Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 191

Summary - Essay Example Most reviewers have given positive comments about the film and commended it as a classic production. The plot is cast deep in the Chechen Mountains in a war environment. While on war duty, Russian soldiers get ambushed by a group of rebels. A fight ensues between the two groups which ends in the death of all the Russian soldiers save for two; Sasha and Vanya. The two of them get taken captive by the rebels who subject them to a situation where they have to cope with cross cultural and civilization differences. Notably, Sasha is and old soldier while Vanya is merely a new recruit. Perhaps it is this difference that makes them bear differences in preferences and characteristic traits. While the former works on a plan of escaping, the latter instead develops an approach of attempting to please his captors in one way or the other. While Sasha remains extremely cynical, Vanya gets portrayed as gawky and Naà ¯ve. In the Caucasus where they are captured, Islam is the main religion. As a result, they both have to cope with Islamic tendencies. They get chained together and have to live as one almost all through. This forces the two into developing a comradely bond and the warmth of support for one another. Specifically, the young soldier begins to develop emotions and feelings for their captor’s daughter which makes him warmer to the family as opposed to his counterpart. Apparently, the daughter of their captor also gets touched by Vanya’s kindness and warmth; a point that makes her risk the wrath of her father by extending a warm and helping hand to the former. The reason for keeping the soldiers captive is the hope of a possible swap between the rebels and the Russian Soldiers. Apparently, the Russian soldiers also hold the son of the chief captor hostage. The major themes portrayed in the film include pessimism, disillusionment, war, despair, and extreme cases

Cultural Competence Essay Example for Free

Cultural Competence Essay Cultural and linguistic competence in nursing can be defined as a set of related behaviors and attitudes that integrate together within a healthcare system or institution and among the professionals that work within the system or institution with the purpose of enabling effective and efficient delivery of health services in cross-cultural scenario (Jeffreys, 2006). Below is a brief description of the eight principles of cultural competence: †¢ Broadly defining culture This involves identifying the other factors besides race, language and ethnicity that determine an individual’s sense of awareness in relation to other people (HRSA, 2001). This is because health services are delivered to an individual, and group characteristics may not be a reflection of a person’s attitudes and life experiences (Lundy Janes, 2003). †¢ Valuing Clients’ Cultural beliefs This involves caregivers or professionals in healthcare sufficiently learning the attitudes, knowledge and belief of their target population regarding healthcare and applying what is learned for the delivery of culturally competent care (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Recognizing complexity in Language interpretation This is identifying any hindrances to effective communication and targeted group due to language differences; and laying down strategies to address the same (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Facilitating learning between caregivers and communities This is the creation of environments under which caregivers can learn about the beliefs and attitudes of the targeted cultural group and their impact on healthcare; while the targeted community learns more about how healthcare works (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Involving the community in the defining and addressing healthcare needs This is getting the community to fully participate in the formulation of health policies in the system that serves them so that managed care can be fully culturally competent (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Collaborating with other agencies This is forging working alliances with groups that are familiar with the needs of the targeted community to boost the chances of delivering culturally competent services (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Professionalizing staff hiring and training This is setting cultural competence standards for new caregivers getting into the system; and continually training serving staff in emerging standards of cultural competence (HRSA, 2001). †¢ Institutionalizing cultural competence This is making cultural competence standards an integral part of healthcare planning and optimizing hiring, training and funding to meet these standards (HRSA, 2001). In conclusion, the above principles are very vital to the delivery of holistic healthcare services for healthcare professionals working in cultures different from them (Lundy Janes, 2003). ? References Health Resources and Services Administration, HRSA (2001). Cultural Competence Works. Retrieved on 14/5/2010from ftp://ftp. hrsa. gov/financeMC/cultural-competence. pdf Jeffreys, M. R. (2006). Teaching Cultural Competence in Nursing and Health Care: Inquiry, Action and Innovation. Springer. Lundy, K. S. Janes, S. (2003). Essentials of Community-based Nursing. Jones Bartlett.

