Enders Game Essay Example

Enders Game Essay Example Enders Game Essay Enders Game Essay Essay Topic: Enders Game The basic tool for the use of world is the use of words. If you can command the significance of words. you can command the people who must utilize the words. -Philip K. Dick In the fresh Enders Game the writer Orson Scott Card shows us a complete different universe than we are used to. Set into the hereafter. the universe has merely recovered from a desolation foreign war that was won by a good luck of fortune by our soldiers. Although this clip we will strike back. in readying for the approaching Bugger war the universes smartest kids get drafted to fall in the conflict school plan set in infinite to larn combat signifier an early age. One of these childs happened to be Andrew Ender Wiggin. the six twelvemonth old was stripped of his childhood. taken away from his household and sent to conflict school. All his life Ender has utmost force per unit area on him because six twelvemonth old Ender was meant to salvage the universe. Throughout the fresh Orson Scott Card blurs the thin line between visual aspect and world. through the construct of games two different illustrations of this are Enders corsets at Battle School and so once more at Command School. t hroughout both Ender was invariably played and manipulated for the greater good . While at Battle School Ender was objected to isolation. due to the green-eyed monster of the other kids. Ender grew accustomed to the ill will and tried to non allow it trouble oneself him every bit much as he could. In the private survey clip given to the kid soldiers they were free to make what they wished. Not holding many friends and non happening the surveies excessively disputing Ender would play the games on the Battles School’s plan. Ender rapidly became engorged in a function drama game called the Giants Drink. This game was deemed impossible but Ender became obsessed with it and reached degrees no 1 had of all time seen earlier. Ender could non stand to lose at anything so he went to any extreme needed to further him in the game. Ender was to ever retrieve the inside informations of this game. because to finish the degree clip and clip once more Ender had to play maliciously and wickedly. he had to play as a liquidator and a deceiver all the qualities reminding him of his brother. Peter who Ender despised and wished to neer turn into. Subsequently on into the fresh Ender is told to seek for new planets to colonise. While on his mission to happen new planets to populate Ender lurchs upon a works that seemed to experience a small excessively familiar holding an eldritch resemblance to the landscape and construction of the works of his childhood base on balls clip game. The Giants Drink. Merely to detect this planet was created for him as a agency of communicating by the Buggers . He had played here excessively many times as a kid non to cognize this topographic point. But it was non possible. The computing machine in the Battle School could non hold perchance seen this place A game signifier his yesteryear. what he though was mere pulp of pels and artworks turned out to go a world. Orson Scott Card made us believe throughout the novel that The Giants Drink was merely a game. Whereas it was really ever a secret topographic point merely Ender had of all time visited. doing it perfect to utilize as a secret agency of communicating. Orson Scott Card pushed us beyond what we thought was quite undistinguished and made it more or less one of the most of import event to take topographic point in the novel. By non lodging to convention and traveling above and beyond doing us believe more about how what was merely a game turned into world. Furthermore while at Battle School all the solider had to take part in Battles once more each other. These Battles were frequently the high spots of these children’s yearss. when Ender became a commanding officer and got his ain ground forces to develop for these make-believe Battles. He rapidly learned that he was neer traveling to be treated just and that all odd will ever be stacked against him ever seeking to get the better of him. Time and clip once more Ender won the Battles he took portion it. holding a perfect win run. This infuriated many and Ender made many enemies. even the instructors seemed to be against Ender give him multiple conflicts a twenty-four hours and besides giving him two ground forcess as oppositions alternatively of the usual 1. All his life Ender was isolated and treated below the belt so none of this was new to Ender. Whatever state of affairs was thrown at him Ender came out at top because of his intelligence. natural born leading and longing to win. Although these conflicts seemed to be merely a game to rupture apart the kids the accomplishments learned in this game could be the difference between life and decease. one time once more confounding us about what is the semblance in it all. Ender graduated through the Battle School plan faster than anyone and got transferred to the following measure. Command School. The first small piece in Command School was spent in complete isolation. it was more awful than Battle School which Ender idea was non possible one time once more merely being left with the company of the games they offered. After a twelvemonth of complete privacy Ender meet with his wise man. instructor. friend and enemy Mazer Rackmen. the adult male who was responsible for salvaging the human race from the 2nd Bugger invasion. Mazer was the lone individual Ender of all time got a opportunity to be with. Together they went through anything and everything that could perchance be an assistance to Ender when the Buggers onslaught. Mazer got Ender to play the simulator games once more but now in a complete different manner. it was no longer a one adult male game. Ender verses The Computer but now it was Ender Commanding