The contemporary nature of primary school teaching Essay

The contemporary nature of primary school teaching - Essay Example Children, however, have few emotional resources with which to cope with problems. This is further explained by theories, which state that childhood experiences and development are critically important to their future life. (Goldman, 1996). Â  In addition, using the theories of human development by Sigmund Freud and Erick Erickson, they describe the early stages of life as crucial, critical and prone to dangers. In the Freud’s theory, he stated that if an individual’s needs in his early stage of life are not satisfied, then some negative results will happen in the succeeding stages and eventually, this may result to problems in the future life of the individual. Similarly, in the theory of Erickson, he identified the stages of development where he quoted that each of the stages of life of an individual has its corresponding psychosocial crisis that an individual must overcome. In the early life of the child until the end of primary grade, the important values and attitudes are shaped. These are enumerated as: trust, autonomy, initiative and industry. These attitudes are very important for a growing child. If these are not achieved by the child in his early years then what will happen to him when he reaches adult or old age. In this times when the child needs to have those values, the person on their sides are the parents and most especially, the teachers in the primary grades. It is therefore important that teachers should be knowledgeable to these conditions and characteristics of a growing child (Duka, 2003). The above-mentioned statements only show that children should be cared properly, nurtured well and most specially must be taught well. These duties are not only for the parents but more specially for the teachers, specifically, primary teachers because there are more times when these children are in the care of the teachers. The mission for primary education is to enable every child to acquire basic preparation that will make

Imperial Russian Middle Class Essay Example for Free

Imperial Russian Middle Class Essay Before the late 1900s Russia was primarily an agrarian country with a government in the hands of the Tsarist regime however with the advent of the Industrial revolution in Russia changes happened within Russian society resulting in the creation of an Urban middle class. The result of the industrial revolution was that Russia underwent a rapid industrialization and urbanization wherein peasants moved migrated towards the the numerous cities most notably Petrograd (present day St.  Petersburg) due to the opportunity for higher wages that was present there. This sudden rapid industrialization can be attributed to the growth of the capital controlling middle class which encouraged the creation of numerous factories and complexes to feed the growing hunger of the Russian economy for industrially made goods. The end result of this was that the traditional agrarian economy of Russia ands its previous class system was replaced by a growing and popular capitalist system. Impact of the Russian Middle Class on Society. Political Impact During the mid 1800s the growing Russian middle class received a boost from the political reforms enacted at the time resulting in new forums for civic duty and activity for its members. The result was in 1864 an independent judiciary and numerous local assemblies were created as well as numerous city administrations and city councils during the 1870s which resulted in greater control of the middle class over numerous aspects of city governance and operations. Societal Impact The rapid expansion of Russias industrial sector due to its middle class resulted in a societal shift from its previous agrarian culture to an industrial one. The result of course was a migration of peasants to the numerous newly industrialized cities which provided them with a more ample wage than what they were used to as farmed. One unique aspect of this though was that a lot of these workers still continued to keep ties with their families back home in the farming communities that they had come from and at times returned back to their communities for a while only to go back to the cities a few days later. Such actions can be compared to todays overseas workers who work in other countries, keep touch with their family and friends back home and go back and forth between the countries where they worked and countries they came from. It can be said that the industrial revolution in Russia was the reason for the creation of a new culture of distance workers something unheard of at time since most peasants preferred to stay near their homes. Architectural, Economic and Health Impact  It was through the new lifestyles for the peasantry created by the Russian Middle class that a new city centered culture was created wherein to house all these new workers numerous new buildings were created near the factories where the workers could stay in order to be near the place they worked. Unfortunately due to the high prices of dwellings at the time most occupants stay in rooms which they had to share with 4 to 5 other people and the resulting overpopulation in some areas caused the disease to spread rapidly over what was a new class in society, the urban working poor. It wasnt all bad though it was due to the work in the factories that workers were able to buy products within the city that they normally wouldnt have been able to obtain back in their farming communities resulting in a brisk local economy. Conclusion Although the power of the Russian middle class was curtailed by the state in the form of unreasonable qualifications when it came to holding political positions, it was through the Middle class that status of a lot of Russias peasantry was able to improve and Russia was able to enter a new age of industry.

