View from the Bridge Essay Example for Free

View from the Bridge Essay A view from the bridge: a kind of metaphorical title the obvious bridge is the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. Italian immigrants had been coming to New York for a long time and they tended to gather in communities as America is a very multi racial cosmopolitan area. Catherines aspirations are to cross the bridge to go out, to work, and to go out with her lover Rodolfo. 1) Home: poor and simple but they open it to show their generosity- opportunity to show their loyalty to the Sicilian family. But Eddie says it is his home so he is entitled to his respect provider, it represents food, clothing, the upbringing not just the physical home. Catherines view gratitude for home and she wants to get a job to then pay for furniture for the home e. g. rug. Simple home and cosy, small Beatrices world but is still shared by all people. It represents the hard work and poverty yet the generosity of the people. Workers flat, clean, the flat is Eddies space and his home he wants his respect. Generosity show by: B! Your cousins and yet she is not annoyed for having to look after people and have extra mouths to feed, simply embarrassed as the host: didnt even buy a new tablecloth. Catherine wants to repay Eddie and B for bringing her up. When she gets a job and has enough money she wants a rug and new plates etc she is proud of the home but wants to contribute now she has come of age excitement. Pg 11. The idea is that these people are poor it is a struggle to keep going and they offer shelter to Sicilian relatives and immigrants to get work and send money back to their family. Their willingness to share and Eddies duty to look after family means hard physical work. The home and the family itself have their tensions, jealousies and loyalties. Beatrice does not work her place is in the home. Eddie where, where am I going? This is my house page 61. Massive change before and after Marco and Rodolfo arrive- before; love, poverty but warmth and humour, cosy, struggle Eddie = provider the family with laughter and nurture, welcome and generosity in food, shelter and roof in spite of lack of wealth, loyalty- Catherine looked after and brought up here. After, in Act 2, the home changes to mean respect and his name I want my name back! Hatred, Bad relationships, coldness, tears, fighting the generosity now needs to be owed back this is how you repay me? now deserving something in return. 2) Street: Alfieri tells him that there is no law nothing that Eddie can do to stop Rodolfo and Catherine he must let her go. The only way is to betray them and give them up to the authority as illegal immigrants but the Italian community will take revenge like they did with the young boy whose head bounced like coconuts. Loyalty lies with family and to Sicilian immigrants. Eddie has to rid of Rodolfo to betray the family. Bowling, Louis. Brooklyn paramount where Catherine and Rodolfo see the film. 3) Place of work: Red Hook docks, waterfront, long shore men, piers, plumbers yard. Red Hook docks signify mans world sea breeze links to Sicily and Italy, the comradeship of the men e. g. you coming bowling tonight Eddie? they are good friends, hard physical work and mafia links illegal immigrants come on the ship called submarines they are brought in, own dockers slang, word is associated with the docks and the sea. The labour you feed and keep your family. Miller creates an impression of the docks as a place of manliness but gives an air of underlying Italian immigrants. We learn that they are called submarines. Smells of coffee and bananas and spiders when unloading rough district where Catherine wants to work Eddie is very protective as it is not a place for women. Plumbers yard around where Catherine wants to work, plenty can happen in a block away. Red Hook build huge ships, all about the docks and hard work grafting. Eddie gets embarrassed of Rodolfo he is not manly enough he sings on the docks! For immigrants the work is easy to get, until the mafia are paid off, then they have to scramble like everyone else. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

Euthanasia Essay -- essays research papers fc

Imagine yourself lying on a hospital bed totally unaware of the happenings around you. Doctors and family members come and go, mostly out of habit now, because they know there’s nothing more they can do. Many of their visits are a blur to you, with their voices and movements becoming unrecognizable. The pain you experience is nothing short of excruciating, but the hospital has exhausted all of their resources in their attempt to help you. After months of medication and efforts to assist your recovery, you’re left with nothing to show for it other than the dreadful bills. Your family is just patiently waiting for your final days.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luckily, you are not in a situation like this, and hopefully you never will be. However one must wonder what they would want to be done if they ever were. Would you want the hospital to keep searching for answers and cures? Or would you rather be brought to the comfort of your home to die peacefully? Or would you, like many others seem to, prefer ending your personal suffering and inconvenience to family through euthanasia? In the article titled â€Å"Euthanasia Definitions†, euthanasia.com defines euthanasia as â€Å"the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit.