Advanced Standing Exams know your stuff, get out of a semester-long class!

Advanced Standing Exams know your stuff, get out of a semester-long class! MIT has A LOT of graduation requirements. Most colleges have some sort of breadth requirement. MIT, being a technical school, has a weighty 8-class humanities minimum (the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciencesâ€"HASSâ€"requirement), PLUS a technical core encompassing introductory biology, chemistry, physics, and calculus (these classes are known as the General Institute Requirementsâ€"GIRs). When looking at MIT, my first thought after learning about these graduation requirements was “But I’ve got a ton of AP credit…won’t I get out of a lot of these these extra intro subjects?” Unfortunately, the answer is no. MIT gives really remarkably, disappointingly horrible AP creditâ€"the worst out of any school I researched when applying. If you score a 5 on Calculus BC, you can get out of 18.01, Single-Variable Calculus. If you score a 5 on both Physics C tests, you can get out of 8.01, Physics Mechanics (you’re still on the hook for Electricity and Magnetism). That’s about it. (Ok, I’m exaggerating a little bit. You can get general unit credit for a lot of other AP tests, and if you score a 5 on English Language or Literature, you don’t have to take an essay evaluation over the summer and you have more choices for introductory humanities classes. But the APs mentioned above are the only ones that let you out of GIRs, and there’s no way to wiggle out of your eight HASS subjects.) This is all really sad, because a lot of high school students work really hard racking up AP credit hoping to pass into more interesting or pertinent courses. Now for the good news: MIT has in place its own, pretty generous system of exams to help you pass out of GIRs whose material you are already comfortable with. These tests are called Advanced Standing Exams (ASEs). An ASE is not quite like a placement test because it doesn’t let you skip lower-level classes, but it instead serves as a quick way of fulfilling the credit for those classes. ASEs are created by the department that runs the course and for the most part approximate a final exam in that class. If you take the ASE, the grade you get on the test stands in for a grade in the corresponding class. On your transcript, it’s as if you took the class and got the grade you scored on the ASE. (However, ASE grades don’t factor into your GPA. For more details, see this page on Grading Policies for ASEs.) Now here’s the really awesome part: because ASEs are treated essentially like normal classes on your transcript, that means that if you’re a freshman on Pass/No Record, ASEs taken during orientation or fall-semester finals are also graded P/NR. This means that as long as you pass the test, you get full credit for having taken the GIR, and it makes absolutely no difference whether you scored a 99% or a 50%. If you fail, no harm done. In fact, if you fail an ASE during orientation, it doesn’t even appear on your internal record. So you have a shot at earning class credit, with very little downside. What I’m saying is that if you’re an incoming freshman to MIT, you should really consider sitting for some ASEs. Coming into MIT, I heard some strong words of caution against ASEs. A lot of people warn against trying to pass out of subjects willy-nilly, because it is important to have a firm background in the core subjects to succeed in later classes. That’s true, but I wanted to give the other side of the argument. If there is a subject you are really comfortable with, or one that you doubt will be of much relevance to you in your major, I think it makes sense to try and skip out of it, for these reasons: 1. It’s efficient (and effective). You can brush up or study for a class over the summer and get out of a whole semester of work (including problem sets!). Take it from someone who at this point has done her fair share of problem sets: that’s a good deal. Also, I think it’s important to mention that the ASEs are not easy. They are challenging and in-depthâ€"some of them can be harder than the final for the corresponding class. You’ll be seeing things like metallic molecular orbital diagrams in Chemistry and rocket problems involving differential analysis in Physics. If you can pass the ASE, you actually do have a pretty good grasp of the material. 2. It saves you money. MIT is expensive. You should use your tuition dollars on classes that are important and interesting to you. Especially considering that for a lot of the GIR classes, the material is available online in full, for free (keep reading for more info). 3. You get more flexibility in your schedule. Having a couple extra free units in your schedule can be a real relief. It can let you explore some different subjects if you’re trying to figure out what to major in. It can give you more room to minor or double-major or graduate early. 4. You can take cooler or more relevant classes If you don’t have to take intro chemistry, you can take something cool instead! If you know that you’re going to be a mechanical engineer, and you never want to see biology again, it makes much more sense to pass out of bio and get a head start on differential equations, or have room for an advanced Mech-E class later on. Plus, if you’re a freshman and you don’t have to take GIRs first semester, that means you can take harder or unfamiliar classes on Pass/No Record. 5. They feed you breakfast. On the day of the test. Just thought I would mention it ? 