Saturday, August 31, 2019

Honesty in Pride and Prejudice and A Doll’s House Essay

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice are set in similar time period and feature protagonists who go through different struggles, but whose themes have some overlap. Honesty is a theme that is played out in both stories resulting in opposite consequences for the protagonists. The power of honesty can either hurt or enhance lives. The truth means ruination in Nora and Torvald’s marriage in A Doll’s House whereas the truth brings Elizabeth and Darcy together in Pride and Prejudice. Honesty in both male and female protagonists is equally important in forging good relationships between each other. In both stories, strong honesty shapes the two couples’ fates. Both novels begin with the dishonesty of female protagonists – one who has lied to her husband for eight years and one who keeps denying to herself her feelings about a man. Nora, the female protagonist of A Dolls’ House, seems happy about her marriage to Torvald. She does not seem to mind Torvald treating and patronizing her like a doll. However, Ibsen foreshadows Nora’s dishonesty with the very first word on the first page of the play: â€Å"Hide the Christmas tree away†¦(1)†, and Nora’s action is eating macaroons and lying to Torvald about it. She also acts like an impulsive and dependent child to Torvald as if she is hiding something, which is her knowledge of her business details – debt – that she acquired to loan in order to save Torvald’s life. Elizabeth, the female protagonist of Pride and Prejudice, is a young, intelligent woman whose virtue and independence enable her to overcome the bounds of social class and harsh society. However, her course of making rash and imprudent judgment often leads to her failure: she prejudged Darcy’s personality as the most â€Å"proud and conceited (11)† after only meeting him once. She hated everything about him based only on her prejudgment. As a result, she was not able to admit her inner affection toward him and kept denying her true feelings about him. Although Darcy proposes to Elizabeth in a most honest and gentle manner – though indirectly insulting her family and status – Elizabeth replies only with lies: â€Å"From the very beginning, from the first moment,†¦fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain,†¦which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to arry (166). † Elizabeth’s dishonesty to Darcy and to herself is the major obstacle to understand each other. Fortunately, Elizabeth’s mind starts to change as she learns about the truth of Darcy, but on the other hand, when Nora decides to reveal the truth, only disaster awaits her. Although Nora and Elizabeth both started as dishonest, they both decide to reveal and admit the truth that they must affront. Nora has been hiding the truth for several years from her husband because Torvald disallows anyone to make debt. However, she decides to test the truth of her husband’s love by revealing the truth of herself. Nora, who has been a doll of Torvald, is no longer a â€Å"little sky-lark chirruping† or a â€Å"pretty little pet† as her husband calls her. Her decision to confront the truth shows how ambitious, determined, and courageous a woman she is. Elizabeth, who has been trapped by her own prejudice, finally awakens and becomes honest to herself: she admits that she loves and feels compassion for Darcy. â€Å"How despicably have I acted! †¦ prided myself on my discernment! how humiliating is this discovery! Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind†¦ but vanity, not love, has been my folly†¦ Till this moment I never knew myself. (178-179)† When Elizabeth acknowledges the truth about herself, her prejudgment vanishes. She allows herself to look back at what she has done and realizes her mistake in the relationship with Darcy. Both Nora and Elizabeth have changed since the beginning of the novel. They discover the importance of honesty in marriages and relationships despite experiencing different results. The two contrasting consequences not only depend on Nora and Elizabeth’s honesty, but also depend on their spouses. Nora believed that Torvald would understand her dishonesty because she trusted his love. However, when Torvald learns about the blackmail, Nora and Torvald’s marriage falls apart: â€Å"Miserable woman†¦who was my pride and joy†¦ a hypocrite, a liar, worse than that, a criminal! †¦they [people] might even think I was the one behind it all, I who pushed you†¦I’ve taken such good care of you†¦done to me?†¦ you’ll go on living here†¦you will not be allowed to bring up the children, I can’t trust you with them (75-76). In this moment of truth, not only Nora but also Torvald shows his true color. In order to keep his pride and reputation, he makes Nora live with him and pretends that they are married. Even worse, when Torvald receives the IOU letter back, he suddenly hides his true color, as if nothing has happened after he had said horrible words to Nora: â€Å"We are saved, Nora! †¦I forgive you everything. I know you did what you did because you loved me. (77)† Nora â€Å"understands† the truth of Torvald after revealing the truth of herself. She learns that Torvald’s love is not genuine, and their marriage has been fake and artificial. Nevertheless, honesty in Pride and Prejudice empowered Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship. Although Darcy’s first proposal to Elizabeth was not successful, he tries once more as he writes a letter with honesty. â€Å"†¦may be offensive to yours, I can only say that I am sorry†¦I believed it on impartial conviction, as truly as I wished it in reason†¦pardon me, It pains me to offend you (169-170). † In this honest letter, he apologizes for the past arrogance and misinterpretation in Jane – Elizabeth’s sister – and Bingley’s – Darcy’s intimate friend – relationship. In the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy, honesty enables them to understand each other and to succeed in the goal of marriage. Neither Nora nor Elizabeth was able to accomplish a powerful and lasting connection with their spouses until they knew who they were themselves, and until they learned the truth about their prospective spouses. Two male protagonists’ opposite reactions and attitudes in honesty shaped the fate of Nora and Elizabeth – separation and bond in relationships. Honesty makes Nora and Torvald’s relationship to decline but Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship to succeed. Honesty does not always triumph; it can also worsen a situation. In A Doll’s House and Pride and Prejudice, both women learn that they also have to be honest with themselves, not only with other people. They also see the ultimate consequences in relationship will also depend on their spouses, not only on herself. Although both women were equally honest, perhaps Elizabeth was more fortunate than Nora in her choice of spouse and in finding the opportune moment to be honest, which allowed her to forge a fulfilling and sustained marriage.

