The Song with no Motive and the Songwriter without a Clue

The Song with no Motive and the Songwriter without a Clue Analyzing songs must be one of the least gratifying tasks, since it is always hard to figure out not only what idea the author tried to get across, but also whether the author’s idea is more important than the interpretation of the audience.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Song with no Motive and the Songwriter without a Clue specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are different schools of thought that provide various answers to the given question. Some say that the author’s intent is the only valid interpretation; others claim that, once the work is released, it is open to criticism and can be viewed through the prism of other people’s vision. Hence the ambiguity concerning the â€Å"Omie Wise† comes. Although the issue raised by Anna Domino is not that big, it still offers an interesting introspective into the author’s universe. The very fact that the author chose writing a let ter as the means to convey her message to the audience makes the story told in the song of the same name look unbelievably real and, therefore, very touching. The author, therefore, raises a very peculiar question, asking her audience whether the leading character of a song should be viewed as a unique personality or a generic image[1]. While the latter is easier to relate to, since it allows literally any listener to find a number of points of contact with the image in question, creating a unique character that has individual character traits and, therefore, can be seen as a compelling personality is doubtlessly a much more interesting and definitely more challenging task. Although a generic character guarantees an instant success of a song, being very relatable, a unique character will help the audience evolve by posing a number of ethical questions and life choices to its audience. Offering a fresh look at the old character, the author of the article stresses the significance of a character that the audience can empathize with. Another bit of information from The Rose and the Briar that was meant to leave an impression, the story behind â€Å"Pretty Polly† narrated by Rennie Sparks also deserves being mentioned as the issue that gives a lot of food for thoughts. As the author claims, the song does not have any motive whatsoever, which begs the question whether a song can exist outside the basic rules of songwriting, such as the need for a clear motive. On the one hand, the given idea seems completely absurd – being one of the key elements of any song by definition, a motive sets the mood for the song, creates the atmosphere and invites the audience into its realm, not to mention the fact that a motive makes it possible for a band or a musician to play the song. â€Å"Pretty Polly,† however, proves the given rule wrong, as Sparks insists, telling about a song â€Å"cut from its original epic length to form a lean, mysterious and brutal folk song†[2].Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Described as a song without a motive by the author, it strangely creates an intriguing story canvas, dragging the audience into it and creating images in ones’ head; which is even more interesting, these images transform into pieces of a puzzle that fall into their places as the song unwinds. The given admittedly unique phenomenon begs the question whether motive is that important for a song. Although traditionally, a motive is supposed to be the glue that holds a song together, in the world of modern music, other elements of a song can perform the given function. For instance, the author of a song can supposedly rely solely on music, leaving the story behind. Thus, the concept of popular music is stretched to reach out to the classical music, in which motive is as complicated as a novel plot. Bibliography Domi no, Anna. â€Å"Naomi Wise, 1807.† In The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus, 69–80, New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010. Sparks, Rennie. â€Å"Pretty Polly.† In The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus, 35–50, New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010. Footnotes .Anna Domino, â€Å"Naomi Wise, 1807,† In The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus (New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010), 70. . Rennie Sparks, â€Å"Pretty Polly,† in The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus (New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010): 35.

Little Picture Questions in ACT Reading Find the Detail

Little Picture Questions in ACT Reading Find the Detail SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Little picture questions account for a huge amount of the questions on ACT Reading. Of the 4 publicly available ACTs I surveyed, between 25% and 50% of ALL Reading questions were little picture questions. So what does this mean for you and your ACT test prep? It means that it is well worth your time to make sure you can consistently answer little picture questions accurately and in a reasonable amount of time (what "reasonable" is will depend on the score you're aiming for). In this article, I’ll provide examples of the different ways ACT Reading will ask you to use little picture skills and explain the strategies you can use to help with these questions. I'll end with a walkthrough of a sample question as well as practice questions for you try out on your own. First, however, I’ll explain what exactly I mean by â€Å"little picture† questions tiny books by kelly taylor, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. What Are Little Picture Questions? Little picture questions are questions that ask you to find specific details from a passage. It's not like when my class was reading Great Gatsby in school, and I cared approximately ZERO about the different colors of Daisy’s dress and the green light and all that stuff that we had quizzes on â€Å"to make sure we did the reading.† The ACT asks you about details that are vital to understanding the passage (even though you don’t necessarily have to read the whole passage to find these details). For example, you might be asked what the milky blue that appears around the edges of older dogs’ eyes signifies (cataracts), but you will not be asked what color it is, all on its own. Out of the list of skills ACT lists you as needing to have (more on this here), little picture questions require you to... locate details within a passage and interpret them (although for little picture questions, the only interpretation you have to do is some paraphrasing) interpret sequence of events and flow of ideas (although again, for little picture questions, it's mostly just sequence of events, rather than flow of ideas) make comparisons understand cause-effect relationships Because little picture questions use so many of the skills the ACT sets out to test with its Reading section, if you can master little picture questions, you’re well on your way to mastering many of the other question types as well. I’ve divided up little picture questions into two levels. Level one questions only involve going back to the passage in order to identify the correct detail/fact. Level two questions, on the other hand, require you to gather multiple details/facts and then take that information a step further. Level One: Detail Hunting Questions on this level are the most basic the ACT gets: you basically have to go search out the information that answers the question. These questions can be further subdivided into two categories. 