Gothic settings are desolate, alienating and full of menace free essay sample

Gothic settings are desolate, alienating and full of menace. In the light of this comment, consider some of the ways in which writers use settings in the gothic texts you have read. In The Bloody Chamber and Wuthering Heights, Carter and Bronte conform to the gothic conventions with desolate and alienating settings that are full of menace, but there are also elements that subvert this view and portray purity and entrapment; the need to escape the gothic mould. A desolate setting is a place without life in a state of bleak and dismal emptiness. This is expressed in The Courtship of Mr Lyon when the girl finds herself bored in the country. This subverts the gothic as the country is associated with purity and feminine inexperience, compared to the male dominated, corrupted city. We see here that the girl longs to break the mould of female passivity with the mean kitchen and her boredom. We will write a custom essay sample on Gothic settings are desolate, alienating and full of menace or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page All the snow and the words light bright and white infer purity and represents her total innocence but also isolation from the outside world, living down a long unmarked country road. Carter places the girl at the window in his tale and ses a lack of description of the kitchen to create a sense of longing for the outside world. She is trapped in the domestic sphere in the kitchen but pauses on her chores. This foreshadows transgressing gender barriers in the story. For a gothic setting to be alienating it could be it makes someone feel isolated or estranged. The girl in The Bloody Chamber feels cut off from her previous, un-married life in the castle surrounded by water. She described how she goes into marriage, into exile and would always be lonely. She feels alone in a patriarchal society because his orefathers had ruled the coast for centuries. This highlights the in which the woman must conform to his wishes, but also connotes medieval undertones of a fairy tale. The girl presents the castle as a magic place, the fairy castle whose walls were made of foam alluding to the supernatural in the magic place like a fairy castle, which highlights gothic architecture of grand castles. The foam however subverts to the gothic as it suggests pleasant freedoms and a lack of substance, almost like its from a dream. In contrast to this image, the reality of a thick darkness, unlit by any tar represents her entrapment and struggle to recover from discovering his dead wives in the bloody chamber. She feels deeply corrupted with no hope of escaping her new knowledge for which she must pay the price, as the room is unlit by stars. This suggestion that women should not have knowledge connotes religious imagery of when Eve corrupted Adam and they paid the price for Eves sin. This knowledge gives the girl the power to question the Marquiss power because when looking at the picture of Saint Cecilia, she asks what had been the nature of her martyrdom? in which she questions her corruption. She suggests Cecilia was only beheaded for her disobeying a man. A bloody chamber is present in some form in each of the ten stories and whilst taking different forms throughout the book, it serves the same symbolic purpose. It is a room where violence and enlightenment occur simultaneously. It is a place of transformation for the heroine. The term the connection between womens sexuality and the violence they experience. ln The Courtship of Mr. Lyon, the bloody chamber is the Beasts room. Even though the Beast does not hurt anyone in the room, it represents the violent and bloody reputation. If the Beast is seen as a being who devours, his room is perceived as a place of terror a bloody chamber. The Beasts room is also a place of transformation for both himself and the heroine. It is there that she realizes her love for him and that he transforms back into a human. Alienating settings can also cause someone to become unsympathetic or hostile. The characters in Wuthering Heights fit in to their new surroundings, subconsciously, and adapt to its beliefs and values and become hostile to their previous way of life. They adapt to the narrow windows deeply set in the wall with a range of gaunt thorns. The Grange rich regal colours such as crimson and blues, showing that the characters have become aware of their social standing and expectations; whereas at Wuthering Heights, there are gaudy painted canisters with objects that are liver-coloured, black and green. Wuthering Heights portrays violence and freedom to act as you please and when Lockwood encounters Cathys ghost he pulled its wrist on the broken pane, and rubbed it to and fro till the blood ran down and soaked the bed-clothes. He states that terror made me cruel and this fear of what is uncertain or obscure at Wuthering Heights explains his violence. This state contrasts to his highly cultured and civilised behaviour at the beginning of the novel. If a setting is full of menace then it poses a threat or danger in a hostile manor. During Lockwoods first visit of Wuthering Heights he feels threatened by the way he describes its appearance among a wilderness of crumbling griffins. Griffins are inhuman evil creatures, suggesting the residents of Wuthering Heights to be cruel and wild. Lockwood feels under threat because he does not know how to act around a family that is crumbling from societys control. Therefore, passing the threshold would mean Lockwood transgressing the oundaries of social norms. Once inside, Lockwood feels trapped because the narrow windows are deeply set in the wall making it impossible to get out. It gives the impression of a prison, where the morally corrupted are kept, with their secrets and taboos. It can also be seen that Wuthering heights poses a threat to Thrushcross Grange because the characters keep wanting to go there and escape from culture at the Grange and become free from entrapment in an oppressive society and become reunited with nature. This is the case for Cathy, Isabella, Catherine and Nelly, who feel drawn to danger, which is liberating and freeing.

