The Portrait of Medieval Social Classes as Presented in the General Prologue to Geoffrey Chaucer’s the Canterbury Tales

The General Prologue fulfils two functions: it tells the story of how the tales came to be told, and it introduces the tellers. There are about thirty pilgrims travelling to Canterbury to pray to the holy blissful martyr- St. Thomas of Becket. These characters can be considered the portrait of the whole Middle English society. All the pilgrims can be divided into particular hierarchic structure of classes. The simplest division of society was into three estates: those who fight, those who pray, and those who labour, typified by the Knight, the Parson and the Plowman.Women were often treated as an estate to themselves. The basic tripartite division of society, for instance, is reflected in Chaucer’s making his Knight, Parson and Plowman the three ideal characters on the pilgrimage- along with the Clerk to stand for those who learn and teach. However, I have to admit that this division is not so obvious, which I explained below. ‘Chaucer starts the introduction of pilgrims with the highest-ranking layman, the Knight, with his entourage, and continues with the highest-ranking ecclesiastics, the Prioress and the Monk.The Merchant, Clerk, Sergeant of Law, and Franklin who follow were regarded more or less as social equals, and various other representatives of the middle classes, most of them keen to push themselves up the social ladder, follow in somewhat haphazard order. The Summoner and Pardoner are social and moral misfits in almost every sense, with no obvious place either in a class hierarchy or in the ‘common weal’, society as a system of mutual support’ (Helen Cooper, Oxford Guides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales, Oxford University Press, 1996).According to Helen Cooper, the basic organization then is by rank, but with some telling exceptions and some haphazardness: society is not an ordered hierarchy, not least because the people who compose it are reluctant to stay in their places. The Knight and Squire represent very diffe rent types, and functions, of chivalry. The Monk is described in terms that make him a different kind of antitype to the Knight, and the attributes that might be expected of each are exchanged: it is the Monk who hunts and loves good food and clothes, while the Knight is ascetic who has devoted his life to service of Christ (cf. Oxford Guides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales, Oxford University Press, 1996). If there is a certain logic in the order of the pilgrims, however, the content of the individual portraits shows a constant variation. The stress can fall on appearance, past life, the pilgrim’s own voice or self-image, moral probity, or tastes and priorities. The estates structure suggest that the pilgrims will be defined by their work, but while many of the portraits adopt an appropriate language, only few show their subject doing what his or her office requires.In my work I will describe and submit every character and then summary the portrait of the class as a whole, a nd finally, in the summary I will put forward the whole portrait of society as a whole by summing up the features of each social class. Chivalry Chivalry was undoubtedly the most important of social classes in middle ages. They fought for the king, his kingdom and the religion. Chivalry is also nowadays considered as a pattern of behaviour of ideal man: he has to be brave, gentle for ladies and honourable; he also has to be ready to die for his beliefs.There are three characters representing this class in The General Prologue. These are the Knight, the Squire, and the Yeoman. The Knight is described by Chaucer with respect and honour. Chaucer does not use any irony or satire in the description of the Knight; the irony is reserved to those who fall short of the standard of perfection he sets. The function of the Knight was to fight; but throughout Christian history, and increasingly in the late fourteenth century, there was a profound unease at the thought of Christian fighting Chris tian.The wars that were held in the highest esteem were those fought in the cause of God, against the infidel. ‘The knight is not only a fighter: he is that most honoured of warriors, a Crusader’ (Helen Cooper, Oxford Guides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales, Oxford University Press, 1996). He participated in many wars against Muslims in Spain, North Africa, and the Near East; and pagans around the Baltic. The Knight’s portrait differs from those of most of the other pilgrims in several respects. He is described rather in terms of moral attributes than physical appearance.It reinforces the sense of his asceticism, his devotion more to God than to things of the world. He is also described in terms of what other people think of him: he is ‘evere honoured for his worthynesse’, set ‘aboven alle nacions’ at the table of honour, ‘everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys’ (op. cit. ‘The General Prologue’, The Canterbury Tale s, Geoffrey Chaucer; lines 50, 53, 67). It is a portrait of ideal Christian knighthood. Almost every pilgrim has some particular object of desire, that the Knight’s should be: ‘Trouthe and honour, freedom and curteisie’ (op. it. line 46). The Knight is considered perfect by Chaucer. He is modest as a maid, he is devoted to God more than any of the characters representing clergy. He sometimes fought on the side of Muslims, but only if they fought against other Muslims; he had never fought against Christians. Despite of his valorous deeds, the knight never boasted of his actions, nor bored his listeners. The Squire would be a candidate for knighthood. He is young, probably in his twenties. He is a son of the Knight. When not in battle, he thinks of himself as a quite a lady’s man.He takes meticulous care of his appearance. He could also sing lusty songs, compose melodies, write poetry, and ride a horse with distinction. He also has all the other proper attri butes to go with his being a young lover: a fine figure, a dashing military career, and all the courtly accomplishments considered those times as being appropriate for winning one’s lady. According to Helen Cooper, the Squire is the iconographic image of young love and its month of May (op. cit. line 92), for the month was often presented as fashionable and gaily dressed youth on horseback.Chaucer does not quite offer us the Squire at his own valuation- a total failure to sleep on account of love has an affectionate touch of the ridiculous about it, as well as the hyperbolic, but the ‘fresshe floures’ embroidered on his clothes, and his associations with the spring with sleepless birds make Squire a ‘courtly version of the lifetime of spring’ (cf. Oxford Guides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales, Oxford University Press, 1996). The Squire is not only young, strong, and in love; he is courteous, eager to server, and in all respects perfect of his type, however different from his father’s type.The Yeoman was a servant of the Knight and Squire. He was known as an expert woodsman and an excellent archer. A knight held a position in society that had to be visibly maintained, by the presence of at least a minimal retinue. The Yeoman is the servant he brings apart from the Squire, a modesty of display that Chaucer comments in lines 100-101 (op. cit. ). One would expect a Yeoman in the company of such a Knight to be a military figure, a longbowman; by the addition of green clothes and the hunting-horn, Chaucer defines him more closely, as a forester.A forester could be anything from a senior administrative official to a gamekeeper: the Yeoman’s knowledge of ‘wodecraft’ shows him to be one of the more practical kind. ‘The Yeoman is not a standard figure in estates literature, but Chaucer creates and iconography for him as effectively as he recreates the conventional images of the Squire. Whether the Yeoman really needs his bow, peacock, arrows, and horn on a pilgrimage is less important than the way they serve to define him.His excellence as a yeoman is summed up in the neologism Chaucer creates for him, yemanly’ (Helen Cooper, Oxford Guides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales, Oxford University Press, 1996). To summarize, the chivalry social class representatives are shown as brave men, skilful in battle, famous for their deeds, ready to die for their beliefs; servants of their lords and masters. The chivalry participates in wars and is appreciated by the rest of community for its strength, honour, fame, and modesty. Priesthood The priesthood is in the middle class of medieval social hierarchy.Chaucer uses a lot of satire and irony as he describes members of this estate in The General Prologue. Members of this social class who participate in the pilgrimage are the Prioress, the Monk, the Friar, the Summoner, the Parson, and the Pardoner. Descriptions of these characters are much more abundant in satire and irony than any other. The Prioress was a head of monastery. She was rather well educated, even though her French was not the accepted Parisian French. She was very coy and delicate. When she ate, she took great care for her table manners. She was very courteous and amiable and tried to imitate the manners of the court.She had three small hounds with her which she treated very gently and tenderly. Her dress was very neat and tidy and she wore a gold brooch with the inscription ‘amor vincit omnia’. ‘Chaucer’s description of the Prioress is filled with gentle and subtle irony. Here is a picture of a lady who happens to be a nun, but she never forgets that she is a lady first. Her oath, ‘by Sainte Loy’ implies that she has chosen the most fashionable and handsome saint who was also famous for his great courtesy’ (Bruce Nicoll, The Canterbury Tales notes, Coles Notes, 1992). She emphasis on her appearance.The Monk ’s description simply seems to had been ‘swapped’ with the stereotypical description of a knight. The Knight is described as the man who devoted his life to God, and the Monk is called ‘a manly man’ by Chaucer, which means his portrait is that of a country gentleman. The Monk is interested in women (on the way which he should not be, regarding to his profession), wearing expensive clothes and jewellery, he likes hunting. He is not modest. He does all these things although his monastic orders ban him to behave this way. He is supposed to be a beggar and own no goods.In description of the Monk, According to Helen Cooper, Chaucer introduces the materials of antimonastic satire: the good living, his failure to keep within the cloister, his approval of secular offices for religious (op. cit. line 187), and his hunting. But it is he himself, not a satirist, who relays all the standard texts and aphorisms on the ills of such life; and he then dismisses them by reference to those items of food- oysters (a cheap dish), plucked hens- that fall well below his favourite diet of roast swan (cf. Oxford Guides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales, Oxford University Press, 1996).The Monk clearly breaks his vows of poverty, obedience to his rule and ‘stability’, staying within his monastery. The Friar, like the Prioress, is described by Chaucer with a set of epithets and attributes that in other circumstances might be complimentary; he is ‘worthy’ like the Knight, and ‘curteis’ and ‘lowely of servyse’ like the Squire (op. cit. lines 99, 250). But his worthiness shows itself in his refusal to fulfil the basic function of his calling, the relief of the diseased and the outcast. The Friar was hobnobbing with the local franklins and surpassing the Monk in being not just like a ‘prelaat’ but like a pope (op. it. line 261). The Friar is the first of the pilgrims who explicitly sets the mone y above God. Destitute widows are the objects not of his charity but of his greed. ‘Over twenty lines of his portrait are devoted to his skill in extracting money; seven more go to his dubious relationships with young women, fair wives, and the barmaids. ’ (Helen Cooper, Oxford Guides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales) Yet there is no doubt that all such things make the Friar socially attractive: the whole emphasis of the portrait falls on the busyness of his social life, on taverns and love-days, on all the people with whom he is on good terms.The Summoner was a man paid to summon sinners for a trial before a church court. He had a fire-red complexion, pimples and boils, a scaly infection around the eyebrows, and a moth-eaten beard. ‘He treats his sores as leprosy. To make matters worse, he loved to eat garlic, onions, leeks, and drink strong wine. He could quote a few lines of Latin which he was using to impress people. Chaucer calls him a gentil harlot and impli es it would be difficult to find a better fellow, because for a bottle of wine, the Summoner would often turn his back and let sinner to continue living in sin. He was also well acquainted with ladies of questionable reputation’ (Bruce Nicoll, The Canterbury Tales notes, Coles