Cry, the Beloved Country

Cry, the Beloved Country Cry, the Beloved Country Home›Literary Analysis Posts›Cry, the Beloved Country Literary Analysis PostsIntroductionThe theme of gender inequality is evident in this novel. It features various women demonstrating the role of women in this particular society. Women like Mrs. Kumalo and Mrs. Lithebe highlight the subservient role of women to men. They try to serve everybody around them. They suffer in silent. We also have nameless woman from Johannesburg illustrating the same role. Gertrude and the girl (Absalom’s wife) fall prey to abuse traps and turn into prostitution for survival. Some fall prey of misuse by boyfriends who impregnate and leave them. These abuse occurs because women have limited rights and means to control and take care of themselves.Role women play in the novel cry the beloved country. First, women are used to show the nature of life in Johannesburg. This is demonstrated by Gertrude, who goes to the city and turns into a prostitute and an alcoholic. She works as a liquor seller and has she has many husbands”. (Paton A. Cry, The Beloved Country, Chapter. 5) as stated by Msimangu. The girl also goes to the city and gets impregnated after which she returns to Ixopo.  This is also highlighted by the woman who was knocked on a man’s door after she was assaulted and raped. Second, women also play the role of serving men. After Gertrude joins the family, she helps Mrs Lithebe in house chores. Women have also been used to plays roles where kindness needs to be derived.The pregnant girl still wants to marry Absalom even after she well knows that Absalom impregnated and left her also she knows that Absalom is a killer. We also find Mrs. Lithebe being very kind to Kumalo and Gertrude. She finds a buyer for Gertrude’s table and chairs. Mrs. Della is also very kind in directing Kumalo on where to find Absalom. She also accommodates the girl from Pimvle into her house. As quoted “…prepares to bring the girl to a happier place than she has e ver known.” (Paton, A. Cry, The Beloved Country, chapter 16). She allowed Absalom to stay in her place because he didn’t have any other place to go.How the injustices they face affect them. There are various injustices being done to women. First, Gertrude was forced to move to the city with her child when her husband, Absalom, left for mining work and never returned when the job was over. This made her get into alcoholism and prostitution. It also led to the death of her baby and being imprisoned severally for theft allegiance. [T]hey go to Johannesburg, and there they are lost, and no one hears of them at all. (Paton A. Cry, The Beloved Country, Chapter. 2). We also find a man Masimangu telling a story about how a white woman who was knocked down near a mans door after being assaulted and raped. More so, the girl impregnated by Absalom has been married twice before and her husband’s caught for crimes. Now she also is imprisoned.Women are also suffering silently. Gertrude does not want to speak to Stephen about her problems; she prefers discussing them with Mrs. Lithebe  Do they suffer from the same injustices that men do?Women and men are suffering from different injustices. Women are suffering from injustice concerning misuse and abuse by men while men are suffering out of their own predicaments. While Stephen Kumalo is trying to reunite a family as a man, women are getting suffering from completely different injustices. While Absalom is getting imprisoned for allegedly having killed a white man, the girl he impregnated is imprisoned for theft charges.ConclusionIn this context, half of the population in the Johannesburg population comprises women and their roles have hence been integrated into the novel as discussed above. Generally, in this novel, women’s roles have been related directly to serving men or women falling prey to men or women assisting men achieving their objectives. This is demonstrated by women in the novel such as Mrs. Lithebe, and Gertrude among others.