Lets Not Eviscerate Eviscerate

Lets Not Eviscerate Eviscerate Lets Not Eviscerate Eviscerate Lets Not Eviscerate Eviscerate By Maeve Maddox Ive always thought of the verb eviscerate as being a really strong word suggestive of horror. Say it aloud. Even the words sound seems to twist like a knife blade. eviscerate [ee VIS er ate] intransitive verb To take out the internal organs or entrails of; to disembowel; to gut. Used correctly, eviscerate conveys the idea of removing an animals innards. For example the Canadian Department of Agriculture has a live, dressed, and eviscerated poultry regulation. A National Institute of Sciences report tells us: Experiments were carried out in eviscerated rats having intact kidneys to examine the effects on body glucose of some conditions known to stimulate overall gluconeogenesis. Pretty horrible stuff, evisceration. Thats why Im sorry to observe that some bloggers and headline writers are using the word as if it were a mere synonym for destroy or impugn (contradict, contravene, cross, disaffirm, gainsay, negate). Armenian Genocide deniers are eviscerated Zionofascist Bollinger Eviscerated by Patriot Keith Olbermann eviscerated Hillary Clinton Such figurative use of the word eviscerate is like calling in a helicopter to get a cat out of a tree. On the other hand, figurative uses of eviscerate can be appropriate: ATT, Microsoft win as ID theft bill eviscerated This use is apt because the document contained things that could be cut out. Sometimes the use of the word is completely off the mark, literally or figuratively, as in a 2002 story by an NPR reporter who called Windows on the World a restaurant in one of the eviscerated towers of the World Trade Center. Had the tower housing the restaurant still been standing as a shell, the use would have been appropriate. Since the tower was rubble, it was not eviscerated. It was demolished. Sure, evisceration does result in the death of the organism to which it is applied, but with so many other more suitable words in the language for attacking peoples ideas, why weaken a bloody, snicker-snak word like eviscerate? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Punctuating â€Å"So† at the Beginning of a Sentence25 Russian Words Used in English (and 25 More That Should Be)What Is the Meaning of "Hack?"

Government policies on citizenship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Government policies on citizenship - Essay Example In Canada for example, the citizenship act states that citizenship becomes automatic for any person born in Canada or born of Canadian parents after February 14th, 1977. This is the citizenship status acquisition by birth. The same is true for children born in the United States or born of American parents (they immediately qualify to be citizens). Citizenship by birth is however challenged when it comes to children who are not born in these respective countries but whom are adopted by the parents who are citizens of these nations. According to the Canadian citizenship act, there is a gray area where this issue is concerned. The issue has however been mentioned by the Department of Justice though the meaning remains vague and ambiguous. The same cannot be said to be true in the US as there is no mention of such matter by the department of State Bureau of Consular affairs which is charged with the responsibility of citizenship. This probably explains why questions are raised about couples who adopt children outside the jurisdiction of the United States and what will become of such children where citizenship is concerned. Most of such individuals when they grow up are forced to apply citizenship through naturalization method and this is not tight since their adoption is by American citizen parents just like those born by them. When it comes to naturalization, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services categorize the people who should or should not receive citizenship. This department handles such issues because most of the rules surrounding this type of naturalization depend on how long an individual has been in the country which is under the jurisdiction of immigration. In both countries (Canada and USA), the rules of application of citizenship by naturalization are strict and require the individual to have permanently resided in those countries for a number of years. The

Implementation of a COP program based on the scenario given Assignment

Implementation of a COP program based on the scenario given - Assignment Example There is also a citizen’s patrol project which will help the police with monitoring areas where there may not be a patrol at that moment so help can be called in immediately. An outline and overview of the project is given in this paper as to how it will be implemented. Introduction This is a proposal memo to address the problems at the Anytown Shopping Mall in our city which has had a 75% increase in crime and robberies over the years 2009 to 2011. In light of the fact that it is determined that homeless people have set up camps in parking lot areas where there is very little lighting installed, and that there have been numerous robberies conducted in parking lot sections, the Anytown Police Department is designing a project to help with cutting down crime and restoring a safe environment for our citizens to be able to shop and work safely in, and around, the Anytown Shopping Mall. It is our plan to bring back businesses to this area as a number of the shopping mall businesse s have left recently because of the unsafe conditions for both workers and customers (Class information 2013). The community-oriented policing program being created is called ANYTOWN ANYTIME FREEDOM SHOPPING program which will address several issues: eliminating transit camps in parking lots, a system of patrols that covers all sections of the parking area and in the mall as well, a protection system for workers and customers of the mall and finally, a determination of what public works projects must be developed, such as a new lighting strategy, for all areas of the parking infrastructure (Class information 2013). 1. The social forces that exist for this problem are that there are numerous homeless people who are camping out in the poorly lit areas of the shopping mall’s parking sections, particularly in underground parking. This creates an unsafe hazard for those workers who must come in early and leave late at night (Craven 2009). For shoppers, the danger is the high chanc e of being robbed, particularly when carrying packages. Aside from the obvious dangers from robberies, muggings, and potential car jackings, the areas where there are camps are very unsanitary, particularly as there are no restrooms (Dempsey & Forst 2013). It is unclear at this time whether the homeless also go into the shopping mall, when it is open, in order to use the restroom facilities. Preparation 2. The first steps in preparing for the program is to have a meeting, or several meetings, with shop owners in the mall in order to hear what incidents they have encountered, which would help in designing the plan of action (Craven 2009). This would also include those businesses which have left the area and finding out specifically what issues they had as regards conducting business in the mall. In addition to the meetings, it is also important to assess from crime reports where crimes in that area have occurred the most and what type they are (Hunter & Barker 2011). Once this inform ation has been developed, then more strategic planning can take place. 3. The social and special interest groups that should be involved in this process are the business owners in the mall, the shopping mall administration officers, any current security teams that are already in place, as most malls have their own team, and also the city manager and district representative. It is important to have reflections from all the above people and to have them