Notes, 1992). According to Bruce Nicoll, the Summoner’s physical appearance fits to his profession well. He is so ugly and gruesome looking that a summons from him is in itself a horrible experience. Thus, Chaucer ironically implies that he is a good fellow. But furthermore, he is a good fellow because sinners could easily bribe him (Bruce Nicoll, The Canterbury Tales notes, Coles Notes, 1992).The Parson is the only one of the churchmen shown by Chaucer that we can call competent and fair. Although he was very poor, he would rather give his own scarce money to his poor parishioners than demand tithes from them. His principle was to live the perfect life first, and then to teach it. His life was a perfect example of true Christian priest, and by his good example, he taught but first followed it himself. Among the other churchmen described in The General Prologue, the Parson stands out as the ideal portrait of what parish priest should be. He is the ideal Christian man.The Pardoner was a church official who had authority from Rome to sell pardons and indulgences to those charged with sins. He had just returned from Rome with bagful of pardons which he planned to sell to the ignorant at great profit to himself. He had a loud, high-pitched voice, yellow, flowing hair. He was beardless. ‘There was no one so good at his profession as was this Pardoner’ (Bruce Nicoll, The Canterbury Tales notes, Coles Notes, 1992). The pardoner seems to be the most corrupted of the churchmen. In the prologue to his tale, he confesses to his hypocrisy.The Priesthood class is widely criticised by Chaucer. The Prioress pays more attention to her manners than to the substance of her calli ng. The Monk cares nothing for the rules of his order, the Friar sets money above God. The Summoner and the Pardoner are corrupted. There is only the Parson to fulfil his duties well. He is that good shepherd to care for his sheep. He is the ideal set in the minority of the clergy. The other churchmen described by Chaucer are focused more on their own ‘business’ than on their mission given by the Catholic church.These characters (excluding the Parson) may be called hypocrites. Higher bourgeoisie Higher bourgeoisie is the class of rich and/or well-educated townsmen and landlords who are not noblemen. The representatives of this class are, as follows: the Merchant, the Clerk, the Sergeant of Law, the Franklin, the Doctor of Physic, and the Reeve. The Merchant is anonymous, ‘I noot how men hym calle’ (op. cit. line 284). He has a forked beard and a beaver hat that reveals his wealth. He talks about his occupation and the risks connected with working as a merch ant.According to Helen Cooper, the merchant, like the Knight and Squire, has his own areas of contemporary campaign (cf. Oxford Guides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales, Oxford University Press, 1996). Chaucer has mentioned something about the debt of the Merchant in his description, but we are not sure whether the debt is still unpaid or the Merchant had dealt with it before. The Clerk is a student of what would nowadays be considered philosophy or theology. He is introduced as a diligent person who has a wide connection of books.He is portrayed as a perfect example of a scholar. He has a bachelor degree and is totally devoted to logic. As a subtext to this portrait, there is an opposite description of less ideal clerks: those who would treat education as a pathway to well-paid office, who would prefer expensive clothes and music-making to the books for which the Clerk longs. The Sergeant of Law is a lawyer whose main focus is to make money. His legal knowledge and skill in ‘p urchasying’ land is apparently used primarily for himself as a purchaser.Chaucer uses a lot of law terms in his description of the Sergeant of Law, but no such word as ‘justice’ appears. The Franklin is the only pilgrim to be involved in running the society. He and the Sergeant of Law are partners in graft. He is a landowner, however he is not a noble. He did not inherit his wealth and he is not a ‘nouveau riche’. The Franklin accepts all the duties and responsibilities that go with his position: he has held the office of knight of the shire, sheriff, auditor, and justice of the peace.There is no a single word from Chaucer that would criticise the way that the Franklin fulfils his duties. The Franklin has a white beard. As Helen Cooper noticed, his love differs from the Knight’s chivalry or the Squire’s ladies, the Franklin loves his morning snack of bread in wine; thus the vocabulary used in his description is gastronomic (cf. Oxford G uides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales, Oxford University Press, 1996). Moreover, the Franklin also shares his food with other people. That makes him a perfect landlord.The Doctor of Physic is trained in medicine, astronomy and astrology. He could quote all the medical authorities, but he knew nothing of the Bible. He had made a lot of money during the plague. He has a special love for gold, since he prescribes this metal for cures. The Reeve managed a large estate. He was skinny and bad-tempered. He had a close cut beard and short haircut. His subordinates were afraid of him because of his unrelenting preservance. Similarly to the mentioned later Manciple, he had reaped profits for himself by being clever at buying.The higher bourgeoisie class representatives are shown by Chaucer as people who are greedy (the Manciple, the Doctor of Physic, the Reeve, the Sergeant of Law, the Merchant, the imperfect clerks described in the description of the ideal Clerk), filled with temptation ( t he Franklin) and devoted to their passion (the Clerk, the Reeve). This social class is not criticised so sharply as the clergy. Most of them are fair in their work, some of them are simply perfect (the Clerk, the Franklin), on the other hand some of them cheat (the Reeve).They all want to gain something that make other people consider them ‘upper class’. Bourgeoisie Bourgeoisie are simply the townsmen who are neither that rich nor that well-educated as the people from the class I named ‘higher bourgeoisie’. They are simple people who live and work in town. They are ordinary people and second most numerous class of the middle ages in Europe. The representatives of this class are, as follows: the Guildsmen, the Wife of Bath, the Manciple, the Cook, the Shipman, the Miller, and the Host.The Guildsmen are five craftsmen (four clothworkers and the Carpenter) who belong to a single parish guild. The portrait of the Guildsmen is largely devoted to their anxiety to impress others by climbing on the social class hierarchy ladder; their knives are decorated with silver chasing, which is inappropriate for their social class, because such ornament was reserved for gentry (lower nobility class members). The Guildsmen sit on dais in a guildhall and fulfil their professional obligations. They want to be aldermen and they are improving their qualifications day by day. They work fairly and hard.Unfortunately, the Guildsmen are being corrupted by their wives, who want them to get promoted and advanced in social hierarchy, or at least pretend so. They wish to be accorded the superior title of ‘madame’. Wives of the Guildsmen want to behave ‘roialliche’ and be treated as higher class members and force them to participate in some kind of what nowadays would refer to as a ‘rat race’. The Wife of Bath was an excellent seamstress and weaver. She has been married five times and been on many outland pilgrimages: to Rome, to Bologna, to Jerusalem, to Galice, and to Cologne.Her special talent was her knowledge of all the remedies of love. She was deaf a little. She always was first at the altar or offering in church. The Manciple was a steward for a law school in London. His duty was to buy the food. He was not as learned as the lawyers, but he was smart enough that he had been able to put aside a little sum for himself from every transaction. The Cook in The General Prologue is only defined by his professional skill. He works for the Guildsmen. He has a notorious running sore on his leg.We do not know much more about him from the description in the prologue. The Shipman was the master of vessel and an expert of navigation who knew all the ports from the Atlantic to the North Sea. He was a huge and uncouth man. He could not ride horse well, but no one was a better sailor. Nevertheless, according to Jill Mann, the Shipman had bad habits of thievery, piracy, and mass murder (Chaucer and Medieval Estates Satire: The Literature of Social Classes and The General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, Cambridge, 1973). The Miller was a stubborn and strong man.His strength would let him outwrestle any man. He had red beard and a wart on his nose. He played the bagpipes as the pilgrims left the town. He had a tendency for thievery. The Host was the leader of the pilgrimage party and the host of the Tabard Inn. His name is Harry Bailey. He was loud, large and merry, although he possesses a quick temper. He was liked by the pilgrims. Members of the bourgeoisie want to get socially promoted and try to do all the things necessary to achieve this promotion (the best example of this is the behaviour of the Wife of Bath).They focus on making money. Some of them, as the Guildsmen, work hard to improve their social and material status, others, as the Miller and the Manciple, prefer continuous small acts of thievery to enrich. Some of them commit more serious crimes, as does the Shipman. All of them a re working hard in their profession and are determined to achieve their destination, one way or another. Peasants Peasants are the lowest social class of middle ages. They are hard-working and poor. Their professions are connected with agriculture. There is only ne representative of this social class appearing in The General Prologue- the Plowman. The Plowman is a small tenant farmer who lives in a perfect peace and charity. He loves God with all his heart. He is always honest with his neighbours. He regularly pays his tithes to the church. He is a brother of the Parson, and so, they are equally good-hearted. The Plowman, unlike most of the pilgrims, is happy with his position in society. He wears his humble tabard which is appropriate for his rank and never tries to be someone else than he really is.The portrait of the only character of peasant class introduced to us by Chaucer lead us to conclusion that peasants are the poorest and the lowest social class of middle ages, but also the most hard-working and morally good people. In my opinion, the Plowman in his morality can be compared to the Knight, although their material and social statuses completely differ. Summary The division of society portrayed by Chaucer is not obvious. In this work I have introduced the division into social classes by the social position, profession and, wealth and education level of each character.I think that Chaucer demonstrates his audience that class order and moral order are two different things. Members of the chivalry and the peasant class are on top and the bottom of the hierarchy. Despite of this fact, in some aspects the knighthood characters and the Plowman are equal. They are all modest, hard-working, truly devoted to god, fair to other people and proud of their position. If we exclude these two classes from the hierarchy, there appears the conclusion that the higher social class character belongs to, the richer, the more educated, and the morally worse it is.The social class portrayed by Chaucer as the most corrupted is clergy. Those who should prevent people from sin appear to be the biggest sinners. We can see that the more powerful and richer people become, the bigger sinners they are. The classes described as these of best morality are chivalry and peasants. Every class has its exceptional ideal representative: chivalry- the Knight, clergy- the Parson, bourgeoisie (as one class with higher bourgeoisie)- the Clerk. These characters are patterns of ideal behaviour for all the members of their classes.By this phenomena, Chaucer shows that there is no class that is totally corrupted- there is always someone who fulfils his duties perfectly. To sum up, the clergy is shown as a class of people who abuse their position for private profits; the bourgeoisie members are only wishing to make more and more money and advance their social status; the chivalry and peasants are happy with their position, neither the Knight, nor the Plowman can be promoted to upper class. The difference is- the Knight, unlike the Plowman, is socially appreciated and respected.Those days your origin and social class membership was the most important part of social life. So, there is no wonder why people from middle classes wanted to be promoted and were ready to do anything to achieve that, on fair or unfair way. Although the portrait of medieval social classes is a little ironical and satirical (and still may appear a literary fiction), I think that it is very likely that it is possibly a complete description of the actual English community in Middle Ages.