Free College Essays - Religious Symbols and Symbolism in Sweat :: Hurston Sweat Essays

Religious Symbolism in "Sweat" Zora Neale Hurston's "Sweat" is a short story rich in moral and religious parallels. This story is about a common African- American working woman in the deep South and how she clings to her faith in God to see her through the hardships caused by her faithful and abusive husband. Throughout this story there is religious symbolism that characterizes Delia and Sykes Jones as two people on opposite ends of the moral spectrum yet bound by marital vows that have lost their meaning. Delia Jones is a hard working woman who uses her faith in God to guide and protect her from her husband's relentless physical and emotional abuse. From the very beginning, Delia represents diligence in work, humbleness, and saintly virtue. This protagonist is depicted as physically feeble yet spiritually strong. Diametrically opposite to Delia's character is her husband Sykes. Sykes Jones seems to oppose Delia in his every word and action. He is physically abusive toward his wife, non-virtuous in that he is adulterous, and he takes advantage of Delia's hard work by spending the money that she makes on his lover. While Sykes is physically strong and has no virtue or faith in God, Delia's strength lies in her religion and humble tolerance of her husband which proves, in the end, prevalent over his brute strength and abusive attitude. Certain objects and situations in the story suggest the influence of religion. The white clothes Delia washes in the story are symbolic of her character. White represents her virtue and saintly tendencies as she humbly tolerates Sykes' torment. The religious association of snakes and evil is prevalent in two instances in this story. Sykes at one point uses a whip to scare Delia by rubbing it on her and making her think it was a snake. Also, later in the story, Sykes places a real snake just outside the door of their house for the sole purpose of scaring Delia. These two examples could be seen as a biblical allusion as in the story of Adam and Eve when Satan took the form of a snake. The symbolism of snakes in "Sweat" subtly and cleverly illustrates Sykes as being an evil antagonist character. The pattern of good vs.

