The Past is a foreign country Essay Example

The Past is a foreign country Paper The Past is a foreign country: they do things differently there. Referring to L. P. Hartleys novel The Go-Between and Philip Larkins poetry anthology The Whitsun Weddings, explore the significance of the past. Whats gone and whats past help, should be past grief. L. P. Hartleys novel and Larkins poetry demonstrate the lack of reality in this philosophy, a point that Shakespeare clearly implies with the use of the auxiliary verb should. Although a foreign country our capacity of memory allows us to continue living in that strange land making the events that occurred there very much present grief. The devastating history of The Go-Between epitomises the power that the past has to dictate our lives. That one summer in adolescence can affect the next fifty years of a mans life illustrates the influence that the past has on the present. Similarly, the poetry of Philip Larkin portrays how alive and existing the past is, in memorabilia, in our children, in artifacts and in ourselves. A post mortem of Leo Colstons metaphorical death, the novel The Go-Between, tells the account of how a boy was prematurely forced into adulthood, an adulthood never lived out. The events that occurred at the age of twelve crippled Leo to such an extent that even in his sixties he has not recovered; he is dried up, the husk of a man. One summer in his youth holds more significance for him than any other time, it is the only time in his life that Leo lived but also the time at which he gave up on his existence and died. We will write a custom essay sample on The Past is a foreign country specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Past is a foreign country specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Past is a foreign country specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Leo Colston of pre-1900 remained at Brandham Hall, where they do things differently, and it is only at the age of sixty-four when he returns in person that he is able and dares to start living once more. After opening Pandoras box, his diary from that eventful year, he decides to confront the past. Despite Leos advance in age he still possesses childhood nostalgia contained in a box, which like him is battered, all these years later. He stored away memorabilia from his early days, evidence that he had not recovered from what happened in the past. In this searching exploration of the nature of memory as termed by Douglas Brooks-Davies, we are shown the ability that the faculty has, as well as memorabilia, to contain the past. Colston was unable to throw away his physical memories just as much as he was unable to rid them from his mind; he did not have closure on the events that took place in Norfolk, it was unfinished business. The prologue of this bildungsroman sees Leo Colston unable to resist the enervating power of his boyhood diary, and so he once again opens the door to his disturbing past. Both the prologue and epilogue of the novel are evidence of the great significance the author places on the past, shown in the pathetic life he has created for green Leo Colston, a now cindery creature, a dull dog. Many factors contributed to the breakdown of the young go-between, not solely the revelation of the sexual act. The twelve-year-old Leo Colston was emotionally immature. He knew nothing of the facts of life and believed that by being a go-between he was a messenger of the gods so high were the Maudsleys in his esteem. Therefore when plunged into water too deep for him, acting as the lynch-pin of the whole business, he was destined to get hurt. After weeks of manipulation by his adored Maid Marian, amounting to psychological child abuse on her part, he was then sadistically forced by a hysterical Mrs. Maudsley to witness the two bodies moving like one. Leos downfall had almost reached its peak. The climax arrived however with the news that Ted Burgess had gone home and shot himself, releasing the metaphorical trigger that was to kill Leo the schoolboy and force him into an unpleasant adult world. The Diary for the year 1900 is a snapshot of naivety, as regards to both Leo and society, echoing the line from Philip Larkins poem MCMXIV: Never such innocence again. Both Leo and England were ignorant of the capabilities of man. Later England was to be disillusioned by the atrocities of two world wars and on a personal scale Leo was to lose his faith in the morality of man. It could be argued that had this novel not been set at the turn of the twentieth century but one hundred years later at the turn of the millennium, Leo Colston would not have suffered a nervous breakdown. Due to advancements in technology there would have been no need for a