1. Find The Information In A Specific Place For these questions, you're given a line number and asked to find the detail to answer the question. Depending on how complicated the passage is, some vocabulary knowledge may prove necessary (more about vocab-in-context here); if there is a word you don't know, however, context clues can often be helpful. Here are a few of examples of the ways these sorts of questions might be phrased (all taken from official ACT practice tests): "Lines 42-44 indicate that another composer took over Mozart’s work in order to:" "Information in the second paragraph (lines 37-42) establishes that a change of one semitone translates into a frequency difference of..." "Information in lines 33-42 reveals that the public’s response to the conductor’s errors in the performance was to..." "The author indicates that the common factor in the events and periods listed in lines 50-54 is that they" "By his statement in lines 41-45, the author most nearly means that during the Classic period:" 2. Find The Information In An Unspecified Place For these level one questions, the information needed to answer them is somewhere in the passage. Sometimes the location is narrowed down to a few paragraphs or general areas like â€Å"the end of the passage,† but on occasion even that information is not given. Because these questions require you to do more searching than questions for which you are given specific location information, "Find the information in an unspecified place" questions are often relatively simple. You may need to do a little paraphrasing from text to answer choices, or you may be looking for the exact same words in the text. How can you be sure that questions asking you about information in a non-specific place are little picture questions, not inference or big picture questions? Because of the way the questions are phrased. Inference or big picture questions will have the phrases "It can be inferred from the passage" or "The passage suggests," whereas little picture questions will be more direct. See below for some examples of how little picture questions have been phrased on past ACT Reading sections. "According to the narrator, which of the following organizations is relatively new to her hometown?" "According to the passage, one of the woman’s worries about her present situation is that she..." "According to the passage, news reports attribute the flugelhorn player’s knees buckling to..." "The passage states that Leonard Bernstein believed the relationship between an orchestra and their section leaders should be:" "Which of the following statements about the galant style is best supported by the passage?" Rather than "It can be inferred from the passage," little picture detail questions will include phrases like "According to the passage" or "The passage states." You're not being asked to make assumptions based on the text - you're being asked to look for answers that are directly in the text. Level One Strategies I almost always do these level one little picture questions first when I start working on a passage. For me, hunting for the details gets me acquainted with the passage without having to read (and are easy points!). How you go about it, however, will depend on your reading strategy and, above all, on what works best for YOU. 1. Start by figuring out what the key information the ACT is looking for in the question. Take the following sample question. â€Å"The passage indicates that at the time Frank and Sigwarth presented new evidence supporting the small-comet theory, Frank most nearly felt...† The key information in this question: the names Sigwarth, Frank; â€Å"new evidence† or synonyms of that phrase; the phrase â€Å"small comet theory.† 2. Next, figure out where in the passage that information is (if you aren’t told outright) and read the relevant section slowly. You can try to quickly answer the question in your own words as well, even though the answer choices are sometimes taken word-for-word from the text. Putting the answers in your own words helps prevent you from falling into â€Å"I recognized the general phrasing so I’ll just choose it† trap (when in fact the ACT has sneakily reversed the meaning on you). 3a. If you tend to read the passage thoroughly first, I would recommend answering big picture questions before moving on to little picture questions. That way, you can answer questions about the whole passage before getting lost in the details. 3b. If you read the questions first, and don't think it will disorient you and make it harder for you to answer other types of questions, absolutely start with these questions and knock ‘em out of the way. World's best batsman and his mommy by joiseyshowaa, used under CC BY-SA/Cropped from original. Knock those questions out of the way like you are a small child playing cricket, and those questions are the ball. Look, it's...it's not a PERFECT analogy. Let's go back to the previous sample question for a moment. â€Å"The passage indicates that at the time Frank and Sigwarth presented new evidence supporting the small-comet theory, Frank most nearly felt...† To answer this question, you can scan the article for the words â€Å"Sigwarth† and â€Å"new comet theory† (either mentally or with your finger on the paper as you read, whichever is more effective for you). There's no need to read the entire article first. 3c. If you skim the passage, then answer questions, it could go either way. Skimming a passage can help you form a mental map of where certain details are more likely to show up, making it easier to answer detail questions; on the other hand, it can also give you enough info to get the big picture questions out of the way (just as if you'd read the passage all the way through). You'll need to experiment to figure out which way works best for you. Level Two: Using knowledge of multiple details, answer the question These questions will ask you to find multiple details across a passage or within a specified series of lines, then compare these details in one of two ways. 1. â€Å"EXCEPT† and â€Å"NOT† questions These types of little picture questions ask you to find the thing that is NOT true/NOT specifically described in the passage. They will typically appear at least once a test. Some examples (modified from ACTual ACT questions): "According to the passage, Aaron Copland believed that â€Å"American music† should include all of the following EXCEPT" "The author cites all of the following as causes of the unified musical style during the Classic period EXCEPT" "Which of the following is NOT listed in the passage as an element of the Classic period?" 2. Ordering or List questions These (relatively rare) questions ask you to choose the answer choice that lists a series of details in a particular order, or that match a particular criteria. The skill set you need to answer these types of questions is similar to that needed for "EXCEPT" and "NOT" questions; the main difference is that ordering and list questions are actually a little easier, because their answer choices tend to be more lengthy, and you only need to know that part of an answer choice is incorrect to be able to eliminate the whole thing. Here are a few examples of how ordering or list questions might be worded (all questions modified from real ACT questions): "According to the passage, which of the following cities is the last one Armstrong is said to have lived in?" "Which of the following most fully lists solutions considered by the author to the problem that the list of beloved women conductors is not nearly as long as the list of beloved men conductors?" "According to the frequency data presented in the passage, the audible ranges, from largest to smallest, of the following instruments is..." Level Two Strategies 1. Just like the strategies for answering level one little picture questions, the strategies for answering level two little picture questions involve finding the key words in the question, finding where the information is in the text, and reading the question carefully. 2. The process of elimination is also hugely helpful with these questions – if the text directly contradicts an answer choice, you can cross it out with no worries. 3. In general, I find it helpful to answer level two questions after you’ve already answered level one little picture questions or big picture/inference questions. Why? Because sometimes you end up covering the same ground as earlier questions with these level two questions. Here's an example of this: The sentence below is excerpted from an official ACT practice test and includes line 76-beginning of line 80. "Consider, for instance, the food crises that engulfed Europe during the Little Ice Age – the great hunger of 1315 to 1319, the food dearths of 1741, and 1816, â€Å"the year without a summer† – to mention only a few." The first question is level one (you’re given lines and asked to paraphrase), while the second is level two (an "EXCEPT" question). If you’ve already answered the first question, you’ve been focusing on the part of the passage that will help you with the information you need to answer the second question, which will then make that question easier to answer. Of course, these sorts of companion questions are not always right next to each other/in order, so don’t assume that answering questions in order will help. If you don’t remember exactly where you read the relevant information, however, you can always refer back to the first question, which may (as it does in this case) give a specific line number. 