Private and public school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Private and public school - Essay Example It is much less costly to learn in a public school which is offered free by the government than a private school. Of course, with private schools dependent on tuition, private grants and donations to finance their operations, they would have to be costly. IES gives an estimate of the average tuition fees for US private day schools at $12,000, $13,000 and $15,000 for grades 1 to 3, 6 to 8 and 9 to 12 respectively. In most cases, these figures exclude the cost of books and other school supplies. It therefore makes economic sense to enroll into a public school. Generally, students in public schools receive the most current curricula, thus gain appropriate skills to survive in the modern world. As noted by Strauss, public school teachers would be more likely to have certification and undergo continuous training in their respective areas of studies. This keeps them up-to-date on research-based instructional standards and also on resources supported by relevant professional entities. On the other hand, private school teachers would be rarely impelled to undertake such trainings. Despite much criticism, it would be appreciated that current instructional practices and teacher certification play a critical role in the performance of students in public schools. However, critics of public schools argue that private schools perform better academically than public schools. As noted by Strauss, a majority of private schools are operated in a closed door fashion. This has been noted to boost their performance. Additionally, proprietors of such schools do all within their means to make sure their students pass so as to be competitive in their business. Teachers spend more time with the students than would be the case in public schools. They even develop customized assessment systems for their students to better understand their learning styles and help them succeed academically. Nonetheless, credible studies that statistically adjust these

The Seccombe book discussion post Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Seccombe book discussion post - Essay Example However, this is not the case as it creates an impression that the people will always receive welfare support whenever they are in need. This impression makes some of the women lazy and hence making it difficult for them to find meaningful ways of supporting themselves (Seccombe, 40). It also creates an impression that the people will always be provided for. It therefore affects the mentality of the people. On the other hand, it is also important to note that welfare provision creates a wrong impression among the people that their needs will always be catered for. The provision of welfare also makes it difficult for the people think that the system is the only provider for those who are in need. In countries whether the welfare is provided to the people, the dependence on the system is quite high. The people will always complain when the system fails to carry out a certain activity with regards to the welfare. The presence of such complaints is an indication that the people are fully dependant on the system. The women in the society are mainly affected when it comes to the dependence on the welfare. The women are vulnerable in the society and they are more likely to seek the welfare services. Some of the divorced women are not employed any yet they have to look after the children (Seccombe, 206). This means that the welfare is the only source of livelihood that they can rely on. This reliance makes them completely dependent on the system. As a result of this, they will always want the system to intervene in any situation that affects them. The women in most cases feel that no one can address their needs apart from the system and hence the full dependence on the system. The women in most cases feel that they are being appreciated by the system through the provision of the welfare. This contributes to their full reliance on the system. The provision of welfare

Economics Essay Example for Free

Economics Essay Part I Introduction The Doha Development Rounds of the World Trade Organization were negotiations aimed at lowering trade barriers and facilitating healthier economic ties around the world. The rounds began with a ministerial-level meeting in 2001 which was held in Doha, Qatar. This was followed by several other rounds held in locations such as Mexico and Hong Kong with related negotiations held in other locations including Paris, Switzerland, and Geneva. In 2006, the progress of the talks were put at a standstill created by a divide which placed the developed nations such as the United States, the European Union, and Japan on one side and the major developing nations such as India, China, Brazil, and South Africa on the other. The divide was mainly over conflicting interests with regard to several pending issues. Four of those issues namely agriculture, textile and clothing, drugs, and market access for developing and least developed countries are discussed in this paper. Since the first round of the WTO talks, agriculture has taken the center stage. In fact, many critics claim that the standstill of the talks were mainly due to developed and developing nations inability to find acceptable common ground in the issue of agriculture’s three â€Å"pillars†. These were identified as market access, export subsidies, and domestic support. A prevailing argument in the matter is the issue of the necessary level of cuts in tariffs and domestic support on agriculture to allow developing nations to enter the global market. Currently, high regulatory tariffs in the first world hedge out 3rd world agricultural products such as grain and corn from successfully penetrating the market. What makes it worse is that the United States and the European Union both provide very high subsidies for their farmers. Five years since Qatar, the talks in Hong Kong led to a deal that set the deadline for eliminating all agricultural subsidies for exports by 2013. The Hong Kong talks also required developed countries to accept goods from the world’s poorest nations into their respective markets. This marked a milestone for the United Nations, which had been striving for such an achievement for several years. However, the following talks at Geneva failed to achieve a consensus for genuine policies on reducing farming subsidies and lowering agriculture tariffs (Effland et. al. , 2006). Textile and Clothing Discussions regarding the treatment of textiles and apparel in the Doha talks were a particular point of contention during the 2006 round. Originally, discussions on this area were included within the