Quotes About the Joys of Winter

Quotes About the Joys of Winter Come winter and the world is covered with a white sheet of snow. Kids welcome winter by catching the first few snowflakes in their mouth. For adults, winter brings a slew of festivities like skiing, snowboarding, sled dog racing, and many others. And then there is Christmas. Christmas on a wintry December night brings families closer as they cozy up around a warm hearth. Revel in the joys of winter while you sip your ale and read these winter quotes. Pietro AretinoLet us love winter, for it is the spring of genius. George HerbertEvery mile is two in winter. Mignon McLaughlinSpring, summer, and fall fill us with hope; winter alone reminds us of the human condition. William BlakeIn seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. Edith SitwellWinter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home. Victor HugoWinter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart. William BradfordAnd for the season it was winter, and they that know the winters of that country know them to be sharp and violent, and subject to cruel and fierce storms. Boris PasternakIt snowed and snowed, the whole world over, Snow swept the world from end to end. A candle burned on the table; A candle burned. Virginia WoolfNever are voices so beautiful as on a winters evening, when dusk almost hides the body, and they seem to issue from nothingness with a note of intimacy seldom heard by day. Charles DickensLooking up, she showed him quite a young face, but one whose bloom and promise were all swept away as if the haggard winter should unnaturally kill the spring. Elizabeth BowenAutumn arrives in early morning, but spring at the close of a winter day. HeraclitusGod is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, surfeit and hunger. Albert CamusIn the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. Robert FrostYou cant get too much winter in the winter. Sinclair LewisWinter is not a season, it’s an occupation.

The 13 Best Places to Visit in Paris

The 13 Best Places to Visit in Paris SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You only need a glimpse to know what they are: the barest outline of the Eiffel Tower or a few flying buttresses of Notre Dame are usually enough to identify the most famous Paris attractions. Located in one of the best known and most visited cities in the world, Paris’ top sites are, in fact, so popular and so heavily visited that touring the city can sometimes feel like pushing through a sea of tourists as you each struggle to complete the same sightseeing checklist. It shouldn't feel this way! Paris is a huge city filled with diverse sights, some better known than others. It’s not difficult to step off the tourist trail and find yourself in authentic Paris, surrounded by native Parisians and visiting places that don’t have their images plastered on every dish towel and ashtray filling the tourist shops. However, a desire to see a more unique and realistic view of Paris doesn’t mean you should skip the main attractions. It would be an odd (and likely disappointing) itinerary that didn’t include the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. The key is to find a balance between the popular attractions that define our image of Paris and the lesser-known sights that let you see another side of the city and get a better idea of what Paris is like for locals. With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of the top 13 Paris attractions and organized them into four categories: architecture, museums, churches, and parks. Together, these categories make up much of our popular vision of Paris. For each category, the best-known sight (or sights) is listed first, followed by two lesser-known but equally enjoyable options. At the end of the guide, I’ve included a three-day itinerary you can follow on your visit to Paris, along with ways to customize it to your particular interests. This itinerary will introduce you to off-the-radar places rarely visited by tourists as well as give insider tips and guidelines for visiting some of the most popular Paris attractions. The Top 13 Places to Visit in Paris Architecture Eiffel Tower Arc de Triomphe Palais Garnier Museums Louvre Musà ©e d’Orsay Musà ©e Rodin Musà ©e du quai Branly Churches Notre Dame Cathedral Sacrà ©-Coeur Basilica St Denis Basilica Parks Luxembourg Gardens Cimetiere de Pere Lachaise Parc des Buttes-Chaumont Here's a map of 12 of the 13 locations (St. Denis is to the north). You can also view the map online. Architecture Best Known: The Eiffel Tower The worldwide symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower is about as â€Å"must-see† as an attraction can get. It hasn't always been so popular though. There’s a legend that famed French writer Guy de Maupassant hated the Eiffel Tower so intensely that every day he’d eat lunch under it because it was the only place in the city where he couldn’t see it. These days it’s quite easy to wander around many parts of Paris without catching a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, so you should try to make your first sight of it memorable. One of the grandest views is at the Trocadà ©ro Metro stop. While there are stops that are closer to the tower, none can match the view of the Eiffel Tower suddenly springing into existence and filling most of the skyline as you step out of the station. The best times for viewing the Eiffel Tower are early in the morning, before most tourists and vendors have gotten up, and at night, when the tower lights up every hour, on