4a. If you read the passage thoroughly first, you might find it easier to start with these level TWO detail questions. Your memory will be fresh, so it will be easier to confirm that the â€Å"except† or â€Å"not† answer did not appear in the passage, or in what order events occurred. Once you've got those out of the way, you can move on to level one detail questions. 4b. If you read the questions first, then look at the passage, I’d suggest doing level ONE little picture questions first. As I said above, this can give you a better picture (har har) of the way the passage is laid out. Once you have a mental map of the passage's structure, you'll have a better idea of where to look for the details mentioned in the answer choices (whether you need to put them in order of occurrence or figure out which answer choice is NOT present in the text). 4c. If you skim first, then answer questions, it can go either way. The mental map you create as you skim the passage might help with confirming some details to be true/knowing where to look for the details...but it also might get you bogged down in detail too quickly and make it harder to answer big picture questions. 5. Ultimately, you need to do some trial and error on your own to figure out which way of reading the passage is most effective for you, and which questions you should answer first. This includes completing full ACT Reading sections as well as full length practice ACTs. The strategy you get the most points with is the one to go with. Little Picture Questions: A Walkthrough To finish, I wanted to do a brief walkthrough of my thought process (in italics) for answering a question from an official ACT practice test. Question: In the last paragraph, a comparison is made between â€Å"diminished excellence† and â€Å"flawed competence.† From the narrator’s point of view, the conditions are different because the one is: a source of sorrow while the other is a source of pride. based in the family while the other is based in the self. inherent in the environment while the other is inherent in the individual. a sign that the individual can improve the world while the other is a sign that the individual can’t. Key words in this question: â€Å"diminished excellence† and â€Å"flawed competence.† And â€Å"difference† (since I need to figure out how they’re different). I’ll search for those in the last paragraph of the passage. Okay, time to go to the last paragraph. "The whole time I work I wait to see where the screw-up is going to come. I imagine what my colleagues will be saying about me in the hallways. Did you know that Bryant built his shelves so they tilt? Did you know that Bryant’s books rejected the color he painted his shelves? But the screw-up doesn’t appear. I paint the shelves red, and they look O.K. (Granddaddy Bryant once painted yellow a whole row of company houses he built.) I paint a chair blue and red, and it’s a little silly-looking, but it picks up the blue of the carpet and the red of the shelves. The vision isn’t nearly as impressive as I thought it would be, but then what vision ever is? We plan-makers are accustomed to things turning out not-quite-as-good-as-we-had- in-mind. Our world view includes the â€Å"diminished excellence† component. Diminished excellence is a condition of the world and therefore never an occasion for sorrow, whereas flawed competence comes out of character and therefore is frequently the reason for the bowed head, the furrowed brow. Three months later, when I try to turn the heat off in my office, I discover that I have placed one of the shelf uprights too close to the radiator to be able to work the valve. The screw-up was there all along, but in this case I am relieved to find it. I am my grandfather’s grandson after all." So I see the phrase â€Å"diminished excellence† twice and â€Å"flawed competence† once nearby†¦I’ll read that section closely. "Our world view includes the â€Å"diminished excellence† component. Diminished excellence is a condition of the world and therefore never an occasion for sorrow, whereas flawed competence comes out of character and therefore is frequently the reason for the bowed head, the furrowed brow." How are they different? Well, for starters, â€Å"diminished excellence† is external (a condition of the world) and so you shouldn’t be sad, while â€Å"flawed competence† is something different (uses the word â€Å"whereas† to indicate a contrast) that makes you sad (bowed head, furrowed brow). What are the answers again? a source of sorrow while the other is a source of pride. One is a source of sadness, but there’s a difference between â€Å"never an occasion for sorrow† and pride, so probably not based in the family while the other is based in the self. Says nothing about family – it’s either based in â€Å"world† or â€Å"character,† neither of which is â€Å"family† in this context. So eliminate. inherent in the environment while the other is inherent in the individual. That sounds like it could be right – based in the world = inherent in environment, contrast to that = based in character = inherent in the individual a sign that the individual can improve the world while the other is a sign that the individual can’t. There’s stuff about the world but nothing about improving it, so no. Best answer is H. Review: It certainly helped that I knew the definition of inherent, but it was not critical; even if I couldn’t positively identify H as correct, I would have been able to show that F, G, and J were incorrect, which would have left me with H in any case. And now†¦it's your turn! Little Picture Practice Questions Just in case you hadn’t gotten enough of little picture questions, I’ve compiled a couple of different passages with some questions to answer. The answer key is up here, so you can scroll back up after you’ve finished the questions to check your answers. 1. J 2. C 3. J 4. H 5. D 1. Which of the following questions is NOT answered by the information in the passage? F. Has the narrator ever walked around inside Eugene’s house? G. What hobby or interest do Eugene and the narrator share? H. What makes Eugene’s house different from other houses on the block? J. What careers other than teaching has the narrator considered pursuing? 2. The narrator draws which of the following comparisons between the old couple and Eugene’s parents? A. The old couple were more socially outgoing and had many more friends than Eugene’s parents. B. Eugene’s parents are just as interested in tending the lawn and flowers as the old couple were. C. Eugene’s parents are less nurturing of each other and spend less time together than the old couple did. D. Just like the old man and old woman, both of Eugene’s parents appear to have jobs outside the home 3. According to the narrator, which of the following statements was true about Eugene at the moment when she first talked to him? F. Due to the size of the school, he had not even noticed the narrator until she started talking to him. G. He had searched unsuccessfully for the narrator’s locker several different times and had been too shy to ask someone where it was. H. He had first noticed the narrator in study hall but had been uninterested in her until she introduced herself. J. He had apparently taken notice of the narrator at school and had come to like her but felt nervous about introducing himself. 4. The narrator most nearly portrays her parents’ dreams as: F. close to being realized because of her father’s good job. G. somewhat uncommon among the other residents of the family’s building. H. ones she has heard about many times but that seem far off and remote to her. J. ones she shares with her parents and longs to fulfill. 5. The narrator claims that she felt close to the old couple because she had: A. listened in on so many of their conversations over the years. B. helped take care of the old woman’s flowers after the woman’s husband had died. C. been able to watch them as they moved through their entire house. D. regularly observed them during their mealtimes. What’s Next? Want more ACT Reading skills articles like this one? Start with our vocab-in-context article - more will follow over the next few weeks. Not sure what the best way to approach ACT Reading passages is? Read our article and figure out which one is right for you. Where can you find official ACT practice tests to hone your newly-acquired knowledge on? We can help you – go to our complete list of official ACT tests. Thinking you need more structured help to master little picture questions? Maybe a test prep platform customized to you is the answer for you. Try PrepScholar risk-free for five days! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

