The Count of Montecristo free essay sample

The Count of Monte Cristo: One love, a betrayal, one revenge Alexandre Dumas, one of the most widely read French authors in the world, wrote during the late 19th century a prominent romantic historical novel; love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption convert the story of The Count Of Monte- Cristo in one of the most renowned classics of all time. It is considered an extraordinary novel because of its shocking characters, theme, and drive to vengeance. Alexandre Dumas was born on July 1802 in Villers Cotterets in Picardy, France. He was the only true quadroon, the only grandchild of a Negro (Lazen 1506). He was born as the illegitimate son of the famous novelist Thomas Dumas. Dumas was raised by his seamstress mother, Catherine Labay, until the elder Dumas legally recognized his paternity and assumed responsibility for his son’s care in 1831. He was the only man with wooly hair, and deficient calves, and black pigment in the creases of the joints of his fingers, whoever gained a considerable place in the literature of the world (Parini 1506). We will write a custom essay sample on The Count of Montecristo or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He secured his own fame in 1852 with the production of La dame aux camellias, a drama based on his novel by the same name. This work, which faithfully portrayed the life of a Parisian, introduced realism to the modern French stage. Dumas subsequently made important contributions to the theater in his self-proclaimed role as a social reformer: using the stage as a tribunal for such contemporary social problems as adultery and divorce, he pioneered the development of the model social drama (Lancaster 345). Dumas is praised by almost all the novels he wrote, but there are three in special by which he pass into history as the French writer most admired of all time: * The Three Musketeers (France, July 1844) The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later, â€Å"The Man in Iron Mask† (France, 1847). * The Count of Monte Cristo (France 1845) The Count of Monte Cristo vicariously had a grater success than any book which Dumas published. It, like most of Dumas’ major novels, was first serialized in the daily newspaper. (King 1139) Satisfies of everyone who has ever dreamed of winning the lottery or who has idly plotted revenge against their enemies, knowing full well they will never act on their darkest desires (Aubrey 2). According to the critic, genuine drama pleases the audience by presenting unusual events or situations in a compelling manner while maintaining a clear distinction between actor and spectator. Dumas is said to flout these precepts by taking commonplace corruption as his subject and displaying it unrefined upon the stage, inviting the audience to associate themselves with his characters (Fitzgerald) . Dumas is an excellent dramatist; at least, he possesses some of the highest qualities of drama, and had he sobriety, patience, and taste (Parini 1508). Critics believe that we owe more innocent amusement to Alexandre Dumas than to almost any other writer oh his generation. Many men of his generation has moved us more deeply, more beneficially; but few have amused us in so primitive way, or so much, or so long, or with so little harm (Oliphant 111). Plot summary When Edmond Dantes sailed into Marseilles harbor that day in 1815, he was surrounded by enemies. His shipmate, Danglars, coveted his appointment as captain of the Pharaoh. Ferdinand Mondego wished to wed Mercedes, who was betrothed to Edmond. Danglars and Ferdinand wrote a note accusing Edmond of carrying a letter from Elba to the Bonapartist committee in Paris. On his wedding day Edmond was arrested and taken before a deputy named Villefort, a political turncoat, who to protect himself, had Edmond secretly imprisoned in the dungeons of the Chateau D’If. There Dantes’ incarceration was secured by the plotting if his enemies outside the prison notably Villefort, who wished to cover up his own father’s connections with Bonapartists. Years passed. Then one night Edmond heard the sound of digging from an adjoining cell. Days later a section of the flooring fell in and Edmond saw an old man in the narrow tunnel below. He was the Abbe Faria, whose attempt to dig his was to freedom had led him only to Edmond’s cell. Thereafter the two met daily, and the old man taught Edmond history, mathematics, and languages. In Edmond’s fourteen years of imprisonment Faria, mortally ill, told Edmond where to fin a tremendous fortune should he escape after the old man’s death. When death did come, the abbe’s body was placed in a sack, and Edmond conceived the idea of changing places with the dead man, whom he dragged through the tunnel into his own bed. Jailer threw the sack into the sea. Edmond ripped the cloth and swam through the darkness to an islet in the bay. At daybreak he was picked up by a gang of smugglers with whom he worked until a stroke of luck brought him to island of Monte Cristo, where Faria’s fortune awaited him. He landed on the island with the crew of the ship, and, feigning injury in a fall, persuaded the crew to leave him behind until they could return for him. He returned to the mainland and there he learned that his father had died and Mercedes, despairing of Edmond’s return, had married Ferdinand. He also knew that Villefort had gained fortune and station in life. Danglars was a rich banker. Ferdinand had won wealth