Month: June 2019
Setting the Standard: in Defense of Standardized Testing in Today’s Society
Society today is fraught with conflict. With the current social landscape in the United States firmly polarized, one is not shocked to note that the realm of education is not exempt from discourse. Regardless of one's profession or social sphere, it is more likely than not that the issue of standardized testing is brought up, whether due to direct personal impact on a family member or child or due to exposure on the news. The term, standardized testing refers to testing that is conducted in a consistent and controlled manner, with a rigid grading structure and administered according to a book of defined rules. Standardized tests are created based off of a central curriculum and rubric that all educational institutions are instructed to adhere to. This practice is meant to put all students on an equal playing field by ensuring each student is taught the same material in the same manner, then tested according to said information. Standardized testing has been and continues to be a topic for debate, especially based on whether the benefits outweigh the cons when it comes to its effect on children, teachers, and schools. While there are multiple stances on the issue, there are two main positions.
One side decries standardized testing and endorses a reduction in the number (if not outright elimination) of tests. The other supports standardized testing practice, citing that the standardized testing system should stay the way it is. This paper will support the pro-test position, while also addressing the main arguments against standardized testing. Testing will be evaluated as an equalizer and as a constructive method to evaluate the effectiveness of schools, as well as an indicator of material retention. Additionally, the merits of assessment must also be addressed, as well as the concept around teaching to the test. While standardized testing comes in many forms, dependent on the level of implementation and its source, this evaluation will focus on the concept of standardized testing itself rather than a specific test. Before one can begin to explain the benefits of standardized testing, one must first establish the importance of testing in general. For the purposes of this paper, testing or rather, assessment, refers to a tool to measure the amount and quality of course material retained. For this information to be considered quality, the student must be able to apply the information rather than simply regurgitate it back on to the page (memorization). That being the case, this also implies that where assessment is concerned, the tests administered must ask questions that would allow students being tested to apply their knowledge.
Assessment is a rather broad term and covers projects, teacher-student evaluations and reflections, and of course, the traditional tests and quizzes (Boss). However, since the focus of this analysis is standardized testing, the area of assessment to be examined are specifically tests and quizzes. Assessment is valuable mainly because it is a tool that can measure how well students are learning information, as well as illuminate the areas that need further review. According to the Review of Educational Research's review of literature about the impact of classroom testing in 1988, formative testing was found to improve learning, both in the short and long term. Short-term effects included a heightened focus on classroom material, providing additional practice with the material, and helping students better understand further educational activities. Long-term effects included increased student motivation, reinforcing teaching goals, influencing the development of learning strategies, and even impacting students' future course selection (qtd. in Earl, 43). A possible reason for these effects could be that through assessment, students can view their results and not only find where they can improve, but also what skills they excel in.
This information could then be used by teachers to advise them in possible career paths or course work. Without assessment, both teachers and students would be left in the dark as to where an individual stands in their understanding and thus, no progress would be possible for either the teacher or student (Holland 2001 qtd. in Phelps, 222). On the other hand, critics of assessment argue that the benefits of assessment (such as measurement of material mastery) do not outweigh the cons of the pressure it puts children and educators under. One critic goes so far as to claim that learning is not a competitive sport and should not be treated as such (Dixon). Others contend that the amount of time spent on assessment takes away from the learning process (Covaleskie, 1) and that test preparation efforts are an entirely separate affair from teaching children to write, read, or even think (Almagor, 2)”implying that test preparation is not a form of learning in and of itself. However, the problem with these comments is the assumption that the sole purpose and value in testing is the test score. These arguments do not take into account that assessment is more than a score. Rather, assessment is more of a process that informs classroom instruction and vice versa; instruction informs assessment (Paul, 2). Assessment, test preparation and quality of education are intimately intertwined. Formative assessment is essential to the learning process and teaching as a whole (Winch, 103); namely because of its many facets.
Assessment means attention to student motivation and engagement, making connections between subjects, measuring the progression of learning, and planning linkages between instruction and the tests themselves (Earl, 45). Further, through the synthesis of 250 studies about the link between learning and testing, the Assessment Reform Group (1999) and Black & William (1998) concluded that assessment is: a critical part of teacher's perception of teaching, involves the sharing of learning goals between instructor and student, involves students in self-assessment and reflection, provides feedback for improvement, and ultimately, is reinforced by the idea that all students can improve (qtd. in Earl, 44). Testing is critically important to education because it gives educators and policy makers the opportunity to use the test results as a means to measure where students are and as a starting point for future lesson plans and methods to increase the quality of education in America as a whole. While the merits of testing are obvious, the issue with relying on traditional classroom assessment is the sheer variability of the material taught, as well as the teaching methods used. While general achievement levels provide some significant information, this information must be contextualized and the only way to do so is through thorough qualitative and quantitative analyses (Paul, 3). If assessment varied from teacher to teacher, school to school, state to state, then there would be no accurate way to generalize the results.
Further, there is also the influence of outside factors to consider, including but not limited to: amount of educational funding, priorities of each environment (state, county, school, etc.), physical and/or mental disabilities, and social stratification. Considering these factors, this makes standardization a priority. The true brilliance of testing, when standardized, is its use of an equalizer. Namely, this effect is possible because the term standardized testing does not just refer to the test itself, but also the process and central curriculum that comes alongside it. One argument against standardization is that tests administered by testing companies may be biased or the government could manipulate the test material to best benefit themselves instead of the population at large. However, this concern is contradictory because of education's role at the center of society. States provide funding for schools and also have the responsibility under U.S. law (such as the U.S.A. Constitution) to regulate state-wide education (Covaleskie, 4), especially once the No Child Left Behind Act passed (Madaus et al., 22). Thus, states have both a practical and principle interest in educational quality. Practically, states have an interest in the economic well-being of the state's citizens because it uses their tax dollars to fund the schools. As for principle, states can only regulate their schools by receiving information about how these schools are faring (Covaleskie, 4).
Further, there is an incentive to avoid governmental meddling due to the potential political and social backlash if the public learned of a scandal. Education is a central pillar of society and being so necessary, this means that it is essential that there is no discrimination in its implementation (Covaleskie, 3). On that note, the U.S. government has put policy in place to safeguard against discrimination. An example of these policies includes Section 504 of the Rehabilitative Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (L. Erlbaum Associates, 198), which were put in place to clearly define what disabilities are and ensure that they are accommodated. Therefore, testing companies offer alternatives for those with disabilities, such as providing extra time to take the test (or even no time limit) for those with learning disabilities; and also accommodate for students with other disadvantages, such as language barriers by providing translated versions of the test. Another main argument that opponents of standardization (and by extension, standardized testing) put forth is the question of the feasibility of truly standardized material. How can a single assessment package, curriculum, or test possibly be appropriate for all students regardless of gender, race, culture, socioeconomic status, or disability (Paul, 3)? However, test publishers and makers have been intentional in their efforts to address these concerns. There are procedures for creating standardized material and when developing a test, testing companies employ measures such as: having a representative sample of the entire population write and review the assessment materials, conducting pre-tests with a diverse sample, evaluating each test component for test bias, and consider norms (lets test user know percentage of the entire population that earned a certain score) (L. Erlbaum Associates, 193-194).
In addition to standardization efforts when making the tests, how to properly go about setting the standard scores was also evaluated. Student advocates have and continue to work with measurement specialists to institute appropriate student performance standards (e.g. Kane, 2001 & Zieky, 2001) (Firestone et al., 145). Interestingly enough, research has shown that the introduction of standards (i.e. quality control) have a positive effect on the average percent correct on a standardized test. In the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), a group of 30 countries participated in the same standardized test (7th and 8th grade level TIMSS exam) and were ranked according to the number of system-wide quality control measures used (standards) and the average TIMSS score per country. Top performing countries used more quality control measures, with the largest amount (~18) also yielding the highest average percentage correct (~77%). The United States ranked approximately in the middle of the top and bottom performing countries, but closer to the bottom overall, with the lowest grade retention rate at 1.65 (Phelps, 221). If we are to take this data as indicative of a larger trend, the U.S.A. may benefit from additional standardization rather than less.
However, even with these standards in place, another strong objection to the testing regime is the claim that tests discriminate against minorities, on the basis that minorities (and poor rural whites) consistently score lower than middle class whites on standardized tests. However, it is a leap to claim that these results are definitive proof that the tests themselves are discriminatory. The tests are tools, tools specifically created with the intent to compensate for differences between students. If the interest is to create true educational equality, these tests have potential to illuminate the educational deprivation inflicted on the poor instead of sealing their fate; because, frankly, even without the tests, poor students would be denied educational equity. However, without standardized testing, there would be no hard proof of the discrepancies in educational quality (Covaleskie, 5). From the very wording itself, the phrase teaching to has a distinctly negative connotation and casts test preparation in the light of having an extremely narrow and simplistic scope.
The phrasing perpetuates the perception that standardized testing is inherently bad. In reality, as covered in the section The Merits of Assessment, test preparation is actually beneficial in overall learning and retention. Unfortunately, the general assumption is that any deviation from the traditional classroom teaching methods subtracts from instruction and when teachers employ the traditional teaching model, it is always better than preparing students for an external assessment or test (Stotsky, 7), even if not necessarily true. In both Cizek (2002) and Mehren's (1988) review of empirical research literature, there was relatively sparse evidence to support the claims of negative consequences of classroom teachers' test preparation (L. Erlbaum Associates, 166). Critics of standardized testing seem to assume that once high stakes are attached to assessments, teachers will abandon their professional duty to teach a balanced course to instead pursue measurement-focused instruction (L. Erlbaum Associates, 171); which seems to devalue both the teacher and the effort put into making a standardized and beneficial curriculum in the first place. Paired with the assumption that literature on the benefits of testing is nonexistent, there is an inherent bias against standardized testing from the start (L. Erlbaum Associates, 57-58). Phrasing aside, when on the topic of standardized testing, one common complaint is that testing lowers the quality of education and penalizes creativity. By forcing teachers to teach to the test, teachers are thus prevented from aiding students' intellectual and emotional growth (Kohn 2002, qtd. in Covaleskie, 6).
Author Anya Kamenetz claims that the current focus on testing in America makes schools unpleasant places and by the 12th grade, students have taken an average of 133 various exams and 28% of class time is spent on test preparation and testing (Kamenetz, qtd. in Dixon). This standpoint points at the current testing regime as the source of reductionist teaching, but education critics like John Dewey were decrying the same issues before standardized testing even existed. It is not that standardized testing suddenly came along and ruined education, but rather, reductionist and by-rote teachingis just the way it's always been done (Covaleskie, 6). To be fair, there simply is not enough time, much less in a school year for students to learn everything there is to know about the world”there is simply too much information! The issue is that teaching to the test is a paradox in and of itself: if teachers do not teach the material that will be on the test, they will be criticized. On the other hand, if teachers do simply teach the material that they are told will be on the test, then they will be criticized (Phelps 40). That does bring up the question, however. What is wrong with teaching to the test when the central principle and basis of education is creating a curriculum (or lesson plan), teaching it, and then testing retention?
Standardized testing is essentially a mechanism that gives the teacher their learning goals and basic lesson plan up front (while still allowing implementation of its contents to be the decision of the educator; as standardized tests do not dictate teaching method, but instead require mastery of specific knowledge (Phelps, 45)), with the only difference from normal teaching is that the standards come from an external source. The test itself does not control how educators or schools approach preparation for the exam, but rather identifies what information is seen as essential. One of the benefits of standardized testing is that it can be used to monitor student progress, as well as by extension, the quality of instruction or rather, if schools are fulfilling their promises to the public. More-so than that, testing can show weaknesses in the current system and thus, educators can focus their attention on improvement. Evaluation allows one make changes when necessary to maximize student success. The alternative view on using testing as a means of evaluation is that the results are used to measure the education system, which destroys real knowledge due to accountability pressure (Davis, 7).
However, this raises the question of what is and who should define real knowledge? Who should have a say in what information is deemed important or not? Phelps posits that critics that consider external standards and believe that each individual teacher gets to choose what is best for his/her classroom deny [the] legal reality that the public has the right to choose curricular order for schools (Phelps, 39), considering its their children doing the learning and the society at large that will be affected. Covaleskie supports this point, mentioning that when government agencies, acting under democratic procedures (i.e. yielding to the public's vote), decide that schools should teach certain material, then it is their responsibility to ensure the material is taught.
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Setting the Standard: In Defense of Standardized Testing in Today's Society. (2019, Jun 14).
Retrieved November 5, 2025 , from
https://studydriver.com/2019/06/page/16/
Standardized Testing: Measurement of Academic Achievement
According to Albert Einstein, Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. This is exactly the case with standardized testing, a method of consistent multiple-choice testing that is the same throughout, including the time allowed to take the test and the questions on the test (Burrows 1). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2002 requires all U.S. government-owned schools to administer annual standardized testing to measure the academic progress of all of their students (Chubb 10). The U.S. is the only highly developed nation that requires schools owned federally to complete numerous standardized tests yearly (How Standardized Testing Damages Education 2). The belief of the government, school faculty, and the public is that standardized testing allows a thorough examination of future collegiate success, evaluation of teachers, and assessment of school achievement. But, in fact, standardized testing is negatively impacting the quality of education, is remarkably biased, and is an outrageously ineffective way to appraise student and teacher achievement.
The pressures on schools to perform fittingly on state-mandated tests are being forced to teach to the test through low-quality curriculum and test prep rather than having students think analytically and creatively throughout their primary and secondary education (Chubb 9). For example, students have a pressure placed on them to perform satisfactorily on the SAT to get accepted into their college of choice (Moore et al. 49). This causes many students to spend undue amounts of time preparing for the test through Pre-SATs, test preparatory courses, and study booklets and in turn, drives students away from their regular schoolwork to prepare for these tests (Moore at al. 49). Alexia Garcia, a 2013 graduate of Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon says [Testing] felt really irrelevant and disconnected from what we were doing in class (Rizga 40). Multiple choice tests are efficient for scoring hundreds of tests at one time through robots, which causes most administrators of standardized tests leave open-ended or extended response questions nonexistent which require critical thinking because they require human readers(The Room 241 Team 1). The consistent multiple choice questions on standardized tests cause poor assessment of students' ability. Additionally, less time is being spent on the sciences, social studies, and the arts to prepare students to take the tests in math, reading and writing (The Room 241 Team 1).