overall Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiations. However, developments in the talks led many analysts to suspect that the developing countries were asking far more than they were willing to give. There were also the unconfirmed reports of a hidden Chinese agenda to monopolize the world textile and clothing market with their outrageously cheap products. These led countries like Turkey to call for the sectoral separation of textile and clothing from the NAMA. However, none of the bigger players like the U. S. and the E. U. seemed to be supportive of such a move. The E. U. was against sectoring out textile and clothing from talks on NAMA while the U. S. erely acknowledged the need for â€Å"special treatment† without actually supporting Turkey’s call. The proponents of the sectoring of talks on textiles and clothing claimed that the developing countries were asking for unregulated access to 1st world markets without agreeing to the same. Some organizations such as the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC) accused countries such as India and Brazil of supporting ill-balanced tariff reductions that could severely hurt the manufacturing sector of the United States. Another issue that was raised was the prevalence of counterfeit 1st world brands manufactured in the 3rd world. Some private lobbyists contested that before countries like the U. S. would agree to such grave reductions in tariffs in the textile and clothing area, the developed nations’ governments should first demand for a 3rd World crackdown on counterfeit brand manufacturing. The 2006 talks were stalled before any relevant progress could be noted in this area (Barrie, 2006). Drug patents and distribution International debates on healthcare have always disputed the manufacturing and distribution of drugs for treating the world’s most serious diseases like malaria, HIV and AIDS. Although these medicines are easily available in the developed world, they are extremely expensive compared to the meager earnings of those in the developing world. Patent holding companies of these medicines usually charge high prices for their products primarily to cover development costs. Thus although the 1st world has the means to manage vast epidemics of say HIV in countries like Africa, the legal system on patents prevent them from doing so. A previous solution thought about for this issue was the issuance of compulsory license grants to the 3rd world. This would effectively allow them to manufacture the drugs on their own. However, since such countries usually lack the technology and resources to manufacture specialized drugs, the solution did not seem to be effective. The first Doha round had already recognized this problem and had begun on working for a solution. It released a declaration which asked for allowing compulsory licenses for the manufacture of patented drugs to be issued in developed countries provided the drugs manufactured were only to be sold to certain countries, primarily the UN’s list of least developed nations. The Hong Kong talks and the subsequent Geneva talks saw some of the participating entities heeding the declaration with concrete action. Canada had implemented the declaration by year end of 2005 while the European Commissions official journal published Regulation 816/2006 in 2006 which enforced the Doha declaration in the European Union (Gruenberg, 2007). Market access for developing and least developed countries Allowing the developing and least developed nations of the world to have better market access to 1st world economies had always been the overall thrust of the Doha talks. Trade barriers such as tariffs were contended fiercely throughout the talks. Many scheduled cuts on tariffs have been made since 2001. However by the end of 2005, the Hong Kong ministerial declaration acknowledged there should be discrimination of cuts with regards to sensitive products. Hence, countries were allowed a percentage of their original tariff lines on sensitive products. However, the Hong Kong declaration also made concessions to developing countries. Since the tariff cuts were differentially treated, the poorer countries would be subject to lower cuts and longer transition periods for implementation. The provisions on special products were also applied to the 3rd world, thereby protecting their own special products that played major roles in food and livelihood security. While the 2006 round was fruitful in providing some measure of protection for the 3rd world, it has stumbled over the means and modalities by which the tariffs were supposed to be cut especially in the context of the 1st world.  Although there were some commitments made by the end of April in 2006, these failed to materialize. A deadline set by July of that same year was also not met (Effland et. al. , 2006). Part II China a. ) The Peoples Republic of China currently has a per capita GDP of $ 7,593 (80th in the world). Since the 1980s, Chinas economic policies have undergone various reforms to make it more open to trade. The reforms have resulted to Chinas new found openness to global trade. Its main trading partners are the U. S. 21. 4%, Hong Kong 16. %, Japan 11%, South Korea 4. 6%, and Germany 4. 3%. Its main exports are plastics, optical and medical equipment, iron and steel. It imports mainly oil and mineral fuels and machinery. b. ) Two main economic issues involving China are 1. ) its stand on textile manufacturing in the world economy and 2. ) its treatment of Research In Motion (RIM) regarding the release of BlackBerry in Beijing. In the first issue, many critics have accused China of maneuvering the Doha talks on NAMA to allow itself unfettered access to the worlds textile and clothing industry. Since labor in China is so cheap and clothing raw materials so abundant, China could veritably launch a full scale monopoly of clothing and textile if given the chance (Barrie, 2006). In the second issue, China had signed a contract with RIM for the company to release its state-of-the-art PDA, BLackBerry in Beijing. However just a few months before the scheduled release, the Chinese government took advantage of the advertising efforts that RIM had previously exerted and released their own version of the PDA, RedBerry. RIM is currently assessing whether they should press charges but China seems to powerful to actually be affected (Jones, 2006). c. ) Both issues seem to point out the potential and actual abuses that China could and has made because of the great power that its vast economic strength bestows upon it. I believe that there is no other solution to such a situation other than fervent watchfulness of the international community. While Chinas entry into global trade should be celebrated, its belligerent attitude and immense resources should not be taken lightly.