Friday, August 30, 2019

How successful was Wilson in achieving his aimes in foreign policy in the years 1912 tot 1920

Although Wilson had primarily been elected to reform national politics and initiate new progressive policies in Washington, he spent the majority of his time as President dealing with foreign policy rather than domestic. Wilson's predecessors, including McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, and Taft, had viewed the United States as an emerging power that needed to extend its influence throughout the world in order to serve national interests.The aims of Wilson in tackling foreign affairs were to maintain isolationism by peaceful and ethical approaches, which were achieved almost successfully until the American intervention into the World War One in 1917. This imperialist policy was justified by the commonly held belief that it was America's duty as a Christian republic to spread democracy throughout the world. These three Presidents significantly expanded America's influence abroad with the annexation of colonies throughout the world, such as the Philippines and Cuba.Clements firmly believes that Wilson foreign policy is mostly successful until 1917. This was because one of Wilson’s success in keeping isolationism in his early years of presidency was to repudiate his predecessors’ Dollar Diplomacy, which called for American investments in Latin America and the Caribbean. Instead, Wilson promoted democracy as the priority in private investments. As for China, Wilson gave diplomatic recognition to the new regime.Moreover, in April of 1914, Mexican officials in Tampico arrested a few American sailors who blundered into a prohibited area, and Wilson used the incident to justify ordering the U. S. Navy to occupy the port city of Veracruz. Therefore, Bragg believes that Wilson did not fully achieve his isolationist aims because of the adoption of interventionist policy in Mexico. The Mexican Revolution threatened America’s interests due to the instability and violence, thus Wilson decided to send American marines in1914 and military force in 1916 to Mexi co but the American people on the border, as a consequence, were afflicted. However, he avoided taking over Mexico. Rowe believes this was because he was alarmed by the danger of war, Wilson reaffirmed his commitment to Mexican self-determination and agreed to discuss methods of securing the border area with the Mexican government. Early in 1917, when it began to appear that the United States could not avoid being dragged into the European war, Wilson withdrew all U.S. forces from Mexico. The decision coincided with the publication of an intercepted message from Arthur Zimmermann in the German foreign office to the German minister in Mexico, instructing him to propose an alliance with Mexico against the United States if Germany and the United States went to war. With the outbreak of fighting in the â€Å"Great War† in Europe in August 1914, President Wilson appealed to Americans to remain strictly neutral.He believed that the underlying cause of the war, which would leave 14 million Europeans dead by 1917, was the militant nationalism of the major European powers, as well as the ethnic hatreds that existed in much of Central and Eastern Europe. In addition to this, Wilson kept the USA of out the war until 1917 through diplomacy and his moral stance. This attitude was supported by the majority of Americans particularly the Mid-West as the American people did not want war anymore. The emerging of anti-imperialist ideas referred wars were morally unacceptable, and anti-colonial ideas against British colonial rule contributed to the neutrality.Furthermore, in May 1915, a German submarine—called a â€Å"U-boat,† which was a relatively fragile vessels that depended on surprise attacks from below the surface for its success—torpedoed the British liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland. Wilson urged patience. Wilson was successful in stopping U-boat activities and the sinking of ships. Therefore, Wilson tried to keep the public and the pol itical opion against entering the war as long as possible. However, it was impossible to stay out of the ongoing war for Wilson.Therfore, Murphy believes that Wilson’s foreign policy became more of a failure in 1917. This was because the USA entered the first world war. The America’s interests in Britain and France were threatened as huge businesses bounded many immigrants in the US. The sinking of Lusitania and the interception of Zimmermann telegram proved that the intervention was inevitable. The American intervention completely changed the war and established the world’s leading rule of America. However, murphy may believed that Wilson’s foreign policy became more of a failure in 1917, Wilson did go to war with a mission.The main goal of the war was to end militarism and make the world â€Å"safe for Democracy,† not merely to defend American ships. He promised that the United States would fight to ensure democracy, self-government, the rights a nd liberties of small nations, and an international peace organization that would end war forever. He achieved this goal and he spread his ideologies into the world. The age of empire or the creation of colonies, meanwhile, came to an end. After the Germany surrendered, Murphy believes that Wilson’s failures began.Wilson hoped to revolutionize the conduct of international affairs at the peace table. He first outlined his vision in the â€Å"Fourteen Points† speech delivered to Congress. No more secret treaties, and all territories occupied during the war must be evacuated. Wilson wanted to dismantle the imperial order by opening up colonial holdings to eventual self-rule and all European sections of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires to immediate independence. Other points included freedom of the seas at all times and free trade all over the world.But Murphy believes that Wilson's most important proposal was the prevention of future wars by means of a new interna tional organization, a league of nations, open to membership by all democratic states. This new world body would be in charge of disarmament and the dismantling of colonial possessions. Most importantly, the League would hold power over all disputes among its members. Wilson believed that this League would transform international relations and usher in a new era of world peace. When Wilson sailed for France in December of 1918 to head the American peace delegation.He wanted to persuade the Europeans to a fair peace for Germany in order to prevent wars in the future. However, in the end, Wilson faced with the determined insistence of Allied leaders to punish Germany with heavy reparations, territorial occupation, and total disarmament, Wilson was forced to compromise on most of his points. He took the leading role in ‘Peace Talks’ and he established his League of Nations, but instead of a â€Å"peace without victory,† the â€Å"Big Four† leaders—held secret negotiations and produced the Treaty of Versailles.This treaty imposed harsh terms on Germany, and Wilson was forced to present to the Senate a treaty that bore little resemblance to the ideal peace most Americans expected. The opposition at home equaled the opposition abroad. Most Senate Democrats supported Wilson and the treaty. Embittered over Republican opposition. In one of the most controversial episodes in presidential history, Wilson to consider any compromises to the League. When the Senate Republicans amended the treaty—to ensure that the President could not use U.S. forces on League business without securing congressional assent—Wilson told his supporters to vote against the amended treaty. America never joined the international organization that Wilson had envisioned as the foundation of his new world order. This failure of the League was a devastating conclusion to Wilson's almost superhuman efforts for world peace based upon international cooperat ion and the peaceful solution of international disputes.Woodrow Wilson was successful in keeping isolationism from 1912 to 1917, especially in staying neutrality in the WWI, the creation of League of Nations which ensured the peace, and leading the Peace Talks and Versailles Peace Treaty. By contrast, after 1917, the success he made turned out to be a disadvantage for the US, and ended in disillusionment. The League of Nations and Treaty of Versailles were rejected by the Congress successively, that was partially why Wilson was not re-elected as president in 1920 as well.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Helping Teachers Become Leaders Essay