6. You have nothing to lose. Except for the three hours spent actually taking the testwhich is really small change considering the benefits. Coming into MIT, I knew that I wanted to ASE out of as many classes as I could. The opportunity to get out of a semester-long class by taking a test was too much of a gift to pass up. After studying over the summer, I sat for Biology, Physics (Mechanics), and Chemistry. I passed Bio and Chem but failed Physics :( I knew/remembered very little from high school about the three exams, so I taught myself most of the material over the summer. Thankfully, MIT has posted almost all the materials (lecture videos, homework, past exams, worksheets, etc.) from its courses, especially Bio and Chem, online at MIT Open Course Ware. While studying for the tests, I basically took the corresponding MIT course online. (In fact, sometimes I catch myself saying I took MIT bio, even though I studied for the class completley virtually.) I took studying seriously, scheduling myself carefully and committing two/three days per week to it over the summer. For your reference, here’s a breakdown of the classes I studied for. As of 2014, pass rates for the various ASEs. Credit to The Tech for the diagram. It should be noted that this year (2015), pass rates for the ASEsespecially Biology and Chemistrywent up significantly.   Biology (7.012) I decided to study for bio because it had a pretty high pass rate out of the tests I was considering and it is more conceptual than quantitative, and I have an easier time self-studying conceptual subjects. I didn’t take AP Bio in high school but was able to review the remarkably thorough MIT OCW class online in three weeks. I watched all the lectures, did all the homework, and took the practice final at the end to see if I would pass. I also bought the (old) textbook associated with the OCW version of the course on ebay for $5, but I only used it a little bit. In fact, studying for biology was often a pleasure, largely owing to the delightful lectures of Professor Eric Lander, who through his enthusiasm made me excited about everything from primers to dead mice. *Side note: MIT biology is really different from high school biology, and even though I reviewed materials online, it made me a lot more interested in a subject I thought I had no interest inâ€"might be worth checking it o ut even if you already dominated bio in high school. Physics (8.01) Physics was less of a pleasure because it came less naturally to me and the materials on OCW are less complete and cohesive. For instance, no lectures are available through OCW (though if you look hard enough you can find some elsewhere on the Internet wink wink). Even though I took Physics B in high school, I spent 4-5 irritating weeks working problems over the summer in a frequent state of confusion and dismay, which culminated in me not passing the test. However, the test is definitely doable. I took 8.01, Classical Mechanics, first semester, and even though I didn’t pass the ASE, having studied for it made the class much easier. My lecturer (Professor Dourmashkin) was an amazing teacher and did a wonderful job making problem-solving organized and methodological, which helped me a lot, so I was able to put physics on the back burner and focus on other classes and extracurriculars. Chemistry (5.111) In the last two weeks of summer break, I decided last-minute to see if I could cram Chemistry. Chem is a notoriously hard ASE, largely I think because it covers concepts that are not touched on in AP Chemistry and has intense time pressure. However, the materials online are complete and include fill-in-the-blank style notes, which made note-taking for the course very fast. I spent two weeks spending almost every day in Starbucks watching Chem lectures and doing problems…during which time I enjoyed splendid people-watching, got asked out by a complete stranger, and irritated countless patrons by hogging the corner table. (I think I could write a blog post just on a “Portrait of a West Hills Starbucks”). If you’re thinking of studying for ASEs, I suggest you choose your tests carefully based on your previous exposure, what kind of knowledge you are best at learning/retaining, and how hard the tests are. I’m really glad I passed out of Chem and Bio. Because my schedule is more open, I was able to take 18.03 (Differential Equationsâ€"a requirement for Computer Science and a lot of other majors) on Pass/No Record, which is great because otherwise I probably would have had a nervous breakdown at some point during the course. This semester, I was able to take 6.s04 (now 6.009), a beginning software engineering class, in addition to 6.01, the introductory EECS class. Being able to take that extra computer science class second semester was invaluable. I got a lot more comfortable with coding a lot quicker and was able to get a software internship over the summer, which will give me even more experience. On top of that, I’m now done with all my GIRs, whereas some other freshmen had to make a choice between not taking any classes in their prospective major or deferring an introductory bio or chem class (probably until senior year). In summary: ASEing out of subjects was a really good decision for me, and its a really good option for incoming students. I know a lot of people who wished they had taken more ASEs; I dont know anyone who regrets sitting for one. That’s pretty much all I have to say about ASEs! You can find more information about specific tests on the department websites below: Biology Physics Chemistry Math Computer Science And feel free to comment with questions or shoot me an email if you have questions about specific tests!

