The Importance of Misunderstanding in Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison Es

The Importance of Misunderstanding in Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison    In Ralph Ellison's novel Invisible Man, the main character is faced with challenges that he must overcome to survive. Most of the challenges he faces are straightforward; however, he ends up losing to his surroundings. When he makes a speech to calm a disorderly group, he ends up unwittingly naming himself their leader, thus, changing a slightly rowdy group into a mob primed for racial rioting. How can someone's speech be manipulated into having a meaning the complete opposite of the original intent? The Invisible Man's audience decides that they are only willing to listen to a speaker presenting what they want to hear. Due to a handicap of inexperience in public speaking, his effort to calm the crowd is used by the crowd, to forcefully name him the leading figure of an unreasonable mob. While walking down a New York street, the protagonist bears witness to the eviction of an elderly black couple from their home. While a Marshal conducts his job of ordering trusties to pile the couple's belongings on the sidewalk, a crowd gathers and watches in sympathetic disbelief. The Invisible Man becomes mixed in with the crowd and feels that the older couple is much like his own mother and father because they too are hard working and honest people. Soon after his realization, the woman being evicted becomes angry over the fact that she is unable to pray on the floor of her home. When she and her husband try to run past a defending trustee, the woman ends up falling backwards down her steps, which causes the spectators to become enraged. At this point, the Invisible Man becomes the center of attention when he rushes to the steps and makes a speech. His intentions... ...ed judgment and inexperience, he is unable to carry though with his original intentions and give rational judgment to the crowd. The misunderstandings that happen at the eviction shape the Invisible Man's future, causing a milestone in his life to be covered without even giving the least amount of effort. Irving Howe was right about stumbling to individuality; the Invisible Man's future is shaped by the wishful thinking of other people. Outcomes would have been vastly different had purposes been straightforward, actions been true, and emotions been clear; however, had conditions been better, the Invisible Man might have simply prompted serenity, or been the victim of a crowd turning against their leader. Works Cited: Ellison, Ralph W. Invisible Man. New York: Vintage International, 1952. Howe, Irving. "A Negro in America." The Nation 10 May 1952:454.

Great Wall of China

The Rise and Fall of China's Great Wall The rise and fall of China's Great Wall: the race to save a world treasure – Special Report Current Events, Sept 27, 2002 Save a personal copy of this article and quickly find it again with Furl. net. It's free! Save it. MADE OF BRICK, STONE, and dirt, the Great Wall twists and turns across China's landscape like a giant dragon. It seems to rise out of the sea at Bo Hal gulf, a place known to local people as Laolongtou, or â€Å"the old dragon's head. † The wall then stretches across the plains, crawls along the sides of mountains and scales their peaks as it spans the Asian countryside.This ancient wonder, built entirely by hand, often overwhelms visitors. On a trip to the wall in 1909, French scholar Auguste Gilbert de Voisins said, â€Å"Nothing stops it, nothing gets in its way; seeing it at this point, one might believe it to be eternal. † Today, however, neglect, misuse, and modernization threaten the giant dragon. Al though the wall once stretched nearly 4,000 miles across China's northern border, only about 1,500 miles of China's Great Wall remain. The rest has fallen apart and disappeared. This year, the World Monuments Fund placed the Great Wall on its list of 100 Most Endangered Sites.The group hopes to protect what's left of the wall and to encourage the Chinese government and others to save the historic structure. According to a World Monuments Fund report, â€Å"[The wall] was built to protect China; now China must protect it. † The Great Wall of Qin China's Great Wall didn't start out so great. Begun nearly 2,300 years ago, the structure was a series of small fortifications. As early as 600 B. C. , people in China built small walls around their homes and cities for protection. Soldiers guarded the gates around the city walls during the day and swung the gates shut at night.During the Warring States period (475-221 B. C. ), leaders struggling for control of China built walls around entire kingdoms. Soldiers occupied forts and towers on the wall and fought to protect the borders of the independent states. In 221 B. C. , Qin Shi Huangdi unified the kingdoms and became the first emperor of China. Qin Shi Huangdi gave orders to build the chang cheng, or â€Å"long wall,† to protect China from northern nomads who were trying to invade China. Laborers built the wall by joining walls constructed earlier and extending the length of the wall to nearly 3,100 miles.With the help of General Meng Tian, Qin Shi Huangdi ordered 800,000 men–soldiers, prisoners, and peasants–to build the wall. Where stones were plentiful, workers used stones to build parts of the wall. Where stones were scarce, workers used dirt. To build the wall, laborers dug up large amounts of dirt and carried it to the wall. The workers then piled dirt into wooden frames about 6 inches deep. They used wooden instruments to pound the dirt until it became a solid mass. This process was repeated until the wall reached a desired height.Workers then moved the wooden frames to the next section of the wall and began the