Minorities, English-learners, and low-income students suffer the most from these state-mandated practices, and, consequently, they are all more likely to be denied a diploma, be placed in remedial programs, or be forced to be held back in their grade (How Standardized Testing Damages Education 1). For this reason, standardized testing remains intensely biased towards the English-speaking, white middle class. For one, all students across all ethnic lines score better on the SAT if they have taken advanced-level courses [and] minorities and students from low-income schools seldom have access to such courses because these courses are often expensive (Moore et al. 49) If the students that have experienced preparatory programs and score well, it is not a reflection of their intelligence and ability to learn, but rather their ability to afford such resources. Maria Blanco with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund states the SAT has turned into a barrier to students of color [because] it keeps out very qualified kids who have overcome obstacles but don't test very well (Moore et al. 50). Also, those, usually minorities and low-class adolescents, that have poor access to schooling and an educational system are less likely to score well on the standardized tests every year and put them at risk for being deemed unworthy or impaired (Rizga 41).
Kristina Rizga presents an analogy for the opportunities for each class of student on such tests. She states that high-class students ride through the education system on an elevator supported by high-quality teachers, curriculum, and tutors. Middle-class students ride on an escalator of which their parents might struggle to support but will work to access the necessary resources for their child. Low-class students take the poorly-kept staircases with cracks, missing steps, and no handrails (41). This becomes evident in their standardized test scores because high-class students score head and shoulders above on the exams due to the fact they can afford high-quality schooling. Ethnic minorities, non-traditional students, and women are also at disadvantages because of the high probability they will fall into the low-class group (Moore et al. 49). Because of this, in 2001, males outscored females by 42 points despite the fact that females outperform males in actual high school classes (Moore et al. 49). Also, African Americans scored an average of 859 on the SAT while White students averaged 1060 (Moore et al. 49).
The ability for students to perform well on a one-time test that will determine their intelligence, ability to learn in college, or their future academic strides is unfathomable. Research shows that many students have the capability to do well in college but they don't have requisite resources to be able to score high on exams such as the SAT or ACT, producing false negatives (Moore et al. 53). False negatives are adolescents that take the standardized tests and score poorly but, in all reality, they have the same intelligence as someone who scored exponentially higher than they did (Moore et al. 48). These students are rerouted to community colleges or technical schools where the chance of success in their field is very low (Moore et al. 52). Standardized testing also puts unnecessary strain on teachers. Test scores are used to determine the amount of funding a school will garner based on student accomplishment, and this causes teachers to reach to repetitive teaching and tests in the classroom instead of improving their teaching ability, which requires time and diligent interaction with students (Rizga 43). Moreover, school administrators have been drawn to suspending the low performing students, mostly African Americans and Latinos, as a way to boost their overall test score average (Rigza 41).
The Government Accountability Office reported 33 states had an instance where school staff was plainly cheating on the 2011-2012 school year tests (Rigza 41). Additionally, standardized testing can be used for the evaluation of teachers in the school, showing data and proof for schools to fire old teachers and hire new teachers (How Standardized Testing Damages Education 2). It is said that teacher's performance shouldn't be evaluated with a one-time test, but rather classroom observation of student work and behavior because some students succeed in school, yet do not perform well on tests. This could deter striving educators away from schools in fear their teaching ability isn't up to par with the standards set in place, which could cause increased demand for teachers and educators (How Standardized Testing Damages Education 2). Other countries, including those that are as advanced or less advanced than the United States, have used testing strategies including essay writing testing analytical and critical thinking that clearly promote higher-order thinking and problem solving and push schools to expose students to rich and diverse content (Chubb 9).
Since other nations don't focus so much on multiple choice testing methods, they score excessively higher on international school ranking tests, putting themselves over one of the most highly developed nations in the world (How Standardized Testing Damages Education 1). Standardized testing is unfair considering its intense bias against women, minorities, and low-class individuals. It is unsustainable due to the fact it puts unnecessary pressures on teachers and faculty to be genuinely confident in their students' ability to obtain high test scores. It is flat out unneeded as college admissions officers could not care less how students perform on current state tests (Chubb 11) and that the SAT is a good measure of a student's ability to take the SAT (Moore et al. 49), not their predicted success in the college world.
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Standardized Testing: Measurement of Academic Achievement. (2019, Jun 14).
Retrieved November 5, 2025 , from
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Live Concert Review Beethoven’s Violin Concerto
Beethoven is one of the major pioneers in classical music and probably the most influential of all time. When it came time to decide on whom to choose for my concert review it made the most sense to choose someone that has shaped classical music into what it is now. I have personally been to many concerts, however, I have never attended a classical production before. In choosing this composer, I knew that I would be guaranteed to listen to a little piece of history. Unsurprisingly, I was not let down by the composition, performance, and execution of one of Beethoven's highly regarded concertos.
On one Saturday night of October 6th, 2018 I attended the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville. I observed Beethoven's Violin Concerto come alive with the Nashville Symphony. Giancarlo Guerrero conducted this Concerto and this also featured solo violinist James Ehnes. The venue was organized to where the orchestra and the conductor are on an elevated stage and the audience is located in front of them, behind them, and on their sides divided into different levels. I was located behind the conductor and in front of the orchestra in one of the first rows. The lights dim and shine on the orchestra for the show to begin.
In order to understand this composition I need to provide a little backstory. In history some pieces received immediate love from the audience, however, when it comes to this particular case, the Violin Concerto went through a rough start. Beethoven completed this piece just two days before its premier in 1806 and this did not allow Soloist, Franz clement enough time to rehearse. (Eulenburg) This was Beethoven's first and only Violin Concerto and after nearly four decades later, this piece finally began to gain popularity due to the performance of 13-year-old Joseph Joachim in 1844. (Stowell) Today this piece is considered one of the most beautiful and beloved concertos, according to Beethoven's biographer Jan Swafford. Its greatness lays not in its technique but in its cantabile, it's signing.
Beethoven was influenced by the military and heroic gestures of music from the French Revolution and his knowledge of the French Violin School for this particular concerto. (Stowell) Robin Stowell observed that, Beethoven's familiarity with the compositions and playing styles of leading figures of the French violin school led to his transforming some of their idiomatic features from simple bravura to embellishments of profound musical ideas.
The concerto was divided into three sections with the first being concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra in allegro ma non troppo. This particular Beethoven violin concerto is constructed symmetrically: each section has the same outline (two dialectically opposed parts) containing the complete motif (A+B, C, D, E). The movement follows the standard "sonata form" of Beethoven's predecessors almost to the letter. It is divided into three parts: the Exposition (orchestra and soloist), Development, and Refrain (with Coda). This concerto is scored for not only the solo violin, I also observed an array of instruments composed of: flutes, oboes, timpani, strings, trumpets, horns, bassoons, and clarinet.
The timpani is the first sound we are hit with taking center stage to play a motif of four beats that returns again and again in the opening movement. Biographer, Jan Swafford, notes that the simplicity of this gesture, heralds a piece that is going to be made of radically simple elements: rhythms largely in quarters and eights, most of the phrasing in four bars, flowing melodies made largely out of scales. The first movement is very serene and asks for the listener to contemplate rather than depict an epic adventure or drama. The soloists' entrance is delayed by a lengthy orchestral introduction in order to create the leisurely aspect of the theme.
The allegro ma non troppo does an excellent job of keeping the piece at a steady pace where it is fast, but not overly fast. The introduction and contemplation is made with a beautifully pieced together technique ending with a knocking motif. Expert in Beethoven's concertos, Leon Plantinga, observed that this gesture could be read as, military metaphor, and emblem of struggle that illumines the joys of tranquility. He also notes that it, anticipates a pivotal moment in Beethoven's masterpiece of sacred music, where piece is defined by the invocation of its opposite.
The second section of the concert is in Larghetto, which is a slower tempo. This is started at a slower pace with increasing and lengthy notes that fall and pick up. The violin is very prominent in here and is the one leading with a measured touch of the orchestra in the background. The calm of this section centers on a gentle theme in G major. This reappears in different instruments as a framework around which the soloist weaves capturing scenes. In this movement the strings play with "sordina" (while flute, oboe, trumpets and timpani are not included in the score), so to give the overall sound a soft, mellow, and warm color. This section is the most touching due to its celestial notes invoking the soul's communion with high powers. It is very magical and asks the listener to get in touch with their most deep emotions.
The third and final section is followed by a brief cadenza as the bridge that leads into the Rondo. The main theme, known as the Refrain, is repeated in an entwined cycle and also includes a number of classic Sonata features like: the three-part symmetry, harmonic structure, and the fact that the first episode (which returns as the third episode) acts as the 2nd theme of the Sonata. This varied form, known as the Rondo Sonata, was frequently used in the last movements of the works of Beethoven's second period. The tune is envisioned after a hunting call. This section assigns the tune to the violin's low register compared to the heights of the preceding movements. Leon Plantinga writes, Forthright good humor and uncomplicated rejoicing may rank high as human values, quite fit to stand together in the artistic enterprise with expressions of the most profound sort.
As the concerto geared towards the ending I couldn't help the overall sensation that I had just been taken through a storybook, however, no words were spoken. It is incredible how melodies can transport the mind and soul to a different dimension on notes alone. This was my first live concerto and I will have to say that it was one of the most beautiful to listen to. Although, I did not have much interaction with the audience, as everyone was completely enveloped with the concerto, I could sense they felt the same amazement I did. There are no signs of inner struggle or unneeded harsh tones throughout the concerto. It moves at just the right pace during each section and has the ability to develop emotion throughout.
As the lights undimmed, the audience had nothing but a huge round of applause for the performance. The musicians played beautifully and really demonstrated their technical ability as they captured what I believe was Beethoven's essence. I really enjoyed each section of this piece as each brought forth its own world of sounds and awoke intricate individual emotions. Attending this live performance made me realize that in order to understand the artist, especially when it comes to classical music, you have to immerse yourself into their world. Beethoven is regarded as one of the pioneers of classical music for a very good reason and I am glad I was able to finally witness some of his classical work first hand.
Works Cited Page
- Beethoven, Ludwig van: Concerto for Violin and orchestra in D major op. 61. Score. Eulenburg 2007. EAS 130
- Stowell, Robin (1998). Beethoven Violin Concerto. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Stowell, Robin, ed. (1994). Performing Beethoven. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
(Ten essays by various authors)
- History of Classical Music - Eras, www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?
item_code=8.501058&catNum=501058&filetype=About this Recording&language=English.
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Live Concert Review Beethoven's Violin Concerto. (2019, Jun 14).
Retrieved November 5, 2025 , from
https://studydriver.com/2019/06/page/16/
Fleetwood Mac Concert Review
This past Wednesday, on November 21st, I attended a Fleetwood Mac concert. Fleetwood Mac is a rock band that formed in London during the 1970's and include both American and British performers. They are widely-known and just embarked on their most recent tour in October of 2018, called An Evening with Fleetwood Mac. This tour is different from the band's others in that one of the original members, Lindsey Buckingham, has departed from the group, and it is the band's farewell tour. Neil Finn and Mike Campbell are the two new additions since Buckingham's departure, both of who blend well with the rest of the band.
The concert was held at a large indoor arena called the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The arena is known to be the home of the San Jose Sharks Hockey Team, and seats 15,000 people. As I walked into the arena, I noticed a large majority of the concert-goers were middle aged people, the baby-boomer generation if you will. Both adult men and women filed into the venue, with excited looks on their faces. I was pleasantly surprised by the noticeable amount of young people in the audience as well, many of who were decked out in 70's apparel of scarves and flare jeans. It is clear that Fleetwood Mac attracts fans from a time of their peak popularity, but they also continue to attract new listeners as many of their songs are timeless and well-known even among a younger demographic. The crowd was diverse, however still dominantly white. Everyone seemed to be in a great spirits during the show, singing along with the band receiving positive responses to their music. Typically concerts at large venues are crowded and impersonal, however the band was great at connecting with fans and audience participation. There was a good amount of fans who knew all the songs, but many younger people in the audience only sang along and danced to the band's main hits.
At the start of the show, Fleetwood Mac entered the stage and took their places at their rightful microphones or instruments. Stevie Nicks walked straight to her microphone in the center of the stage, followed by her was Mick Fleetwood who headed to the drum set in the back left side of the stage. Meanwhile, Christine McVie took her seat at her keyboard, while her ex-husband John took his place on the stage next to Nicks' with his bass. Lastly, Mike Campbell and Neil Finn join in. The band opens with of their most popular songs, The Chain. The audience immediately begins to sing along and cheer. I saw both young and old fans stand up and sway to the melody of the song. The group put a lot of care and feeling into building their set list, and took the trouble to introduce songs associated with former band members.
The overall feel of the concert was very natural, almost like a family feel. The band members, although not all original members and relationships between certain members remain, Fleetwood Mac's presence was electric. They knew what they were doing, there was amazing chemistry between all band members, and the set-up of the stage was very practical. All of the group can be seen spread out across the stage with backdrop that had fun and calming images, almost psychedelic imagery of nature and flowers. Steve Nicks rocked an all-black long coat, with two different gloves on each hand and tied it all together with a scarf tied around her microphone. John McVie wore a fun bright colored vest and a white hat that matched his hair. Fleetwood is seen behind his gold and white drum set with a hat as well, rocking a western themed outfit including a black best and a red bandana. Mike Campbell made his mark with a fun top hat and neon colored coat, to stand out among the majority of band members in black. All band members seemed to be in good spirits and connected on a spiritual level throughout the performance, which made for an inspiring show.
The band is known to perform mainly pop rock and folk rock songs and in their earlier days resembled that of a blues band. The music group and its diverse members incorporate many different styles and influences into their music, making their concert lack repetition due to the variety and diversity of genres and albums they performed from. Fleetwood Mac included many songs from their most popular album, Rumours, in their set list; but the group also incorporated other songs from all throughout the bands time creating music. During the concert one could detect the varying musical influences on the band from R&B Muddy Waters style, folk and banjo, and finger picking, to call and response between the band and the singers, and the British blues-boom in their early days. The British blues-boom is an authentic vintage feel of a performance that has 12 bar blues progression and shouting vocals. You hear the band transition into a softer more folk feel throughout the evolution of their albums. In An Evening with Fleetwood Mac the audience heard all different genres and musical styles.
During the performance of World Turning, Mick Fleetwood had a long drum and percussion solo. He started out with a backbeat type drum rhythm while getting the audience excited with inserting words of excitement. He engaged with the audience doing call and response with drums and vocals, while just playing the hi-hat to build up. Fleetwood then breaks out in a full drum solo while engaging with the crowd to cheer him on. The backup percussionist then joined in and the two played somewhat randomly. There was no consistent rhythm, but it was fun and uplifting beat. In the song Oh Well, one of the band's first songs originally composed by Peter Green, Campbell took over the role for an instrumental solo. Mike Campbell remained true to Green's original blue style during the performance and played the classic riffs of the original sounds. Finn provided a lot of the main acoustic strumming for songs where Nicks was lead singer.