Comparing Politics In The Us And Saudi Arabia Politics Essay

Comparing Politics In The Us And Saudi Arabia Politics Essay A political system is the system of the government and usually the government works to develop their political system. In most countries, the political system has some weaknesses and strengths points because nothing can be perfect also; it has some similarities and differences between countries to other country. Countries success depends on the political system because the political system is significant to development the country. United States is one of greatest countries on the earth because it has superior political system. Although Saudi Arabia does not compare with success of United States, they are attempting to be more achievement in the world. The political systems of United States and Saudi Arabia have some similarities and differences. United states and Saudi Arabia have a competent authority to discuses and give the rules for the country. In United States, the Congress has the power to formulate the rule. The Congress decides the rule to be appropriate for the government and they decide to improve their country to be more powerful and successful. For instance, after the war between United States and Vietnam, the Congress decided to stop the conscription because it did not help the country. The Congress put the rules appropriate for society because United States is multicultural and multi-religions country. The religion sometime against some rules but the Congress decides to be away of problems. In Saudi Arabia, Majles Alshora has the right to make the rules. Majles Alshora decides the rules suitable with Islamic religion. For example, Saudi Arabia has capital punishment because it is part of Islamic religion also, everything is close at the pray times accept hospitals and clinics so it is close five times a day. M ajles Alshora makes the rules suitable for society but it has to be compatible with Islamic religion. For instance, they have free education and they give students wages to encourage them to study because the knowledge is part of Islamic religion. In conclusion, the rules in United States and Saudi Arabia have the same way to decide it. The foreign relations of United States and Saudi Arabia are similar to each other because, they have diplomatic relations with most countries. United States has diplomatic relations with most countries and it has problems with some countries in the Middle East so, United States has perfect relations with most countries with the exception of Middle East. For instance, it has great relation with United Kingdom, France, Israel and Saudi Arabia. However, United States is fighting the terrorism especially in the Middle East so, United States has some war in the Middle East. For instance, it has war with Iraq because they said Iraq was terrorist country also, it has war in Afghanistan because they are fighting Al-Qaida and many countries help them to end the terrorist in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has diplomatic relations with most countries also; it has problems with some countries in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has a political relation with most European, Asian, African and American countries so; they have political relation with most countries because Saudi Arabia has petrol and every country needs the petrol because it is the main energy source in the world. However, Saudi Arabia has some problems with some countries in the Middle East such as Iran and Israel because, Iran helps the terrorist people in Saudi Arabia and there is a religion problem with Israel. In conclusion, United States and Saudi Arabia have the same foreign relations because the political relations with most countries accept in the Middle East. In spite of these similarities, these two Countries have some differences. The leadership in United States and Saudi Arabia has huge differences because United States has presidential system and Saudi Arabia has a monarchy system. The president of United States is the chief of States and government and has the highest political official by influence and recognition the United States. People have the right to vote for their president in United States because this is United States policy. Every four years the citizen vote for president. The president should lead the country for four years or eight years. For instance, the citizen in United States voted for George W. Bush before he leaded the country for four years and, when his four years has finished, the citizen voted for him again however, he cannot be president of United States because he was president for eight years. But on the other hand, Saudi Arabia has totally different leadership system because Saudi Arabia has monarchy system. Saudi Arabia has royal family and the king has to be from the royal fam ily of Saudi Arabia. The first king of Saudi Arabia was king Abdul-Aziz bin Abdurrahman because he was the Saudi Arabias founder. Before he died, he established his son Saud to be the king Of Saudi Arabia. The king leads the country until he dies and the royal family chooses one to lead the country. For instance, King Fahad bin Abdul-Aziz had been the king of Saudi Arabia for twenty three years until he died after that the royal family had chosen his brother Abdulla to be king and he is the king of Saudi Arabia until now. In short, There