† An action similar to euthanasia, defined in the same article is known as physician assisted suicide. While sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably, physician assisted suicide is when a doctor provides a patient with education and or instruments useful to ending their own life without truly partaking in the death. â€Å"Euthanasia Definitions† also passionately stresses the fact that there is no such thing as passive euthanasia, which is thought of as death resulting from ending treatment that was ineffective, or providing too much medication without the intention of ending life. Euthanasia is fully an intentional act resulting in death. With a growing public awareness and its abundant levels of controversy, the currently illegal act of euthanasia has come of widespread interest. Derek Humphry is a significant advocate for the legalization of euthanasia for the terminally ill. He wrote the book Final Exit: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying that became a #1 Bestseller for the New York Times. In this book Derek Humphry provides information to the terminall... ...a growing concern of most Americans.† Works Cited â€Å"Arguments Against Euthanasia.† Euthanasia.com. 2004. 22 December 2004 Baskin-Jones, Michelle. â€Å"Biographical Profile of Dr. Jack Kevorkian.† Death and Dying. 2004. About, Inc. 29 December 2004. Cundiff, David. Euthanasia is Not The Answer: A Hospice Physician’s View. Totowa, New Jersey: Humana Press, 1992. â€Å"Euthanasia Definitions.† Euthanasia.com. 2004. 22 December 2004   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Humphry, Derek. Final Exit: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying. New York, New York: Dell Publishing, 2002. Kirkland, Michael. â€Å"Analysis: Life, death in the Schiavo case.† United Press International. 2004. The Washington Times. 29 December 2004.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Live Suicide Show and Related News.† Hell On Earth. 2004. 2 January 2005 MacQueen, Ken. â€Å"Choosing Suicide.† Maclean’s 5 Aug. 2002: 40. MAS Ultra – School Edition. EBSCO. CLS High School Lib., Crystal Lake, IL. 9 December 2004. â€Å"Reasons for Euthanasia.† Euthanasia.com. 2004. 22 December 2004   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"The Thanatron.† The Kevorkian Verdict. 1998. PBS. 29 December 2004.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

How does Gaskell use setting and location to reveal the character of her heroine, Margaret Hale?

The final title of her novel ‘North and South', suggests the important role setting and location play in Gaskell's story of Margaret Hale and her relationship with Milton mill-owner John Thornton. During the course of the novel, we see Margaret settled in three locations; Harley Street, Helstone and Milton. Each of these settings represents a different social stratum and we see Margaret develop in her perception and attitude towards each of them. They all contribute, in some way, to making Margaret the girl that she is at the end of the novel. The book opens in Harley Street, where we are presented with the character of Edith. Edith's role in the novel is to act as a contrast to Margaret or ‘control sample'. Through her, we can see what Margaret's life would have been like had she accepted Lennox. Edith is the model Victorian woman and she fits in perfectly with her Harley Street surroundings, but Margaret is far more independent, strong-minded and unconventional. When having her lover describe her future life in Corfu, â€Å"the very parts which made Margaret glow as she listened, Edith pretended to shiver and shudder at†¦ because anything of a gipsy or make-shift life was really distasteful to her. Margaret, on the other hand appears to be ill at ease with the superficial attitudes and concerns of those around her. As she tells her mother; â€Å"I think what you call the makeshift contrivances at dear Helstone were a charming part of the life there†. Margaret has no pretensions and this dislike of the superficial relationships is particularly evident in her description of her aunt's view of her â€Å"neighbours whom Mrs Shaw called friends, because she happened to dine with them more frequently than with any other people, and because if she or Edith wanted anything from them, or they from her, they did not scruple to make a call at each other's houses before luncheon†. This relationship contrasts with her experiences in Milton were the term ‘neighbours' is applied to people such as Higgins and his daughters; a far more personal and sincere relationship. The opening scenes also provide the reader with an explanation of Margaret's position in Aunt Shaw's house. It is shown to be a warm and affectionate household with her â€Å"gentle aunt and dear cousin†, but Margaret's position within it was that of ‘poor cousin' and companion to Edith. Margaret's proud character and regard for social stature is clear from her eager â€Å"delight of filling the important post of only daughter in Helstone parsonage†. This perception of class and positions in society is one that shapes many of her dislikes of Milton and its inhabitants and is one that she must eventually overcome. The title of chapter two, â€Å"Roses and Thorns† has significance in that is shows the contrast between the life Margaret expects at Helstone, surrounded by roses and the outdoors, and the â€Å"thorns† in her life that she hadn't expected. It shows how beneath the idyll of her memories of Helstone, lie problems waiting