The Unilever Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Unilever Company - Research Paper Example The business model is a very important factor to be considered in any business, and it should be incorporated in the strategic plan of the organization. The business model gives the organization a plan on how it will perform its duties giving the routes to follow through the organizational infrastructure and policies. This gives the idea on how the organization offers services to customers and also the way the customers reward the services offered to them by the organization. It also gives managers foresight about the future of the company hence growth and development are prevalent in the organization. The model gives the general public the knowledge on how the business operates and in the other hand can be used in accounting to give a rim light on the organizational proceedings to the general public. This enhances confidentiality in the organization management by the adjacent customers and hence motivating them and drawing more new customers into the organization. The Unilever Compa ny The Unilever Company is a company that deals with processing goods that are internationally and multi nationally recognized. It was founded through company mergers that lead to a globally recognized company that produces foods, refreshers such as beverages, cleaning agents that are fast washing solutions and other products that are personal care such as lotions and perfumes. It is a company that its goods have been received positively by nations due to their quality. Due to the good business model employed by Unilever Company the revenue allocation for the company is very high in the world's market. Operations and Products The operations of Unilever Company are very admirable because the strategic plan of the company provides measures that boost its performances leading to improved services. This has been enhanced through the world wide branches that have enhanced wider regional support that has helped in the growth of the company. The marketing management of the company has give n a major setback on the Socio – economic profile so as to enroll and attract more customers towards the company. The social economic sector will apply to the website creation so that more customers can access the goods offered by the company online hence improving customer management communication. This will help the management in identifying areas of weakness hence improving on them leading to better and quality services (Tuccillo, 2011). Unilever Company is a company that is branched systematically so that it can reach more customers in each and every country in the world. For that matter, it has national managers who are in charge of a country under the regional management (Armstrong, 2012). These work hand in hand to ensure that the company plans are executed in every country where they are but with respect the rule of law of the country. The business models that are employed by the Unilever Company have favored it through the competitive business market that is overwhel mingly growing competitive. This has led to major support leading to it becoming a multinational company. The other major boost of Unilever Company is the diverse models of goods that they offer (Tuccillo, 2011). They have featured every customer in their target leading to a larger market shares allover the world. The websites and the advertising campaigns that have been carried out through out the world by the company have resulted to better product marketing. Through advertising, more customers get the product's knowledge offered by the organization leading to converting them to be the future customers of the products. All this success has been made possible due to the good financial model that has been developed by the company’

Benefits to Bailing Out the Big 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Benefits to Bailing Out the Big 3 - Essay Example Sure, these companies will be subject to certain conditions when borrowing federal money; however, it is no different if they were to borrow from a bank. Banks also like to see what the borrowed money will be used for, and in some instances, they like to see an entire plan drafted up before letting the money go. Lenders like to see that the one they are lending to has a purpose for borrowing from them, and the borrower is subject to those terms until the loan is paid off. While numerous individuals put a lot of effort into disputing why helping these three companies with their losses is not a good idea, there are a number of reasons why the bail out of these three companies makes great sense for the American people. First of all, we must look at how long these three companies have been in business, as well as the history behind these companies. Ford has been in business since 1903, when it was first founded by Henry Ford, Sr. The first car manufactured by the ford family, known as the Model T, was ready to deliver to the public in 1925. This company was the first to put the first car on the road, as well as the first to make cars available to the masses. Ford made sure just about anyone could afford to have a car, as they did whatever possible to cater to those of the middle class. Not to mention, Ford is big on human rights and providing jobs to the jobless, and their priority has always been to make sure that everyone working for them receives fair wages, as they were the first to enact a five dollar a day policy. Ford has been proven to make a large impact on America, even today. Ford has always done business in this fashion since their very beginning, as they have always been all about the people (NPR), (Ford Motor Company). Then, there is General Motors, a company that has been around almost just as long as Ford. General Motors is the manufacturer of some of the most popular cars, such as the Cadillac, the Pontiac, and the Hummer, a car that a lot of people try to get their hands on to drive in ultimate luxury ("Merchandise," General Motors). General Motors was founded in 1908 by William C. Durant, and has now become the world's largest manufacturer of cars. Though General Motors has had a rocky history-the company sinking into debt after doing well for two years, Durant resigning from his company in 1920 to later file for personal bankruptcy, a violent sit-down strike in Flint Michigan by hourly workers in the year 1937, another strike occurring for one hundred and thirteen days between 1945 and 1946, being convicted of conspiracy in 1949, losing more than $750,000,000 in 1980 due to the drop in sales on cars and trucks, and another strike that occurred in 1998 that almost shut down all of General Mot or's production in North America-they have accomplished a great deal. Some of the accomplishments of General Motors was that a Cadillac was made with the first electric self starter in history, General Motors accounted for twelve percent of the car market in the United States, they expanded to working overseas, first starting in Britain and Germany between 1925 to 1929, their market shares rose to 41% in 1941, were the first to manufacture cars with air conditioning,, and they have gone as far as to selling cars in

Wish Fulfillment in Mary Shellys Gothic Novel, Frankenstein Essay

Wish Fulfillment in Mary Shelly's Gothic Novel, Frankenstein Everyone stores hidden desires, ambitions, fears, passions and irrational thoughts in his or her unconscious mind, according to Freud's psychoanalytical theory. These secret feelings, often stemming from a person's childhood, can manifest themselves in odd and sometimes extreme ways. This phenomenon is called wish fulfillment. We do not always fully understand why we make the decisions that we do in life, but a certain amount of these choices can be accredited to wish fulfillment. Mary Shelly's gothic novel Frankenstein illustrates several accounts of wish fulfillment through the actions of Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein in an effort to satisfy their various needs. Robert Walton was raised by his uncle after his father died. On his deathbed, Walton's father entreated his brother not to allow Robert to pursue a seafaring life. Robert instead became a poet so that he "might obtain a niche in the temple where the names of Homer and Shakespeare are consecrated" (Shelley 16). Unfortunately, Robert was very unsucce...

