Soto Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Soto - Essay Example Soto exhibits several strong purposes in writing this essay. The first thing that the reader will notice is that this author writes to entertain. The reader can visualize the boy in the story trying to find something to do other than watch ‘the perfect family’ on television all summer. His interactions with others throughout the story, while carrying an underlying tone we will analyze in a moment, are written in a narrative format that is easy to follow along. Whoever reads the story can feel a part of the boy’s life and truly visualize what he spends his summer days doing. When he encounters Mrs. Moore in his effort to do some work at her house, she exclaims â€Å"It’s summer, and there ain’t no leaves† (Soto 24). This makes us all remember the days of our youth and our good-natured encounters with the neighbors. A subsequent, more serious purpose to this essay lies in the life of the boy and his siblings. Soto appears to be asking the reader to empathize with the characters in the story. Adults all around them seem to be communicating that, because of their Hispanic heritage, they can only go so far up the ladder of success in society. So, they spend their days watching the perfect ‘white’ family on television and wishing, almost, that they had been born into a different family, or at least at a different time. This is a social message. Soto is effectively asking his audience to imagine being a child who feels others around him are superior to him simply because of their race. He also is asking the reader to visualize being a child and discovering that nearly every adult in your life supports the notion that you are stuck where you are and cannot advance. It is certainly not a ‘pretty picture’, but it is certainly a message that certainly gives the reader pause to reflect and consider. Soto was effective in pointing the readers, in an entertaining fashion, towards a serious social problem faci ng the country. He takes issue with boys and girls who are told their dreams cannot come true even before they reach the middle of adolescence. The boy’s two siblings seem to already have bought into this notion. His brother, in essence, spends his days playing around in the ditch and really desires to do nothing else. Sensing that there is more to life, the boy begins to strike out on his own and try to make something of himself. Sure, this is just a story, but the message and purpose is clear. Soto really desires to use this essay to point towards this perceived social injustice and he challenges society to take action. To this end, the author is effective. One of Soto’s ideas during this essay is that adults perpetuate this feeling in minority children that they are destined to a life that is inferior to others. He demonstrates this with the boy’s mother. Early in the story, the narrator’s mother tells him â€Å"Boy, are you a crazy Mexican. Where did you get the idea that people eat turtles?† (Soto 23). The implication of the mother throughout is clear. While she certainly seems to love her children, she believes that, since they are Mexican, they cannot be like the ‘white children’ they see on television. Sure, you want your children to be proud of their race. Upon analyzing this essay and its purpose, however, it is

Marketing (Buyer Behaviour) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing (Buyer Behaviour) - Essay Example t will provide the business executives with sufficient information regarding the strategies used by HP and Dell in terms of being able to effectively influence the buying behavior of its target consumers. Founded in 1939 by Bill and Dave (HP, 2008a), Hewlett-Packard (HP) manages to grow as the leading computer manufacturer in the global markets. Today, HP operates in more than 170 countries all over the world. Dell was founded by Michael Dell in 1984. (Dell, 2008a) Since then, the company remains focused on addressing the specific needs of the customers when purchasing a computer system. Dell’s strategic decision to penetrate the global markets in 1987 (Dell, 2008b) enabled the company to become one of the biggest computer manufacturers today. Specifically in Australian market, HP and Dell were able to capture the biggest market shares with 21% and 15% respectively. (Tung, 2008) (See Appendix I – Market Shares of Major Computer Manufacturers in Australia on page 11) Under the Needs and Wants, discussion will focus on determining the buyers’ behavior on these two major portable computer manufacturers, a clear market segment and the specific needs and wants of the consumers in terms of using the two branded laptops will be identified. Eventually, the different strategies used in motivating consumers to purchase either of these two products as well as the attitudes or consumers’ preferences with regards to these brands will be discussed. The last part of the report will tackle the impact of consumers’ social class on how marketers are able to communicate with them including how the marketing communication methods used may have affect the consumers’ perception on these products. Between September ___ to ___ of year 2008, a total of 100 market research survey questionnaires will be distributed to a total of 100 laptop owners who are living in Australia. (See Appendix II – Market Research Survey Questionnaire on page 12) Aside from conducting a

The Consequences of the Great Depression in the US Experienced from Research Paper