are quite differences between Unites States and Saudi Arabia in the leadership because, the system in United States is presidential and kingdom in Saudi Arabia. The other different between the political system of United States and Saudi Arabia is the economy. United States and Saudi Arabia have the larger economy in the world but they have differences in the economic system. United States has a capitalist mixed economy so; United States economy depends on industrial. United States has many of largest company in many things in the world such as vehicles manufacturing, computer companies and aircrafts factories. However, The companies have been dropping since the last global financial crises that affected most countries and companies. For instance, General Motors is one of greatest companies and it is Americans company also the government supports it but it affected by the last global financial crises. United States encourages the population to have their own business to increase the United States economy because economic of the country depends on the public business. But on the other hand, Saudi Arabia has an Islamic economy system so the Isl amic economy system is what written in the Quran and also Saudi Arabias economy depends on petrol. The economy of Saudi Arabia is one of the greatest countries because of the petrol moreover Petrol is abundantly in Saudi Arabia. Although the last global financial crises had affected most countries, Saudi Arabia had made outrageous profit because the price of oil had reached into the highest level. Saudi Arabia exports the petrol to many countries on the world because it exports more than eight millions barrel per a day. In conclusion, some countries have differences in economic system and United States and Saudi Arabia are one of these countries. The political system of United States and Saudi Arabia: different, yet alike. Although the two countries differ in many parts such as diverse in the economic system and command system adopted various between them. In addition, the difference assist to have some similarities because there are no countries has entirely different. However, there are some similarities between United States and Saudi Arabia in many parts at the political system for example the two countries has the same foreign relation specially in the Middle East and the most important resemblance is the competent authority to establish the rules.

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Essay -- Leadership

The premise of emotional intelligence in leadership is that emotional intelligence should be the premise of leadership. Before tasks, followers, goals and styles can be defined or critiqued, the leader’s emotional intelligence must first be assessed (Goleman, Boyatzis & McKee, 2002, pg 5). Emotional intelligence then becomes the predictor of how effectively the leader will be able to lead in any given situation, set of tasks or followers. In this paper, the author will compare this premise of emotional intelligence with the Leader-member exchange (LMX) theory and the situational approach to leadership (Northouse, 2010). Also, the author will evaluate, in terms of resonance and dissonance, how appropriately an emotional intelligence model would function in a higher education environment. Emotional intelligence operates under four theoretical domains and their respective competencies that are essentially classified under two divisions: personal competence and social competence (Goleman, et al, 2002, pg. 39). These broader competencies do not describe leadership talents, but learned abilities that describe how effectively the leader manages intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships (Goleman, et al, 2002). The assumption is that if the leader is thoroughly competent in an intrapersonal sense---meaning, among other factors, he or she is appropriately self-aware, transparent and adaptable---the leader will have better interpersonal insight into his or her subordinates (Goleman, et al, 2002). This social competence delineates more specific qualities including a strong sense of empathy, service, influence, and collaboration (Goleman, et al, 2002). In terms of leadership effectiveness, these competencies are not only ideal,... ...the author believes that the comparison of the Leader-member exchange, the situational approach to leadership, and the premise of emotional intelligence has uncovered important leadership truths that may not be mutually exclusive. Surely the enigma of leadership is that it contains many truths, with the only universal truth being that none are universal, but empirically sound to aid the leader in guiding followers and the institutions they comprise. References Bolman, L. G. & Deal, T. E. (2008). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership, 4th Ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., McKee, A. (2002). Primal leadership: Realizing the power of emotional intelligence. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing. Northouse, P.G. (2010). Leadership theory and practice. 5th Ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

The Gospel of John :: essays papers