The Olympic Games will be held in Britain this summer. Is this all Essay

The Olympic Games will be held in Britain this summer. Is this all good news What might be the objections to hosting this event - Essay Example Beijing Olympics is believed to be the best Olympics held in the history. Britain wanted to conduct the coming Olympics even better. The competition between host nations caused huge financial burdens upon the host nations. â€Å"London’s Olympics has become the subject of fierce debate four years before the torch is even lit. Time Out explores the pros and cons of the 2012 Games, arguing that the event will significantly boost the capital and the nation†(Hodges, 2012). Many people already questioned the logic of spending too much money for London Olympics, especially at a period in which Britain is struggling to revive its economy. It should be noted that recent recession caused huge damages to British economy and Olympics like expensive events may worsen the problem further. This paper argues against spending too much money for London Olympics. Hosting is very expensive. In recent times the Olympics have never made a direct profit. The bidding process alone for 2012 will cost each bidding city around  £20m and whichever is selected will expect to pay at least  £6.5bn (Paris). With increased security fears Athens spent $1.5bn on security out of a total of $12bn on the 2004 games. The burden of this cost falls on government (and therefore the taxpayer), companies and individuals. Both Paris and London’s local governments have put aside around  £2.4bn which will mean  £20 per year extra in tax for every household in the cities (Bailey, 2008). Some of the recent reports showed that the total expenditure of London Olympics may cross even 9.3 billion pounds ($13.54 billion). It should be noted that many people in Britain are currently struggling because of the negative impacts of recent recession. The organizers of London Olympics are of the view that Olympics may stimulate the country’s economy. In their opinion, tourism revenues could be increased a lot as result of London Olympics. But, they are keeping a blind eye towards the fact

The Elephant Vanishes Haruki Murakami Analysis

The Elephant Vanishes Haruki Murakami Analysis One of the major themes in this story is the idea of things being out of balance. This theme is established when the narrator tells the editor about the importance of unison in kitchen design, as he explains that, Even the most beautifully designed item dies if it is out of balance with its surroundings. The narrator goes on to put emphasis on balance between the environment and the creature that calls it home when he talks about witnessing the change in size of the elephant compared to its keeper. He explains that their size became equal, whether it was the keeper who grew or the elephant that shrank, or perhaps a bit of both. The narrator once again puts across the idea that things around me have lost their proper balance after the disappearance of the two. He is no longer able to take action on his own behalf, as he is haunted by a sense that the urban world is out of balance, and he feels that a kind of natural balance has broken down inside him. Linked to the theme of imbalance is the comparison between reality and appearances. The reporter that is covering the strange occurrence tries very hard to maintain the false impression that the elephant simply escaped, when the facts surrounding the whole thing points to none other than a supernatural vanishing. The narrator points out that this is indeed strange and continues to observe that all of the townspeople try to hide behind a similar guise of normality. This inconsistency between appearances and reality comes up again in the narrators job. He goes about his day as usual and maintains a no-nonsense professional approach even though he himself does not agree that a kitchen must have unity, or any of the other principles his company cites in order to sell the products. The narrator discovers that he cannot decide on the differences between reality and appearance, and while he questions his own perception, he suffers, once again, a sense of disorientation and confusion. Another concern of the story is how modern development has displaced the older, more traditional ways of life. The setting is a prosperous Tokyo suburb in the 1980s, when an economic boom was occurring in Japan. The construction of high-rise condominiums sets the events of the story in motion. These condos replace the old zoo, forcing the elephant to be relocating to a new elephant house. Thus, the keeper and his elephant become a symbol of former ways of life and sensitive relationships, which are being pushed aside by accommodation endeavors. Murakami lightly mocks the absurdity of modern life throughout the story, particularly when the narrator describes the towns reaction to the elephants disappearance. The reactions of various townspeople such as the mayor, a worried-looking mother, the police, Self-Defense Force troops, an anchor, and the reporter show how useless and illogical conventional urban responses can be. As the narrator puts it, the newspaper articles were all either pointless or off the mark. Police response is ridiculous and futile. In all, the absurd public response to the bizarre situation of a misplaced elephant shows, in almost a comic way, how urban mindset fails to imagine, much less comprehend, the implausible or intuitive. Throughout this story, the author reveals subtly that the removal of the old ways of life leaves the people feeling mixed-up. Murakami also puts emphasis on how the new ways create detachment and discomfort. For example, the narrator goes about his job as a public relations executive by abiding to the motto that things you cant sell dont count for much. In reality, he really does not believe this statement, he says it and uses it and it seems to confuse him, making him question his purpose in life. Just like some of the authors other characters, the narrator is single, a loner, and lives by himself with no obvious connections with friends or family. Due to this, he marvels at the connection between the elephant and its keeper, their closeness to one another. Subsequent to the elephants disappearance, the narrator feels low, more isolated, and alone than ever. Murakami uses the motif of water to reinforce readers awareness of disappearance or a sense of dissolution. The narrator, when discussing how the interest factor in the elephants disappearance faded after a few months had passed, states, Amid the endless surge and ebb of everyday life, interest in a missing elephant could not last forever, thus likening daily life to the eroding action of ocean tides. The water motif occurs again several paragraphs later, when the narrator compares summer memories to water flowing into the sewers and rivers, to be carried to the deep, dark ocean. Here too the water motif conveys a sense of things disappearing inevitably into a vast ocean. Since water can evaporate into air and is inherently unstable, this motif mirrors the vanishing, parallels the idea of impermanence, and suggests the narrators sense of being unsettled by a world out of balance. Murakami instills the image of rain into the reader in order to express a sense of gloom and/or sadness. The narrator exemplifies this as he describes the now empty elephant house, A few short months without its elephant had given the place an air of doom and desolation that hung there like a huge, oppressive rain cloud. Afterward, when he is talking to the editor, he mentions the presence of a quiet, dam rain, once again putting forth the existence of an unrelenting, corroding, and perturbing force. Their conversation starts to take a strange course at the mention of the elephant and afterwards the narrator makes a comparison with the melting ice in the editors drink to a tiny ocean current. With this image, it is possible that Murakami again creates an ambience of things dissolving in some sinister, enveloping force. In my opinion, Murakami did an amazing job embedding themes throughout his short story The Elephant Vanishes. He used his abstract writing to convey important societal messages like imbalance, perception, and the views of modern living. Murakami also made the story more personal by incorporating a first person stance. This single view enhanced the confusion. By using dialogue, his motifs, and his similes, Haruki Murakami kept the story enjoyable and readable, although it is sometimes hard to follow along. At the end of the story, it is difficult not to ask questions about the society portrayed in the book. I believe this is what the author was aiming for and I believe he succeeded. By asking questions about the story, the reader, in actuality, is asking questions about their own world.