to cause pain. Margaret feels that she belongs in Helstone where â€Å"its people were her people†. As an example of this, she â€Å"learned and delighted in using their particular words†. However, she is later to acquire the language of the people in Milton, showing her adaptability and also how she ‘belongs' in Milton to the same extent as she does in Helstone. Margaret is aware that â€Å"one had need to learn a different language and measure by a different standard up here in Milton†. The embracing of the local dialect by a middle-class girl is highly unusual in novels, showing the unconventional, clever and independent mind that Margaret possesses. Her return to Helstone and her â€Å"keen enjoyment of every sensuous pleasure† shows how Margaret is a sensuous woman, greatly appreciative of the outdoors. The loss of the countryside and the geographical differences between Milton and Helstone are perceived greatly by Margaret. In Helstone, Margaret walks â€Å"out on the broad commons into the warm scented light, seeing multitudes of wild, free, living creatures, revelling in the sunshine, and the herbs and flowers it called forth† whereas â€Å"at Milton the chimneys smoked, the ceaseless roar and mighty beat, and dizzying whirl of machinery, struggled and strove perpetually. Senseless and purposeless were wood and iron and steam in their endless labours†. The difference in the environments is emphasised through Gaskell's use of language and tools such as alliteration. Margaret shows her attitude to social class on her first arriving at Helstone, to have been shaped by her childhood in the fashionable Harley Street. She conforms to the conventional perception that a man's status as a gentleman is reliant on birth, property and an appropriate (or no) occupation. This topic is one that is discussed at length with Mr Thornton and we see that Milton, and her acquaintance with Thornton, changes Margaret's opinion on this. Thornton believes that â€Å"†gentleman† is a term that only describes a person in his relation to others†, whereas the term â€Å"a man† comprehends more, a person not merely considered â€Å"with regard to his fellow-me, but in relation to himself†. It is one of the many prejudices concerning class relations that Margaret must overcome before she can be happily united with Thornton. Although she declares that â€Å"I am not standing up for [the cotton spinners] any more than for any other trades-people†, she is later to stand up for both the masters through Thornton and the workers through Higgins. The change in Margaret is forced upon her through her change in situation and circumstance. The frailties and failings in Mr Hale's character can be seen in his being unable to tell his wife of his change of conscience and their subsequent more to Milton-Northern. This means that greater responsibility is placed on Margaret's shoulders, but her strength of character shines through because although she â€Å"did dislike it, did shrink from it more than from anything she had ever had to do in her life before† she then manages to â€Å"conquer herself†. This is something that Mr Hale is unable to do. The area the Hales move into in Milton is cleverly named, Crampton. Like Dickens in ‘Hard Times', Gaskell uses the names of places to suggest their nature. Edith's letters from Corfu provide not only the reader, but Margaret also, with a constant reminder as to what her life could have been like. The first letter from Edith tells of her arrival and is received on the day of Margaret's own arrival in Milton. The lively and gay description of their happy days in Corfu provides a stark contrast between the dark, chaotic and cramped life in Milton. The lives of the two young cousins have diverged completely. At this point in the novel, Margaret would have preferred Edith's life, but later on we see that she would not have been content with such a life. Margaret's humanitarian interest is awakened in her through her life in Milton. She provides a counter-argument to that of J. S. Mill and those of the utilitarian movement such as Gradgrind in ‘Hard Times'. She sees a smaller section of Milton society and was â€Å"thrown in with one or two of those who, in all measures affecting masses of people, must be acute sufferers for the good of many†. She, like Dickens' Sissy Jupe sees the cost in terms of human suffering, her concern is for the individual. Margaret is interested in people and it is through her acquaintance with Higgins and his family that Milton â€Å"became a brighter place†¦ in it she had found a human interest†. She does not like to hear the mill workers referred to as â€Å"Hands†. This is an issue discussed also in ‘Hard Times' but it reflects on her interests in the individual in society. Referring to a whole class of people by the same generic term, removes the personal contact and identity of the workers. They no longer have â€Å"independence of character†. As we hear of Frederick and his story, we see how and why Margaret looks up to him. Her creed in life is that; â€Å"Loyalty and obedience to wisdom and justice are fine; but it is still finer to defy arbitrary power, unjustly and cruelly used – not on behalf of ourselves, but on behalf of others more helpless†. This is what Frederick did. She sees his crime as elevated through his motives to a â€Å"heroic protection of the weak†. This concords with her great interest in humanity. When she saves Thornton from the mob at the mill, â€Å"she did it because it was right, and