The History Boys Comedy Essay

The History Boys Essay 13. â€Å"Brilliantly funny†¦. but by the end, tears are as near as laughter. † To what extent can we read The History boys as comedy? One of the key factors that makes the History Boys such an iconic play is its witty comedic effect throughout the entire book. Using various techniques, such as parody, contrasting characters and clever juxtapositions within the plot, intelligent metaphors, bathos and many more.But at first glance the history boys could seem a typical dramatic themed book with a group of characters restricted almost entirely to a single location and a short period of time however looking deeper into the play you begin to notice the comedy reveal before your eyes. Within Hector’s French lesson, the juxtaposition of Hector’s character immediately contrasts that of the headmasters as soon as he walks in.Hector’s strangeness and open-minded character contrasted with the headmaster’s strict adherence to rules, regulations and formality with Hector interrupting the headmaster’s dialogue â€Å"Mr Hector, I hope I’m not. . . † with the informal gesture that is â€Å"an admonitory finger. † The use of the â€Å"admonitory† there comically reverses the power balance between the two characters, with Hector playfully showing that he has authority in his lessons, much to the shock of the headmaster who feels both humiliated and challenged enough to try and speak French and keep up with the students.The Headmaster finds difficulty in speaking French, having to hesitate and show non- fluency features in â€Å"Pourqoui cet garcon . . . Dakin , isn’t it? . . .est sans ses trousers? † having to switch back to English with simple words â€Å"trousers† for lack of knowledge showing low confidence which brings amusement to the boys and to the audience. The headmaster is a subject of mockery because of his unlikable character.This unlikable character is emphasised later in the book with the Headmaster using the word â€Å"silliness† to describe the exercise that Hector had made the boys take part in and then taking back what he had said, saying â€Å"not silliness† showing that he is hypocritical with what he says to the boys in order to encourage them with their studies, which he only says to allow himself to have his school higher up in the league tables â€Å"Yes, yes. I know that, Dorothy. But I am thinking league tables. Furthermore the fact the French scene is allowed to go ahead in lessons demonstrates the boys and Hector are willing to cheekily challenge and mock authority figures with their intelligence, all knowing French to a better degree than the Headmaster. The use of â€Å"ma tante! † creates bathos for the pretend character with â€Å"tante† showing desperation for ideas to keep the lie going. The following questioning â€Å"sa tante? † by the Headmaster and Timms’ repl y of â€Å"la famille entiere† as if the headmaster missed something embarrassingly obvious adds to the comedy because the boys team up with each other to justify and ridicule the headmaster.Irwin’s unexpected input of â€Å"Il est commotionne, peut-etre? † is another example of Bennett’s clever character juxtapositions but also of using unexpected events to contrast what was being done before it, with the stage directions of â€Å"the classroom falls silent† suggesting that the boys’ found it rude and out of place for Irwin to but in. The language â€Å"fall silent† contrasts with the hectic and the loud situation that occurred before it, using Irwin’s awkwardness to change the tone of the scene. Hector not knowing what the word means and using the interrogative â€Å"comment? † adds to this awkwardness.There are many important scenes throughout this book where you can feel the comedy seeping through even though some ma y say it shouldn’t be used while writing about certain topics, including the scene in which Hector and the Head master are discussing the matter of â€Å"a man†¦fiddling. † In this scene I really agree with the question in whether the history boys is seen as a comedy as you can’t help but thinking Bennet may have used some of the characters personality traits to bring a humorous feel to a dark subject but not to make an audience laugh out loud necessary but instead to make them feel uncomfortable with inappropriate laughter. Ah think† Hector once again in the book uses his quick wit and intelligence to frustrate the headmaster giving a sarcastic response to a question the headmaster clearly wants answering and for him not to use his poetry and intelligence to get him out of a situation as he normally would do so. â€Å"I have no idea. What women know or don’t know has always been a mystery to me. † using the word women hector tries to re late to the audience and make a remark about men and women in general, suggesting that does any man know what women do or don’t know which may have been intended to make the audience laugh and leave them wondering hy Hector isn’t taking this matter seriously and is instead making jokes, showing how time and having a modern audience viewing this brings shock to us as issues such as this would been taking much more seriously and probably involved police but the headmaster is more worried about how the school may come across if he has to fire Hector then the actual behaviour that he has displayed â€Å" I do not want to sack you. It’s so untidy. The use of historically details of a war battle is another way Bennett creates humour in the play but is also Bennet showing off how the boys will use their intelligence in almost all situations even sex, using â€Å"around 23:00 hours our forces withdrew† as metaphorical euphemisms for Dakin’s activities wit h Fiona, here bennet uses contrast in showing the not so exciting historical details with the exciting details of his own sex life. Bathos is applied when Dakin breaks off from his metaphor and uses the word â€Å"tits† and then cuts back into using his military jargon such as â€Å"front-line troops† and â€Å"territory. As Dakin goes further and further into detail Scripps makes a final comment on the matter â€Å"I can’t take any more. Enough† adds a final touch of humour to the matter as the audience can tell that Scripp’s is both jealous and disgusted at what he is hearing. Also highlighting the fact that he is deeply religious but also a teenager and the contradiction between the two of wanting to have sex and not wanting to displease God by doing so. The use of a historical metaphor is showing just how the boys will use anything that they can to make an intelligent joke.One of the history boy’s many strengths is its portrayal of the various individuals in the play. Using extremely contrasting personalities emphasizes the individuality and purpose of each character. One character that specifically stands out is Dakin, possibly the most socially dominant boy of the class and one of the most comical characters, helping the history boys to be seen as a comedy rather then a drama. Dakin is popular boy in his class, even in the whole school. He is, extremely witty.He is the most complicated and mysterious character throughout the play and only shows what’s on the surface, he does not show his emotions but his main purpose is to use his wit and desire to entertain and amuse the people around him. Even Mrs. Lintott says that he is â€Å". † Instead of being bad or naughty like normal teenagers, he plays with others and tests the people around him to create a comedic effect. We can see it through his â€Å"love† story. Even though he has a relationship with Fiona, a chool staff, he flirts with Irwin for he thinks that Irwin might be homosexual and would like to go out having some drink with him he might be bisexual yet, he does that just for fun, just for saying thank to Irwin, and just for answering his curiosity about Irwin’s way of life. There is also another funny scene later on in the play where the boys receive a piece of work from Irwin. Dakin is annoyed to find he hasn’t receives a good mark off his teacher which he longs to impress.Scripps comments on how his writing has changed to be like Irwin’s, Dakin denies it but then Posner, who has always had a crush on him, says â€Å"you copy him and I know because I copy you. † It shows another comedic moment in the book because it shows how Posner’s complete obsession with Dakin And how the other boys can just dismiss this behaviour as normal to them suggesting that the environment they grow up in has a lot of unusual behaviour in it.This is fundamentally a very funny book. The level of qu ickness of wit displayed definitely suggest that the history boys is a comedy with no doubt and that Bennets main aim was to show the lifestyle of A level adolescents making their final steps to adulthood before university with many serious and controversial subjects throughout using humour to allow these matters to be downplayed and create a fascinating and a memorable book. WORD COUNT : 1499 (minus the title and question quote)