messenger to aid a secret love affair. The romance between Marian Maudsley, aristocrat and the farmer Ted Burgess would probably not have needed to be a secret at all due to the lack of such a segregated class system in todays society, and also due to the much improved status of women who are now far more liberated as regards sexual relationships and marriage. It is also improbable that an adolescent approaching thirteen in todays society could be as nai ve as Leo concerning the facts of life. The past therefore also has significance in terms of context and as the setting for L. P. Hartleys novel. In The Go-Between L. P. Hartley accurately recaptures the mood of the late Victorian period, through his novel the reader is allowed to witness not only Leos past but also the age in which Leslie Poles Hartley lived. The novel contains many similarities to the authors life and to a certain extent is autobiographical. Lord David Cecil praised Hartleys ability as a historical and social commentator believing him to be One of the most distinguished of modern novelists (And) a sharp-eyed chronicler of the social scene. The Epilogue of the novel shows most effectively the relationship between the past and present. When Leo Colston returns to the village near Norwich where the frightful trouble occurred, it is to a landscape as foreign to him then as when he first arrived there as a pubescent schoolboy. Whilst Leo has lived a monotonous existence for fifty years the most changeful half a century in history has taken place in the world around him. Yet other things remained unaltered. Marian Maudsley still has the power to bewitch Leo, to emotionally blackmail him, to make him carry out a final errand of love. Despite himself Leo is compelled to enter the world of Brandham Hall once more to deliver Marians words to her grandson, Ted Burgess grandson, the character of Edward symbolising the legacy we create in our children. As long as people continue to procreate they will never truly die, but live on through their offspring. Although his farmer friend had taken his own life all those years ago, Leo sees Ted Burgess once more in the face of his grandchild. On seeing the Hall, Leo allows himself to start recollecting fully the time he spent there. As he revisits the foreign country of his past he allows himself to stop being a stranger there and to understand that past land and the events that took place there. Also a foreigner in the world of emotion his entire adult life, Leo Colston will be no longer as he attempts to lay his ghosts to rest. In his anthology The Whitsun Weddings Philip Larkin explores the concept of past and its different aspects. With Afternoons he examines the passing of time; generations growing old without hardly noticing, then looking back at their pasts, their youths, from the hollows of afternoons. Mr. Bleaney was a person of the past and yet his personality lives on through the tales of his landlady and the stamp of bleakness that he left on the hired box. Yet it is in poems such as Love Songs in Age where Larkin truly observes the role that the past plays in our everyday lives, the ability nostalgic souvenirs have to comfort and move us as well as to disappoint. As in The Go-Between a tatty keepsake is the key to unlocking the past, again memories both fond and painful. The tone of the first verse is very matter of fact, simply informing the reader of how a widow accidentally stumbles upon some old, uncared for songbooks. Although unloved she could not face throwing them away as they took so little space. The simplicity of the language used complements the everyday value of the subject matter whilst at the same time informing the reader of the domestic situation of the lady in question. The repetition of One emphasises the lack of importance that the items held for the widow, but almost as though they knew of their own significance they had waited. Now however, in the autumn of her life they awaken nostalgic recollections as she vividly remembers the unfailing sense of being young and in love. The second stanza of the poem creates an optimistic mood, an illusion of sentimental love that makes her feel youthful once more like a spring-woken tree. Yet in the closing stanza Larkins underlying theme of cynicism emerges as the widow realises that the ideal of love portrayed in the song words is merely an illusion. Alliteration emphasises the lack of truth in the promise love makes to solve, satisfy and set unchangeably in order. In confronting this painful reminder from the past the widow also has to face the reality of the present, the two are entwined. The sentimental illusion of romance aimed too high and could not fulfil its promises; It had not done so then, and could not do so now.