Environmental Science Final Project Essay

Earth provides us with many resources to accommodate our needs like food, oil/gas, minerals, and so much more. The problem that all countries seem to face is atmospheric pollution, such as global warming. Global warming is a big priority when it comes to pollution in modern society. In this paper I will bring to your attention the problems we face with global warming, which nonliving/living factors contribute to or are affected by the problem, the effects it has on humans, our current sustainability strategy, my sustainability plan, benefit and challenges of the plan, and required government, societal, and global support. The problem with global warming is that when CO2 and other heat-trapping emissions are released into the air, they act like a blanket, holding heat in our atmosphere and warming the planet. Overloading our atmosphere with carbon has far-reaching effects for people all around the world, including rising sea levels, increasing wildfires, more extreme weather, deadly h eat waves, and more severe droughts (â€Å"Global Warming†, 2013). Human activity is the biggest contributor to global warming, for example when we use fossil fuel we are releasing CO2 into the air from our vehicles and when we use it to generate electricity, CO2 can also be released when we cause deforestation. According to Gale (2013), â€Å"Crowded landfills, polluted water, and poor air quality are just a few of the environmental problems that affect both industrial and developing nations. Perhaps less obvious but no less ominous a threat to the environment is the general increase in temperatures worldwide and the resulting climate changes. This phenomenon, known as global warming, could have serious negative effects on humans and all other living things on Earth. Global warming is a complex problem, and governments have had great difficulty deciding how to address it.† First of all, we need to realize that the biggest contributor to global warming is our everyday activities.  Whether it be driving a vehicle, operating plants, deforestation, and so forth. According to â€Å"Atmospheric Pollution: Global Warming and a Possible Use of Bio-Fuels in a Wide Scale,† â€Å"Global warming is causing climate changes [7]-[19], producing significant consequences to human society and biodiversity, such as the poles melting, with the increasing of oceans level, increasing intensity of hurricanes, extreme events, changes in rainfall patterns (floods, desertification), oceans acidification and biodiversity decreasing [20]- [25]. Therefore, it can cause monumental damage to the economic system, as described in the Stern report [26]. For example in the 1999’s to 2000 some areas in the United States experienced record breaking heat temperatures, at the beginning of this year Australia endured a heat wave that caused hundreds of fires. Most importantly here in the U.S. our society had to suffer from loss as well because of Hurricane Katrina, people were displaced from homes and it caused billions of dollars in damages. When catastrophic events like this occur, people aren’t the only ones affected. Animal life is as well, because their habitats are destroyed. As you can see everything is affected by global warming. The positive and negative impact global warming has on the human race can change from one year to the next depending on how much CO2 we are emitting into the atmosphere. As of now we are emitting high levels of pollutants into the air. According to â€Å"Impacts of Climate Change† (2013), â€Å"Recent studies of how climate change might affect human health expanded particularly swiftly in the 1990s, catching the attention not only of experts but the public. Here as in some other categories, the work was increasingly supervised not by a particular government but by international organizations, from the venerable World Health Organization to the new International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, established 1988). Yet here as in some other categories, it was becoming clear that global generalizations were of little value compared with studies at a regional level. For example, insect vectors of tropical diseases like dengue fever and malaria (which already affected half a billion people) would expand their ranges. The main impacts would be felt in developing nations, but people in the developed world tended to worry chiefly about how such diseases might spread to the temperate zones.† The only positive eff ects I see occurring are regions that are known for having cold climates like Canada, would eventually have warmer weather. However, I  truly feel that positive and negative effects play hand in hand. One region in the world will have great weather, and another will be really damaging. In order to have a balance there needs to be sustainability. At this very moment there are thousands of cities in the U.S. that have established different programs or projects to help reduce global warming issues like greenhouse gases. â€Å"Cities are approaching sustainable planning in a variety of ways. Some are preparing a separate sustainability plan as a guiding document for community-wide action. Others are adopting climate action plans that focus on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy conservation and other activities. Still others are incorporating the concept of sustainability in their comprehensive plans, either by adding an element to an existing plan or by making sustainability the overarching theme for a complete revamping of their plan (â€Å"Embracing Sustainability In Community Plans†, 2010)†. For example, in some communities here in the state I live in are encouraging people to recycle glass, cardboard, and plastic. While other communities or newly built subdivisions are pushing people towards energy conservation like getting energy efficient appliances. Most contractors here are actually selling homes that are furnished with energy efficient appliances, to promote energy conservation. Bike paths are being designated in towns where people can travel from their home to parks or grocery stores. If we all contribute to being a part of anyone of these projects, its outcome may be rewarding to not only us, but also our environment. As far as my plan goes to sustain the amount of greenhouse gases, is to start within my own home before I try to encourage the community to follow my plan. There are several ways I could reduce the amount of emission my family and I contribute to. We could be more energy efficient by updating our home like putting new windows in, upgrading our appli ances, our heating and cooling system, and our lighting throughout the home. Once I have completely updated our home, I plan to track how much money I saved in six months and compare it to the last six months prior to renovations. The purpose of doing this will help me encourage others to go green in their homes. Secondly, I need to consider riding a bike to work or to the park when permitted by the weather. This activity however, I would like to encourage friends and neighbors to have a bike day once a week during summer to convince them that there are healthier ways to protect our  environment and our health. The third project I would like to do is encourage my husband and his fellow coworkers to carpool to work, instead of taking separate vehicles. By using one vehicle they will be reducing the amount of greenhouse gases into the air versus the amount of emission five cars will give off. Lastly, I would like to start a recycling program for waste product that can be recyclable like cardboard, plastic, aluminum, and glass. I would like to get the whole to wn involved in this. There is a town that is close to mine that contract’s through a garbage company that gives incentives to their customers who recycle. They give the customer two garbage cans one for waste and the other for recyclable material. For those who recycle, receive a discount off their utility bill. This is a project that I would sincerely commit to accomplishing, because everyone wins in this. The environment, the discounts we get, and the garbage company. However, with plans there will always be challenges and barriers that I will need to overcome like the recycling project. I would have to talk to the city, the local garbage company, and possibly even higher authority to come up with a plan that will work for everyone. This is a process that will take a long time to accomplish. Going green in my home will be challenging because projects like this don’t happen all at one day. Another challenge is not everyone in the community will always have a bike. In this case, I could possibly do one week as bicycle day and another as a walkathon. Although there may be challenges that I may face the benefits to this would be much greater in the end, because it will motivate others, money will be saved, and the environ ment will look healthier. In order to achieve a goal as important as this one, we would need to have everyone on board such as our government, city officials, businesses, and the residence in the community. It only takes a few voices to be heard, but I would also find a research program locally or globally to help encourage those that need the encouragement on how badly greenhouse gases are affecting our world and local environments. Once our voices are publicly heard it will promote our sustainability project, and people maybe open minded to the idea. Given all these points on how greenhouse gases effect the environment, how do you currently feel about the issue? Because in all honesty, there was a time when I did not even have a clue on how greenhouse gases drastically effected the environment nor did I plan on reading about it. We need to keep in mind  that what we do today is going to affect us tomorrow, three years from now, and pushing forward into the future. We know that greenhouse gases is a problem, everyone /everything contributes to and is affected by it, the positive and negative effects, current sustainability strategies, my sustainability plan, the benefits/challenges, and lastly the support that is needed to achieve a sustainable program. Reference Page Global Warming. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/global_warming_101/ Sthel, M. S., Tavares, J. R., Lima, G. R., Mothà ©, G. G., Schramm, D. S., Da Silva, M. G., & Castro, M. P. (2009). Atmospheric Pollution: Global Warming and a Possible Use of Bio-Fuels in a Wide Scale. International Review Of Chemical Engineering – Rapid Communications, 1(6), 564-570. â€Å"Global Warming.† Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 12 Oct. 2013. Embracing Sustainability in Community Plans. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.clarionassociates.com/pdfs/herman-sustainability-community.pdf