the hour. For five minutes the Eiffel Tower is transformed into a sparkling structure that looks almost as if it has been covered with a fine piece of glittery lace. It’s also possible to go up the Eiffel Tower. Eiffel Tower tickets are very popular so, if you choose to do this, be sure to reserve your tickets at least several days ahead of time (particularly in the summer) to avoid long lines. There are three different levels you can stop at, with most people finding the middle level to offer the best photo opportunities. The Eiffel Tower also has two restaurants, Le 58 Tour Eiffel and Le Jules Verne Restaurant. If you're interested in dining at one of them, book several weeks in advance to ensure you get a spot. Arc de Triomphe Another symbol of the city, the Arc de Triomphe is located at the western end of Paris’ most famous street, the Champs-Elysà ©es. Built in honor of those who fought in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, the Arc de Triomphe also contains the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WWI and an eternal flame in remembrance of those who died in both World Wars. While most people are content to simply take a picture of the Arc de Triomphe and continue on with their shopping (or window shopping) along the Champs-Elysà ©es, this site is in fact my pick for the best attraction in Paris to ascend to the top of. It’s much more popular to travel up the Eiffel Tower, but going to the top of the Arc de Triomphe is cheaper, far less crowded (no need for advance tickets), and, above all, it gives you a better view of Paris. This is because your view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe will include the Eiffel Tower anchoring Paris’ skyline which, as Monsieur Maupassant knew, the view from the Eiffel Tower does not. Palais Garnier Located near two of Paris’ major department stores, the Palais Garnier is a historic opera house and one of the loveliest buildings in Paris. It’s also one of the most famous opera houses in the world and was the setting for the novel and musical Phantom of the Opera. The best way to visit is during one of its evening performances (there are actually more ballet performances here than opera these days) when you can mingle with the hoi polloi of Paris. However, even people with no interest in attending a show will enjoy seeing the building’s opulent interior which is practically dripping with chandeliers and gold leaf. Highlights include the grand staircase, Grand Foyer, Salon de la Lune, and the Auditorium, with its vibrant ceiling painting by Marc Chagall. This architectural sight is a nice contrast to some of Paris’ better known buildings, such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, since its interior is the main draw. The Palais Garnier can be visited daily by self-guided tours which allow access to each of the aforementioned sights as well as a small museum. Museums Best Known #1: The Louvre Not only the most visited museum in the world, the Louvre is also the largest, with over 35,000 objects on display, a thought that excites some but causes others to shudder at the idea of shuffling past miles of oil paintings. The trick to the Louvre is to use its size to your advantage; it’s collection is so vast that there’s truly something here to interest everyone. Hit the top attractions first: Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Venus de Milo are the three most popular pieces to view. Then, struggle free of the crowds and head to whichever galleries strike your fancy. It’s helpful to review a map of the museum beforehand and arrive at the Louvre museum with a game plan. There are as many paintings as you could ever want to see, and, if you’re interested in something different, there are also galleries devoted to Islamic art, recreations of Napoleon’s apartments, sculpture gardens, and more. You may find the Louvre quieter if you visit right when it opens or in the afternoons (particularly Wednesday when it’s open until 10pm), but, more often than not, there will be a line to purchase Louvre tickets and crowding around the main attractions. Particularly around the Mona Lisa, it’s best to just give in and accept the selfie sticks, then escape to a quieter part of the museum. Best Known #2: Musà ©e d’Orsay A shade less well-known than the Louvre, the Musà ©e d’Orsay is often the preferred museum of travelers who visit both. A main reason for this is because the Musà ©e d’Orsay is often seen as far less overwhelming than the Louvre: its lines are typically much shorter, its galleries less crowded, and it has roughly 4,000 works on display compared to the Louvre’s 35,000. Both museums have top-notch buildings, but people who prefer contemporary architecture may be more drawn to the Musà ©e d’Orsay’s setting in an old railway station. While the Musà ©e d’Orsay doesn’t have any pieces as famous as the Mona Lisa, it houses the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pieces in the world, including Monet’s Blue Water Lilies, Renoir’s Montmartre, and Van Gogh’s Church at Auvers. Impressionist pieces are often very popular with visitors due to their bright colors and open composition, and if you are interested in this style of art, you may want to consider visiting the Musà ©e d’Orsay in place of, or in addition to, the Louvre. Musà ©e Rodin Image source: Vincius Pinheiro/Flickr The Musà ©e Rodin is the museum for people who hate museums or are burnt out from museums. It features pieces by Auguste Rodin, one of the world’s most famous sculptures, known for the realism and emotion