Facebook Author Pages Is It Still Worth Your Time

Facebook Author Pages Is It Still Worth Your Time A Facebook Author Page, Still Worth It? Facebook’s decision a few years ago to limit page owners’ â€Å"organic reach†- and force them to pay to reach their followers- saw many authors getting frustrated at the dwindling number of fans who saw their posts. Several decided to shut down their Facebook author page altogether and switch to an â€Å"author profile†, a dangerous tactic as Facebook has strict rules about profiles and in particular profile names.As indie author Jerry Stoute puts it: â€Å"First you work your tail off to get followers, then Facebook bleeds you to reach them through boosting. How about Facebook allow all your posts to be seen by your followers?†Is Facebook being unfair? Should you really bother growing a fanbase there if you have to pay to reach it afterward? The short answer is yes. For the long answer, we actually did a bit of research on different Facebook writing groups, asking authors how and why they keep a Facebook author page.But I'll only reach 10% of my fans†¦You might not reach everyone of your fans when you post something on your Facebook author page, but this is the same on other big social networks. Your tweets are seen by only a fraction of your Twitter following - not that Twitter hides them, but they soon get buried under hundreds of other tweets in your followers’ feeds. The same goes for Pinterest, or Instagram.So, sure, say you’ll only reach 10% of your Facebook followers, that’s still something you can take advantage of. The way Facebook’s algorithms work to show users content is through analyzing what content you interact with. The more a given user will like, comment or share your updates, the more they will keep seeing them.This means that these 10% you will reach will be your true, core Facebook fans. You definitely want to stay in touch with those, as contemporary romance author Christine Claire MacKenzie explained to us: â€Å"FB is the number one place I connect with fans. FB is where readers reach out to me. It's a slow process to build a valid reader base of rabid fans, but it's well worth the effort.†How can I increase my  Facebook Author Page reach?How about, instead of reaching 10% of your fans when posting, you reached 50%? You don’t necessarily need to pay for that, you just need to make Facebook happy. In the end, Facebook works pretty much like Amazon. If it detects that users have a positive interaction with your content, it will reward you by showing it to more. So, though the standard â€Å"reach percentage† is around 10%, you can multiply it quite easily by consistently posting text, images, videos and links that you know your audience is going to enjoy and share.Let’s take the example of author Rebecca Howard. Her Facebook author page has close to 4,000 people on it and she tells me each post is now seen by about 50% of those folks. â€Å"If I can encourage comments on it or get a discussion going then that number rises. It just takes time to learn how to adapt to the changes and make them work for you. This post of mine, for instance, has been shared 99 times and seen by more than 14,000 people. Didn't pay to boost it.† As with any way to reach or interact with readers, Facebook posting is a trial and error thing. Of course, there are some basic tips and guidelines for maximizing engagement, like posting images, keeping descriptions short and sweet, asking questions to spur a discussion, sharing useful links, keeping self-promotion to a minimum, etc. There are even professional studies out there on what types of posts (image, link, video, text) have a higher average reach percentage.Though you should certainly strive to follow this advice, in the end it is all about finding what your audience wants to see. And there is no other way to do that but to try as many things as possible: offer a giveaway, host an author QA event, post an excerpt or a short story, post a picture with a quote, organize a poll for your fans to choose your next character’s name, etc. There are countless things you can do! Of course, if you fall into the routine of posting the same stuff every day, then your reach will p rogressively decrease because no one will engage with your posts. I like this example Joanna Penn gives in her last podcast interview:â€Å"I just did just a normal post on Facebook and I posted some pictures. I went to a cemetery, Highgate Cemetery, last weekend. I got the most engagement ever on my fiction Facebook author page with these pictures of graves. And I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness. My audience likes graveyards and cemeteries.’†More often than not, your audience will have very similar likes and dislikes to yours - after all, they’re your readers, right? But you might have to think â€Å"outside the box† to find those.  I imagine that sounds like a lot of effort to go through to reach even 50% of followers that you acquired. And if you want to reach more, yes, you have to pay.I thought social media were free†¦Surely, giving money to Facebook can’t be fair? Maybe not, but if you look at the alternatives, you won’t find any better. Here’s what author Alexis Dubief wrote me when I asked her that question:"As writers we're supposed to avoid cliche, but when it comes to connecting with readers, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Email is, and deserves to be, the gold standard of connecting with readers. But email costs money (Mailchimp and Aweber both start charging when your list grows above 2,000 people) and even then, only 30% of your subscribers will open your email messages. So perhaps we need to let go of the idea of 'free' and focus instead on 'cheap and effective.'" This â€Å"business† mindset is one that many independent authors have adopted, shifting the focus from â€Å"cost† to â€Å"return on investment†. As we have seen in previous interviews with Nick Stephenson and Mark Dawson, Facebook provides an advertising platform like none other, mostly because of how granular you can get in your targeting.So, sure, you have to pay a bit if you want your posts to reach all your followers. But you can also pay to reach many more potential readers, and attract traffic to your website for amounts as low as $.01 per click.Below is a screenshot of one of Alexis’ campaigns to support a post. It was seen by over 40k people and she only paid for clicks. She set it both for the post to reach her current fans and to reach people who fit her target criteria but were not fans of her Facebook author page. Have a look at the cost per clicks†¦ As she  puts it: â€Å"Do you know where else I can get highly targeted traffic that cheaply? Yeah, neither do I.†Of course, we’re not saying that every author should keep a Facebook author page, post regularly, and pay to boost some of their posts. Nor that everyone will have  the same  costs per click as Alexis. It vastly depends on your target audience, how active they are on Facebook, and how much testing and iteration you do.The point here, however, is that you shouldn’t shy away from a platform just because it changes its rules, or suddenly seems â€Å"unfair†. Keep a cold head, do the math, and see if they work in your favour. More often than not, on Facebook, they will.Do you use your Facebook author page as a marketing tool? Have you been discouraged by Facebook's "pay to play" change? Or do you pay to reach your audience? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below!

