Formal assessment & Austin (1991) Essay Example for Free

Formal assessment Austin (1991) Essay Formal assessment has been described by Austin (1991) as a process of â€Å"gathering information and utilization of that that information for individual and institutional improvement (p. 2). The information gathered may include the students’ weakness and strengths in certain subjects’ areas. Emphasis in formal assessments is focused on the results of a standardized evaluation tests that are administered under strict and regulated environments. However, that information is very important for student since they are able to know how well they are progressing and measures to undertake to deal with their weaknesses. Assessment forms an important component of teaching and leaning that has a greater impact on student learning (Saliu 271). Saliu goes on to demonstrate that assessment should be able to measure the criterion for which it was intended while maintaining consistence at the same time (271). This paper will discuss major components of formal learning which include reasons for assessing and administering tests to students, relevant formal assessments that may be administered, advantages and disadvantages of each particular assessment. I will however, put forward some recommendations on what the teacher and institution needs to pay attention to in order to achieve the objectives of formal assessment. Reasons for assessing and administering testing to students The main reason for administering assessment is to monitor the student’s progress in learning as compared to other students of the same age or level (Wilson and Scalise 11). Assessments results are useful in screening and making decision on the level of qualifications to base career growth activities. The results are very useful to the curriculum developers and syllabus preparation by both governments and institutions (Council of Europe 6). Results provide a good guide for program or course evaluation since it presents the information in form of scores. The results obtained are used by local and federal departments’ in policy formulation and implementation. Formal assessment should be viewed as a tool that can be used to measure the level at which students receives information from the teacher rather than just giving of grades 1 to 5 (Saliu 272). Moreover, formal test can give valuable information regarding a student progress in mastering the subject content of a particular course at certain levels of study. The results offers a good insight to the teacher when organizing the materials and content for students to lean at comfortable pace yet achieving at their best level possible (Saliu 272). Clearly delimited results are very useful in facilitating students to focus their time and energy towards self improvement . The information obtained from standard test is very useful in deciding a student’s career interests and future goals. The assessment report should be able to reflect a student’s goals and give a clear indication on which areas need help. Motivation is an affective factor in formal assessment which propels the teacher to be devoted towards helping students to learn (Wiggins 38). The teacher gets encouraged after seen students pass well in the subject or course given to students by that teacher (Fitzpatrick and Michael 101). Students get to care about their learning and seek to improve on their weaker areas after the results are released. When a teacher is encouraging and appears to be responsive to students’ feeling, students respond by becoming very constructive and enthusiastic towards achieving higher scores (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 4). The information obtained from formal assessments may guide the teacher to group the students in a way that they can help each other hence creating a class relationship that supports learning process. There is a sense of self acceptance created by students admitting difficulties. This forms a healthy atmosphere for learning from peers (Saliu 273). Grading in formal assessments provide documented information of what a particular student learnt which is useful in job application and academic advancement admissions (Saliu 273). Despite being crucial widely applied by all leaning institutions, grading has several shortcomings which have been put forward by critics. An example of critics includes Wilson and Scalise (2006) held a view that grading does not have a match with the effort students put in answering examination questions. The ultimate grading does not allow the feedback by the students since it denies them the opportunity to review their work after a formal examination. Moreover, students do not get useful comments upon which they can build future progress on their work- those comments are destroyed with their poor grades (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 6). When feedbacks finally are given by the examiners it is either very shallow for instant a single line comment or so late since students may have moved to another grade. Evaluation of the learner’s performance has been difficult for instance marking open-ended questions in standard exam papers (Wilson and Scalise 11). Since individual needs of students cannot be met fully by teachers, limited opportunities for the learner’s growth to realize quality results dominate. To make it worse, inability of all pupils to produce good hand written work hence true reflection in scores limit the learners capacity to acquire more knowledge and to develop deeper understanding of the subject involved. These make it difficult for the pupils to be plausibly and effectively answer or tackle examination questions (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 8). No effective follow-up can be done by students who might be interested in enhancing their academic performance (Wilson and Scalise 11). Grading in formal assessment has failed to accurately give students’ strength and weakness to the teacher since it does not give adequate time. Nevertheless, it is not flexible both in terms of content to be tested and level of ability of each student (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 12). If we consider a grade of â€Å"2† in philosophy of education course awarded, it will only say that a student learned a great deal of the information but it will no show what content was or was not mastered (Wilson and Scalise 12) Teachers form the majority of assessors of students’ learning for formal assessments. Students can also test their work and test that of their peers and provide an immediate feedback for improvement. The test can be administered by other external examiners such as Standard Aptitude Tests (SAT) (Council of Europe 8). Assessment may be administered at any time of student leaning but it has to be regulated if its purpose is to achieve a defined set standard. The nature of an assessment is determined by the type of cohort of students and upon the need for assessing. The content of what to asses should entirely be guided by the desired end results and the application of those results (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 5). Pros and cons of deferent forms formal assessment Formal assessment may take different dimensions according to where it is administered and the target group. Tests