process again. According to legend, Qin Shi Huangdi condemned workers to death for making the slightest construction errors. Today, few traces of the Qin wall remain. After Qin Shi Huangdi's death in 210 B. C. , workers abandoned the wall and it eventually crumbled into ruins. The Ming Fortress Nearly all of Qin Shi Huangdi's successors built walls along China's northern frontier. The fortifications, however, never fully protected China from invasion.During the early 13th century, Genghis Khan, leader of the Mongols, a nomad group from the north, united several nomad armies and conquered much of Asia. In 1279, Genghis Khan's grandson, Kubilai Khan, overthrew the Chinese emperor and established the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). The Yuan emperors did not maintain the old wall or build a new one, so the wall began to fall into ruins. After Khan died in 1227, a Chinese farmer named Zu Yuanzhang led a rebel army and helped overthrow the last Yuan emperor. When Zu Yuanzhang seized power, he established the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).Zu and his successors decided to rebuild China's Great Wall, which lay mostly in ruins, to keep the Mongols from returning to reconquer China. For nearly 200 years, thousands of workers toiled away on the Ming wall–reinforcing the Great Wall with bricks and stone. The Ming wall eventually blocked mountain passes that Mongol soldiers had used to invade China. When Mongol tribes attacked the wall, Chinese soldiers alerted others by lighting signal fires. When guards from a signal tower saw the fire, they built another fire, passing the warning along the wall.The number of smoke plumes and cannon shots fired indicated to Chinese soldiers how many enemy soldiers were approaching. The Ming government taxed the people of China heavily to pay for construction of the Great Wall. In 1644, the Manchus, a nomad tribe from northeast of Peking, helped rebels overthrow the Ming rulers and started the next era in Chinese history–the Qing dynasty. During the Qing dynasty, Manchu forces drove out Mongol invaders and extended China's border farther north beyond the Great Wall. The wall no longer protected China's border, so construction stopped and soldiers abandoned the fortresses.The Wall At Risk Today, Chinese officials warn that the Great Wall is once again under attack. But this time the wall is not in danger from invaders. Instead local people and tourists alike threaten the wall. Dong Yaohui, head of the Great Wall Society of China, recently persuaded a local government to levy a fine on residents in a small village after they demolished part of the wall to obtain bricks for new houses. And in 1999, officials in the autonomous region of Nei Monggol (once called Inner Mongolia) plowed through the Great Wall to build a highway. Nature has also taken its toll.At the wall's western end, dese rt sandstorms have worn down much of China's great wonder. Dong Yaohui said, â€Å"Saving the Great Wall is now the most urgent task facing our country. Its splendor must be rebuilt. † Preservationists also argue that commercial developers are destroying the aesthetic beauty of China's Great Wall. Developers have turned parts of the wall into a tourist destination. Visitors to the wall at the Badaling section near Beijing can take one of five cable cars to the top of the wall, bungee-jump off a section of the wall, paraglide along the wall, or ride a toboggan down the mountain.William Lindesay, an Englishman living in China, organized a group to protect and preserve what is left of the wall. Lindesay's group, the International Friends of the Great Wall, works with local villagers to pick up garbage along the wall and make sure the wall is protected from vandals. â€Å"The wall is in grave, grave danger,† Lindesay said. The Chinese government also hopes to protect the n ational treasure. Officials in Beijing are considering legislation that, if passed, would convict anyone caught littering or defacing the Great Wall to a jail term of up to seven years.Arthur Waldron, a historian, wrote, â€Å"Whatever the future brings, the image of the wall †¦ as a symbol of China †¦ seems bound to endure. † Get Talking Ask students: why do you think the Great Wall of China was built? What is the approximate length of the wall? What might have been some of the challenges faced by the wall's builders? What might the wall be threatened today? Background The Great Wall is among the most popular tourist destinations in China, along with the Forbidden City in Beijing, and the Terra Cotta Warriors at Xi'an.Qin Shi Huangdi (the first emperor of China) unified the nation of China and built the first Great Wall. After Qin Shi Huandi died, he was buried in a tomb with an army of terra cotta warriors and horses at Xi'an. In 1974, Qin Ski Huangdi's tomb was d iscovered by a group of archaeologists. During the Qin Dynasty–when the first Great Wall was built–workers toiled for ten years to build the wall, at a rate of about 25 miles per month. Portions of the wall have been rebuilt during the past century–including the section of the wall at Badaling, near China's capital of Beijing. Many myths surround China's Great Wall.One of the most prevalent is that the Great Wall is the only man-made structure visible from the Moon. However, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), â€Å"The Great Wall can barely be seen from the Shuttle, so it would not be possible to see it from the Moon with the naked eye. † Doing More After students have read the story, ask them to research other sites listed as endangered by the World Monuments Fund. What are the biggest threats to those sites? Why are the sites considered important? When students have finished gathering the information, have them presen t their findings to the class.