Coming to the United States Essay -- Personal Experience

Sometime in 1978, my mother brings my sister and me to escape Viet Nam to Songkhla, Thailand. We arrived in San Antonio, Texas nine months later in July, 1979. It is here where I began my â€Å"American† education. It is this education system, and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) through the medium called â€Å"television†, which shred lights on me as I become conscious of what happened to my home country was not the fault of my own people. Regrettably, growing up in â€Å"America† as a foreign kid, barely speaking English, moving from town to town, and changing school annually is not straightforward. In a flash, the realization of what happen to my country vanished as it comes down to a mean of survival. I am on my own in this strange country and society, and I must do what I do to get through at the age of twelve. The recollections of my beautiful country, home, schools, and friends, appeared in the back of my mind from time to time, nevertheless I di d not have time to reflect upon them. The questions of why we left our country and came to such a distance place called the â€Å"United State of America†, never get a â€Å"real† answer. Until now, July 9, 2011, I am attending history 21, conducts by Professor Toshio Whelchel. Thirty-two years later, I am asked to compose an essay for my midterm title: â€Å"Modern American History: From the Overthrow of Hawaii to the Philippines War†. The anxiety in my stomach agitates and my eyes begin to tears, not because it is the â€Å"midterm† paper, not because I forget how to write, not because lettering is my weakness†¦but the memories. April 30, 1975, the reverberation of bullets piercing through the night, the gloomy stench of smoldering dead bodies, as bombs rained down upon us, and guns fired upon innocent ci... ... Horrendously for Philippines and Hawaii, their resources and people are the target of western imperialism, capitalism, racism, industrialization, and military power in the name of ‘democracy’. Against their will, these people must endure imposed western ideology, and sacrifice their life in the fights for self-government. On the other hand, those who came armed with intentions would use any means possible to get what they came for. For some conniving characters seeking self-fortunes, and protecting their own interest, they walk a fine line of morality. Where they can not apply forces, propaganda is their powerful allied. This is an endless cycle of how empire rises and falls. What goes down in history for future generation is the doctrines of the why and the how to go about obtaining the resources that enable one nation to rise or fall.

A Day When Everything Went Worng Essay

I just cannot think myself lucky when a day of my life goes totally wrong. Recently after starting university a day made me totally upset and frustrated. It was a normal day but my mobile did not give any alarm in the morning so I woke up late. While I was in hurry for university my mother told me that our driver did not come today so I had to go alone. I lived in Dhanmondi and the university was in Bashundhara so I had to take a CNG for university. As soon as I reached Nabisco the CNG had stopped. I asked what happened to the CNG driver. He answered me that the gas was finished and he had to refill it now. As I was late before I just came out from the CNG and hired another one. Finally I reached to the university but it was 10 minutes late. I saw that everyone was writing in the class. When I asked what was going on, they replied me that miss was taking a surprise test. My heart was biting fast but when I heard about the test it started biting faster. After the class I went to the cafe for a cold drink but I found that I had only 50 taka with me. See more: Defining research problem and setting objectives Essay Then I remembered that in harry I forget to take money from mother for CNG rent and I already paid 180 taka to the CNG when I came here. So, I had no money for food at the same time no money for further CNG rent. I had to take bus for home but I never had a bus ride alone before. After asking some of my friends I got an idea about the bus counter here. Then I went there and took a bus. When I heard the bus conductor was screaming ‘New Market’, I found that I was in the wrong bus. This bus was in new market but I should take a bus which had a stoppage in Kolabagan. Since I had nothing to do, I had to get off in new market and took a rickshaw. When finally I was in home it was 6 pm. As long as I met with my mom I saw she was getting ready for going out and she was looking tensed. I asked her what happened. She answered me that one of my aunts was in hospital and maybe she had cancer. I just suddenly became blank. What should I do now? After a while I decided to go with my mom. We were there in the hospital till late night. When I reached home I thought about the whole day and marked it as a totally wrong day of my life.