in his works. The majority of pieces are showcased in the attractive mansion Rodin used to live and work in, but the highlight is the adjacent sculpture garden. Here, visitors can wander through manicured gardens with some of Rodin’s most famous pieces, including The Thinker and The Gates of Hell, lining the paths and tucked into grassy alcoves. Visitors can also take a rest or read the newspaper in one of the chairs situated next to the pond at the edge of garden. Wandering through the museum gardens on a sunny day is one of the most enjoyable ways I know to get a dose of art and culture. It’s possible to visit just the gardens, and, at 4 euros, it’s also one of the best deals in Paris. Musà ©e du quai Branly Image source: Julien Texier/Flickr The Musà ©e du quai Branly is the place to visit for people interested in international art or those who can’t handle looking at one more Renaissance-era painting. Situated close to the Eiffel Tower, the first thing you’ll notice about this museum is the lush vertical gardens covering its outer walls. They’re the first sign that this museum prides itself on its individuality. Inside are art and cultural objects from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. This is one of Paris’ newest museums, opened in 2006, and it makes good use of technological advances and interactive displays. Cutting through the middle of the museum is a winding sculptural â€Å"river’† with interactive panels, meant to connect the different exhibits and guide visitors through the museum. Even people not normally interested in the sort of objects the Musà ©e du quai Branly displays may enjoy visiting if they need a quiet refuge from the Eiffel Tower. There are no individual rooms and few displays to read, so the museum seems airier and less intimidating than most. Musà ©e du quai Branly is also open later than almost all other museums in Paris (until either 7pm or 9pm each night), so it also makes a good option if you’re wondering what to do in Paris at night. Churches Best Known: Notre Dame Cathedral Visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, with its flying buttresses and rose stained-glass windows, is one of the top things to do in Paris, and practically everyone who visits the city makes it to this Gothic masterpiece. There is almost always a line snaking out the doors, but since admission is free and there is no checkpoint to pass, it moves quite quickly, so don’t be daunted. If you’d like to avoid the crowds anyway, try arriving early in the morning, before 10:00am. You can also visit the bell towers (for a fee), but the wait is often several hours due to the limited number of people allowed up at a time. If you’re interested in doing this, try to get in line before doors open at 10:00am to reduce waiting time. Notre Dame is located on the ÃŽle de la Cità ©, a small island in the middle of the Seine River and the historical center of Paris. In addition to Notre Dame, there are two other Medieval buildings on the island which you can visit: the Sainte-Chapelle church and the Conciergerie prison, where Marie Antoinette was held before her execution in 1793. Sacrà ©-Coeur Basilica Despite its relative youth (it was only completed in 1914), Sacrà ©-Coeur is a popular Parisian attraction, though not as highly visited as Notre Dame. Its attractive onion domes look straight out of the Byzantine, but there are a few clues that show Sacre-Coeur’s true age. Once inside, see if you can spot the anachronistic-looking painting of businessmen hidden amongst all the religious figures in the ceiling mural. They were added in recognition of some of the Basilica’s most important donors. Sacre-Coeur was built on the highest point in the city, and reaching the top (either by taking a funicular or climbing a few hundred steps) offers fantastic views of Paris. Surrounding Sacre-Coeur is Montmartre, one of Paris’ most interesting and popular neighborhoods. There are tourists here, but there are also art studios, bistros, and cobblestone streets leading to traditional walled gardens. It’s a great place to feel the bohemian vibe of a bygone Paris. St. Denis Basilica This is the church to visit for people interested in history (or royals or over-the-top tombs). Located just outside the city limits, in a northern suburb, St. Denis Basilica is an easy 20-minute ride on line 13 from the city center. While hardly noticed by tourists, it is here that 43 kings and 32 queens of France, including Marie Antoinette, are buried. The site has been used as a burial place since Roman times, and nearly every French king between the 10th and 18th centuries came to rest here. The building itself is also important. Completed in 1144, it’s often considered the world’s first Gothic church. Parks Best Known: Luxembourg Gardens The wonderful thing about the Luxembourg Gardens is that they are hugely appealing to tourists yet not at all a tourist attraction. These gardens are well-loved and well-frequented by the citizens of Paris, and many Parisians spent their childhood afternoons launching toy sailboats into the ponds or playing games on the lawn. No matter when you visit, even at the height of tourist season in July and August, you can be sure that a fair percentage of the other people enjoying the Luxembourg Gardens are native Parisians, which is not true of many of Paris’ other top attractions. After a day of rushing from one attraction to another, come to these gardens to see how Paris relaxes and join in on the (in)action. Stroll through the gardens, play a game of tennis, admire the