simple, and true to save where she could save†. Margaret, coming fresh to the industrial troubles in Milton, provides a new outlook on the problems. Although she is biased in that she considers the south a lot less hostile and full of suffering, she can see â€Å"two classes dependant on each other in every possible way, yet each evidently regarding the interests of the other as opposed to their own†. She correctly identifies communication as being the root of a lot of their problems and endeavours to improve this. Margaret's relationship with Dixon shows her capacity to love fiercely. It also highlights her perception of her position in the household and her willingness to take on all the responsibilities of nursing her mother. Mrs Hale's fatal illness brings Dixon and Margaret together in sympathy and support for one another. Through Mrs Thornton's scathing opinion of Margaret and her condescending attitude to her surroundings, we see others' perception of Margaret's breeding and social awareness. Although her opinions as regards her surroundings change gradually during her time in Milton, Mrs Thornton never credits her with this. Bessy too is surprised that Margaret is associating with the â€Å"first folk in Milton†. More particularly because it is unusual that someone of Margaret's middle class breeding visits both the masters and the men, thus straddling the two very distinct classes in the industrial town. Margaret finds this hard to come to terms with when she is invited to dine at the Thornton's, where she is expected to â€Å"dress up in my finery, and go off and away to smart parties, after the sorrow I have seen today†. Margaret, with all the sorrow and hardship she has to bear, has all the propensity to become a martyr. Many a self-sacrificing heroine has had her true character poorly developed throughout the history of the novel. Despite this, Margaret is not a martyr, she is a much more three-dimensional character. While she bears the responsibility and pain of her life and family troubles, â€Å"her whole life just now was a strain upon her fortitude†. She doesn't deny the hardship and must struggle against complaining. This makes her a much more ‘real' and enjoyable character. In her darkest times in Milton, she still looks back to Helstone as the â€Å"sunny times of old†, showing that her character has not yet completed its journey. In the wake of her mother's death, we see Margaret beginning to redress her prejudices regarding trades people; â€Å"her cheeks burnt as she recollected how proudly she had implied an objection to trade (in the early days of their acquaintance)† This is also a sign of her growing feelings for Thornton, which she is yet to admit to herself. When Higgins visits, he is asked upstairs; something which astonishes Dixon, as â€Å"folk at Helstone were never brought higher than the kitchen†. During their time in Milton, class distinctions as perceived by the Hales have weakened. The change in Margaret is also shown through her beginning to address the poor in the south with a more objective attitude. Margaret's view of trades people goes full circle when her brother goes into trade in Spain and she reflects on her â€Å"old tirades against trade†. Not only does her perception of trade go full circle, but also in her returning to London, her lifestyle does likewise. Her London life no longer satisfies her and she fears becoming â€Å"sleepily deadened into forgetfulness†. The pace of life in London is very different from the bustle of Milton and she finds that it is the commotion and excitement of the industrial town that she prefers. Leaving it has left a â€Å"strange unsatisfied vacuum in Margaret's heart†. She also longs for contact with other classes such as she experienced while in Milton. On returning to Helstone, Margaret comes with the view that she was returning ‘home', but she finds that little things have changed and moved on and Helstone will never be the place it once was. It is this realisation of the changes that â€Å"carry us on imperceptibly from childhood to youth and thence through manhood to age, whence we drop†¦ into the quiet mother earth† that allows Margaret to make a break with Helstone and all the memories attached to it. She is able to come to terms with it as her past and remember it solely as such. Mr Lennox comments that Margaret returns at the end of the novel to the â€Å"Margaret Hale of Helstone†, but he is wrong; she is quite a different woman to the now. Thornton too fails to see that it was her time in Milton that made Margaret the independent woman she is at the end of the novel, describing Helstone as â€Å"the place where Margaret grew to be what she is†. Margaret's character is shaped not only by her young childhood in Harley Street, her summers in Helstone, but also her young womanhood in Milton. It is probably the latter that had the most substantial impact on her, causing her to see both Harley Street and Helstone through different eyes on her return. Ultimately, she chooses the life and spirit and vigour of Milton over the laziness of London, through her choice of Thornton over Mr Lennox as a husband. The vast differences in the scenery and setting over the course of the novel reflect Margaret's attitude and her changing opinions regarding herself and those around her. The changes she undergoes in Milton are highlighted by her return to the familiar scenes of Helstone and Harley Street, her new attitude to them and the people connected with them.