Marketing principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing principles - Essay Example Marks & Spencer offers stylish high quality and Fashionable outfits. The company has the core competency within the industry to represents high quality fashionable clothes. The company gets supply of clothes from more than 2000 global suppliers and the company has 78,000 employees worldwide. Marks & Spencer is the leading provider of lady wear in UK clothing market. Moreover the company is receiving high market share in kids-wear and menswear. Apart from these business areas Marks & Spencer has also dedicated to do social welfare activities. The company has become zero solid waste and carbon neutral by implementing its effective five years eco plan for organization’s green credential. Marks & Spencer enjoys the advantages of more than 21 million footfalls every week in all the retail outlets. By providing effective fashion retail marketing strategy and product of high quality with effective customer services, Marks & Spencer has able to produce enormous number of footfall ever y week. It is the major achievement for the company as leading fashion retail chains globally. The study will reveal the internal and external analysis, competitive strategies, and purpose of marketing strategy in order to develop a marketing strategy for Marks & Spencer. This will help the company to attract customers. Finally the study ends with a conclusion. There are different elements of marketing process such as marketing environment analysis, targeting strategy, market segmentation and product positioning. Marketing environment analysis deals with the impact of macro and micro environmental forces on the performance of company. Targeting strategy is used to identify the target audience for the products. Market segmentation is used to determine the various segments of customers with respect to different product line. Product positioning is used to identify the area in which the product will compete in a market place. These

The Palace of Minos at Knossos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Palace of Minos at Knossos - Essay Example There are indications of proper systems of obtainment of natural light during the day. There are signs of proper systems of drainage and water supply. As far as heat is concerned, the palace gives no signs of proper systems for the control of cool and chilled winds in winter seasons (Benton and DiYanni, 1998). Because of the facilitation of natural light, the constructors of the palace had to provide a lot of openings for the incoming light and these facilitations of light appear to be problematic in winter seasons. In night, there were employment of ceramic lamps and candles with olive oil (Dempsey, 2007). The palace of Minos at Knossos served for many purposes according to the archaeologists. It served as an administrative center for the people of Crete. It also served as a religious center for the people of Crete. It also worked as storage of food so; it also served as a food storage center for the people of Crete (Bourbon, 1998). The palace is not like those palaces that provide residential facilities but as a place that provided working facilities as the archaeologists found no furniture or objects that can be called as beds or other residential features (Dempsey, 2007). The palace of Minos at Knossos is regarded as the major site for the analysis of Bronze Age buildings prevalent till this time. It is archeologically the largest building found related to Bronze Age (Bourbon, 1998). It is located at Crete. It gives a clear overview of Minoan culture and civilization. Tourists from all over the world visit the palace in order to judge the features of Bronze Age still found in the world today. The palace of Minos at Knossos is named after the discoverer, Minos Kalokairinos (Benton and DiYanni, 1998). The discovery can be traced back in 1878. The palace can also be named on the King Minos of Crete for whom; it was constructed according to the mythology. With the discovery of the palace, it

The Old Folks Home Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Old Folks Home - Essay Example The author of â€Å"The Old Folks Home† begins his narrative with the statement that approaching always brings up the same feelings in the author: duty, of course, and excitement because he hasn’t seen his grandma in so long†¦ but there is always a touch of apprehension, of dread. The fact is, there is not a whole lot that we have in common together, not a lot of common ground to talk about.   This means that we will check up on each other – because we do care, we truly do, but after that first inspection, the tales of the past week or two or four, a silence laps. The visit turns into watching jeopardy or a Cubs game, comfortable, yet not all that fulfilling.   The author tells that he cannot leave after the first checkup though – what would the point be for such a short visit?   Wouldn’t that be admitting defeat?   Wouldn’t that be telling each other that there is not actually that much for us to talk about anymore? He keeps on telling himself, and his grandma keeps on telling him, that she appreciates them, that the author is doing a good thing.   But he also worries that his discomfort is shared – that she knows no matter how much they love each other, that there is nothing that love can do to help bridge the 60-year gap that separates their birth.   He tells himself this is fine, that his presence is all that is required, that he is doing good.   He wishes he could believe himself.   He wishes he could do more.

Substance Misuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Substance Misuse - Essay Example On the other hand, many individuals who happen to be victims of this disorder may not be similarly motivated, and retaining them in the treatment table will require the clinician to adapt the assessment process to their level of insight and motivational state. This will often call for the extension of the treatment phase over time rather than attempting to acquire all the information regarding the patient at once so that the clinician can tailor the intervention to the individual’s particular stage of change. A full assessment of an individual’s substance abuse and/or dependence may need to be gathered in pieces over time, with details being added to the initial picture when the individual is in a position to share information that is pertinent to the pattern of his or her condition and more motivated to think about change (Rasool 2009). Causes of substance abuseThe causes of substance abuse and/or dependence are complex as they encompass social, economic and educationa l factors. However, the immediate treatment of this condition must address the underlying cause of substance abuse and/or treatment which includes poverty, inadequate health care, ethnic discrimination, hunger, and an inefficient educational system. Since these causes range from environmental, psychological, informational and social factors, it is evident that not even a persuasive campaign can address these factors at once. By implication, researchers are of the idea that a lack of information regarding the nature of substance abuse.

Training and Development in UK Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Training and Development in UK Business - Essay Example This helps the organization to train the employee while they are still performing their duties. On-work training is one of the most effective ways of helping an organization to increase the skills of its workforce. However organization can also train their employees in other institution. In this case employees are given study leave to attend training in other institutions. This is usually important when organization want to train their employees on new technology which is not readily available. There are other benchmarked ways that have been shown to be important in the training and development of the workforce that can be used by organization (Arkin 1995, p. 73). Employees can also be trained on different issues. The kind of skills that the company imparts to its workforce depends on the line of operations. But there are general skills that any company will need to impart to its workforce including communications, customer services, respecting diversity in the workplace, ethics in operation, human relations, and others that are important in the functioning of the organization as one system. But the most important skills that any organization would like to impart of its workforce with the special skills that are used in its line of operations. However at the end of the day there ar... However at the end of the day there are number of benefits that both the employees and the organization are likely to have. Although the organization will use a lot of resource in training the employee, at the end it will have a competent workforce and increase its overall production. It will haves satisfied workforce and reduce its rate of employee turnover. It will also help to enhance the image of the company and help in risk management. For the employees, there will be increased job satisfaction, increase level of employee motivation, increase efficiencies in the production process, increase capacity for them to adapt to the new work processes and the new technologies that are being implemented in the workplace, increase innovation and reduced turnover (Beard 2002, p. 83).Most of the studies that have been carried out have shown that there is a difference between different companies in the way they train their employees and the achievement of the employees. In this case it has be en noted that companies may use the same training and development process but achieve different end results. While the quality and the level of train can be taken as a probable factor causing this difference, many studies have not looked the employee's contribution factor in the efficiency of the process. There is need to carry out more research on the different between employee expectation and perception of training and the overall success of training and development initiatives (Thorpe 1997, p. 23). Problem statement Although most companies have invested in the training and development of their workforces, they have not been achieving the same result. Studies have

Understand the basics of business operations Week one Essay

Understand the basics of business operations Week one - Essay Example Organizations that lack organization and clear management policies are likely to face problems. Having everything in order in the organization is likely to bring proper communication and understanding. New ideas and concepts will always present themselves in this day and age. It is, therefore, crucial to stay on top of things to ensure success. The need to have operations managers is rising. This ensures the productivity efficiency in the organization stays at the top (Wagner, 2012). Organizing how things operate and move is an enormous responsibility for those who take up the mantle of operations manager. However, it is a task anyone ready for a challenge will gladly take. To prosper in business operations, one requires skills and aptitude to execute the responsibilities at hand. This is regardless of the business he/she is undertaking. These skills are beneficial because they help in creating quality operations, which leads to the provision of quality products and services. Through business operations, people in charge get to understand every subdivision and department in the organization, and help to ensure everything runs smoothly (Wagner, 2012). In conclusion, business operations are fundamental in the growth of an organization. Business operations have to help an organization compete globally; therefore, there must be the introduction of experts into the operations department. They can shape the organization’s operations to suit their every requirement, hence; offering consumers what they want, and providing themselves with the right amount of profit from all

Management Accounting & Finance of Nokia and Carphone Warehouse Essay

Management Accounting & Finance of Nokia and Carphone Warehouse - Essay Example In the case of Nokia the expenses incurred in operating the machinery, depreciation of equipment and other assets such as building associated with the production of the company’s products and other overhead costs such as light water and telephone are classified as factory overheads and are therefore included in production costs as part of the companies manufacturing costs. Nokia can determine how much it actually costs to produce a certain level of activity, the types of expenditure involved and their cost in relation to the volume of production. In the case of Carphone Warehouse, the company provides a service which includes selling cell phones and other electronic items and repairing cell phones. The company does not manufacture anything and so the cost of the phones that it sells is the only cost of sales in the company’s income statement. The cost of repairing phones along with the costs of the service it provides are all included as operational expenses. Regular re view of and updating of budgets is essential to the success of these companies. The company should focus on budgets and the competition and seek to add value to its products. Nokia is in an industry where technology is changing rapidly and so it needs to be always focused on external information so that it can make internal changes in the way it does things. This, however, requires the implementation of strategies such as the Balanced Scorecard, which will allow the organization to create value for its many stakeholders including customers.