may be in form of standard set examinations which are mainly norm-referenced. Formal assessment may also include examinations designed locally by a faculty to offer an objective or subjective assessment (Council of Europe 9). Standardized exams are administered to a specific group which is entirely structured in a multiple-choice question (objective) or descriptive questions (subjective) in one subject area. The results are compared with a set standard (reference). It is applied to students in a given program, course or a level. The main advantage of standard set examination is that it can be adopted view quickly and its implementation is quite easy. It reduces the faculty time requirements in tools design, development and grading (Council of Europe 9). Norm-referenced assessment gives objective scores which provides for generalizations of the results with other student in other places or times. It provides a reference group that is required by the faculty or the testing body. Another benefit of standard test is its application by state or national standards exist for a given discipline or profession such as accountancy, medicine among others (Saliu 273). May be beneficial or required in instances where state or national standards exist for the discipline or profession. It can be applied in comparing the levels of knowledge across several institutions (Astin 3). There are several shortcomings that are associated with this form of assessment. One of the major disadvantages of standard tests according to Wilson and Scalise is that, it has a limit of what it can measure in during testing time (636). It is a culprit of the elimination of the proper process of learning by not reflecting what a student has actually learnt in a given program or course. It may not be able to completely evaluate a particular objective of an entire course (Council of Europe 9). Since most standardized tests are done at the end of a course or program, they fail to provide relevant feedback to both the teacher and the student which would otherwise be used to motivate the student learning. The tests can neither determine a student’s progress on a daily basis nor the achievements in varying periods (Hart 17). They cannot also effectively evaluate the knowledge of a specific course content area which keeps on changing such as social sciences. Another demerit of standardized achievement tests arises due to the administration of multiple-choice tests which pose a grater potential error of guessing the correct answer. (Saliu 243). It only provides a summary evaluation of few parts of whole course. The outcomes may not have direct deductions for course improvement or that of an individual student’s advancement. The results are highly liable to misinterpretation by the teacher or other interested parties such as admitting institutions and employers. Since majority of these tests are commercialized someone (student or program) have to pay to obtain them. When pressure is so much pressed on the passing the tests, the teacher may be forced to teach to the test and not the development of the student skills (Council of Europe 9). A single test is not perfect in providing enough information that ensures a complete assessment. Different tests on a particular subject at deferent times provide almost different information on a student. Locally developed exams can be beneficial since its content and mode is inclined to specific objectives and students’ features of the course or program (Wiggins 37). It can establish specified criteria for measuring performance associated with to curriculum. It can be useful in the development of relevant process of learning of particular group of students. A more localized grading system by faculty can provided a speedy feedback mechanism for teaching betterment. The teacher will have a greater control over the analysis and use of the results in improving students leaning processes and course materials (Wiggins 38). However, locally developed tests require a substantial coordination more so throughout the phases of design and development (Fitzpatrick and Michael 101). It may not provide a basis for cross-institutional comparisons for students in same level of study. These particular tests are time consuming on side of the teacher since they require a lot of attention and effort in designing and administering. In order to provide validity and reliability in these tests an expert may be required expertise in accurate measurement (Council of Europe 11). It may not provide the element associated with the external comparison in relation to other institutions offering similar course or program. Performance appraisals are another form of formal assessments that can be administered to measure competency of acquired skills in a real world situation (Burke 29). They are set standards that seek to evaluate students in a specific class or level (Hart 74). They are credited to providing a relatively direct measure of what has been learned rather than taught in a program or course (Ryan 290). They are mostly preferred to other methods of measuring since they are able to evaluate the application skills learnt in specific settings. They are in tandem with aims of professional training programs and fields which have well specified skill development programs (Ryan 290). Nevertheless, performance appraisals have their share of limitations which include high costs associated with effort and time consumption. Their grading are mostly more subjective than other formal assessments (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). The sample of performance appraised might not as well be the typical of the student since it might have been triggered by the presence of appraiser. An aptitude test forms yet another important form of formal assessment. An aptitude test has the advantage of measuring the level of knowledge that a student already possess before entering a grade level or a program (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). This provides the teacher with prior information on the likelihood of a students degree of performance and success in the class. It will determine the information which a student already has compared to set norms. This will further illustrate the level of learning for a particular student which comes in handy when designing individualized instructions (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). The teacher will have no difficulties in giving advanced instruction for those students that are gifted while at the same time giving a remedial assistance to those who need help. Since modern education is taking learner-centered approach, results of aptitude test provide relevant information that can teachers use to group students for effective cognitive learning. The results are applied in determining when a student develops a learning disability (Council of Europe 12). Aptitude tests face some challenges and limitations that are usual to test. They are limited to measuring students’ capacity to learn new projects and accomplishments. The results do not reflect on the skills or knowledge that students have had no previous training (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). Since information obtained from an aptitude test gives skills and knowledge students had already acquired in