Most of the bands song consist of instrumentation including drums, bass, guitar, and piano, along with harmonies from the backup singers, percussionist, keyboarder, and guitarist. Although older, the folk rock group still can perform like they used to. Mick Fleetwood was jamming out on the drums like he was twenty-five again, and McVie brought lots of character to the stage. Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie were in the spotlight Wednesday night, especially since the departure of Buckingham from the group. Band members took turns in the spotlight with instrumental solos as well. I heard beautiful harmonies between Nicks and Finn, and was pleasantly surprised how Neil Finn naturally fit into the group's vibe. The chemistry between the singers and band members was great, almost so much so that you would never be able to tell they had been working together for just a couple of months.
Harmonies between Finn, Mac and Nicks were powerful and beautiful, sounding like it was meant to be. The band provided a mix of their best hits, both sentimental and loud. The music slowed down and the lights came down, as Nicks started her performance of Free Fallin. During the performance, images of the old band members and Tom Petty flashed on the screen in the background, giving a feel of nostalgia and wholesomeness. One of my favorite songs of the night was Stevie's feminist rendition of Black Magic Woman, as she announced to the crowd that she rewrote is from the point of view of a woman.
I admire Fleetwood Mac and I have been a fan ever since I learned that both Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham attended the same high school I did. At the time I knew of the band, but had never heard of their music. Out of curiosity I began following the band and found that I really enjoyed their natural folky music. I was very excited at the news they were touring again and my parents took the opportunity to quickly grab tickets. I loved that I saw other people my age in attendance, fully in spirit. The crowd was active and engaged throughout the entirety of the performance, while Fleetwood Mac remained exciting. It made me even more delighted and involved in the concert, singing along to the tunes with my parents. I think their new tour and more specifically their performance on Wednesday night was magical and wildly successful. I band like Fleetwood Mac can rarely disappoint. Although skeptical at first of the new additions of Finn and Campbell, they proved themselves exceedingly. They blended in perfectly, and the rest of the audience seemed impressed and happy that the band's sound and spirit was still remained.
It's safe to say there was a generous consensus of satisfaction. The crowd cheered for an encore and were consistently standing, dancing, and singing along throughout the two hour performance. As the concert began and the band members entered the stage, I looked around and saw many fans starry eyed staring at the stage, giddy and smiling to their neighbors about the beauty that was to come. Afterwards as we were exiting, the same excited look in most audience members eyes remained. People were talking about their favorite song, Fleetwood's impressive drumming regardless of his age, Stevie's soulful voice, and the amazing instrumentation and voices heard during the night.
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Astroworld Concert Review
This semester I went to a Travis Scott concert in Dallas which was a part of his Astroworld Tour. Astroworld is the name of Scott's third studio album and is undeniably his most successful to date. The album is rich in catchy beats and is a testament to excellent production. The album shows a refined Scott, still heavily using auto tune, utilizing featuring artists to help elevate his performance and music, rather than falling into the background short of his features.
Scott has been a very public figure ever since his rise to success in the early 2010s and has had to endure a lot of scrutiny. His first studio album, Rodeo, let a lot of fans down despite all the hype surrounding the album. Scott was too reliant on the featuring artists on the album and consequently was rather indistinguishable. Until the release of Astroworld, Scott has been rather shallow and predictable lyrically. However, that changed with the release of Astroworld, which featured songs with lyrics containing Scott's ideas on subjects such as the effect of wealth and fame on people.
Stop trying to be God, provides the most involved vocal track from Scott. With wistful harmonica lines, church organs and gorgeously spacey beats, switching and blurring seamlessly. The song has kind of a meditative feeling, curated by Kid Cudi's humming and then concluded by James Blake's beautiful vocals. The lyrics reflect on Scott's ideas that wealth, success and all the materialistic things that come with it are not a reliable source of happiness and don't come with love. The song also includes a clear warning to those at the top. Stop trying to be God / That's not who you are / That's not your job. Here Scott tells people not to think too highly of themselves. Perhaps he's also telling himself to stop pursuing his desire to be a God among the public, rather focus on his family and take care of them. Palm trees, oceans, fresh air that can break your heart, the comfort of wealthiness is not a reliable source of happiness, and the materialistic things that come with wealth can lead to your downfall.
Now, enough about Travis Scott, let's talk about me and my musical background. My parents have undeniably had the most influence on my taste in music. My father nurtured my interest in music by introducing me to a wide variety of artists and teaching me how to play guitar, then enrolling me in classical guitar classes when he had taught me everything he knew. In primary school I joined a garage band and played bass. The band mainly played covers, and rock songs were a requirement. We experimented with composing songs, so I know how rigorous and challenging the process of piecing together a successful song is. In my teens I started exploring other musical genres. I got really into R&B, Jazz, Soul, and a few other genres that share certain qualities with Rock and Roll. However, a genre that I had never really paid attention to and is different from Rock is Hip Hop and Rap. I started listening to it daily and it quickly became one of my favorite types of music to listen to. The artists I became fan of were artists such as Nas, Kanye West, Jay Z and Kendrick Lamar. Travis Scott, however had never been on my radar until he published Astroworld.
Prior to the Travis Scott's concert in Dallas I had never attended a concert of the same magnitude. However, my expectations for the concert were mixed. Musically, I was expecting mediocrity at best since Scott relies heavily on autotune. I knew, however, that Scott's concerts are considered to have an electric atmosphere, where the crowd sings and dances throughout the concert. In that aspect I had high expectations.
The concert was held at the American Airlines Center, which is a multi-purpose arena. Walking into the arena, it was packed with people, everyone anxiously waiting to get to their seats or on to the concert floor. Most of the attendees were dressed rather casually in street wear, however many of whom were wearing expensive street wear brands such as, Supreme, Bape, Palace, Off-White, and Anti-Social Social Club. A very common trend among the concert goers were expensive shoes, such as Balenciaga's, Gucci's, Jordan's and Yeezy's. Expensive streetwear is an immensely common theme in the Hip Hop and Rap community and is a big part of the culture. Another thing noticeable at the concert was alcohol consumption and drug use. You could smell the odor of marijuana smoke, which is not a pleasant one. These values I do not share, I do not spend money on overly expensive clothes and do not condone drug use. The difference in values between me and other concert goers didn't matter, and even though the values of the attendees of this concert were different from a classical concert, there was no brawling or fighting. Everyone was there for the same purpose, listen to a great artist perform and enjoy the show.
During the concert my mixed and mediocre expectations were exceeded, and I felt almost foolish to not have had higher expectations towards Scott. I was extremely impressed how he managed the crowd and even let them participate. He allowed a fan to come on stage and sing the lyrics to a song with him. The concert was not just a performance, also an extremely well thought out and planned show. The visual stimuli to the songs, whether it was Scott riding a rollercoaster on stage or beautiful visuals on a massive screen behind the rapper, were impressive to say the least. They elevated the concert and made everyone feel more involved in the concert.
Overall the concert was a great success. Travis Scott is not only a great artist in the studio, but also a performer, who puts great effort into making his concerts as enjoyable as possible for every concert goer. It surprised me how much care was put into every aspect of the show. That is maybe due to the public image of Hip Hop and Rap artists being lesser artists in comparison to artists of other genres. This concert showed me that it doesn't matter what genre an artist belongs, he will always take pride in his work and try to improve upon each project from the last.
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Spiritual Reading: the Great Divorce
What do you think of when you're imagining our inevitable end in heaven or hell? The Great Divorce, by C.S. Lewis, probably challenges some contemporary ideas of the subject. The book touches upon the ideas of what it might be like in the afterlife. Whilst wrapped up in the imagination of C.S. Lewis you experience the journey of traveling from hell to heaven, and you learn what it takes to become permanent in heaven.
The book starts out describing the surroundings of the nameless character whos experiences you will follow for the remainder of the novel. He's wandering these strange desolate streets with sparse signs of life; until he gets to the bus stop where there is a gleaming golden bus with people crowded around it causing a commotion. Then the story proceeds with the bus ride.
People board the bus, and then it takes off into flight. The character describes looking out the window into a endless dreary town with only a few lights from houses scattered in the expanse. The sky is dusk. He meets several people in the bus that explain some things about the odd place, and how most people stay there because they're not hoping for the dawn. As the bus carries further into the sky they reach a void. There is nothing, but then all of a sudden things start to get brighter and brighter until off in the distance he sees a cliff.
As they reach the cliff things are so bright, they're almost blinding. The character describes looking out the window again and describes the grass and the clear swift-moving river and how the bus is approaching the treetops. The bus lands and the passengers let out. After getting out of the bus he describes the confusion he has because everyone appears ghostly. No one is able to alter this seemingly intangible environment. He tests his limitations by trying to pick a small daisy, but it is cemented to the earth. He succeeds in picking up a leaf but says it was the heaviest thing he'd ever encountered. He soon realized that he too was a ghostly manifestation. Then he sees these glowing people approaching the group of ghosts.
The footsteps of the people echoed as they drew closer, they were wearing robes or nothing at all. When they were met, some of the people had known the ghosts, and they were paired off. The people were guides to the ghosts and were meant to help them understand the meaning of loving God and becoming solid within heaven. The character doesn't find his teacher right away, and he wanders off as the ground weighs heavily on his feet as walks. He eventually meets a Scottish man who is his spiritual guide.
The story continues with several encounters of the character observing the other ghosts interact with their people. He watches one man successfully become materialized into the world, overcoming his one blunder, the lust which appeared as a small red lizard on his shoulder whispering into his ear. Until he granted a person permission to kill the lizard, he was bound as a ghost. He also witnesses another man fade away as he confronts an old wife whom he couldn't agree with. The wife was this beautiful person with animals and other people around her, everything in life that she touched and loved and left an indelible mark on. There was a common theme of these encounters. All the ghosts had to overcome some sort of thing that was holding them hostage in their life, either forgiveness or realization would free them. The character never really had to make this decision.
Then suddenly everything changes, he is looking upon this silver table where the people are like chessmen, puppets. The puppets actions represented the wills of their giant masters. And the table is time. The people standing by are the immortal souls. Frightened he asks the teacher if the truth was revealed to him, then the Scottish man tells him that this is just a dream. And to not tell anyone unless he explicitly says it was only a dream. Then he wakes up, and that's where the book ends.
This was quite an intriguing book to read. There was a constant bombardment of imagery, and at times it was difficult to follow the plot. You start off thinking that the main character is dead, and the plot will follow some of his experiences in the afterlife, but all the imagery gave the novel such a hazy feeling. In my opinion, because the character remained nameless, it allows the reader to be able to immerse themselves into the dreamy context of the novel. This book forces you to contemplate where your unforeseeable future after death may be.
Personally, I don't contemplate the afterlife as much as someone would if they were dedicated to a religion. I choose to believe that when we die, there is nothing waiting for us. Our consciousness just ceases to exist. Our bodily matter will decompose, and our energy will cycle back into the ecosystem. I'm definitely not exempt from fearing the impending doom of death, I just try to accept it. If our consciousness was to transfer to another plane of existence, I feel like we definitely wouldn't have any recollection of our previous life or lives. Who's to say that our current state of consciousness hasn't been elevated from a previous form already? And from stating that question, I would have to say that reading The Great Divorce has not helped me spiritually at all.
Although spiritually the book didn't offer me much insight, I would highly recommend the novel to anyone who I think could understand some of the abstract concepts that C.S. Lewis brings up. I enjoyed the book for what it was, and for what it represented. In the eyes of the beholder, this book could be a fantastic gateway to exploring the prompts for spiritual contemplation.
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Rising Divorce Rate
Humans are made to be live in Couple We all know that basic and most common sentence used for human society. More or less every culture accepts this thing. Well since last so many years (one can say when human didn't know about human phycology even) men living with women. As the societies grew we gave the name to that bond, where a man lives his entire life with women and vice versa, called Marriage. Developed society gave Marriage a Legal status. Legal definition of marriage may very country to country and society to society. Marriage itself is joyful word in first look. Indeed there are so many aspects that will lead a human to marry. Thinking of getting married is exciting. One can count thousand good points for getting married, But There is one thing which is stick to marriage like curse since the starting of it. That is Divorce Breaking up of Marriage, Couples getting separated, that is divorce. Now let's think Why Divorce, Whey the ratio of it is increasing day by day in our society.
I have here few points in that concern, some of which are very common since starting but some which are surprising reason of divorce in modern society. Most common reason of divorce is, two people are not comfortable with the way they live, most of the time this happens in the early stage of marriage may be between 6 to 12 months only. Hurrying up in getting married is also one of the most common reasons of divorce. That is also the situation where you don't get enough time to know your partner. Now let's move ahead where people spend enough time in marriage than also they get separated, here most common reason is extra marital affair. We all know what it is but thing is why. After spending enough time though, here the most common factor is difference of interest; men want something else after a certain stage and same is the case for women. Sometimes it can be economical condition of men that leads women to get separated. Child or Children, they can be the reason like where men don't take proper care of their kiddo or in some cases women does that too.
So these were the very common and well known reason for divorce, they were and they will always be good percentage of reason in divorce. Now let's focus on some of the surprising and wired (to some people) reasons why marriages are braking more often in today's world than it happen before. Sex LifeThis reason can change whole life at a large rather than marriage life. People are getting more sex addicted than before, reasons easy availability of 3Ps (porn, pimps and prostitutes). They lead people to have sex with more than a single partner (we can run horses of your imagination), and the habit of same can destroy once marriage life. Internet Dating: This is the place where you can lie as much as you want if the person you talking to is far from you. Some couples get marry via internet dating sites, in these cases there are more chances of getting cheated in marriage, you never know that the other fellow is already divorced or mother/father or getting married 2nd or 3rd time, these things can break current marriage if come out at later stage. Live Free: Now this is the point where someone will hardly find negativity, two people getting separated from each other at good note, just because they want to be free and single again. This can sound wired to some people but yes now a days people are getting married with mutual consent just to get experience of marriage life. There by get separate, now these couple may stay together after divorce as well.
Change in SexThis is one more reason which is leading divorce now a days. A man becoming interested in men and same for women, this is no harm to any one in marriage but a sex change can completely change entire life as well. One is left with no choice to get divorced if other fellow does a sex change until and unless the one is also feeling same. Celebs: Some people are so obsessed with celebs life that they also want to do what they do, sounds wired but we all know one case of a famous singer getting divorced overnight only after few hours of marriage. That really effect the youth following them, by watching such things they also don't hesitate in getting divorced without thinking.
Polyamory & Other Group Marriage Society: These can be much wired for some people, but yes now a day other types of marriage other than normal one where there are men is allowed to have multiple women as wives and same is the case with women. If one of the fellow form normal married couple is attracted to such married life normal marriage can get broken up. Nut Cell: Now here I am giving some more reasons in a nut cell why divorce rate is getting high, early marriages, getting married to different society people, like different culture or country , want of child in some cases , easy availability of partners even after divorce, more of a work and less of a family time. So these were the reasons I find fit to see as a major reasons behind Rising Divorce Rate. Some People say that Marriages are made in Heaven, if it is so I wish Divorces were only for Devil. Never leave your loved once until and unless it's very necessary.