Collegial And Formal Type Of Leadership Concerning Head Teachers

This assignment consists of two parts. In the first portion, the theoretical accounts of collegial and formal type of leading are considered and compared to the caput instructor ‘s function to which the writer is familiar within the educational system of Cyprus. The caput instructor ‘s function will be analysed in both leading manners. In the 2nd portion, the writer concentrates on the premises made about the school organisation and its values with the collegial and formal types of leading. The assignment ends with a decision based on the writer ‘s apprehension of leading that emerges from a consideration of both theory and pattern in relation to these two theoretical accounts. Part 1 Harmonizing to Pashiardis ( 1995 ) the educational system in Cyprus has a bureaucratic construction and school principals are invariably seeking to fulfill the administrative officials instead than the demands of pupils and parents. Everything must be done in a pre-determined mode, which barely leaves any infinite for mistakes or gives leeway for divergence from the mainstream. This is the chief ground why the formal theoretical account of leading is being chosen. Most of the elements of direction tantrum into the bureaucratic construction of the Cypriot educational system. On the other manus, within the collegial theoretical account of leading the regulating organic structure of each school is free to put extra purposes and aims that would non merely profit the school community but besides the quality of the instruction offered. Collegial Model of Management Harmonizing to Bush ( 1995 ) and his collegial theoretical account, the purposes emerge from a participative procedure whereby staff reach an understanding based on common values. The leader in a collegial theoretical account believes that school staff should ever be a squad in order to be effectual and that everyone should be involved in all activities refering the school patterns. In this instance, all instructors should hold a common vision, set a mission and be cognizant of their function to guarantee the success of the academic endeavor. The elements of Collegial Model are the procedures by which ends are determined by the nature of determination procedure and the leading manner. The collegial theoretical account is based on understanding ends among the members of an organisation and nowadayss sidelong constructions and all members have the right to take part in the determination procedure. As Kaily P. ( 2010 ) wrote A «specific jobs can be addressed by different commissions which are appointed at the beginning of the school twelvemonth. These commissions consist of instructors harmonizing to their abilities and expertness. They undertake to turn to and work out jobs that arise during the school twelvemonth such as pupil subject by explicating a codification of behavior, force at school- bar and intervention, development activities for motive in acquisition, larning troubles and workaroundsA » ( Kaily P. E849 Web Activity 1, 2 November 2010 ) . Furthermore, Palli C. ( 2010 ) A «there is a shared leading and a c orporate sense of duty among the staff at her school. At the beginning of the school twelvemonth at that place was a deputation of functions and duties. Besides the instructors had the chance to choose the commissions they wanted to be members harmonizing to their interestsA » ( Palli C. E849 Web Activity 1, 3 November 2010 ) . The most positive facet of the Collegial Model is the fact that ends have already been agreed, ensuing to the possibility for the participant staff to concentrate and to accomplish the ends set. Everybody ‘s aspirations, expertness and capablenesss are taken into consideration and used in a manner that promotes the public assistance of the school unit. As Bennett ( 1995 ) has argued, cognition is an of import power resource. Sharing cognition in a collaborative manner requires a high grade of common trust and consensus. Formal Model of Management Looking into Bush ( 1995 ) the formal theoretical accounts of direction aver that aims are set at the institutional degree. Goals are determined by senior staff and the support of other instructors is taken for granted. Therefore, the activities of schools are evaluated in the visible radiation of these official intents. Furthermore, the organisational construction is regarded as nonsubjective world. Persons hold defined places in the organisation and working relationships are assumed to be strongly influenced by these official places. Formal theoretical accounts treat constructions as hierarchal with decision-making as a ‘top-down ‘ procedure. In contrast to collegiality, the features ofA the formal direction modelsA harmonizing to Bush ( 2003 ) A «heads haveA authorization because of their positionsA and areA accountableA for what they do to their patron they use anyA rationalA manner to accomplish goalsaˆÂ ¦A »A ( Bush, 2003, p.126 ) fits a batch to the Cypriot Educational System. Not merely do public schools but besides private 1s have debt-reduction direction programmes and everything must be centralized and economic systems of graduated table must be made. One is asked to yearly describe in beforehand how many pupils are registered for the undermentioned academic twelvemonth that the figure of instructors is reduced to the lower limit to salvage resources as Webb and Vulliamy ( 1996 ) reference A «in bureaucratism, efficiency, subject, control, reliabilityA is more importantA » ( Webb and Vulliamy, 1989, p.312 ) . Promotion is on the footing of seniorityA ( Bush 2003 ) more like a typical formal bureaucra tic Cypriot school. However, after a long waiting at the age of 40-55 one eventually leaves from the low-paying Cypriot private school and is employed by a ‘highly-benefiting ‘ Cypriot public school. When he/she gets employed in a public school, which will merely happen out merely a few yearss before the school twelvemonth starts, uncovering bureaucratism which is neither efficient nor dependable. Part 2 Harmonizing to Bush and Derek ( 2003 ) leading may be understood as ‘influence ‘ but this impression is impersonal in that it does non explicate or urge what ends or actions should be