Evolution of the Human Heart into Four Chambers

The human heart does not look much like those Valentines Day candies or the pictures we drew on our love notes when we were in elementary school. The current human heart is a large muscular organ with four chambers, a septum, several valves, and other various parts necessary for pumping blood all around the human body. However, this amazing organ is a product of evolution and has spent millions of years perfecting itself in order to keep humans alive. Invertebrate Hearts Invertebrate animals have very simple circulatory systems. Many do not have a heart or blood because they are not complex enough to need a way to get nutrients to their body cells. Their cells are able to just absorb nutrients through their skin or from other cells. As the invertebrates become a little more complex, they use an open circulatory system. This type of circulatory system does not have any blood vessels or has very few. The blood is pumped throughout the tissues and filters back to the pumping mechanism. Like in earthworms, this type of circulatory system does not use an actual heart. It has one or more small muscular areas capable of contracting and pushing the blood and then reabsorbing it as it filters back. However, these muscular regions were the precursors to our complex human heart. Fish Hearts Of the vertebrates, fish have the simplest type of heart. While it is a closed circulatory system, it has only two chambers. The top is called the atrium and the bottom chamber is called the ventricle. It has only one large vessel that feeds the blood into the gills to get oxygen and then transports it around the fishs body. Frog Hearts It is thought that while fish only lived in the oceans, amphibians like the frog were the link between water-dwelling animals and the newer land animals that evolved. Logically, it follows that frogs would, therefore, have a more complex heart than fish since they are higher on the evolutionary chain. In fact, frogs have a three-chambered heart. Frogs evolved to have two atria instead of one, but still only have one ventricle. The separation of the atria allows frogs to keep the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood separate as they come into the heart. The single ventricle is very large and very muscular so it can pump the oxygenated blood throughout the various blood vessels in the body. Turtle Hearts The next step up on the evolutionary ladder is the reptiles. It was recently discovered that some reptiles, like turtles, actually have a heart that has a sort of a three and a half chambered heart. There is a small septum that goes about halfway down the ventricle. The blood is still able to mix in the ventricle, but the timing of the pumping of the ventricle minimizes that mixing of the blood. Human Hearts The human heart, along with the rest of the mammals, is the most complex having four chambers. The human heart has a fully formed septum that separates both the atria and the ventricles. The atria sit on top of the ventricles. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood coming back from various parts of the body. That blood is then let into the right ventricle which pumps the blood to the lungs through the pulmonary artery. The blood gets oxygenated and then returns to the left atrium through the pulmonary veins. The oxygenated blood then goes into the left ventricle and is pumped out to the body through the largest artery in the body, the aorta. This complex, but efficient, way of getting oxygen and nutrients to body tissues took billions of years to evolve and perfect.

Translation and Characters of the Japanese Word Atari

You probably recognize the Japanese word  atari,  particularly if you grew up playing on the popular gaming system of the same name. But the word actually means neighborhood, or  in the same vicinity as, or the surroundings. Pronounced just as it is spelled, the context of the word helps to define its specific meaning. Japanese Characters 㠁‚㠁Ÿã‚Š Example Atari niwa fukai kiri ga tachikometeita.㠁‚㠁Ÿã‚Šã  «Ã£  ¯Ã¦ · ±Ã£ â€žÃ©Å" §Ã£ Å'ç «â€¹Ã£  ¡Ã£ â€œÃ£â€š Ã£  ¦Ã£ â€žÃ£ Å¸Ã£â‚¬â€š Translation:  A dense fog lay all around.

Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage - 1782 Words

Gabi Smith October 20, 2014 English 4 Mr. Pakula Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage Everyone has the right to be with the person they love. Nobody, not even the government, should be able to take that kind of happiness and freedom away from someone. If a girl loves another girl or a guy loves another guy, it should not matter to anyone else as long as they are happy together. â€Å"We are all equals in the world whether we are Black, White, Hispanic, Indian, or any other race for that matter. Why should we not be equals based on sexuality orientation† (Gay Marriage Pros and Cons)? Everyone deserves to have the same equal rights. Everyone has different beliefs and nothing can or will change that. Some people believe in same-sex marriage and some people do not, but there is still no reason to dislike or judge people that believe in something someone else does not believe in. Not everyone in the world has the same beliefs. That is life, it happens. So what is the point of being so against this one belief? Same sex couples do not walk around bashing on straight people for the person they love, so why can’t all straight couples do the same thing and not bash on same sex couples? Not only is this situation against some people’s beliefs, but it also is against the constitution. â€Å"The first amendment of the constitution states that a person’s religious beliefs or lack of thereof must be protected. Legislatures also cannot discriminate against marriages of the minority party whichShow MoreRelatedLegalization Of Same Sex Marriage Essay963 Words   |  4 PagesKaye Shannelle Romuar Alfritz Arevalo Angelika