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Types of Questions to Ask your Divorce Attorney
Getting a divorce can be a difficult, stressful process. Although most of us would like to believe that all separations can take place amicably, the reality is often far more complex. If you are currently going through a litigated divorce then you are likely already aware of just how many issues there are to consider. Navigating your way through this process alone is rarely worth it, which is why many people opt to make use of the services of a divorce attorney.
Do You Need an Attorney?
Of course, not everyone who goes through a divorce uses an attorney. There are non-litigated options for divorce such as mediation that may be worth considering if you and your spouse are parting ways on good terms. Even amicable divorces can be complicated, however, and a divorce attorney can help you work through the legal complexities involved in forming a divorce agreement.
Divorce attorneys are particularly important if you are dealing with custody issues or if you have large assets that you are concerned about. Divorce attorneys also give you more time to take care of your own immediate emotional needs by freeing you from the stress of dealing with legal proceedings on your own.
Once you have decided to make use of a divorce attorney's services, it is time to begin building a list of questions to ask during your first consultation. It may be necessary to speak with more than one lawyer, so keep these questions available until you are sure you have found an attorney you are satisfied with.
- Background Questions
- Billing Questions
- Asset Questions
- Custody Questions
These are questions that you should consider asking of any attorney you are considering hiring. Always find out as much as you can about your attorney's background, including how long they have been practicing law, how much experience they have in handling divorce cases specifically, and how long they have been practicing in your specific jurisdiction. When working with an attorney, you always want to find someone who has significant experience in cases that are as similar to yours as possible.
You should always clarify how an attorney will bill you for their services before you get too deep into the initial consultation. The vast majority of divorce attorneys will charge you a retainer up front and an hourly fee for their services thereafter. Ask about the typical length of a divorce case similar to yours so that you can be sure the attorney you are considering is within your budget. Most attorneys will charge for any and all time spent working on your case, so keep this in mind when you are estimating the total cost of your divorce.
A divorce attorney should be able to provide you with a detailed explanation of how assets are split between parties in your particular jurisdiction. If you have any large, joint assets then it is extremely important that you understand what will happen to these early in the process. This is also the time to discuss any concerns you may have about your spouse potentially hiding assets from you during the divorce and your options for gathering information and resolving the situation.
Child custody is often the most painful and overwhelming part of any divorce proceeding. You should make a list of any and all concerns that you have about custody and bring them to your attorney's attention during the initial consultation process. This is especially important if you believe that your custody battle will not be straightforward or if you have been unable or unwilling to discuss custody arrangements with your spouse.
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Divorces Around the Country
If you have gone to a wedding, you might have heard the wedding couple say the phrase till death do us part in the vows. After most newlyweds say I Do, most of them try to work as hard as they can to keep their vows. Some married people decide that it is better for them to get a divorce. Divorce is something that isn't really talked about, but it happens all around the world. Divorce can be a stressful, arduous, and a time-consuming period in someone's life. I will be talking about the divorce rates of Canada, Spain, and Pakistan and what factors cause the divorce.
In Pakistan, the average age for women to be able to marry is sometime before they reach the age of eighteen and the age for men to be able to marry is eighteen. The education level for the people who marry in Pakistan is very low, since they marry so young and most end up quitting school (Toppa, 2017). Arranged marriage in Pakistan is common. I believe that arranged marriage is one of the top reasons for divorce in Pakistan. In the Islam religion, which is what most people in Pakistan practice, marriage is sacred. The married couple are to not divorce but work it out and make the marriage work (Naveed, 2016).
The divorce rate of Canada is forty-eight percent (Feldstein 2016). In Canada the average age for marriage is between the ages of twenty-nine to thirty-one. Anyone in Canada is free to marry whomever they want but being married to more than one person is not legal (Eichler 2012). The highest percentage of divorces in Canada were people that were aged between fifty-five and fifty-nine (Feldstein 2016). Some reasons for people divorcing in Canada were that they no longer are in love with the person that they married, someone in the marriage was cheating, there were financial problems, and abuse was happening in the marriage (Feldstein 2016). Canada's education level is high, fifty-six percent of adults had gone through some kind of higher education after graduating from high school (Hess 2018).
The divorce rate of Spain is sixty-three percent (Abayomi 2018). The people of Spain are known for being catholic, but it since has changed. The divorce rate has risen since Spain passed an express divorce bill in 2005, which allows divorces to go through quicker (Stowe 2008).
If I were a counselor, I would let the couples know that the best way to avoid divorce is to think about the wedding day and the vows that the couple said after a fight has abrupted. Do not go to bed angry and try to work out whatever is going on, if possible. I would tell the couple to think about all the good times and how happy they once were. Many factors can cause divorce, so doing this may not help. The best way to deal with divorce is to remain civil. When abuse is involved I wouldn't advise the abused to try to solve the marriage, especially when the abuse has happened more than once. Divorce is something that isn't easy, and I would like to help couples know that they should do what is in their best interest and the interest of their kids if they have any.
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Teaching and Philosophy
I have been an early childhood teacher for many years. My style of teaching and my philosophy have grown with me. I no longer frown at the bunch time reading interruptions as I once did. I now see them as the children being interested and intrigued by the story. I no longer control how much glue can come out of a bottle, yes it will take a week to dry -- a natural consequence with a lesson learned. And I no longer ask children to sit and do ABC worksheets that are anything but developmentally appropriate. I allow for instinct to prevail with writing pads and accessories available all around the classroom.
In my opinion, the best education a child can receive is one based on the holistic approach where the teaching consists of the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of a child. In holistic education, the teacher is seen as a mentor or a friend instead of the person who knows all the answers. The curriculum is based on the children's interest, and the families are invited to share their in-depth knowledge of the individual family culture. The classroom is inviting, honest communication is expected, and the differences between people are respected and appreciated, cooperation is the focus rather than competition.
The classroom should support multiple ways of learning: auditory, visual, kinesthetic and logical/analytical. The auditory learner remembers information by talking aloud and needs to have things explained orally, and often enjoys talking in groups over working alone. I would support this learner with regular conversation. The visual learner assimilates through watching. They remember visual details and prefer to see what they are learning. I would physically show them how to do something. Kinesthetic learners like to be eagerly involved in the learning process. They learn best through hands-on activities and want to touch things to learn about them. For them, I would make sure the classroom had many hands-on experiences. For the analytical learner, they learn through exploring patterns and understanding how things relate to each other. Classroom ideas to support them would include knowing how things work and allowing for lots of questions so they can understand how things are interconnected. Every child learns through a variety of these learning styles. For the children to be successful, there needs to be a balance of all these approaches.
I believe that children learn best if the curriculum is based on their interests. Daily I observed the children's interests and expanded on them, making sure the classroom environment is engaging and inviting with a hands-on approach. Using developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) in my curriculum, I would maintain age-appropriate expectations, provide each child with a right amount of challenge, support, sensitivity, and stimulation that promotes development and learning. The NAEYC position statement on DAP states All teaching practices should be appropriate to children's age and developmental status, attuned to them as unique individuals, and responsive to the social and cultural contexts in which they live. Following that account, the classroom structure should support itself.
For a classroom to run smoothly, the families need to be involved. I would work toward building strong and trusting relationships with both the children and their families. When the parents know I genuinely care about them, they begin to open up and share more about their joys and struggles in life. As the relationships grow, a strong sense of community is built. They come to trust me, and I come to trust them. When the children see this connection, it allows them to become more comfortable in the classroom, and before long we see each other as an extended family which supports a wonderful nurturing teacher-child-family relationship.
As an experienced teacher in this field, I deeply value the importance of other professionals. Having the ability to work as a team and knowing how to accept expert advice not only helps the child, it improves the care I provide in the classroom. From the speech, physical and occupational therapists to the behavioral specialist I would not be able to do my job in supporting children without working with them and relying on their knowledge. The help they provide and the information they share is an invaluable asset to me as a teacher. What I learn from them teaches me how to offer support to all the children in my care, not just those with special needs. Often the best support comes from my colleagues. With many years of experience in various roles, with multitudes of children, my fellow teachers and often directors have not only their experience to rely upon but the answers I am often seeking. They are such an excellent resource that often gets overlooked. It should be encouraged that teachers get reflective guidance at every staff meeting. Collectively it could solve a lot of concerns with children when staff can toss around ideas to best help a situation.
I believe children are capable of learning, exploring, problem-solving, loving and communicating. They are truly amazing beings. If there are few limitations put on them, their abilities are endless. As a teacher, I learn something new every day as I work with children, something about myself and always something about them. Children deserve a learning environment that offers a safe, integrated space where play, freedom of movement, developmentally appropriate materials and practices, positive reinforcement, and educated, caring teachers are readily available. I want the values in the classroom to reflect a positive outlook on life, appreciating even the smallest of creatures to the biggest of imaginations.
I will continue to teach from a place of deep love and respect for the littlest in our society as it is what brings me to this calling. At the end of our time together I would hope to leave each child with a love of learning, a sense of wonder, a sense of community and joy in their heart. Only when successful would feel as if I deserved the title of Teacher.
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Every Child has the Right to Go to School and Learn
My philosophy of education has been that every child should be entitled with the right to learn and acquire better and quality education. This is in line with my current classroom objective which has been to challenge my students with real-life situations as I watch them reach their full potentials. My aim is to take my students through different levels of their personal growth that will ensure their individual benefits and betterment of the future society in general. In this connection, I have realized that group work is detrimental towards having and establishing a successful class that ensures the involvement of all students. This is in consideration that through group work, students get to help one another in their points of weaknesses and hence can bring greater transformations and significant changes in the learning atmosphere and even to the entire classroom.
I want every student in my classroom to enjoy a sense of freedom that can allow them to freely express themselves and further enhance their creativity. Having freedom can enable students to realize their strengths and weaknesses by experimenting on some of their likes and dislikes. After developing this foundation, I teach the curriculum in a manner that ties and connects to the learning styles of every student in my class.
I encourage my students to being straightforward to instruction, however, I also provide them with an opportunity of growing and expanding on their individual levels. At the start of every year, it is only fair that my students commence their discussions in my presence as I guide them through, nevertheless, as time progresses I encourage them to be pose their own questions and provide answers to them independently with less reliance on my assistance. This is because I strongly feel that it is sometimes beneficial to allow students at times to work for the answers on their own instead of giving them everything as this can greatly stretch and expand their knowledge in different ways. This also enables them to work together thereby building their teamwork capability which is a key factor in their completion of different class projects and even in their future lives as society members. It is therefore essential that as an educator, I should not only be of help to my students by teaching them but also through giving them direction and further encouraging them to be of help to others.
My past classroom, training as well as life experiences over the past years has significantly shaped my position and life as an educator. These experiences have greatly influenced my philosophy of education in quite a number of ways that have contributed to the establishments of a solid foundation of my philosophy of teaching. Following this, I often focus on the three most significant factors that act as drivers to my instructions to my students on a daily basis. These fundamental factors include creating a safe and conducive classroom environment that is essential for learning; the necessity of thoughtful planning and preparation of lessons; as well as self-reflection and student evaluation which I believe contribute to an ideal learning environment.
My fundamental obligation as an educator involves creating a safer, nurturing and loving environment where all students feel respected and valued thus prompting them to strive to do their best. Apart from guiding my students through discussions during the first few weeks of school starting, I believe that creating an environment or classroom climate that enables students to spend a greater portion of their day learning is essential and significant. This I achieve through establishing daily routines that guide the students throughout the day since they will be aware of what is expected of them at all levels. Some of the activities that are entailed in these daily routines include morning greetings, clean up or sitting down songs, language arts or math rotations as well as dismissal among others. These routine activities can make students comfortable and have the feeling of safety and calmness in conditions which at times may be chaotic. Besides I further intend to enforce the norm and sense of community, family and mutual respect among my students so that they can be reflective of their daily actions thus being more careful in whatever they do. I teach my students quite a number of virtues and morals such as loyalty, integrity, respect, and empathy as well as being compassionate and taking care of one another.
I am strongly convinced that this kind of classroom environment will enable my students to not only learn and excel academically but also develop into responsible and caring individuals in society. I encourage my students to know one another through developing strong bonds amongst them not only for the shorter period they will be learning but also for longer-term associations where they will be of greater help to one another in different situations apart from their academic journey. This is in line with my personal objective of ensuring that my students love, care for, and respect one another including their peers. I believe that creating a loving and nurturing classroom environment can enable students to feel safe and more comfortable learning especially when they know they will receive support instead of judgment for any form of mistake that may arise.
During planning and developing of my lesson schedules, I often consider and make up for 19 learners after which I take a review of the District curriculum. In my lessons, I incorporate quite a number of activities which includes class discussions, music moments, exercise sessions, higher level thinking sessions as well as individual activities among others. I am a strong believer that students can grasp concepts through movements, practices and critical reflections on what has been taught in the classroom. My students get time to learn and share amongst themselves and as a result, their confidence levels improve thus enabling even the shy students to share their views without fear. I plan several activities at the end of every unit which gives my students an opportunity to further explore the topic. I often encourage my students to explore through various activities and student-centered games considering that learning is best achieved when students’ conduct further research and explore more on their own.
Furthermore, I believe that technology can greatly play an important role in the field of education and thus I try as much as possible to incorporate technology in the learning process through daily routines. In light to this, I consider the use of technology, especially during math and language arts. I often ensure that I get updated with the latest technological trends in the contemporary world. This enables me to provide my students with many technological resources as possible so that they are not left behind. Nevertheless, regardless of the difficulties associated with planning of lessons, I consider every student as unique on their own and have differences in terms of knowledge acquisition thus I often make accommodative lessons that can fit all my students.
Moreover, I have learned that self-reflection is an important and fundamental part of growing and learning as an educator. In this connection, I often reflect after every lesson on a daily basis where I think about how certain situations or lessons can be handled differently to ensure their improvement. During this reflection, I evaluate myself through examining several questions, especially on areas that in need to improve on. These reflections are often very essential considering that they usually help me realize some of the areas where my students need improvement and hence calling for necessary changes. As an educator, I have learned that self-reflection can be an important tool of professional growth since it enables one to identify the points of weakness, strengths, and opportunities that can guide in better resolution and framework for drafting the necessary changes that can lead to success. In addition, I have learned that assessing and evaluating students is a significant factor towards ensuring success and helping the leaners excel academically. I normally apply different assessment methods for my students which includes the application of district and unit assessment which in turn help me in ensuring that the course objectives are successfully met and that every student realizes their full potentials.