Chinese Views on Death and Dying Essay

Chinese religion and strict cultural beliefs are inseparable from the death rites performed. Many different names for death are scattered throughout Chinese history, including an ideogram that depicts a person kneeling in front of their ancestor’s bones 1. In Chinese culture, death rites are intricate and well thought out works on preparing one for the afterlife and rebirth. Chinese funeral rites have strict guidelines as to where the rites are to be performed, how the rites are performed (ritual bathing of the corpse), the dress of the attendees and the dead, the transfer of material goods on Earth to the dead, acknowledgement of the deceased and the actual burial of the body. All these sacred rites are performed by specialists (usually priests or otherwise) who are paid by the deceased’s family members. Death rituals carry on long after the burial of the body in terms of grieving for the dead. These rites include returning to the burial site on specific dates to mourn, perform yuan-fen (a symbolic act in which the burial site is rounded off with dirt to give it a nice and proper shape) and burning of incense and earthly offerings 2. Attitudes and beliefs on death and the afterlife are quite the same among the Chinese people of the late Imperial Chinese culture and the Chinese culture of today. The continuing traditions of the ritualistic burials sheds light on one way a society can be linked culturally. 1. T.C. Lai â€Å"To The Yellow Springs: The Chinese View of Death† (17) Hong Kong: Joint Publbishing Co. and Kelly & Walsh, 1983 2. Watson, James L. and Evelyn L. Rawski â€Å"Death Ritual in Late Imperial and Modern China† (12-15) Berklely: University of California Press, 1988 Different cultures harbor different views on death and dying, and it is important to understand the significance of these contrasting elements of other cultures and our own. The Chinese cultures do not see death as something shy away from, but rather it is a part of life that is revered. Death is such a scared step that it embodies many different characters for definition such as ni 3a and qi shi 3b. The transition from being a mortal and alive and being deceased is very important to the Chinese. The Chinese  have a strict set of funeral rites that must be followed completely in order for the transition between this world and the world after death to be smooth- the rites are so embedded in culture and rich with rules that there is even a set time for certain levels of grievances. Death rites are often followed by a series of mourning sessions over the year. However, death rituals for those higher up in society, of course, differ from those of the common man. James L. Watson states that â€Å"To be Chinese is to understand, and accept the view, that there is a correct way to perform rites associated with the life-cycle, the most important being weddings and funerals. By following accepted ritual routines ordinary citizens participated in the process of cultural unification.† 4 and with this in mind we can begin to understand the reason why the Chinese abode by such rigid structure for the burial of a deceased person. The structure that was imposed on the people of China was embraced because it brought everyone together. 3. T.C. Lai â€Å"To the Yellow Springs: The Chinese View of Death† (18) Hong Kong: Joint Publbishing Co. and Kelly & Walsh, 1983 4. Quote from: Watson, James L. â€Å"Death Ritual in Late Imperial and Modern China† The Structure of Chinese Funerary Rites: Elementary Forms, Ritual Sequence, and the Primacy of Performance (3) The sequence in which the ritual is performed is laid out perfectly and begins with public notification that a death has occurred. As soon as a death has occurred women in the presence of the death must announce the death by wailing at the top of her lungs, such wailings, as documented by Watson were not voluntary. Along with the informal announcement of death was a formal one where white banners and blue lanterns are placed around the abode and along the doorway. Some of the formal notices were voluntary in part of China, whereas in some parts they were also mandatory. Not much unlike Western culture, different colors hint to a time of mourning. Instead of wearing black (like in Western cultures), those who are mourning  the deceased in China are seen wearing white clothes, shoes and cloaks that are usually made out of sackcloth or hemp. Although mourning colors differ in different parts of China, white is the universal color of mourning for the Chinese. These mourning clothes are usually ragged, unbleached, unhemmed and white. 5 The corpse must go through a series of cleansings and blessings before it is allowed to be buried. A ritualized bathing of the corpse is required before it goes on to the next step in the rites. In south China the water is not gathered by the family themselves, but rather, bought from a deity of a sacred well. This particular rite is called mai-shui or roughly translated, â€Å"buying water†. There are 5. Jones, Constance R.I.P. The Complete Book Of Death And Dying New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1997 (Pg. 163)  several ways the corpse is cleansed–from scrubbing with the water bought, or a  gentle dab on the forehead with the sacred water. Along with the cleaning is the  donning of new clothes on the corpse. The next step in the funerary rites would be the transfer of material goods to the dead. Things like paper clothes, cardboard houses, furniture and servants and other things the dead might need in the afterlife would be transferred into the world of the dead by burning them in a big pot. Food was presented as an offering to the deceased and afterwards, the mourners would partake in the food. 6 Food is an integral part of Chinese tradition and culture, especially with the ritualized steps of burial. Stuart E. Thompson says that, â€Å"To be Chinese is to perform Chinese ritual and vice-versa; to be Chinese is also to eat Chinese-style food with Chinese-style implements.