Essay on Mr. and Mrs. Bennets Parenting in Pride and...

Analysis of Mr. and Mrs. Bennets Parenting in Pride and Prejudice The roles of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice are contrasted between a father who cares about what’s inside of people and a mother who only worries about vanity and appearance. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s parental guidance is unique to their personalities. Because of their two opposing personas, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s ideas of marriage are contradictory for their daughters; Mr. Bennet believes in a loving respectful marriage whereas Mrs. Bennet values a marriage which concerns wealth and social status. Their aspirations for Lydia, Jane, Mary, Kitty and Elizabeth mirror their conflicting ideologies. Mr. Bennet seems to have a quiet deep love†¦show more content†¦From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. ---Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do’† (97). Mrs. Bennet makes a fuss over trivial things and is partial to exaggerat ion. These attributes prompt her children and husband to see her as unimportant and harmless. Although her word is ineffective in her household, Mrs. Bennet’s persistence to marry her daughters is ceaseless: â€Å"Not yet, however, in spite of her disappointment in her husband, did Mrs. Bennet give up the point. She talked to Elizabeth again and again; coaxed and threatened her by turns† (97). Mrs. Bennet can’t see past her marital ideals for her daughters and can’t understand why they don’t concern themselves as ardently as she does with them. In a fit of anger, Mrs. Bennet claims to disown Elizabeth for refusing Mr. Collin’s proposal by stating, â€Å"’But I tell you what, Miss Lizzy, if you take it into your head to go on refusing every offer of marriage in this way, you will never get a husband at all --and I am sure I do not know who is to maintain you when your father is dead’† (98). Elizabeth’s mother think s that her threats have weight but all the Bennet children know her warnings are hollow. Even when Lydia runs away with Wickham and brings shame to the Bennet family, Mrs. Bennet is only concerned with the fact that Lydia is getting married: â€Å"She was now in an irritation as violent fromShow MoreRelatedPride and Prejudice, Parenting1478 Words   |  6 PagesALTERNATIVE ONE – THE ESSAY QUESTION â€Å"I’d blame it all on the parents† The novel Pride and Prejudice involves many topics and symbolizes different aspects of life and behavior of people. In this essay I am going to analyze and discuss the theme of parenthood. I will only comment on the characters that are parents or come over as parents, namely, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Gardiner and Lady Catherine De Bourgh. The last character mentioned may not come over as a parent but she acts

Racism, Justice, Social Expectations And Corruption

Martin Luther King Jnr. once stated, â€Å"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.† This statement perfectly portrays the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. These characters are: Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch, Arthur (Boo) Radley, and Scout Finch. The themes in this novel are racism, justice, social expectations and corruption, these themes can be seen through the racist attitudes towards Tom Robinson, the unjust decision to charge Tom Robinson as guilty because of his race, the expectation of scout to be feminine and wear dresses and how they corrupt the law by acting upon their feelings not knowledge. In the novel, the character†¦show more content†¦The people in court did not want to believe that a black man is capable of doing good deeds without receiving payment and only because of his race did they insist thoroughly that he was guilty. While Jem and Scout are in the courtroom, Reverend Skyes explains the racism occurring in the courts to Jem, â€Å"Now don’t you be so confident, Mr Jem, I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man.† When Tom Robinson was giving his say on the things that happened and mentions that he feels sorry for Mayella Ewell with the intention of defending his actions, Gilmer replies with a sarcastic tone, â€Å"you felt sorry for her?† his tone, which is mocking and harsh, reflects the white racist beliefs of the society. The tone used in this quote said by Gilmer was only accepting because of the fact that he is a white man; it would have been unacceptable for a black man to use that t one. This is just another way that can be used to show racism. The society in the 1930’s when white people were seen as superior beings than black people is what causes the racism towards Tom Robinson in the novel. This event of Tom Robinson staying truthful in his time of challenge and controversy reflects the Martin Luther King Jnr quote, â€Å"the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.† The protagonist in the novel

A Pestel Analysis of a Clothes Manufacturers and Suppliers Free Essays