and a title in the Greek war. Edmond took the name of his treasure island. As the Count of Monte Cristo de dazzled all Paris with his fabulous wealth and his social graces. Meanwhile he was slowly plotting the ruin of the four men who had caused him to be sent to the Chateau D’If. Caderousse was the first to be destroyed. Monte-Cristo had awakened his greed with the gift of a diamond. Later, urged by his wife, Caderousse had committed robbery and murder. Now, released from prison, he attempted to rob Monte-Cristo but was mortally wounded by an escaping accomplice. As the man lay dying, Monte-Cristo, revealed his true name Edmond Dantes. Analisis of the count of monte cristo A Characters Monte Cristo, the identity Dantes assumes when he emerges from prison, he is like a 19th century Superman. His miraculous escape from prison, when he manages to escape drowing even though a cannon ball is tied to his feet, sets the tone for what follows. Everything goes right for the formidable Count, who seems like a lord in charge of his own destiny and that of others. He never makes a mistake, he seems to know everything, he is always in full possession of himself (Aubrey 27). He tattooed the word ‘Revenge’ in his heart. 2 3 Abbe Faria was a kind of semi divine creatures who comes to the aid of the principal character of this novel in which he founds hope and something to live for. Through Faria, Dantes is completely regenerated into a new man with all the wisdom, knowledge, wealth, and strength of character to make it possible for him to play the role of a god in the eyes of others. He provides Dantes with the means of using all his acquired knowledge and strength to real advantage by giving him the secret of an immense hidden fortune (Marinetti 264). There is no doubt that Faria is a father figure for Dantes. The latter calls upon Faria long after his death as his â€Å"second father†¦ you who give me liberty, science, wealth† (II, 717) Alexandre Dumas uses several literary elements to develop his story. The wealth of mythic themes permeate this novel, particularly important are those of death and resurrection. These two myths inform the entire structure of the book and have a special impact in all ages characterized by social and political instability and rapid change. The first begins with the hero in a state of relative innocence, followed by a fall which resembles the catastrophe of death in the life of a man which after fourteen years of living locked up in a prison, leads to a hard-won but spectacular resurrection into a position of power far beyond any known by ordinary mortals (Marinetti 263). The first mythical theme called ‘death’ covers Dantes? mprisonment, escape, and discovery of the treasure willed to him by Father Faria. While in jail, Dantes soon comes to look upon himself as dead and to think of the world outside as that of the living. (I, 86) Monte Cristo â€Å"death† in prison leaves its mark forever on his skin, which remains pale and cold. (Marinetti 264). On the other hand, the â€Å"resurrection† of Dantes, is like a nineteenth century Super man, his miraculous, Houdini-like escape from prison, when he manages to escape drowning even though a cannon ball is tied to his feet, sets the tone for what follows. From there onwards, everything goes right for the formidable man, who seems like a lord in charge of his own destiny and that of others. (Aubrey) That kind of resurrection, brought with him a man with a thirst for revenge, able to do everything in his power to do that you people who stole his fourteen precious years of his life, pay for what they did. In addition, Dumas used symbolism throughtout the story. Symbols in this underrated novel serve to advance the plot, while enriching our understanding of the hero and his predicament. The Chateau dIf: is a dark prison of loneliness, although its also the place where Edmund learns  the ways of the world and becomes a cultivated man of power. Its presence in the novel reminds us that Edmund has imprisoned and isolated himself so that he can pursue his schemes of revenge. Its a symbol of deprivation and pain. The rocky desert Isle of Monte Cristo: serves as a more vivid and ornate symbol. Beginning as a sign of wealth and power, passing through a stage as a fantastic pleasure,  it comes to symbolize the redemption that is possible when Edmund Dantes finally gives up trying to play God. Another prominent symbol is the sea: Edmund begins his adventures as a nineteen-year-old sailor coming  home to the port of Marseilles. He wastes years in the depths of an island prison, but is re-baptized to freedom, when he is thrown into the water for dead. One nom de guerre he gives himself is Sinbad the Sailor. At the end of the story, his ordeal survived, he and his new love sail away to begin a new life. The sea represents adventure, and freedom. (Grischy) The Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure tale of vengeance, of a man cling to love to survive and of a man overcoming his desire for revenge. Mysterious Edmund Dantes constructs elaborate punishments for his enemies, but finally comes to realize that he lacks the perfect knowledge and understanding to mete out punishment (Grischy). It vicariously satisfies the fantasies of everyone who has ever dreamed of winning the lottery or who has idly plotted revenge against their enemies, knowing full well they will never act on their darkest desires. (Aubrey). Vengeance for vengeance versus God will do justice.