The Theory Of Criminal Behavior - 1191 Words

An additional nature argument is that some children inherit an addiction to an illegal substance because their parents may have taken it up during pregnancy. Having this biological trait means that the child is more likely to become addicted to it in later life and thus be more prone to committing crimes as it has been found that drugs and alcohol are main factors in why individuals commit unlawful behaviour. Others go on to challenge the nature debate, one reason being is criminal behaviour sometimes can t be defined. Law in our society is defined by social and legal intuitions, not in biology. What is criminal in one country may not be in another so how can one gene deformation cause one to become a criminal ? So, as these studies have found, there appears to be some genetic traits that can influence criminal behaviour such as a person’s gender or mental illness. But this doesn t mean there is an evil gene which all criminals inherit, social factors also have a huge part to play in it too. THE NURTURE ARGUMENT Therefore, at the other hand of the spectrum, sociologists have conducted studies to find out whether a person’s social environment has influenced them to take part in criminal behaviour. This is known as the nurture debate. In order to understand the nurture side, what a ‘social environment’ is, must first be understood - The moulding behaviour based on a set of morals , values and beliefs that are instilled in individuals during early childhood,Show MoreRelatedThe Theory Of Criminal Behavior955 Words   |  4 PagesThe theory I believe that explains criminal behavior and delinquency the best would be the Differential Reinforcement Theory, reviewed by Robert Burgess and Ronald Akers after it was criticized by C.R. Jeffery. Burgess and Akers argued against Sutherland’s work by using what he had used already and adding operant conditioning and modeling/condition in order to explain criminal behavior more clearly. They offered seven propositions to summarize the Differential Reinforcement Theory, which was a justificationRead MoreThe Theories Of Criminal Behavior893 Words   |  4 PagesCriminal behavior can be defined as any type of disruptive behavior or antisocial behavior that violates a law and is punishable by society. The three main causes of criminal behavior are psychological impacts, sociological influences, and biological factors. Although there are many more factors that can trigger criminal behaviors, they can all be summed up into the never-ending question, nature versus nature? The psychological approach to criminal behavior is categorized into the nurture sideRead MoreTheory of Criminal Behavior2402 Words   |  10 PagesRunning head: Theories of Criminal Behavior Theories of Criminal Behavior Theories of Criminal Behavior The beginning of civilization dawned a new era in which man came together to live amongst one another in relative peace and prosperity. The advent of civilization however also brought about people who choose to live a life outside of societal norms and law, norms and thus was the creation of the criminal. All civilizations tried to suppress and discourage crime by using aRead MoreThe Theory Of Criminal Behavior1333 Words   |  6 PagesCriminal behavior has been a difficult term to define over the years due to the many variables that must be taken into account in order to present an accurate definition. However, the definition provided by Bartol is as follows, â€Å"Behavior in violation of the criminal code that is intentional and without justification or excuse† (Bartol, 2014). A vital variable that is represented in criminal behavior is crime. The fundamental purpose of theory is to explain things that can be observed. When discussingRead MoreThe Theory Of Criminal Beha vior1412 Words   |  6 Pagesof social process theories that are rooted in their notion that criminal behavior is learned by a social context. There has been a learning perspective that assumed that there are law- breaking values, norms, and etc. The section goes on to explain the theories envision that a criminal’s behavior is a product of the same learning process of noncriminal behavior. Crime is known for being constructed as a normal behavior rather than pathological. The task of this learning theory is to detail theRead MoreThe Theory Of Criminal Behavior Essay2360 Words   |  10 Pageseven though there have been harsh laws enforced for those who commit crimes. These people have come up with theories as to why people commit crimes to understand these theories, we must understand what a crime is and understand the definition of theories. Crime is a human conduct that violates the laws of a state or the federal government. There are different ways people view criminal behaviors either through the view of the social problem perspective which blames the society and the social responsibilityRead MoreThe Theory Of Criminal Behavior1608 Words   |  7 Pagescauses of his criminal behaviour through the three different criminological schools of thought: classical, positivist, and sociological. There are a number of concepts of crime including human nature, the society, social contract, the law, and punishment. The central concepts of the classical school of thought is that people are egotistical, rational, motivated by pain and pleasure, people choose their behaviour, and behaviour can