The Impact Of African Dance

The Impact Of African Dance This study aims at pointing out one of the upcoming dances with its origin from Africa which is becoming very popular within its short time of invention. In an attempt to do this, this study will be looking at Roland Barthes arguments on Semiology and Structuralism within the language system and its relation to modern dance. The specific objectives of this study are to determine the level of popularity of Azonto dance and its relating music genre amongst other nationals from other parts of the world, to find out whether Azonto dance has any effect on peoples dancing styles, to find out the level of acceptance of Azonto dance and music to people from different ethnic and national backgrounds, and to identify the way in which people understand the gestures and signs associated to this dance. Dance in Africa is a holistic part of society. It is not truncated or separated as an entity in and of itself. Dance is used to facilitate all phenomena in most African societies (Welsh, 2004:14). The African dance has a lot of variation in terms of the various cultures on the continent as well as the different musical and movement styles which goes along with them. Every dance has its own style and movement which reflects the culture of a particular group or ethnic setting in way. Most of these dances are very communicative and this resemblance is evident in a lot of the dancing styles on the African continent. There are countless dance forms that identify the numerous ethnic groups and cultural differences in styles of the Ghanaian people (wikipaedia). African dances are largely participatory, with spectators being part of the performance. With the exception of some spiritual, religious or initiation dances, there are traditionally no barriers between dancers and onlookers. Even ri tual dances often have a time when spectators participate (Welsh, 2004). Ghana has a lot of traditional dances like the Adowa, Kpanlogo, Agbadza and Damba which are primarily performed as ceremonial dances. There have also been other popular and more contemporary dances like moon walk, slide, creep walk, etc in the past few years. Unlike the traditional dances whose motives are to tell a story or express some idea or emotion, most popular dances in Ghana are performed for fun as social interactions, especially among the youth. However, one particular popular dance which seems to have defied the odds of modern dance in Ghana is the Azonto. This African dance form incorporates complex co-ordinates body movement and non-verbal communication in a rhythmic fashion in very few one-two timed steps. Just like most African dances, knee bending and hip movements are rudiments to dancing it. The dance involves movements of the feet, knees, hands, and hips in rhythmic fashions which can actually be coordinated in a style to communicate a message. Generally, the dance reflects the creativity, intelligence, and rich sense of humour of the Ghanaian people. Background of Study According to Welsh (2004), no dance form is permanent, definitive, or ultimate. Change occurs, but the basic rudiments of dance remains the same. Dance is for all people. One need only recall that dance needs neither common race nor common language for communication; it has been a universal means of communication forever. The dance, which is usually performed with an accompanying smile, evolved from the combination of several local dance moves that originated from Ghana during the early 2000s. There are different stories about the origins of Azonto and its subsequent popularity. One story about the Azonto dance has it that it started somewhere in Bukom, Chorkor and James Town (all being suburbs in Accra) where it was first called Apaa (work for pay). It was a form of dance that represented movement activities like ironing, boxing, driving, washing etc. Another source of information has it that the term Azonto was first used by students of the Senior Secondary Schools to mean life (or the hardships of life abraabo) (ModernGhana.com). Features of the Kpanlogo dance, the traditional dance of the Gas, can also be seen in the Azonto. The same goes for the Gawu dance, an adopted dance of the Ewe but originally from Togo. The dance has evolved with the fast pace dance culture of modern West Africa. The dance was made popular by the Ghanaian football star, Asamoah Gyan in his goal scoring celebrations for his club and for the Black Stars (the senior national football team of Ghana), especially during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa (ibid). Currently, the dance is continuously evolving with complex dance styles and movements. The latest dance craze has become so popular that it now dictates the rhythm of hip-life music (which is a contemporary genre of music in Ghana which fuses the traditional hi-life music with the modern hip-hop music). The commercialization of this dance has made Hip-life musicians include Azonto in their music lyrics and video clips. The dance is very popular among the youth and can be performed by anyone regardless of gender or ethnicity. With traditional dance facing serious threats of decline especially among the youth, Azonto represents a combination of modern and traditional elements. Azonto epitomizes Ghanas ingenuity and originality through the spirit of dance (World Press). It primarily embodies sociability and socializing. It was stated on ModernGhana.com that the dance is spreading fast in the USA, U.K and