Decker Surname Origin and Family History

The  Decker surname most commonly originated as an occupational surname for a roofer or thatcher, derived from the Old High German word decker, meaning one who covered roofs with tile, straw or slate. The meaning of the word expanded during the Middle Ages to encompass carpenters and other craftsman and was used to refer to one who built or laid the decks of vessels.  The popular Dutch surname Dekker has the same meaning, derived from the Middle Dutch  deck(e)re, from  decken, meaning to cover. The Decker surname may also derive from the German decher, meaning the quantity of ten; this may also have been a name given to the tenth child. Alternate Surname Spellings: DEKER, DECKER, DECHER, DECKARD, DECHARD, DEKKER, DEKKES, DEKK, DECK, DECKERT Surname Origin: German, Dutch Where in the World Is the Decker Surname Found? According to World Names PublicProfiler, the Decker surname is the most commonly found, based on percentage of population, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is also a very popular surname in the countries of Luxembourg and Germany. The Forbears surname distribution map for 2014 identifies the Decker surname as being very popular in Sierra Leone, based on frequency distribution. Famous People With the Decker Surname Jessie James Decker -  American country pop singer-songwriter and reality T.V. personalityEric Decker - American National League Football wide receiverDesmond Dekker - Jamaican  singer-songwriter and musicianThomas Dekker -  English  dramatist and pamphlet writer Genealogy Resources for the Surname DECKER Decker Family Genealogy Forum — Search this popular genealogy forum for the Decker surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Decker surname query.FamilySearch - DECKER Genealogy — Explore over 1.3 million results, including digitized records, database entries, and online family trees for the Decker surname and its variations on the FREE FamilySearch website, courtesy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.GeneaNet - Decker Records — GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Decker surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.Ancestry.com: Decker  Surname — Explore over 2.4  million digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills and other records for the Decker surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com Resources and Further Reading Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Harriet Martineauâ€Biography and Works

Born in 1802 in England, Harriet Martineau is considered to be one of the earliest sociologists, a self-taught expert in political economic theory  who wrote prolifically throughout her career about the relationship between politics, economics, morals, and social life. Her intellectual work was grounded in a staunchly moral perspective that was influenced by her Unitarian faith (although she would later become an atheist). She spoke out against slavery and was fiercely critical as well of the inequality and injustice faced by girls, women, and the working poor. As one of the first women journalists of the era, she also worked as a translator, speechwriter, and novelist. Her acclaimed fiction invited readers to consider the pressing social issues of the day.  She was known for her keen ability to explain complicated ideas in an easy-to-understand manner, presenting many of her theories about politics, economics, and society in the form of appealing and accessible stories. Early Life   Harriet Martineau was born in 1802 in Norwich, England. She was the sixth of eight children born to Elizabeth Rankin and Thomas Martineau. Thomas owned a textile mill, and Elizabeth was the daughter of a sugar refiner and grocer, making the family economically stable and wealthier than most British families at the time. The Martineaus were descendants of French Huguenots who fled Catholic France for Protestant England. They were practicing  Unitarians  and instilled the importance of education and critical thinking in all of their children. However, Elizabeth was also a strict believer  in traditional gender roles, so while the Martineau boys went to college, the girls did not and were expected to learn domestic work instead. This would prove to be a formative life experience for Harriet, who bucked all traditional gender expectations and wrote extensively about gender inequality. Self-Education, Intellectual Development, and Work Martineau was a voracious reader from a young age,  was well read in  Thomas Malthus  by the time she was 15, and had already become a political economist at that age, by her own recollection. She wrote and published her first written work, â€Å"On Female Education,† in 1821 as an anonymous author. This piece was a critique of her own educational experience  and how it was formally stopped when she reached adulthood. When her father’s business failed in 1829, she decided to