The Gospel of John An Essay Written for A Humanities Course That Studies the Bible As A Historical Document THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: "The Man from Heaven," "Bread of Life," "Light of The World," "Living Water," .... and of course, "Son of Man." This is who Jesus is in The Gospel of John. Jesus' life is portrayed very differently from the other Synoptic Gospels; he lives completely within symbolism, and glorification. In reading the Gospel of John, I felt that Jesus was (more) clear to me, unlike my feelings in reading Matthew and Mark. Perhaps this is because I have gained knowledge of who the historical Jesus was since my first readings. However, I find that John writes about Jesus and Christianity more in the way that conventional American Christianity practices today! I see the verses most familiar to me (John 3:16), and I see the symbolism that I am used to. Most importantly, I see the lengthy teachings and sayings of Jesus, that are less frequent in the earlier gospels. This is the Jesus I am used to! Throughout this essay, I will show the parallels and differences from the Gospel of John and the earlier gospels (mostly Mark), as I discuss the anonymous evangelist(s)' conception of the word of God. 1. John 3:15 2. John 6:48 3. John 1:4 4. John 7:37-39 5. Has been believed to be: John, Son of Zebedee. The Gospel of John was written between 90-100 ADE. A late book in the New Testament, it deals with different problems than the early Gospel of Mark. Although the book does not try to stray from the special traditions of Christianity (after all, The Christian Church has become strong by this time), the book the Life of Jesus, to meet the needs of the community in 100 ADE. What were the changes that the Johannine Community had to deal with; and, how does the Gospel of John differ from earlier gospels to deal with these changes? The entire new testament is apocalyptic writing, by authors who (obviously) believe in the Parousia. We see a lot of different religions of the time develop a "Christ" figure ... it is a sign of the times; it reflects that most people were desperate for help from political and social problems that they could not escape. This is the community that the Gospel of Mark wrote for: the desperate, looking toward their God for help. Now the Gospel of John has to deal with the Parousia, that Christians believed was coming. The Johannine author(s) clearly had the Gospel of Mark

Literary Devices Essay

LITERARY DEVICES Copyright  © 2007 by Jay Braiman www. mrbraiman. com Literary devices refers to specific aspects of literature, in the sense of its universal function as an art form which expresses ideas through language, which we can recognize, identify, interpret and/or analyze. Literary devices collectively comprise the art form’s components; the means by which authors create meaning through language, and by which readers gain understanding of and appreciation for their works. They also provide a conceptual framework for comparing individual literary works to others, both within and across genres. Both literary elements and literary techniques can rightly be called literary devices. Literary elements refers to particular identifiable characteristics of a whole text. They are not â€Å"used,† per se, by authors; they represent the elements of storytelling which are common to all literary and narrative forms. For example, every story has a theme, every story has a setting, every story has a conflict, every story is written from a particular point-of-view, etc. In order to be discussed legitimately as part of a textual analysis, literary elements must be specifically identified for that particular text. Literary techniques refers to any specific, deliberate constructions or choices of language which an author uses to convey meaning in a particular way. An author’s use of a literary technique usually occurs with a single word or phrase, or a particular group of words or phrases, at one single point in a text. Unlike literary elements, literary techniques are not necessarily present in every text; they represent deliberate, conscious choices by individual authors. â€Å"Literary terms† refers to the words themselves with which we identify and designate literary elements and techniques. They are not found in literature and they are not â€Å"used† by authors. Allegory: Where every aspect of a story is representative, usually symbolic, of something else, usually a larger abstract concept or important historical/geopolitical event. Lord of the Flies provides a compelling allegory of human nature, illustrating the three sides of the psyche through its sharply-defined main characters. Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds within close proximity, usually in consecutive words within the same sentence or line. Antagonist: Counterpart to the main character and source of a story’s main conflict. The person may not be â€Å"bad† or â€Å"evil† by any conventional moral standard, but he/she opposes the protagonist in a significant way. (Although it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of character; it cannot generally be analyzed by itself. ) Anthropomorphism: Where animals or inanimate objects are portrayed in a story as people, such as by walking, talking, or being given arms, legs, facial features, human locomotion or other anthropoid form. (This technique is often incorrectly called personification. ) †¢ The King and Queen of Hearts and their playing-card courtiers comprise only one example of Carroll’s extensive use of anthropomorphism in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Blank