The PESTEL analysis shown in the appendix portrays some of the issues in the external environment that a firm manufacturing and supplying luxury men’s clothing may experience. In all six sections; political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal there are issues that the firm would face. However, some have more significance to others. We will write a custom essay sample on A Pestel Analysis of a Clothes Manufacturers and Suppliers or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although political, technological and environmental factors would have a big affect on the firm, when looking at the three most important issues facing the firm; social, economic and legal come out on top. Firstly, social factors play a massive part in the external environment of the firm. For-fronting the part it plays could be, as brought up in the PESTEL analysis, the men’s clothing market is very dynamic. Fashion has its own cycle, but it very hard to understand, with items coming in and out of fashion quickly. With retailers changing stock usually at least 4 times a year (seasonal clothes) it can be very hard for a manufacturer to keep up with. Along with this rapid change, there has been seen a raise in men’s fashion consciousness, with more and more premium priced men’s clothing appearing. This portraying the difficulty the firm may have at keeping up with its competitors who have somewhat consolidated themselves in the market. However, with low barriers to entry, thus low initial capital costs to start the business, they may catch up quickly. This along with the a thorough PESTEL analysis may see the firm compete well. Changing fashion has often been led by national social change. A recent form of social change has seen consumers become more ethically driven, with products such as the Fairtrade brand seeing a steep increase in sales, according to their website around ?300m of sales annually (2007 figure). This rise in what is known as the ethical consumer has meant that attention on this front has to be sharply increased. Some companies such as the bath shop have turned focussed solely on a ethical approach. The manufacturing of the firm will not go unnoticed with pressure groups being very much present. Businesses such as Primark and GAP have felt a full force lobby from these interest groups. Primark, who were outsourcing the manufacture of their goods to India, were uncovered by a BBC report. The program showed children working for the outsourced manufacturer and bad working conditions. If the firm was to have bad press too, say from PETA and animal rights activists, who look very closely at fur farming (for luxury clothing), this may have detrimental affects on factors such as their reputation and finances. This shows issues the firm may experience from pressure groups, so work will be needed to keep these people happy and too shareholders with similar views. Demographics mentioned in the PESTEL may too conjure up issues for the firm in the current environment. Demographics include age, race and gender. When looking at the age of the population, the firm will need to address the issue to which age group (target market) to supply this luxury clothing too. According to a recent census males aged 15-64 years old make up 33% of the population, thus a age group within this seems appropriate. However, the lower of the group having lower disposable income and other factors will need to be considered. Race and culture will also bring about some issues to the firm. They will have to consider clothing that will be appealing to all races and not offend any culture. This being a small issue but will need to be watched. Secondly, moving on to economic factors that may affect and bring up issues in the external environment for the firm. Recession comes out as the biggest threat to the firm at the moment, with many businesses falling into liquidation and great times of uncertainty for workers. With Recession comes many problems that the firm will experience. One being unemployment, which according to BBC figures has rose to around 8-8. 9%, these being the worse figures since 1992. Rising unemployment along with a falling national disposable income demand in the economy will fall. The firm supplying luxury goods are usually going to be more susceptible to a fall in demand when there is a fall in income. This is because luxury goods are more income elastic. Consumers will be more willing to give up spending on these kinds of goods than say essentials such as toilet paper and drinks. This is an issue to the manufacturer so they will have to hope on considerations such as brand loyalty and correct marketing to push up demand. They may also need to drop their profit margin on clothing to help generate more sales. In this economic downturn there has been a big depreciation in the pound sterling. This has made exports more attractive (however, fall in value of pound means its not exactly positive) and importing more expensive. With the firm mainly supplying the UK market with some operations abroad it will be affected by this. If raw materials are being imported into the UK for use in production then the firm will be paying a higher unit price for these. This of course will add to the unning costs of the business. Also the few countries they firm supplies they will be receiving a lower price for the goods losing out on the bad exchange rate, which has been at its worse for a decade. Both of these are an obvious issue to the firm but are out of their control, so it is just a case of sitting and waiting for the economy to be boosted again. One way the government may try to help the economy recover again is thr ough a policy implemented in times of turmoil called fiscal policy. This comprises mainly of controls on spending and taxation. For example the VAT cut of 2. 5% from 17. 5% to 15% was made in attempt to help businesses stay afloat. Many companies passed these cuts straight onto the consumer in order to stay competitive. Another policy installed is the monetary policy, which looks mainly at money supply and interest rates. Interest rates, under the Monetary Policy Committee, were brought down to a very low 0. 