Mr. Obama and Iran

Mr. Obama and Iran Free Online Research Papers Two editorials by The New York Times discuss the talks that the Obama administration has planned with Iran; â€Å"Mr. Obama and Iran† does not explain thoroughly how Washington should interfere but in the other article â€Å"Talk to Iran. Then What†, it states that there is all this talk about having ’talks’ with Iran but nothing specific has been planned and imposes the question of how much should we compromise to come to an agreement. In the editorial titled â€Å"Mr. Obama and Iran†, the editor writes that former president Bush failed policies in Iran has led them very close to mastering the skills needed to build a nuclear weapon- the skill of mastering nuclear fuel production. The writer backs up his claim by stating that Iran’s scientist have already advanced by putting a satellite in orbit which is a huge sign that their missile program is moving forward. His other claim is that there has to be a mixture of incentives and sanctions to take away Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He goes on to say that the Bush administration never made any attempts to offer the Iranian government any incentives. However, he gives no evidence to support that for sure that Bush never made any attempts. His opinion is that the agenda for talks will be much easier if it included Afghanistan and Iraq. The editor shows very strong evidence that in the past, in 1998 Iran’s fundamentalist Shiite government almost went to war with Afghanistan’s own fundamentalist Taliban. The U.S. interfered and forced the Taliban to back out, with the help from Tehran helping Washington make a new Afghanistan government. However this plan didn’t end up working because there were accusations that the Iranians were supporting the Taliban’s to keep the Americans off their radar. The Osama administration needs to remind Iran again that it is in their best interest that Iraq is defeated and for the Afghanistan’s to be more stabilized. In the other article published by the New York Times as well, the writer comments that Obama’s presidential campaign came up with specific tactics to prevent Iran from its nuclear weapon plans but failed to answer the important questions such as: â€Å"What should the United States demand when it finally talks with Iran? And when Iran rejects our opening position, how much should we compromise to come to a deal?†(Rademaker). He supports this by putting out the fact that in the past Iran has rejected the United Nations, insisting that Iran suspend their nuclear plans to enrich uranium. The Obama administration will probably propose this negotiation again and Iran will likely reject it again. â€Å"So what then?† is the question (Rademaker). He explains that Congress will ask themselves: Are we demanding too much? He argues that time is definitely on Iran’s side because they had 164 centrifuges in 2006 and now they have about 5,000. So the question is â€Å"How can we cut the best deal now, even if it allows Iran to continue enriching?†. He says that critics will propose two fallbacks if Iran doesn’t agree the first time: allowing enrichment but at the same time using international safeguards that can spot the development of nuclear weapons, or proposing that uranium be only used for multinational programs operated by various countries. The problem with this proposal is that the countries near that regions around Iran will demand the same treatment, but that would not be a good thing especially if countries like Syria that is not friendly to Americans, will enrich uranium as much as they can. Stephen Rademaker concludes his editorial by saying that if Obama finds a way to obtain a negotiation with Iran, that may be his one of his greatest achievements during his presidency . In conclusion I feel that the second article by Stephen Rademaker is much more convincing because he gives more specific evidence to back up his opinion. For instance, he writes that Washington as well as the Obama campaign have made statements that there will be talks to with Iran to prevent them from pursuing their nuclear interests but the question of what kind of talks has not been answered. While reading the first article, I was expecting more information, I felt as if I only read a part of the article. Rademaker’s editorial asks the question of what kind of demands will the United States impose if it rejects once again, the limitation or uranium enrichment. Another example where he uses specific examples is if the United Nations and the United States allow Iran to enrich uranium, in any way, it will be impossible to deny surrounding countries the same treatment. The weakness of this editorial, however, asks too many questions which leaves the reader confused as to if it is supposed to be for the reader or it is the editors own questions. The strengths are the explanation with statements that can be verified, because they actually happened in the past. That is the editors main argument- that Washington should come up with other proposals that have not been rejected in the past to ensure a compromise with Iran. In the first article, the editor writes, â€Å"We don’t know if there is any mixture of incentives or sanctions that can wean Iran of its nuclear ambitions†¦But we are certain that the Bush Administration never tried to find it†(Mr. Obama and Iran). While that may be true, it is something that Americans already know. It is still clear that there is still disagreements with the United States and Iran so there is no need of a reminder. Instead the editor should have explained how the Obama Administration can learn from Bush Administration and propose what kind of talks should occur. The article is concluded with, â€Å"Mr. Obama can make a compelling argument that it is in Iran’s strategic interest to join negotiations intended to guarantee Iraq’s long-term stability and sovereignty†(Mr. Obama and Iran). However there isn’t an elaboration on that. Although both articles are well written the one that convinces me the most is â€Å"Talk to Iran. Then What?† because it is more persuasive. The author does his research to prove his point. The other article I feel, just states facts things the public already knows. His opinion I believe is something that has been already heard on the news and on the radio. Stephen Rademaker gives a different point of view to his audience. Regardless if the reader disagrees with his opinion, his article is more likely to be chosen as more credible because the author shows he knows what he is talking about. â€Å"Mr. Obama and Iran†. The New York Times. 9 Feb. 2009: A22. Rademaker, Stephen. â€Å"Talk to Iran. Then What?†. The New York Times. 9 Feb. 2009: A21. Research Papers on "Mr. Obama and Iran"American Central Banking and OilMy Writing ExperienceThe Equal Rights AmendmentCash or Card?Global Distributive Justice is UtopianGene One the Transition from Private to PublicProject Management 101Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-BarnettDistance Learning Survival GuideCo-Educational vs. Single Sex Schools