be modified by fear of punishment. The classical theory focuses onRead MoreBiological Theories Of Criminal Behavior844 Words   |  4 PagesBiological Theories are vastly growing with fascinating research. The main stump is concretely linking it to criminal behavior, because some theories are more relatable than others. Theories involving temperament and hormones give real life biological explanations, while others like extrovert and introvert behaviors, and neuroticism explain a weaker link to crime. However, all theories are valuable in exploring the root of crime. Temperament can be described as the natural mood disposition determinedRead MoreThe Psychological Theories Of Criminal Behavior883 Words   |  4 PagesPsychological Theories The psychological theories of criminal behavior focus on the lack of socialization, incomplete cognitive development, and bad childhood experiences. Those who study psychological theories believe that failures in cognitive development can be a major factor in malfunctioning behavior. These criminals have difficulty controlling anger and containing violence, which causes them to lash out. The results of these episodes are murder, rape, robbery, assault, and battery. Many moreRead MoreEssay on Theory of Criminal Behavior1000 Words   |  4 Pages1.0 Introduction Crime depicts any act or omission that is prohibited by the public law. On the same note, behavior is a function which has measurable differences in psychological characteristics among individuals (Brennan-Galvin, 2002). Such characteristics may be influenced by constitutional, personality attributes, and neurophysiologic or genetics factors. Likewise, criminal behavior is the commission of acts which in their situational and social settings are considered crimes due to the fact

Innovative Widgets Customer Service Plan - 1104 Words

Innovative Widgets customer service plan Vision †¢ This is a statement of how you envision customer services being delivered in the future In five years’ time, Innovative Widgets will be the leader in customer service satisfaction, providing timely, responsive service with integrity, simplicity and a passion for excellence, while meeting or exceeding the customer’s expectations. Mission statement †¢ This defines what a company will do to achieve its vision. It may include the company’s functions, goals and philosophies The mission of Innovative Widgets is to always convey a passion for the customer and to consistently deliver the best service experience. Innovative Widgets defines customer service as any activity†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Customer service employees will obtain information of all customers using the RATER survey which will focus on the following criteria; Reliability: Deliver what we promise in service and product Assurance: Ensuring our customer have trust in our knowledge and confidence in our ability to deliver Tangibles: Always representing Innovative Widgets at a high standard Empathy: Being attentive to our customers using active listening and courteous language Response: Always going above and beyond in all customer interactions as well as internal customers. †¢ Customer service Managers will analyse the survey results to determine customer needs Updated (date) CEO Innovative Widgets 2014 Customer complaints policy and procedure †¢ Outline policies and procedures for responding to customer complaints Policy Complaints policy and procedure Purpose The purpose of this policy is to ensure the management ofShow MoreRelatedInnovative Widgets Customer Service Plan1059 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Innovative Widgets customer service plan Vision †¢ This is a statement of how you envision customer services being delivered in the future In five years’ time, Innovative Widgets will be the leader in customer service satisfaction, providing timely, responsive service with integrity, simplicity and a passion for excellence, while meeting or exceeding the customer’s expectations. Mission statement †¢ This defines what a company will do to achieve its vision. It may include the company’sRead MoreInnovative Widget Customer Service Plan5878 Words   |  24 PagesMonitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan Cap-Net International Network for Capacity Building in Sustainable Water Management November 2009 The purpose of this document is to improve learning from the Cap-Net programme, ensure adequate monitoring of the project and assist our partner networks monitor their own activities. This monitoring, evaluation and learning plan (MELP) has been developed as a guide to monitoring and evaluation within the Cap-Net project and the tools listed are applied byRead MoreEssay about Innovative Widgets- Customer Service Plan939 Words   |  4 PagesAbout Innovative Widgets. At Innovative Widgets we are the number leading widgets producer in Australia. Established in 1952, widgets are used as components for a wide variety of machinery, including domestic and industrial machinery. All our widgets are functional, well designed and manufactured to the his highest quality standards. Customers across Australia look to us to provide high quality products at competitive prices. This is a family owned company with the sons and daughters of the founderRead MoreCustomer service plan1735 Words   |  7 Pages†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.3 Customer Complaints †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.4 Managing Records and Data †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.5 One Page Reflection .