different squadron leaders. The leaders which turned out to be the little group of friends Ender had accumulated over his stay at the Battle School. Together they worked surprisingly. utilizing Enders intelligence and great leading accomplishments. With Enders despair to ever win they ever came out of conflicts winning. he may hold lost his friends in the procedure of going this astonishing leader but he gained their complete esteem and regard. Closer to the terminal of this novel. Mazer gives Ender his concluding scrutiny. being ill of it all Ender merely wanted to stop it every bit shortly as he could. Not into it at all Ender plays half-heartedly in the bigining. when being faced with his challenge Ender steps it up cognizing he was one time once more put for failure. Not desiring the instructors to hold the satisfaction of One Uping Ender he plays in a manner he hates. as a darnel but it seems to once once more be the lone manner to win in these games. After crushing his concluding examiniation Ender finds out all of the simulations he played with his squadron leaders were non games but they were they existent Bugger war which Ender had fought and won without even cognizing what her was making. You made the difficult pick. male child. All or nil. End them or stop is. But heaven knows there was no other manner you could hold making it. Congratulations. You beat them. and it’s all over. Real. Not a game. Enders head was excessively tired to get by with it all. Absent mindedly Ender has annihilated a whole species. doing him a liquidator. Thinking he was playing a game Ender had fought a galactic war. Once once more Orson Scott Card hazes the thin line between your visual aspects and your worlds. What Ender thought was a game was a life or decease state of affairs. If Ender would hold listened to his bosom and lose the last game. he could hold saved an intelligent species. but we neer know our results until our determinations have been played out and it is excessively late to alter our head. Orson Scott Card highlighted the fact that every small thing in someone’s life makes a immense impact. As insignificant as it may look everything has a intent. If Ender had non played these games to win the Buggers could really good be alive and non cognizing their purposes. allowing them unrecorded was excessively large a hazard. All throughout his life Ender had been played with. an object of changeless use and head games. Battle and Command School were no different than Earth in this facet. On Earth Ender was bullied and pull strings into making what he wants by Enders evil older brother Peter. piece at Battle School. Colonel Graff the caput decision maker neer failed to lie to Ender. merely tell him half the truth and to boot pull strings him. When Ender got to his last preparation plan Command School Ender was manipulated and lied to in a manner he could non even get down to conceive of Of class we tricked you into it. That’s the whole point. At the terminal Colonel Graff even admits that all the use. prevarications and ill will towards Ender was a portion of his and Mazer Rackmens program. Ender holding been lied to and convey back to his homicidal side. the portion of him he hated the most. Ender was ferocious and could non bear to look at anyone and went back to his room. Orson Scott Cards showed us that it’s better to non swear anyone. What you think is truly go oning might merely non truly be go oning and that you should ever maintain a cheque on your world verses your semblances. Throughout the fresh Orson Scott Card blurs the thin line between visual aspect and world. through the construct of games . At times it is rather hard to hold on your visual aspects verses your worlds because you get excessively caught up in the small things that you forget to halt and look at the bigger image. Merely if you look at your life from a impersonal position will you be able to state what is truly go oning and what is a fragment of your imaginativeness. Orson Scott Card illustrated this point surprisingly throughout this novel.

Pebble Smart Watch Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Pebble Smart Watch - Research Paper Example The Pebble Smartwatch, in its latest campaign in Kickstarter, has been touted as the most funded project in the history of the site, generating close to $9 million in pre- orders during the first day of its funding campaign. Indeed, the campaign easily topped $14 million dollars a few days after the watch made its re-entry in the crowdfunding site. The massive popularity of the watch was evident in the way its first forays into crowdfunding in Kickstarter were also massively successful. This success allowed the firm behind it to launch itself into viability on nothing more than the success of this first crowdfunding initiative. Aside from the basic Pebble, which was launched earlier, the new crowdfunding initiative has the introduction of a new product variant, known as the Pebble Time Steel. This new model sells for $250 and has been well-subscribed. On the other hand, those massive numbers in sales translate to more modest number scales when it comes to ordered units, as the Pebble Time has been ordered by just 57,000 customers. To put this number into perspective, the launch of the new Apple watch product is expected to generate millions of units in sales, if not hundreds of millions. This tells us something of the target market of the watch presently, and of the way by which the evaluation of the marketing strategy and the marketing mix of the product range is to proceed (Murphy). The latest figures, meanwhile, put the total raised funds for the new watches at $20 million dollars and counting, making this latest Kickstarter foray a massive success (Weber and Babb). On the other hand, the overall levels of sales Pebble are encouraging at more than one million units at the end of 2014. To be sure, the initial distribution point of the Internet and Kickstarter had been complemented in 2013 by the entry of Pebble watches in Best Buy, but one can say that