Figueroa Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage I. Introduction Same-sex marriage can also be called gay marriage. This is a marriage between two males or two females, in either a religious setting or in a civil ceremony. Same-sex unions are recorded in the history of a number of cultures but this type of marriage is rare, or doesn’t exist in other cultures .The first law that provided same-sex marriage for the people was in 2001 in the Netherlands. As of JulyRead MoreLegalization Of Same Sex Marriage1594 Words   |  7 PagesWhy The Nationwide Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage Will Greatly Benefit The Economy Same-sex marriage has been a long debated issue in the United States. Since the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in countries such as Holland, Belgium, and Canada American gay couples have been pushing harder for equal marriage rights under the law. Opponents claim that allowing same-sex unions would not only lead to less stable marriages and higher divorce rates for heterosexual couples, but also precipitateRead MoreThe Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage930 Words   |  4 Pagesof legalizing same-sex marriage all across the nation, after years of social, political, and cultural mobilizations of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and allies. However, this achievement is not an end it itself. Leaders of the marriage equality movement, as well as community members, ask: Now what? This proposed project attempts to provide an answer for this question by looking at the perceived impact of the legalization of same-sex marriage among Black LG BTsRead MoreThe Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage938 Words   |  4 PagesRights To All Most people believe that they deserve the rights they are granted by the government. A citizen who pays their taxes, serves their community and abides by the law should be afforded the same rights as any American. However, not all citizens are afforded equal rights. Lesbians, gays, bi-sexual, and transgender (LGBT) are consistently denied rights that are typically taken for granted by the average American. Specifically, gay and lesbians couples are denied the right to marry even ifRead MoreThe Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage2317 Words   |  10 PagesCavataio PHL 118: Intro to Philosophy 8/14/14 Gary Fuller One of the most heated and debated topics today is the legalization of same-sex marriage. No matter where you look, people are always expressing their opinion on this issue. Politicians, athletes, and celebrities are some of the many people who continually come out with either support or opposition of same-sex marriage. History has shown that issues regarding equality and rights take time to move forward. The women’s suffrage movementRead MoreThe Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage1091 Words   |  5 PagesThe legalization of same-sex marriage is a hot topic in the U.S. approving, it in all fifty states can be harmful to the country. Same-sex marriage should not have been legalized in the United States. First, legalizing can be harmful to the society, Second, same-sex marriage it always denies a child a father or a mother, Third, legalizing It Offends some religions and violates tradition. In addition, It means all citizens should have understood of the consequences before maki ng the decision. OneRead MoreThe Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage1411 Words   |  6 PagesNikta Kalatari Writing Assignment #1 The proposead legalization of same-sex marriage is one of the most significant issues in contemporary American family law. Presently, it is one of the most vigorously advocated reforms discussed in law reviews, one of the most explosive political questions facing lawmakers, and one of the most provocative issues emerging before American courts. If same-sex marriage is legalized, it could be one of the most revolutionary policy decisions in the history of AmericanRead MoreThe Legalization Of Same Sex Marriage1294 Words   |  6 Pages The Legalization of Homosexual Marriage Brandon Taylor Wichita State University Gay marriage, also known as homosexual or same-sex marriage, has been a major topic in our country ever since it was allowed in Massachusetts whenever the state’s Supreme Court ruled the ban as unconstitutional. It was legalized in thirty seven of the fifty states before the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 26, 2015 that it was unconstitutional to deny marriage to a same sex couple (ProCon.org, 2015). The Merriam-WebsterRead MoreLegalization Of Same Sex Marriages1390 Words   |  6 PagesLegalization of Same Sex Marriages As a Muslim, in my opinion same sex marriage is not right and same sex marriage should not be legalized. Out of this statement comes the question: what is the purpose and meaning of marriage. Can we ever explain marriage in the context of a bond between two males or two females. Can this relationship be called a â€Å"Marriage†? Whether we disguise this relationship with the label of marriage, does it become accepted into society as a real marriage? Or are we foolingRead MoreThe Legalization of Same Sex Marriage 1623 Words   |  6 Pageshow the citizens value their morals. An every day American would think that being with the same sex is not normal, or is frowned upon. Recent studies show that half of all Americans believe that gay men and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry (Craighill). Same-sex marriage has caused many conflicts around the country and even the world with multiple stand points. World views on same-sex marriage are changing day to day. â€Å"Of the 15 countries worldwide to permit gay men and lesbians to marry

Apology by Plato free essay sample