†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 CUSTOMER SERVICE PLAN INTRODUCTION Innovative Widgets is a large firm of about four hundred staff, and is the largest producer of widgets in Australia. Established in 1952, its widgets are used as components in a broad range of televisions. At Innovative Widgets we are dedicated to providingRead MoreCustomer Service and Innovative Widgets1289 Words   |  6 PagesBSBCUS501C Manage quality customer service Presented to: Darren Creed Assessment 3 Name: Jacinta Butterworth Date: 20 March 2015 Procedure: 1. Develop a set of Key Performance Indicators for your Innovative Widgets customer service representatives. KPIs should address all the areas of customer and business requirements identified 2. Develop a plan or procedure for monitoring team members’ performance again KPIs 3. Develop a questionnaire to collect customer feedback related to KPIs and/or designedRead MoreBSBCUS501C Innovative Widgets Assessmen1412 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Customer Service Plan Vision Innovative Widgets to be considered a leader in superior quality products and customer service. Mission Innovative Widgets will provide customers a positive experience in customer service throughout all aspects of our business. Product Standards Standards Description 1 Dimensions Widgets are manufactured in sizes: 5mm, 6mm, 10mm, 15mm and 18mm 2 Tolerances We guarantee our Widgets to +/- 3% of size indicated. Widgets which do not meet this quality may be returned forRead MoreCustomer Service Plan for Widgets1706 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Widget Innovation Customer Service Plan Customer service and commitment to our customers has been the driving force behind our brand. Widget strive to get it right first time, everytime.Incases where things don’t come out right we believe our professional workers will strive to correct the problem and our customers have the right to know what level of service they can expect from us all the time even in these times when we fall short of the very high standards we have set ourselves. Through ourRead MoreHcsi761 Words   |  4 PagesCustomer Service Plan HQCS – Assessment 1 Debora Boszczovski 1. Introduction The following project aims to develop a Customer Service Plan that demonstrates a thorough understanding of the policies and procedures that need to be established in order to provide quality customer service. Customer service is an important factor in developing a wide and loyal customer base. A customer service plan examines customers perceptions and expectations of a company, and guides the company throughRead MoreManage Quality Customer Service1633 Words   |  7 PagesHQCS: Manage Quality Customer Service Student Guide BSBCUS501A: Manage Quality Customer Service Elements of competence Plan to meet internal and external customer requirements Ensure delivery of quality products and/or services Monitor, adjust and review customer service 1 BSB51107 Diploma of Management _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Module description This module covers the skills and knowledge required to adviseRead MoreHqm=Cs1604 Words   |  7 PagesHQCS: Manage Quality Customer Service Student Guide BSBCUS501A: Manage Quality Customer Service Elements of competence Plan to meet internal and external customer requirements Ensure delivery of quality products and/or services Monitor, adjust and review customer service 1 BSB51107 Diploma of Management _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Module description This module covers the skills and knowledge required to advise on and

apanese Cinema and Western Audiences Free Essays

Japanese Cinema and Western Audiences: Why a Foreknowledge of Japan’s Social, Cultural and Historical Background Is a Necessity in Order to â€Å"Properly† Appreciate Japanese Cinema and Western Audiences: Why a foreknowledge of Japan’s social, cultural and historical background is a necessity in order to â€Å"properly† appreciate Japanese Cinema. Discuss the claim that Japanese cinema cannot be properly understood by Western audiences without a wider understanding of Japanese history, culture and society. In this essay I intend to prove that a foreknowledge of Japan’s social, cultural and historical background is a necessity in order to â€Å"properly† appreciate Japanese Cinema. We will write a custom essay sample on apanese Cinema and Western Audiences or any similar topic only for you Order Now With reference to films such as Ugetsu Monogatari and Tokyo Story, my aim is to use my illustrative examples, analysis and references to scholarly sources to clearly show that in order to â€Å"properly† understand Japanese Cinema, a foreknowledge of Japanese history, culture and society is a definite requirement a western audience. The concept of world cinema has become commercially a genre. This genre creates the concept of the ‘other’; this is because it is other to what a western audience is used to (which is Hollywood or European cinema). It is also categorized as â€Å"third cinema†, with â€Å"first cinema† being Hollywood.This grouping normally means that the film is in a foreign language (non-english), it is culturally specific to the