earn a living for her family  and became a working writer. She wrote for the  Monthly Repository, a Unitarian publication, and published her first commissioned volume,  Illustrations of Political Economy, funded by publisher Charles Fox, in 1832. These illustrations were a monthly series that ran for two years, in which Martineau critiqued the politics and economic practices of the day by presenting illustrated tellings of the ideas of Malthus,  John Stuart Mill,  David Ricardo, and  Adam Smith. The series was designed as a tutorial for the general reading audience. Martineau won prizes for some of her essays, and the series sold more copies than did the work of Dickens at the time. Martineau argued that tariffs in early American society only benefited the rich and hurt the working classes both in the U.S. and in Britain. She also advocated for the Whig Poor Law reforms, which shifted assistance to the British poor from cash donations to the workhouse model. In her early years as a writer, she advocated for free market economic principles in keeping with the philosophy of Adam Smith. Later in her career, however, she advocated for government action to stem inequality and injustice, and is remembered by some as a social reformer due to her belief in the progressive evolution of society. Martineau broke with Unitarianism in 1831 and adopted the philosophical position of freethinking, whose adherents seek truth based on reason, logic, and empiricism, rather the dictates of authority figures, tradition, or religious dogma. This shift resonates with her reverence for  August Comtes positivistic sociology and her belief in progress. In 1832 Martineau moved to London, where she circulated among leading British intellectuals and writers, including Malthus, Mill,  George Eliot,  Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Thomas Carlyle. From there she continued to write her political economy series until 1834. Travels Within the United States When the series was completed,  Martineau traveled to the U.S. to study the young nation’s political  economy and moral structure, much as  Alexis de Tocqueville  had done. While there, she became acquainted with  Transcendentalists  and abolitionists, and with those involved in education for girls and woman. She later published  Society in America,  Retrospect of Western Travel,  and  How to Observe Morals and Manners—considered her first publication based on sociological research—in which she not only criticized the state of education for women but also expressed her support for the abolition of slavery due to its immorality and economic inefficiency as well as its impact on the working classes in the U.S. and in Britain. As an abolitionist, Martineau sold embroidery in order to donate to the cause and also worked as the English correspondent for the  American Anti-Slavery Standard  through the end of the American Civil War. Contributions to Sociology Martineau’s key contribution to the field of sociology was her assertion that when studying society, one must focus on all aspects of it. She emphasized the importance of examining political, religious, and social institutions. By studying society in this way, she felt, one could deduce why inequality existed, particularly that faced by girls and women. In her writings, she brought an early feminist perspective to bear on issues such as race relations, religious life, marriage, children, and home (she herself never married or had children). Her social theoretical perspective was often focused on the moral stance of a populace and how it did or did not correspond to the social, economic, and political relations of its society. Martineau measured progress in society by three standards: the status of those who hold the least power in society, popular views of authority and autonomy, and access to resources that allow the realization of autonomy and moral action. She won numerous awards for her writing  and though controversial, was a rare example of a successful and popular working woman writer of the Victorian era. She published over 50 books and over 2,000 articles in her lifetime. Her translation into English and revision of  Auguste Comte’s  foundational sociological text,  Cours de Philosophie Positive, was received so well by readers and by Comte himself that he had Martineau’s English version translated back to French. Period of Illness and Impact on Her Work Between 1839 and 1845, Martineau became housebound due to a uterine tumor. She moved out of London to a more peaceful location for the duration of her illness. She continued to write extensively during this time but due to her recent experiences shifted her focus to medical topics. She published Life in the Sickroom, which challenged the domination/submission relationship between doctors and their patients—and was viciously criticized by the medical establishment for doing so. Travels in North Africa and the Middle East