verse: Non-rhyming poetry, usually written in iambic pentameter. †¢ Most of Shakespeare’s dialogue is written in blank verse, though it does occasionally rhyme. Character: The people who inhabit and take part in a story. When discussing character, as distinct from characterization, look to the essential function of the character, or of all the characters as a group, in the story as a whole. †¢ Rather than focus on one particular character, Lord assembles a series of brief vignettes and anecdotes involving multiple characters, in order to give the reader the broadest possible spectrum of human behavior. Golding uses his main characters to represent the different parts of the human psyche, to illustrate mankind’s internal struggle between desire, intellect, and conscience. †¢ Characterization: The author’s means of conveying to the reader a character’s personality, life history, values, physical attributes, etc. Also refers directly to a description thereof. †¢ Atticus is characterized as an almost impossibly virtuous man, always doing what is right and imparting impeccable moral values to his children. Climax: The turning point in a story, at which the end result becomes inevitable, usually where something suddenly goes terribly wrong; the â€Å"dramatic high point† of a story. (Although it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of structure; it cannot generally be analyzed by itself. ) †¢ The story reaches its climax in Act III, when Mercutio and Tybalt are killed and Romeo is banished from Verona. Conflict: A struggle between opposing forces which is the driving force of a story. The outcome of any story provides a resolution of the conflict(s); this is what keeps the reader reading. Conflicts can exist between individual characters, between groups of characters, between a character and society, etc. , and can also be purely abstract (i. e. , conflicting ideas). †¢ †¢ †¢ The conflict between the Montagues and Capulets causes Romeo and Juliet to behave irrationally once they fall in love. Jack’s priorities are in conflict with those of Ralph and Piggy, which causes him to break away from the group. Man-versus-nature is an important conflict in The Old Man and the Sea. Context: Conditions, including facts, social/historical background, time and place, etc. , surrounding a given situation. †¢ Madame Defarge’s actions seem almost reasonable in the context of the Revolution. Creative license: Exaggeration or alteration of objective facts or reality, for the purpose of enhancing meaning in a fictional context. †¢ Orwell took some creative license with the historical events of the Russian Revolution, in order to clarify the ideological conflicts. Dialogue: Where characters speak to one another; may often be used to substitute for exposition. †¢ Since there is so little stage direction in Shakespeare, many of the characters’ thoughts and actions are revealed through dialogue. Dramatic irony: Where the audience or reader is aware of something important, of which the characters in the story are not aware. †¢ Macbeth responds with disbelief when the weird sisters call him Thane of Cawdor; ironically, unbeknownst to him, he had been granted that title by king Duncan in the previous scene. Exposition: Where an author interrupts a story in order to explain something, usually to provide important background information. †¢ The first chapter consists mostly of exposition, running down the family’s history and describing their living conditions. Figurative language: Any use of language where the intended meaning differs from the actual literal meaning of the words themselves. There are many techniques which can rightly be called figurative language, including metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia, verbal irony, and oxymoron. (Related: figure of speech) †¢ The poet makes extensive use of figurative language, presenting the speaker’s feelings as colors, sounds and flavors. Foil: A character who is meant to represent characteristics, values, ideas, etc. which are directly and diametrically opposed to those of another character, usually the protagonist. (Although it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of character; it cannot generally be analyzed by itself. †¢ The noble, virtuous father Macduff provides an ideal foil for the villainous, childless Macbeth. Foreshadowing: Where future events in a story, or perhaps the outcome, are suggested by the author before they happen. Foreshadowing can take many forms and be accomplished in many ways, with varying degrees of subtlety. However, if the outcome is deliberately and explicitly revealed early in a story (such as by the use of a narrator or flashback structure), such information does not constitute foreshadowing. †¢ Willy’s concern for his car foreshadows his eventual means of suicide. Hyperbole: A description which exaggerates, usually employing extremes and/or superlatives to convey a positive or negative attribute; â€Å"hype. † †¢ The author uses hyperbole to describe Mr. Smith, calling him â€Å"the greatest human being ever to walk the earth. † Iambic pentameter: A poetic meter wherein each line contains ten syllables, as five repetitions of a two-syllable pattern in which the pronunciation emphasis is on the second syllable. †¢ Shakespeare wrote most of his dialogue in iambic pentameter, often having to adjust the order and nature