Cognitive Strategy Instruction as it relates to teaching math to Research Paper

Cognitive Strategy Instruction as it relates to teaching math to adolescents, specifically those with mild learning disabilities - Research Paper Example In addition, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics of 2000 backs offering all the youths equal access to the concepts of mathematics (Montague & Jitendra, 2009). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the cognitive strategy instruction as it relates to teaching math to adolescent students with mild learning disabilities. Students with mild learning disabilities generally often have difficulties in achieving the standards of academic content and excelling in the assessments. Particularly, students with mild learning disabilities usually have difficulties with algebraic reasoning, mathematics basic skills, and problem solving skills. Majority of these students struggle with the means of approaching mathematics problems, carrying out selected plans, and making effective decisions. An effective approach to aid adolescent students with mild learning disabilities in accessing challenging concepts of mathematics is to offer strategy instruction (Montague & Jitendra, 2009). This p aper therefore defines cognitive strategy instructions, identifies significant features of effective cognitive strategies, and identifies key contents necessary for instructing adolescent students with mild learning disabilities in the use of the cognitive strategy.... of the required actions and consists of essential rules and guidelines that are related to making effective decisions during the process of solving problems. Some of the features of cognitive strategy instruction that make such strategies effective for adolescent students with mild learning disabilities include: devices of memory that help the students master the strategy; steps of the strategy using common words and are stated concisely and simply beginning with action verbs in order to enhance involvement and participation of students; steps of strategy are appropriately sequenced and lead to the intended outcome; steps of the strategy using prompts in order to get students apply their cognitive abilities; and metacognitive strategies using prompts in order to monitor performance of problem solving (Ruya, 2009). There are various such cognitive strategy instructions such as evidence based practice and STAR as will be explained in this paper. These cognitive strategy instructions ar e instructional methods that have been applied in multiple tasks in the academics, and have previously provided a way for educators to facilitate student independence competence across secondary, elementary and post secondary settings. Cognitive strategy instruction entails a strong base of evidence and employs systematic and explicit procedures of instructions that have extensively been validated and can be used flexibly. Cognitive strategy instruction as an instructional approach emphasizes the development of processes and skills of thinking as a way to promote learning. For example, the evidence based practice strategy enables students with mild learning disabilities to learn spelling words initially unknown to them and allow them to use techniques of self correction. Cognitive strategy

Causes and Effects of European Exploration Research Paper

Causes and Effects of European Exploration - Research Paper Example All the European nations had almost similar desires for these explorations, of which they struggled to accomplish. This exploration also had some impacts which came as a result of it. Some of the causes and effects are further discussed in the paper. The causes were as follows: the desire to find new trade routes, need of more resources, and search for more knowledge, the desire of the emperor expansion and the spread of Christianity. As a result of the exploration several things happened. Some of the impacts were: discovery of new trade routes, establishment of the line of demarcation, the spread of Christianity, the extinction of the natives, introduction of slavery, the ignition of rivalry, the establishment of the triangular trade route, the Columbian exchange and the capitalism rise. These causes and effects will be discussed further in this paper together with their importance in the study of history. Causes â€Å"Great discoveries in transportation, navigation, and communicat ion of the Scientific Revolution during and after the European Rennaissance (late 1400s- early 1500s) led to the thirst for adventure and exploration† (Bentely, Jerry, and Herbert, 2008, p.97). ... In the 1400s, refrigeration had not been discovered, so people were using salt to preserve foods like meat and other perishable food products. Therefore, they required more spices to neutralize the salty food and to minimize the bad taste of the meat that was almost going bad. â€Å"The spices and exotic items serve to whet the appetites of the European communities and arouse a great demand for much more of the same,† (Koch, 2003, p. 68). These spices were only excised in Asia that is why; these European needed an easy route to Asia. Before, the only route was through the mountains across Turkey which had become too difficult due to the hostile Turkish Empire. The prizes of these spices had risen, and the nation that could find a way of bringing these spices to Europe, would generate a lot of income and become so powerful in the region. The desire to get this possible sea route was a common aim in almost all European nations. One of the major explorations is the Christopher Co lumbus famous voyage to the new world. The voyage started from Palos Spain in the year 1497 in which they were in search of route to Asia to get these spices. Instead, they came across a new land, the land of America. After some time, other voyages followed Columbus. At first, they thought this new land was just a little land, but with time they discovered that America had valuable resources. Vasco da Gamer later made it to Asia through sea and from then, the European got an easy sea route to Asia. The other cause of the exploration was the need of the growing power and wealth within the European nations. The European nations fought many wars; they fought against themselves and also against the Empire of Turkey. During these wars, they used a lot of