In 1846, her health restored, Martineau embarked on a tour of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. She focused her analytic lens on religious ideas and customs and observed that religious doctrine was increasingly vague as it evolved. This led her to conclude, in her written work based on this trip—Eastern Life, Present and Past—that humanity was evolving toward atheism, which she framed as rational, positivist progress. The atheistic nature of her later writing, as well as her advocacy for mesmerism, which she believed cured her tumor and the other ailments she had suffered, caused deep divisions between her and some of her friends. Later Years and Death In her later years, Martineau contributed to the Daily News and the radical leftist Westminster Review. She remained politically active, advocating for women’s rights during the 1850s and 60s. She supported the Married Women’s Property Bill, the licensing of prostitution and legal regulation of customers, and women’s suffrage. She died in 1876 near Ambleside, Westmorland, in England, and her autobiography was published posthumously in 1877. Martineaus Legacy Martineau’s sweeping contributions to social thought are more often than not overlooked within the canon of classical sociological theory, though her work was widely lauded in its day, and preceded that of  Ãƒâ€°mile Durkheim  and  Max Weber. Founded in 1994 by Unitarians in Norwich and with support from Manchester College, Oxford, The Martineau Society in England holds an annual conference in her honor. Much of her written work is in the public domain and available for free at the Online Library of Liberty, and many of her letters are available  to the public via the British National Archives. Selected Bibliography Illustrations of Taxation, 5 volumes, published by Charles Fox, 1832-4Illustrations of Political Economy, 9 volumes, published by Charles Fox, 1832-4Society in America, 3 volumes, Saunders and Otley, 1837Retrospect of Western Travel, Saunders and Otley, 1838How to Observe Morals and Manners, Charles Knights and Co., 1838Deerbrook, London, 1839Life in the Sickroom, 1844Eastern Life, Present and Past, 3 volumes, Edward Moxon, 1848Household Education, 1848The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte, 2 volumes, 1853Harriet Martineau’s Autobiography, 2 volumes, posthumous publication, 1877

Session 2_Ethical Dilemma_No Show Consultant Essay

Session 2_Ethical Dilemma_No Show Consultant Ethical Dilemma Case Jeffrey Moses was facing one of the toughest decisions of his short career as a manager with International Consulting. Andrew Carpenter, one of his best consultants, was in trouble because of family issues, and his problems were affecting his work. International Consulting designs, installs and implement complex back-office software systems for companies worldwide. About half of consultants including Carpenter, work primarily at home. Carpenter as a consultants is good at his work, knowledgeable, high level of skill and his willingness to travel is hard to find. However, there have been numerous occasions and reports where Carpenter was unprofessional and absent in†¦show more content†¦Demanded a 50% deduction of the consultant’s fee but still wants him to finish the job rather than replacing Carpenter for them. Moral Agent Jeffrey Moses – As Carpenter’s manager is caught whether or not to dismiss Carpenter for this recent irresponsible act or give him another chance. Options to Resolve Ethical Dilemma 1). Give Carpenter a month’s notice and dismiss him. He is a good consultant so he won’t have any trouble finding a new job, and you’ll avoid any further problems associated with Carpenter’s emotional difficulties and alcohol problems. 2). Let it slide. Missing the New York appointment is Carpenter’s first big mistake. He says he is getting things under control, and you believe he should be given a chance to get himself back on track. 3). Insist Carpenter to take a paid short leave and pull himself up back to form. Get counseling and advises on personal aspect. If the abuse continues require him to get professional help or dismiss him. Alternative Course of Action I will let Carpenter finish his work with the major New York Company and make sure he is guided accordingly by his team leader or another colleague in accomplishing his tasks and deliverables. The guidance Carpenter will get can be simple calls and daily huddle on project status and updates. Make sure he is committed 100% on the tasks and busy all the time. This will make

Personal Goals Essay Paper Example For Students