The Effect of Baroque Music Essays

The Effect of Baroque Music Essays The Effect of Baroque Music Paper The Effect of Baroque Music Paper The Effect of Baroque Music on the Performance of Elementary Students on Problem Solving Task A Research Proposal Submitted to the Faculty College of Liberal Arts Western Mindanao State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements in Psychological Research I Submitted by: Lilibeth Grifon Christie Annie M. Jalaron Audraiza Macaraya Arlynn Mae Tangon Chapter I Introduction Students’ lives today are filled with large variety of experiences by which they develop either positive or negative attitudes toward certain experiences. Eventually, these attitudes develop into a guide to their behavior. It has been noticed that most school learners are now musically inclined and the need to have a better teaching strategy to facilitate students’ learning abilities is the prime reason why researchers want to pursue this study. This study focuses on the application of background music in the classroom setting to find out if providing music in the environment can have a significant difference in learners’ performance. The influence of music on rates of learning has been the subject of study for many years. Research has confirmed that loud, background noise hinders learning concentration, and information acquisition. Background music is used to provide a welcoming atmosphere and help prepare and motivate students for learning tasks. It can energize lagging attention levels or soothe and calm when necessary. Music in the classroom may have different effects, depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the pupils in the classroom. It may also depend on the existing level of noise at the school and surrounding area. Various researchers reported that kids seem to be vulnerable to excessive noise. For children who are sensitive, environmental noise can be a source of stress. That’s why for the past years, researchers experimented many ways of producing the healthiest sound possible. Several researchers have proven that classical and baroque music with some nature sounds are the most appropriate background music. Some amount of background music may be helpful in the learning process. Original studies in the used of music in learning show that Baroque music was optimal for learning. Another study showed that Baroque music accelerates learning, and enhance both short-term and long-term memory. Baroque music, with its unique rhythmic structure and stability, is particularly conducive to memory, productivity and healthy, stress-free environments (Lawrence, 2001). Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 and 1750. The original meaning of baroque is irregular pearl. Baroque music forms a major portion of the classical music canon, being widely studied, performed, and listened to. Baroque composers include J. S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Handel, Chopin, Pachelbel and Alboni. Background of the Study Mathematics is a subject where most learners have low achievement. Different reasons are presented on why learners have difficulty in dealing with math subjects. It even came to the point wherein learners cut classes during math subjects. Some respondents stated why they have low interest in math is because they get bored with numbers and teacher’s chalk-board strategy is even reinforcing their boredom. Problem solving is a process of thinking that is directed toward the solution of a specific problem. The process involves the use of problem solving skills. Yet the most difficult to teach in Mathematics is problem solving. Even high school students could hardly solve two-step problems. This is due to poor analysis and understanding of word problems. Proficiency in remediating the problem experienced by the students in this area is an essential skill of a competent educator (Miranda, 2004) One reason of boredom is the lack of interest but more so with the lack of environmental stimulation. Enriched environment is one of the most important factors that educators should look into for the reason that learners are widely curious with different stimuli that will encourage them to do their best in every endeavor. Several researches show that instrumental music can enrich environment and can cause stimulation to learners which is present in the change of their physiological processes. Review of Related Literature This section will discuss the study of the effect of background music in learning. It also includes literature and studies on the effect of music in learning performance. This section will provide scientific evidence that support the claim that music is related to the improvement of mathematical performance. (Tria, Limpingco, Jao, -) concrete operational stage is a period of concrete operational logical thought in number, class and orders (7-11 years old). The child becomes increasingly capable of demonstrating logical thinking in relation to physical objects. A newly acquired capacity of reversibility allow him or her to mentally reverse action that was previously only than physically. The child is now able to mentally hold two or more variables at a time when studying objects and to reconcile apparently contradictory data. He or she becomes more sociocentric, increasingly aware of the views of others. These new mental capacities are demonstrated by a rapid growth in the ability to conserve certain properties and to do relational thinking such as classifying and ordering objects. Mathematical operations are also developed. The child becomes increasingly able to think of physically absent things based on the vivid images of past experiences. The child’s thinking, however, is restricted to concrete thing rather than ideas. (Hurlock, 1982) stated in her book that educators call late childhood the elementary school age. It is the time when the child is expected to acquire the rudiments of knowledge that are considered essential for successful adjustment to adult life. It is also the time when the child is expected to learn certain essential skills, both curricular and extracurricular. Educators also regard late childhood as a critical period in the achievement drive –a time when children form the habit of being achievers, underachievers or overachievers. Once formed, habits of working below, above, or up to one’s capacity tend to persist into adulthood. It has been reported that the level of achievement behavior in childhood is highly corrected with achievement behavior in adulthood. As their world expands with their entrance into school, so do children’s interest. And with this broadening of interest comes an understanding of people and things which formerly had little or no meaning. Children now enter Piaget has called the â€Å"Stage of concrete operations† in thinking, a time when the vague and nebulous concepts of early childhood become specific and concrete. With rapid growth comes a sapping energy. This leads to a disciplination to work and to attitudes of boredom toward any activities that require effort on the individual’s part. While underachievement after begins around the fourth or fifth grade in school, when early enchantment with school gives way to disenchantment, it generally reaches its peak during puberty. Barr and Seashore (as cited in Kong, 2005) says that it is easy to see how active listening can be applied to the steps for teaching toward conceptual change. Once a student has internalized the skills for active listening, they are primed for engaging in an active learning process. The exhibition of this capability is limited by the child’s ability to understand or apply himself to the task. It stressed that researchers and educators have further identified active listening and its component skills as being transferred across disciplines. The ability to listen effectively affects students’ chievement in school, and contributes to the success in life. Music among the multiple intelligences was found invaluable to develop student’s abilities in listening. Insofar as the power of reflective thinking is concern, musical intelligences are like philosophical, mathematical or scientific intelligence. Hodges (2000) outlines the five basic premises that have been derived from neuromusical research. These premises establish a link between the human brain, the ability to learn and the capacity for resilient health. This research supports the long held supposition that music is beneficial to human beings. He states: (1) human brain has the ability to respond to and participate in music; (2) musical brain operates to respond at birth throughout life; (3)early and ongoing musical training affects the organization of the musical brain; (4) musical brain consists of extensive neural systems involving widely distributed, but locally specialized regions of the brain: cognitive components, affective components, and motor components. O’donell (1999) stated that Music from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat of music. It affects the amplitude and frequency of brain waves, which can be measured by an electro-encephalogram. Music also affects breathing rate and electrical resistance of the skin. It activates the left and right brain, thus, maximizes learning and retention of information. The information being studied activates the left brain while the music activates the right brain. In addition, he also find out that listening to baroque music before taking a