Contemporary Issues in Strategic Management Assignment

Contemporary Issues in Strategic Management - Assignment Example Vodafone reached this enviable position through a series of alliances, joint ventures and acquisitions. Section 2 of this paper analyzes Vodafone’s value chain and elucidates its capabilities and core competencies. The Porter’s generic strategies have been discussed and an explanation of which type of strategy Vodafone pursued has been detailed in Section 3 of the paper. Section 4 of the paper discusses in depth the acquisition strategies of Vodafone. An in-depth analysis of pre-acquisition rationale and steps involved therein like analysis of strategic fit, valuation methods and due diligence has been done. The post integration efforts have also been detailed in this section. An attempt has been made to apply the Haspeslagh and Jemison Framework in the post integration efforts. The discussion in this section extends to gauging the overall effectiveness of the acquisition strategy. Any organization with a global footprint can pursue a global strategy, a multi-domestic strategy or a transnational strategy. Vodafone’s choice of International strategy has been discussed in Section 5 of this paper. An organization is able to compete successfully in the marketplace if it can deliver superior value to its customer vis-Ã  -vis the rival firms. The creation of this value entails a series of activities which have been referred to as the value chain by Michael Porter. The arrangement and completion of various activities and their linkages determine whether the firm will be able to manufacture a product for which the customer is willing to pay a price that is higher than the cost of producing the product. The activities in the value chain are divided into two broad categories namely primary activities and support activities (Grant, 2010, Pg 111) . The primary activities enable the manufacturing of the product that the organization intends to sell in the market. This offering may be goods (tangible products) like

Childhood Obesity Essay Example for Free

Childhood Obesity Essay Is There Any Need to Be Worried About Childhood Obesity? Catherine (Boyuan Zheng) ESLI Level 5P Is There Any Need to Be Worried About Childhood Obesity? 1. Introduction Childhood obesity is a major focus of the society and the public health officials. And childhood obesity trends have increased dramatically over the past several years (Staniford, Breckon, Copeland, 2012, p. 545). Overweight is measured by body mass index which is called BMI. According to the survey from the 2003 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), overweight increased from 7. 2% to 13.9% among children during 2 to 5 years old and from 11% to 19% among children who are 6 to 11 years old. And among 12- to 19-year-olds, the statistics of overweight increased from 11% to 17.1% from 2003 to 2004 (Faith, Kerns, Diewald, 2009, p.281). In the past several years, the statistics of childhood obesity has a dramatic global increase. Therefore, childhood obesity is becoming a more and more serious problem. According to Ebbeling, Pawlak and Luwing (2002), â€Å"[b]odyweight is regulated by numerous physiological mechanisms that maintain balance between energy intake and energy expenditure† (p.474). The factors that cause childhood obesity include four aspects: (1) Genetic, perinatal, and early-life factors, such as â€Å"five genetic mutations that cause human obesity have been identified, all presenting in childhood, and the BMI normally decreases until 5-6 years, then increases through adolescence†; (2) Physical activity, children who are lack of exercises are easy to be obese, for example, television viewing is thought to promote weight gain because of keeping sitting; (3) Diet, for instance, fast food almost comprises all of the potentially adverse dietary factors, â€Å"including saturated and trans fat, high glycaemic index, high energy density, and, increasingly, large portion size†; and (4) Family factors, the risk of obesity is effected by the parent-children inactions and the home environment, for example, many families like to eat in restaurants which tends to serve larger portions of energy dense food (Ebbeling et al., 2002, pp.474-476). Nowadays, chil dhood obesity is becoming more and more serious. It has been identified as a harmful epidemic all over the world, especially in the U.S., Brazail and China (CIA World Factbook, 2009, para.7). As childhood obesity causes many negative effects both on children themselves and on the healthcare system, it is important to pay attention to the possible solutions for childhood obesity. 2. The Negative Effects of Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity has negative effects on childhood life which include intelligent and health complications. In other words, obese children would meet many problems during their usual study and life. People need to concern the health complications which are associated with childhood obesity, including â€Å"Elevated blood pressure, hyperinsulinemia and glucose intolerance, respiratory abnormalities, poor body image, and increased adulthood mortality in females† (Faith et al., 2009, p.281). This reveals that childhood obesity has a significant negative influence on the maintenance of a healthy body, even in the future of childhood life. In addition, childhood intelligent quotient (IQ) is associated with childhood obesity. According to the research, â€Å"the FIQ [full intelligent quotient] and PIQ [performances intelligent quoient]of obesity in school-age children were lower than normal weight children† (Yu, Han, Cao, Guo, 2009, p.665). In other words, obesity would mak e children face problems such as depression, social