Personal Goals Essay Paper As a student at the University of Phoenix three personal goals that I want to achieve are, first is to complete my bachelor of science in business management in 2 years. Next is to become a better writer. Throughout junior college, writing has always been my weakest point and with the amount of writing assignments required at University of Phoenix this needs to be one of my top goals. Finally is to complete every course with no less than a B letter grade. With making the decision to return to school and taking on the considerable financial burden, receiving an average grade would be unacceptable to my standards. While being employed full-time, The University of Phoenix has the rare opportunity for working professionals to finish courses in just 5 weeks. Having such a compressed time schedule for completing degrees will make it possible to complete my bachelor of science in business management in 2 years as long as I do not deviate from the program. I have decided that my number one priority in life is to complete my degree. I do not have other major commitments outside of work that will distract me from my assignments so staying focused on school will be realistic. Though I cannot predict the future, I do not plan on taking any time off during the two years that would result in interrupting my class schedule. With the option of taking CLEP test this will allow me to test out of some of the lower-division courses such as communication arts and humanities. Although this will require additional studying outside of my upper-division courses the CLEP test can help eliminate additional courses nee ded to be taken, so I can stay on track of my 2 year goal. Writing papers has never been my strongest asset throughout school. I always found myself only writing what was required of me but never trying to improve my writing skills on my own time. In junior college the majority of my classes were math and science with a major in Administration of Justice. The only writing that I had to do was case briefs, which was based on legal research, which did not require any creativity, brainstorming and writing skills, just citing the facts and decisions in a proper format. To become a better writer it will take self-discipline and dedication. Because writing is my weakest point, submitting quality papers will require the most amount of my time by doing research and proofreading. I will need to use the resources available to me to proofread and receive constructive criticism on my papers. Such resources may include the Center for Writing Excellence made available to University of Phoenix students which has two ways of submitting papers for review. On e is through WritePoint which is an automated service and could have a response within minutes. The other is through Tutor Review which is where someone reads the first 4 pages of a paper and responds within 48 to 72 hours. Other resources could be instructors who offer to proofread papers before the due date and even fellow team members. While staying on schedule with my degree I want to complete each course with no less than a B letter grade. Completing the B.S. in business management at the University of Phoenix is a financial commitment, and to get the most out of it is setting a high standard of academic accomplishment. The most important way for me to achieve this is not to procrastinate. I will set time aside that is dedicated to studying and completing assignments. This will include but not be limited to a minimum of two hours a day, other than Thursday which is the night of class, and additional time on weekends when needed. I will review which assignments are due prior to the next class meeting and set deadlines for those assignments including learning team assignments. A good portion of the academic grade at the University of Phoenix is based upon learning team assignments, so I will do my part on not being a burden on my team members and help whoever is in need of it. I will complete the individual assignm ents by the deadline determined by my team members and at the quality expected as well. And make sure to communicate any issues that I may have with any team members within the group or completing my portion of the assignments on time. .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc , .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc .postImageUrl , .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc , .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc:hover , .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc:visited , .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc:active { border:0!important; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc:active , .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u00cea6d85429000601594dbd457ad1cc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Racism The sizzling streams of sunlight were just EssayTo achieve the above goals they all share the same core of ideas, self-discipline and dedication. I have set my mind on going back to school and completing it all the way this time. I believe if I stick to my goals that being a student at University of Phoenix will be a pleasurable and successful experience, so much so that I will want to continue to get my MBA.