culture that produces it and is pre-occupied with culture and history or specific social and political ideas. These forms of categorization alone are evidence that western audiences consider Japanese cinema out side of their understanding of traditional cinema. To begin the argument we can relate to one significant theorist. Donald Richie moved to Japan during the occupation in order to study Japanese films, in order to gain an understanding of the Japanese national character, to assist in defeating the Japanese military forces.In his long stay in Japan, he familiarized himself with Japanese theatre, art, culture, cinema and society. This allowed him to play the role of â€Å"mediator† between Japanese cinema and the west† Without Richie’s knowledge of Japanese culture, history and society, his appreciation for Japanese cinema would be sparse. Fumiaki Itakura commented on Western audiences â€Å"Japaneseness† was invented just one hundred years ago, and were based on cultural nationalism. They are not likely to understand the ideology of this â€Å"Japaneseness. † It is clear that Japanese cinema is too culturally specific for a western audience to ‘fully’ appreciate. Kenji Mizoguchi’s films have been put forward by critics and scholars as perhaps the most culturally specific Japanese films. His film â€Å"Ugetsu Monogatari† (1953) is a Jidai-geki film, (a period drama) for which he has become recognised as an auteur. Themes revolving around wealth, family and spirituality play a main role in the film. Freda Freinberg described the film as â€Å"Totally other to the world we knew† in relation to western audiences. The geisha dance scene would be completely disregarded by a western audience. Firstly her singing is very culturally specific, and is a Japanese form of chanting.According to Leger Grindon in reference to the â€Å"Realms of the Senses† , the geisha functions as a sign of the Japanese forbidden, and the surrender of emotions in replacement of sexual passion. Genjuro has left his wife, and is being seduced by Lady Wakasa. The camera work is very insignificant to how the dance is portrayed. The camera stays at a mid-shot whilst she performs, only following her movement. The dance is a Japanese traditional dance, it’s very slow paced, as she dances she waves a fan. During this scene the attention is never on Genjuro. We can see in back ground of the shot that he is hypnotised by her dancing.Mizouchi wants the audience main focus to be on the dance. The traditional dance and song of this scene is very culturally specific, a western audience would not be able to â€Å"properly† appreciate it without a foreknowledge of Japanese Culture. The most significant part of this scene is the voice of her father. A low chant begins to accompany Lady Wakasa singing, this shocks the mistress and stops her from singing. The camera is still only focused on Lady Wakasa, the audience don’t see where the voice is coming from. The camera then pans slowly to their statue.Lady Wakasa falls to Genjuro using very exaggerated and expressive movement. This is inspired by traditional Kabuki theatre, which a western audience wouldn’t appreciate without foreknowledge. Lady Wakasa claims that it’s the voice of her late father. He is expressing his happiness for his daughter. These strong spiritual and religious themes are common in Japanese culture. Buddah, evil spirits, the omen, ghosts and after life are all common themes of Japan’s beliefs of spirituality. Leger Grindon comments on religion that â€Å"in few cultures is it taken seriously and as it as much a part of daily life as in Japan. This scene would be disregarded, and not ‘properly’ appreciated by a western audience, without a further insight to Japanese culture. Lady Wakasa’s spirit is used as a representation of Japan’s past. Genjuro is seduced by a spirit, this is a representation of being seduced to return to their fugal past. i Here Mizoguchi is using form to represent the past. A understanding of Japanese History is significant when viewing Japanese Cinema. In â€Å"Ugetsu Monogatari† there is a lot of narrative revolved around Tobei, who longs to be a Samurai, as it is a respected role society.The samuri status has also been criticized in â€Å"Life of Oharu†, as Oharu is disgraced by her family due to falling in love with a Samurai, which leads to her fate of prostitution. In â€Å"Ugetsu Monogatari† Tobei’s spots a famous general’s vassal behead his lord. Mizoguchi’s use of camera work means that the beheading is hidden from the shot. The main focus is not on the camera work and editing, (as it does in Hollywood) instead the camera work works around the action. Long takes and wide shots allow the action to tell the story. This gives the impression that we are viewing the scene in real time.Critic Freda Freiberg stated that â€Å"Mizoguchi is one of the masters of the long take. † A long take, pans out from the vassal as he begins to walk away. Dues to Tobei’s desperation to become a samurai, he kills the vassal and steals the head. To a western audience the idealisation of the samurai would not be understood without a wider understanding of Japans history. This means that an audience could not ‘properly’ appreciate the film without a foreknowledge of Japans history. Yasujiro Ozu has been considered by David Bordowell as â€Å"quintessentially Japanese† . His films are made up of small domestic