Labeling Theory Of Deviance Essay Example for Free

Labeling Theory Of Deviance Essay Various theories have been put forward to explain the causes of crime and delinquency in society. The Labelling theory of crime argues that the tendency to perceive and treat people as offenders precipitates their engagement in crime. It is based on the hypothesis that people will assume the labels that they have been given to them by the society. Labelling in this case works to reinforce deviant behaviour as well as solidifying the deviant identities in the society. In other words labelling people as criminals plays a significant role in increasing or rather causing crime in the society. (Burke R,2005). As Tannenbaum, an early sociologist supporting the labelling theory of crime argued that the process of tagging, defining, identifying, segregating, describing and emphasizing that certain individuals as deserving special treatment is a way of stimulating, suggesting, suggesting and evoking the traits being complained of makes people become what they are described as being. Symbolic interactionalism is based on the agency analysis of deviance and social control. In this case deviance is viewed as a label which is imposed on the subjects who after rejecting or accepting the labels construct deviant identities as well as careers. To change such a situation the need for radical transformation is more of a necessity than a requirement. Labelling theory of crime can be blamed for the increased instances of crime as the criminal justice system tries to curb it. People who are arrested, prosecuted and punished are labelled as ‘criminals’ and the society deems them as such. A large proportion of the society also joins hands in labelling them as such and this increases their tendency to indulge in criminal behaviours. When people are labelled as criminals it is difficult for them to effectively adjust into the society and for instance they may fail to obtain legitimate employment, a factor that increases their likelihood to indulge in crime. (Burke R,2005). They may also face isolation from the mainstream society and this could trigger psychological problems which are highly correlated to criminality. When the labelled criminals internalize the self concept that they are criminals they tend to increase criminality behaviours as after all they are perceived as criminals and should behave as such. (Coser L, 2006). Offenders ought to be treated as sick characters to make it easier for the criminal justice system to offer best treatment for ease reintegration into the society. This way the stigmatization would be dealt with amicably. Labelling could occur from the society as a whole or the system, family, among peers as well as in schools from teachers. Labelling in crime tends to be more frequent or intense among the minority groups whose voice is almost insignificant in society. How a society reacts after it has labelled criminals is what determines if a crime is to dwindle or intensify. Societies that labels criminals and for a long term reject them in the society increases their likelihood to commit crime while the society that tries to assist the labelled criminals to effectively integrate into the society reduces the rates of crime that could have been attributed by labelling. Erving Goffman is among the sociologists whose ideologies could be useful in explaining the labeling theory of crime. He is popular for the notion of total institutions. He defined ‘total institutions’ as places of residence and work where a large number of like-situated individuals are cut off from the wider society for an appreciable period of time. Together these people lead an enclosed formally administered round of life. Goffman further highlighted the discrepancies between those who reside in the total institutions and those in the larger general population. In the larger population man works, plays and sleeps in varying places, with varying people, different authorities and in the absence of an overall rational plan. (Hawkins J and Kirkland F, 2001). This is contrary with the scenario in the total institutions where there are barriers between those three aspects. Life in the total institutions is clear or definite and this creates the notion that they exist for a good reason among the general population. There is no freedom in the total institutions as is experienced in the ‘home world’ or the general population. To Goffman the inmates being sent to prisons or total institutions already know the culture they are to expect though the reality is actually felt or experienced after admission. (Hawkins J and Kirkland F, 2001). Goffman identified three major phases in the life of an inmate. The first one is before they get into the total institutions that is when they are still in the ‘home world’, when they in the institutions and when they re enter the home world after release from the total institutions. He focused on the similarities that exist in the varying institutions. He argues that all aspects of life are conducted in the same place and under the same or a single authority. This means that all prisons will have similar experiences. All these aspects were carried on in the immediate company of a large batch of others all of whom were treated alike and needed to do the same things together. Another observation made was that all phases of a day’s activities were to be tightly scheduled and one activity led at a pre-arranged time to the next. (Willcocks D, Peace, S and Kellaher l, 1987)Notably, the whole sequence of activities was imposed from a higher system of explicit formal rulings and a body of officials a clear indication of alienation and dominance within the total institutions. The various enforced activities are brought together into a single rational plan which is designed to fulfill the official aims of the institution. The roles that are performed by the inmates in the total institutions serve interests or are for the aims of the institution rather than the individual. Goffman identified four major dimensions of institutional life ranging from the rigidity of the routine, block treatment of inmates, depersonalization of inmates and social distance between the staff and the inmates which Goffman termed as binary management. (Willcocks D, Peace, S and Kellaher l, 1987) Before one gets into prison they are from the ‘home world’ where they already have an established conception of themselves. Entrance into the ‘total institutions’ strips them off the benefits attached to the’ home world’. Here, they are subjected to a series of abasement, degradation and humiliation. The consequence of this is that their self becomes horrified. When in the institution an individual develops a moral career which is determined or influenced by his surrounding. The role of the significant other becomes critical at this point. Goffman observed further that in the total institutions the process by which individuals were mortified was rather standard across all of them. This is a clear indication that life in these institutions is quite different from that which is experienced in the larger world and that it is a difficult task to have inmates maintain the same traits they had before they got there. (Willcocks D, Peace, S and Kellaher l, 1987). Again, since the conditions were similar across the total institutions they were likely to exhibit similar traits. The first restriction of the self for the inmates takes place when the total institutions act as a barrier between the inmate and the general population. In the civilian life one’s sequential roles are not in conflict with one another and so no roles hinders or rather blocks the performance of the others regardless of how frequent they were. Life in the institutions is in such a manner that role scheduling is disrupted as the inmates do not dictate what to do and when to do it. In other words they are denied the freedom to decide what role to perform and at what time. Instead there are round the clock surveillance where orders given are to be followed to the letter. In addition to the role scheduling being disrupted in the institution, role dispossession also takes place, Visitors are restricted and one is also restricted from frequenting places they initially did. Depending on whether the entrance into the total institution was voluntary or involuntary entry to such institutions somehow prepares the individual to withdraw from ‘home world’ or from the general population. (Willcocks D, Peace, S and Kellaher l, 1987). This preparation makes the adaptation in the new environment easier. Involuntary entry into the total institutions is however different as one may not be prepared for the new kind of life. Inmates may find themselves perform some roles that they learnt in the institutions on return to the general world. All the same there are certain houses that will have to be incurred or faced for instance the time for education or parenting. There is also the loss of legal privileges for instance one may not be in a position to attend to court proceedings on matters that affect them directly for instance adoption of a child. These privileges may be short term they maybe enjoyed on the completion of the term. However there are others with long term ramifications. The realization that one has not lost certain rights due to the barrier between him and the outside world may not auger well with him. There are other challenges that the inmate faces on return to the society. For instance there are the admission requirements where certain standards have to be followed or adhered to. On entrance to the total institutions various losses are incurred as for instance one may lose their hair, their identity as they are assigned numbers, they undress and change their clothes and are given institutional uniforms, they list their possessions, have to adhere to the rules and they are also assigned to certain quarters where they are to reside. According to Goffmann’s findings the society is to blame for deviance within it as it subjects people it terms as wrong doers into harsh conditions and expects them to reform. (Willcocks D, Peace, S and Kellaher l, 1987). In the book the ‘Myth of mental illness’ Thomas Szasz argued that mental illness was a myth. To him, the whole idea or notion of psychiatric illness could be termed as ‘scientifically worthless and socially harmful’. (Shorter E, 1997). There are similarities between goffman and szasz ideologies. Goffman backed Szasz when he made the conclusion that the mental health institution he studied could be defined as a ‘total institution’ where ‘the closed system infantilized the patients and restricted their lives’. Goffman noted that the clear difference between the staff and the patients and on entrance to the institutions the patients faced humiliation, degradation, abasement and profanations of the self’. Goffman rejected the idea of prisons and mental health institutions which according to him robbed off the inmates their time. The ‘sentence’ denied them living. The aspect of alienation is clear when the use of power is used by the staff members against the ‘patients’. He condemned the pretence by the staff members that they were out to assist the patients and dismissed it as a mere ’power grab’. (Shorter E, 1997). Szasz argued that although psychological disorders are real, defining them as diseases was a way of imposing coercion in the society. He argued that defining such disorders as illness when they had no correlation with physical sickness was untrue. The only relationship existing between mental disorders and physical illness was the fact that they both made the individual unable to handle their daily activities or duties. (www. mdx. ac. uk). The psychological disorders according to Szasz were brought about by man. He further noted that compulsory psychiatry is a crime against humanity and it undermines freedom in the society. He quoted Mill to justify his observation that ‘the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community against his will is to prevent harm to others. His own good either physical or moral is not sufficiently warranty’. However unlike Mill, Szasz offered or rather provided no exception where power could be used forcefully. He advocated for freedom where all individuals are given the chance to choose what they find best for them. Although the compulsory psychiatry may not be harmful to the patients Szasz argues that it is not compatible with a free society. (www. mdx. ac. uk). He further advocates for the application of universal law which is not discriminative to anyone in the society. The same law applied to those termed as insane ought to be the same applied on those viewed as insane. Treating people otherwise is unfair as it implies that there is no equality and they are treated as special beings. Any form of special treatment on the allegations that one is mentally sick is unfortunate as it treats them as less human beings. (www. mdx. ac. uk). References: Anthony Clare and Peter Sedgwick. Mental Health and Civil Liberties. A theoretical contrast of Thomas Szasz. Retrieved on 5th march 2009 from http://www. mdx. ac. uk/WWW/STUDY/mhhlib. htm#SzaszMyth Dianne M. Willcocks, Sheila M. Peace, Leonie A. Kellaher. 1987. Private Lives in Public Places: A Research-based Critique of Residential Life in Local Authority Old \ Peoples Homes. Taylor Francis Publishers. Edward Shorter 1997. A History of Psychiatry: From the Era of the Asylum to the Age of Prozac. John Wiley and Sons Publishers John Palmer Hawkins and Faris Kirkland. 2001. Army of hope, army of alienation: culture and contradiction in the American Army communities of Cold War Germany. Greenwood Publishing Group Tim Jordan, Steve Pile, 2002. Open University Social Change. Blackwell Publishing, Lewis Coser. 2006. Crime Theories and the Field of Criminology. Retrieved on 4th march 2009 from http://www. apsu. edu/oconnort/1010/1010lect02. htm.