5% stated on the Bank of England website. This along with other contributors has led banks to be very stingy with lending money to each other, consumers and business. The firm if it finds itself needing to borrow capital from the banks may find this difficult and with such a weak pound investors may be less willing to invest too. This may be a great issue to the firm as with no constant cash flow partnered with a possible fall in demand it may find itself struggling to compete and stay in business. The final factor of the 3 most important issues currently facing the firm is the legal elements. These will have a big impact on the business environment of the men’s clothing sector such as the social and economic considerations have done too. The legal system in the UK is very complex and there are many laws that the firm will need to abide for business to run. The firm is likely to be affected in the two usual ways by legal factors. Firstly, if new procedures and systems have to be developed then it can affect the firm’s costs. Secondly, if the laws affect the likelihood of the customer buying the good, it can affect the firm’s demand. The amount of laws present makes it harder for the firm to run with checks needing to be made along many points of the course of the business. The Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974, is one law that would bring up issues for the business. First, they would need to spend money on ensuring the workplace is safe and suitable under the law, this would avoid any possible suing or bad press. Second, training will need to be provided before an employee can work on the firm’s premise. This will cost the firm and will not see a return until the employee has been working for a good amount of time. Also the risk of employees quitting during training (first few weeks at work is a likely time for one to quite) will mean money is wasted if they do so. Training will not be the only issue cost to the business, things such as reporting all incidents will increase administration costs, as more files are created and submitted for health and safety. The firm may feel under pressure too from other laws such as competition laws and employment laws and issues may arise if they are caught breaking these laws. Competition law will be likely to protect the firm against other manufacturers who may make cartels or predatory price for example. However, it creates pressure on executives and others to keep by these laws and run the business in the â€Å"correct† way. Employment acts such as the Employment Relations Act, 2004, give certain rights to the employees to stop them being â€Å"abused† by managerial personnel. This has left the firm’s employees with a greater authority, allowing them to legally call strikes if they have any concerns. This is made more likely to happen to the firm as it is sitting in a recession with high inflation. High inflation can lead to employees demanding higher pay, thus being an issue that the firm will need to keep tabs on. All laws, as said make business practice a very much controlled environment to work in, which has shown to cause business various issues, some stated already. These have mainly been issues that affect the firm’s costs. One issue that can affect the demand of the goods may be bad press. Many laws put in place to protect people e. g. employment laws and international agreements on human rights or environmental policy, will create bad press if broken. Emissions levels and road taxes may affect the firm if it is importing its raw materials laws may also make it hard for the business to import all the materials they need too or they may need to pay more for the surplus on the amount allowed. All three factors from the PESTEL analysis show many issues that the firm will face in the external environment of the men’s clothing market. Overall, social, economic and legal considerations bring about more issues than technological, environmental and political elements. However, they too create issues that the firm will need to analyse and consult. The men’s clothing market is strongly influenced by social and economic happenings and controlled by laws portraying why they create more issues than the other three. All in all, politics do not play a great role in the manufacture of clothes. Also the men’s clothing market being a relatively simple segment in terms of technology, thus low barriers to entry, technological factors do not form many issues. Environmental factors seem to create the most issues to the firm but are closely linked to social and legal and seem more appropriate in these sections. How to cite A Pestel Analysis of a Clothes Manufacturers and Suppliers, Papers

To Kill A Mockingbird Is this novel simply a pessimistic presentation of a deeply flawed and discriminatory society Essay Example