test releases neurons in the brain which will help the body to relax. Its effectiveness can be seen by the results from an IQ test performed on two groups of college students. The first group listened to Mozart music before taking the test. The second group did not listen to music before taking the test. The first group had an average of 119 while the second group had an average of 110 only. In addition, he stated that the key component of music that makes it beneficial is the order. The order of the music from the baroque and classical periods causes the brain to respond in special ways. This order includes repetition and changes, certain patterns of rhythm, and pitch and mood contrasts. The brain works by looking at the different pieces of information and deciding if they are different or the same. This is done in baroque and classical periods by playing a theme and then repeating and changing the theme. The repetition is only done once. More than one repetition causes the music to be come displeasing, and also causes the person to either enter a state of sub-conscious thinking or a state of anger. Accordingly, the human mind shuts down after three or four repetition of rhythm, or a melody, or a harmonic progression. Zatorre (as cited in O’donell, 1999) children pay close attention to subtle variations in tone and timing, which enables them to learn language accent perfectly. Likewise, musical people have increased aptitude in foreign language learning due to an advanced ability in perceiving, processing, and closely reproducing accent. When the brain processes music, this function extends over both hemispheric regions. The primary actuator in this connection is the acoustic cranial nerve which acts as a switching station for cranial nerves. In other words, the acoustic nerve channels not only sound from the ear, but also conduct other sensory inputs together, so our experience of the environment necessarily becomes a synthesis. Shaw and Bodner (as cited in Kliewer, 2003) included in their study the used of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to map the regions of a subject’s brain that respond when listening to Mozart and Beethoven, and they found out that all types of music activates the auditory cortex, where the brain process sound, and sometimes trigger parts of the brain that are associated with emotion. But with Mozart and Beethoven’s music, the whole cortex is lighting up. Also, it activates areas of the brain involved in fine motor coordination, vision and other higher thought processes, all of which might be expected to come into play for spatial reasoning. Lawrence (2001) found that several studies used instrumental soothing music tends to help accelerate learning. Examples include the composition of Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach and Handel. These instrumental pieces are called concentration music or relaxation music. Baroque music, with its unique rhythmic structure and stability, is particular conducive to memory, productivity and healthy, stress-free environments. Studies for accelerated learning showed that Baroque music was optimal for learning. This music also provides health benefits such as lower muscle tension, lower blood pressure, and a slower pulse rate. Rauscher et al (1988) determined that listening to 10 minutes of Mozarts Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major briefly increased scores 48% (relative to control groups) on the paper-folding task, a component of the Stanford-Binet intelligence test that measures spatio-temporal reasoning abilities. Moreover, the effects were transient, lasting only about 10 minutes, and performance on non-spatial reasoning tasks was unaffected. Such results seem to be unique to the music of Mozart, whereas music not as highly structured did not have measurable effects. Other researchers have demonstrated that compositions of other classical composers such as J. S. Bach show similar benefits. Lozanov (1960) found that playing Baroque instrumental music (such as that of Handel and J. S. Bach) in the background while teaching foreign language vocabulary greatly increased students speed of learning and degree of memory retention. Music with a meter close to 60 beats per minute was found to be most effective; that this rate closely matches that of a relaxed pulse is thought to be significant. Merrill (1991) got 72 mice and divided them into three groups: the hard rock group, the Mozart group, and the control group who had no music at all. He placed the mice in aquariums, and then started playing music 10 hours a day. He put each mouse through a maze three times a week that originally had taken the mice an average of 10 minutes to complete. Over time, the 24 mice in the control group were able to cut about 5 minutes from their maze completion time. The Mozart mice cut their time back 8 1/2 minutes. The hard rock mice added 20 minutes to their time, a 300% increase in maze-running time from their original average. Unfortunately, the study did not go for long because all hard rock mice killed each other. Hardie (1990) studied the effect of music on mathematics anxiety and achievement. Two different environments were used while students took an Intermediate Algebra exam. One group took the exam in silence, while the other group listened to background music during the exam. There was a significant increase in anxiety for the students tested in silence. Ruvinshteyn and Parrino (as cited in Orel, 2007) says research over the past 40 years, Baroque music pulses between 50-60 beats per minute and has been shown to enhance learning of foreign languages and to improve performances in some types of tests. Because of this, the music has been widely marketed as a learning tool. The faculty members studied two groups of classes at Essex County College. In the first group, the instructor played baroque-style music in the background during the first semester. The second group, taught by the same instructors, was not exposed to music during class time. After the first month, surveys showed that students who listened to music were more likely to enjoy class (86 percent vs. 76 percent) and less likely to find mathematics challenging (33 percent vs. 46 percent). Similar changes were noted in both groups regardless of which instructor taught the course. Preliminary results also indicated an improvement in student grades. Weber (2007) stated that Baroque music accelerates learning and enhances both short-term and long-term memory. Physiological effects of Baroque music on learners includes lowering of the blood pressure slows heart beat, decrease of beta waves by 6% but increase of alpha waves by an average of 6%, and the right and left brain hemispheres of the brain synchronized. As the body becomes relax and alert, the mind is able to concentrate more easily. Mowesian and Heyer (1973) tested the basic arithmetic skills of tenth grade students under five different music style conditions: silence, rock music, folk music, classical-instrumental, and classical-vocal. No significant mean exam score differences were found among the five music conditions. They suggested that because music or some other distracter so frequently accompanies participants studying, music may be assumed to raise their morale (p. 108) and that music may make studying and test-taking less tedious, boring, and anxiety-producing (p. 108). Wolfe (1983) researched the use of four volume levels of music while computing mathematics problems. Participants, 200 undergraduate non-music majors, were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups. The groups were task only (no music), task plus background music at 60 – 70 dB, task plus background music at 70– 80 dB, and task plus background music at 80 – 90 dB. For the three music groups, the music consisted of four instrumental selections from motion picture sound tracks. The results indicated no significant difference in the number of problems completed by each group. Also there was no significant difference in the number of math problems completed correctly among the four groups. The participants were given a questionnaire concerning the effect of the loudness on their ability to complete the task. More participants in the 80 90 decibel music group felt that the loudness of the musical selections seemed to interfere with computing the math problems. Theoretical Framework This study anchors on the theory of human intelligence developed by psychologist Howard Gardner who suggested that there are several ways of perceiving and understanding the world that allow individuals to find and resolve problems they faced. This also interrelates the theory of Burrhus F. Skinner and Edward C. Tolman on the role of environment in learning. In 1983 Howard Gardner, psychology professor at Harvard University, presented his Multiple Intelligence theory based upon many years of research. Promoting the concept that intelligence is not one entity but that there are many different forms of intelligence, Gardner has awakened a revolution in learning. Multiple Intelligence teaching methods recognize eight (though there may be more) forms of intelligence: visual-spatial, linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, musical, and most recently naturalist. Multiple Intelligence teachers strive to broaden students’ familiarity and skill levels in each area. In introducing musical intelligence, Gardner first stands back and identifies its basic