other parts of the world with large populations of Ghanaians. Even Prince Williams is said to have deeply fallen in love with Azonto and he dances it at any opportunity he gets (Source). Ghanas Azonto dance been rated as one of the top 10 African dances to have gained global stature either recently or, in the case of Soukous, in the last 40 years (MyWeku). The Azonto dance has threatened to eclipse the success of some of Ghanas famous exports like cocoa, gold and its exciting brand of football. The Azonto is still going strong, and was last seen on Londons Oxford Street (ModernGhana.com). Methodology A qualitative research approach is proposed for this study. Primary data would be used for the purpose of this study through interviewing which would be designed in the light of the objectives of the study. This research will be a qualitative research. Scholarly works of other field of study that will be useful to this research will be used. Print and electronic works such as newspapers, articles and journals will also be used. I also will adopt the use of a case study, although due to the nature of the research, I will not be administering a questionnaire but would conduct conducting an interview, I will strictly base my arguments on past works and use real life examples to achieve my aim and purpose of the study. The sample of the study covers African students currently studying in Cyprus International University. This sample of 20 students where 10 males and 10 females (50% male and 50% female) would be selected purposively from African students with different nationalities. Respondents opinion regarding the effect of African dance and the popularity of Azonto would be collected through the interaction and interviewing session. Dance and Semiology Most of the students were identified as music and art lovers because they all stated their passion for the love and interest in such art. They had all come in contact with different forms of dance styles especially those from their communities and cultures. They stated a common characteristic of African dance being full of energy, interesting, communicative and full of life. Some also thought of African dance as a way of identifying a particular culture. Some students also saw some of the indigenous African dance as being passionate and addictive especially with the tunes that went along with them. They believed dance in general is never full without the presence of a form of music to go along with it, thus, they go side-by-side. We can relate dance as a language from the perspective of Roland Barthes who describes language as a system of signs that expresses ideas, and is therefore comparable to a system of writing, the alphabet of deaf mutes, symbolic rites, polite formulas, military signals, etc. He calls this semiology. Azonto is a communicative dance which is full of signs and symbols, and involves a lot of communication between the dancers and the audience. Barthes states that signs and codes are meant to be historically and culturally specific. If you relate this Barthes concept of sign, and the concept of semiology to dance, you will realise that dance is not a universal language. That there are hidden signs which must be understood in order for a spectator to fully understand a particular dance movement. Azonto as a dance has its origin from some indigenous Ghanaian dances like Kpanlogo (a traditional dance of the Gas) and Gawu dance (an adopted dance of the Ewes). Though the Azonto dance is more of a fusion of other contemporary dance elements, it still has its roots from very indigenous dances from the Ghanaian culture. All these traditional dances involve symbols and signs made by the dancers. Roland Barthes goes on further to argue that material reality can never be taken for granted. It is always constructed and made intelligible to human understanding by culturally specific systems of meaning. These codes and signs are not universally given, but are historically and socially specific to the particular interests and purposes which lie behind them. Azonto as a contemporary dance involves a lot of movements and communication through the use of gestures and hand signs. For instance, a dancer could be making dance movements and at the same time trying to draw the shape of a heart with his/her fingers. This shape could be translated into several meanings depending on the background or culture of the observer. One could just interpret it as a shape of a heart whiles another would interpret it as a sign of love or a way of telling the observer that he/she has a kind heart. So we realize that a sign or symbol may not have the same meaning to the observer upon seeing it. Fernando de Saussure argues that it is not possible to understand individual linguistic signs in a piecemeal, ad hoc or empiricist fashion. He goes on further to say that they have, rather, to be explained by showing how they fit together as arbitrary signs in an internally coherent system or structure of rules and conventions. These signs cease to be arbitrary and become meaningful once they are located within the general structure of the language. Barthes notes that any semiology postulates a relation between two terms, a signifier and a signified a distinction elaborated by Saussure. There is also another term in this, the sign itself (be it linguistic or mythological), which contains the signifier and the signified, in the case of the actions and gestures made by the dancer and the observer who would be in the