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My Dream to be a Teacher
Ever since I was a little girl, I knew that in my future I wanted to become a teacher. I always looked up to my teachers, especially the ones I had in elementary school. I even played 'school' with my friends and pretended I had my own classroom. I loved being in charge. During a summer, I was given the opportunity to work as Lead in a classroom of 10, 3-year-olds. This was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever been through. I was a mentor to help guide the children, and by the end of the summer I felt as if I had really accomplished something. I am planning to pursue a career in elementary education. I love children, and just knowing that as a future educator I will be shaping young minds.
My educational philosophy is that I believe that every person is capable of learning. As a future educator I believe that every student is different with their own way of learning and their own set of needs that they bring to the classroom. It is my responsibility to interpret their gifts and provide a good environment that will help my students learn to the best of their abilities that matches each students' individual needs.
As a teacher I believe that is important to teach in a way that can manipulate multiple different teaching strategies. I believe that students learn best if they get to be in charge of their learning process, so it is important to include students on what they want to learn but also still put what is important into the lesson plans. Students should be able to work in groups and be able to learn from each other. Learning is important and should be fun. I believe in incorporating hands on learning as a regular routine. I will do everything I can to excite my students about learning. It is important to encourage the development of thinking and reasoning to enable students to use their minds. Education is important because it gradually prepares students for a future career.
I believe that the students should be comfortable and feel safe at school. They are there five days out of the week for about 6 hours a day. They should be happy and excited to come to school every day. As a teacher it is my responsibility to make them feel happy to come to school. Every student should feel confident to raise their hand and ask questions when they need to.
They all do not learn at the same rate, but with different methods and strategies it is possible. Students should not be thought of as mindless individuals just waiting to be filled with knowledge by their teachers. Quite the opposite; students should be viewed as individuals who can contribute to the classroom, sharing and gaining knowledge from each other. Students need guidance and not just lecture only. An education is not solely academic; the teacher must also educate her students mentally by teaching them the skills needed to solve problems and socially by teaching them the skills needed to communicate and work productively with others. Students must be able to function in the real world which not only requires academic knowledge but social skills as well. I believe teachers should not be alone in educating students but that parents, families and communities need to work together to support and enrich the lives of their children, who are the future.
Teaching will be an everyday adventure with a group of students that are different and unique in their own way. The most important thing about becoming a teacher is that we are responsible for shaping the hearts and minds of todays and the futures youth. Teachers play a huge role in affecting the future of students and the world. This is something that us as teachers can take pride in since we are all able to have a positive impact on kids for years to come. As a teacher, I will try to enrich the minds of students. I want them to understand the importance of education. I hope to serve as a role model and gain respect from all of my pupils. I trust that my teaching strategies will be inspiring, and my dedication and passion for teaching obvious. I hope that after every successful year of teaching I develop a feeling of satisfaction. I want my students to have an understanding of education and a positive outlook on life. I hope that by my passion for teaching I will have an impact on my students. I want them to walk away with a continuing eagerness and motivational drive to learn and advance.
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Lonely Characters in of Mice and Men
Mother Teresa Said that the most terrible poverty in loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved. In his novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck explores the topic of loneliness expressed by several different characters. Taking place on and isolated ranch near a town called Soledad (spanish for solitude), George and lennie are workers who travel each other and look out for one another. The stand in stark contrast to the many other characters who live lives of loneliness without anyone to care for or who cares for them. Steinbeck uses the characters of Crooks, Curleyr's wife, Candy to show what life is like for people who, unlike George and Lennie, are truly isolated or alone in this world.
The character Crooks, is an example of a lonely character in the story because he uses so much evidence that makes whoever is reading the story believe he is a lonely and is without nobody. Crooks, as the only character of color, and doesnt really have people that know him because of his color. He has hidden or backed off of any groups or having friends because of racism. Crooks has reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality no ego, nothing.(81)
There is no personality in the point of view of people who don't know him. People don't know him and that's why they say he has no personality because her's not social with no one and that disassembles who he really is as a person. Crookes keeping back out of the attention Range.(96) Crooks is a character that seems to be alone and quite distant from other people and doesn't like to be the center of attention at all because maybe he seems self-conscious about his skin tone. Overall, he is a character that has a lonely personality and isnt talked to or mentioned a lot during the story, which might indicate that he is a character that's not really known or that no one knows him.
Curleyr's wife is a big important factor to the point that people are lonely in this story. She is probably the loneliest character in the story because she is the only female,I get lonely she said, ?you can talk to people but I can't talk to anybody but Curley and because she is a woman she is limited by her husband Curly what she can and not do. One big thing she cannot do is talk and socialize to the men/workers, which is why she might feel lonely most of the time.
She communicates her feelings to another character and she tells him that she would love to talk to somebody but cannot since her husband doesnt let her do whatever she wants, Think I don't like to talk to somebody ever once in a while?(77), she obviously seems like she wants attention and needs it because of how desperate she is. Even though Curleyr's wife doesnt in particular have a name, I feel like that has a meaning behind that too. I think the meaning behind that was to show that she wasnt much of an important character as far as having the title of just Curleyr's wife.
Candy, the old man, is old and lonely, and throughout the story it seems to be like that for a while now. Candy mentions how he's had a dog for a long time, that might indicate that that's the only companion has only had, throughout his life. So in the part of the book in where Candy is pressured to give up his dog for dead, he doesnt want to do it because I feel like he was gonna be even more lonelier without the dog, ?Candy looked unhappy No he said softly. No, I couldn't do that . I had him too long. (45) When he did give him up, Carlson, shot the dog from far away. But, they heard it from the distance, and when it happened, they all looked straight at Candy, For a moment he continued to stare at the ceiling.
Then he rolled over slowly and faced the wall and laid silent. He probably regrets the way the dog died, later on he tells george that he should of shot the dog and not somebody else. Continuing along the story he disrupts George and Lennie when they start talking about how they are going to live on a small piece of land and have animals to care for. He starts by saying, Spose I went in with you guys. That's three hundred and fifty bucks Id put in. I aint much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. Howd that be? This supports how lonely he is because when George and Lennie talked about their future, there was a huge chance for Candy to not be lonely for once in his life.
Steinbeck made such a big deal about loneliness because we dont realize how many people are lonely in this world and maybe wanted us to self reflect on our lives compared to the lives that lonely people live. He might of been saying that lonely people struggle more than people with others to share it with. Comparing the life of the characters in the book to people today is much different because back when the great depression was being introduced, more and more people traveled alone. And today, it's not common to see that. Overall loneliness is a stressful topic to talk about, just the thought of it makes people be more grateful for having someone in their life to share it with.
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SiriusXM Industry Profile
SiriusXM is a satellite radio corporation with approximately 32.7 million subscribers as of 2018. They broadcast music, news, and entertainment programming, mostly ad free, via satellites and corresponding terrestrial facilities. SiriusXM currently controls almost 30% of the US radio market, with its closest competitor, iHeartMedia Inc., trailing behind with only 17.5% of the market under its control. Its primary competitors are iHeartMedia Inc., Entercom Communications Corporation, and Cumulus Media Inc.
The company became what it is today through the merging of Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio in 2008, following a year long approval process from the FCC and the United States Department of Justice. XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio started airing programming via satellite in 2001 and 2002, respectively, but each company was founded in the early 90's pursuing the audio industry with the then current technology. The current company focuses on the US market primarily. They do not broadcast abroad, although they do have a division in Canada.
Revenue is accumulated through subscription fees users pay to have programming delivered to their cars. Some talk shows and sports programming make money through traditional advertising, but this is minimal and not the norm. SiriusXM has partnerships with Acura, BMW, Ford, Kia, Subaru, and every other major car manufacturer in the United States, all of which manufacture cars with satellite compatible equipment so drivers don't have to purchase satellite radios apart from their automobile.
SiriusXM is publicly traded, and the current share price is $6.14, down 11% from last month, likely due to the public believing their purchasing of Pandora was overvalued. Consequently, Pandora's stock shot up by 13% in September of 2018 when the deal was announced, because many were buying the Pandora stock they knew would soon merge with Sirius XM stock. Even with the devaluing of SiriusXM stock, the price of a share has only gone down 2% in the past six months and has actually gone up 6.98% in the past year, showing an overall positive trend. This bodes well for Liberty Media, which owns approximately 70% of Sirius XM stock as of May 2018.
As previously stated, SiriusXM is planning to merge with past competitor Pandora for $3.5 billion, signaling a shift into Internet Radio following the advent of streaming services like Pandora, Spotify, and Tidal. This deal has been approved since September 2018, but will not be official until some point during the first quarter of the following year. Through this deal SiriusXM will gain the audience Pandora currently possesses and both companies will benefit from the natural synergy of merging these two audio powerhouses. The company recently launched SiriusXM with 360L, a new service, airing through satellite but customized through the internet, which takes in what users listen to and customizes their experience with recommendations and spotlight channels. This service is subsequent to them recently launching an On Demand option for users. SiriusXM's revenue is projected to go up by 8.6% to $5,889 million in 2018, from $5,425.1 million in 2017.
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Baptist Student Union
The room was alive with pure excitement and wonder over the show that was about to start. Ticket collectors were stationed, in full costume of whatever show they were from of course, to make sure everyone took the correct seats. The Jones Performing Arts Center is adorned with bright red seats and silky grey carpet that give it a Broadway feel. Xylo bands were distributed to each waiting audience member who was confused yet delighted all at once. The room slowly dimmed and the loud noises slowly faded into murmurs that fizzled into nothingness. Ouachita Baptist was kicking off their homecoming weekend with the most anticipated completion on campus, Tiger Toons.
Located about an hour and a half from Conway sits a renowned private college in Arkadelphia, Ouachita Baptist University. OBU claims that for over 130 years they have been committed to encouraging a love of God and a love of learning within their students. Ouachita is an Arkansas Baptist State Convention affiliated campus, however you do not have to be a part of a religious group to attend the campus. The University has a vast amount of events to entertain students of all kinds. Such events include Tiger Toons, Tiger Serve Day, social clubs, intramurals, and hanging out in the updated Student Center.
Mrs. Greer attended OBU about 20 years ago and completed a political science degree with plans at the time to attend law school. She now is a stay at home mom of three and currently has a son enrolled on the campus. Mrs. Greer a petite, average height, and physically fit woman with a defined runner's physique greeted me at her door with a warm and inviting hello. Her blond hair was held loosely in a tousled ponytail and she was adorned in athletic clothing due to her recent training run. Despite the post training outfit, there was a strong scent of perfume that wafted behind her. As I sat down at the kitchen table she apologized profusely for the mess her other three children had caused. A few cuties and other miscellaneous cups decorated the counters. I asked her what she thought of her overall experience at Ouachita. She was noticeably nervous and was wringing her hands throughout the entirety of her response to this question. She claimed that overall her experience was fantastic and then nervously added The class sizes allow you to -uh- I guess the word I'm looking for is be seen. You can't really hide in a class of 20 or less. She described the professors as being friendly and very approachable, which makes sense due to OBU's Student-Faculty Ratio being 13:1, compared to that of the University of Arkansas which is 19:1. Mrs. Greer elaborated on how the professors work with the students in the case of a dear family friend who had an emergency appendix removal the first week of class. The faculty of OBU did not penalize the student for the class time missed and communicated ways of catching back up in their studies. At this point Mrs. Greer became more relaxed and smiled warmly across the table.
Being a private college, Ouachita is almost fully funded by the tuition of students and receives little to no Federal subsidies. In order to offer scholarships to returning juniors and seniors a foundation known as the Ouachita Student Foundation, OSF for short, was created. The scholarships are for junior and senior students only and are selected by a blind committee. In order to fund those scholarships, events like Tiger Toons and Track and Field day are hosted. All of the proceeds from those events go directly into the scholarship funds. Out of all the events hosted Tiger Toons is the largest and earns the most money each year. This years Toons brought in about $150,000. OSF took a risk with addition of Xylo bands which they were able to buy to rent. according to Ms.Tucker. For every band that was returned, OSF received a credit back. Ms. Tucker explained it by claiming say each band was $10, if returned they would gain $5 back. Every Xyloband was returned for the 2018 Tunes.
Tiger Toons is a musical competition brought together by a select group of hosts and by social clubs on campus. The hosts are the most important part of Toons and are essentially the stars of the show. In order to be a host you do not have to be a music major, however you do have to go through a multi- tiered audition process. The first audition is a group audition consisting of all different voice parts in order to see how the person sings with harmony. The next portion is a dance because the show consists of both singing and dancing. The dance will be learned on the spot and then judged by the quickness and correctness of learning. After that students will take a vocal pop quiz, aka they sing a random song and add choreography. The next, and final, round is a group audition again however, this time it is a cappella. Overall to be a host you must be a strong vocal performer and be a skilled dancer. The other performers of Toons are the Ouachita Social clubs. They are called social clubs because Ouachita does not endorse Sororities and Fraternities, each group on campus can only be found at OBU. For the 2018 Tiger Toons there were 10 performance groups, 8 were social clubs and the remaining two were Campus Life and Student Life which both do not require membership and cater specifically to freshman who waited a year before picking a social club but still wanted to be a part of Toons. Each group must pick a theme, pick three of four songs, and then change the lyrics to fit the theme. They are adorned with costumes and learn a full dance routine along with the music. Students only receive 3 weeks to rehearse for the event and the guidelines are very strict. In regards to the 2018 show, rehersal began on September 3rd. The Vice President of OSF Selby Tucker was a participant of Toons herself. She explained that each group is only allotted a maximum of 15 hours per week and a practice log must be turned in with the exact amount of hours. Ms. Tucker is a member of EEE on campus and said that the EEE's used all 15 hours each week. Practice hours are up to the discretion of the clubs as well as the days of rehearsal. Some groups practiced Monday- Friday, while groups like the Tri-Chi's only practiced Friday nights because they had shorter practice schedules. The EEE's are a very competitive club , which payed off because the group won all the awards offered the night I attended Toons, but other clubs such as the Beta Beta's choose not to use all the allotted hours per week as pointed out by Ms. Tucker. The place of rehearsal also depends on the club and the size of the club. Many clubs, like the EEE's, use church fellowship halls to accomodate their 135 members. Each winning team is awarded a cash reward and most turn around and donate the winnings back to OSF. Tiger Toons has been going on for 40 years as of the 2018 show. Mrs. Greer was a participant of Tiger Toons her sophomore year through the Baptist Student Union now formally known as Student Life. When asked about what surprised or frustrated her she removed eye contact and began looking around the room as if her answer was hidden in the kitchen cabinets. After an awkward pause she claimed that it surprised her how quickly friendships were made in those 3 weeks and how large the program was at the time. As we got to her frustrations she began touching her hair frequently as if nervous to share her opinion. She anxiously explained, I guess my main frustration would be the long grueling hours of rehearsals because I was a straight A student who participated in a work study 15 hours a week for the Office of Applicant Affairs. Tiger Toons is specific to Ouachita Baptist however similar events exists at other colleges. For example Baylor host Baylor Sings and Harding University has a similar event as well. The 2017 Tiger Toons won the CASE Outstanding Student Advancement Program Award this year on February 24. OBU beat out other big name schools such as University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.