of words to fit the syllable pattern, thus endowing the language with even greater meaning. Imagery: Language which describes something in detail, using words to substitute for and create sensory stimulation, including visual imagery and sound imagery. Also refers to specific and recurring types of images, such as food imagery and nature imagery. (Not all descriptions can rightly be called imagery; the key is the appeal to and stimulation of specific senses, usually visual. It is often advisable to specify the type of imagery being used, and consider the significance of the images themselves, to distinguish imagery from mere description. ) †¢ The author’s use of visual imagery is impressive; the reader is able to see the island in all its lush, colorful splendor by reading Golding’s detailed descriptions. Irony (a. k. a. Situational irony): Where an event occurs which is unexpected, in the sense that it is somehow in absurd or mocking opposition to what would be expected or appropriate. Mere coincidence is generally not ironic; neither is mere surprise, nor are any random or arbitrary occurrences. (Note: Most of the situations in the Alanis Morissette song are not ironic at all, which may actually make the song ironic in itself. ) See also Dramatic irony; Verbal irony. Metaphor: A direct relationship where one thing or idea substitutes for another. †¢ Shakespeare often uses light as a metaphor for Juliet; Romeo refers to her as the sun, as â€Å"a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear,† and as a solitary dove among crows. Mood: The atmosphere or emotional condition created by the piece, within the setting. Mood refers to the general sense or feeling which the reader is supposed to get from the text; it does not, as a literary element, refer to the author’s or characters’ state of mind. (Note that mood is a literary element, not a technique; the mood must therefore be described or identified. It would be incorrect to simply state, â€Å"The author uses mood. †) †¢ The mood of Macbeth is dark, murky and mysterious, creating a sense of fear and uncertainty. Motif: A recurring important idea or image. A motif differs from a theme in that it can be expressed as a single word or fragmentary phrase, while a theme usually must be expressed as a complete sentence. †¢ Blood is an important motif in A Tale of Two Cities, appearing numerous times throughout the novel. Onomatopoeia: Where sounds are spelled out as words; or, when words describing sounds actually sound like the sounds they describe. †¢ Ouch! EEK! Crash! Oxymoron: A contradiction in terms. †¢ Romeo describes love using several oxymorons, such as â€Å"cold fire,† â€Å"feather of lead† and â€Å"sick health,† to suggest its contradictory nature. Paradox: Where a situation is created which cannot possibly exist, because different elements of it cancel each other out. †¢ In 1984, â€Å"doublethink† refers to the paradox where history is changed, and then claimed to have never been changed. †¢ A Tale of Two Cities opens with the famous paradox, â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. † Parallelism: Use of similar or identical language, structures, events or ideas in different parts of a text. Personification (I): Where inanimate objects or abstract concepts are seemingly endowed with human self-awareness; where human thoughts, actions, perceptions and emotions are directly attributed to inanimate objects or abstract ideas. (Not to be confused with anthropomorphism. ) Personification (II): Where an abstract concept, such as a particular human behavior or a force of nature, is represented as a person. †¢ The Greeks personified natural forces as gods; for example, the god Poseidon was the personification of the sea and its power over man. Plot: Sequence of events in a story. Most literary essay tasks will instruct the writer to â€Å"avoid plot summary;† the term is therefore rarely useful for response or critical analysis. When discussing plot, it is generally more useful to consider and analyze its structure, rather than simply recapitulate â€Å"what happens. † Point-of-view: The identity of the narrative voice; the person or entity through whom the reader experiences the story. May be third-person (no narrator; abstract narrative voice, omniscient or limited) or first-person (narrated by a character in the story or a direct observer). Point-of-view is a commonly misused term; it does not refer to the author’s or characters’ feelings, opinions, perspectives, biases, etc. Though it is written in third-person, Animal Farm is told from the limited point-of-view of the common animals, unaware of what is really happening as the pigs gradually and secretively take over the farm. Writing the story in first-person point-of-view enables the reader to experience the soldier’s fear and uncertainty, limiting the narrative to what only he saw, thought and felt during the battle. Protagonist: The main character in a story, the one with whom the reader is meant to identify. The person is not necessarily â€Å"good† by any conventional moral standard, but he/she is the person in whose plight the reader is most invested. (Although it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of character; it cannot generally be analyzed by itself. ) Repetition: Where a specific word, phrase, or structure is repeated several times, usually in close proximity, to emphasize a