position to interpret these actions. Strinati (2004; 224) stated that the rise of modern mass communications, and the associated proliferation of popular media culture, therefore become central to the explanatory framework of postmodern theory. What is inferred from this is that the mass media have become so significant for communication and information flows within and between modern societies (and consequently the popular culture they broadcast and promote increasingly defines and channels everyday life in these societies) that they, along with consumerism, have given rise to the characteristic features of postmodernism. We realized that the advent of television and other tools communication tools like the radio has been aiding tools for the popularization of this particular kind of dance. Most of the students either had first contact with the Azonto dance via internet on YouTube, or on television and/or musical videos. We realize that the advent of technology has helped in the awareness and advertisement of this kind of dance across the continent and beyond. This is a reflection of modernity and post modernity in our current cultural set ups. Since the Azonto dance is originally from Ghana, technology has played a very important role in the awareness and public knowledge of this dance. Most individuals across the world heard or saw this dance through mediums like the internet and television. A lot of these enthusiasts learnt their basic steps through these same channels without going to the dances place of origin. Roland Barthes goes on further to say that meaning is not something which is given or which can be taken for granted. It is manufactured out of historically shifting systems of codes, conventions and signs. We realized that the various dance symbols associated to Azonto had its origin from other indigenous dances. This new dance has metamorphosized into a dance where by the dancer can express him/herself freely with personal gestures. Its a dance which has no particular pattern with the exception of fusing some basic dance steps to distinguish it from other emerging dances. Strinati (2004: 101) stated that cultural meanings are not universal, nor are they divorced from the social conditions in which they are to be found. Rather, they present themselves as universal when they are really historically and socially fixed. Conclusion Dance, in general, reflect the way of life of a group of people. It is an essential part of culture. It could carry a message through its gestures as well as it being a medium of communication. More recently, there has been an influx of different dancing styles and patterns which are contemporary forms of ancient and traditional dances from all over the world. The beauty of it all is how individuals embrace these various dance patterns into their own way of dance movements. Africa is the second largest continent in the world and it has a very large number of people who also reflects its pure culture and heritage. Among such traditions of the people on this continent is the uniqueness of every tribe or ethnic groupings own practices. Dancing has been a way of life for almost all these cultures and it is part and parcel of these people. Azonto dance from Ghana is no exception in this context. The dance is quite new and its spreading like wild fire on the world stage where this dance is gaining popularity every minute with the help of the internet especially on YouTube. It has become one of the biggest things to come out of Ghana in which most music lovers and dance enthusiasts identify this country with. It isnt shocking to find yourself nodding your head or tapping your feet to tunes of Azonto or falling in love with the unique movements by its dancers. One easily falls in love with the dance upon seeing it. The dance is one of the easiest to learn and its so unique that you can incorporate your own movements to suit yourself. Azonto is an expressive dance. This means you can tell a story, show your emotions and personalize it. So an individual doesnt have to be afraid to do crazy things with it. Even though you can do this dance with almost any song (well, except classical music), it helps the dancer a lot if he o r she is dancing to a high-tempo up-beat like Afrobeat tunes, pop music or a typical Azonto tune. Dance can be used as a tool to get people closer and also can help in relating to people more easily because they share something common. They have something that can be easily identified with even though they may be coming from different backgrounds or settings. Therefore we dont have to speak the same language or come from the same place before we can get along with others, but tools like dance can be a very effective medium through which people can take away all barriers and make them feel as one because most of the actions of dance is universal and can make people share a common feeling or mentality. A world renowned dancer, writer and scholar in the field of Dance and Black Studies by name Dr. Kariamu Welsh when asked about the future of Africa/Back dance and the direction she saw it moving in the future, she stated that Black Dance will take many directions. As a genre, it will continue to self reflect and redefine itself but it will remain an artistic and creative force for many of us. Black Dance is ancient and it has many stories to tell. These stories will take the form of narratives, abstract works, improvisations, neo-traditional dances, slamming, jamming and other forms that have yet to be imagined. The beauty of Black Dance is that it is a place where new and innovative movements are born. Those creative sparks influence many people and every once in a while they actually inspire a revolution (Glocke, 2011: 263)