Exploring pathways and barriers to entrepreneurship and innovation in Dissertation

Exploring pathways and barriers to entrepreneurship and innovation in kuwait - Dissertation Example However, no more than 300 entrepreneurs have applied for the subsidy, which is a number small enough to make the study of exploration of barriers in the way of entrepreneurship and innovation in Kuwait as done in this research, worthwhile. Research question The research question is; What are the pathways to entrepreneurship and barriers to the establishment of SMEs in Kuwait? Research objectives This research tends to Study the historic contribution of SMEs in the economy of Kuwait Identify the pathways to entrepreneurship and barriers to innovation in Kuwait Develop a concise and objective method of capturing and evaluating the business ideas proposed by the SMEs. Devise ways to improve the tendency of entrepreneurs to take financial aid from the government to establish SMEs. Literature review Small businesses and entrepreneurship is a separate and quite developed field of study in UK supported by a lot of research in the past. Research on SMEs largely commenced in UK in 1970s (Blac kburn and Smallbone). Such a late start as compared to US can be attributed to the difference of the external conditions. In the 1970s, UK had the lowest new firm formation and small business ownership rate in the West (Bolton). â€Å"It is from this research base that we launch our attempt to describe developments since 1971 and make projections through the next decade† (Curran and Stanworth 16). Small business cultivated in UK in 1980s and in the 1990s, this field was institutionalized, consolidated, and legitimized (Blackburn and Smallbone 22). Past research has conventionally explored the link between entrepreneurial competitiveness and ethnic diversity (Kitching and Hill). Last two decades have shown a tremendous growth in the literature of SMEs (Castel-Branco 1). There is no specific definition of small firms. At sectoral level, the definition of small firms narrates the objective measure of the firm’s size which includes the sales turnover, number of workers, ne t worth of the business and its profitability. Thus, all firms may be considered small in some sectors, and yet there can be sectors where no firm is considered small (Storey). Entrepreneurship has been largely considered as a means of â€Å"decentralisation, economic restructuring and movement in the direction of market economy† (Venesaar and Loomets 1). According to (Frazer 15), there are three factors necessary for entrepreneurial endeavor, namely the trigger, pre-disposing factors, and the enabling factors. The triggers are basically of three types of triggers i.e. need for money which may be instigated by loss of job, health scare and divorce. Prior experience of job and formal education are two pre-disposing factors controlling an individual’s entrepreneurial endeavor. Availability of finance, socioeconomic factors and societal support are some of the potential enabling factors for the entrepreneurs. Kuwait has recently taken certain steps to improve her economic al strength. After a careful study of the important economic factors, Macinzee Consulting Company passed certain recommendations one of which was to strengthen the economy of Kuwait by investment in SMEs. The government released 1 billion pounds to be managed by the Kuwait Investment Authority. The funds were to be distributed among the willing entrepreneurs via four organizations, three of which were private and one organization was state-owned.