isolation, low self-esteem and poor academic performance. Therefore, overweight children need to face more problems on health and intelligence than normal weight children. In addition, childhood overweight and obesity cause not only childhood life problems, but also the financial burden to the public health system. Obese children cost much higher publicly funded medical and pharmaceutical costs than normal weight children. According to Au’s research, â€Å"the financial burden of overweight and obesity occurs even during the first 5 years of primary school†, and â€Å"the prevention of overweight in children as young as 4-5 years could have significant economic (in addition to health) implications† (Au, 2012, p.670). This clearly shows that childhood obesity is the financial burden to public medical and pharmaceutical costs. Therefore, from an economic perspective, it is necessary to control the trends of childhood obesity. 3. The Treatments of Childhood Obesity From the negative effects that are talked about, I discuss that it is necessary to find effective solutions to solve the problems of childhood obesity. There are four solutions: (1) Diet modification, (2) Physical activity, (3) Psychotherapies for managing obesity, and (4) Parent participation. 3.1 Diet Modification Diet Modification is the most useful and effective pattern for obese children losing weight. What obese children firstly need to do is to change the dietary behaviors and keep healthy dietary strategies. As Faith et al. points out, â€Å"behavior modification strategies, such as behavioral contracting, stimulus control, and/or a specific dietary plan, are required to help children lose weight (Faith et al., 2009, p.291). This reveals that it is powerful and useful to make a healthy dietary component such as moderate caloric restriction and low-fat diets for overweight children. In addition, making good food choices is also a good way to control obese children’s weight. Epstein (1988) gives an successful manner to children weight loss, it is called â€Å"Stoplight Diet† which â€Å"effectively shifts the emphasis from calorie counting to making smarter food choice, monitoring portion sizes† (as qtd. in Faith et al., 2009, p.291). In other words, when people selec t food, they need to keep a balance on the energy intake and energy expenditure consumption instead of only focusing on caloric restriction. Dietary modification is a significant way of solving problems for childhood obesity, and it is also a healthy way for obese children. 3.2 Physical Activity In addition to dietary modification, increased physical activity is the other significant component of behavior treatments for overweight children. It suggests that exercise therapy is essential to the maintenance for losing weight. According to Epstein (1995), there are some â€Å"short-term effects of physical activity interventions on both children’s weight status as well as their cardiorespiratory fitness and other cardiovascular health benefits† (as qtd. in Faith et al., 2009, p.293). This clearly shows that physical activity is an effective way for obese children both on losing weight and keeping their important organs healthy. Furthermore, the therapy of physical activity for obese children is applied to physical education (PE) programs in schools. In the 2-year longitudinal investigation of elementary school  children, it shows that â€Å"an appropriately designed and administered PE [physical education] program can produce benefits for elementary school chil dren, not only by attenuating increases in percentage of body fat typical of children in this age group but also by enhancing numeracy development† (Telford et al., 2012, p.371). In other words, PE programs can be benefit both on keeping obese children’s weight losing and enhancing children’s capabilities of learning. To sum up, physical activity is an essential treatment for overweight children to lose weight and keep healthy. 3.3 Psychotherapies for managing obesity Furthermore, there is another one which is called psychotherapies for managing obesity which are accepted by many overweight children’s parents. Psychotherapies for managing obesity can effectively change people’s behaviors about their unhealthy lifestyles. Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is the most useful therapy in psychotherapies for managing obesity, and it â€Å"does not focus directly on binge episodes or on reducing bingeing, but rather on the dysregulated affect that can trigger binge eating† (Taylor, Stonehocker, Steele, Sharma, 2012, p.15). In other words, DBT can successfully stop obese children from going on a binge, and help children to control themselves about their diet behaviors. In addition, there is another powerful treatment in psychotherapies for managing obesity. Taylor et al. also introduce motivational interviewing (MI) in their research, â€Å"MI is a strategy designed to enhance patients’ motivation for change and adherence to treatment and is fundamentally different from educational approaches† and â€Å"this type of approach may be particularly well suited to weight loss† (Taylor et al., 2012, p.15). In other words, in weight management, this behavior can make obese children follow plans for losing weight effectively, and make them insist on the strict diet component which helps them to lose weight. Therefore, psychotherapies for managing obesity can be successfully applied to solve the problems about childhood obesity, although this kind of treatments is controversial among parents. 3.4 Parent Participation Finally, the benefit of parental participation in childhood weight-loss processes has drawn attention from the whole society. In other words, Parental participation is a useful and effective pattern to solve the issue about childhood obesity. According to Golan et al. (1998), the research shows that â€Å"parental participation did not improve effect found for treating children alone. Although other data suggests that treating parent alone may be more effective for inducing child weight loss.