stories, shot mainly in interior sets.Unlike the Hollywood system, Ozu prioritised space over narrative. i In his film â€Å"Tokyo Story† (1953), he directly confronts the idea of where Japan is going after the war, in terms of national identity. He effectively documents a Japanese life at this time, and touches on the idea of society changing through their past, present and future. Tokyo Story really deals with three generations passing through life, but mostly with the generation that is passing out of it. The scene when the grand parents arrive at the house, they enter wearing traditional Kimonos and bow when greeting.This juxtaposes with their son who is dressed in a suit. Already we can see the grand father and the son playing representation of the changing generations: the grandfather representing the past, and his son of the present. In another scene, the grandson is pictured studying English as a desk, wearing a baseball cap. This representation, as small as it is, shows the future for Japan and where it is headed. Baseball is an American sport that was adapted by the Japanese during the occupation. Also, by sitting the boy at a desk, Ozu is making a statement about what Japan’s future holds, in this he is relating to westernization. Relating to westernization is a common idea in Japanese films. For instance Seijun Suzuki’s â€Å"Tokyo Drifter† features night clubs influenced by western music, and even involves western characters in one of his scenes, making a statement about Japanese westernization. All of these representations would mean nothing to a western audience without foreknowledge of Japans social traits. In a later scene feature the grand father and his friends, he says â€Å"young people today have no backbone, where is their spirit? † He is touching on younger generation having no ambitions, and how times are changing.Ozu’s films commonly deal with role reversals, mostly between generations. As example the scene where the grandmother wishes to spend time with her grandchildren, we can see that the mother has little control over her son. He spins around in his chair and kicks his legs about as his mother tries to convince him to accompany his grandmother. At the end of the scene the mother (Fumiko), gives in and leaves her son to spin in his chair. In the case of the grandparents, their children are to preoccupied with their own lives to spend time with them, instead they send them away to a spa.These are two examples of how roles have been reversed, with younger generations gaining the most control. This is a representation of where Japan is headed, and that it’s in the hand of the younger generation. Without a previous understanding of the Japanese social state, a western audience would not be able to ‘properly’ appreciate the film to it’s fullest. Women’s status in society is commented on in the film, how their roles are changing. Noriko is seen working a desk job, she lives by herself and is only dependant on herself. She is seen throughout the film in a skirt and shirt, rather than the traditional Kimono.This is stating how women’s roles are changing. However Noriko appears to be clinging on the memory of her late husband. The grandmother asks of her to move on from the memory of her son, and find another partner. Socially, Japanese have presented a hierarchy with the male above the female. This is a dominant theme in â€Å"Ugetsu Monogatari† and â€Å"Life of Oharu†(1958) women are left in ruins because their man has abandoned them. In â€Å"Tokyo Story† it presents a modern picture of women in society, and show that although their roles may have changed, they still are classed below men. Noriko is still dependant on her husband, even after his death. Kishi Matsuo commented on women’s role in society â€Å"comparing today with the Ginkgo and Nara periods, I don’t find much difference, women have always been treated like slaves. † Without a wider understanding of Japanese society, the representation of women would be misunderstood. What the analysis of Mizoguchi’s â€Å"Ugetsu Monogatari† and Ozu’s â€Å"Tokyo Story† has clearly shown is that it is entirely right to claim that Japanese cinema cannot be properly understood by Western audiences without a wider understanding of Japanese country’s history, culture and society.Japanese cinema is too culturally specific that a western audience wouldn’t be able to ‘properly’ appreciate it. Japanese history, culture and society are all commented on throughout Ozu and Mizoguchi’s films. The content of this essay has explained that what is being c ommented on is too complex for a western audience, meaning they could not ‘properly’ appreciate these films, and Japanese cinema overall. 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The Last Song free essay sample