sought through this procedure. However, A «certain alternate concepts of leading focal point on the demand for leading to be grounded in steadfast personal and professional valuesA » ( Bush and Derek, 2003, p.4 ) . Wasserberg ( 1999 ) besides claims that A «the primary function of any leader is the fusion of people around cardinal valuesA » ( Wasserberg, 1999, p.158 ) . Furthermore, harmonizing to Gross ( 1985 ) values are generated externally to the person instead than being internal, personal creative activities. However persons play important function in set uping peculiar values with environments in which they live and work. Bush ( 1998 ; 2003 ) besides links A «leadership to values or aim while direction relates to implementation or proficient issuesA » ( Bush, 1998, 2003, p .324 ) Collegial theoretical account is interpinned by integrative and actuating values. Integrative values are those that serve to pull persons into collectivity and motivation values are those that shape single and corporate perceptual experiences of demands and involvements. The deduction of these values for leading function in the educational system in Cyprus could be justified since caput instructors normally encourage the staff to take portion in any decision-making process. In this certain values are agreed in the schools. Thus the personal sentiments of ( instructors, parents pupils ) are acceptable by others, differences and dissensions are shown in a democratic signifier. In add-on, coaction is promoted by caput instructors. Every instructor, parent, pupil has its personal demands and involvements. Head instructors try to assist all members in personal and professional troubles and offer ways in order for everyone to hold a function in the school. Furthermore, caput instructors pr omote trust and assurance among all members, make constructive remarks and promote staff to take part in educational seminars and other educational plans. The formal leading theoretical account combines largely regulative and directing values which seek to command the behavior of persons and groups. The equal chances and race dealingss statute law is enacted in many developed states. Such values are an of import portion of the policy procedure both nationally and within organisations. Whether we accept or reject person else ‘s value system is non the same as denying that it is a value which shapes their actions. This is one of the three different sorts of Gross ‘s ( 1985 ) classified values which influence different aspects of the school.A Although the ministry of Education and Culture directs schools on how to run, each school may develop its ain rules and values harmonizing to its peculiar demands and purposes. Under the counsel of the Head Teacher certain values have been defined for my school ‘s civilization like: Equal chances for all kids as an look of cardinal human rights, the development of pupils ‘ soc ietal accomplishments, democratic duologue in instance of struggles among the kids, the multi-dimensional betterment of kids ‘s personality, the importance of interaction with the external environment ( parents ) , and the pattern of multiple intelligences. All the above societal values are articulated within the school serve to pull persons into a formality. The manner that my school is managed promotes coaction and reduces conflict between staff. The caput instructor supports the attempts of his instructors and motivates them to portion and bring forth the school ‘s values. He helps instructors cope with the troubles encountered and promotes respect, democracy, honestness and trust. He encourages instructors to take portion in educational seminars and provides equal chances for engagement in determination doing seeking to follow democratic values. As Gross ( 1985 ) references â€Å" Persons play a important function in set uping peculiar values within the environments in which they live and work. Valuess are manifested in the actions people take, including the things that they say and the linguistic communication they use † ( Gross, 1985, p.47 ) . A Harmonizing to Sergiovanni ( 2000 ) , how we resolve a job relates to the extent to which our determination devising is dominated by the values of our life universe and our syst em universe. As he interprets, system universe should be interdependent with life universe ( the kernel of values and beliefs ) Decision In decision it can be seen that at that place has to be a leading manner which will integrate patterns from both manners of leading and which promote the development of the school through the engagement and engagement of all the staff members. A caput instructor ‘s function is to do the vision and the mission of the school known to his/her staff in order for the instructors with the right cognition and ability to be involved in the determination devising. Bennett, N. ( 1995 ) Pull offing Professional Teachers: in-between direction in primary and secondary schools, London, Paul Chapman. Bush, T. ( 1995 ) , 2nd edn, Theories of Educational Management, London, Paul Chapman. Bush, T. ( 1998 ) The National Professional Qualification for Headship: the key to effectual school leading? , School Leadership and Management, 18 ( 3 ) 321-34. Bush, T. ( 2003 ) , Theories of Educational Management, 3rd edn. London: Sage. Bush, T. And Derek G. , ( 2003 ) , School Leadership: Concepts and Evidence, Full study Spring, 2003 E849 Leading and Managing for Effective Education, Study Guide, ( 2003 ) , The Open University. Gross, F. ( 1985 ) , Ideologies, Goals and Values, Westport, CT, Greenwood Press. Kaily, P. E849 Web Activity 1, 2 November 2010 Palli, C. , E849 Web Activity 1, 3 November 2010 Pashiardis, P. ( 1995 ) , A «Cyprus principals and the catholicities of effectual leadership'A » , International Studies in Educational Administration, Vol. 23 No. 1, pp. 16-26. Sergiovanni 2000, Effective Educational Leadership, O.U. , Sage Wasserberg, M. ( 1999 ) , Making the vision and doing it go on, in Tomlinson, H. , Gunter, H. and Smith, P. ( Eds. ) , Populating Headship: Voices, Valuess and Vision, London, Paul Chapman. Webb, R. and Vulliamy, G. ( 1996 ) , The altering function of the primary caput instructor, Educational Management and Administration, 24 ( 3 ) , 301-15.