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Heart of Darkness: Plot Overview
I selected this book for a number of reasons. The first reason is that you the teacher suggested it and you suggested the last book I read for your class. So, I thought that since you had suggested this book that this would be a hit. I also love controversy and the fact that this book has been deemed racist by some made me want to see if it actually were that. Id also like to see if the fact that people can get past it being a racist book because of its value to American Literature.
The main story of the book is about a narrated journey that takes place on the Congo River leading into the Congo Free State in the heart of Africa. The narrator Charles Marlow tells the story about his friends on a boat on the River Thames. On this journey, other famous British explorers on remembered from their various voyages that took place on the same path as the characters in the story. The narrator reminisces these voyages and the explorers as sacred and important and theyre legendary people. These stories give the narrator a sense of King and Country so-to-speak as in these explorers promoted the growth and knowledge of Great Britain.
Also, one of the main points is that Marlow believes that civilizing and enlightening the African people and their culture is a fruitless effort. Because, they already have their own culture and effective civilization that they dont need to interfere. However, Marlow sees the relationship between him and the Africans, but at the same time he says that the relationship is very distant. This is a point where you could argue that Marlow is either racist or not. Im inclined to believe that he isnt racist, but just that her's a realist. The fact of the matter is that most African culture is savage given that they have tribes and that theyre uncivilized living in villages rather than industrialized cities. It could be argued that this is the same thing that happened to the Native Americans in the U.S. and that we just drove them out and or made them change their very being.
As a result, to this journey Marlow is forced to confront what is happening around him to these African people. He views the people as intellectual subordinates to the British, but this also reminds him of when Rome colonized Great Britain and how the Romans viewed the British before the colonization as savages. He starts to compare his crew to a lesser evolved European from that time and how the differences arent that great as he previously thought.
At the Inner Station Marlow starts to realize the symbolism of everything he sees around himself. Kurtz is believed to be a magical being by the natives on account of the guns he has and the power they represent. The natives regard these weapons as lightning bolts rather than guns. Another instance in where symbolism and words are interpreted in more than one way, is that Kurtz has a mistress, but the manager and the Russian arent willing to name her that. This label represents that a sexual relationship between a black woman and a white man and this doesnt sit well with them.
The story comes to a social struggle between the men. They deem Kurtz to be mad because he doesnt live the way a European should with typical European morals. Marlow sees himself as similar to Kurtz and is worried about his own demise in light of him following in Kurtzr's footsteps. So, he gathers that betraying Kurtz would effectively betray himself because of how similar they are at this time. Also, the book sheds some light on how Kurtz while straying away from typical European culture and social standards that he still practices some and cannot let go from them. A prime example of this is his mistress who has a lavish lifestyle and is a symbol of how European women are treated.
The ending happens when the steamer breaks down on the boat and they have to stop for repairs. In this downtime Kurtz approaches Marlow and tells him death is approaching him and that her's ready. The next day Kurtz dies and this leaves Marlow sad because he realizes he will never get his message across like Kurtz did. Marlow returns to Brussels after having a brief brush with death from his illness.
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Heart of Darkness Questions
In the beginning of the novel, Marlowr's comparison of the barbarian darkness on the northern fringes of the Roman Empire and the Belgian Congo, the dark heart of Africa, are examples of foreshadowing. Towards the beginning, Marlow is imagining what it must have been like for a Roman conqueror to travel through the jungle and all of the obstacles and hardships that wouldve been put in his way. Harsh weather, disease, and death being only a few of what hed be forced to deal with. The idea of the Roman having a fascination of abomination , or an allure to evil, later shows itself in Kurtz after such a long amount of time in the Congo. An example of irony would be the consistent depiction of Africa as a dark and gloomy place, while in reality the Europeans are responsible for starting violence and the natives only start to contribute when they feel the need to fight back.
The three main characters - Marlow, Kurtz, and the Intended - represent distinct point of views on the nature of the world and the meaning of life. Kurtz had fallen victim to the power of the jungle, and while he was the most open minded and optimistic, he became the most dark and evil. He was able to follow through with his dream and work to create a civilized Africa, however, through time, his surroundings molded him into a barbarian himself. As his life is nearing its end, Kurtz becomes hopeless as he reflects back on his own experiences, shown when he exclaims, The horror! The horror!. Marlow acts as the middle ground. While he is somewhat affected by the darkness of the Congo, he tries to not let it get the best of him. While Marlow is excited to go on his adventure and to meet Kurtz, he keeps in mind the dangers that may come with it and how it may affect him negatively. The Intended represents purity and has the most positive outlook on life. She doesnt have the same experiences as Marlow and Kurtz, which keeps her positive and unaware of the danger and negativity in life. They are mutually exclusive in that even though Marlow is trying to avoid the darkness, he wants to get closer to Kurtz. And while the Intended is pure and light, she holds Kurtz, the most evil of the three, on a high pedestal.
The jungle changes both Marlow and Kurtz internally, as suggested by the doctor during Marlowr's examination. While Marlow was very eager to travel to the Congo, the journey makes him aware of the heart of darkness in humanity. His travels show him that everyone has an innate sense to do wrong, some will ignore this while others will act on it and do evil. When he returns home her's unbothered by what others would consider problems as he has seen true evil in action. Her's angered by those who find daily life difficult and relates everything back to his experience in the Congo. Marlowr's opinion of Kurtz in the beginning was based off of others opinions and he became interested in Kurtz without meeting him. Before his time in the Congo, Kurtz was a generous mind and noble heart, according to his fiance. After being in the Congo, Kurtz acquired an enormous amount of greed for ivory, doing whatever he could to gain more profit off of it. When the natives realized they were being taken advantage of, they saw Kurtz as their enemy. Internally, Kurtz changed so much so that those who he had an alliance with began to despise him and the very thing he wanted to destroy, barbarism, was what he became himself.
The Intended backs Marlowr's belief that women are naive and innocent as she doesnt see Kurtz for who he truly is. Sher's unaware that after his time in the Congo he himself has turned into a barbarian, the exact thing he wanted to get rid of. She puts him in a higher position as she believes her's a wonderful man, however cannot see what he has become. The African woman on the shore has the power to influence workers with her presence and beauty, which shows that women are a powerful source in menr's lives. While women may seem pure and naive, they have the power to control, influence, and persuade men. The two women knitting at the Company headquarters use dark wool to foreshadow Marlowr's time in the Congo and the dangers that he will face, as well as the darkness in his heart that he will try to avoid. Marlowr's aunt represents a connection to his work and is one of few women that he believes is worthy of respect. The novelr's ongoing theme of women is one of purity and innocence. While women are influential to men and their lives, many are oblivious to reality and the harshness of the world.
The pilgrims that Marlow meets and travels with are greedy and their full intention is to earn as much profit as possible. Their travels had nothing to do with friendships or relationships and they didnt feel the need to help each other in times of need, for example when Marlowr's steamer broke down. As stated, They intrigued and slandered and hated each other , meaning they didnt care about each other and if someone got in their way of money, they would have no problem turning on each other. The pilgrims also carry out barbaric acts, shown in their treatment towards the hippopotamus, and they see the natives as less than human. Without hesitation they open fire on the natives because they believe they should be treated like animals. They treat no one with respect because they only want the profit of the ivory and the glory for themselves.
Marlowr's description of the helmsman proves that he is capable to see natives as fellow human beings, instead of seeing them as animals, like the pilgrims and other Europeans see them as. Marlow compliments his physique and work ethic and even goes as far as to forming a bond with him, which is shown when Marlow shows remorse for him when he dies. As the helmsman is hit and wounded, Marlow finally realizes that he will somewhat miss having him to work with and feels bad that he has passed. He even goes as far as giving him a short service by ceremonially leaving him in the river. This act proves that, while the darkness of what her's seen in the Congo may have altered him internally, Marlow has the ability to show compassion to those outside of his race in a time and place where most Europeans did not.
The Russian at the Inner Station is a foil to Kurtz in most aspects. Kurtz is a strong-willed, ambitious man with a yearn to reach excellence. Her's assertive and persuasive in that her's able to make the natives believe he was a god and create an alliance with them. However, as time passes he becomes exceedingly greedy for ivory and slowly goes insane and haggard. The darkness of the Congo, and his own being, change him internally into an image of death. On the other hand, the Russian is a young man, dressed in colorful patched clothing resembling a harlequin. Her's lively and is more of a follower than a leader, being described as a disciple. These characters add meaning to the story by showing two completely opposite beings and how they behave and interact with others, as well as their outlook on life.
Kurtzr's dying words, The horror! The horror! depict how Kurtz viewed his own life. The reader can assume that at this moment Kurtz life is flashing before his eyes and her's realizing the true horror that has happened around him and was caused by him. He recalls the horrible darkness of the world and the reality that her's lived. He might also regret the evil he has done and wished he had been more pure and innocent himself.
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More than Just a Heart of Darkness
The Antichrist is quite a peculiar and mysterious character of the Bible, appearing at the end times of man as an asset of the Devil, tasked with leading many away from the light of God. Though referenced only a handful of times in the Bible, the speculation of this ominous creature is broad and extensive, including many writings of what he may be like, when he will arrive on Earth, and what he will do. Heart of Darkness yields itself to a wide variety of interpretations, one of which is interpreting the story to be that of the Antichrist due to the countless evil descriptions within this dark recounting of travelling to Africa. The story depicts a man, Kurtz, who transcends those above him and has acquired such a following for his eloquence and hellish ways that his traits mirror those of the foretold Angel of Darkness. The nature of the characters in addition with the story as a whole present Heart of Darkness to merely be an interpretation of the Antichristr's reign upon the Earth.
To begin, the setting and various locations are described in hellish or dark manners, suggesting the ominous presence of both the end times and the Antichrist. Many descriptions of Africa by Marlow reinforce its similarities to that of Hell, which is where the Antichrist dwells before entering Earth. In detailing the beginnings of his adventure, Marlow describes Africa by saying, It had become a place of darkness. But there was in it one river especially resembling an immense snake uncoiled (Conrad 5-6). The key notion in this excerpt is that Marlow identifies Africa as a place of darkness. Much like the Christian interpretation of Hell, Africa in Heart of Darkness represents a gloomy and sinful location, separated from the light of God and purity. Thus, in Marlow describing Africa as dark, the reader can infer it symbolizes an evil location similar to that of Hell. To further this hellish imagery, Marlow notes the large river in Africa resembles a snake uncoiled. Snake imagery is commonplace in Biblical tales. The notion of a snake, particular in the story of Adam and Eve, represents temptation as a whole and Satan himself. The snake embodies the devil along with all that is dark in the world. The presence of a snake signifies temptation and unholiness are present Therefore, the inclusion of this snake-like river supplements attributes of Africa to being a location of sin and evil, which certainly mirrors that of Hell. Similarly, more direct notes by Marlow add to the interpretation of Africa as being Hell, which in turn supports Kurtz as being the Antichrist. Once first entering Africa, Marlow expresses he had stepped into the gloomy circle of inferno (Conrad 14). Keywords such as inferno repeat constantly throughout the text as Marlow attempts to describe his depressing location. The consistency of this fiery imagery is evident throughout all of Marlowr's journey in Africa and increases as he inches closer and closer to Kurtz. Of course, Inferno is synonymous with Hell, furthering the proposition of Africa symbolizing Hell. While Africa may not be literal Hell, the presentation of the continent as such a malicious and wicked entity presents a proper setting where the unholy would dwell, indicating it would be a suitable location for the Antichrist once he is sent to control Earth. Likewise, the inclusion of entering this gloomy location presents Africa truly as an area different from the rest, requiring a physical crossing to experience its hellish effects. The overall depressing atmosphere of the location embodies the dark and dreary events which take place in this location. As Marlow seemingly wanders through his life and enters Africa, he physically comprehends the malevolence manifested within the nation, allowing the reader to interpret the location as dark and satanic. While possible to interpret these descriptions as a hyperbole to dramatize the anecdote which this whole tale is, biblical references to other locations in the story make a religious interpretation of the text more plausible and differentiate Europe from Africa much like Earth and Hell. Before travelling to Africa, Marlow was required to travel to Brussels to meet with a doctor and the ivory company which he sought employment from. He describes in his venture, I arrived in a city that always makes me think of a whited sepulcher (Conrad 7). The term whited sepulcher is a direct reference to verse in the Bible, where it states, Woe unto you hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead menr's bones, and of all uncleanness (Matthew 23. 27-28). Thus, the city of Brussels, and presumably the rest of Europe, is representative of mankind: sinful while attempting to be righteous. At the time of the Antichristr's arrival, those who have lived sin-free lives will be sent to Heaven during the event that is known as Rapture, resulting in only those who have sinned to remain on Earth. Particularly, those who will remain on the planet deny their wrongdoings, much like how Marlow considers the people of Brussels to be. Thus, the titling of Brussels as such directly supports the overall religious interpretation of the book, making the notion of Kurtz as the Antichrist and Africa as Hell on Earth more plausible in Marlowr's retelling of his adventure. Similarly, the description of the city also provides context to what Marlow serves in this story, being a misguided wanderer, which will be elaborated upon later in this essay. While many of these attributions to locations by Marlow may merely be an exaggeration, the evidence of choice words in characterizing Africa as a hellish location and Europe, through the city of Brussels, as a sinful Earth promote the interpretation of Kurtz being a portrayal of the Angel of Darkness.