Negative correlation Essay Example for Free

Negative correlation Essay However, the weakness of this negative correlation raises the notion that the results have no correlation at all. To investigate this possibility I will first try to find how just how weak this negative correlation is. As you can see from graph 2 the different result values for each temperature vary quite a lot from the average. This undermines the accuracy of the results, as the greater the range of the results from the average the less likely the results and therefore the average is accurate. The range of the different results for each temperatures and the standard deviation from the mean can indicate how accurate the results are. This is because, as I have explained earlier the range and the deviation of the results from the mean determines how accurate the results are. Graphs 3 and 4 show how the standard deviation and the range of the results change over the temperature range used in the experiment. In graph 3 the range was calculated by subtracting the lowest value from the highest, and in graph 4 the standard deviation was calculated using the formula; ? ((? (x -? x)/n) (where x = the values and n = the number of values). Graph 3 and 4 show that in general the accuracy of the result increases with an increase in the temperature, and that at low temperatures the results are not very accurate at all. I can conclude this as, the bigger the standard deviation or range the less accurate the results are. In both graphs 3 and 4 the general pattern shows high range and high standard deviation at low temperature (high inaccuracy) and low range and low standard deviation at high temperatures (low inaccuracy). This therefore contradicts my earlier theory that the inaccuracy would increase with an increase in the temperature, however it must be taken into account that the results are very inaccurate already. Because of this inaccuracy the results may have had a certain random element in them, evidence for this is in the fact that the results are very inaccurate (they have a large range and a large standard deviation), and that the inaccuracy varies a lot from its trend line (see graphs 3 and 4). So in conclusion, I think that the results of this experiment were not accurate at all and not accurate enough to draw any sound conclusions that are backed with scientific theory/knowledge. In fact I think there was a certain random element in the results that contributed to the inaccuracy of the results. Because of the inaccuracy of the results, I feel that it is not a good idea to use these results as a basis for any conclusions, especially as these conclusions cannot be backed up by any scientific knowledge. Therefore with only the results I have at this moment, I have to conclude that the resistance is directly proportional to the temperature. I can conclude this because I have decided to use scientific knowledge as a basis for the answer to this correlation. I have done this because the results I have are too inaccurate to use for making any judgements on this correlation. Evaluation: So far I do not think this investigation has gone very well because of the very inaccurate results, however with the large amount of scientific knowledge I have been able to come to a conclusion to this investigation that has a lot of backing. My prediction was of corse correct. The reason to this inaccuracy in the results is, in my opinion due to the large amount of contacts and wiring used in this method. Some components react to temperature by changing the resistance in different ways, most components react in a directly proportional linear way, but some components like a filament lamp or diode react in a directly proportional but logarithmic way and/or only at certain voltages. It is quite likely that in the multi-meters there were some of these components that react in a logarithmic way and at certain voltages. This means that the current flowing through the circuit would be affected out of proportion by these components, therefore affecting the resistance. Although the affect of these components would have been neutralised if one multi-meter were used, it might not be neutralised if two multi-meters were used as they were in this method. The large amount of wire used in this experiment has meant the current could have been easily affected by other variables that I did not take into account, like a change in the room temperature, or if I accidentally spilt some water onto the wires. Also like the different depths used in the water bath, or a magnetic flux from the high voltage used in the kettle. Due to the large amount of outside variables that can affect the large amounts of wire used, I have to conclude that the large amounts of wire used in this method was the main cause of the inaccuracy of its results. I cannot estimate how accurate my results are because I have no basis on what the true values are, only that the correlation is directly proportional. If I were to repeat this investigation, I would change the method so that less wire was used and only one multi-meter was used, I would also change the method so as to stop any of the variables mentioned in this evaluation affecting the results. If possible I would try and use a more accurate multi-meter in my experiment. A more accurate multi-meter will give me more accurate results; the reduced amount of wire to be used will reduce the effect of outside variables and make the results more reliable. I dont think I need to do any extra research, as I have more than enough scientific backing for any conclusions I will have to make if I repeat this investigation.