Is Russia a True Democracy - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2220 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Politics Essay Type Argumentative essay Level High school Did you like this example? Is Russia a true democracy? Hague and Harrop (2013) argue that liberal democracy is a system with a representative and limited government that operates within an accepted framework for political competition between different political parties. Regular elections are based on universal suffrage and are free and fair where individual rights are respected (Hague and Harrop, 2013). Based on this definition, this essay will argue that Russia has the potential to become a true democracy, but in recent years it has become an illiberal democracy or a competitive authoritarian regime. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Is Russia a True Democracy?" essay for you Create order Levitsky and Way (2010) suggest competitive authoritarian regimes, or illiberal democracies, were competitive in the sense that they use competitive institutions to gain power. However, they use electoral manipulation and abuse state resources in favour of the incumbent regime (Levitsky and Way, 2010). This essay will explore how Russia has reached this stage from the formation of the 1993 constitution under Boris Yeltsin’s rule and how Vladimir Putin has transformed Russia into an illiberal democracy. Under Yeltsin’s rule (1991-99), Russia adopted a new constitution following a referendum in 1993 (Darlington, 1995). This is the constitution that Russia still uses to this day, though it has been amended since. Under this constitution, Russia has a bicameral legislature with a Federal Assembly, a Constitutional Court and a Duma, the latter being the lower chamber of their legislature (Hague and Harrop, 2013). The president is subject to impeachment to a great d egree under the Russian constitution, as the president needs a two-thirds majority in both parliamentary chambers plus confirmation by the courts, to ensure laws are passed (Hague and Harrop, 2013). Donaldson (2004) suggests that this was a time when Russia was strengthening its parliamentary and legal system. This constitution ensures that laws take precedence over presidential decrees, and the Duma played a significant part during the 1990s of resisting Yeltsin’s reforms (Hague and Harrop, 2013). Hague and Harrop (2013) praise Yeltsin’s rule as a time when Russia achieved substantial decentralisation of power. Hague and Harrop (2013) suggest that even under the changes to the Russian constitution Putin has brought in since the end of Yeltsin’s rule, Russia still has a more effective system of rule of law when compared to authoritarian China. Smith (2010) praises the 1993 constitution for ensuring that substantial legal reforms and new laws were passed to improve the legal system in Russia. The 1990s seemed like a decade where Russia could achieve true democracy because they established a constitution that allows the government to operate within a framework of limited government like in a liberal democracy. Following the election of Putin in 2000 to the present day, the situation in Russia has changed dramatically. Firstly, Putin successfully centralised power by acquiring the appointments of regional governments throughout Russia and he created, in 2000, seven extra-constitutional federal okrugs (districts) to oversee lower level units (Hague and Harrop, 2013). Though the 1993 Russian constitution has received praise for moving Russia towards a parliamentary and legal system, the constitution has an inherent flaw of allowing the president too much power as a guarantor of the constitution (Hague and Harrop, 2013). This flaw allows the president to be able to override legislation through decrees and dismiss ministers (Hague and Harrop, 2013). The purpose behind this centralisation was to ensure that these branches of the federal government remain loyal to Moscow and allowed the state to reduce dissent (Hague and Harrop, 2013). It seemed like Russia was now losing its potential to become a true democracy as Putin was beginning the process of strengthening the president’s power over Russia. This has led to Russia becoming a competitive authoritarian regime. This was only the beginning of things to come. Ross’ (2010) suggestion that Russia is a ‘unitary state masquerading as a federation’ (p.170) seems a more accurate way to describe Russia under Putin. Despite the work that Yeltsin made in the 1990s to ensure that the Russian constitution remained decentralised, Sharlet (2005) argues that there is now a gap between individual rights on paper and their realisation in practice since Putin came to power. Respect for individual rights are fundamental for a true democracy to exist, and this lack of respect for individual rights shows how much further away from a true democracy Russia has become under Putin to become a competitive authoritarian state. Throughout Putin’s time, the public have increasingly lost faith in the legal system and legal adjustments against the state have become increasingly difficult to enforce, particularly in the case of Russia’s richest oil oligarch, Mikhail Khodorkovsky (Sharlet, 2005). Khodorkovsky was arrested in 2003 for fraud, and again in 2010 for money laundering (Donaldosn, 2015). His trials received international condemnation for being politically motivated and for its lack of due process (Donaldson, 2015). Yet another distinguishing factor that contributes towards the growth of a competitive authoritarian regime in Russia under Putin is the lack of separation between the public and private sphere. Hague and Harrop (2013) argue that it is quite common in Russia for gangsters to participate in ‘free-for-all deals with the state’ and that ‘individual financiers pull the strings to fill their own pockets’ (p. 167). Putin even stated himself that he wants to decrease the degree of pluralism in Russia and how he wants ‘civil society to be adjunct to a strong state’ (Evans, 2005: p.112). For this reason, few promotional groups in Russia possess a mass membership (Evans, 2005). Despite this, Russia still has the potential to become a true democracy in allowing the promotion of business interests to the state and increase the amount of pluralism in Russia. As Peregudov (2011) argues, a network of business organisations has been established, and it is up and running. Yet, as Peregudov (2011) also highlights, the problem with this system is that it has received very little interest from Putin. It is little wonder that promotional groups in Russia do not possess a mass membership as they feel they have little influence under Putin, whic h demonstrates a further lack of true democracy in Russia. It is not just business interests that are penalised under Putin’s Russia. It is also opposition parties that receive barely any attention from the media and are put at a disadvantage by the state. As Hague and Harrop (2013) suggest, in a liberal democracy, there has to be a framework for competition between different political parties. Yet in recent years, this has not happened under Putin, which shows that true democracy is not prevailing. As McFaul (2005) argues, in Russia there is an absence of independence within the media as oligarchic ranks and regional elites reduced the freedom of manoeuvre for opposition parties and political candidates. A 2004 survey showed that eighty-two per cent of Russians watched television and twenty-two per cent read newspapers, which demonstrates the scope to which Putin can reach out to people (Oates, 2005). The significant problem with Russia’s media is that there are one-hundred laws governing media