The Consequences of the Great Depression in the US Experienced from Children - Research Paper Example were hit hardest by the depression. On realizing that the economic downfall will last for a period, many countries initiated plans to keep their domestic production protected through the imposition of tariffs. Others raised their existing tariffs, and quotas were set on foreign imports (Ewing, 2006). All these restrictive measured aimed at reduction of international trade volume. Over the consequent assorted number of years, the contribution from investors declined and so did the consumption rate of the customers (Rauchway, 2008). Some economists are of the opinion that significant outcomes tot eh political sphere, with some political aspirants like Franklin D. Roosevelt of the democrat getting advantage of the economic distress. Arguably, the economic depression affected nation, consequently affecting individuals with those involved in trade getting severe effects. Though given less emphasis, the effects of the depression in children was as well diverse. This paper analyses in depth the consequences of the Great Depression in the US experienced by children. Lack of education Education is a key factor to the success of every child. As such, it is a requirement that children are given enough of it to ensure that their future life is well constructed. However, with the prevailing tension and economic distress during the Great Depression, the opportunity to access education was at stake (Terkel, 2011). Evidently, during this period, American institutions were profoundly transformed. For instance, in the 1920s, there was erosion of crucial educational advances, resulting in the closing of schools. The closure of these schools was instigated by the fact that funding was no more. In addition, those schools that were under construction were brought to a halt. This meant that children could not attend school any more. Notably also, the arrears for teachers and educational administrators increased. As a result, they formed unions and engaged in strikes with hope that th eir arrears would be cleared. The consequences were felt by children for lack of teachers and administrators meant that learning was no more (Bound & Turner, 2002). Retrieved on March 30, 2013, from http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/trickle-down-in-down-market-1.jpg Alteration of Family Unit structures The Great Depression altered the way of living for families and children, turning to be a challenge to every American family. The notable effects ranged from impacted financial structures and employment of the entire family unit. Further, the families lost their jobs and could not settle their mortgage debt were rendered homeless. The basic needs like food, water, and shelter became scarce. Regardless of where one was living, be it in the city or on the farms, life was hectic for everyone. The depression forced the kids to work, made others run away from their family, and began living in the railroads. Most of the children from families that were not well off were forced to work and bring money to the family for their upkeep (Rauchway, 2008). This meant that the family structure was completely altered as every individual in the family felt the need to work add to the family income. Working of the children was not that good since children were affected in growth due to the physical fatigue and psychological depression. Medical challenges During this period, scholars document that infant mortality rate was at its peak because there was no prenatal medical care for the pregnant

John Holland's Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

John Holland's Theory - Essay Example It also explains concepts such as congruence, differentiation, consistency and identity in accordance with Holland’s theory. John Holland believes that humans are attracted to particular work environments in accordance with their personalities and backgrounds and they create specific work stereotypes to choose occupations that satisfy their preferred interests and capabilities (WCU, 2006). A premise of the theory is that people are profoundly influenced by their personality in their ultimate selection of a career and there are six types of personality types which every person falls under one of them. Another premise of Holland’s theory is that there are six analogous model environments that reflect the prevailing physical and social settings of a society (Smart & Feldman, 1998). The six personality types are interrelated and can be cross referenced with the six work environments and the a person that finds his calling in life will benefit from these environments because the characteristics and abilities of his personality reinforced in this setting. A realistic personality type are people who enjoy an active and stable lifestyle that gears them towards choosing jobs that are hands on and required manual abilities such as building, mechanics, machinery operation and athletics (John Hopkins University, 2007). These persons like to be outdoor and can not be confined to the strict environment of an office setting. They visualize work as something you can create in which a tangible result in noticeable and the skill level of a person improves with repetition and experience. They are not the best at dealing with other humans in a work setting. A person with an investigative personality type is a problem solver that is very adept at mathematics and scientific activities. He has the ability to solve complex and abstract problems by