Writer's choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 30

Writer's choice - Essay Example The efforts were unfruitful and the application was still denied (Goslett andn Caruso, 2015). The application was denied because Mr. Donker did not meet the IRPA 2002 requirements. The immigration officer did not accept the application because at the first time, he applied on arrival to Canada and could not be given permanent resident right. The relationship which he started was seen as an effort to be given the permission for permanent resident. Though Mr. Donker started a conjugal relationship with Ms. Fernanda in order to be considered as a permanent resident, the court still rejected the application. Mr. Donker could have started a lawful marriage or get married according to Canadian marriage act in order to be considered a citizen and have is application accepted. The court could not consider the two years relationship but is Ms. Fernanda could be his legal wife the court would have considered his request (Government of Canada,

Ichthyosis Essay Example for Free

Ichthyosis Essay While the ichthyoses constitute a rather large spectrum of about 20 cornification disorders that fit the definition and about 10 with more localized symptoms, they all are various permutations of a hyperkeratotic skin disorder that are characterized by an overgrowth and thickening of the corneal layer of the epidermis with localized erythema, and are classified from their; genetic or acquired origin, inheritance patterns, gene defects, etiologically as enzyme deficiencies, structural protein defects, regulatory protein defects, or other, and clinically as a syndromic ichthyosis, non-syndromic ichthyosis, or as a related condition. The term â€Å"ichthyosis† is derived from the Greek word ‘ichthys’ meaning ‘fish’. And aptly named as it is, a patient with ichthyosis will present with scaly dry ‘fish-like’ skin. The severity of scaling in ichthyotic patients runs a very broad spectrum, from severe to mild, where it blends into the realm of ‘dry skin’, or xerosis. The most minor of the ichthyoses, ichthyosis vulgaris, in its’ more mild forms, presents with light flaking and irritated apperence can be confused with simple xerosis. While the skin of patients with lamellar ichthyosis, is characterized by heavily pigmented, plate (armor) like armor scales that are both obvious and often debilitating. And while all forms of ichthyosis present with a flaky or scaly appearance, several other characteristic clinical features are used as hallmarks of a particular types of ichthyosis so as to distinguish them from one another. In general congenital forms such as lamellar ichthyosis, congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, and ichthosis bullosa will present at birth with a yellow, tight and shiny, ‘collodion-like’ membrane which sheds in 2-3 weeks to reveal a flaky dry skin and in cases of ichthyosis bullosa, redness and blistering, especially over flexures. The traits of congenital ichthyosis, from obvious scaly appearance, to inflexibility and pain, are all permanent and life-long conditions that even after stabilization and survival are strongly inhibitory to normal psychological and sociological development. With such a dramatic difference in appearance and physical performance, ichthyosis sufferers are very nearly always ostracized as children, often with negative effects and stunted development. The two basic types of ichthyosis are defined by their method of origin as either genetic or acquired. In inherited ichthyosis; specified as autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and X-linked, a mutation in a gene causes an abnormality in the normal life cycle of skin, leading to a build-up of excess skin either because of the overproduction of the replacement skin cells or because when the time comes when old cells have to be drop off they do not separate very well from the surfaces of the skin. This disruption will result to accumulation of skin cells to thick flakes which may look like fish scales, adhering themselves to the body. Acquired ichthyosis often appears as a manifestation of systemic disease, described in association with malignancies, drugs, endocrine and metabolic disease, HIV, infection, and autoimmune conditions It is usually is associated with people who have Hodgkins disease but it is also occurs in people with mycosis fungoides, other malignant sarcomas, Kaposis sarcoma and visceral carcinomas. It can occur in people suffering from leprosy, AIDS, tuberculosis, and typhoid fever. With such a rate of variation between the severity of various ichthyotic conditions and the degrees of variance within the conditions themselves, it is impossible to place a single prognosis or plan of treatment on ichthyosis or any ichthyotic condition in particular. In actuality since ichthyosis is such a rare disorder with such a low rate of incidence; with the most common, ichthyosis vulgaris at 1 in 250, X-linked at 1 in 6,000 in males and ichthyoses in their entirety at about 1 in 250,000, more often the not, it must be evaluated and treated on a case to case basis. However despite the tremendous margin of difference between conditions the basic objective remains the same, to aid the skin in retaining moisture, shedding, and in the promotion of a softer, suppler, more flexible skin surface. While no cure for ichthyosis exists the current treatment options for an ichthyotic patient are topical therapy, bathing, and mechanical scale removal, along with psychosocial support for patient and family via patient organizations. Topical therapy focuses on the regeneration of the epidermal barrier by water binding, Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) reduction and reformation of the lipid barrier or anti-inflammation with the regular use of ointments containing lipids, keratolytic, and/or hydrating substances. Therapeutic bathing seeks to loosen scales and residual medications in addition to hydrating the skin with bland baths up to twice a day with sodium bicarbonate, wheat, corn, or rice starch, during which scales and hyperkeratoses are mechanically removed using repetitive gentle rubbing using microfiber household towels, pumice stones, or special silk gloves. Typically the prognosis for very poor for infants born with the most severe ichthyoses, such as epidermolytic hyperkeratosis and harlequin ichthyosis where the child is born with severe blistering and huge, thick scales punctuated by deep fissures, if the infant doesn’t die within the first few days of life from dehydration, the next several weeks leave the neonate extremely prone to infection, sepsis and death. While if an infant does survive into its’ first few months of life, the chances of survival are relatively good, as with the other degrees of ichthyosis, once the conditions’ more life-threatening symptoms have been stabilized, the survivability rate is much better and work can begin to be done on improving the quality of life. In cases such as these tremendous advancements have been made with the introduction of specialized intensive care units and a recent evolution of Retinoid medications, along with the various creams, salves and ointments aimed at moisturizing the skin and aiding the skin in shedding. Of the topical lotions, ointments and creams themselves, advancements have been made in the use of nanotechnology, in order to more finely mill the medications in the salves into nano-sized particles, greatly increasing the absorption into the skin and productiveness of topical treatment. Since ichthyosis is a genetic disorder the search for an absolute â€Å"cure† has been largely limited to gene therapy and stem cell research, the latter of which is hindered by legal and ethical debate, while the former has been extremely restricted since a string of gene therapy related deaths in 2002, since which gene therapy has been largely limited to severe autoimmune diseases with fatal prognosises. So the bulk of ichthyosis-related research has been directed toward creating new products to alleviate the symptoms and provide a higher standard of living. However in 2009, a major victory was won for the sufferers and researcher of inherited ichthyosis, when the conclusion of the First Ichthyosis Consensus Conference held in Soreze, France, on January 23 and 24, 2009, where subcommittees on different issues proposed terminology that was debated until consensus was reached. The classification project started two years prior, at the First World Conference on Ichthyosis in 2007. And after its’ completion, allowed for a universal system of taxonomy was adopted for the nomenclature involving inherited ichthyosis. Works Cited http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1198130-overview