fountains, or just pull up a chair (there always seems to be vacant ones) and let the afternoon drift by. Pà ¨re-Lachaise Cemetery Pà ¨re-Lachaise is, in fact, a cemetery rather than just a park, but it includes many walking paths as well as sitting areas within its confines. And this isn’t just any cemetery; Pà ¨re-Lachaise is the place to be buried in Paris. It’s the largest cemetery within the city, with an estimated one million people buried here. Hundreds of famous names, both Parisians and foreigners, have made this their final resting place, and demand is so high for space that plots are often purchased only for 10, 30, or 50 years, to be exhumed when the â€Å"lease† is up and moved to another area. Some of the most famous people to be buried in Pà ¨re-Lachaise include writer Oscar Wilde, singer Edith Piaf, composer Frà ©dà ©ric Chopin, and, most visited of all, American rocker Jim Morrison. Morrison’s grave is, in fact, so popular that it has been fenced off and a guard posted nearby to prevent fans from doing illicit activities near (and on) his grave. Pà ¨re-Lachaise can often feel like a maze with gravestones planted every which way, and finding a particular grave can be challenging. It helps to purchase a map at any of the shops flanking the cemetery before you plunge in. Additionally, the cemetery has been divided into different numbered sections to help you find your way, and there are signs at the main entrances that list where the most famous graves can be found. The catacombs are typically the attraction tourists visit when they want to come face-to-face with death in Paris, but I find them to often be hurried and overly touristic. As an alternative, I recommend Pà ¨re-Lachaise. There are no visible bones to gawk at, but it’s free to visit, you can wander at your own pace, and you’ll likely get a better sense of Paris’ history, the changes the city went through, and the luminaries who made this place their home. Parc des Buttes-Chaumont Image source: Ard Hesselink/Flickr For those who like their parks a little wilder (and a lot less populated), Buttes-Chaumont is the place for you. Located in the 19th arrondissement, this park contains the standard flower beds, walking paths, and areas for play. In addition to all that, Buttes-Chaumont also has a collection of waterfalls, cliffs, and grottoes. This spot was formerly a quarry, which accounts for the steep changes in height throughout the park. If you want a bit of a workout, follow the suspension bridges across the artificial lake to the rocky island situated in the middle. Here, you can travel the steep stairway to the island’s highest point, where a miniature Temple to Sybil (a copy of a famous Roman temple) is hidden among the trees. The bustle of Paris may as well be a world away. The Best 3-Day Itinerary for Paris Attractions Three days is a great amount of time to get a taste for the City of Light. Following this itinerary will ensure you hit all the major Paris attractions without getting burned out: you'll hit all of the must-see locations, but there's plenty of flexibility to customize the itinerary to your particular interests and energy level. Day 1 Start your trip on Paris’ most famous street, the Champs-Elysà ©es. At the end stands the Arc de Triomphe. Buy a ticket to climb a few hundred stairs to the top where you can survey the city you’re about to explore. After you’ve gotten glimpse of the Eiffel Tower from afar, it’s time to visit it up close. Take the Metro to the Trocadà ©ro stop where you can choose to go to the top of the tower or simply admire it from the ground. After visiting the Eiffel Tower, visit the Musà ©e du Quai Branly or the Musà ©e de Rodin. After the sun goes down, you can watch the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower easily from either museum. The Musà ©e de Rodin has great views of the Eiffel Tower from the gardens, while the tower is just a short walk from the Musà ©e du Quai Branly. Day 2 On day two, arrive at the Louvre about 30 minutes before doors open at 9am to reduce the chances of crowds and long lines. Once inside, you’re free to spend as much time as you’d like surveying its vast collection. In the afternoon, get some fresh air by wandering the Ile de la Cità © and Notre Dame. Ile de la Cità © and the neighboring Latin Quarter on the left bank of the Seine River are some of the most attractive and historical parts of Paris, so spend some time enjoying the sites. Afterwards, the Luxembourg Gardens are close to the Latin Quarter for a picnic dinner and relaxation, or you could stop by a museum you didn’t get to visit the first day. Day 3 For the third morning, visit either the Musà ©e D’Orsay, or, if you want a smaller and quicker attraction (or just aren’t interested in any more museums), take a self-guided tour of the Palais Garnier. Both are great examples of the beauty of Parisian architecture. Spend the afternoon around the Montmartre area of Paris and visit the Sacrà © Coeur. This is a great area to have lunch and soak in the artistic, bohemian vibe in one of the many small cafes lining the streets. You then have a couple of choices for what to do next. If you want to keep the church theme going, catch a train to the St. Denis Basilica and check out its Gothic architecture and historical tombs. Or, if you’d prefer the graves you visit to be a bit more recent, take a walk through Pà ¨re-Lachaise Cemetery. Finally, if all you’re looking to do is relax, head over to the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont and enjoy the natural setting.