To Kill A Mockingbird Is this novel simply a pessimistic presentation of a deeply flawed and discriminatory society Paper In this essay I will be looking at the different types of prejudices that are used in the novel. These include prejudice against colour, sex, class, outcasts and outsiders. I will be looking at how these prejudices affect the characters in the novel and how their attitudes change. I will also be looking closely at the characters of Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell, who have completely different attitudes towards racism. I interpret the word prejudice as literally meaning pre-judge. When someone is prejudiced against someone then it means that they are judging him or her without knowing them and this is usually down to racism. There are many examples of prejudice in the novel and this gives the idea that Maycomb is a deeply flawed and discriminatory society. The main example of prejudice in the novel revolves around the trial of Tom Robinson, who is a black man that is being tried for a rape crime that he did not commit. The pre-judgment of Tom Robinson by a 12-strong Maycomb jury shows that the community is deeply racist. White people considered blacks to be upstart and the reason for this is that the book is set at the time of depression and whites were worried that, black men could take their jobs. We will write a custom essay sample on To Kill A Mockingbird Is this novel simply a pessimistic presentation of a deeply flawed and discriminatory society specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on To Kill A Mockingbird Is this novel simply a pessimistic presentation of a deeply flawed and discriminatory society specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on To Kill A Mockingbird Is this novel simply a pessimistic presentation of a deeply flawed and discriminatory society specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This is one of the reasons that Bob Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of murder. Ewell is deeply racist and when he finds his daughter trying to seduce Tom he automatically accuses the black man. Although this prejudice against Tom Robinson is started by one the man most of the town have no trouble in sticking by the white man and this is why the trial is one of the main areas of racism in the book. This racism against blacks though is not the only area of discrimination in Maycomb society. There is also a strong discrimination against outsiders that starts at a very early age. An example of this is when scout goes to school for the first time and her teacher says, I am from North Alabama, from Winston County. At this point the class murmured apprehensively, should she prove to harbour her share of peculiarities indigenous to that region. By doing this, the class is pre-judging their teacher only a few minutes after meeting her for the first time. The children are showing that even at their early age they consider outsiders to be peculiar. The only reason that I can see for this is that this has been drilled into them from a young age and therefore gives us the idea that the town they live in is deeply flawed and discriminatory The character of Bob Ewell can be seen as the epitome of everything that is wrong with the society of Maycomb. He is described as a little bantam cock that crowed like a rooster on a dung hill. This shows what the people of the town think about him and also how his racist opinion would usually count for nothing. Mr. Ewell is also a redneck, which is made clear when the author says, the back of his neck reddened at the sound of his name. This tells us that Ewell is a racist piece of white trash, like most other rednecks. The character of Bob Ewell rubs off on the rest of his family, whom he treats, with no degree of respect or care. The first example of this comes about when his son, Burris Ewell is at school. The teacher tries to repremand Burris but he says, you ain`t sending me home missus. I was just on the verge of leaving- I done my time for this year. This shows how Bob has not laid down any rules for his children and he doesnt set any rules for his children or care what the get up to. It also gives across the idea that the Ewell family is very dysfunctional and this is one of the many differences between the Ewells and the Fiches. An example of how Ewell has no respect for his family is the way that he drags his daughter Mayella through a rape trial for some personal attention. Ewell describes the rape as rutting and this is a word that is only usually used to describe sex between animals. By using this sort of language Ewell is portraying himself and his family as wild animals and when a wild dog appears later in the novel this can be seen as a portrayal of Ewell. Atticuss children are very different from Ewells but they, like many of the other children in the novel are also prejudiced. Scout is victimized by her brother Jem for not being girlish enough. He says, I declare to the lord you are getting more like a girl everyday! This upsets Scout because she seems to want to be a boy because men obviously have a higher status in the town. Although Scout is being victimized here she shows signs of being racist herself. When she and Jem are building a snowman that is mostly made of mud she exclaims, I aint ever heard of a nigger snowman. By using the word nigger Scout is showing that from a very young age she is using the language that she has obviously picked up from the people around her and by doing this she is giving the idea that the whole town is discriminatory in one way or another. It is clear that it is not only the white people of Maycomb that are prejudiced against anything that dont conform to their ideals, it is the black community as well. Both communities shun Mr. Dolphus Raymond because he is involved in a mixed marriage that goes against both white and black laurels. Jem explains to scout that mixed children belong nowhere and this shows how everyone in Maycomb is strongly opposed to anything that is not traditional or that doesnt occur on a wide-scale. The language that Harper Lee uses in the book is often racist and if it were used today then most people would