Peter Brooks The Shifting Point English Literature Essay

Peter Brooks The Shifting Point English Literature Essay Many famous and talented people, the representatives of different professions, among which are writers and singers, politicians and historians, actors and scientists, attract everybodys attention by their biographies. Of course, it is very interesting to know more about a man who has already had a great success in life and who can easily share his experience with others. Peter Brook is one of such people, who are worthy of respect and whose wise thoughts should be analyzed and discussed. I think that his book The Shifting Point is worth to be reading and analyzing because it is not just an autobiography of a talented man, a theater director and a well-known playwright and a wonderful screenwriter but also this book can be considered a so-called guide to the wonderful world of theater. My goal in this essay is to discuss Peter Brooks book The Shifting Point and to prove the fact that this literary work deserves attention of all the people who are not indifferent to theater as a form o f art. That is why I decided to organize my paper into several sections which will help to develop the theme. It is known that Peter Brook was born in London. His father, a Russian scientist, who came to Great Britain searching for the better life, was not a well-to-do man, nevertheless, Peter Brook got a good education. He studied at Westminster College, later at Oxford University where he was noticed as an active member of the amateur theater. His first amateur work on Jean Cocteaus play La Machine Infernale attracted attention of the famous playwright Barry Jackson who offered twenty-years-old Brook to put a rather difficult play Man and Superman written by Bernard Show on the stage of Birmingham repertory theater. According to Peter Brooks words, he always hung upon his feelings and the sixth sense in his work. It always helped him to be the first on the stage and in life. Brook was 21 when he was invited to Shakespeare Memorial Theater to produce Shakespearian plays. This unforgettable cycle of plays made him famous. Romeo and Juliet (1947) was a real sensation. It even set off a lively argument among the English theater critics. For the first time in his work Brook used the idea of empty space getting rid of many decorations. As a matter of fact, he was known for brave innovations on the stage and new styles of his productions. May be, his book The Shifting Point which was written in 1988, after about forty years of experience as a theater playwright, an opera playwright and a film producer has the main goal to represent Peter Brooks ideas and thoughts concerning William Shakespeares plays. There were a great deal of other plays, operas and films where Peter Brook showed his talent of a playwright and screenwriter. Among them are the following plays: King Lear (1962) Measure for Measure (1950) The Winters Tale (1952) Titus Andronicus (1958) Marat/Sade (1964) A Midsummer Nights Dream (1970) The full title of this book is The Shifting Point: Theater. Film. Opera. 1946-1987. It is quite obvious why Peter Brook decided to give his book such a long title. He wanted to show that he had the greatest experience in the sphere of the drama and film production. Forty years is quite a long period to become an expert whose innovations were highly appreciated. The book consists of numerous witty essays which include not only some commentaries concerning both the classic theater and the avant-garde theater but also different anecdotes which are connected with opera and film work. Besides, the book The Shifting Point touches upon the theme of Shakespeares plays. The author gives series of thorough explorations of Shakespeares plays. Peter Brook is well-known as the leading director of his generation who uses his own theater techniques and innovations. Some critics even call him a genius of our times. That is true. Everybody will agree with this statement after reading his book The Shi fting Point. Now Id like to turn to the contents of the book. There are nine chapters (or parts) in the book The Shifting Point: A Sense of Direction People on the Way a Flashback Provocations What is a Shakespeare? The World as a Can Opener Filling the Empty Space The Forty Years War Flickers of Life Entering Another World Part I The First Part A Sense of Direction. There are six essays in this part. The Formless Hunch is a rather interesting essay where Brook tells us about the way he usually organizes his work on play, the process of preparation his play for the stage: costumes, color, his rehearsal work. The Stereoscopic Vision is another essay from the first part. Here the author continues his discussion concerning the role of director in the theater. For him being a director is taking charge, making decisions, as well as saying the last word. There is Only One Stage is the title of the next essay. Here Brook tells about the great misunderstanding which takes place in the present-day theater. Brook compares the work of director with a potter who molds his pot and then sends it into the world. It is a misunderstanding. Brook states that the process consists of two phases: First: preparation. Second: birth. Misunderstandings is another essay which continues the theme of work in the theater. Here Brook tells how he came to a famous producer and said to him: I want to direct films. Brook was 20 at that time and had already directed an amateur film A Sentimental Journey. Of course, he was too young to direct films. Brook prepared his script as for a film. The first scene in this play was a dialogue between two soldiers. Brook did not know how a professional rehearsal starts. I Try to Answer a Letter is a small letter written by Brook to Mr.Howe, telling about how to become a director. He said that all the directors in the theater are self-appointed and one can become a director by calling himself a director and bringing other people to believe in it. He advices to be active and not to waste time in achieving the goal. A World in Relief, the last essay in the first part of the book, continues Brooks discussion about directing. Here he again repeats all the duties of a director in the theater. He speaks about a special directors language where an actor is only a noun, but an important one. He pays attention to the phenomenon akin to holography in the theater. Brook speaks about the golden rule which says that any actor must remember that the play is greater that himself. Part II The second part is People on the Way A Flashback. It contains nine essays. The first one is Gordon Graig. This essay tells how Brook met Gordon Graig, a person whose life is closely connected with the theater. He is an actor but many years ago he gave up this profession and began to direct a tiny number of productions. Before the First World War, he staged his last production. Now he is 84. He lives in pension de famille in the South of France. His life story is an interesting one. The Beck Connection is one more Brooks essay which tells about Julian Beck and Judith Malinas production of Jack Gelbers play The Connection. Here Brook touches upon the theme of different forms of theater, the meaning of the the term lying in relation to the theater and cinema. Happy Sam Beckett, the next essay of the second chapter. Here the author writes about the new Beckett play Happy Days which impressed him greatly by its objectivity. Bouncing, another essay represents Brooks point of view concerning the routine work in the theater. He says that it is useless to make plans. He compares all the theater staff with ping-pong balls bouncing off the net of events. In this essay Brook touches upon his play The Balcony which was postponed due to some circumstances, he recalls Marilyn Monroe who came to the rehearsal of his play View from the Bridge without Brooks permission and criticized his actress Mary Ure. Grotowski is the title of the other Brooks essay included into the second part of The Shifting Point. In this essay Brook shows his relation to Grotowski who is known for his investigation the nature of acting, its phenomenon, its meaning, the nature and science of the processes including mental, physical, emotional points. Artaud and the Great Puzzle. In this essay Brook continues his story about Grotowskis skills and experimental works in theater. Brook and Grotowski had a lot of common ideas but their paths were different. How Many Trees Make a Forest? This essay with such an unusual title tells about Brooks first meeting with Brecht. He compares Brecht, Graig and Stanislavski and decides how many decorations must be put on the stage to make a forest. It Happened in Poland. In this essay Brook tells about his friend Jan Kott whom he met in a nightclub of Warsaw. He was a Professor of Drama and was known for his writings about Shakespeare. Peter Weisss Kick. In this essay Brook discusses the problems of theater, finds the answer to the question concerning the difference between a poor play and a good play and gets acquainted with Peter Weiss works. Part III In the third part of the book which has the title Provocations. Cruelty, Madness and War, you can find five essays by Peter Brook. The first one, Manifesto for the Sixties, is represented by a number of quotes which are worth thinking of. For example, Culture has never done anyone any good whatsoever. No work of art has yet made a better man. The Theater of Cruelty. This essay tells about Brooks work with a group of actors who presented some theater experiments in public. He states that national theater, musical comedy and experimental theater are the main parts of the healthy theater. U.S. Means You. U.S. Means US. In this essay Brook gives explanations concerning the fact that The Royal Shakespeare Theater used public money to stage a play about Americans at War in Vietnam. A great deal of contradictory reactions appeared in connection with this. Twenty five actors together with the team of authors investigated the situation in Vietnam. Brook and his partners were against the idea to use the theater as a television documentary, as lecture hall, as vehicle for propaganda. The Theater Cant Be Pure is another essay which explains the difference between words true, real, natural in relation to the theater. Here Brooks compares theater with the stomach where food metamorphoses into two equalities: excrement and dreams. A Lost Art. In this essay Brook argues on the issue of acting. He took Senecas play Oedipus where there is no external action and he calls this theater liberated from scenery, free from costume, stage moves and gestures. In this essay Brook represents his ideas concerning the actors nature and the psychological aspect in acting. Part IV Shakespeare isnt a bore. Shakespeare has an incredible dramatic quality of the plays. Romeo and Juliet is described as a love story, which is sentimental, also includes violence, intrigues and excitement. An open letter to Shakespeare, or, as I dont like ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Most of the plays of Shakespeare are miraculous, except As you like it. But despite that, the public loves them all. What is a Shakespeare? Not much is understood about Shakespeare, as he is different in kind. The two ages of Gielgudà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ John Gielguds reputation inspired love and awe, and each actor was thrilled to be there. The author says that John I unique and that he is always in the present. He is also traditional, for his passionate sense of quality comes from his understanding of the past. Shakespearean realism. For centuries our practical understanding of Shakespeare has been blocked by the false notion that Shakespeare was a writer of far-fetched plots which he decorated with genius. Lear- Can it be staged? The author doubts that there is any designer that has patience to work with him. Exploding stars. Within the galaxy of plays there are plays that move closer to us at certain moments in the history and some that move away. Points of radianceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ When I started work on Shakespeare, I did believe to a limited extent in the possibility of a classical word music, that each verse had a sound that was correct, with only moderate variations. Shakespeare is a piece of coal. The author is interested in the present. History is a way of looking at things, but not one that interests me very much. Shakespeare does not belong to the past. The play is the message. Considering the theme of a Midsummer Nights Dream, at the center of a Dream there is the love. This theme touches all men. Part V The international centre. People do research. The purpose is to be instruments that transmit truths which otherwise would remain out of sight. Structures of sound. The theme of the first years work of the International Centre of Theatre Research was to be a study of structures of sounds. The theatre tries to reflect the real world. Life in a more concentrated form. The effect is rather intense if the group of actors includes people with different backgrounds. With an international company, a deep understanding can be touched between people who seem to have nothing in common. Brooks Africa. An Interview by Michael Gibson. As a result, nothing had a better effect on the actors than the stillness of the African audiences. It is very natural to most Africans not to manifest. Te world as a can opener. Everyone can respond to the music and dances of many races other than his own. For the actors the power of myths can be as a challenge. Understanding through identification is normal in the theatre. An aborigine, I presume. A lot of gesticulating and interpreters help in telling the stories. The story describes people who live in their countries and do not fully know them. Part VI Space as a tool. Author thinks that the theatre is based on a particular human characteristic, which is the need at times to be in a new and intimate relationship with ones fellow men. Les bouffes du nord. The author describes that his stroke of luck was having Micheline as a partner it was her brilliance and originality of vision that enabled us year after year to cross the tightrope of survival. The conference of the birds. The illusions have less body, because they havent got the ferocious attachment to the very forces that make the illusions in life so impossible to break. Butter and the knife describes the specifics of the theatre, the possibility to have butter and knife by other means, the Ubu Roi, the plays The Bone and The Conference of the Birds. The Cherry Orchard describes the work of Chekhov, and the author says that in Chekhovs work death is omnipresent, as he knew it well. The Mahabharata describes the difficulties in the traditional theatre from the East, which is admired even without understanding. Dharma is something that can not be answered and the only thing that can be said about it is that it is the essential motor. The Goddess and the Jeep. There is a decline and fall of religious theatre described in The Goddess and the Jeep. Part VII The art of noise describes the Opera and people making noise when they came out of their caves. Eugene Onegin. Here is described the theatrical weakness of the work the last scene. The work also demands realistic style of staging. Carmen describes the interview with Philippe Albera after the opening of La Tragedie de Carmen at the Bouffes du Nord in November 1981. The taste of style is about the facts and symbols of our time. As well, the style is described, along with the peculiarities of the theatre. Part VIII Filming a play describes cases and peculiarities of filming the plays. As well, the principles of television and filmic equivalents are described. The reality of the image gives to film its power and its limitation. Lord of the flies described the Goldings book, which is a history of man. My experience showed me that the only falsification in Goldings fable is the length of time the descent to savagery takes. Moderato Cantabile describes the story written by Marguerite Duras and about the idea of making it into a film. Filming King Lear. There were efforts to evolve an impressionistic movie technique, cutting language and incident to the bone, so that the total effect of all the things heard and seen could capture in different terms Shakespeares rough, uneven, jagged and disconcerting vision. Tell me lies is a feature film based on the Royal Shakespeare Company production of US. Meetings with remarkable men is not totally truthful story, sometimes accurate, sometimes not, sometimes in and sometimes out of life, like a legend. Part IX The mask- coming out of our shell- is a story about masks. What is the mask doing: the thing you are most afraid of losing, you lose right away your ordinary defenses, your ordinary expressions, your ordinary face that you hide behind. People are imprisoned and there is a capacity to open eyes wider and raise the eyebrows higher than people done ever before. The essential radiance it describes the theatres that exist at the precise moment when these two worlds that of the actors and that of the audience meet: a society in miniature, a microcosm brought together every evening within a space. The culture of links is all about the cultural peculiarities. Fragmentation of the world deals with the discovery of relationships, and there are certain aspects that are imprisoned in the culture. Conclusion In conclusion of my essay I should say that Peter Brooks book The Shifting Point can be the guide to the world of art because the author gives too many ideas and explanations concerning theater, opera, film production as well as his own understanding of the outer world. We learn about his feelings, emotions, achievements, and failures. All critics have a considerable respect for Peter Brook. Now he is 85 but he is full of energy. He continues his writing and his new books impress his readers.