Minimum Wages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Minimum Wages - Essay Example With both the Democrats and the Republican united on the issue of increase in the minimum wage a price hike is predicted in the near future. The current price of minimum wage is likely to rise from $5.15 to $ 6.15 in a phased manner spread over a period of 2 to 3 years. There has always been a clash of interest among organized labor groups and the business community. Organized labor group call for more competitive hike in minimum wage so that the workers enjoy a marked advancement in their standard of living. The business community is apprehensive of the economic consequences of rising minimum wage. Small business fears they would face a crunch forcing them to shut down their business or discourage new entrepreneurs due the rising cost of labor. Most small business organizations are in short of finance and hence if the cost of hiring labor is more then the profit generated then the costs are cut and expenses covered by making less recruitment. The business community at large predicts that the increases in cost of minimum wage would force them to lay off people and discourage them from making new recruitments thus increasing the rate of unemployment especially of the unskilled labors.

Student Counseling Service Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Student Counseling Service - Research Proposal Example b. Question #2: The wording of the question must change as: Which of the following best describes your age The responses given are ambiguous, e.g. 19 - 20 years; 20-25 years and so on. Where would the age of 20 years be captured The correct responses should be: Less than or equal to 18 19 to 20 21 to 25 26 to 30 and so on. d. Question #4: The question can be restated as: What is your religious affiliation Closed-ended options could be provided in the response list: Protestant Christian Roman Catholic Jewish Evangelical Christian Muslim Hindu Buddhist Others (please specify) e. Question #5: This is an ambiguous double barreled statement. Two issues, namely, cultural and religious, are mixed up here. It would be prudent to separate the two issues, and use a Likert scale for capturing the responses. The restated questions could be: In your opinion, the primary reason for seeking counseling service is: f. Question #6: The word "crises" is an inconsistent usage of terminology. Also, the period during which the services have been sought is not explicit. The question should be restated as: How many times between June 2005 and June 2007, have you used counseling service In the response list, 'several times', 'regular basis' is ambiguous. The response options should be recast as: Less than or equal to 5 6 to 10 11 to 15 16 to 20 h. ... Asian - Pacific Islander Native American Others (please specify) d. Question #4: The question can be restated as: What is your religious affiliation Closed-ended options could be provided in the response list: Protestant Christian Roman Catholic Jewish Evangelical Christian Muslim Hindu Buddhist Others (please specify) e. Question #5: This is an ambiguous double barreled statement. Two issues, namely, cultural and religious, are mixed up here. It would be prudent to separate the two issues, and use a Likert scale for capturing the responses. The restated questions could be: In your opinion, the primary reason for seeking counseling service is: Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly Disagree Agree Cultural factors: Religious factors: f. Question #6: The word "crises" is an inconsistent usage of terminology. Also, the period during which the services have been sought is not explicit. The question should be restated as: How many times between June 2005 and June 2007, have you used counseling service In the response list, 'several times', 'regular basis' is ambiguous. The response options should be recast as: Less than or equal to 5 6 to 10 11 to 15 16 to 20 g. Question #7: Not found... reflects casual approach to survey design h. Question #8: The question posed is not amenable to an objective analysis. A Likert scale is recommended. The question could be recast as: In your opinion, how would you rate the interactions of counseling staff with you: Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly Disagree

Blue Print for Personal and Professional Growth Essay Example for Free

Blue Print for Personal and Professional Growth Essay This course has provided me with a multitude of tools, and it has definitely taught me to put careful thought into every situation as it pertains to change; whether it relates to work, school, or things that are going on in my personal life. These tools are both important and necessary in order to become an effective manager in the future. This course has taught me a lot in terms of initiating and managing change, and Kotter’s eight-stage process is a very useful approach when it comes to making changes within an organization. This course has helped me strengthen my skills in overcoming barriers that tend to get and make it difficult to keep up with the change process. For me, the most interesting part of the course was learning about how today’s organizations are constantly evolving to accommodate change and learning about the tools that are required in order to work through those barriers that are known to effect efficient and positive change within organizations. To become an effective change advocate, it will be important for me to understand that although the change process can become somewhat difficult, it is possible when the necessary steps are applied to the change process. In addition to believing that change is possible, it is also important to carefully plan for change to assure that the process has been carefully thought out before attempting to apply changes within an organization. Being creative and motivated will also help me to become an effective change advocate as being creative will allow me to step outside of my comfort zone and think outside of the box while being motivated will help build momentum among myself and my employees as well as trust. Being creative will also give me the courage to take risks. Finally, to become an effective change advocate, it will be important for me to be flexible when it comes to change so that I will be able to adjust to any unforeseen circumstances that may arise. Leadership for Change: Enduring Skills for Change Masters Upon reviewing Kanter’s Article, â€Å"Leadership for Change: Enduring Skills for Change Master’s†, I found that of the seven skills described by Kanter, one area of weakness is skill #1: Sensing Needs and Opportunities: Tuning in to the Environment. As the author states, â€Å"Innovation begins with someone being aware enough to sense a new need† (Kanter, 2003). Being a person who has always struggled with adapting to new things, I would definitely benefit from strengthening this skill so that I am equipped with the necessary tools that will allow me to sense when there is a need for change as well as being able to identify the gaps between what is and what could be. Another weak area for me is skill #4: Enlisting Backers and Supporters: Getting Buy-Ins, Building Coalitions†. Strengthening this skill will allow me to bring on board the right people who are needed to help successfully implement the change as having too many people involved with the process could cause a delay in the implementation of the change, or could result in failure. This will require me to communicate my vision in order to find out who is receptive of the change and who is resistant as well ask finding out exactly who I will need to help with the change process. In order to further strengthen my management skills, I will continue with my program at Walden University until I have earned a Master’s degree in the field of management. This program will prepare me to successfully manage my employees and projects as well as how to face some of the critical challenges that exist in today’s society. I will also refer to the tools that have been provided to me in this course as I am sure they will serve as a guide in my quest to enter into the management arena as well as my personal life when change becomes necessary. When it comes to change, it is important to be able to determine both the reason for the change and why it is necessary. I will use the skills that I’ve gained in this course by applying them to changes that take place in my personal life and in my professional life, when applicable. When I am involved in the change process, I will make sure to follow Kotter’s eight-stage process to ensure that the change is implemented successfully and will little or no interferences.