core of objective features: rhythm, pitch, harmony, and timbre, but he soon moves closer to dwell on the mysterious emotional power of music. He then presents several kinds of evidence to support his theory that musical ability functions like intelligencewhat composers have called logical musical thinking and the musical mind. Musical abilities illustrate why Gardner rejects the simpler split-brain concept of mind. Although most musical abilities are located in the right hemisphere, trained musicians are likely to draw upon the left hemisphere in solving a task that the novice tackles primarily through the use of right hemisphere mechanisms. The Multiple Intelligence teaching model emphasizes education for understanding rather than rote memory or the mimicking of skills. Practical hands-on skill development is coupled with factual knowledge and the ability to apply skills and information in real-life situations and make meaningful contributions to society. Development of the musical intelligence can be greatly aided by the use of music throughout the curriculum. In addition to learning about musical elements and how to create music, the musical intelligence involves developing an ability to respond to musical sound and the ability to use music effectively in ones life. Edward C. Tolman (1886-1959), in his theory Sign/Purposive Learning indicates that cognitive processes are acquired relationships between environmental stimuli and responses. In his theory, the learner recognizes the significance of a stimulus and its different eatures. By following a series of recognizable signs toward a specific goal, learning becomes purposeful. His definition of stimulus is a perception, it is an environmental event that is processed by the organism, and definition of response is a learned behavior composed of performances. Burrhus F. Skinner (1904-1990), his theory Instrumental Learning contends that the most significant human behavior falls under the general heading of operant behavior, which means that there are observable stimuli that lead to human action. His basic approach is a functional analysis of the relationship between observable behavior and the external variables that identify those elements of the environment associated with the occurrence of a behavior or a response. Manipulation of the environment is involved to produce the desired behavior. Conceptual Framework Since learning is a function of the multiple intelligences inherent in the learner this study looks into the causal relationship between Baroque music and performance in Math problem task. It is said that music enhances the learning process. Figure I represent the conceptual framework of the study. Math Problem Solving ability is an aspect of the logical-mathematical and intelligence which could be affected by environmental stimulation such as the presence of Baroque music while doing a problem solving task. Gender and mental ability as possible factors that may affect problem solving ability are considered as control variables to eliminate their influence on the dependent variable in the study. The Problem Research What is the mean pretest score of the group exposed to Baroque music in the problem-solving task? What is the mean pretest score of the group not exposed to Baroque music in the problem-solving task? What is the mean posttest score of the group exposed to Baroque music in the Math Problem Solving task? What is the mean posttest score of the group not exposed to Baroque music in the Math Problem Solving task? Is there a significant difference in the mean pretest scores between the groups exposed to Baroque music and the group not exposed to Baroque music? Is there a significant difference in the mean posttest scores between the groups exposed to Baroque music and the group not exposed to Baroque music? Hypothesis The following hypothesis are tested in the study: There is no significant difference in the mean pretest scores between the groups exposed and unexposed to Baroque music. There is no significant difference in the posttest scores between groups exposed and unexposed to Baroque music. Definition of Terms Baroque Music- this term is associated with the era and the set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between 1600 to 1750. n this study it refers to the instrumental songs composed by Bach (Hapsichord Concerto in F Minor and Air on G String), Vivaldi (The Four Seasons), Albino (Adagio for Strings in G Minor), and Chopin (Nocturne for Piano No. 9). Performance in Math- this phrase refers to the score obtained in the problem-solving task designed to measure mathematical ability. Gender- refers to the sex of the person whether a girl or a boy. Significance of the Study This study is significant to parents because the results will give the them information how Baroque music can help in enhancing the mathematical ability of their children. Parents will encourage their children to appreciate Baroque music, and play it while reading, studying and doing homework. This also provides the teachers information that music is a powerful tool that they can use in the classroom to promote academic achievement and mental discipline. The intentional use of music in the classroom will set the scene and learning atmosphere to enhance teaching and learning activities. School administrators will know the necessary equipments to produce a better performance from their students. The recommendations made in this research are an attempt to find means and solutions to improve instructional facilities needed in subjects where Mathematics is concerned. Chapter II Methodology Research Design This study will utilize an experimental design to investigate the difference in the mathematical problem solving performance of pupils exposed to baroque style of music and those who are not exposed. The pre-test posttest non-equivalent comparison groups quasi-experimental design will be the method of investigation. This design is illustrated bellow: Group 1 01 X03 Group 2 02 04 The above diagram means that group 1 serves as the experimental group and receives the treatment (X). In this study X will be the baroque music. Group 2 will be the control group and does not receive the treatment. 01 and 02 correspond to the pretest while 03 and 04 correspond to the posttest of the control and experimental groups. Population and Sampling Procedure The total population of the Grade Six pupils of Zamboanga City Polytechnic State College is 34 and composed of only one section. Two groups will be used as respondents of the study, one for control and one for experimental. The assignment as to which one will be experimental or control will be done be random. Total enumeration will be used for the number of pupils in the class. Instrumentation An objective type of Math Achievement Test will serve as the instrument to measure Mathematical performance of Grade Six pupils. This will be administered at the start and end at the experimental sessions. Before the administration of the test the self-constructed Math test will be submitted to a panel of experts. Methodological Limitation This study is limited to the investigation of the effect of Baroque music to Mathematics Problem Solving test of the Grade Six Pupils of Zamboanga City State Polytechnic College, located at Baliwasan Chico, Zamboanga City. Data Collection Procedure A. Pre-experimental Phase Permission will be sought from the principal of the Elementary school of Zamboanga City State Polytechnic College to allow the researches to conduct the study. Preparation of the materials such as CD player and the disc containing the song/entitled Harpsichord Concerto in F Minor and Air on G String, The Four Seasons, Adagio for Strings in G Minor, Nocturne for Piano No. , which are Baroque style of musical copies of test instrument. Setting the classrooms that will be used in the conduct of experiments. The classroom setting shall be arranged in such a way that quiet, well ventilated and well-lighted conditions prevail. Discuss and orient with the Math teachers who will serve as confederates of the researchers. They will be briefed on the purpose and mechanics of the research project. This will be done after Math teachers consent to the proposal. B. Experimental Phase The experiment will begin upon opening the school year 2007-2008. he duration of the experimental will be for four weekly class sessions in Math subjects. The assignment as to which class will receive the treatment or serve as experimental groups and control group will be done by random. At the start of the experiment, the Math Achievement Test will be administered to both groups. Results of the test will serve as the pretest component of the experiment. Control Group Condition After the pretest has been conducted, the Math problem solving tasks of Math shall be done without background music. After four weeks a Math Achievement Test will be administered as posttest measure. Experimental Group Condition For this group, Math Problem Solving Task shall be done while baroque music is being played as background music. Data Analysis Procedure Data gathered from the study will be quantitatively analyzed through the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Computation of the pretest posttest mean scores in the Math Achievement test will be conducted. Mean differences in the pre-test posttest Math Achievement scores between the experimental and control group will be analyzed using t-test.