† (as qtd. in Faith et al., 2009, p.295). This demonstrates that it would be better if parents take part in their children weight-loss programs, and they can make weight-loss programs effectively. In addition, parental participation can be better for obese children’s healthful eating. Faith et al. suggest parents that â€Å"[n]ever use food as a reward; establish daily family meal and snack times, offer only healthy food options; he a role model for children; and parents or caregivers should determine what food is offered and when, and the child should decide whether to eat† (Faith et al., 2009, p.295). This clearly shows that parents should focus on increasing praise for children’s healthy diet behaviors and activity choices. They also need to better plan the whole family eating and physical activity programs, and parental modeling. As a result, parental participation in childhood weight-loss programs has a positive effect for obese children losing weight. 4. Conclusion Childhood obesity trends have increased dramatically during the past several years, it is important for people to pay attention to the treatments of childhood obesity. There are four main reasons for childhood obesity: Genetic, physical activity, diet and family factors. These factors make children face problems about childhood obesity, and have negative effects on both childhood life and society. As a result, there are four useful and powerful solutions for children weight-loss programs: (1) Diet modification, such as change unhealthy diet behaviors; (2) Physical activity, which suggests children to do more excises; (3) Psychotherapies for managing obesity, which is a way to use the theory of psychology to cure obese children; (4) Parent Participation, which advising involves patents to take part in children weight-loss programs. Through the whole research, we see that childhood obesity is becoming more and more serious in contemporary society. It is necessary for parents, schools a nd the whole society to pay more attention on obese children’s health. At the same time, they also need to help them to face and solve the problems about childhood obesity. References Au, N. (2012). The health care cost implications of overweight and obesity during childhood. Health Service, 47(2), 655-676. doi: 10.111/j.1475-6773.2011.01326.x Ebbeling, C.B., Pawlak, D.B., Ludwig, D.S. (2002). Childhood obesity: public-health crisis, common sense cure. The Lancet, 360(9331), 473-482. Faith, M.S., Kerns J., Diewald, L. (2009). Behavioral treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity. Body image, eating disorders, and obesity in youth: Assessment, prevention, and treatment (pp.281-301). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Staniford, L. J., Breckon, J. D., Copeland, R. J. (2012). Treatment of childhood obesity: A systematic review. Journal Of Child And Family Studies, 21(4), 545-564. doi:10.1007/s10826-011-9507-7 Taylor, V. H., Stonehocker, B., Steele, M., Sharma, A. M. (2012). An overview of treatment for obesity in a population with mental illness. The Canadian Journal Of Psychiatry / La Revue Canadienne De Psychiatrie, 57(1), 13-20. Telford, R. D., Cunningham, R.B., Fitzgerald, R., Olive, L.S., Prosser, L., Jiang, X., Telford, R.M. (2012). Physical education, obesity, and academic achievement: A 2-year longitudinal investigation of Australian elementary school children. American Journal Of Public Health, 102(2), 368-374. Yu, Z. B., Han, S. P., Cao, X. G., Guo, X. R. (2010). Intelligence in relation to obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 11(9), 656-670. doi:10.1111/j.1467-789X.2009.00656.x

The Relation of Thought and Emotion in William Wordsworth’s Surprised b

The Relation of Thought and Emotion in William Wordsworth’s Surprised by Joy    Dr. Branson's comments: This essay was written in response to an explication exercise in a course designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of the English major. It demonstrates not only excellence as an explication, but also as an interdisciplinary application of psychological theory to literary analysis.    In the sonnet "Surprised by Joy," William Wordsworth relates an episode of his struggle to cope with the death of his young daughter. That this elegiac poem, written to express grief, begins with joy is a testament to its emotional complexity. Although the poem's emotions range between exposing extremes, the thoughts of the narrator remain stable. As he relates his experience, he looks back with an unfaltering conviction that nothing but sorrow must result. Cognitive psychology's concept of dissonance provides a useful insight into the relationship of thought and emotion in the sonnet. According to dissonance theory, when thoughts and emotions seem to contradict each other, a state of anxiety, called cognitive dissonance, will result. This anxiety motivates attempts to achieve stability by restoring the unity of thought and emotion~ In accord with the cognitive viewpoint, this sonnet differentiates between two types of emotions: those that are independent of conscious thought and are characterized as transient, instinctive, and arousing, and those that comply to conscious thought and are characterized as permanent, orderly, and tranquil. "Surprised by Joy" is a Miltonic sonnet with the turn occurring roughly in the middle of the first line of the sestet. Wordsworth uses the sonnet form to create tension in the octave and resol... ... The narrator's progression from instinctive to thought-based emotion is the central event in the poem. The psychological struggle that this progression represents concludes in a defeat. The joy and love that initially overtake the narrator can be seen as a sign that he is ready to abjure his grief-ridden thoughts and recognize a lingering spiritual bond with his daughter. He instead rejects these impulses. Thought is the component of our internal environment that we can directly control, and with it we can actualize or suffocate emotions. The narrator uses his thoughts to reject joy and accept sorrow. In this way, he perpetuates his grieving in the face of impending happiness. Work Cited Wordsworth, William. "Surprised by Joy." The Norton Anthology of Poetry. Ed. Margaret Ferguson, Mary Jo Salter, and Jon Stallworthy. 