Odysseus Characterization Paper free essay sample

In The Odyssey, the protagonist is a leader named Odysseus who goes on a journey with his crew to get back home to Ithaka from Troy, after the trojan war. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, the poet Homer, suggests that Odysseus is a superior leader which is revealed by Odysseuss, bravery, intelligence, and perseverance. Odysseuss bravery sets himself apart from other leaders. Odysseus has to display an example to his crew by inspiring them with his fearlessness. Odysseus illustrates his grit when he forces his crew to carry on with going to the underworld: â€Å"We must go/ to the cold homes of death and pale Persephone/ to hear Teiresias tell of time to come/ They felt so stricken, upon hearing this, / they sat down wailing loud, and tore their hair/But nothing came of giving way to grief/ Down to the shore the ship at last we went. We will write a custom essay sample on Odysseus Characterization Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † Homer 10. 623-625 . Odysseus showcases his hardiness when his crew does not want to go to the Underworld, but Odysseus presses on, while knowing that lost and terrifying souls await him. Odysseus’s fortitude spreads throughout his crew, if he is scared, his followers also feel fear. Without courage the team can not get home to Ithaka. In order to achieve his goal, the Odysseus needs to speak with Teiresias. Also Odysseus displays his fearlessness when he is trapped in the Kyklopss cave: â€Å"’Now, by the gods, I drove my big hand spike/ deep in the embers, charring it again,/ and cheered my men along with battle talk/ to keep their courage up: no quitting now/†(Homer 9. 06-409) . Odysseus exhibited superb pluck when executing his plan of blinding the Kyklops Had Odysseus not led his people by bravely heading the attack, his words would have meant nothing to the crew. For a leader to be â€Å"brave† he does not only have to be able do the impossible by himself, but he must also influence the people around him to continue on by his side. To be an epic leader intelligence is necessary. One can be brave, but without wit his courage may result in a poor decision. Odysseus uses his intellect to strategically send only three members of his crew to explore the land of the lotuss: â€Å"then I sent two picked men and a runner to learn what race of men that land sustained† (Homer 9. 96-97). Odysseus knows that is the inhabitants are hostile he can lose his entire team, but this way he potentially risks only a fraction of his men. Decisions made by a leader without acuity are futile and may prove harmful to his constituents. Furthermore, Odysseus exemplifies his intelligence when instead of mindlessly slaughtering the suitors, he creates a plan to overcome the fact that he is outnumbered: â€Å"’Put aside two broadswords and two spears/ for our own to use, two oxhide shields nearby/ when we go into action. Pallas Athena, and Zeus All Provident will see you through, bemusing our young friends† (Homer 16. 352-358). Odysseus comes up with the plan to prepare weaponry for himself to ensure he had enough to destroy the suitors, while at the same time making sure the suitors do not acquire arms themselves. Although Odysseus wants to annihilate the suitors he keeps his motives in sight and manages to formulate the plan. The analytical ability to act in a difficult situation is essential for a good leader because the environment is ever changing and sometimes rapid decisions must be made. In the end Odysseuss scheme succeeds to provide arms for him and his accomplices, but the suitors are still able to gain weapons. Without perspicacity strength and bravery are nothing. What sets Odysseus apart from other Greek heroes is that he prefers to fight with his brain rather than with his brawn. Odysseuss reason also helps him make up for the fact that unlike the other Greek heroes, he does not have immortality. Lastly, Odysseuss perseverance made it possible for him to finally make it home to Ithaka, his persistence effects his crew which looks up to him for guidance. When Odysseus arrives home he describes what he had to endure to his wife Penelope: â€Å"’My lady, / what ordeals have we not endured! Here, waiting/ you had your grief, while my return dragged out-/ my hard adventures, pitting myself against/ the god’s will†¦ But now our life resumes: we’ve come together to our longed-for-bed†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Homer 23. 394-400). Both Odysseus and his wife have to cope with many challenges throughout Odysseuss 20 year absence. Even after his crew perished and he is left shipless, Odysseus does not give up. Likewise, when Odysseus has to sacrifice his men in a fight against Skylla, he grieves for his loss but he understands that he must push on : â€Å"Now I let go with hands and feet, plunging/ straight into the foam beside the timbers, /pulled astride, /and rowed hard with my hands/ to pass by Skylla†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Homer 9. 564-568). Odysseus is forced overboard into the raging ocean, but he continues to hope. After losing his crew and his ship Odysseus never sets the sight of his goal to reach home. If Odysseus gives up when the gods throw everything they have at him, his quest is impossible. Instead of cowering from his fears, Odysseus attacks them head on, thus proving he will not surrender to challenges until his final destination is reached. Due to his bravery, his intelligence, and his perseverance, Odysseus is depicted as a phenomenal leader in the epic poem The Odyssey. Odysseuss courage in the Kyklopss cave makes it possible for him and his crew to escape the beast. Without Odysseuss acumen it would be impossible for him to surpass the many suitors that ravaged his home. Most importantly, Odysseus carries on when all odds are against him. Without his dedication Odysseus would not be able to bypass the formidable monsters that block his path back home. Many modern leaders can take Odysseuss example; for instance, modern day politicians need to endure when tackling challenges that at times may seem unbeatable. The only way to try to make the world a better place is to solve monumental problems that affect out everyday lives, such as unemployment and conservation of our environment. We, the human race as a whole, are Odysseus and we need to challenge the Polyphemus, which the modern problems of our world.