I Am a Ponarvian :: Personal Narrative Essays

I Am a Ponarvian Some of you have already scoured the dictionary in vain for a definition of the word "Ponarvian." One of my greatest ambitions is to get this word safely into Websters where it belongs. Until that happy time, the following definition will have to do: PONARV (PO narv) n. [acronym] A project of no apparent redeeming value. Hence, Ponarvian: one who pursues such projects. It is my contention that not some, but MOST of the greatest human triumphs in art, science, and technology have their root in the humble ponarv. All ponarvians, whatever their age, are children who simply like to play. If you ask them to justify their behavior, they will be unable to do so, or will provide what can only be described as a playful response. Basically, they just can't help it. They like to play. Throughout history, all great ponarvians have been surrounded by suffocating masses of anti-ponarvians. The anti-ponarvian is a gloomy person who divides the world into work and play, and who sees play as a regrettable lapse in the vital and unceasing pursuit of work. They define work as an activity which leads DIRECTLY to something valuable, and the only things they value are those things like food and shelter which enable them to survive long enough to procreate and produce more workers. To an anti-ponarvian, play is like sleep, a biological necessity which interferes with work and should therefore be minimized. They love to recite the fable of the grasshopper and the ant but never stop to consider that this story was written by an ant. They are the early birds: up at the crack of dawn, catching worms. Poets and pure mathematicians are ponarvians by definition. Mathematicians are sometimes forgiven by the anti-ponarvian masses because the equations they drop to one side in their foolish pursuit of elegant theorems and pleasing symmetries can be used to build factories which produce canons which can then be used to level factories (canons and factories are "useful"). But poets are eternally damned in the eyes of the anti-ponarvians because, after all, there is no money to made in poetry. It is one of nature's greatest ironies that these very poets and mathematicians so despised by the anti-ponarvians, these idle dreamers and crackpot inventors, are the very source of all the gadgetry and innovation which anti-ponarvians hold in such high esteem. I Am a Ponarvian :: Personal Narrative Essays I Am a Ponarvian Some of you have already scoured the dictionary in vain for a definition of the word "Ponarvian." One of my greatest ambitions is to get this word safely into Websters where it belongs. Until that happy time, the following definition will have to do: PONARV (PO narv) n. [acronym] A project of no apparent redeeming value. Hence, Ponarvian: one who pursues such projects. It is my contention that not some, but MOST of the greatest human triumphs in art, science, and technology have their root in the humble ponarv. All ponarvians, whatever their age, are children who simply like to play. If you ask them to justify their behavior, they will be unable to do so, or will provide what can only be described as a playful response. Basically, they just can't help it. They like to play. Throughout history, all great ponarvians have been surrounded by suffocating masses of anti-ponarvians. The anti-ponarvian is a gloomy person who divides the world into work and play, and who sees play as a regrettable lapse in the vital and unceasing pursuit of work. They define work as an activity which leads DIRECTLY to something valuable, and the only things they value are those things like food and shelter which enable them to survive long enough to procreate and produce more workers. To an anti-ponarvian, play is like sleep, a biological necessity which interferes with work and should therefore be minimized. They love to recite the fable of the grasshopper and the ant but never stop to consider that this story was written by an ant. They are the early birds: up at the crack of dawn, catching worms. Poets and pure mathematicians are ponarvians by definition. Mathematicians are sometimes forgiven by the anti-ponarvian masses because the equations they drop to one side in their foolish pursuit of elegant theorems and pleasing symmetries can be used to build factories which produce canons which can then be used to level factories (canons and factories are "useful"). But poets are eternally damned in the eyes of the anti-ponarvians because, after all, there is no money to made in poetry. It is one of nature's greatest ironies that these very poets and mathematicians so despised by the anti-ponarvians, these idle dreamers and crackpot inventors, are the very source of all the gadgetry and innovation which anti-ponarvians hold in such high esteem.