4th ed. New York: Norton, 1996. The Relation of Thought and Emotion in William Wordsworth’s Surprised b The Relation of Thought and Emotion in William Wordsworth’s Surprised by Joy    Dr. Branson's comments: This essay was written in response to an explication exercise in a course designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of the English major. It demonstrates not only excellence as an explication, but also as an interdisciplinary application of psychological theory to literary analysis.    In the sonnet "Surprised by Joy," William Wordsworth relates an episode of his struggle to cope with the death of his young daughter. That this elegiac poem, written to express grief, begins with joy is a testament to its emotional complexity. Although the poem's emotions range between exposing extremes, the thoughts of the narrator remain stable. As he relates his experience, he looks back with an unfaltering conviction that nothing but sorrow must result. Cognitive psychology's concept of dissonance provides a useful insight into the relationship of thought and emotion in the sonnet. According to dissonance theory, when thoughts and emotions seem to contradict each other, a state of anxiety, called cognitive dissonance, will result. This anxiety motivates attempts to achieve stability by restoring the unity of thought and emotion~ In accord with the cognitive viewpoint, this sonnet differentiates between two types of emotions: those that are independent of conscious thought and are characterized as transient, instinctive, and arousing, and those that comply to conscious thought and are characterized as permanent, orderly, and tranquil. "Surprised by Joy" is a Miltonic sonnet with the turn occurring roughly in the middle of the first line of the sestet. Wordsworth uses the sonnet form to create tension in the octave and resol... ... The narrator's progression from instinctive to thought-based emotion is the central event in the poem. The psychological struggle that this progression represents concludes in a defeat. The joy and love that initially overtake the narrator can be seen as a sign that he is ready to abjure his grief-ridden thoughts and recognize a lingering spiritual bond with his daughter. He instead rejects these impulses. Thought is the component of our internal environment that we can directly control, and with it we can actualize or suffocate emotions. The narrator uses his thoughts to reject joy and accept sorrow. In this way, he perpetuates his grieving in the face of impending happiness. Work Cited Wordsworth, William. "Surprised by Joy." The Norton Anthology of Poetry. Ed. Margaret Ferguson, Mary Jo Salter, and Jon Stallworthy. 4th ed. New York: Norton, 1996.

Jesus and the Law: An Ancient Text in a Postmodern Context Essay

Jesus and the Law: An Ancient Text in a Postmodern Context In looking at Jesus and the law we must acknowledge that Jesus is the fulfillment of the old covenant. Every theme in the Old Testament points forward towards Jesus. The law is the character of God written in a language which human beings can understand. The law was given to show us the holiness of God and to demonstrate man’s imperfection. The entire reason for the law was so that we would understand that through our own efforts and abilities, we can never reach God’s level of holiness, and as such, we would eternally remain damned. But God, gave us the law so that through our continuous failure we would see the light of the truth, which is Jesus Christ. When we willingly acknowledge this ultimate truth, we will recognize that the only way we can ever, possibly, enter the Kingdom of Heaven is by the mercy and grace of our God. It is because of God’s mercy and grace that he decided to send his Son to die in our stead, so that through his death and resurrection we might find eternal life. It is only through Jesus Christ as the slain Lamb of God, risen and interceding for mankind, that we can ever touch the heart of God. God’s plan began in Eden with the fall of man and every act of God was directed towards this end; that Jesus would come to earth to die as our perfect and permanent sin sacrifice. Jesus came in fulfillment of the prophetic foreshadowing presented in the Old Testament. So if we are to choose one scripture to study regarding Jesus and the law we can safely and aptly choose Matthew, chapter 5 and versus 17-48; the Sermon on the Mount. In this passage we shall examine four aspects, relating to Jesus and the law, which are; Jesus proclaims the law; Jesus’ interpretation of the law; Jesus’ fulfillment of the law; and Jesus and the law today. Jesus Proclaims the Law To understand the scripture found in Matthew we must recognize that in this time and in this place Jesus was speaking to the people during the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus was teaching the law of the old covenant because he had not died yet, and so the new covenant was not yet in practice. â€Å"The statues [of the law] are grounded in God’s work in creation and they serve God’s relational purposes of life, stability, and the well-being of individuals and communities† (Fretheim, 163). The primary message that Jesus was communicating can be understood in one verse, â€Å"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect† (New Revised Standard Version, Matt 5:49). He was teaching the law of the Torah; the law of God. The law