† It is explained that the  food used in the rites are to transform a corpse into an ancestor. Food is a centerpiece in the ritual more than once. 1. Foods are presented as soon as the person dies and once again during the ceremonial coffining of the body. Rice is a crucial part of Chinese diet and rice balls and other food products (roast pork and such) are usually placed on top of his/her coffin to accompany the dead on their journey. Parts of the ceremony are used to separate the living from the dead, for instance, the breaking of bowls to break the ties between the dead and his/her descendants. After the breaking of the bowls, the 6. Watson, James L. â€Å"The Structure of Chinese Funerary Rites† from Death Ritual in Late Imperial and Modern China. (12-13)  family members must insure that the deceased does not return upset, so  the belongings of the deceased must be symbolically distributed among his/her heirs using the food on top of the coffin. 2. After the coffining of the body, food is presented to the coffin at least twice a day by the daughter-in-law of the deceased. These offerings are made until the coffin is buried. Sometimes, the offerings continue even after burial. 3. A farewell feast is giving either the day before, or on the day of the burial. This tradition is to ensure that transformation from being deceased into an ancestor is complete. Prized offerings consist of either pig heads or whole pigs along with rice. Along with the farewell feast for the deceased, some offerings are given to hungry ghosts whom would usually steal from the deceased on his/her journey. 4. Wine, usually rice wine, is poured into three cups for the dead on the burial grounds. This is the last rite before the body passes on to become an ancestor. 5. Food is presented again after the burial when everyone returns to the home where the ceremony began. Ancestral tablets (explained further in this paper) are then set on specially built alters or mantles. (My own family has the ashes of the deceased on a mantle in which food is presented to them at every meal) 7 7. Thompson, Stuart E. â€Å"Death, Food, And Fertility† from Death Ritual in the Late Imperial and Modern China. (75-76) Soul tablets are made for the deceased (except for children and unknown people) as a symbol of a part of their soul. These soul tablets are made by ritual specialists and are placed either on an alter (of those who are married) or in temples, specified institutions or covenants for a fee (for unwed women). These tablets were very important to the rites of the dead. A written Chinese name was required for these tablet, hence the reason why unknown strangers could not receive one. The dead were not recognized by any materialistic idol or pictures, but only by their written Chinese name. Music was also an integral part of the burial sequence. There were two different kinds of sounds that were used to either ward off evil spirits or aid the passing of the soul. High-pitched piping and drumming were the two common sounds heard during burial rites. These sounds are usually played during transitions in the ritual, usually when physical movement of the corpse is taking place. Music is also played during the sealing of the corpse. The Chinese found that this is the most important feature of all the different acts. The coffins made of wood have been with the Chinese since the Neolithic. Again, paid specialists are the ones who make sure the corpse is stationary within the coffin. They secure the lid on with nails and caulking compounds to be sure that the coffin is airtight. The nailing of the coffin is the most important part of the whole ritual. The hammering is usually done by the main mourner or by an invited guest who holds a high social status. The final sequence is the removal of the coffin from the village. However, this  last rite does not need to be performed immediately. It is actually a sign of respect for the  coffin to be kept close to the family over a long period of time. But of course, there comes a time when the coffin must leave the hands of the living. 8 Those who are relatively wealthy will be able to carry out every burial rite with the assistance of a burial specialist. Watson explains that, â€Å"The ethnographic evidence suggests that, among the Cantonese, there is a hierarchy of specialists ranked according to the relative exposure to the pollution of death. This hierarchy also reflects the standards of skill, training, and literacy required to carry out ritual tasks† (Death Ritual in Late Imperial and Modern China. 