to play me. He accepted the challenge, and after a very close game I beat him twenty-one to eighteen. After the game, I cried so much because I was so thrilled that I finally beat my brother. Basketball for some people is just a game. It is more than a game to me. It is like my best friend. It is my passion. It has always been there for me through the tough times and as well as the good times. It has helped me take my emotions out in a proper manner. It lets me take out my competitive spirit. It has taught me how to work in a team effectively. Alan Armstrong once said, â€Å"If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen for you, to you and because of you. † I feel basketball has given me the chance to enjoy my life in a way that I would have probably not enjoyed without it. Basketball has given me the chance to become its best friend, and I will always admire basketball for what it has done to change my life and what it has done to always stay by my side.

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Just as backup is important for computer systems at large organizations and businesses, home computers need backup as well. Although they may not hold important business data, support integrated real-time computing, failure of which would cause huge financial losses, but the personal computer holds data that is most of the time extremely personal and valuable at a personal level. In case of a system failure, theft or software corruption, extremely important data can be lost and recovery can cost a fortune.Valuable data on PC’s include bank records and other financial information, memorable photographs, software purchased and downloaded off the Internet, music purchased and downloaded from the Internet, personal work projects, your e-contact book, organizers and schedules, internet browser bookmarks and any other important irreplaceable information. Why make backup? Statistics show that at least one in every hard disk drive gets corrupted every year and the cost of recovering d ata from such a disk can be as high as $7,000.(How To Keep Your Home Office Files And Data Safe and Secure , 2009) Annually, around 2 million laptops are stolen. Most of them end up in the wrong hands; people who misuse personal information. What can be done with this information can be fretful thought for owners. Even minor careless activities like children playing on the computer, liquid spills and power outages can cause a lot of damage to the system and can result in significant data loss. Recovering data has its threats as well.This brings up privacy issues and the threat of data duplication during the recovery process. All these factors contribute towards the importance of PC data back up. Frequency of Backup This concept is relative. Some people are more active PC users than others. They may work from home and/or perform important daily activities on the computer. Some use it for daily communication or use the PC as an entertainment center. The more frequent the PC use, the m ore frequent the data backup should be.All important files that are used most frequently, or are more frequently changed or altered, like journals, photo albums, browsing bookmarks, documents and cat-logs, should be backed up and updated as frequent as the change. Since my use of the PC consists of daily high frequency assignment and communication use, I decide to backup my important files daily at a specific time or after every time changes are made to a significant file. Automatic schedules are effective but they need special dedicated software aimed towards backup and data protection.I currently do not have any such software; therefore I plan on backing up my data manually. This allows me total flexibility. Although I have programmed backup reminders on my computer to make sure I do no forget my daily backup update. The update will consist of the simple copy pasting of the concerned files and folders and overwriting so that the most updated version is backed up and saved. Medium The device I use for back up is a simple flash memory drive. It has several advantages; firstly it is safe and non-volatile.It does not get corrupted easily and the silicon medium is quite durable. Flash drives can even survive being submerged in water and can be used after dried out for a certain period of time. Secondly, it is a cheap medium. With higher capacity models coming in every month, the previous ones get cheaper drastically; I currently have one with a capacity of 16 Gigabytes. One can also own several flash drives. They also allow quick and seamless data transfer. Lastly, they are portable and easy to carry around, easy to use and totally hassle free. CritiqueThe outlined plan is quite fool-proof and has no advantages except one threat; the portability and scale of the USB flash drive can also cause it to be stolen, misplaced or lost. This can cause the important data to be fallen in to the wrong hands or get destroyed. If the drive is protected and taken care of, then the back up plan can be very effective and convenient. References How To Keep Your Home Office Files And Data Safe and Secure . (2009). Retrieved July 19, 2009, from homeofficebuddy: http://www. homeofficebuddy. com/databackup/index. shtml