demanded perfection, and Jesus was certainly encouraging people to pursue perfection. Jesus pursued this same perfection and was not without temptation. He was flesh and blood. Jesus was a human being with all of our frailties, needs, and desires. He was as much a human as any human being on earth. He suffered persecution and trouble as is evident in his words â€Å"Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely† (Matt 5:11). Jesus knew how it felt to be persecuted. He was not without compassion for mankind. Yet, He knew that perfection could only be found in practicing obedience to the law, which is why He went willingly to the cross. Brueggemann writes â€Å"The Torah is not God, for in our obedience and disobedience this is a God; so near. But God is not God without Torah, and if we would know God, it comes by way of obedience† (115). Jesus came in fulfillment of the law, and He was obedient to the law of His Father. He became our example of righteous, selfless, obedient love for God. Jesus was the fulfillment of the law, lived in obedience to the law and taught obedience to the law. He knew that in order for us to touch the heart of God, or even diligently stretch out our imperfect fingertips toward God, we must be obedient to the Law. Jesus’ Interpretation of the Law Jesus spent a great deal of His time interpreting the law for us. During the Sermon on the Mount Jesus proclaimed that people should put on God’s holiness. He taught the people of the very character of God. Jesus taught the law as the covenant between God and man and as the way to God. Jesus does not interpret the law as the Pharisees did which sought to enslave the people within a heavy yoke, which they were always unable to bear. The people thought to live under the law were simply struck down by the taskmaster’s lash. But here in Matthew, Jesus taught of love, and of forgiveness, which transcends the law. The Pharisees proclaimed traditions which laid outside the law and which were a lower standard of righteousness than that set forth by God’s pure Law. During the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gave examples of how tradition had been used to set aside the real intent of the Law. For example he said; You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous (Matt 5:43-45). If the people are obedient to laws which were not given by God then disobedience results, which leads to separation from God. Jesus interpreted the law so that the people would be made righteous through obedience to the law. Even Jesus said â€Å"For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven† (Matt 5:20). Moreover, He interpreted the law in a new light which offers mankind a view into the holy heart of God. Isaiah predicted that Jesus would teach the lawâ€Å"for the sake of his righteousness, to magnify his teaching and make it glorious† (Isa. 42:21). And this Jesus did for the sake of the Lord’s righteousness. Jesus’ Fulfillment of the Law Jesus came in fulfillment of the law. Jesus said Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. (Matt 5:17-18). He is the light at the end of the old covenant which shines brightly toward the future for those that would see. There were two avenues available to mankind under the law. The first avenue was total obedience and the second was death. If the way of obedience was not chosen then the only way to go was towards death. But theses avenues were dimly lit and the people strained to see which one was the right path to take. Our sinful nature prevents us from living in total obedience to the law as given from Moses, therefore there was only one outcome or one avenue for mankind which is death. But Jesus came in fulfillment of the law. Jesus walked on both avenues of the Law. He took the first avenue by living a life in absolute obedience to the Law. He was God manifested in the flesh. God became as a man and lived perfectly, because there was no sin within Him. On the first avenue, Jesus fulfilled the law, by living in obedience to its demands. Jesus also took the second avenue available to a man of flesh by dying for our sins. The law demanded death for anyone who did not live in obedience to it, and He died on behalf of everyone whose obedience waned. Therefore Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and through Him we can find life and not death if we chose to walk with him along the avenues of life. â€Å"Fretheim writes The Primal sin may thus best be defined as mistrust of God and God’s word, which then manifests itself in disobedience and other behaviors† (78). If we trust in God’s words then we will choose to be obedient to His words and his laws of holiness. If we chose disobedience then we choose death. But it is Jesus’ fulfillment of the law that gives us this gift of choice. It is God’s sacrifice of His only Son, who was made to suffer as flesh, blood and bone on this earth at the hands of the very beings He was sent to die for. It was Jesus’ fulfillment of the law that allows us to entertain the possibility of seeing God. Jesus’ and the Law Today Men argue today about the question of following the old covenant or following the new covenant. But the two covenants are meant to be intermingled in the hearts of men. The old covenant attends the new and the new covenant fulfills the old. Jesus’s obedience to the laws of the covenant imparts authority and thus is due our obedience. There are some that say Jesus ended the law, which is partly true since He is he fulfillment of the law and the term â€Å"fulfillment’ imparts a conclusion, or an ending to something. However, that is not to say that the law is no more. Indeed God’s law is unchanged. It was the traditions of man that sought to imprison mankind in their sinful flesh, which then brought eternal dependence on other men (e.g. Pharisees or Priests) to bring them back into the grace of God. Jesus offered us a new way into the grace of