Life in the 1920s to 1930s free essay sample

This paper describes the life of a young girl in the 1930s and 1940s. This paper describes the life of Mary V, an woman who is remembering back to her childhood and youth in Brooklyn during the hardships of the pre-War and Depression eras. It details domestic life, political life, social life, her education and other personal experiences through the eyes of a young girl. From the paper: Mary Veronica English was born on April 7, 1921 to a middle class family in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up she attended a Catholic grade school that was run by Nuns, who were very strict. Any form of disobedience would result in a ruler being slapped across her back, however that rarely happened. She was growing up at a time when corporate punishment was the norm in schools. The age-old adage of ?spoil the rod and spoil the child? was one that was used throughout the society. We will write a custom essay sample on Life in the 1920s to 1930s or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The society was still patriarchal and the parentsmainly the father, ruled the family. The children were obedient and religious and went to Church every Sunday. The people lived in close-knit communities and regardless of the fact that the Nuns ruled by the ruler, she liked most of the nuns and thought they taught much better than the public schools, because they took more time with each student.

The Newburgh Address essays

The Newburgh Address essays The Newburgh Address was the result of unrest in 1783 among officers of the American Army due to many officers and men not receiving pay for many years. General George Washington stopped any serious talk by appealing successfully to his officers to support the supremacy of Congress. The officers had been promised a lifetime pension of half pay; instead, Congress gave them five years full pay. I believe that this speech incorporates testimonial, rhetorical questions, and emotional appeal. General Washington makes a very persuasive argument to the soldiers of the American Army which is the reason I chose the topic testimonial. Emotional appeal just for that reason he is appealing to their emotions, though he is a rough military man, he speaks to them as a friend, and he gives them comfort. Finally rhetorical questions, every great argument has at least one rhetorical question, in the case of this one he uses several throughout the Newburgh Address. Why then should we distrust them? And, in consequence of that distrust, adopt measures which may cast a shade over that glory which has been so justly acquired; and tarnish the reputation of an army which is celebrated through all Europe, for its fortitude and patriotism? And for what is this done? To bring the object we seek nearer? No! Most certainly, in my opinion, it will cast it at a greater distance. When Washington is saying this he is giving his own opinion as to what Congress is doing. He is basically telling his soldiers that its been hard and he knows this but The United States of America is just starting out, were still in a war with Great Britain, and we dont have enough money to pay them. He says I cannot, in justice to my own belief, and what I have great reason to conceive is the intention of Congress, conclude this address, without giving it as my decided opinion, that that honorable body entertain exalted sentiments of the services of th...

Politics and the English Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Politics and the English Language - Essay Example The fall of English language from its pre-eminent place is described by Orwell, in his typical style. He writes, â€Å"It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts.†(5) As far as I can think, Orwell has correctly linked the decadence of his civilization with the collapse of the language. Language is the important tool with which humankind shapes its own purposes, and if the language fails on that count, the purpose of life is going to be directionless and destination-less. The connection between language and politics is intimate. If the former declines, the latter is influenced, either for good or bad. When the thought currents of politicians are not noble, one cannot expect his language to be noble. The language will be caught in the vicious circle. Orwell explains the predicament in his inimical style. â€Å"A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely because he drinks.†(5) It is necessary for a politician to think correctly and that will set the process of regeneration of politics. Orwell has done well to substantiate his arguments by providing five specimens of English written badly. The present downward spiral of the knowledge of English should not be allowed to go unchallenged. The decadence must halt. So the fight to rejuvenate the language is free for all but purposeful fight in which the politicians, the professional writers and the common people are involved. They all must have the will to enable the English language to grow and only then grow it will! Bad language is due to the vices generating in a bad