With the setting now interpreted, a plethora or interactions and events swarming around Kurtz strongly mirror his character to that of the foretold Antichrist. One of the key attributes of the Antichrist is that he will be worshipped much like a God, as stated in the Bible, He sets himself up in Godr's temple, proclaiming himself to be God (2, Thes 2:3-4). While Kurtz never explicitly describes himself as God, he certainly does amass followers who praise him; in Marlowr's anecdote with his crew, he emphasizes, I became as much of a pretense as the rest of the bewitched pilgrims (Conrad 24). By using the term pilgrims to describe the followers of Kurtz, Marlow asserts a religious aspect of sorts to those who praise him. Like those who are pilgrims of God, these pilgrims in Heart of Darkness acknowledge Kurtz to be a superior being and place wholehearted faith in him. As such, Kurtz represents a false shepherd, who guides those away from the light of God, which is precisely what the Antichrist seeks to do. Likewise, Marlow describes his state as a pretense like the others who were bewitched. Such choice words yield to the idea Kurtzr's influence and allure holds supernatural powers over the people of Earth and entices them away from God. Much like the Antichrist using his powers granted from Satan, Kurtzr's amazing capabilities to fascinate people lead to those worshipping him, thus drawing a connection between Kurtz and the Antichrist. Another peculiar attribute of the Antichrist is that he, once on Earth, will influence a large portion of the worldr's economy, as seen from Revelation 13:16-17 ([The Antichrist] forced all people to receive a mark so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark). Though Kurtz has not quite gotten there yet, he does contribute largely to the ivory company and is rapidly progressing up the totem pole of power. When the manager discusses with Marlow, he notes, Oh, he will go far, very far He will be a somebody in the administration before long (Conrad 16). Straightforwardly, this implies Kurtz is advancing in a capitalistic sense as he gains more control and power. If truly the Antichrist, his end goal would be to not stop until he controls the whole world economically, which, based on his overall demeanor in the text, is plausible. As well, the use of before long in the quote implies Kurtz is rapidly, and possibly unfathomably, acquiring power, which certainly supports the notion of his end goal being to control all of the world. Thus, Kurtzr's involvement and status in the ivory trade provides a moderate correlation to him being the Antichrist, as they both seek economic power to control the world. Furthermore, a core feature of the Antichrist is the eloquence with which he speaks to oppose God, as noted in the Bible, And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies (Revelation 13:5). Similarly, one of Kurtzr's defining characteristics is his sophisticated manner of speech that is seemingly enchanting. Near halfway through his story, Marlow adds about Kurtz, Of all his gifts the one that stood out was his ability to talk, his words the pulsating stream of light, or the deceitful flow from the heart of an impenetrable darkness (Conrad 43). As being one of the defining features in the eyes of Marlow, Kurtzr's eloquence supersedes that of a normal man. His speaking results in others succumbing to his beliefs and creates an allure for those around, much like the pilgrims and Marlow were drawn to Kurtz from his fabled speaking. Marlow notes he is unable to distinguish the origin from which Kurtzr's capability of speech originates from As the Antichrist fools followers of God to believe him, Kurtz seemingly has fooled both Marlow and countless others as one cannot differentiate whether he is good or evil. Nothing is quite truer of the false shepherd than this notion of ambiguity, where one is unable to discern his intentions; thus, Kurtzr's capability of speech, which includes the unknown origin of this gift, supports he is the Antichrist. Now a major fault one may consider in this interpretation is how possibly could Kurtz be the Antichrist if he clearly dies in the text, when a servant states to Marlow, Mistah Kurtz he dead (Conrad 64). However, the Antichrist indeed does die, only to be revived by Satan later on; the Bible states, his fatal wound was healed (Revelation 13:3). As Kurtz is torn away from the heart of darkness that is Africa, he becomes even more frail than he once was and dies. This can be seen as Kurtz is no longer shielded from the light of God as he is removed from the recesses of the jungle and is therefore killed for being the Antichrist. Likewise, the death of the Antichrist by the Lord is only temporary, as he later returns from the help of Satan; thus, the death of Kurtz does not hinder the viewpoint of him as the Antichrist, but rather mirrors and event that occurs to the Antichrist. With many more examples possible, the coinciding of characteristics and actions of Kurtz and the Antichrist strongly support Heart of Darkness as being a story of the Antichrist and possible end times.
In a similar fashion, the evolution of Marlowr's character throughout the story presents evidence as Kurtz being the Antichrist by straying followers away from God and righteousness. Marlow serves to represent a wanderer in the text as he is unsure of what to do in life as many other people and can be influenced to partake in questionable activities; thus, he naively voyages to Africa in search for meaning and eventually discovers Kurtz, who makes him a worse person. Long before meeting Kurtz in the story, Marlow talks about himself and adds, you know I hate, detest and cant bear a lie (Conrad 23). However, Marlow intentionally lies to Kurtzr's Intended at the end of the novella, where he informs her that Kurtzr's last words were her name. Despite his once vehement hatred of lying, Marlow succumbs to the action with little remorse. This presents an evolution of the dynamic character of Charles Marlow as he changed due to his venture toward Kurtz. Marlow no longer considers lying to be an immoral action and, while only minor, has compromised moral integrity. Thus, the influence of Kurtz can be attributed to this weakening of character as Kurtz lures people, much like Marlow, to follow him rather than God (and simply put, Kurtz is not the most righteous of people). As Marlow and others seek meaning through Kurtz instead of a greater deity, they are merely fooled by the Antichrist and blindly become worse people due to the false shepherd. Kurtz leads people awry from their path to salvation and, therefore, serves as the Antichrist in Heart of Darkness.
Kurtzr's mannerisms and actions present the case for him being the Antichrist. As a whole, Heart of Darkness then grows to present more than just a tale of Africa, but rather of a specific wanderer, Marlow, who was tricked by the supernatural capabilities of the Antichrist, Kurtz. Through is eloquence and other facets, drew in countless pilgrims to the dark land of Africa. Despite his moral stance, Marlow was incapable of avoiding the allure of Kurtz, which speaks volumes of human nature as a whole. Regardless of how high and mighty one may view their own self, everyone is vulnerable to the faults of human nature and being led astray by others. Thus, we as a society are far from perfect and while being misled by others, hopefully not the Antichrist, is counterproductive, it by no means eternally worsens anyone as they are always able to realize their fault and change. This ability to recover and adapt is one of the greatest attributes of human nature and negates many of the drawbacks of our civilization.
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Persona of Harriet Tubman
Throughout history, women have fought for their rights to be treated as equals with the opposite gender. Evidence of this has been seen countless of times, but it has become more popular as our society has progressed. Some women are remembered with compassion and thankfulness for their actions. Among them, there is Harriet Tubman, famous for freeing hundreds of slaves with the aid of the Underground Railroad. As a fugitive, it must have been terrifying thinking of everything that could happen if she was to be caught. However, even as she made it to freedom, her willingness for equality did not stop her from going back and forth to the South, establishing a permanent mark on the future of the abolitionist movement. This research addresses Harriet Tubmanr's determination to keep going without regrets that led her to free over 300 slaves from bondage.
Growing up, Harriet had to overcome some difficult moments in her life that must have prepared her for the risk-taking journeys she took later on. Miss Susan, one of the first masters Tubman was hired off to, tasked her with cradling her baby, but if it wailed, she would get ruthlessly whipped. Having this happen regularly at night was a bad first experience, but it taught her a lot at the same time. Were it not for these long nights of torment, she might have never stayed focused in the dark, tiresome nights she spent with the Underground Railroad.
In addition, she got the bad luck of living her childhood surrounded by mobs and bogeyman against blacks. These groups of people accounted for an innumerable amount of manslaughters directed towards slaves and kidnappings that scarred Harriet for life. Even during her rescue missions traveling back to the South, she could not bear to stand the dreadful and devastating view of passing by plantations of her people suffering the barbarous treatments of slavery. These recollections made her wish for a world where this did not exist, which is how she was set on going to the north. In an account of Sarah H. Bradfordr's Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman, Harriet describes to Sarah her ideal dream I seemed to see a line, and on the other side of that line were green fields, and lovely flowers. This was what she was going to fight for, and she was not going to stop until it was achieved.
In Catherine Clintonr's Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom, the author argues that the most horrifying thing that could happen to a slave were auction blocks, rather than toiling in the fields, which is exactly how two of Tubmanr's sisters never saw each other ever again. This loss had a tremendous impact on Harriet that it became the catalyst of her decision to go North. It opened her eyes to all the injustices done to blacks that she became determined in making sure it would not happen to anyone.
Once she reached freedom for herself, she felt like a stranger in a strange land. She knew the burdens that slavery could have on a person, and she did not want to be alone knowing her family was still suffering from them, so she had to go back to liberate them. Harrietr's niece and her two children were to be sold off, but Harriet managed to rescue them and did not hesitate once. This was a very dangerous plan to orchestrate because back then, this was Harrietr's first trip back to her home ever since she escaped, so she lacked the resources she had obtained later on. Regardless, she made the trip, corroborating that family was one of her strongest motivators to not give up on her journeys.
Even though she left her parents last to be taken to the North, it was a smart plan because of their age. Making two old, tired people walk long distances is a challenge, but it was one Harriet was determined to accomplish. Harriet carefully thought that she should take the more sustainable, younger slaves so that slaveowners ran out of options as to who to sell eventually in slave auctions. Because of her tactical mind, Tubman succeeded in her goals.
As a slave, it was hard not to get caught between the fearful moments inside a plantation. To get through these tough times, Harriet Green and Benjamin Ross, Tubmanr's parents, kept their family bond strong and stable with their religion. It helped develop what made Harriet Tubman one of the bravest and most determined black woman of her time, and that is her faith in God. During the time that she became one of the most notorious fugitives in America, the price set for her head was huge, ranging anywhere from $12,000 to $40,000. Nevertheless, when asked how she kept moving forward while knowing this fact, she said Twas de Lord! I always tole him, ?I trust to you. Even though she did not know the way or was in absolute danger of getting caught, she relied on God to help her succeed.
In an article from The Richmond Palladium, a story about how Harriet asked God what she must do while escaping the South is described in such a way that it paints religion into a light of hope for people to follow. When God told her to go left, she obeyed, and soon after that, she found out that the side where God prohibited her to go to was where a searching party of men looking for her was walking by. Everyone that knew her was impressed by how self-assured she was in her faith. A letter written by Thomas Garret, a Wilmington Quaker, quotes She (Harriet) has frequently told me she talked with God, and he talked with her every day. The only fact that Harriet Tubman was confident about was that God was going to be by her side every step of the road, whether it was mentally or physically.
Tubman was surrounded by important people in her life who inspired her to do better. Not only did her parents imply faith in her, but they also set up a great example of strong-will for her, especially her mother. When one of her children was going to be sold away to a Georgia man, Harriet Green was determined to keep him hidden, claiming the first man that comes into my house, I will split his head open. This shows that Tubmanr's mother was a strong-minded woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wants, foreshadowing to her daughterr's persistent trips to free her people from slavery. It is clear Harriet Tubmanr's mother was a great role model for her. Afterwards, Edwards Brodess, her master at the time, promised to give the family their freedom when he died if they stay loyal to him. This sounds similar to Harriet Tubman, as she tended to obtain the respect from her fugitive followers and of white people she worked with because of her actions.
The 19th century was a time of rebellious movements from abolitionists towards whites. These kinds of rebels would often inspire Tubman into her own journeys. One of the most famous persons involved in this was John Brown. In a letter to his son the day after he met Tubman, John describes her as the most of a man, naturally, that I have ever met with. John Brown truly believes that Harriet Tubman has the mentality of a man at that time because sher's strong, independent, and a reliable soldier. Just as he admires Tubman, Harriet has respect for Brown as well. Because of this, it makes her even more determined to go after her goals of freeing slaves without giving up. Derer's two things Ive got a right to, and dese are, Death or Liberty one or tother I mean to have. This quote perfectly describes Harrietr's intentions to be similar to that of John Brown, who ended up dying when he didnt get liberty for blacks.
Although he did not have any face-to-face contact with Tubman, Nat Turner was an abolitionist who encouraged Harriet into her aspiration for freedom. One of the most popular black uprisings of the century was Nat Turnerr's revolt of 1831, where him and his crew killed over sixty whites less than a hundred miles from where Tubmanr's home was at the time. Although this event was seen as terrifying for the whites, it was exhilarating for the black community, from which young Tubman was a part of. Nat Turner must have been a big influencer for Harrietr's bold personality that led her to become a national hero. Regardless of the revolt being a massacre, Turner had obvious beliefs, one of which included that blacks should not be treated as property. Harriet Tubmanr's revolt to make her belief come true was to free slaves.
During her constant trips, the slaves who accompanied her were obviously scared. To calm them down, Tubman sang verses to them such as Hail, oh hail ye happy spirits, Death no more shall make you fear. These words would not only flow beautifully within the fugitives but also in Tubman herself. The goal of her music was to keep her people strong, so when they were ready to keep moving, Harriet could not give up on her already lifted up followers. Whether she realized it or not, the song meant for the fugitives was also a glimpse of hope for herself.
Harriet Tubman believed that she could foretell the future, which was a great asset in her determination. She claims that when she came to the North for the first time, one of the visions she had when she was younger replayed itself in real life exactly the way she remembered. That is why she constantly rescued slaves from the South without a second thought. She believed that any dream she could possibly have would become true. She was so assured of this because her father also had similar powers, given that he somehow predicted the outcome of the Mexican war.
Knowing the amount of faith in God that she had, she still could not have stayed on track if it was not for the help of friends and white co-workers. Passes were given to her by people who worked with her during the Civil War, allowing her ease of transportation, entrance to a building, or just to grab whiskey. If a white man did all the work Harriet achieved, it would have been easier to free slaves by simply crossing them over, only having to hide the slaves and not himself. That was not the case, so Tubman, as a spy for the Civil War, used these passes to do what she was appointed to do plus help lead rescue missions to free slaves deep into the occupied South Carolina.
Some might argue that because Harriet Tubman was very determined, her actions showed to be too extreme at times. One of her most famous quotes Dead niggers tell no tales depicts how Harriet would often threaten slaves into not giving up, because if they did, she would kill them. In contrast, this did show how smart she was, because even if she let one person go back to the South alive, the chance of Harrietr's plan coming out to the public would have always been a possibility.
Harriet Tubman was a woman that made history by freeing countless of slaves without feeling content with freedom just for herself. Her fearless and intrepid personality is an abstract subject that has many reasons behind how it was formed and kept steady throughout her trips. What made her so special is that she kept putting herself in danger for an estimated amount of 19 times, even though Tubman herself never kept track of the number of her trips. Almost any book or article about Harriet Tubman will say that it is unknown how Harriet built up the courage to go back to the South, but they do not realize that the answer lays in the events of her life, beliefs, and people she encountered rather than just on hard facts that most historians rely on. All in all, Tubman was a remarkable woman with an amazing story behind her actions.
Bibliography
Primary Sources
- Bradford, Sarah H. Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman Auburn, NY: Dennis Bror's & Co., 1869.
- The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.), 23 March 1869. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
Secondary Sources
- Clinton, Catherine. Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2004.
- Lowry, Beverly. Harriet Tubman: Imagining a Life New York: Doubleday, 2007.