particular idea. †¢ The repetition of the words â€Å"What if†¦Ã¢â‚¬  at the beginning of each line reinforces the speaker’s confusion and fear. Setting: The time and place where a story occurs. The setting can be specific (e. g. , New York City in 1930) or ambiguous (e. g. , a large urban city during economic hard times). Also refers directly to a description thereof. When discussing or analyzing setting, it is generally insufficient to merely identify the time and place; an analysis of setting should include a discussion of its overall impact on the story and characters. †¢ The novel is set in the South during the racially turbulent 1930’s, when blacks were treated unfairly by the courts. †¢ With the island, Golding creates a pristine, isolated and uncorrupted setting, in order to show that the boys’ actions result from their own essential nature rather than their environment. Simile: An indirect relationship where one thing or idea is described as being similar to another. Similes usually contain the words â€Å"like† or â€Å"as,† but not always. †¢ The simile in line 10 describes the lunar eclipse: â€Å"The moon appeared crimson, like a drop of blood hanging in the sky. † †¢ The character’s gait is described in the simile: â€Å"She hunched and struggled her way down the path, the way an old beggar woman might wander about. † Speaker: The â€Å"voice† of a poem; not to be confused with the poet him/herself. Analogous to the narrator in prose fiction. Structure: The manner in which the various elements of a story are assembled. †¢ The individual tales are told within the structure of the larger framing story, where the 29 travelers gather at the Inn at Southwark on their journey to Canterbury, telling stories to pass the time. †¢ The play follows the traditional Shakespearean five-act plot structure, with exposition in Act I, development in Act II, the climax or turning point in Act III, falling action in Act IV, and resolution in Act V. Symbolism: The use of specific objects or images to represent abstract ideas. This term is commonly misused, describing any and all representational relationships, which in fact are more often metaphorical than symbolic. A symbol must be something tangible or visible, while the idea it symbolizes must be something abstract or universal. (In other words, a symbol must be something you can hold in your hand or draw a picture of, while the idea it symbolizes must be something you can’t hold in your hand or draw a picture of. ) †¢ Golding uses symbols to represent the various aspects of human nature and civilization as they are revealed in the novel. The conch symbolizes order and authority, while its gradual deterioration and ultimate destruction metaphorically represent the boys’ collective downfall. Theme: The main idea or message conveyed by the piece. A theme should generally be expressed as a complete sentence; an idea expressed by a single word or fragmentary phrase is usually a motif. †¢ Orwell’s theme is that absolute power corrupts absolutely. †¢ The idea that human beings are essentially brutal, savage creatures provides the central theme of the novel. Tone: The apparent emotional state, or â€Å"attitude,† of the speaker/narrator/narrative voice, as conveyed through the language of the piece. Tone refers only to the narrative voice; not to the author or characters. It must be described or identified in order to be analyzed properly; it would be incorrect to simply state, â€Å"The author uses tone. † †¢ The poem has a bitter and sardonic tone, revealing the speaker’s anger and resentment. †¢ The tone of Gulliver’s narration is unusually matter-of-fact, as he seems to regard these bizarre and absurd occurrences as ordinary or commonplace. Tragedy: Where a story ends with a negative or unfortunate outcome which was essentially avoidable, usually caused by a flaw in the central character’s personality. Tragedy is really more of a dramatic genre than a literary element; a play can be referred to as a tragedy, but tragic events in a story are essentially part of the plot, rather than a literary device in themselves. When discussing tragedy, or analyzing a story as tragic, look to the other elements of the story which combine to make it tragic. Tragic hero/tragic figure: A protagonist who comes to a bad end as a result of his own behavior, usually cased by a specific personality disorder or character flaw. (Although it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of character; it cannot generally be analyzed by itself. ) †¢ Willy Loman is one of the best-known tragic figures in American literature, oblivious to and unable to face the reality of his life. Tragic flaw: The single characteristic (usually negative) or personality disorder which causes the downfall of the protagonist. †¢ Othello’s tragic flaw is his jealousy, which consumes him so thoroughly that he is driven to murder his wife rather than accept, let alone confirm, her infidelity. (Although it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of character; it cannot generally be analyzed by itself. ) Verbal irony: Where the meaning of a specific expression is, or is intended to be, the exact opposite of what the words literally mean. (Sarcasm is a tone of voice that often accompanies verbal irony, but they are not the same thing. ) †¢ Orwell gives this torture and brainwashing facility the ironic title, â€Å"Ministry of Love. †