Art & Eight Different Kinds of Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art & Eight Different Kinds of Art - Assignment Example Examples of such art have also been stated for better understanding. Introduction Art has been in existence since time memorial and has played second nature to man since it’s expressed in various forms. From stone carvings and cave drawings in the Neanderthal days, to modern day art such like graffiti, art has truly evolved. We shall therefore be discussing the different meanings and eight different kinds of art to be precise. A conclusion on what art is based on the eight discussed areas and the future of art will then be drawn. Definition of Art According to George Dickie (1956), art in the classificatory sense is an abstract or a collection of pieces of which are meant for appreciation by a person or individuals acting on their own behalf or that of an institution. Monroe Beardsley's (1982) on the other hand defines artwork as either an arrangement of conditions anticipated to have the ability of affording an experience with marked aesthetic disposition or an arrangement be longing to a class or type of arrangements that is typically intended to have this capacity. But according to the definition by Levinson (1990), an artwork is an object that has been purposely projected for consideration in any way prior works were appropriately regarded. Painting As a form of art, painting refers to the artistic impression of images using colors that represent different abstract meanings. An example of a painting is The Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo Da Vinci. The painting has been conferred upon it a status because of its sentimental value and it’s deep hidden meaning that its artist intended to portray Sculpture This form of art is used to describe an artwork which has three dimensions, height, width and depth. Most sculptures are free standing but can be in relief where the form stands out from a flat background. Relief sculpture decorates the walls of many buildings.   Sculptures are conventionally made by  carving wood or stone, or by modeling clay and then casting into bronze. Modern sculptors however, have made use of the new technology and materials to construct artworks in many different media using techniques of gluing and welding, nailing or wiring. A good example of a sculpture is the statue of Liberty, in the United States of America. As a form of art, the statue of liberty has been conferred upon it a status as being the identifiable landmark that represents the freedom and democracy of the American people. Architectural Art This is a realistic, prosaic and philosophical art by which we organize and give form to space; it is a means through which sense is made of the world both in terms of space and physically. Different architects have diverse concepts of building designs. This form of art is visually stunning and also has an artistic feel that gives individuals pleasure in making use of them. For instance, great architectural buildings, other than being visually stunning, also offer comfort and ease of movement to u sers. An example of a stunning architectural building is the Burj Al Arab, in Dubai, such an architectural piece was designed not only to be the identifiable landmark of the region, but also make use of the open seas since it has been constructed within the seas of Dubai. Photography Photography is the process of capturing taking pictures and transforming them into visual images. Such images are often used to

How Can High Levels of Corruption in Central and Eastern Europe Be Explained Essay Example for Free