The Death of JFK :: American America History

The Death of JFK Assessment for Australian Year 11 Modern History. I got top marks for this. They limit you to 4 pages, so extend your margins and make your font small! Who killed John Fitzgerald Kennedy? This question can be considered as cryptic as the meaning of life. Does anyone know who killed Kennedy? The J.F.K Assassination is a conspiracy wrapped in a conspiracy, wrapped in an enigma? Can the people of the world serious accept what the U.S government has told them - Lee Harvey Oswald single handily killed the President of the U.S.A? Evidence shows that it seems possible that the American Central Intelligence Agency could have been involved in the president's death? All the facts suggest that this assassination was not the work of one, Lee Harvey Oswald, but a higher power, one which had the clearance to change motorcade routes, fake photo's and successfully cover-up the assassination until this very day. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917. Graduating from Harvard in 1940, he entered the Navy. In 1943, when a Japanese destroyer sank his PT boat, Kennedy, despite injuries, led the survivors to safety. On his return from the war, John F. Kennedy became a democratic congressman for the Boston area, and in 1953 he advanced to the Senate. On September 12, 1953, John F. Kennedy Married Jacqueline Bouvier. John F. Kennedy worked hard inside his party and in 1961; JFK was appointed President of the United States of America. No more than 1000 days into John F. Kennedy's presidency, he was assassinated in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas. Apparently by Lone Gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald. It was the 22nd of November 1963, when President Kennedy was travelling through Dallas on a speech presenting tour. The president had previously been warned that the people of Dallas disliked him, and that the trip would be dangerous. Despite these warning, JFK saw it as a way to gain popularity and enhance his standing in the Southern states. As President Kennedy disembarked Air Force One, he was escorted into an open limousine 2nd from the front of the Motorcade, where he was to be driven to a conference in the Trade Mart Building. The original route of the Motorcade was to travel straight down Main Street and into their intended destination. But, on the day of the assassination, the Motorcade made a very sharp 90 degree turn from Main, to Houston street, where the car was slowed down to 25 m/ph, then another sharp turn from Houston, to Elm street, whereby the car was slowed right down to 15 m/ph. The Death of JFK :: American America History The Death of JFK Assessment for Australian Year 11 Modern History. I got top marks for this. They limit you to 4 pages, so extend your margins and make your font small! Who killed John Fitzgerald Kennedy? This question can be considered as cryptic as the meaning of life. Does anyone know who killed Kennedy? The J.F.K Assassination is a conspiracy wrapped in a conspiracy, wrapped in an enigma? Can the people of the world serious accept what the U.S government has told them - Lee Harvey Oswald single handily killed the President of the U.S.A? Evidence shows that it seems possible that the American Central Intelligence Agency could have been involved in the president's death? All the facts suggest that this assassination was not the work of one, Lee Harvey Oswald, but a higher power, one which had the clearance to change motorcade routes, fake photo's and successfully cover-up the assassination until this very day. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917. Graduating from Harvard in 1940, he entered the Navy. In 1943, when a Japanese destroyer sank his PT boat, Kennedy, despite injuries, led the survivors to safety. On his return from the war, John F. Kennedy became a democratic congressman for the Boston area, and in 1953 he advanced to the Senate. On September 12, 1953, John F. Kennedy Married Jacqueline Bouvier. John F. Kennedy worked hard inside his party and in 1961; JFK was appointed President of the United States of America. No more than 1000 days into John F. Kennedy's presidency, he was assassinated in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas. Apparently by Lone Gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald. It was the 22nd of November 1963, when President Kennedy was travelling through Dallas on a speech presenting tour. The president had previously been warned that the people of Dallas disliked him, and that the trip would be dangerous. Despite these warning, JFK saw it as a way to gain popularity and enhance his standing in the Southern states. As President Kennedy disembarked Air Force One, he was escorted into an open limousine 2nd from the front of the Motorcade, where he was to be driven to a conference in the Trade Mart Building. The original route of the Motorcade was to travel straight down Main Street and into their intended destination. But, on the day of the assassination, the Motorcade made a very sharp 90 degree turn from Main, to Houston street, where the car was slowed down to 25 m/ph, then another sharp turn from Houston, to Elm street, whereby the car was slowed right down to 15 m/ph.