Kant on Time as A Priori Essay Example for Free

Kant on Time as A Priori Essay Immanuel Kant presented a series of arguments regarding the nature of time. He sought to prove that time is innate in the sensibility of all human beings and that it is independent of the material world and argued that time belongs to experience as an a priori form of intuition (Kant, 74). In his Critique of Pure Reason, he claimed that time is a priori instead of being a permeating feature of mind-independent reality. He also argued that the nature of time as an element of the universe is sensible instead of conceptual which the mind   compels upon experience (75). He arrived at the conclusion that time could not independently exist or be associated to other objects as a verifiable entity. He claimed time to be the form of inner sense and maintained that time is â€Å"It is the immediate condition of inner appearances (of our souls), and thereby the mediate condition of outer appearances.†Ã‚   (77).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first of Kants arguments regarding time as an a priori form of sensibility states that it is a necessity for our understanding of   simultaneity and succession to be preconceived since they are generated in our minds prior to our experience of simultaneous but successive moments in time (75). Kant claims: â€Å"Time is not an empirical concept that has been derived from any experience. For neither coexistence nor succession would ever come within our perception,   if the representation of time were not presupposed as underlying them a priori. Only on the presupposition of time can we represent to ourselves a number of things as existing at one and the same time (simultaneously) or at different times (successively).†Ã‚   (74) By stating that â€Å"Only under its presuppositions can one represent that several things exist at one and the same time   or in different times,† (74) Kant, in essence, is implying that concepts can not made on the basis of perception unless we have a preconceived notion of such concept. For example, our notion of a â€Å"dog† could not be a concept which is based on our experience since our mind would not be able to perceive it we did not have an idea of a â€Å"dog† which was based on a preconceived notion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, even with Gardners explanation, Kants argument is still unpersuasive. It fails to offer us sufficient reasons to agree that a preconceived notion of time is a necessary prerequisite of the perception of time. This argument is not compelling enough to weaken how time is viewed in the common sense because it begs a faulty conclusion that if this was so, our notion of color should also be a priori. Consequently, with this argument, the logical assumption about time would be that â€Å"because the notion of time is conjured simultaneously with representing the world of material objects, it cannot be based on perception of material objects. The basic view of the nature of time actually remains definite as the properties of time, which exists in and all the objects of the universe, are perceived through our experiences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kants second argument tries to prove that time is an a priori form of intuition by arguing that it is possible to consider time without any appearances of any material object but it is not possible to consider any material object without the appearance of time. Kant argues: â€Å"Time is a necessary representation that underlies all intuitions. We cannot, in respect of appearances in general,remove time itself, though we can quite well think time as void of appearances. Time is, therefore, given a priori. In it alone is actuality of appearances possible at all. Appearances may, one and all, vanish; but time (as the universal condition of their possibility) cannot itself be removed..† (74-75) However, if we take this argument into consideration, it would then be logically imperative to conclude that space embodies the of outer sense or time embodies the inner appearance however this conclusion, albeit sound based on the provisions of the Kants argument, actually contradicts the text itself .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All in all, Kants arguments fail to mitigate the strong points of the common sense view of time which is, that time is a pervasive feature of the world. His arguments do not offer conclusive ideas. Although he tries to provide empirical evidences to his arguments by referencing his claims with the realities of experience, his arguments imply assumptions that when interpreted do not necessarily hold true. His theory requires a vital premise, that our notions of time and space are a priori, and it requires it to be granted in the onset however he offers no compelling argument. This vital premise caused the undoing of his entire theory. Works Cited Kant, Immanuel. The Critique of Pure Reason. Trans. Kemp-Smith, Norman. Palgrave Macmillan, 1995.

Gun Control Essay Example for Free

Gun Control Essay Gun Control seems to be more of an issue today than it has ever been in the history of our world. We’ve all heard tragic news stories about gun violence; we’ve been hearing about these stories since we’ve been old enough to remember. Gun control has always been a controversial issue, but it could possibly be the most controversial of all issues now. The recent shootings at Sandy Hook in Newport, Connecticut have placed gun control at the front of the line. Gun control isn’t relative to my field of study, but it is an issue that I feel ignorant about. I can understand the views of both sides of the debate, but I work with many gun enthusiasts who are narrow-minded towards this issue, and I want to put an end to this ignorance; not just at my place of work, but anywhere that the issue is being discussed. This is a very serious and sensitive issue that will affect my children’s future, and I need to educate myself because I want to be involved. Gun violence is out of control and needs to be stopped. Gun control has been, and probably always will be, an issue that will always have opposition; but the issue needs to be addressed now more than ever. It’s not an issue of gun control in general; it’s an issue of gun control today. Everyone wants to comment on the ineffectiveness of gun control laws in the past, such as the assault rifle band; stating that gun violence never decreased from these laws