How Can High Levels of Corruption in Central and Eastern Europe Be Explained Essay What impact does it have on societies at large? Corruption constitutes a significant part of politics in Eastern Europe to the extent that â€Å"talking about corruption is the way post- communist public talks about politics, economy about past and future† (Krastov, p 43). Transparency International defines corruption as â€Å"a misuse of public power for the private gain at the expense of the public good†. There are different types of corruption: bureaucratic, political –administrative, political legislative and judicial corruption. (Ott, p 72). Scholars introduced many potential explanations behind the astronomical levels of corruption in Central and Eastern Europe. In this essay I will examine the communist legacies as well as pre-socialist historical and political background as some of the factors that result in modern day corruption. I will additionally assess the impact of the transitional period on the corruption level. Furthermore it I will examine corruption’s negative costs, such as economic inefficiency and distortion of civil society, decline of the rule of law and, the rise in organised crime along with arguably positive consequences such as resolving bureaucracy and increase in productivity among the officials. Corrupt legal and political systems that were indicative of communist states have greatly influenced the region today. This is due to the connection between economics and politics in the socialist system, which is even closer than it is in liberal democracies (Krastev, p 180). People were forced by the system itself to cheat in order to achieve improv their lives. In western democracies, citizens were able to move around freely and had alternative employers, whereas â€Å"in socialist society with technically one employer it was hard to achieve wanted promotion†(Karklins, 80). Frustration at the system endorsed corruption as means of taking revenge at the system (Karklins). Because of â€Å"the legacy of seeking individualized solutions† became so widespread during socialism it had consequences on the macro level (Karklins). This became even more important following the break up of the USSR as â€Å"the politically linked were the biggest winners in the beginning of transition† (Karklins,p 83). For example, Hungarian communist youth organization purchased the main newspaper for only 1. 5 million forints yet in less than a year the paper was sold for over 100 million (Karklins,p 83). Socialism stimulated inequality during transition, when a â€Å"culture of functional friendship served to cover the exchange of favours as something pleasant and kind† (Holmes, p 79). This communist legacy remains strong in some countries, such as Moldova due to the inability of executive, legislature and judiciary to protect enforce a solid rule of law, which in turn forces people to seek for alternative protection, to the detriment of a strong civil society. Another legacy inherited by the region was the poor economic situation which led to a situation where a â€Å"considerable part of this unofficial regime entailed the second economy†(Karklins,p 76). Scholars such as Miller suggests, that this occurred because trust in the public good and social solidarity was undermined as the real socialist society was split up into â€Å"an archipelago of networks whose members were focused on exchanges with fellow network members at the expense of outsiders†(Miller, p). A huge gap emerged as â€Å"private and dysfunctional public structure; moral declined visibly too, replacing old values with â€Å"materialism and individualism† (Miller,p 193). I don’t understand what this means? As a result people were applying rules of the past regime in a new economy. Another factor was transition itself. As discussed by Karklins privatisation of the wealth of the communist states provided huge incentives and opportunities that were ill protected by insufficient regulation (Karklins p 80). Due to the vast opportunities that some exploited there was a sudden â€Å"internationalization of trade and finance†(Miller, p 52. ) Transition was conducted in an extreme environment. Communist regimes outlawed â€Å"independent, social, communal and civic groups but unofficial networks flourished(Miller, p 77). During the transitional period, in Eastern Europe most corruption took places â€Å"during business transactions with public administration and government offices† (Zuzowski, p 137), this in turn discouraged foreign investment. Examples provided by Walezcki state that in 1998 the Czech deputy prime minister and minister of environment resigned as a result of a political scandal concerning secret donations made to the Civic Democratic Alliance by Czech companies. CDA alliance received 1 million into its illegal Credit Suisse account. The party then used the money to pay for its 1996 election campaign (Walezcki, p 244). Political corruption such as this occurred during the transition period at all levels of society and was poorly regulated, which allowed itto become widespread. Additionally, the uniqueness of the eastern European case following the collapse of the centralised state, allowed favourable circumstances and opportunities that almost sanctioned corruption. According to LS (who’s LS? )â€Å"old habits die hard, and established structures and procedures remain to influence, both through inertia and as a safety net in confusing times†(p 89(LS). However, there is an alternative view that suggests that corruption is not culturally inherited and permanent, but is actually temporary. It can be argued that this is due to â€Å"self-conscious awareness of the phenomenon that suggests that the blurring of norms and the tolerance for deviance is regarded by the public only as an exceptional response to exceptional times, public norms and values remain intact†. (Miller, p283). This theory suggests that habits inherited from a communist past don’t influence current norms. However this is disputable , since according to survey 82 percent of Czechs considered corruption to be the most serious problem in their society in 1996 and almost half of the population believed corruption is permanent part of country’s culture (Zuzowski p 138 ). Another explanation of high corruption clarifies may give an insight as to why the levels vary throughout the region. Looking at the history of countries before the communist take overs and the character of those takeovers may provide an alternative explanation. As demonstrated by Holmes, Eastern Europe was under influence of various empires with different cultures before USSR’s capture, for example Romania was under Ottoman Empire, while Hungary was under Austrian influence. Empirical evidence seconds this opinion: firms stating