Analyse of “the Darkling Thrush”

Analyse of â€Å"The Darkling Thrush† Thomas Hardy presents a theme of hope in his poem The Darkling Thrush. In the poem winter season has brought about death and despair. A tired old man leans over a coppice gate in a desolate area, to see the ghosts of the past and little hope for the future. Hardy uses imagery to evoke ideas and images in the readers mind. â€Å"The land's sharp features seemed to me. The Century's corpse outleant, His crypt the cloudy canopy, The wind its death-lament. † In describing the landscape he refers to the landscape as an intimate object as if it were human. He compares the landscape to a dead body laying all around him and the clouds becoming the coffins top, and the wind his death lament. The man also describes the landscape to have as much life and spirit as he does. Hardy choose his words carefully using negative words such as gray, desolate, broken and haunted. This negatively leads us to believe that this is how Harper feelings are; alone and frightened out in the cold. While still using a negative tone Harper tries to turn the poem to a somewhat positive tone. He continues to use wording such as frail, aged, gaunt and small but adds in wording like full-hearted and joy illimited. The change of wording suggests a shift in the tone of the poem. A songbird has entered, spreading warmth and hope into the earlier desolate and dead landscape. The theme of hope is introduced with the appearance of a songbird in stanza three. The bird is meant to resemble hope and that things are not quite over yet even though it may seem so. In the winter months death is brought forth yet in the coming of spring restores that life once again. The poem suggests that if one doesn’t give into the negative a positive can and may come forth; whether one is aware of this or not. In the poem’s last stanza the man reveals his thoughts as if his thoughts as if he has see a glimpse of hope as the life songbird colours the air with its song. â€Å"So little cause for carolings Of such ecstatic sound Was written on terrestrial things Afar or nigh around, That I could think there trembled through His happy good-night air Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew, And I was unaware. † The stanza suggests that there may be hope after all. Is it the spring coming once more? Or is it just the ghost messing with him? Hardy’s poem as well as its overall theme is a reflection of the time period he lived in. The poem takes place on New Year’s Eve, the last day of the 19th century. The queen is barely breathing her last few breaths and the Victorian Era is coming to an end. Waiting just around the corner is a new era, a new king, and a new Period completely different from the Victorian Era. The theme of hope is presented in a fashion that even though something may seem dark and shadowy that one needs to have a little faith in such matters. Things in the world and life are going to be unclear because nothing is ever sure. Hardy wants readers to have reliance in the world and the transformation of the times. Stanzas . The gate which the speaker is leaning on represent the threshold of the new century. The spectral quality of frost suggests the ageing and the ghostly quality of the landscape. The scene has the mere trace of life, in which natural and human presences are ghostly. The figure of the â€Å"weakening eye† symbolizes the ending of the day along with the ending of the century. The â€Å"tangled bine-stems† represent a harp which all the strings have been broken emphasizing the â€Å"winter’s dregs†. The stanza ends with the speakers awareness that he is alone, the people who usually occupy the land have returned to their home. . This stanza also marks the end of a century. The landscape’s features become like an immense body layed out. The first sentence shows the speaker’s mind enclosing the huge space of land and sky into the frightening display of the Century’s corpse in its coffin. The sky is the lid. The second sentence emphasizes that the ending of the century is not just closing to the speaker, but an end which seems to separate it from any relation to the future. Every spirit of vegetal and human life is under the pall of this death. 3. The darkling thrush, in all its homeliness and diminutiveness, is the corporeal voice of the real world. The bird’s song is spontaneous and unpremeditated. It â€Å"fling[s]† its â€Å"soul† into the â€Å"gloom† in contrary of the speaker’s previous flinging of his spiritless soul upon the landscape. The bird’s joyful act appears to the speaker as a choice, and not for mere survival in the â€Å"growing gloom†, but for the enthusiastic and full-hearted participation. 