Book Review of Reiman essays

Book Review of Reiman essays Book Review: The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison Jeffrey Reiman is the author of several books, including Abortion and the Ways We Value Life. His some of his other works are Critical Moral Liberalism: Theory The main theme of this book is just what the title is, the rich get richer and the poor get prison, which occurs because of our present economic system. In this system we try to justify distorted definitions of crime and criminals, uneven wealth distribution, poverty, and a criminal justice system that does not protect us against the gravest threats to life, limb, or possessions (90). One of the main topics in this book that helps support the main theme is the idea that the criminal justice system is a failure. Most importantly, our efforts to stop criminal offenses have not worked. The slight advancements that have been made are not likely to be because of new measures taken by the criminal justice system. This failure continues even though we know how to handle many of our social problems. It is further helped by four specific excuses. This excuses are, we are too soft on crime (19), crime in an inescapable companion of any complex, populous, industrialized society (20), attributing crime to young people (23), and lastly, we dont know how to reduce crime (26). On this final excuse, Reiman tells the reader that we do have enough knowledge to have a huge impact on crime, that is of course, if we wanted to. He states, We know that poverty, slums, and unemployment are sources of street crime. We do no fully understand how they cause crime... (28). Society is aware of the positive effects of a good education. Society is also aware of the negative consequences of the readily available guns and failure to h...

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