bribery as frequent in Romania is 15%, while Hungary 8 % (BEEPS, 2008). Another factor that explains difference in corruption tolerance is the â€Å"urbanization and economic development†(Holmes, p 160), which also refers to difference in mentalities. For instance, in the Baltics states, tolerance to corruption was lower and in Georgia because Baltics were more developed â€Å"resulting in different attitudes towards personalized power† (Holmes, p 160). The way in which the communists came to power is equally critical as â€Å"an indicator of subsequent popularity some countries came to support communism like Russia, while in others such as Poland the regime was virtually imposed upon a reluctant citizenry by a Soviet army†(Holms). It is thus their way of rebelling against the system â€Å"with no tradition of popular endorsement†,(Holems, p 160). Nevertheless, this explanation has also been challenged by anti-corruption science, which states that corruption is not dependent on culture but is â€Å"characteristic of institutional environments and characteristic of certain policies†, (K, p 31). This is not always the case however as the question of morality and people’s acceptance of corruption as a norm in Eastern Europe compared to West should be considered. Cultural heritage seems to influence perception on corruption; the difference among the region shows it. EU-8 countries have improved their corruption rates due to EU membership, however their levels of corruption increased again: Slovenia’s and Slovakia’s corruption levels rose by 2% between 2005-2008. The question one must ask is why this happened even though EU regulations and policies towards corruption haven’t changed. High levels of corruption have multiple consequences on the whole society; some of them are negative, some of them are paradoxically positive. According to Bayley negative effects include undermining of formal rules and the rule of law (Bayley, p)The meaning of corruption during communist times was uncertain due to the â€Å"overriding importance of power and institutional interests†(Karklins,P 76). Karklins emphasises that negative consequences of these practices affected the whole of society, as they distorted the â€Å"popular attitudes towards law, equal opportunity, merit, fairness†. Corruption also diminishes the role of the political system by being an informal alternative to institutions (Karklins P 80). Consequently corruption undermines democracy and furthermore the rule of law. For example, in Bulgaria the head of Communist Party from 1954- 1989, Zhivkov, appointed his daughter to high positions, which resulted in her being th4 second most important person in Bulgaria (Holmes, p). Corruption promotes social inequality, because the wealthy can always be protected due to the influence of money on the law. It also creates financial inequality, as it provides opportunities for financially secured people, whilst leaving poor in the bigger disadvantage. Likewise, the continuing role of exclusive personal networks is problematic because they â€Å"limit how eager people are to join other groups, thus undermining civil society†(Bayley). It is argued that the persistence of communist-era exclusive networks worsens development of a civil society (p 89. LS). Similarly, proposed by Ott, corruption is potentially a very destabilizing force because of the abuse on the part of those inside the system that may encourage citizens to become distant with he activities of the state and weaken their own willingness to support the state, for instance by refusing to pay the taxes (Ott, p 67). There are some extreme consequences introduced by Bayley. For instance, corruption can weaken the state as, â€Å"The failure of state to enforce rules creates vacuum to be filled by the organized crime. If government and the judicial system are so corrupt that they cannot help the contract to be enforced the only available enforcer is the mafia†( Bayley, p). This may result in organized crime being â€Å"both a source and product of rising corruption†, (krastev, p 9). It may even lead to political instability and revolution. High levels of corruption can become highly problematic since â€Å"systemic corruption it is impossible to control†. (Zuzowski) Conversely, there is also â€Å"useful corruption† as according to W. Clark it cuts red tape and reduces bureaucratic rigidity (Karklin, p 78). Corruption can increase the â€Å"responsiveness of bureaucrats to individual and group needs (Holmes, p 730). For instance, the power holders accepted the use of blat as â€Å"an informal practice to smooth socioeconomic transactions†(Karklins,p 79). Especially in socialism corruption assisted to overcome some economic problems like shortages. Moreover, corruption may result in â€Å"increased allocations of resources away from consumption and into investment. The key element for the corrupted and the corruptor to consume and invest† Scholars argue that corruption may not always represent â€Å"net drain from investment† (Bayley, p) but it may be the case that government servants with unique access to information about prospects for economic development have greater propensity to invest in productive enterprises. Corruption has serious consequences for the whole society, typically they are negative, since â€Å"benefits are primarily in the realm of politics† (Bayley, p 730). However, â€Å"the analysis has shown that net effects of corrupt practices upon economic development are not always of baneful nature†, (Bayley, p 730). It is thus important to consider some benefits of corruption for post-communist countries and not only focus on the negative. To conclude, â€Å"corruption is the most powerful policy narrative in the time of transition†(Krastev, p 93). Even though there are many factors that provoke rise of corruption, the communist legacy is â€Å"singled out as the critical domestic pre-condition for the rise of corruption† (Krastev, p 53). Other factors such as the crisis of legitimacy and the low trust in the public institutions are also part of explanation (Karklins, p 53). Concerning the consequences, it is obvious that corruption can undermining the development of a strong society, as well as having detrimental impact on politics and economics. It is hard however to assess the whole impact due to lack of data, so the picture will always be distorted. â€Å" It is a crime that nobody is interested to report, and the cases of corruption ending in a court are insignificant in comparison with the number of corruption transactions taking place† (G, p 25). Additionally, the rise in corruption can be a result of either increase of corruption or â€Å"increase of corruption visibility†, especially due to the attention that the subject receives from media (Krastev. p 10).