past, it fails to guide the teacher on the application of future instruction. Teacher involvement in formal assessment Recommendations for reducing the shortcoming of formal assessments lie heavily on the teacher and the entire institution involvement in setting exam questions and administration of the examinations. The teacher should choose a test very carefully that will match with the requirements of a course or a program (Council of Europe 28). The teacher should review information on previous sample of performances to ensure the test’s reliability and validity from test publishers. The faculty should engage experts to review the previous summary reports of similar exam results in creating a more updated report for the faculty (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). The teacher is not supposed to teach to exam otherwise the results would be compromised. The instructor or teacher should be involved in grading systems that focus more emphasis on the feed forward. The institutions should make sure that standardized tests are marked and the papers that can be returned are done in time increase the feedback flow. The grading system should be focused on the offering a true picture of what has been mastered and what has not fully mastered. There should be model answers drawn from others student solutions to provide those who have failed with a way of what was expected of them (Saliu 274). A syndicate with other institutions which have similar objectives in testing can be formed to reduce the costs of developing instruments and to provide an element of externality. The exams department should incorporate outside experts to provide relevant input for development and grading system (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). In order to reduce the shortcomings associated with performance appraisals training for appraisers should be provided so that they are able to stick to specified criteria (Wiggins 38). It is imperative to alter criteria till acceptable consistency of measurement is reached for testing in multiple situations. Since the result of performance appraisal cannot be used alone to grade a student, Ryan (1994) suggested that results should be cross-validated with other measures of performance (290). Formal assessment includes undertaking fixed, regulated and standardized tests. Grading forms a major part of measurement for mastery of content. Although grading in standard tests is a norm accepted everywhere, it its shortcomings. There are several reasons for formal assessment and standard testing which include monitoring students’ progress, comparing the results with peer; it also provides a measure of level of student knowledge. When the assessment is done appropriately, it can be a source of both the student and teacher motivation. It can create trust among the students and teacher. The component of grading has been an issue of hated debate due to its inadequacy to address all areas of students’ learning. Grades are issued but they cannot be rectified since the doors are closed immediately after results are released. Standard tests, locally developed tests, aptitude tests and performance appraisal are major shapes taken by formal assessment. Although formal assessment provides a standard measure for evaluation of learning among students of a particular cohort or group, it fails to give comprehensive ability of a student. Works Cited Astin, Alexander W. Assessment for Excellence: The Philosophy and Practice of Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. Portsmouth: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1991. Burke, Kay, ed. Authentic Assessment: A Collection. Illinois: Skylight Training and Publishing, Inc. , 1992. Council of Europe. Common European Framework of Reference fo Languages: Learning Teaching, Assesment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. , 2001. Fitzpatrick, Jody L. and Morris Michael. Current and Emerging Ethical Challenges in Evaluation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999. Hart, Diane. Authentic Assessment: A Handbook for Educators. . New York: Addison-Wesley, 1994. Ryan, Alan G. Towards Authentic Assessment in Science via STS. Bulletin of Science, Technology Society (1994): 290. Saliu, Sokol. Constrained Subjective Assessment of Student Learning. Journal of Science Education and Technology (2005): 271-284. Weeden, Paul, Jan Winter and Patricia Broadfoot. Assessment. New York: Routledge, 2002. Wiggins, Grant. The Case for Authentic Assessment. ERIC Digest (1990). Wilson, Mark and Kathleen Scalise. Assessment to Improve Learning in Higher Education: The BEAR Assessment System. Higher Education (2006): 635-663.

Comparing How Two Midwestern Towns Respond to Immigration Essay

How Two Midwestern Towns Respond to Immigration    The phrase, "small Midwestern towns," often brings to mind an unfortunate stereotype in the minds of big-city urbanites: mundane, backward people in a socially unappealing and legally archaic setting. Small Midwestern towns, however, are not all the hovels of provincial intellect that they are so frequently made out to be. The idiosyncrasies each of them possesses are lost on those who have never taken more than a passing glance at them. After living in two small towns, I have developed an appreciation for their unique respective qualities. Wausau, Wisconsin and Goshen, Indiana are no exception to this rule of singularity. In addition to their specific identities, these towns have the added variable of two distinct and sizable immigrant populations, Wausau's immigrants being largely Ming, Goshen's immigrants being largely Mexican. While Wausau and Goshen may seem similar on a map of size, population, and non-immigrant demographics, they share little in their economic makeup, positional character, or active response to immigration. These differences of identity shape their attitudes towards immigration. Wausau's identity is supple and accommodates the redefinition that immigration demands. Goshen's identity is taut and rejects the redefinition. One reason for Goshen's comparatively negative attitude towards immigration is the perceived threat to job security. There is a large population of blue-collar factory workers and there are numerous factories in the Goshen area. Indeed, one can hardly go anywhere within the Goshen municipality and be out of eyesight of some factory or industry-related structure. (My personal favorite o... ...ograms in place to protect immigrants are more effective and broadly supported. The political identities of these two towns shape their ability to respond effectively to immigration. Restricted by employment fears, a sense of urban expendability and relative political conservativism, Goshen's identity has little room for the challenge of immigration. Wausau's less industrial economy, stronger sense of urban importance and comparatively liberal politics create a more flexible and malleable identity. Once examined beyond the traditional barometers of population, region and size, Wausau, Wisconsin and Goshen, Indiana actually have little in common. Certainly neither town is in any way definable as, "mundane, backward or legally archaic," but rather each is striving, in their own singular ways, to achieve a balance between stable identity and unavoidable change.