Earthquakes Essay -- Natural Science

Earthquakes Throughout history, man has made many advancements. These advancements have been made to make life easier. The one thing man can't do is to control Mother Nature. Mother Nature can cause many things such as earthquakes. The causes of earthquakes have been theorized in many ways. According to the book Predicting Earthquakes by Gregory Vogt, the Greeks, "blamed the earthquakes on Poseidon, god of the sea"(25). The Hindu believed that "the earth was a platform that rested on the back of eight great elephants. When one of the elephants grew weary, it lowered and shook its head causing the ground above to tremble"(Vogt 25). Margaret Poynter writes "many primitive people thought that the earth rested upon the back of some sort of animal. When that animal became restless, great cracks appeared in the ground, and tall trees swayed and fell. In South America, the animal was a whale. In Japan, it was a great black spider or giant catfish. One ancient tribe thought that four bulls supported the earth on their horns. To amuse themselves, they sometimes tossed it from one to another"(6). In the same book, Poynter says "The Chinese believed that monsters lived in the caves inside the earth. When the creatures fought, the surface of the earth trembled (6)." "In Greece, it was not an animal, but a titan named Atlas who was condemned to support the world upon his shoulders. Later, about the third century B.C., a Greek philosopher, Aristotle, had a more scientific explanation. He thought that earthquakes occurred only when hot air masses tried to escape from the center of the earth. Two centuries later, Lucretius, a Roman, wrote that underground landslides caused the earth's surface to move"(Poynter 7).2 Today, scientists have found a more logical reason to earthquakes. Scientists say almost 600 million years ago, all the continents were connected to form a huge super continent called Pangaea. At about 220 million years ago, Pangaea began to break up into sub-blocks. According to the book Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and the Formation of Continents, these sub-blocks were called "Gondwana (which corresponds approximately to the continents of the present southern hemisphere) and Laurasia (the northern hemisphere)" (Kohler 15). According to Pierre Kohler, "The earth's surface is divided into 13 plates: seven large ones (the largest corresponding to the Pa... ...te long-term predictions of where earthquakes will occur. They know, for example, that about 80 percent of the world's major earthquakes happen along a belt encircling the Pacific Ocean. This belt is sometimes called the Ring of Fire because it has many volcanoes, earthquakes, and other geologic activity" (Earthquakes; Karen C. McNally 38). WORKS CITED Aylesworth, Thomas G. Geological Disasters "Franklin Watts" 1979: 14-15. The New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia "Grolier Electronic Publishing Inc." 1993: No Johnson, Thomas P. When Nature Runs Wild "Creative Education Press" 1986: 12-14. Kohler, Pierre Volcanoes Earthquakes and the Formation of Continents "Barron's Educational Series, Inc." 1987: 14-22. Marcus, Rebecca B. The First Book of Volcanoes & Earthquakes "Franklin Watts, Inc." 1972: 62-64. Poynter, Margaret Earthquakes "Enslow Publishers, Inc." 1990: 6-7. Putnam, William C. Geology "Oxford University Press" 1964: 439-450. Vogt, Gregory Predicting Earthquakes "Franklin Watts" 1989: 24-25. Walker, Bryce Earthquakes "Time Life Books" 1982: 94-100. Karen C. McNally Earthquakes World Book Encyclopedia "World Book Inc." 1994: 38-39.