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Harriet Tubman a Famous Political Activist
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A Role of Harriet Tubman in History
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Benjamin Franklin: the Greatest Influencer
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Franklin: Man who Changed History
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Spectacular Life of Benjamin Franklin
Ever since Benjamin Franklin was young he had worked hard for what he wanted to achieve. He knew he could achieve it as well, and believed in himself. From a young age he knew he was very successful at writing more than other subjects like arithmetic which he had failed in. I personally was the opposite, better at arithmetic and worse in writing. As he worked in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, we see how hard he works to get far in life and to stick to what he wants. But at one time in his life he was unsure of what he wanted, but he was young. But as his father made him work with his brother in his printing-house he became familiar with it and stuck to it. The printing-house is actually where he found his love of writing when his brother started a newspaper. He took over it eventually when his brother was put in jail. After his brother got out him and his brother got into another argument, which lead to Benjamin quitting. Which may seem like he is no longer dedicated but soon after he looked for another printing house to work at instead of his brothers. After having no luck at finding a job he moves to New York City to find a job and secretly moves out.
No matter what obstacles come his way, he overcomes them and works tirelessly than others. Even though he does not find a job in New York he does hear of an opportunity to get a job working for a paper in Philadelphia. As I was reading his this part of the book, I actually thought about his dedication to the work that he had been doing since he was twelve. He stays true to himself and does not change for any circumstance.
On Benjaminr's way to Philadelphia he had saved a dutchmans life. He stayed positive throughout his trip, despite being dropped off near Burlington. After reaching Philadelphia he discovers that Bradford cant give him a job, he still keeps his head up and finds a job working for a man named Keimer. Still working at the printing-house he moves in with man whose daughter he will eventually marry, even though he never writes her when he leaves America.
After some time in Philadelphia he gets a letter from his brother in law asking him to return to Boston, but Benjamin said that he would not be returning any time soon. This is showing how he is dedicated now more than ever to his work. His letter is eventually shown to the governor of Pennsylvania, William Keith. He loves how Benjamin writes and wants to help him set up a new printing-house, he will receive help from the government to build it, but he also has to ask his father for money, which means returning to Boston. Even though he did not want to interrupt his work to return to Boston he had to now. Eventually his father denies helping him because of his age. He does promise him that he will help when Benjamin turns twenty-one.
Before heading back to Philadelphia, he stops in Rhode Island to visit his brother, during the trip there he almost gets involved with two women who are actually thieves. He is beginning to not be that dedicated to his work. He is starting to fall for easy tricks. Benjamin finds Collins, finds out that he has been drinking, which he cannot get a job because of, and he loans Collins some money, but never sees him again. As he falls for one of the two tricks, he isnt thinking clearly, in the first situation if the woman nearby hadnt told him that they were no good and not to be trusted, he too would have endured the same fate as the two women did. But with loaning his brother the money, there had been nobody around to tell him otherwise.
When he returns to Philadelphia Keith, now knowing that Benjaminr's father will not help financially, will pay for it. Even though Benjamin decides to leave America to see and meet people in stationery industries. Still before he leaves he makes friends with three men; Charles Osborne, Joseph Watson, and James Ralph, who all love to read. And together they all share their poetry together. Before he leaves Keith promises to write him a letter so that he can work at the printer shops, but as Benjamin arrives, he realizes that Keith had not fulfilled his promise, and that he tends to do that a lot. Despite that he finds a job at a famous printing shop and works there for the next year.
As he is living in London, he fulfills what he had promised, he stays true to himself and who he is. Throughout his childhood, and early adulthood he had been dedicated to the printing shops and writing, especially when he worked under his brother and shared poetry with those three men from America.
While printing things in the printing shop, he comes across a pamphlet called A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain which says how the author, a famous surgeon in London wants to meet him and introduce him to others.
Earlier in the book, Benjamin almost falls for two women, who turn out to be not who they seem, and after Ralph moves to the countryside with his girlfriend, she worries about him. Then she goes to him to ask for advice, but Benjamin thinks her's flirting with her and tries to follow through with what he think shes trying to do, but immediately she stopped him and told Ralph which ended their friendship.
After about a year he moved back to Philadelphia again. When he returns, Keith has lost his job and offers Benjamin a position as manager, but he declines to work for Denham, he works there until Denham dies, then takes the manager position.
After this he becomes entirely focused on work only during his time as a manager, but then quits when Keimer wants to cut his salary. This seems like he isnt following his promise anymore only because of him quitting but after this he decided to take over the printing-house and begin a newspaper. But then he moves to New Jersey for a partnership with Keimer. He once again redeems himself when he moves back to Philadelphia to actually work on the printing-house. This is when he adopts the ideals of truth, sincerity, and integrity.
Part Two
In Benjaminr's life he has made many faults and successes, but not everyone can live without committing any faults. Especially Benjamin. Part two begins between the letters of Benjamin questioning if he should continue his book and his friend telling him it would be a mistake if he did not. He continued the book, looking forward to publishing it to show that Americans are full of virtue and dedication. . But he stopped writing for years mainly because of the French Revolution. His library was a great success as well
The library helped others get into reading more and made reading more popular. He also says how he did not help with the library as much fearing judgement from others, because of his constant success. I think that wasnt the best idea, he could have gone further with his career if he had openly helped the library and maybe even brought more attention and work to the library. When the library was just beginning he was starting a family with a woman from Philadelphia. He saved lots of money to be able to provide for his family right.
He now wants to make himself the best version of himself and is obsessed with perfection. Earlier in the book he says both that vanity is bad yet everyone has it, and multiple times he mentions how others vanity is terrible and still he acknowledges his own vanity and how it was controlled until now. But he does want to develop new virtues, thirteen to be exact. He is also keeping track of every fault and success. He finds many of his faults, and tries to correct them. He actually cannot get all of the virtues except for order but is fine with his failure of not getting that one down. He is fine with having faults and decides that a man should live with faults.
Not everyone, including Benjamin can live without faults or mistakes. No one can be perfect and everyone must live with at least one fault. A person's success and how well they are remembered for does not mean that they haven't made a mistake or any faults in their lives.
After a while Benjamins friends start to call him arrogant. He could not get rid of his vanity and arrogance no matter how hard he tries. Since the book started he has made many faults, had vanity, and admitted to his faults. It isnt really possible to live without committing any faults seeing how Benjamin tried not to and yet he had realized how many faults he had actually made by recording them down. It seems when he tries to actually not commit faults he commits more than intended.When he had done this his friends found him to be more arrogant than usual.
After he tries to learn and accomplish the thirteen virtues he becomes sort of obsessed with doing this and the same for whatever he is doing at the time. He couldnt do one of them, the last one which is when his friends call him arrogant. If Benjamin Franklin wants to live without committing any faults it might be possible if he accomplished the last one, order.
Part Three
During Benjamin Franklinr's life he came to terms with a promise of, truth, sincerity, and integrity. Throughout his life he follows his values of hard work,dedication, and ingenuity. While he is back in America he decides to create a new political party which he thinks that everyone will love. The beliefs of the party are war and revolutions. Which not everyone likes and want to follow. This party is only open to the wise people, not everyone can join. He takes principles from every major religion around at the time. Also everyone who joins will have to (like Benjamin did in part two) practice and accomplish the thirteen virtues. Over time the party and ideas had been abandoned. His dedication is not that strong to this as he is with other things in his life.
Soon he starts Poor Richard's Almanac which leads him to make another version for his newspaper in Pennsylvania. He tries to keep abuse and arguments out of the public newspaper. As he grows older he starts to put his thoughts into political issues. He fights for women's education. He also goes on to learn four languages. He gives support to a church but takes it back when he finds out the preacher is lying and copying others. After his son dies at a young age, he finally makes amends with his brother James after years. His brother also helps him in the printing-house.After this he becomes one of the top people in the mail business.
As time goes on Benjamin becomes more successful he goes on to invent the stove and does not put a patent on it for a while to let it get more popular. He also makes plans for a hospital with his friend, Thomas. During this time he publishes a book called Plain Truth which says how we need a military defense for the colonies. He wants to do so by raising money from the people around, so he organizes a meeting and discusses Plain Truth. After this he creates a bill which will, if approved, provide light and pave the city. He creates a light source for the streets and is soon awarded honoraries from two very popular colleges.
When war breaks out in the colonies and Europe, Benjamin comes up with a plan that he thinks will work to defend the colonies from the war and starts to plan out a government for the colonies. With this plan the English government is beginning to worry about the colonies and that they might lose them. After some time the American colonies begin to question why they are still with England.
After Benjaminr's military career fails, he takes some time to work on his scientific career. He begins to create and go through some scientific experiments. During this time he comes up with a hypothesis that lighting and electricity can be the same thing. He soon publishes his paper and then finally does the kite experiment. After this he receives a very popular and rare award.
Soon because of his scientific achievements he is asked to join an Assembly. Due to his hard work and dedication Benjamin is getting far in life and it has caused him to become very successful. Which over time he has worked very carefully and hard to get to where he is now and will work even harder as he goes along in his life.
Part Four
Part Four opens with Benjamin Franklin asking about making Americar's own laws, to which he very aggressively denied. Apparently each law goes through excessive stages to decide if it actually will reach the king to get approved. He tries to approve to them that America should be able to make their own laws, and not the king. He thinks he will not be able to change the king's mind as well. Twenty years earlier a similar bill that had been passed this time, went through and almost gave the colonies laws, but during this time almost the same bill had been passed.
When they all meet to discuss this, they all cannot agree on one point. Eventually they stop working with Benjamin after and say he is very rude. Which lead to him thinking that he has written too formally.They all begin to tax the colonies heavily, which is what Benjamin Franklin and many others did not want. Some people didnt like this so they tried to persuade the king to keep the act along with its taxes. Both parties argue keeping it and getting rid of it. Benjamins side wants to keep it while the opposing side wants to get rid of it. Eventually this law gets passed and everyone is taxed fairly. After this his he stops writing his autobiography.
During the time that Benjamin had been writing his autobiography he had mostly been dedicated to his work. At some points of his life, when he was mostly younger, Benjamin had stopped being dedicated and done some things without thought or reason. But throughout this chapter of the book he had been dedicated to the cause and things he wanted to make a reality. In this part he did not stop when people said he was too rude, he thought that he was just working too hard and writing in a very formal tone. His hard work to get the act and bill approved by the king had succeeded and his hard work had turned into success and it had all become a reality.
Benjamin is trying to prove that with all the hard work you do the further you will get in your career and life which leading to more success. He fully embodies this promise to America and shows them how your work affects how everything turns out. Some things came to him easily and were given to him like how the printing-house began and how he had been given the newspaper to write for when his brother was imprisoned.
In my opinion Benjamin Franklin has lived up to his potential and worked harder than everyone to get where he was and to earn all his success, and the whole time he had stayed true to himself. From a young age when he wanted something he worked hard to achieve it and never doubted himself.
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The Use of Light and Dark in the Crucible
The Crucible by Arthur Miller was written in 1952 and published in 1953. Miller uses light and darkness as symbols, a way portray tone and a way to characterize the character in the play. He also uses symbolism as a way to foreshadow the events that will take place later on in the play.
Light in this story is connected to good and divinity. Even Though this is never stated in the story, it is safe to assume since light has been connected to these many times before in other stories. As stated in How to Read Literature Like a Professor Revised: a Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines What the database relies upon, naturally, is repetition. If enough writers use a given object or situation in enough works, we start to recognize and understand the range of possible meanings (Foster 242). Since many other stories before The Crucible have used the connection of light to divinity and/ or good, it is safe to assume that this story will do the same.
In Act 1 of The Crucible light is seen in the first few sentences of the introduction. The stage directions call for a narrow window in the left part of the room with light shining through it and a candle burning next to Reverend Parris who is kneeling beside the bed while praying. The open window and burning candle symbolizes an opening to God. Here, Reverend is praying for his daughter who he believes had been witched. By symbolizing the opening to God, it is evident from the beginning how much they rely on God or the church to fix their problems and lead them the right way. In the introduction that is leading into the dialogue of Act 1, it explains that they believed they held the candle that would light the world (Miller 22). The candle here represents knowledge and by lighting the world, they believe they will cause both an intellectual and spiritual enlightenment for everyone. In the introduction to Hale, it is stated that his goal is light (Miller 41). His goal being light means that he hopes to bring holiness and peace to the people of the town by leading them which is why he plays a big part in the trials.
In Act 2 of The Crucible, when discussing baptism, Proctor justifies his decision of not baptizing all his children by stating that he sees no light of God (Miller 60) in the pastor.. Since light is used to represent holiness and knowledge, this can be taken two ways. Proctor either believes that Reverend of the town knows nothing of God or he has no holiness to him. Aside from symbolism it also serves to characterize John Proctor. By doubting the holiness of the priest, it is shown that he is not so susceptible to the control of the church. He's not as profoundly into the church and isn't driven by it completely like most of the town is. Another instance is when Hale is talking about murder and he is worried that it was never brought to light (Miller 68). Bringing something to light means to acknowledge it or make it known so this also shows that Hale has only good intentions since he doesn't want to hide any murders.
The mention of the dark/darkness also serves as symbolism as well as characterization, similar to how light did. In almost every situation, light and darkness are the complete opposite of each other. Therefore, it is only natural that darkness is the symbolism for evil and demons. it is believed that the demons are afraid of the light hence their relationship to the darkness. People believe that darkness foreshadows the coming of evil. It is also a common thing for people to fear the dark. This is because the dark represents the unknown and death, two things that terrify humans. In the end, darkness is and will almost always be connected to negativity and/or evil.
In the first act of The Crucible the town is described as having a few small-windowed, dark houses (Miller 22). This helps set the tone for the play since a dark town seems ominous. When Mr. Putnam accuses a witch of being bound to keep herself in the dark, it can be taken two ways. She is either trying to keep herself hidden and not be acknowledged since the dark represents that unknown. The other possibility is that she is at all costs going to stay on the evil path. Another instance of the dark being a symbolism od cause of the unknown was when Titube was co testing yet she couldn't tell her whole confession because according to her, it was black dark (Miller 47)
In the second act of The Crucible, the scene starts of in a low, dark and rather long living room (Miller 49). The darkness here does two things. The first thing it does is set an Ominous tone like it did in the first scene. The second thing it does is foreshadow the tragedies caused by evil that are to come later in that scene. When Hale is speaking about the powers of the dark attacking their village, it shows how controlled they ate by Abigail because not for one second do they doubt her. It shows that Hale is a man that is easily persuaded and extremely gullible.
Works Cited
- Gale, Thomson. Light and Darkness. The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Ed, Encyclopedia.com, 2018,www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/light-and-darkness.
- Kampf, Diane. Dark & Light Symbolism in Literature. Pen and the Pad, 21 Nov. 2017, penandthepad.com/dark-light-symbolism-literature-12280020.html.
- Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York, Penguin Books, 2003. PDF file.
- Foster, Thomas C. How to Read Literature Like a Professor Revised: a Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines. Harper Perennial, 2014.
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The Storyline of the Crucible
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The Storyline Of The Crucible. (2019, Jun 14).
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Analysis of the Act II the Crucible
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Analysis Of The Act II The Crucible. (2019, Jun 14).
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