Difficult for the reader to feel much affection for the protagonist Essay

It is difficult for the reader to feel much affection for the protagonist in Wolff’s memoir. Do you agree? This Boy’s Life, set in America in the 1950’s, is a compelling memoir by Tobias Wolff, whom recreates the frustrations and cruelties faced throughout his adolescence, as he fights for identity and self-respect. During this period of time, America underwent major changes in the political and economic spheres, which in turn were responsible for its social makeover. Society in this time was geared toward family; marriage and children being part of the national agenda. The 1950’s was also an age of male dominance, where even if women worked, their assumed proper place was at home. Throughout the memoir, the protagonist, young Jack Wolff, makes it difficult for the reader to feel much affection towards him, as his actions prove to be troublesome and unruly. However, as the memoir progresses, Jacks struggle reveal the reasons for his actions which sequentia lly shape his character, providing the readers with understanding and sympathy towards his inexorable situation. The fraudulent lies and deceitful ways of Jack can be frustrating upon the reader; though we come to realise that he does this in order to be accepted by the people around him. Jack also engages in fights and unfaithfully betrays his best friend Arthur, although it becomes evident that he only does this in order to gain Dwight’s approval of him. The lack of a real father figure in Jack’s life has a profound impact on him and his desperate attempt to develop his identity, which further supports the readers’ emotions of sympathy towards him. Jack lies relentlessly in order to escape the grim circumstances of his childhood. His life is fuelled with emotional neglect and verbal abuse; Dwight, his indignant step father, being the foremost cause. He desires of transforming himself into the person that he truly wants to be; an image he believes will help him to belong and to be happy. The lies he tells are a constant source of comfort for him, as he relies on them to pr ovide stability and hope in his otherwise unstable life. â€Å"I couldn’t help but try to introduce new versions of myself as my interests changed, and as other versions failed to persuade†, demonstrates an essential part of Jack’s character, as he lies in order to fit in. His identity would change with the different people he met, in order to meet their expectations of him and to obtain their acceptance. This greatly contributes to the sympathy felt for Jack, as he renders the reality that he finds so difficult to accept as a young boy. Among many other lies  throughout the memoir, Jack has the intention of creating a new identity for himself. â€Å"It was truth known only to me, but I believed in it more than I believed in the facts arrayed against it. I believed that in some sense not factually verifiable I was a straight-A student†. At this point, Jack takes his re-creation of identity to a new level. Jack is completely aware of what he is doing, although he does not stop. His incessant lies and then believing that they are the actual truth continuously reoccur throughout the memoir. This serves to show his insecurity of who he was, and his imprudent belief that he had the ability to become something better than what he was. Jacks fabricated attempts to re-create â€Å"new versions† of himself, reveal his instinctive lying nature, thus contributing to the annoyance the readers occasionally feel towards him. However, it becomes clear that Jack is confused; he wants to belong. This misperception, and yearn to fit in explicates why feelings of sympathy by the readers towards Jack are inevitable. Jack is forced to live with his violent stepfather Dwight. Dwight cruelly exercises authority over Jack, in order to create a sense of dominance over him â€Å"Dwight would dump a pile of nuts on the floor of the utility room and put me to work with a knife and pair of pliers until he judged that I’d done enough for the night†. Because of this, Jack is determined to prove to Dwight, himself and the reader that he is not the person Dwight defines him as. Jack is not hurt by Dwight’s accusations that he is a thief and liar because â€Å"I did not see myself that way†. However, when Dwight calls Jack a sissy, Jack thinks of Arthur, who is his best friend and the biggest â€Å"sissy† in school, and remembers how the word sparked the fight between him and Arthur. Dwight treated Jack differently for a few days; with certain deference – â€Å"Dwight took the calls and explained that the papers had been ruined in a fight, adding that his boy Jack hung a real shiner on the Gayle kid.† This was the only time he expressed a genuine interest in Jack that bordered on admiration, rather than disgust. Dwight was always associated with hatred and negativity, but because of this certain deference after he fought, Jack felt a certain connection to him as a father figure. He felt as though he finally impressed Dwight, and even felt loved because of Dwight’s respect towards him. This discloses that Dwight’s actions had significant influence over Jack, as he continued to engage in these violent fights, in order to demonstrate his m asculinity to  Dwight. Jacks violent nature is driven by his belief that he has to prove his masculinity to Dwight. This attests annoyance within the reader; as Jack claims he â€Å"defined myself in opposition to him†, he ironically shares the traits of Dwight, such as violence and his desire to be regarded as powerful and masculine. However, Dwight’s deference towards Jack after he fought contrastingly draws sympathy for Jack from the readers, as it reveals his desire to belong; his desire to be loved. Jack’s friendship with Arthur plays a significant role in the re-creation of his identity. Arthur was recognised as a â€Å"notorious sissy†, and because of this Jack worried of the social implications it would consequently have on him by being friends with Arthur. â€Å"To put myself in the clear I habitually mocked Arthur, always behind his back, imitating his speech and way of walking, even betraying his secrets†, demonstrates Jacks desperation to acquire acceptance fr om others, even if it meant denying a part of himself- a friendship- that actually made him happy at times â€Å"but I had withheld my friendship, because I was afraid of what it would cost me†. Jacks betrayal of Arthur imparts anger in the reader, as he attempts to impress people who are not his real friends. However his confused identity and lack of self-confidence justify his disloyal actions, particularly because of the circumstances he was faced with at such a young age. Parental neglect plays an important role throughout the memoir. This is first evident in the text when Jack says â€Å"after all, he was in Connecticut and we were in Utah†, signifying the substantial physical and emotional distance between his birth father and himself. Fathers play an important role in their child’s upbringing and development. Due to this lacking in Jacks life, the responsibilities of growing up prove to be difficult for him, evident through his confused identity and troublesome ways. Furthermore, Rosemary’s ex-husband Roy plays a significant role in shaping the way Jack thinks and reasons, particularly from such a young and susceptible age. â€Å"I thought Roy wa s what a man should be†, reveals Jack’s naivety at such a young age; as Roy, abusive and indignant, was in fact the complete opposite of â€Å"what a man should be†. Wolff is once again faced with a man, Dwight, who abuses him and sets a terrible example for him. His violent nature plays a major part in Jack’s development, which ultimately forms his identity. Dwight’s actions have such an influence that â€Å"Jack† writes about Dwight’s voice being ever-present in  his head and own voice, even as an adult; even as a father. â€Å"I hear his voice in my own when I speak to my children in anger†. The sympathy felt by the readers for Jack is inevitable, as his brutal childhood is left with him for the rest of his life. Although Jack makes it difficult for the reader to feel much affection towards him on some occasions, the abusive, neglectful and violent experiences he is confronted with at such a young and vulnerable age conveys a sense of understanding, which in turn rouse feelings of sympathy towards young Wolff. Jack lies constantly; whenever he is presented with the opportunity to. This frustrates the reader is some instances. Generally though, reasons for this are understandable, such as his confused identity due to the violent and emotionally unstable life he lives. The violent fights he associates himself with, and the betrayal of his â€Å"best-friend† Arthur, leave the readers in a position to question whether his motives can be justifiable. However, these fights and betrayal are a reflection of his desire to be accepted by others, and the masculine, powerful man Dwight’s expects him to be. The lack of a real father figure largely affects Jack and all aspects of his character, from his deceitful ways, to his violent involvement in fights. Because of this, compassion and sympathy prevails over the occasional frustration felt towards Jack by the readers. In supposition, Jack is a helpless child seeking a happy life; an identity he is truly happy with.