God and that way is found at Calvary. Jesus’ obedience to the law became a paradigm for the modern church. Suzanne Johnson writes that becoming a Christian includes â€Å"instruction in the sacred writings, the reshaping of ethical vision, and formation of ethical responsibilities† (19-20). Where does the Christian find a standard for this ethical vision or responsibilities? We are supposed to read the sacred writings which provide us with a standard and the example of a holy God, made flesh in the form of Jesus Christ. For many centuries the church followed the strict practices of man’s doctrine which they interpreted from the scriptures as the desire of God. Not so oddly, most of these adherences were geared towards practices that men detected in women. For example, for many years women were not allowed to speak in the church service. This practice was gleaned from Paul’s writings when he was addressing some problems in the church of Corinth. There were some traditions or practices that were set up for men also, like abstaining from the use of tobacco, foul language (which was determined by the society of that era), and the wearing of revealing clothing (e.g. short sleeve shirts). None of these traditions were practiced by Jesus or authorized according to His word. Even John said â€Å"Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him† (3:17). The church changes over time. It moves and sways with the society in which it exists, especially in regard to their boundaries, beliefs, and practices. What was once taboo, or forbidden, is now acceptable. The Church of God has twenty-nine practical and doctrinal commitments, but seven of these beliefs have to do with everyday living aspects given from interpretation of modern man (sgacog.org). The practical commitments have changed a great deal since the church was formed over 127 years ago. Men are trying way too hard to make it down that avenue of obedience. Jesus came to make it easier and yet, in our infinite wisdom and striving for excellence on our own merit, we have made it way more complicated that it actually is. Conclusion Jesus did not give any authority to the laws of man, but came to fulfill the laws of God alone. Jesus offers us examples of the law in his life and in His death. If we are to follow in His footsteps down the pathway of earthly life to eternal life, then we have to put down those beliefs and practices which serve only to separate men from each other and from God. It is in the practice of love and forgiveness that we shall find the heart of God. From the very beginning God had a plan to bring mankind back into an intimate relationship with him. He has given us the law so that we might find His Spirit dwelling in us through the blessing of obedience. Through God’s Spirit we find peace and light. Because God loves us so much He provided that the avenue we must follow is easy and joyful. To be obedient to God is to be blessed and joyful throughout one’s life. This law, which applies to all humankind for all time, is founded upon God’s holiness. God does not change and his holiness does not change, therefore the law does not change. It is the same loving guidance for every generation that was, that is, and that is to come. Fretheim declares, â€Å"The reason for the giving of the law is stated clearly: it is a gracious divine gift ‘so that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land’ (5:33)† (156). Why do we fight against the law of God? Is it because we have romanticized death through media messages which falsely present a passionate view of de ath, or is it because we cannot see that peace, life, and God–Himself- is found within the obedient existence. Jesus’ life would be a lie if it were not for the law. The law prophesized of his coming and of his sacrificial role. He came to live and die in the promises of God. There was no other reason for Jesus to come to this earth and die a terrible death, other than to fulfill the law. God said it, and since His word does not change, nor return void, it had to be so. If we look at no other scripture than Matthew 5:17-48 we can clearly define the role of the law and Jesus’ participation in the law. For in this scripture we see Jesus proclaim the law, Jesus interpret the law for all of mankind, Jesus fulfilled the law; and Jesus make the law applicable today, and forever and always. Works Cited Bruegemann, Walter. The Creative Word: Canon as a Model for Biblical Education. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1982. Print. Fretheim, Terence E. The Pentateuch. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996. Print. Johnson, Susanne. Christian Spiritual Formation in the Church and Classroom. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1989. Print. New Revised Standard Version. Ed. Michael Coogan. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print. South Georgia Church of God. â€Å"South Georgia Church of God.† 2010. Who We Are. Web. 17 October 2013.

The Goals Of The French Revolution - 1360 Words

Beginning in 1789, the French Revolution was a time of rebellion, passion, betrayal, death, violence, and perseverance. Before 1789, King Louis XVI was taxing his poorest people heavily, whilst the rich were hardly taxed at all. The socioeconomic system in place at the time, known as the ancien regime, ruthlessly upheld the status quo. When the tension in France rose to a boiling point, fiery, young rebels to rose up against the Monarchy, the Ancien Regime, and the Clergy. These revolutionaries desperately wanted change, and they had three main principles around which their movement centered: Libertà ©, Égalità ©, and Fraternità ©. Liberty is the freedom to do as one pleases so long as one’s actions do not unjustifiably harm others. Equality is being considered the same. Fraternity is a sense of brotherhood and companionship. 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