Message of Hope in East of Eden, Cannery Row, and The Grapes of Wrath E

Message of Hope in East of Eden, Cannery Row, and The Grapes of Wrath      Ã‚   When I look at Caleb Trask, I see a man from the book East of Eden to admire.   Although he was a man with many faults and shortcomings, and a man with an unnatural sense of cruelty, he was also a man who had a deep longing to be perfect and pleasing to his family, a man who craved his father's attention, and a man with a better heart than any other character in the book.   When I look at Mack I see a man with more soul and more kindness than any other person on Cannery Row.   He isn't ashamed of his poverty or life as a bum, and he embraces who he is, for all of the good and bad.   He goes to exhaustive lengths to give his friend, Doc, a party.   He is compelled to do this because he sees what Doc does for the people of the community, and he wishes to give him something in return.   That kind of spirit and gentleness cannot be bought with any amount of money.   When I look at Ma, in the novel, The Grapes of Wrath; never have I read of such a strong person, mal e or female, who so single-handedly kept her family together. While reading the book I became disheartened at what this woman had to endure and persevere through: death, family desertion, starvation, and sickness.   I was also encouraged by her. Ma was a role model of integrity, or rather, she was a reminder of the ease in which I live from day to day-she was the epitome of courage and diligence.   John Steinbeck uses three seemingly different characters to convey the same message, one of hope and perseverance.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When I first read East of Eden, nothing about Cal Trask's personality or his mannerisms made him likable. He was introverted, cold, and hard.   I could not help but sense th... ...EINBECK(1902-1968).   San Jose State University.   17 Jan. 2001.   . Levant, Howard.   The Novels of John Steinbeck: a Critical Study.   Columbia: U of Missouri Press, 1974. Murray, Robert Davis, ed.   Steinbeck.   Englewood: Prentice-Hall, 1972. National Steinbeck Center.   Salinas, CA.   17 Jan. 2001.   . Steinbeck Country.   San Jose State University.   17 Jan. 2001.   . Trosow, Esther. John Steinbeck's Pacific Grove.   17 Jan. 2001.   . Trosow, Esther.   John Steinbeck's Biography.   17 Jan. 2001.  Ã‚  Ã‚   . Valjean, Nelson.   John Steinbeck: The Errant Knight.   San Francisco:   Chronicle Books, 1975.         