take offense. She uses words like Nigger and Negro to show that the town is deeply racist because this language is used daily. I think that it is acceptable for Lee to use this type of language in the novel simply because it was what the language was like at the time that the novel is set and it shows what Maycomb is like. While Lee uses racist language to show racism in the novel she also uses empathy on a number of occasions to show peoples situations from other peoples points of view. An example of this is when Jem and Scout are made to spend time with Mrs. Dubose. Atticus says,I wanted you to see something about her-I wanted you to see what real courage is. With the use of empathy Lee shows the reader what Mrs. Dubose is really like. By making his children spend time with Mrs. Dubose Atticus is showing them not to judge a book by its cover. This is one of the many morals that Atticus tries to pass down to his kids throughout the novel. Another moral that he tries to pass down is the one that you have to fight for what is right. When Scout asks Atticus why he is taking on the Tom Robinson rape case he explains that if he didnt then he could not hold my head up in town. By setting this good example to his children Atticus is showing what type of person he is and this person is very different to Bob Ewell. Atticus is a respectable member of Maycombs society who, unlike Ewell is not racist and has a respectable job. Atticus is also well educated and shows us the importance of empathy. He says that you dont know a person Until you climb into its skin and walk around in it. By having the character of Atticus Lee shows us that not all of Maycomb are discriminatory and that it is only parts of the society that have something wrong with them and this can be said about all of society. Although the main plot of the novel is the trial of Tom Robinson the book also contains an interlacing sub-plot that centers on the mysterious character of Boo Radley. Boo is a man that does not conform to what is considered a normal way of life and he is therefore portrayed to the children of Maycomb as a bogeyman. This becomes apparent when Dill has the idea to make Boo Radley come out. This shows how the children wanted to torment him just because he doesnt come outside and conform to everyone elses way of life. This is a form of discrimination because they are tormenting him just because he is different and shows that even though Atticus tries to install good morals into his children they still go of and do things like this. Along with Tom Robinson, Boo Radley can be seen as the Mockingbird of novel. Atticus says that Mockingbirds dont do one thing but make music for us to enjoy and therefore its a sin to kill a Mockingbird. This can be related to both Boo and Tom because the both do nothing wrong and are both tormented and discriminated against. I think that Lee purposely had two Mockingbirds in the novel, to show that it is all of Maycombs society that is prejudiced. The children torment Boo and the adults persecute Tom. This shows that maycombs society is deeply flawed and discriminatory. So in conclusion, I would say that on the outside the novel is a presentation of a deeply flawed and discriminatory society. If you look deeper then you can see that not all of the society carries this prejudice and I think that the different fate of the two Mockingbirds is very significant. Boo shows us that you should not judge a book by its cover while the death of Tom Robinson shows how cruel humans can be to people who are effectively exactly the same as themselves.

Critical Analysis on The Lord of the Flies essays

Critical Analysis on The Lord of the Flies essays Style is a writers characteristic way of writing his or her choice of words, sentence structure, and use of imagery and figurative language. For example, one writer might coin new words, write in long rhythmic sentences and create striking images and metaphors. Another writer may use sentences that are very straight forward and very precise in diction. Still others may create episodes that are so poignant that a reader has difficulty putting them from his mind. One such scene is created by William Golding in Lord of the Flies, shows how the boys have changes from being civilized to being savages. This particular scene is near the end of the novel, where Golding is describing the condition that Ralph is in. All of Ralphs friends has been killed or has went on Jacks side, and now Ralph is fleeing for his life. After Sam and Eric told Ralph that the boys planned to hunt him down and kill him in the morning, Ralph gets in a covert and sleeps there. The next morning, Ralph is awakened by a distance noise of someone coming and was yelling. It was a violation over the seashore and now the next savage answered and the next. Ralph made a big mistake, the night before this hunt started, Ralph had told Sam and Eric where he was going to hide when the boys came looking for him. Ralph thought he could trust Sam and Eric; however, Sam and Eric had been turned into savages and they told Jack where he was hiding. However, the location in which Ralph was hiding was to thick for them to get through. Here Ralph is thing to himself, But what could they do? It would take them a week to break a path through the thicket, and anyone who wormed his way in would be helpless. The only way Jack manages to get him out is to light a brush on fire. When Ralph notices the brushes on fire he darts out of the brush and takes off across the island. Frantic of what to do, Ralph ...