How to Write Memoir

How to Write Memoir Writing a memoir is quite an enjoyable task, as it is a perfect way to share your story with people. Perhaps, you have rich life experience and have some life lessons to share with people, so that they could derive knowledge from your mesmerizing past. Don’t worry that you are not a professional writer, as by means of memoir writing you will have an opportunity to leave special heirloom for the future generations. To cope with the memoir assignment, you need to follow the basic guidelines we are providing you with below and the result will be fascinating! First, make up a list which will include the most prominent events and dates of your life. Make sure the information you include into your list is truthful by means of checking some old records. Second, refresh your memories with the help of old photos. Read some old journals in case you can’t remember some important details from the past. When all the necessary information is gathered and structured, you can start working on your memoir. In the process of writing it is recommended to focus on the most significant events and pay attention to the technical details. Go into details about some important dates, but not about unimportant things. Don’t forget to tell your readers about the goals you are willing to accomplish. Remember, you can clear up only some period of your life instead of providing information about your entire life. Be creative. There’s no need to use cliched phrases. Use your sense of humor in order to make your story more interesting for the reader. Have good luck in memoir creating!

Flannery OConnors Short Fiction Essay examples - 3159 Words

Flannery OConnors Greenleaf, Everything that Rises Must Converge, and A Good Man is Hard to Find Introduction To the uninitiated, the writing of Flannery OConnor can seem at once cold and dispassionate, as well as almost absurdly stark and violent. Her short stories routinely end in horrendous, freak fatalities or, at the very least, a characters emotional devastation. Working his way through Greenleaf, Everything that Rises Must Converge, or A Good Man is Hard to Find, the new reader feels an existential hollowness reminiscent of Camus The Stranger; OConnors imagination appears a barren, godless plane of meaninglessness, punctuated by pockets of random, mindless cruelty. In reality, her writing is filled with†¦show more content†¦Young Flannery attended St. Vincents Grammar School and Sacred Heart Parochial School. In 1938 her father got a position as appraiser for the Federal Housing Administration, and the family moved to North East Atlanta, then Milledgeville, where, three years later, Ed died from complications arising from the chronic autoimmune disease lupus. Flannery attended Georgia State College for Women (now Georgia College) and State University of Iowa, receiving her MFA from the latter in 1947. In 1951, after complaining of a heaviness in her typing arms, she was diagnosed with the same lupus that had killed her father. She went on, despite the disease, to write two novels and thirty-two short stories, winning awards and acclaim, going on speaking tours when her health permitted, but spending most of her time on the family farm, Andalusia, in Milledgeville, with her mother. She died of lupus on August third, 1964 at the age of t hirty-nine. Flannery OConnor remained a devout Catholic throughout, and this fact, coupled with the constant awareness of her own impending death, both filtered through an acute literary sensibility, gives us valuable insight into just what went into those thirty-two short stories and the two novels: cathartic bitterness, a belief in grace as something devastating to the recipient, a gelid concept of salvation, and violence as a force for good. At first it might seem that these aspects of her writing would detract from,Show MoreRelated Flannery OConnor: A Twentieth Century Fiction Writer Essay829 Words   |  4 Pageswritten about Flannery OConnors short stories and novels. There is a significant amount critical analysis about Flannery OConnor because she used so many styles that have not been used before. Flannery OConnor ranks among he most important American fiction writers of the twentieth century. Flannery OConnor was born in 1925 in Savannah, Georgia, and lived there until her family moved in 1938. OConnor and her family moved to a small Georgia farming town named Milledgeville. When Flannery was 15 yearsRead MoreFlannery O’Connor Essay1158 Words   |  5 PagesFlannery O’Connor was fond of saying, â€Å"When in Rome, do as you done in Milledgeville.† O’Connor was born in Savannah, Georgia, but spent the bulk of her life in Milledgeville, and it is her Southern heritage that influenced her and made her writing extremely distinctive in the history that is American literature. As a Roman Catholic in the Protestant-majority South, she was often confronted with the differences between the surroundings and herself, a theme that often comes up in her writing. O’ConnorRead MoreFlannery OConnor: A Brief Biography842 Words   |  3 Pagesthat it is coming from a fellow Catholic like Flannery O’Connor. O’Connor is associated with th e Christian Realism movement, which is a logical view developed by a theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr, who argued that the Kingdom of God cannot be realized on earth because of the naturally corrupt trends of society (â€Å"Flannery O’Connor†). This movement began in the late 1940’s and along with it came a belief that presents a depiction from Christ. Although OConnors work were written during a time of great socialRead More Flannery Oconnor1301 Words   |  6 Pagesreflected on how the world was dealing with the changes. Flannery O’Connor, a prominent Catholic writer from the South, was one of the many who examined society and shared their philosophies. O’Connor shocked her twentieth century readers with the haunting style and piercing questions in her short stories and novels, which were centered on a combination of her life experiences, her deep Catholic faith, and the literature of the time. Mary Flannery O’Connor was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1925 intoRead More Violence Leading To Redemption In Flannery OConnors Literature1482 Words   |  6 PagesRedemption in Flannery OConnors Literature Flannery OConnor uses many of the same elements in almost all of her short stories. I will analyze her use of violence leading to the main character experiencing moral redemption. The use of redemption comes from the religious background of Flannery OConnor. Violence in her stories is used as a means of revelation to the main characters inner self. The literature of Flannery OConnor appears to be unbelievably harsh and violent. Her short stories characteristicallyRead MoreThe Moral Structure Of Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard To Find1148 Words   |  5 PagesWorks Cited Bonney, William. The Moral Structure of Flannery OConnors a Good Man Is . Studies in Short Fiction, vol. 27, no. 3, Summer90, p. 347. EBSCOhost, pulaskitech.