Dystopai Society :: essays research papers

The Government and Total Human Control   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451, in George Orwell’s 1984, and in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World a unifying thread is present—the government must have total control of all aspects of society. It must control thought, it must control media, and it must control one’s usefulness to the totalitarian society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Fahrenheit 451, the government assumes total control by banning all books and other reading material. By banning and burning the contraband if necessary, the government can prevent philosophical thought. The government can also guarantee this by getting people to buy giant televisions, the size of walls, which play television sitcoms in which the family can star. Not only do the pointless programs discourage intellectual thought, but they also entertain the family enough so that the family has no reasons to read and/or think deeply about the meaning of the world around them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1984, the government is a bit more lenient as they will let everyone read, but they edit all reading material so that the materials favor the Party. For the party, revising old articles and other media will ensure that no one will revolt since the rewritten material always favors the Party. Even if a proletariat were to revolt, the Party could eliminate his existence from all forms of media. The Party vaporizes people’s existence to a point where most people do not even think about the vaporized person. By always making sure written history is pro-Party, the Party can ensure its totalitarian government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In A Brave New World, the government not only controls how one thinks, but it also controls one’s physical usefulness to his society. By genetically engineering one’s body, the government can make it infinitely useful to itself. To make that one body feel no pain, to make the soul feel like it belongs to the society, and to make the mind open to any ideas is a vital asset for this government. The people are not always worried about death and can always relax in this utopian society since other people pleasure them, and with a society of happy people, the government never fears a revolt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By controlling what an individual thinks, does, or feels, the government always prospers.

Looking for Alaska Essay

John Green’s 2006 novel Looking for Alaska personally affected me as I could relate to one of the main characters Miles (Pudge). The theme of belonging was also very relevant as this novel touches on the concern of Miles fitting into his new school and finding out how everything works at Culver Creek Preparatory. I directly can relate to Miles in this sense as I am still new and am trying to figure out how my new school works and also finding a friendship group that I am comfortable in. This novel is great because it raises questions about individuals understanding of true friendship, love, loyalty and having a sense of belonging. It shows the importance of truly living life to the fullest rather that just watching it fly by. The conflicts within the characters themselves lead readers inward to examine how much everyone needs a sense knowing where we belong. Pudge buys the cigarettes to show that he can be a part of his new friendship group’s crowd. A certain amount of peer pressure was probably involved, with Pudge worried about ‘fitting in’ and making friends. â€Å"The Colonel talked me into paying five dollars for a pack of Marlboro Lights I had no intention of ever smoking. † I think that by Miles giving into this peer pressure he would hope that it would make him feel more normal and apart of that what his friends were partaking in. The use of first person narrative point of view allowed me to experience things as Miles does. It gave me a deeper understanding of how he is affected by people, events and his own reactions and feelings as the novel progresses. This is no more clearly seen than in the event of Alaska dying, I was limited to Miles’ own feelings and emotions surrounding her death. The idea of guilt and loss becomes apparent as we see him struggle to deal with her death and the role he played in it, with him trying to figure out where he belongs. He experiences a loss of innocence as he is forced to re-evaluate his philosophy on life and find his own place in the world. Alaska’s death aids in Miles’ coming-of-age journey. â€Å"I felt the total loss of her, still reeling from the idea that she was not only gone from this world, but from them all† This can be very relatable for other audiences who might have suffered a great loss like Miles’. Looking for Alaska depicts many messages about one’s vital need to belong, some of which I can personally relate to. As well as other aspects of the novel that other audiences can personally relate to.