In â€Å"Helping Teachers Become Leaders,† Patricia Phelps (2008) presents a model that teachers, administrators and teacher educators can internalize in order to cultivate effective teacher leadership in our nation’s schools. Phelps begins her discussion of teacher leadership first by defining the concept. She cites Barth’s definition: â€Å"Making happen what you believe in† (p. 19). Phelps then goes on to argue that the development of teacher leadership has often been overlooked by both teacher education programs and by school administrators themselves: â€Å"The importance of cultivating leadership among teachers should not be underestimated as a powerful way to improve schools† (p. 122). The risk then of not empowering teachers to become leaders results in a significant threat to healthy school communities and effective and empowering teaching: â€Å"Those teachers who do not become leaders are typically satisfied with the status quo, easily discouraged, sometimes cynical, perhaps burned out, and may engage minimally in professional development activities† (p. 123). In the school that I have been working at, it is very evident that the handful of teachers who do believe in their ability to become leaders, are indeed the teachers who complain the most without doing anything about it, and seem to be most dissatisfied with their job. After having developed an argument for the rationale behind cultivating teacher leadership, Phelps outlines several key components about what skills, dispositions and competencies teachers need in order to take on leaderships roles within their schools. To begin with teachers must know what they believe about education. Phelps argues that teachers should be presented with opportunities throughout their teacher education program and throughout their careers that ask them to define what they believe about best teaching practices and the purpose of education. Furthermore, Phelps argues, teachers must understand and appreciate the value of becoming a leader in the schools. Teacher education programs and staff development must show examples of how teachers can and should become agents of positive change within their schools. Phelps also reminds teachers that a critical disposition for becoming a teacher leader is resiliency. Inevitably teachers will encounter obstacles along the way either internally from colleague or administrators or externally as a result of federal policy that sometimes fails to take into account the best interests of students. The next step in Phelps’ model is the development of the knowledge base that will help teachers assume a proactive and effective role within the school: â€Å"The knowledge base of teacher leadership consists primarily of the concepts of educational change and school culture† (p. 121). Phelps suggests that there are various types of roles that a teacher leader might assume: advocate, innovator and steward. After explaining how the teacher can best prepare to assume leadership roles, Phelps goes on to suggest that school administrators also play a significant role in determining whether or not teachers will feel comfortable taking on leadership roles: â€Å"By making clear the unique challenges that a school faces, the principal opens opportunities for leadership† (p. 120). I believe that Phelps’ emphasis on administrator’s role in this process is important. Administrators very much set the tone at a school, and when teachers feel that their ideas are valued and appreciated, they will be much more likely to step up to leadership roles. My principal frequently asks for staff input during meetings and asks for volunteers to become members of a committee. For example, when the school was considering whether to implement a dress code, our principal formed a committee and took all of their recommendations when it came time to adopt new policy. This makes staff members at our school feel valued and much more likely to take on leadership roles when they see other ways to improve the school. The process of preparing teachers to become leaders requires the commitment of many, not just teachers themselves. Teachers must be able to articulate what they believe and identify the roles that they can assume within the school to effect change. Administrators must create a positive tone and actively seek input from their staff. Teacher educators have the responsibility of cultivating an attitude and a belief in pre-service teachers that teacher leadership is both possible and necessary. If administrators, teachers and teacher educators take to heart these core components outlined by â€Å"Helping Teachers Become Leaders,† then we will make a big step toward sculpting out positive work environments that welcome and promote innovation. I believe that readings and discussions in this course about why becoming a leader is so important to schools and to individual teachers will help me to seek out and assume leadership roles throughout my career. Especially in the early stages of my career, I see myself most able to assume the role of steward, by exemplifying effective and innovative teaching practices and displaying a strong work ethic and a positive attitude about my profession. Once I begin to establish more of a professional identity, I hope then to be able to assume leadership roles in my school that will result in positive change on an even larger level.