conduct and many journalists fear that whatever they publish, will ultimately lead to their deaths (Hague and Harrop, 2013). This proved to be the case when journalist Anna Piltkovskaya was murdered under suspicious circumstances in 2006 (Donaldson, 2015). The 2012 presidential elections, where Putin was re-elected, despite already serving two terms, demonstrated the fundamental weaknesses behind the Russian constitution (Donaldson, 2015). Putin received considerable protest after the count was manipulated to ensure Putin was re-elected (Hague and Harrop, 2013). This is what Levitsky and Way (2010) describe as ‘electoral manipulation in a competitive authoritarian regime’ (p. 3). This move has brought Russia closer to becoming a competitive authoritarian regime. Putin reacted to the growth in protest to his rule in 2012 from feminist punk band, the Pussy Riot, by imprisoning them and he restricted the amount of protests people are allowed to hold in Russia (Hague and Harrop, 2013). It is little wonder that people have little faith in political parties in Russia. As Huggins (2002) argues, crucial to a true democracy is that there is no limit to political participation. Russia has the worst levels of political participation amongst European nations with only one per cent of people in Russia members of political parties (Hague and Harrop, 2013). The 2011 parliamentary elections and 2012 presidential elections saw higher numbers of young people voting than in previous elections (Hague and Harrop, 2013). As White (2007) suggests, political parties seem to ‘come and go’ in Russia and this creates ‘a lack of party identification’ when compared to most parliamentary democracies (p. 27). The United Russia Party, founded by Putin in 2001, has dominated the Duma and the Federation Council since and won forty-nine per cent of the vote in the 2011 parliamentary elections (Donaldson, 2015). Levitsky and Way (2010) suggest that in competitive authoritarian regimes, the state abuses its power. The Kremlin used threats and bribes to ensure that this party was supported by Russia’s most powerful companies and regional governors (Hague and Harrop, 2013). This incident demonstrated that Russia possesses the characteristic features of a competitive authoritarian regime. In 2008, Putin stood down as president so that Dimitry Medvedev could take over as president (Donaldson, 2015). In a cynical move, the constitution was extended so that the president could serve for six years and decided to become president again in March 2012 (Donaldson, 2015). Vladimir Rhyzkov, a Kremlin opponent and former Duma deputy who lost his seat in 2007, said of the extension terms of 2008: ‘This is very negative. Today, the president controls parliament, senate, the regions, and the bureaucracy’ (Donaldson, 2015). Hague and Harrop (2013) argue that Russia cannot ac hieve what is close to a liberal democracy because real change cannot occur until Putin resigns. As Donaldson (2015) argues, Russia has become ‘influenced by the power and personality of one man; Putin.’ As Levitsky and Way (2010) argue, rulers tend to make the results in a competitive authoritarian regime. Twigg (2005) praises the improvements in policy-making made by Putin in 2005 that replaced the era of Soviet privileges (free or subsidised housing, transportation, medicine for students and patients) with cash payments. Despite this, policy-making in post-communist Russia remains subject to the requirements of the political elite and industrialists who pose a threat to the president find regulations invoked against them (Hague and Harrop, 2013). For example, in 2006, Putin provided his allies from state-owned oil companies with a greater share of the Sakhalin-2 oil field by rewriting the contract with Royal Dutch Shell (Hague and Harrop, 2013: p. 359). Theref ore, true democracy does not exist in Russia. Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, summed up his views of the current situation in Russia in 2011: ‘We have everything- a president, a prime minister, courts and a parliament- but it’s more of an imitation’ (Donaldson, 2015). The culmination of these events has inevitably led Putin to distract attention from home by trying to restore ‘prestige and glory’ to the Russian nation through occupying Ukraine and the Baltic states to expand Russia’s territory (Donaldson, 2015). Therefore, true democracy will not exist under Russia whilst Putin is still in charge. Russia has moved towards a competitive authoritarian regime instead. The potential for Russia to become a true democracy certainly existed under Yeltsin with the construction of the 1993 constitution which laid out the powers of the Duma, the Constitutional Court, the Federal Council and the president. The Duma played a leading part in blocking many of Yeltsin’s reforms and Russia moved towards establishing an effective parliamentary and legal system at this time. However, since the arrival of Putin, the state has centralised power to a large extent. The problem with the 1993 constitution was that it allowed the president too much power as both head of state and guarantor of the constitution. Putin has abused this clause by acquiring appointments for regional governments. Putin has ensured that the media plays a significant part in guaranteeing his re-election through electoral manipulation and giving less air time to his opponents. It may not be until 2024 that the potential for true democracy to exist in Russia re-emerges. Bibliography Darlington, R. (2015) Roger Darlington. Available at: https://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Russianpoliticalsystem.html. (Accessed: 20th January 2015). Donaldson (2004) ‘Russia’, Journal of Legislative Studies (10) pp. 230-49. Evans, A. (2005) A Russian Civil Society. In: White, S., Gitelman, Z. and Sakwa, R. (eds.) Developments in Russian Politics. 6th edition. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 96-113. Hague, R. and Harrop, M. (2013) Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction. 9th edition Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Huggins, R. (2002) Democracy and Democratisation. In: Axford, B., Browning, G.K., Huggins, R. and Rosamond B. (eds.) Politics: An Introduction. Abingdon: Routledge. Levitsky, S. and Way, L. (2010) Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War. New York: Cambridge University Press. McFaul, M. (2005) The Electoral System. In: White, S., Gitelman, Z. and Sakwa, R. (eds.) Developments in Russian Politics. 6th edition. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 61-79. Oates, S. (2005) Media and Political Communication. In White, S., Gitelman, Z. and Sakwa, R. (eds.) Developments in Russian politics. 6th edition. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, pp.114-29. Peregudov, S. (2001) The Oligarchical Model of Russian Capitalism. In: Brown, A. (ed.) Contemporary Russian Politics: A Reader. Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press, pp.259-68. Ross, C. (2010) Reforming the Federation in Developments. In: White, S., Sakwa, R., and Hale, H. (eds.) Developments in Russian politics. 7th edition. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, pp.152-170. Sharlet, R. (2005) In Search of the Rule of Law in Developments. In: White, S., Gitelman, Z. and Sakwa, R. (eds.) Developments in Russian Politics. 6th edition. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 130-47. Smith, A. (2010) Nationalism. 2nd edn, Cambridge: Polity. Twigg, J. (2005) Social Policy in Post-Soviet Russia. In: White, S., Gitelman, Z. an d Sakwa, R. (eds.) Developments in Russian Politics. 6th edition. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 204-20.