Daniel Websters Seventh of March Speech

Daniel Websters Seventh of March Speech As the United States struggled with the deeply divisive issue of slavery a decade before the Civil War, public attention in early 1850 was directed to Capitol Hill. And  Daniel Webster, widely regarded as the nations greatest orator, delivered one of the most controversial Senate speeches in history. Websters speech was widely anticipated and was a major news event. Crowds flocked to the Capitol and packed the galleries, and his words traveled quickly by telegraph to all regions of the country. Websters words, in what became famous as the Seventh of March Speech, provoked instant and extreme reactions. People who had admired him for years suddenly denounced him as a traitor. And those who had been suspicious of him for years praised him. The speech led to the Compromise of 1850 and helped to hold off open warfare over slavery. But it came at a cost to Websters popularity. Background of Websters Speech In 1850, the United States seemed to be splitting apart. Things seemed to be going well in some regards: the country had concluded the Mexican War, a hero of that war, Zachary Taylor, was in the White House, and newly acquired territories meant the country reached from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The nations nagging problem, of course, was slavery. There was a strong sentiment in the North against allowing slavery to spread to new territories and new states. In the South, that concept was deeply offensive. The dispute played out in the U.S. Senate. Three legends would be the major players:  Henry Clay of Kentucky would represent the West;  John C. Calhoun of South Carolina represented the South;  and Webster of Massachusetts would speak for the North. In early March, John C. Calhoun, too frail to speak for himself, had a colleague read a speech in which he denounced the North. Webster would respond. Websters Words In the days before Websters speech, rumors circulated that he would oppose any sort of compromise with the South. A New England newspaper, the Vermont Watchman and State Journal, published a dispatch credited to the Washington correspondent of a Philadelphia newspaper. After asserting that Webster would never compromise, the news item lavishly praised the speech Webster had not yet delivered: But Mr. Webster will make a powerful Union speech, one which will be a model of eloquence, and the memory of which will be cherished long after the orators bones shall have mingled with the kindred of his native soil. It will rival Washingtons farewell address, and be an admonition to both sections of the country to fulfill, through union, the great mission of the American people. On the afternoon of March 7, 1850, crowds struggled to get into the Capitol to hear what Webster would say.  In a packed Senate chamber, Webster rose to his feet and gave one of the most dramatic speeches of his long political career. I speak today for the preservation of the Union, Webster said near the beginning of his three-hour oration. The Seventh of March Speech  is now considered a classic example of American political oratory. But at the time it deeply offended many in the North. Webster endorsed one of the most hated provisions of the compromise bills in Congress, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. And for that, he would face withering criticism. Public Reaction On the day after Websters speech a leading newspaper in the North, the New York Tribune, published a brutal editorial. The speech, it said, was unworthy of its author. The Tribune asserted what many in the North felt. It was simply immoral to compromise with slave states to the extent of requiring citizens to become involved in capturing fugitive slaves: The position that Northern States and their Citizens are morally bound to recapture fugitive Slaves may be good for a lawyer, but is  not good for a Man. The provision is on the face of the Constitution. True, but that does not make it the duty of Mr. Webster nor any other human being, when a panting fugitive presents himself at  his door begging for shelter and the means of escape, to arrest and bind him and hand him over to the pursuers who are hot upon his trail. Near the end of the editorial, the Tribune stated: We cannot be converted into Slave-catchers, nor  can Slave-catchers operate freely among us. An abolitionist newspaper in Ohio, the Anti-Slavery Bugle, blasted Webster. Quoting the noted abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, it referred to him as the Colossal Coward. Some northerners, especially business people who preferred tranquility between the regions of the nation, did welcome Websters appeal for compromise. The speech was printed in many newspapers and was even sold in pamphlet form. Weeks after the speech, the Vermont Watchman and State Journal, the newspaper which had predicted that Webster would deliver a classic speech, published what amounted to a scorecard of editorial reactions. It began: As to Mr. Websters speech: it has been better praised by his enemies and better condemned by his friends than any speech ever before made by any statesman of his standing. The Watchman and State Journal noted that some northern papers praised the speech, yet many denounced it. And in the South, the reactions were considerably more favorable. In the end, the Compromise of 1850, including the Fugitive Slave Act, became law. And the Union wouldnt split until a decade later when the slave states seceded.