109) The highest ranking specialist is the Geomancer (a person who has the ability to foretell the future by using signs from the earth) whose work demands high levels of skill and literacy. Next in line are priests who receive their knowledge through years of apprenticeship. Priests are moderately literate in order to perform mortuary rites. Those who rank below priests are usually illiterate, mainly because their line of work usually does not require any reading or skill. These specialists range from pipers, nuns, musicians, and overall helpers. There are also helpers who rank even lower than those below priests and these are the corpse handlers. Corpse handlers’ tasks involve washing the corpse, dressing the corpse and arranging the corpse in the coffin, and finally carrying the coffin to its burial ground, digging the grave, and disposing items that are directly associated with the corpse 9. Corpse handlers are of the lowest ranking ritual specialists because they are deemed as highly polluted by death and are set apart from the other specialists. 8. Watson, James L. Death Rituals in Late Imperial and Modern China (12-15) 9. Watson, James L. â€Å"Funeral Specialists in Cantonese Society: Pollution, Performance, and Social Hierarchy† Death Ritual in Late Imperial and Modern China (109-110) Along with the ritual sequence come the many names for death. As  explained before, the earliest concept of death was characterized as a person kneeling before his ancestor’s bones. The deaths of people of different ranks in society are characterized differently from one another. The death of sovereign is called beng ,which comes from the sound of a large building collapsing. The death of a prince is called hong (the sound of something breaking), a government minister’s death is called cu (â€Å"the end†), and that of an official is called bu lu (meaning: ending the enjoyment of emolument), however, the death of a common person is less extravagant–si simply means â€Å"to expire†. Just like the many characters there are for the people who pass away, there are many characters for the ways people can die, for example, death from old age is called shou zhong which translates to â€Å"the termination of longevity†, which death while young is ca lled yao which means â€Å"breaking in mid-journey†. 10 With the different ways they have to describe death in one or two words, it is hard not to notice that the Chinese are very much interested in the process of death. In China, the spring time is time for purification and regeneration. The Spring Festival is held every spring and it is very important to the comfort of the dead. During the festival, descendants will visit graves of their ancestors to honor  and care for the burial ground and body it incases. Prayers and sacrifices are made to the dead during that time and the act of â€Å"saluting the tomb† is practiced. 10. Text adapted from To the Yellow Springs: The Chinese View of Death by T.C. Lai. Hong Kong: Joint Publishing Co. and Kelly & Walsh. (1983) (Text 18) â€Å"Saluting the tomb† is an act where red-colored rice and peeled eggs, which are symbolic of the saying â€Å"old gives way to the new†, are placed on top of the burial ground. November is the month that harbors Ghost Day celebrations. Ghost day is a special day where people burn paper money as  offerings to their ancestors. Another day of celebration is the Winter Dress Festival where paper clothes and such are burned for their ancestors, again this holiday is celebrated in October and November 11. These celebrations do not directly pertain to spirits who are in a state of unrest. In China a ghost, a male ghost is called kuei while the female is called yao, is a spirit whose death was either very unusual or very violent criminal act. The Chinese are extremely superstitious. It is said that ghosts linger relatively close to the location of their death. For example, Ghosts of thieves would sometimes be seen close to the area of their execution. Another common superstition (one that was also taught to me) was that if a pregnant woman were to walk past a spot where a person has died, that spirit would attempt to expel the child’s soul and replace it with its own to be reborn 12. Anniversary ghosts also exist in Chinese culture. Anniversary ghosts are essentially ghosts who appear on the anniversary of their death to re-enact the scene. The only way this can be stopped is if someone dies in its place on that same day, the same way, in the same spot so that the soul that is tr apped and doomed to repeat its painful death will be released. Unfortunately, the person who has died in their place will be doomed to repeat his 11. Jones, Constance The Complete Book of Death and Dying (135) 12. Jones, Constance The Complete Book of Death and Dying (129)  or her death, unless a specialist performs a ritual to set the spirit free. One can already tell that the Chinese have great respect for the dead and their ancestors. Chinese attitudes and beliefs about death are influenced by Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism 13. â€Å"If one does not know life,  how can he begin to know death.† Confucius (Fig. 1) The Chinese honors the dead regularly by presenting offerings and prayers since they believe that these practices push forth the sense that death occurs all the time and that it should be accepted into daily life. 13. Jones, Constance R.I.P. The Complete Book of Death and Dying (12) 14. Figure 1 is from T.C. Lai To The Yellow Springs (14) NOTE! Blank Spaces are for images taken from books. Be sure to add corresponding images to this essay.