Two big hearted river :: essays research papers

Of the stories on the syllabus the one that I most closely related to was â€Å"The Big Two-Hearted River† by Earnest Hemmingway. During my first reading of this story it was the setting and the action of the main character Nick Adams that I connected with. Reading the opening sentences, grand visions of my childhood danced through my head. The story took me back to happy times of summers spent alone with my grandfather in the mountains of West Virginia. Like Nick, the camping and fishing trips were a welcomed relief from the city life and school for me. Although we were in a different area of the country the wilderness seems to be the same. Like Nick I remembered being dropped off near the edge of the wilderness to hike in and go camping near the river. â€Å"The river just showed through the trees† (Hemingway 480). As with the main character the river always intrigued me as a child. It was many things such as the smell, the sound, and the being apart of nature that I liked. Most of all I really loved having the one on one time spent with my grandfather. Just as Hemmingway describes, we to would tromp through the mountains for what seemed like forever. We make the trek all in order to find that perfect spot to set up camp. I oft en felt as Nick did â€Å"His muscles ached and the day was hot but†¦felt happy† (Hemingway 468). When we came across that spot, a quote from the story says it best â€Å"He was there, in the good place† (Hemingway 471), and â€Å"The river was there† (Hemingway 467). A sense of happiness filled my body because I knew what was soon to come. We would set up the camp and get something to eat. I could feel Nick’s pain of being â€Å"very hungry† (Hemingway 470); this was one of the down sides of the trip. My grandfather would not stop just to eat we would have to find are site then we would take a break for a quick snack before setting up camp. First we would survey the site and plan the best placement for our things. Hemingway wrote â€Å"He pegged the sides out taut and drove the pegs deep† (470), this passage brought flash backs of my grandfather telling me how important it was to get the lines tight and drive the tent pegs deep into th e ground.