CLIMATE CARS MARKETING REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

CLIMATE CARS MARKETING REPORT - Essay Example and also, for rented cabs in the country. At the end of the research, the paper would comment on the tactical ways through which climate cars can augment their performance in the next three years. The learnt from the essay would help to analyze the significance of marketing and its development over time. The essay will also give a detailed view of the nature of the automobile industry in U.K. Contents Growth of science and technology over time has proved to be advantageous for modernization in the world. Living standards of the individuals have radically improved with the contribution of modern technologies. However, with time, ecological balance of the environment is depleting substantially. This paper would try to focus on ‘Climate Cars’, which is a company engaging in providing eco-friendly transport services in United Kingdom (U.K.). The report would perfectly analyze the market for eco-friendly transportation in U.K. and also, for rented cabs in the country. At the end of the research, the paper would comment on the tactical ways through which climate cars can augment their performance in the next three years. The learnt from the essay would help to analyze the significance of marketing and its development over time. The essay will also give a detailed view of the nature of the automobile industry in U.K. ... Educated individuals in the contemporary world are taking prompt initiatives to ensure protection and preservation of environment. This report would try to focus on the business of ‘Climate Cars’, which is a company engaging in eco-friendly transportation services in United Kingdom (U.K.). At the end of the research, the paper would comment on the strategic ways through which climate cars can enhance their performance in the next three years (Hakim, 2000). The learnt from the essay report would help to examine the importance of marketing and its evolution over time. However, the paper would also put some emphasis on the growing consciousness of environmental protection nowadays (Casals and Garcia, 2013). History of Eco-Friendly Transportation in United Kingdom After the World War, Industrial Revolution had increased the aggregate demand and wealth thresholds in the market. From 1950 to 1979, number of vehicles in U.K. had increased by 500%. It was at this point of time w hen Transport Planning became a crucial segment of engineering in U.K. After the global oil crisis in 1973 and the global energy crisis in 1979, the market analysts in U.K. had started understanding the importance if Sustainable Transportation (Parker, 2009). Since then, many private companies had started to contemplate manufacturing hybrid cars in U.K. Figure 1: First Electric Car (Source: Parker, 2009) The above picture is of the first electric car built by a Victorian inventor, Thomas Parker. Over time, there were many companies who have engaged in the manufacture of electric cars in the market. Analysis of the Present Market At present, there are many multinational companies that operate in the market of U.K. for