4. The speaker has not been convinced or transported out of the â€Å"growing gloom†, but his response to the birds song is to think. Although the â€Å"blessed Hope† is a knowledge only the bird has and of which the speaker is yet unaware, the speaker accepts the birds song as a sign that there is hope for the future. Analysis of â€Å"The Darkling Thrush†, by Thomas Hardy As the title has already mentioned, this assignment will be an analysis on a poem by Thomas Hardy. The poem is called â€Å"The Darkling Thrush†, also known by another title, â€Å"By the Century’s deathbed†. My analysis will include elements such as the poems’ setting, structure, imagery, diction, rhyme scheme and theme. I will go into one element at the time, and them give examples from one stanza only in that element. I will not come back to the same elements in the other stanzas, even though they are there. Therefore, this will not be a complete analysis of every element in each of the stanzas. I’d rather prefer to give a thorough description of what the different elements are and then give a few examples of each of them. In then end I will try to come up with a conclusion. The poem takes place on New Years Eve, the last day of the 19th century. It’s also the end of the Victorian Age. Winter is bringing death and desolation with it. A tired old man leans over a coppice gate in a desolate area, seeing ghosts of the past and little hope in the future. This poem has 4 stanzas, each with 8 lines. This is what we call an octave. The lines changes between having 4 and 3 stressed syllables in them, which is called tetrameter (4) and trimeter (3). Since the lines also follow a form of having one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable etc, we also call it iambic. As an example I use the poems 1st stanza. Line number 1, 3, 5 and 7 each have 4 stressed syllables, therefore called iambic tetrameter ( / – / – / – / – ). Line number 2, 4, 6, and 8 each have 3 stressed syllables, therefore called iambic trimeter ( / – / – / – ) The tangled bine-stems scored the sky5 And all mankind that haunted nigh7 Had sought their household fires. 8 Through the use of personification, symbols, metaphors, alliteration (this last element may also refer to the poems structure) and a selected sort of words, he produces images in the readers mind, when all he really does is just speak from his inner state of mind, as modernists are soon to do. To show the use of imagery in this poem, I’ve taken its 2nd stanza as an example. Here he uses personification on the landscape, thereby referring to an inanimate object as if it were human. He compares the landscape to a dead body lying all around him, and the clouds becoming the coffins top, and the wind his death lament. The poet also makes use of alliteration in this poem. An example from this stanza is corpse, crypt, cloudy, canopy etc, where you easily notice the same sounds repeated several times. This has mostly a decorative effect, but it also makes you focus on these words, thereby revealing parts of the poem’s nature and temperament. The land’s sharp features seemed to be1 The Century’s corpse outleant, 2 The ancient pulse of germ and birth5 The choice of words in this poem has been carefully selected, leaving little to coincidence. If you look carefully, you notice him using lots of negatively loaded words such as grey, desolate, broken, haunted etc. He himself is all alone out in the cold with all his negatively loaded words. But this changes further on in the poem. In stanza number 3 you will notice a change in the poets use of diction. In stead of keeping mainly to negatively loaded words, he suddenly makes use of positively loaded words too. Words like frail, aged, gaunt and small still remains, but you also get words like evensong, full-hearted and joy illimited. This change in diction shows the reader that something new has occurred in the poem. A song-bird has entered, spreading warmth and hope into an earlier desolate and dead landscape. Another thing to bear in mind (in a more of a general matter concerning his poems) as you read Hardy’s poems, is that he chooses to avoid following a â€Å"jewelled line†. He doesn’t care for writing just pretty poetry. He breaks with conventions concerning the normal use of language. An aged thrush frail, gaunt and small5 Had chosen thus to fling his soul7 As you