The Apology is an account by Plato of Socrates’ speech given at his trial in 399 BC. Socrates was an Athenian philosopher accused of two crimes: corrupting the youth and not believing in the gods. In Socrates’ speech, he explains to a jury of 501 Athenians why he is not guilty of the crimes he is accused of. He uses a variety of logical arguments to refute his charges yet in the end he is still found guilty and sentenced to death (Grube 21). Socrates’ use of logos and his absence of the use of pathos makes for an extremely logical speech, however his guilty verdict raises questions about the legal systems and society of Athens at the time, the importance of ethos when defending yourself in the court of law, and even the society of modern day. For the majority of his life, Socrates spent a good deal of his time asking questions of the people of Athens. His goal was to arrive at a set of political and ethical truths. Contrary to many people at the time, Socrates did not lecture about the things he knew; he actually claimed to be rather ignorant. He claimed he was wise only because he recognized his ignorance and did not claim to know what he did not know (Grube 26). The questions Socrates asked forced his audiences to think through a problem and arrive at a logical conclusion. At times, the answers seemed so obvious his opponents often looked foolish. His â€Å"Socratic Method† of questioning as it came to be called later, was adored by Socrates’ followers but despised by others throughout Athens (â€Å"Socrates Biography. †). Five years prior to 399 BC, Athens had just suffered a defeat to the Spartans, bringing an end to the Peloponnesian War. Its once strong democracy was taken over by Thirty Tyrants for nine months who executed over one thousand Athenians. However, by the end of nine months, an army of democrats restored democracy to Athens, but not without losing significant power in the Greek world (Colaiaco 13). This political turmoil and fear of losing more power in Greece set the stage for Socrates’ trial. Socrates begins his speech by establishing his ethos, meaning his credibility as a speaker. However, he does so in an unconventional matter. Rather than boasting of his speaking abilities and asserting himself as a wise and reliable source of information, he instead begins by saying, â€Å"I show myself not to be an accomplished speaker at all. † He even says that he was almost â€Å"carried away† by his accusers during their speech due to their persuasive speaking (Grube 22). Socrates goes on to say that he does not know the correct way to speak in the court of law, so the jury will have to excuse his unusual dialect (23). Socrates’ opening statements probably seemed absurd to the 501 jurors. Why would a man on trial and facing death begin his speech by claiming to be a terrible speaker? Socrates set up his speech this way for a specific reason. Besides the main two accusations against Socrates, corrupting the youth and being an atheist, he was also accused of making the weaker argument into the stronger (24). Due to this accusation, Socrates may have felt the need to downplay his speaking skills to the jurors. The jury could have been biased going into the trial thinking that no matter what Socrates said they should not believe him because of his reputation as a â€Å"persuasive† speaker. By weakening his ethos at the beginning of his speech, Socrates could then go on to give an argument that would be less affected by the jury’s previous opinion of him. As the speech goes on, he begins to subtly build his ethos back up. Within the claims he makes to the audience, he references witnesses as proof to the claims rather than just his spoken word. For example, when explaining to the jury that he possesses â€Å"human wisdom† he says, â€Å"I will refer to a trustworthy source. I shall call upon the god at Delphi as witness to the existence and nature of my wisdom† (25). Rather than simply making a claim to the jury, he backs up his claim with a witness, and a respected witness at that, a God. This technique forces the jurors who may still be wary about the trustworthiness of Socrates due to his persuasive reputation to believe him. Additionally, it proves that Socrates does in fact believe in the gods contrary to the accusations made against him. He then goes on to criticize his accusers, (Meletus, Anytus, and Lycon), using logical arguments to make their accusations seem unthoughtful and rash, which in turn destroys their ethos (30). After Socrates’ initial introduction, he begins laying out his arguments against his accusations with the use of logos, or persuasion by means of logic and reasoning. Socrates begins first with the claim that he corrupts the youth. He directly asks Meletus who he thinks â€Å"improves† the youth. Meletus first responds with â€Å"the laws,† but Socrates refuses to accept that answer. He wants to know exactly who improves them. Meletus goes on to say after a bit more questioning that all of Athens improves the youth besides Socrates. This opens the door for Socrates to use his first logical appeal. He asks Meletus, â€Å"Tell me: does this also apply to horses, do you think? That all men improve them and one individual corrupts them? † (Grube 29). Socrates says this is absurd and that it is in fact the opposite. He declares that only a few people who are actually horse breeders can improve horses, and that the majority would corrupt them. Using this example, Socrates claims that it must be the same with humans and subtly hints that he is actually the one improving all of Athens whereas the majority are the ones corrupting it. After this explanation, Socrates states that Meletus has not given any thought about the accusations he has brought Socrates to trial for (30). The combination of Socrates’ logical appeal and his attack on Meletus’ character makes the jury question Meletus’ ethos as Socrates prepares for his next argument, which is another appeal to the claim that he corrupts the youth. He asks Meletus, â€Å"does the man exist who would rather be harmed than benefited by his