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=afhAN=9705041482site=ehost-livescope=site. The ten stories in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find circumscribe a moral and thematic center (Bonney). William Booney’s article was written as if the grandmother is actually grasping the savingRead MoreThe Life Of Flannery OConnor Essay1099 Words   |  5 Pagesan author’s life on their writing is vast. Many people do not see the large influence of an author’s childhood on their writings, but it plays a major role. The life of Flannery O’Connor is no exception to this. The great Catholic lifestyle of her parents helped persuade her writing of, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find.† Flannery O’Connor is regarded as one of the greatest supporters of Roman Catholic writings in the twentieth century. O’Connor was born in Savannah on March 25th, 1925 and her parentsRead MoreThe Writings Of Nathaniel Hawthorne And Flannery O Connor1022 Words   |  5 Pagesor common morals writers derive the context within their writing from many different aspects of life. One thing most authors derive their ideas from is their religion or just any religion that interest them. Authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Flannery O’Connor, writings often include many allegories and symbols to religious faiths. Nathaniel Hawthorne comes from a bloodline that is associated with the Salem witch trials in 1692. His great-great-grandfather was a puritan that took part in theRead MoreA Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor1196 Words   |  5 Pagesfamously known as Flannery O’Connor in 1953, wrote the short narrative titled â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† (Scott 2). However, it was published two years later in 1955, in her second collection of short stories. This particular collection presented the author as a key voice in the ancient American literature world until she met her sudden death in 1964 when she was only 39. The collection also won her tremendous fame, especially concerning her unmatchable creativity and mastery of short narratives (SeelRead MoreMary Flannery OConnor: One of the Best Short Story Writers of Her Day684 Words   |  3 PagesOne of the best short story writers of her day, Mary Flannery O’Connor was a brilliant writer, and still is, highly acclaimed. Her unique style of writing has a large part in her continued popularity. Ann Garbett states,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦O’Connor combined religious themes from her Roman Catholic vision with a comically realist character from the rural Protestant south to create a fiction that is simultaneously serious and comic† (1910). Mary O’Connor Flannery was an extremely talented young author who experienced

Should Prostitution Be Legal - 1292 Words

Legalize Prostitution A prostitute made plans with a man online to meet him and sell her wares. When they met, she asked to see the money. Instead of pulling out cash, he pulled out a knife and attempted to rape her. There was a brief struggle, and the man slashed her hand. She escaped and found shelter in a church while the pastor contacted the police. The person who assaulted the victim was sentenced to twenty-two years in prison (Riley, 2015). This is simply one of many cases of violence toward prostitutes. In this age where everyone feels that they are mistreated and discriminated against, prostitutes are one of the few groups that are truly mistreated. They are harassed simply because of their occupation, and this continues to happen due to the current legislation and attitude toward sex workers. Prostitution is often referred to as the oldest profession. However, sex workers are still struggling to receive recognition as legitimate working Americans. By outlawing prost itution, legislators greatly harm employed men and women who are doing their best to earn a living. If prostitution was legalized, working conditions would be improved, and prostitutes would be safer. Sex workers would not be afraid to contact the police if they were threatened or hurt, which would make them less of a target for violent people. This would be one way their working conditions would be bettered. Another positive impact of legalizing prostitution is that it could be made saferShow MoreRelatedShould Prostitution Be Legal? Essay1145 Words   |  5 PagesShould prostitution be legal? Prostitution has been around for decades. Since 1780 BC the legalization of prostitution has been a controversial topic. Prostitution is the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money.† Prostitution. Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016. Many claim that is one of the oldest professions. If this is one of the oldest professions why is it still illegal? So many people have different opinions on the issueRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legal1695 Words   |  7 Pagesthat prostitution will exist no matter what because men will always degrade women, and women, in turn, can do the same to men, even though these moral aspects are not connected with the legalization process, mostly depending on moral qualities of the society members, and not on a position on prostitution. Thus, the essay will try to prove why prostitution should not be legal with the help of analysis of the articles of the well-known scientists. While feminist theory represents prostitution as aRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legal?1236 Words   |  5 Pagesmajority of people believe prostitution should stay illegal, claiming that the legalization of prostitution will only make the chances of getting an STD even higher, an increase in rape rates, and will also add to the growth of human trafficking. Although this could be the case, there have been many studies that tell a different story. Currently, Nevada has allowed prostitution in 11 of its counties with much success. There can be many benefits from the legalization of prostitution in the states. LegalizingRead MoreProstitution: It Should Be Legal 1431 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to the Merriam- Webster dictionary, prostitution is defined as â€Å"the work of a prostitute: the act of having sex in exchange for money† (cite). Underneath this definition is one that follows as, â€Å"the use of a skill or ability in a way that is not appropriate or respectableâ €  (cite). Prostitution is a pressing matter in the United States and, as one can assume after reading the second definition given, implicated negatively throughout society. Many view this topic in an undesirable mannerRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legal? Essay1261 Words   |  6 PagesProstitution has existed in history since before most people can remember. In our time, prostitution is hotly debated as to whether it should be a professional working job, or whether it is immoral and oppressive to women. This debate has existed since the dawn of time, and there is still no clear answer. Society demands that police should stop certain illicit activities from happening in their neighborhoods, but should law enforcement be made to waste their time and effort to arrest those thatRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legal?1157 Words   |  5 PagesLegalizing Prostitution in Brothels Throughout America When someone says prostitution, the first couple things that probably come to mind are grimy girls that have ruined their lives with drugs sitting on a couch cracked out with a man they just met. Prostitutes are looked at as whores who cannot sustain a real career so they are forced to sell their bodies for sex. The prostitution industry is essentially just like any other service industry. The worker charges his or her customer for a serviceRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legal?1440 Words   |  6 PagesCanadian legal system stands prostitution. Prostitution by definition is the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment. Prostitution in our legal system can be dated back to the 18th century, this was the first Canadian statute to acknowledge prostitution. Prostitution in this time was handled by three legal approaches, regulation, prohibition and lastly rehabilitation. It is believed that because of these three legal approaches that is why prost itution is stillRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legal?1057 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"A human body is a temple; we should love it and respect it.† How often have we come across those people who sell their bodies, so-called temples and have been termed as â€Å"prostitutes?† Prostitution can be defined as the profession of getting involved in sexual activity with someone and to get paid back in return. Sex and sex-related issues have always been the matter to be hidden, and the civilized people are considered to be not speaking about it at all. Despite the fact, none can escape it ourRead MoreShould Prostitution Be Legal?1150 Words   |  5 Pagesgroup of friends. The question is: Should prostitution be legal? My question is: Why shouldn’t it? By all means I respect the opinion that having sex for money is completely illegal in most states but what about stripping? Stripping is completely legal and paid for lap dances aren’t the only advancement allowed. Strippers are allowed to receive payment to have sexual encounters within the establishment and it is completely legal. Protection for working women should exist across the board, not justRead MoreProstitution Should Not Be Legal1753 Words   |  8 Pagesthe topic of prostitution, most of us will readily agree that it is wrong as it portrays a negative image on women. Where this agreement usually ends, however, it is whether or not it’s a negative outcome. Whereas some are convinced that prostitution should be legal, others maintain that it should stay illegal because of moral intuitions. I disagree that prostitution should be legalized because it’s a form of slavery. Here are many feminists would probably object that prostitution is an utterly

The Aeneid free essay sample

Heroism and Bereavement Vergil’s Aeneid is an epic that illustrates the determination that displays heroism amongst an individual, and furthermore, how this perception of heroism is shifted throughout the play. An example of this modification in Vergil’s perception of heroism was presented in Book 10, during the dreadful death of Lausus by the hands of Aeneas. Vergil presented the death of Lausus as a very extreme and vicious act. Nevertheless, Vergil illustrated Lausus’ death in such a vicious manner for various reasons. Firstly, he wanted to show the readers the new side of Aeneas. We will write a custom essay sample on The Aeneid or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Secondly, his death displayed another example of the father-son relationship in the play. Lastly, because Vergil attempted to have the readers reflect back on Pallas. Therefore, due to these reasons, Vergil portrays the death of Lausus in such an appalling manner. First and foremost, Vergil displays the death of Lauses in such a vicious act because he wants to depict the new side of Aeneas. In the first half of Aeneid, it’s represented that Aeneas is an individual who is courageous, yet, at the same time also dependent on the decisions the Gods make for him.Therefore, Vergil displays Aeneas as a character that can’t withstand or resist the will that Gods make for him and his fate. This was shown in Book 4, as Aeneas was demanded by the Gods to leave Carthage and Dido because the Gods