Outline two perspectives on learning Essay

Classical Conditioning is when behaviour is learned through a stimulus response bond (S_R) This is done by using unconditioned stimuli as well as conditioned stimuli. Simply put this method of behaviourist learning is able to create behaviour that doesn’t normally exist (e.g. salivating at the sound of a bell) this is done through association. For example if a person was to ring a bell right before they fed the dog, the dog would salivate due to the presence of the food. If done enough times, the dog would salivate at the sound of the bell alone, even if no food was present (Pavlov’s experiment) Operant Conditioning is used to shape behaviour that already exists in the learner. This is done through reinforcement whether it be positive (rewarding) negative (taking away a negative trait) or punishment Skinner found that people are more likely to learn a behaviour if they are rewarded after doing it (e.g. praise, gifts etc.)  SLT refers to Bandura’s research, as he believed that people can learn through vicarious learning watching other people doing or not doing as they do. This is done by Modelling, which can mean to make an example of a peer in school, thus showing others how to, or not to act. Humanistic Carl Rogers believed that people learn best when they are given/shown Unconditional positive regard, empathy and genuiness. This looks at learners as human beings with sensitivities and self esteem as opposed to machines which can be programmed (behaviourist) Maslow was another humanistic believers he created the hierarchy of needs, suggesting that the learners needed their basic needs to be satisfied (food safety belingingess) before they can learn and have the desire to explore the â€Å"meta needs† (learning etc.)    Due to the fact that the three perspectives are so different in design, it can be very difficult to say how one method is nomothetically better than another. Each perspective has its own strong and weak points.  The behaviourist perspective is a very affective method of learning as performance levels tend to be at the highest when the techniques of classical, Operant and SLT are applied. However this suggests that people learn only what they show, valuing nothing but the behaviour of the learner. For example the use of Classical Conditioning can create associations which can benefit the learner (e.g. standing up when a governor enters the room) as it can avoid embarrassment however, it can also be considered unethical to use such techniques as learners ten can become unable to control their own actions as the SR bond created put their behaviour in the control of the subconscious therefore using classical conditioning techniques would not be best when trying to teach something of a creative nature (e.g. art, music etc.) as personal control is very important in these subjects Another ethical issue with the use of behaviourist tactics in learning is that the reinforcement can hurt the learner’s self esteem. This can be seen in Operant Conditioning techniques like punishment in that although the behaviour may be shaped to an â€Å"acceptable standard†, the learners would become less motivated to produce work. This can also play a role in bad association between the student and the subject being taught in that they don’t like how the behaviourists teacher treats them, they would learn to dislike the subject as opposed to simply the teacher. The Humanistic view, due to the fact that they value the development of the person more than the acquisition of trivial knowledge, can often very poor exam results within schools. An example of this would be the Summerhill school (Neil) which applied a completely humanistic approach to the workings of the school (e.g. no reinforcement of class attendance, no rules etc.) the results of this experiment showed that with the humanistic perspective, exam results were poor, however follow up studies showed that psychological problems and better stability within alumni Another possible criticism of the humanistic views of Maslow is that there are people who can learn in school very well yet not have all of their basic needs satisfied (e.g. negligent parenting) however it can be said that the higher meta needs would be easier to pursue if the basic needs were provided for the learner. This goes against Maslow’s theory in that the hierarchy of needs can have exceptions based on individual differences (which can be analysed in the Myers Briggs Personality Indicator) Cognitive psychologists believe that all information can be presented in a way that’s best taken on by the learner. However this goes against the theories of Piaget and Ausubel who thought that information was exclusively better if present in certain ways, (bit by bit versus all encompassing respectively) The cognitive approach doesn’t consider the learners as anything but information processors, which can also hurt students self esteem as they are not necessarily regarded as human beings who are valued (Rogers) When it comes down to it each perspective is very helpful to the improvement of learning within children however if used exclusively can cause their own contrasting problems. The best way in my eyes is to create a hybrid of the systems, for example, in regards to dealing with disruptive behaviour a behaviourist system of punishment be most effective, but then followed up with a humanistic debrief, (explaining why being punished) this would allow the student to learn the behaviour as well as maintain or reinforce self esteem.