Decolonization and Revolution Essay

From 1945 and beyond, leaders have selected different paths to affect change. Some encouraged independence through violence, peaceful actions, diplomacy, and the commitment of their struggling nation. Others sparked revolutions by appealing to the peoples’ needs. Through policy, and sometimes uniting a people, trailblazers changed the face and structure of their nation. A column from a journalist during the time period would help to see a broader perspective during such varying and exciting time. Decolonization, revolution, and nation building are all goals of any effective leader willing to make a change. Spanning from 1945 to 1975, countless independence movements have changed societies across the globe, led by leaders and organizations who all yearned for better. The â€Å"Declaration Against Colonialism,† adopted by the United Nations, took a firm stand on the demise of colonialism. The document petitioned for a definite end to colonialism and encouraged self-determination, stating that all human beings have a right to their own societal and political choices. Such a statement coming from an organization comprised and backed by countless nations surely stands its ground. The United Nations, supporting the end of colonialism, inspired countries to strive for freedom through the organizations obvious power. It also displayed the end of a colonial era, seeing as though many colony-yielding nations were members of the UN. (Doc 1). Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese nationalist, too felt the need for freedom. Minch expressed the Vietnamese’s determination to end French colonization i n their country. Minch made it clear that violence would be condoned and encouraged to win this battle. Ho Chi Minch embodied Vietnams’ fighting will for a separation and willingness to shed blood in the process. (Doc 2). In a similar suit, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya shared his hate for colonialism and his approval of violence. He claims that Kenya belongs to its inhabitants, not colonizers who held his people back. Kenyatta believed that the only way to approach self-rule is through bloodshed. (Doc 6). Mohandas Gandhi of India had a quite parallel approach. From an excerpt written by him, it is seen that  Gandhi believed the path to independence was paved with nonviolence and self-sacrifice. Gandhi in many ways led Indians to Independence. Even after his death, he was a guiding light for those who coveted an India without the British. (Doc 3). Kwame Nkrumah, leader of Ghana’s independence, expressed his goal dismay for colonialism. He saw the system as contractual and exploitive to his country. He calls the independence movement â€Å"the greatest awakening ever seen on this earth†. By portraying colonialism as a heinous and abusive practice, Nkrumah led Ghana to independence. (Doc 5). A letter from the British monarchy as a response to colonial independence would give insight as to whether they see themselves as negatively as their colonies do. In South Africa, China, and Cuba, social and political revolutions pioneered by inspiring people occured. Nelson Mandela, speaking on his fight against apartheid, conveyed his commitment to the cause. Mandela dreamed of a South Africa where equality and democracy was not a scarcity. Unfortunately, his reality at the time was far different. Nelson Mandela was willing to die for the cause. His dedication inspired others to continue to fight for justice in South Africa. This infectious determination is was enabled Mandela to lead the campaign for termination of this policy. (Doc. 4). In China, Mao Zedong led his country to the communist revolution. In a speech he delivered, he vocalized a goal to build faith in the party. The method applied by Zedong focused on uniting China under one belief in order to implement communist ideas in the country, widely changing the country’s structure. (Doc 7). At his defense trial, Cuban revolution leader Fidel Castro appealed to those struggling in his country. He spoke to those who hoped for a brighter future and who have been betrayed by their country. By addressing their battle, Castro urged them to fight for a better Cuba. His relentless and undying commitment ultimately granted Castro his wish for a revolution. (Doc 8). An additional document consisting of a diary entry from a Chinese citizen during the communist revolution would create a clearer vision as to how convincing Mao Zedong truly was. Some modern leaders look more inward as to their nations’ policies and people to affect change. Hosni Mubarak, former President of Egypt, aimed to unite his country and better certain systems to strengthen the nation. When in a hard and confusing time, Mubarak provided Egypt with a steady guiding hand. In the midst of this chaos, instead of addressing the questions and wants of the people, Hosni Mubarak demanded they offer themselves to supply the needs of their country and support their leader. This mindset calmed Egyptians as Mubarak reopened Egypt to the Arab world, tried to reaffirm the constitution and judicial system, and tackled social issues. (New Leaders of Nations #1). Former prime minister of India Narasimha Rao was first questioned by the Indian people as to his ability to lead. This was turned around as he implemented many policy changes in India. India, fairly unfamiliar with outside involvement, now encouraged foreign investment. Rao’s programs for economic growth and investment, both foreign and Indian, faced opposition from possible disorder. However, Rao’s use of intellectual thinking and a new, open India, aided his decisions. A documentary depicting evolving countries as they face modern challenges would be helpful in grasping what qualities leaders who create change possess. Those who create ripples of change in their societies all have varying methods and roles. Some strive for revolution, others independance or policy reboots. It is important to keep in mind that each situation creates unique circumstances; some changes require new methods. To further understand which methods are suitable for particular situations, letters from different leaders who have created change would be helpful.