Greek Life: the Negative College Experience

Rachael Susco Mr. Rose ENGL 1302. 13 6 November 2012 Greek Life: The Negative College Experience? Most people do not have the ability to think of college without thinking of some sort of Greek life organization. Whether that thought is negative or positive may vary, but it is rare to think of any time in a college of any sort without thinking of a fraternity or a sorority at all. This is to be expected because most of these groups have somewhat dominated their campuses for hundreds of years, or since their particular chapters were formed.Supporters of Greek life, especially of fraternities, argue that being involved in Greek life organizations encourages brotherhood, the development of leadership skills, and the participation in philanthropic organizations throughout the students’ collegiate career. The bonds of brotherhood within fraternities have proven to be some of the strongest bonds among young men across the country. When it comes to supporting each other, it appears th at the young men of collegiate fraternities are masters in the field.Whatever problems are faced by one brother can easily be backed up or even repaired completely by another, and the massive amount of time that the members are required to spend with each other due to meetings or rituals or any other function for the particular fraternity does nothing but strengthen the bond that was already set by initiation into the group. It is rare among college campuses, especially at Sam Houston State University, to see a member of a fraternity walking alone or spending any amount of downtime doing anything but socializing with the other members of their organization.This type of bonding can most certainly be considered to be a very positive aspect of participating in a fraternity, especially when the ability build relationships and work together as members of a team is one of the main concepts behind the organizations in the first place. These organizations may seem harmless enough in the set tings that are viewed by the public, but if a closer look is taken at specific time periods of brotherhood, especially pledgeship for the newest members of the fraternity, it is obvious that these groups are anything but innocuous.There have been many reports of underage binge drinking at the parties for all different fraternities and requirements of the pledges to consume extremely large and ultimately unsafe amounts of alcohol, all in the hopes of acceptance into the organization and done out of fear of rejection. For example, it has been observed for many years that the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Sam Houston State University requires their pledges to finish an entire handle of Jagermeister liquor among themselves within a small window of time, and if they fail to do it properly, they are handed a new bottle and forced to start again.This activity is done on Bid Day, the very first day that the young men announce their desire to join the fraternity. Another example of this ty pe of encouragement of binge drinking would be the two deaths of the pledges of completely different fraternities and two different college campuses during 1997. The first, Scott Krueger, an â€Å"18-year-old Massachusetts Institute of Technology freshman honors student† who died after a party that was thrown off-campus by the â€Å"Phi Gamma Delta fraternity† that Krueger was in the process of pledging (Scrivo 1). His blood alcohol level was a determined to be a â€Å". 1,† which is â€Å"more than five times the legal limit† (Scrivo 1). The second is Benjamin Wynne, a pledge of the â€Å"Sigma Alpha Epsilon† fraternity at Louisiana State University (Scrivo 1). His blood alcohol level after death was reported to be â€Å". 58,† a level that is â€Å"nearly six times the legal limit† (Scrivo 1). This type of strict enforcement and fear of rejection by the pledges must be taken into account when discussing what constitutes â€Å"broth erhood. † The definition of the word itself is â€Å"the feeling of kinship with and closeness to a group of people or all people. One could easily question how the requirement of new members to binge drink to the point of alcohol poisoning or potentially even death equates what is described so often as â€Å"brotherhood. † Another aspect that must be taken into consideration when defining â€Å"brotherhood† is the racial profiling that has gone into choosing and accepting members into fraternities in the past and how it has translated into today. Many different fraternities were originally founded as specifically one race organizations, such as â€Å"Pi Kappa Alpha,† which was rimarily an â€Å"all-white fraternity† (Black, White 1). Now, there are laws set into place that prohibit â€Å"membership bias and exclusion based upon race† in both United States educational institutions as well as in the â€Å"corresponding fraternities and soror ities† of the institutions, but this brings up the question of whether or not the organizations would be any different in modern times than they were when originally founded (Black, White 1). Are these organizations only accepting racially different members because they are required to by law?This question is very difficult to answer, but is something to consider once again when determining whether or not the term â€Å"brotherhood† is used genuinely or if it should be replaced by something a little more truthful: forced acceptance. Focusing again on the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and their lack of true brotherhood, there was a reported case of a student member of the PKA fraternity at the University of Tennessee being sent to the hospital during the month of September, 2012, with a blood alcohol level â€Å"well over a . ,† induced by the alcohol ingesting practice called â€Å"butt chugging† (Jacobs 1). This practice is more formally known as an â€Å"al cohol enema† and is essentially when an individual ingests alcohol into his or her system through the rectum, where it is then directly absorbed in the intestines (Jacobs 1). By consuming mass amounts of alcohol in this manner, the effects of the liquor â€Å"come quickly and potently† and are extremely dangerous for the individual partaking in the practice (Jacobs 1).Also, when members of this particular fraternity are asked about their experiences in the organization so far, all of their answers are overwhelmingly positive and many of them wholeheartedly support the claim that there is absolutely no negative aspect that comes with being involved in a Greek organization. How can a situation so incredibly terrible for the members such as the one that occurred at the University of Tennessee be encourage among the members and still be seen as â€Å"positive† in any way?Anyone with any amount logic or concern for the young men who join these organizations must take situations like this one into account when deciding on whether or not these groups are a positive aspect of the collegiate experience. Although all fraternities across the country are run in different manners and have different sets of rules that, all of them have some sort of executive board or positions that are deemed the leaders of the organization.They