felt those were the obstacles that were interrupting him from his goals. â€Å"Are you, of all people, laying the foundations of lofty Carthage and building a beautiful city – for a woman? What about your realms, your own affairs† (Book 4, lines 299-302)? However Aeneas did feel sympathy and love for Dido, but was unable to express it. Therefore, he did exactly what the Gods asked, and left Carthage and Dido. However, as we shift to the second half of the Aeneid, Jupiter conveys Juno and Venus not to get involved with Aeneas’ and let him accomplish his goals on his own. Now, there is a drastic character shift within Aeneas. Since, he’s making his own decisions, Aeneas is more confident and adapts a new expression of rage. This expression of rage is what differentiates Aeneas from the first half. This is shown in Book 10, in the battle scene against the Latins’ because Aeneas shows his rage by slaying the enemies left and right. Aeneas was glad to see the Tuscan’s blood and drawing his sword, moved in eagerly† (Book 10, lines 938-939). Furthermore, this new rage in Aeneas is what drives him to kill Lausus in the ferocious manner. Therefore, Vergil makes it vital to implicate such a dreadful death due to the distinctive and exceedingly enraged Aeneas. An important theme pushed back and fourth in the Aeneid is the relationship between the father and son. Vergil portrays this relationship to be of vital importance because at the time this was a bond that illustrated a structure of significance in the Roman society.The relationship with Aeneas and his father, Anchises, is depicted exceedingly throughout the play. In book 2, as the city of Troy was being destroyed, Aeneas put his own life in jeopardy to save his fathers life. Additionally, in book 6, Aeneas goes to the underworld just to meet his father because that was the only man Aeneas knew he could always trust despite anything. â€Å"Three times he tried to put his arms around his father’s neck. Three times his father’s wraith slipped through his hands as light as wind, as fleeting as a dream† (Book 6, lines 828-831).As a result, this represented how much a son cared, respected, and valued his father profoundly in the Roman civilization. Several characters such as; Evander and Pallas, King Priam and Polites, Achilles and Pyrrhus; also showed this father-son relationship that was displayed in the Aeneid. Furthermore, even Mazentius and Lauses displayed this deep form of father-son relationship. Vergil portrays such brutality in the death of Lausus because as Aeneas killed Lausus, Mazentius was right in front to see his own son die. â€Å"Lausus, watching, groaned deeply for love of his father, and tears rolled down his face† (Book 10, lines 941-943). As a result, in a society where a father-son relationship is so superior, killing ones son right in front of the father is an extremely dreadful act; thus, Vergil displayed so much brutality simply by having the presence of Mezentius during the death of Lausus. The reflection on Pallas is the last reason that depicts the dreadful death of Lausus. In book 8, Aeneas has a reflection from a goddess that tells to form an alliance with the Arcadians who are also amongst war with the Latins. Therefore, this would help Aeneas and the Troy army to gather more soldiers and make the battle gain prospect towards their side triumphing.As Aeneas goes to the Arcadian territory, he is welcomed in open hands by the king of Arcadians, Evander. Both sides agree working together is beneficial for each other. Before going out to battle, Evander requests Aeneas to take his son, Pallas, with him into battle. â€Å"Let him learn from you to endure the work of war. Let him observe all you do and respect you from his early years† (Book 8, lines 586-588). Therefore, through this conversation, Aeneas understood Pallas was now his responsibility. Aeneas appreciated all of the help Evander gave him, and therefore, knew Pallas shouldn’t be hurt during battle.However, fate had other things in mind, and Pallas was killed by Turnus. Not only killed, but his corpse was also put to shame and disgrace as Turnus tore away Pallas’ engraved belt and took it as a sign of victory. Once Aeneas found out about his death, he was put into compete rage. â€Å"Pallas, Evander, everything swam in Aeneas’ eye – the table he came to as a stranger, the right hands pledged† (Book 10, lines 622-624). Lausus was in a similar position as Pallas. He was also a young solider fighting under his father’s army. Thus, after Pallas’ death, Aeneas showed no remorse for killing Lausus.As a result, due to this reflection of Pallas, Aeneas obtains such anger and rage to give Lausus such a brutal death. In conclusion, Vergil’s Aeneid is an epic that illustrates exactly what it means to be a hero. It depicts how different strategies determine that faith of that hero. For instance, Vergil illustrated the main hero, Aeneas, killing the character of Lausus as an act that was meant to be vicious and unjust. Vergil portrayed the death this way because he wanted to show how the character of Aeneas is shifted from the beginning to end.Secondly, he wanted to further illustrate the theme of the father-son relationship, and show how it revokes the death of Lausus. Lastly, Vergil does this to make a manifestation back to the death of Pallas. Therefore, based on these three reasons, Vergil displays the death of Lausus to be aggressive and hateful for the audience because it embarks a new attribute that revolutionizes Aeneas as the protagonist of the story, but is also justified due to the death of Pallas, and ties together different relationships and bonds the epic creates.In general, I feel the readers would have a negative reaction based to what Vergil has written because we expect the main hero to be brave but at the same time forgiving and helpful to ot hers. Aeneas, one the other hand, does show bravery, but has too much anger to show any other form of emotion; therefore he doesn’t strike as one with the superficial hero most readers look for. However, based on the context of Aeneid, it’s understandable why Aeneas is put into this rage and temper, therefore it’s explicable to comprehend with the actions he is forced to take on.