Emotive language Essay Example

Emotive language Essay Example Emotive language Paper Emotive language Paper The two texts look at the event from opposite viewpoints. Of the two I thought that the language used in the first article was more shocking and made the event sound devastating and more like a disaster compared to the way in which the event was described in the second article. One of the main reasons it sounded more realistic and shocking was because statistics were used to show the readers just how bad the disaster really was. Another reason I think that the first article was particularly effective because it uses words such as emergency, critical, salvage and disaster. Words like these are effective because they are examples of emotive language. They appeal to the readers emotions and make them think that the situation is urgent and that the animals are in great danger. This encourages the readers to help, which is the aim of the WWF (as they say in the last paragraph in bold). The overall effectiveness of this article is very good, though when I read the last paragraph it made me think differently because the WWF sound like they are using the disaster for advertising purposes. The second article was trying to convince the reader that the disaster was not so bad. This article did not succeed in convincing me of this though. The writer of this article tried to obviously turn it around and instead of making the disaster itself the subject of the article, they tried to make the beauty and power of mother nature the main subject of the article. Like the WWF fact sheet, this article also uses emotive language to persuade the reader, however the emotive language is used for the opposite reason. Instead of using it to show just how bad the disaster was, the writer uses it to say how the disaster wasnt that bad. Examples of the emotive language used are words such as, triumph, signs of hope and rebirth of beauty. These words didnt convince me though because the writer has an obviously biased view and to me it sounds as if this article is attempting to cover up the incident and make it sound as if it wasnt the fault of the oil tanker and the company behind it. I thought that the most effective and convincing article was the WWF fact sheet. The language in the text convinced me because the article was written very clearly with statistics and quotes to back up their points. Compared to the other article I thought this was better because instead of trying to cover up what happened the WWF article just gave the bare facts. The powerful emotive language also helped to convince me with words such as rapidly, critical and disaster.

Creating a Digital Scrapbook on Your Computer

Creating a Digital Scrapbook on Your Computer You probably use your computer to conduct a lot of your family history research, so why not use it to display the results? Digital scrapbooking, or computer scrapbooking, is simply scrapbooking with the aid of a computer. Going digital instead of the traditional scrapbook route means less money spent on supplies, and the ability to print out multiple copies of your beautiful scrapbook layouts. You can also display your work in the form of Web galleries to easily share with family and friends. In short, digital scrapbooking is a perfect medium for presenting and displaying your ancestors and their stories. Benefits of Digital Scrapbooking Most people first try digital scrapbooking by using their computer to create design elements they can then print, cut out, and use in their regular scrapbook pages. Computers are great for creating text for page headlines, photo captions, and journaling, for example. Computer clip art can be used to embellish traditional scrapbook pages. Most graphics software programs come with special effects to help you enhance your photos and pages with antique sepia tones, torn or burnt edges, and digital picture frames. When youre ready to go one step further, you can use your computer to create entire scrapbook pages. The page background, text, and other decorations are all arranged and formatted on the computer, and then printed out as a single page. Photographs can still be attached to the computer generated page in the traditional manner. Alternatively, digital photographs can be added to the scrapbook page on your computer, and the complete page, photographs and all, printed as a single unit. What You Need to Get Started If you already own a computer, youll only need a few basic supplies to get started with digital scrapbooking. Equipment/Software needed for Digital Scrapbooking: Digital Imaging Software, such as Jasc Paint Shop Pro or Adobe Photoshop ElementsPhotos in digital format, either scanned into your computer or imported from your cameraPhoto quality printer and photo paper to print out your scrapbook layouts or design elements (alternatively, you can have them printed at your local copy shop) Software for Digital Scrapbooking If youre new to digital photo editing and graphics, then it is often easiest to begin with a good computer scrapbooking program. These programs offer a wide variety of pre-made templates and elements that let you create beautiful scrapbook pages without a lot of graphics knowledge. Some of the most popular digital scrapbook software programs include Nova Scrapbook Factory Deluxe, LumaPix FotoFusion, and Ulead My Scrapbook 2. DIY Digital Scrapbooking For the more digitally creative, any good photo editor or graphics software program will allow you to create beautiful digital scrapbooks. This gives you the real hands-on experience from start to finish, as you can create your own background papers, design elements, etc. You can also use the same program to creatively crop and enhance your photos. Among the best graphics software programs for digital scrapbooking are Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro. For more on using your graphics software to create digital scrapbooks, see Beginners Reference to Digital Scrapbooking.