A Dolls House | Analysis | Female Gender

A Dolls House | Analysis | Female Gender Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House presents to us Nora, the doll, who is caught up in a constricting marriage to Torvald, who represents the society of 19th century Europe through his narrow mindedness and hard and fast rules. In this society, women are a suppressed bunch and do not have many opportunities to express or be themselves When they are little girls in pigtails, they live by their fathers rules and abide by the law in the house. They get married and go to their nuptial homes .Here they have to live under the thumb of their husbands and meekly take on whatever is thrown at them. On the other hand, we have Mariama BÃ ¢s So long a letter, which is set in Post-colonialist Senegal. Here we have Ramatoulaye, a model housewife living under her husbands roof and putting her family before self. She writes a long letter to her best friend Aissatou which details the events after her husbands death and also provides a flashback of her and her friends lives over the time they have matured from girls to women to mothers. An unmistakable hint of feminism is perhaps what makes the novel a strong megaphone for the oppressed woman in Africa. The African woman is oppressed by her culture and by virtue of her position. Aissatou is however a rebel and goes against the societal norms and Ramatoulaye gradually realizes she cannot look to her culture for much. Throughout both of the works that I have studied, both the characters of Nora and Ramatoulaye are similar in the fact that both their characters develop throughout the novels. This represents the emergence of the feminine in both the works. In this essay, I will be analyzing how the writers present women and the problems that they face in two different societies in two different parts of the world. Ibsen was very concerned a about the position of women in the society that he lived in .he looked at his mother and the other women he was associated with as models to study. He thought that women had a right to amplify their own distinctiveness, but in reality, their function was habitually self-sacrificial. The concept of gender- equality did not exist and women were regarded inferior, either in relation to their husbands or the social order, as is apparent from Torvalds dismay of his employees thinking he has been influenced in a decision about Krogstads job by his wife. It was not tolerable for women to conduct business or control their own capital. It was considered necessary that they had the authorization of the man who owned them husband, brother or father before they engaged in any activity involving money. Furthermore, they were not cultured for responsibility. Nora falls victim to both the injustices, by taking out a loan without the endorsement of her husband or father and by believing, out of unawareness of the world around her, that she could get away with forging a signature. In a way, single or widowed women like Mrs. Linde had more room to breathe than married ones, in that they earned their own money and did not have to hand it over to the alpha male of the family .They also did not have to depend on their husbands for anything. But even so, the careers open to women were constrained and hardly paid enough. They could either become clerks, teach or house-keep. Whats more, womens work was grindingly dreary, and likely to leave an intelligent woman like Mrs. Linde disgruntled. Women often got into another trap: Marriage. Yes, marriage was a snare in itself. They could divorce, but it carried a communal stigma not only for the woman, but also for her spouse and family. Hence, few women even weighed it as an option. Torvald preferred to a certain extent to have a make believe marriage, for the sake of appearances, rather than an annulment or an amicable separation. When he discovers the truth about the money, he tells Nora. It must be hushed up. Whatever it costs. As for you and me, we must go on as if nothing had changed between us. In public. This is clearly demonstrative of the fact that Torvalds regard for his public image is much greater then his regard for Noras happiness, who is clearly in an unhappy alliance. He should let Nora get a divorce from him rather than being in a playhouse marriage. The characters of Nora, Mrs. Linde and the Nurse all have to sacrifice something or the other to be accepted, or even to survive. Nora not only sacrifices herself in borrowing money to save Torvald, but she loses the children she undoubtedly loves when she decides to pursue her own identity. Mrs. Linde loses the true love of her life, Krogstad, and is forced to say I do to a chap she does not love in order to prop up her needy relatives. The Nurse gives up her own child to look after other peoples in order to survive financially. Besides, she sees herself blessed to get her lowly job, given that she has committed the sin of having a child out of wedlock. In the society where Ibsen as raised women who had illegitimate babies were stigmatized, while the men responsible often escaped scorn. Hence, A Dolls house presents a pitiable picture in terms of the treatment and position of women in the European society of the 19th century. On the other end of the line we have So long a letter, which is a novel written in Western Africa, most probably Senegal. This book details the lives of two women, Ramatoulaye and Aissatou, who are moving through life with nothing but each others support. They are both caught in the same situation as they are both victims of their husbands marrying other women and hence engaged in bigamy. This novella shows us two sides of the same society The post/colonialism Senegal is a hugely patriarchal society, where the men are placed at the crux of family life. They are the sole breadwinners in each households. They put the food on the table and are the only source of income in any family. The women however, cut a sorry figure. The only function they seem to perform or the only utility they seem to have is to have babies for their husbands. The only role they play is that of prostituting for their husbands. Pardon my strong language, but it would seem that women were placed in that society only to satisfy the men and have sex with them. The only course that their lives could take was to get married and have children as soon as they finished their school. That is, if they were lucky enough to go to school. Senegal is a chiefly Islamic country and sharia law was followed.Sharia law prohibits girls who have reached maturity to go to school to avoid any contact with the outside world .Basically; they could not go school, as it would mean getting to meet people from the outside and also socialize with men other than their own fathers or brothers. However, Ramatoulaye does have the opportunity to go to school fortunately. This is one of the factors that influenced the way sh e looked at life compared to the older women of her time.. Also the society was in a way hypocritical, because the men could do anything they wanted and go scot- free but the women would be criticized for doing the same. In fact, both the husbands of Aissatou and Ramatoulaye commit bigamy with women half their ages. However, the women were looked down upon if they married a second time unless they were widows. Also, Islam prevents divorce, unless the husband chooses to divorce his wife. The woman has no right to divorce her husband because, according to sharia law, they had the sole role of upbringing the children. The man was only supposed to bring in the money. Hence, the religion of Senegal also played a restricting role and was in a way responsible for the treatment of women as represented in So long a letter. In the above discussion I have analyzed both A Dolls House and So long a letter by looking at instances which look at the way in which women were treated in the respective societies in which the books are set in. It is to be noted that A Dolls House and So long a letter were not only written in different countries, but also during different time spans. However, these two books both paint a gloomy picture of the way in which women were placed in society and treated by the people around them despite being written almost a century apart. Another noticeable attribute of both the works is the fact that the women protagonists rise up through the rubble of their lives somewhat like the mythical Phoenix. This is also relevant in the modern context because nowadays women have risen up to be equals to men in all spheres of life. Aditya Arun