tend to have jobs, such as running the meetings, managing the money for the fraternity, filling out necessary paperwork for every different type of function, or taking care of matters of law breaking within the fraternity. Holding this type of position is considered to be prestigious because it means that that particular member is an excellent example of leadership towards their peers, and by being voted into a position of executive power, these leadership qualities are refined by the work required of that position.Refining leadership qualities can be used later on in life in the setting of the adult work environment, which can u ltimately lead to better paying jobs and a more impressive, well-respected position in life. Again, this is a nice enough concept, but not necessarily as true as it seems if examined in the actual fraternities.Personal interviews with the members of Tau Kappa Epsilon at Sam Houston State University have revealed that even though a member is elected into position by his peers, his position is not necessarily respected, especially if the elected member is young in both age and amount of years they have been involved in the organization. The amount of time that a member spends within the fraternity ultimately equals the amount of power he holds in comparison to his peers, and according to the members of the TKE fraternity, this type of power tends to overrule the executive position holders regardless of the title that they may hold.This type of thought process will not always be functional or acceptable out in the workforce of the country, and many times if executive position rulings a re ignored, the result is a loss of a job or even jail time. If the development of leadership skills is supposed to be a positive aspect of Greek life, then the type of leadership qualities and the acceptance of them should be modified to reflect more real world attributes. Another positive feature of Greek life is that each organization has a particular philanthropy that they participate in and donate funds to every year.This annual participation with so many different organization is in fact one of the most positive aspects that all Greek life organizations have to offer, especially because of all the constructive repercussions that occur because of it. Not only do the fraternities and sororities donate to their particular philanthropic organizations unrelentingly, but they also raise awareness about the many different types of charity groups in the surrounding communities and in the world altogether among the other students of the universities.Each Greek life organization usually has a minimum time span, usually a week or a month, where they try to recruit the help of the students around the university in supporting their particular charity. By having a particular time span, such as â€Å"Movember† for the Delta Tau Delta fraternity which encompasses the whole month of November every year and encourages male students across campus to not shave their facial hair in order to raise awareness about testicular cancer, the organizations are able to plan events and different types of advertising in order to maximize the amount of awareness about their patronage.With all of these differing types of events for the philanthropic organizations, it truly helps to make such types of charitable work more approachable and even more exciting to an entirely new group of unknowing people, such as the non-Greek affiliated students on the campus.It would seem that fraternities and sororities helping out with charitable organizations would be somewhat difficult to underm ine and find any negative aspect with, but it most certainly is not that difficult when you consider that most of the Greek life establishments are only participating with these charities because they are forced to by University rule. If the Greek groups were not required by their Universities to participate in at least one philanthropic event every year, it presents the question of whether or not these groups are participating with pure intentions, or if they are only doing it because they are forced to.Something that should also be taken into consideration when comparing the positive aspects against the negative ones is again whether these patronage events are done with purely wholesome intentions of helping out the less fortunate, or if these events are done simply to add on to their future resumes in the hopes of again increasing their potential for better job opportunities.On the surface, it appears that fraternities and Greek life organizations as a whole have many positive as pects, until further inspected and genuinely analyzed. When the majority of an organization’s positive features are required by law or chapter by-laws and the members willingly participating in such dangerous or negative activities, the question of how constructive the organization truly is comes into context and has the ability to destroy any positive reputation that the establishment had to offer in the first place.If the laws and by-laws monitoring and ruling the fraternities were made stronger, or if more people spoke out about all of the negative aspects of the organizations in a more public manner, then the opportunity for such harmful results to come out of such groups that play such a major role in the collegiate experience could be greatly reduced or eliminated overall. Works Cited Arriaga, Robert. Personal interview. 5 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Fraternity Not Allowed on Campus Next Fall Due to Hazing Activities. Houstonianonline. com. Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Ho uston State University, 3 May 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. Huchting, Karie K. , et al. â€Å"Comparing Greek-affiliated students and student athletes: an examination of the behavior-intention link, reasons for drinking, and alcohol-related consequences. †Ã‚  Journal of Alcohol & Drug Education  55. 3 (2011): 61+. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. Hughey, Matthew W. â€Å"Black, White, Greek †¦ like who?Howard University student perceptions of a white fraternity on campus. †Ã‚  Educational Foundations  20. 1-2 (2006): 9+. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. Jacobs, Don. â€Å"Charges Stemming from Butt-Chugging Night at UT Frat Heard in City Court. † Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville: Knoxville News Sentinel Co. , 2012. Knoxnews. com. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. Scrivo, Karen Lee. â€Å"How Colleges Have Responded to Teenage Drinking. †Ã‚  Teen Alcoholism. Ed. Laura K. Egendorf. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001.Contempor ary Issues Companion. Rpt. from â€Å"Drinking on Campus. †Ã‚  CQ Researcher  (20 Mar. 1998). Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. Stevens, Ashlei N. â€Å"Greek Members Are More Likely to Binge Drink and Use Drugs. â€Å"Student Life. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from â€Å"Report: Fraternity, Sorority Members More Likely to Drink, Use Drugs than Non-Greeks. †Ã‚  Spartanburg Herald-Journal  18 Feb. 2008: A1. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 6 Dec. 2012.