Building a Portfolio for Retirement Essay -- Economics

Building a Portfolio for Retirement â€Å"According to a survey conducted by the Savings Education Council last year, 24% of all workers were not confident that they were prepared to retire comfortably.† Upon retirement we would like to maintain a certain level of income and lifestyle such as that established in the prime of our earning career. Through proper planning this goal can be achieved. I am going to establish the need for investments/ savings through the life-cycle model of consumption. I will then walk through standard retirement plans showing that additional funding will likely be needed for the upper-middle class, leading to stock and bond investments, risk tolerance of an individual investor, how that affects diversity and rates of return. On average Americans save approximately 5% of their earnings. This is the lowest among industrialized countries; Japan saves on average 24%, they are the highest savers. The US saves so little in part because of the availability and ease of credit, the financial system; as well as an effective Social Security system. However, the US is changing, to depend on today’s Social Security for tomorrow alone is a risky venture to say the least. Throughout one’s career their earning levels will fluctuate; the highest level of earnings is most likely achieved around middle age or mid-career. It is at this time most Americans begin to think about retirement and savings. The life-cycle model of consumption indicates that we desire a constant level of consumption throughout our lifetime. We, therefore, will go into debt when we are young, repaying the debt and begin saving in middle age, and dissave in retirement. While I personally believe that savin... ...o fund banks in the big picture of money. My 95-year-old Grandfather has successfully funded his retirement through CDs, a pension, and Social Security. To this day he still invest in CDs and his net worth is six figures. In large, most investors do not want to do the research in selecting stocks, bonds, and money market accounts for their portfolio themselves; at the prime of their career they may not have the time either. A managed fund is an appealing option. A managed fund may cost slightly more, there are management fees involved, typically not more than 2%. Picking a fund lessens the workload, pick a well know fund such as Janis, Fidelity, USAA, Templeton, Putnam, etc. If you have the money, pay someone; an investment fund manager who will take into account who you are. The name on the fund you choose is not so important as they type of fund you choose.

Hamlet Virtue vs. Villainy Essays -- Shakespeare Hamlet

Hamlet Virtue vs. Villainy   Ã‚   The legendary drama, Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare is a play illustrating the theme of virtue vs. villainy. The 17th century tragedy is plagued with treachery and deceit as it opens with the news of a foul murder in the kingdom of Denmark. Prince Hamlet, by word of his late father's ghost, is informed that his uncle Claudius is to blame for his father's sudden demise. Prince Hamlet's mission is to uncover the secrets surrounding the murder and to avenge his father's death. Thus, the insidious web of disease and corruption is formed. The relationship between disease leading to the greater corruption of Denmark plays a significant role in the lives of the principle players.    The literary piece, Hamlet, is riddled with an abundance of seemingly diseased attitudes, perceptions, schemes, and acts. Disease is an impairment that interferes with normal bodily function. However, as demonstrated throughout the play, disease takes on many forms, not only in a physical sense, but in a mental sense also. The young Prince Hamlet conveys his secret thoughts of helplessness and suicide. "To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them" (Act III, i, Lines 64-68). He contemplates whether it will be deemed nobler to intentionally take one's life than to face the struggles he is forced to endure. The prince is torn between his diseased mentality that drives him to express his thoughts of suicide and the promise of more corruption by avenging his father's death.   Before her suspected suicide, Ophelia gives evide nce of her mental d... ... are obviously diseased; for it is neither commonplace, nor sane to kill other people. Corruption evolves from disease.    In the renowned drama, Hamlet, the association of disease leading to greater corruption is prominent and plays a key role in the lives of the principle players.    The reader is afforded a glimpse into the tragic lives of the characters that openly deceive and betray those considered most dear to them. The murder of King Hamlet sets the stage for the disastrous ruin of the kingdom, along with the lives of those living in it. The tragic lives of the characters, whose diseased method of thought clearly illustrate the fact that disease leads to eventual corruption.    Work Cited Shakespeare, William. The New Cambridge Shakespeare: Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Philip Edwards. Cambridge: Cambridge U P, 1985.   

Religion and Education Essay

In this aper, I will discuss and explain the influence of religion and education on societies since the beginning of mankind. 1) Religion deals with almost all aspects of human life. 2) History cannot be taught in education without the mention of religious influences on civilizations. 3) The role of religion in public education is not limited to America alone, since the beginning of mankind every civilization has shown some type of evolution within their religious and educational institutions. There are several examples from different parts of the world to prove how widespread the problem is. ) All societies and civilizations are made up of individuals that belong to families. Families are the core of all societies and the religious choices of each family will society as a whole. 1) It may have influence in education, marriage, work, and even food. â€Å"American religious education, as a kind of spiritual support, has been playing a supportive role in Americans’ outlook on life, the realization of life value, the shaping of personality, ethic concepts and national spirit. It’s important role is manifested in the economic and political fields. † (MENG Xianxia/Cross-cultural Communication Vol. No. 2 1001, p. 231) Religion influence many aspects of day to day issues such as life choices, dress, and education. As shown in the article, â€Å"Religious Experience and Progressive Education,† published in the American Educational History Journal by Jared R. Stallones, â€Å"A recent survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life revealed that fully eighty-four percent of Americans identify themselves as adherents ofa specific religion. Eighty-eight percent are absolutely or fairly certain of the existence of God or a universal spirit, including fifteen percent of self-identified atheists. Eighty-two percent of the population considers religion to be very or somewhat important in their lives, and seventy-five percent of Americans, including ten percent of atheists, prayed at least once per week. † (p33) This demonstrates how religion is an important entity in the daily lives of many. This is because religions deal with the human life as a whole. For centuries people have searched for the meaning and truth of their own nature and the nature of the universe, religions are the result. We view religions as communities of people who share practices and beliefs, who gather together in special buildings to worship, and ho have a special way of living. More than three-quarters of the world’s population consider themselves members of some kind of religion. Religion influences almost all aspects of human life. It may have influence in education, marriage, work, and even food. ) The United States was founded on the principles of religion, the citizens of this country can practice whatever religion they like without being persecuted. The liberties provided under the Constitution allow individuals to practice their religious beliets openly and without Judgment. These beliets provide guidance and structure in the lives of these individuals. After the founding of the United States, although the Constitution clearly regulates â€Å" secularism†, religions in America are always closely intertwined with the process of American history, and play a huge impact on the political, economic, legal and cultural fields. American sociologist Richard Newhouse said, â€Å"A basic fact about the United States is that Americans themselves claim that most of them are Christian and the moral foundations of American society are Jewish-Christian morality Just as non-Christian believe. † (Zhang, 2007, p. 13) (MENG Xianxia/Cross-cultural Communication Vol. 7. No. 2, 2011). There are thousands of religions and thousand more subdivisions of those. Religions are divided mainly into ancient and modern religions. Not to say that the â€Å"modern† religions Just originated in the past couple years, Just they are still practiced in present times. Some of the ancient religions include Egyptian, Zoroastria, Greek, Norse, and Celtic. (Source and Cite) 3) People have been shunned, ostracized, sacrificed, and killed because of their religious beliefs. These acts take place because individuals have different views. There are several examples from different parts of the world to prove how idespread the problem is. American society is a blend of secularized and religious elements. Anderson (2004) noted that these two elements have always posed a dilemma for public education. The struggle is how to accommodate both of these societal characteristics. He pointed out that the secular nature of American public culture and its underlying pluralistic character are important aspects of the context for our system of education. The role of religion in public education is not limited to America alone. There are several examples from different parts of the world to prove how widespread the problem is. Thomas (2006) reported a case in France in which a Muslim girl was expelled for wearing a traditional Islamic headscarf. The President supported the move saying that religion should not be permitted in public schools. Islamic leaders protested that the ban was prejudicial, singling out Muslims for discriminatory practices. Hinsliff (2004) reported an interesting controversy in which Christian evangelists in England wanted to have the strengthening of faith teaching in schools. They dropped the idea when†¦ 4) Families are the core of all societies and the religious choices of each family will affect society as a whole. The religious choices of a family will influence an individual’s decisions that will in turn affect society as a whole. What in individual puts out into society will come back as their decision and actions affect society as a whole. Religion is an important entity in the lives of many. According to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, â€Å"Religious freedom includes the right to assemble for private and public worship, determine the conditions of membership, give religious instructions, preach its message publicly, and publish and circulate religious material† (International Religious Freedom, Sec. (3) Article 18). The United States is one of the nations with most fantastic religious background, and in reality religion and religious education permeates all aspects of American life. Religion lies in American family education, school education, political activities and social life, playing a role that cannot be ignored. (MENG Abstract p. l) Conclusion: Although religion has been and is a heated topic at times and since the beginning of mankind, we cannot deny the fact, the influence it has had in educational institutions through the development of all civilizations, I teel that this is a great thing. ou will not get very tar into any educational issues without somehow bumping into religious themes. † Marty goes on to explains in Christianity and its legacy in education that â€Å"We Americans are taught to think of American society as a secular one in which religion does not count for much, and our educational system is organized in such a way that religious concerns often receive little a ttention. But if you think for a moment, you may realize that a better question is, where does religion not come into all this? (Burke and Segal p. 631). To have religion thwarting together with education is what gives us history. It is what takes us to the next point in life. It gives us guidance and even sometimes warnings. As a young boy that has been brought up in the ministry and to see how religion has played a key role in my life and education†¦ ‘ applaud this. It is known that religion and education has been around for thousands of years and I believe it will continue for many more. From teaching your grandson to assemble a tomahawk to worshipping the Greek god of war, people show religion and education in many different ways. As, David P. Setran referenced in the Teachers College Record article More Religion in Education and More Education in Religion†: Liberal Progressivism and the Educational â€Å"Common Faith,† 1917-1940, â€Å"The Kingdom of God proved to be a powerful image of the ideal democracy and a powerful representation of religion and education working together to build a better world. It is recommended that future scholars continue to look in other parts of the country and among other individuals to trace these powerful cooperative relation, thus restoring the place of religion as an important source and ally of progressive education. † (p. l, abstract) (Teachers College Record, vl 14 nl 2012. 29pp. Religion and education have been wedded in western culture for as long as schools have existed, and as long as religious diversity and democratic decision-making endure in American society, then struggles between and about religion and education will continue in American schools (Religious Experience and Progressive Education,† published in the American Educational History Journal by Jared R. Stallones, p33. ) Religion and education has been around for thousands of years and it will continue for many more.