associates? † Meletus answers no. Socrates then asks Meletus whether he thinks Socrates corrupts the youth deliberately or by accident, and Meletus answers deliberately. Next, Socrates explains that if those two statements are true, he cannot be guilty. It would be senseless for him to corrupt the youth because if he did he would be at risk of being harmed him in some way by them too. Likewise, if Socrates did corrupt them, he would be doing so unintentionally. In that case, Socrates says his wrongdoings should simply be pointed out and corrected, not put on trial in the court of law (30). At this point in the speech, Socrates has countered the first accusation against him but is still faced with refuting the second. On top of corrupting the youth, Meletus claims that Socrates does not believe in the Gods. Socrates starts his argument by once again trying to make Meletus out to be an unreliable source lacking ethos. He mocks Meletus’ accusation against him by saying, â€Å"’Socrates is guilty of not believing in the gods, but believing in gods,’ and surely that is the part of a jester! † (Grube 31). Socrates goes on to explain this statement in further detail proving why Meletus’ claims are so absurd. He asks Meletus, â€Å"Does any man believe in spiritual activities who does not believe in spirits? † Meletus reluctantly answers that no one does. Socrates then points out that Meletus says that he believes in â€Å"spiritual activities† which sets up Socrates’ next question. He asks, â€Å"Do we not believe spirits to be either gods or the children of gods? Yes or no? † Meletus agrees that this is true. Finally, with the information gathered from questioning, Socrates constructs his logical argument. He pronounces that if it is true that he believes in spirits, and spirits are either gods or children of the gods, Meletus’ argument is invalid and contradictory (32). Socrates is trying to convey to the jury that if the answers to his questions are true as Meletus says himself they are, Socrates must be undeniably not guilty, for in order to prove his guilt, the questions would have to be false. Socrates’ speech is full of logical arguments, but it is almost entirely lacking of any pathos, meaning appeals to the jury’s emotions. However, Socrates is almost proud of this fact. Towards the end of his speech he talks about his reasoning for not using pathos. Socrates describes a man on trial who begged and pleaded with the jury, and who brought his children, family, and friends in an attempt to evoke pity from the jurors. He then says, â€Å"I do none of these things, even though I may seem to be running the ultimate risk† (Grube 38). Socrates says that to do such things â€Å"would be a disgrace† (39). He feels that appealing to the jury’s emotions in an attempt to achieve innocence is dishonorable and unjust. Socrates strongly believes in the difference between right and wrong and the value of his reputation when it comes to those aspects of life. He says, â€Å"I do not think it right to supplicate the jury and to be acquitted because of this, but to teach and persuade them† (39). Socrates would rather argue his case honorably using his methods of logic, than use crafty means of emotional appeal to win his case. In the end, Socrates’ rational arguing was not enough to prove his innocence to the jury. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. As a modern reader, one would think that Socrates clearly proved his innocence and that the law and society of Athens at the time had to have been corrupt. However, the Apology raises an Important question about the present day: is society really that much different now? For instance, in a 2001 interview with Bill O’Reilly, rock star Marilyn Manson was questioned about his effects on the youth of the world. Many parents claim that Manson is a bad influence on their children due to his lyrically explicit songs, religious beliefs, and unusual appearance and attire. However, when asked by O’Reilly what message he was trying to convey through his lyrics, Manson replied, â€Å"I try and take everyone’s ideals, common morals, flip them around, make people look at them differently, question them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Marilyn Manson. †). Socrates and Manson seem to share quite similar views. Socrates was always questioning people about their morals and beliefs in an attempt to arrive at some sort of ethical truth. Manson seems to have a similar goal in mind. So why then does a good portion of society shun Manson for being a corrupter of the youth while Socrates is now generally praised for doing a very similar thing at his time? It seems that if the concepts outlined in the Apology are applied to the modern day, our society as a whole has not changed all that much. We still feel that a few individuals can corrupt an entire nation of youth, whereas the majority is thought to be on the right track for improving them. If the ideas of Socrates are truly compared to that of a modern day radical thinker such as Manson, it is fairly easy to see how the Athenians found his philosophies so bizarre. Socrates’ unique use of rhetorical appeals in the Apology made for a surprisingly convincing speech. His lack of ethos at the beginning of the speech along with his complete absence of pathos made for an unusual form of dialect in terms of the conventions of rhetoric. However, Socrates’ extensive use of logos and his distinct method of questioning forced his audience to think logically about the accusations made against him and the legitimacy of those accusations. The fact that the Athenian jury found Socrates guilty brings into question the political and social issues Athens faced at the time, but also raises questions about whether modern society is any different. Socrates’ ideas still echo throughout today’s world and his use of logical arguments will undoubtedly be imitated and refined for many years to come.