read it through, you easily find its rhyme scheme to be regular. There is only one irregularity in it, and this always means that it’s put there on purpose, and that it has a special meaning. He operates with end-rhyme, but both in masculine and feminine endings. The major theme is introduced in the poems 3rd stanza, in the appearance of a song-bird. It is probably supposed to resemble â€Å"hope†, and that things are not quite over yet although it may seem so. Like winter always brings death along with it, the coming of autumn restores some of it to life once more. Although things may look pretty negative right now, don’t give in to it, life will return sometime, even though you are not aware of it yourself. This theme can be seen as a kind of reflection on the time Thomas Hardy lived. It was the end of an era, and end of a Period and almost the end of a Queen. And when a new Period is called for, it’s often a reaction to the old one. Now was the time for a reaction. Things looked dark and not so promising. People didn’t know what hope there lay in the future, but as this poem says, there may be hope coming although you don’t know of its coming. In the poems last stanza, the man revealing his thoughts to us sees a glimpse of hope, as the song-bird colours the air with its singing. There may be hope after all. Is it the spring coming once more? Or are his â€Å"Demi-Gods† just playing with him? So little cause for carolings 1 Was written on terrestial things3 That I could think there trembled through5 Some blessed Hope whereof he knew7 If you’ve followed me through these 5 pages, you will probably not only feel that your understanding of the poem is enhanced, but also your understanding of poems in general. I’ve tried to guide you through some of the main elements of poetry, giving a brief explanation as to what they are and how to find them. Because I’ve chosen to spend so much time on this, I didn’t use them all in each and every stanza. But now that you have it in front of you, why not try to look for signs of the different elements in the other stanzas? If I were to give my own opinion of this poem, then I think I like the other title of the poem better. It is more fitting, considering the context around the writer at the time. You are in the last day of the 19th century, the queen is breathing her last few breaths, and so is the Victorian era. Awaiting just around the corner is a completely new era, a new king, and an entirely new Period entirely different from the Victorian.

Critique of Shindlers List essays

Critique of Shindlers List essays Schindler's List is one of the most powerful stories of all time. It tells the true story of the German businessman Oskar Schindler who comes to Poland looking for economic expansion with a new factory and leaves as a savior of more than 1,100 Jews. The Holocaust is truly one of the most devastating occurrences in history and is an incredibly hard topic to expand on. Thomas Keneally does an amazing job in writing what many wouldnt dare. The story starts out in the early stages of World War II. The German forces defeat the Polish with ease and within weeks the Jews are forced out of their homes to report to a train station, where their names are registered. People tease and yell at any Jew they see in the street. Oskar Schindler, a German businessman visits the ghetto. He wishes to see Itzhak Stern, a Jewish man is who good at accounting and used to own a pot-making factory. Jews are no longer allowed to own businesses, so Oskar makes a deal with Itzhak so he can work for Schindler. It is at this point where the reader cannot put the book down. All Jews are now forced to pack their things and move out of their homes by German soldiers. They are assigned new homes. The next morning, the people are gathered outside and information on their education and working experiences are reported. The way Keneally describes everything is truly haunting. Some of the Jews that can't be used for work are loaded into trucks and sent off to concentration camps. Oskar lives near the ghetto and he witnesses many of the pandemoniums and gets all teary eyed. It seems like under Sterns influence, I believe Schindler at this point truly shows signs of having a good heart and you can feel his sympathy for the Jews. Soon after this event thousands of Jews are shipped off on a train to a concentration camp. By mistake, Itzhak Stern is placed on a train because he forgot his working card. Oskar hears of this mistake and rushes down to the station and ...