It has been widely accepted that textbook is an essential component of the classroom. It is the most common teaching device. A textbook is a manual of instruction or a standard book in any branch of study. They are produced according to the demand of educational institution. This paper is a textbook evaluation to determine the effectiveness of the book to the 3rd year high school students in the reading development and if it provides the learning goals of each lesson, classified into listening, speaking, reading, grammar, writing and study skills, and values objectives as a tool for learning and living in the highly competitive world. Education demands a high-quality level of learning device or technology. In fact, the efficiency of the teaching-learning process depends on the authenticity and relevance of the instructional material. One of which is the textbook. One of the skills education demands is the skill on reading. We will write a custom essay sample on The Last Song or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Reading is the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message. According to Timothy Dwight, â€Å"A person who cannot read is something like a blind man walking through a pleasant meadow, where there are flowers and fruit trees; there are many pleasant things and many wise and good things printed in books, but we cannot get them unless we read†. It is the root of all wisdom. So what do you think would be the effect if a student will gather wrong information or inaccurate learning from a book? Textbook is book used in schools or colleges for the formal study of a subject. They play a big role in the learning process of every individual. They can make or break the student’s future. So it is really important to select the best book that you will use in facilitating learning. Well, selecting isn’t enough, there should always be an evaluation; for you to see the efficacy of every components of the book. This paper will present how a specific textbook satisfy the requirements to be considered an efficient book. Each part of the book will be criticized and evaluated whether they work for each other or some should be eliminated. The following parts of the paper are product of close reading of the book â€Å"Public Speaking and Speech Improvement for Filipino Students Fourth Edition† by Arsenia B. Tan. OBJECTIVES 1. To determine the effectiveness of the book to the 3rd year high school students in the reading development. 2. To value the importance of the reading book/s instead of depending everything on the internet. 3. To awaken the students that even in their simple ways, they can be a good public speaker. TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS I. Title of the book: Public Speaking and Speech Improvement for Filipino Students II. Author: Arsenia B. Tan III. Subject Area of Concentration: English IV. Curriculum used: Third Year High School (English III) V. Textbook Analysis: This book offers a practical approach to the fundamentals of speech improvement. Since speech is a communication, there are a number of factors that the reader must consider. If he wishes to be an effective communicator of his thoughts are feelings. The following premises will discuss each part of the book about their content, implication, and efficiency. A. Title Page The book is covered with a yellow- colored skin with the title pointed on it. The design used a picture at a speaker showing his conviction in public speaking. As a reader you will initially figure out that the book indeed offers a great content by simply looking on its cover page. B. Copyright Page The book displays the total information about the book’s publishing company, date, and authors. This would be beneficial to the students who aim to have a research. C. Table of Contents Based on convention, the topics of the book were presented in organized form. Each topic was specified with its page location. Each part of the book was placed on the table of contents. The teacher, student of any reader will have an easy time looking for the topics of the book. D. Preface The most precious gift that God has given to man is the power of speech. It is the power that distinguishes man from animals. Man uses speech to communicate his thoughts, feelings, desires, and aspirations to his fellow beings with to whom he interacts in continual living or in social activities. This is how the authors started her preface. It is indeed encouraging to read the preface. It gives us an efficient birds-eye-view about the goals and content of the book. If you will match it to the curriculum, it is suitable to the demands of the Language subjects of the students. The preface seems to be the author’s journal. You can read how dedicated she is to transmit the wisdom of public speaking to her readers. It is the main objective – to develop not only mastery of the communication skills but also proficiency in the transmission of ideas that this book has been prepared. For this reason, this book will serve as an individual tool to develop one’s communicative power to the outmost if he expects to become a competent and dynamic administrator or leader in his field of endeavour. E. Chapter Analysis A. Part 1: On Public Speaking Chapter 1: What public speaking involves? The chapter deals with the definition of public speaking. It also presents different definition from various authors of public speaking. Since the book is used for language subjects in secondary, the content of chapter one satisfy the demands of a newbie speaker who will read this book. The student will easily understand the ideas of chapter one because the words are clearly defined and the examples given are congruent to the reality of life the book describes. The teacher could also apply the tips presented in the chapter. Most of the explanations can be easily discussed through the use of examples provided. The chapter offers a self- evaluation on its last part. It is an oral examination which asks ‘What can you contribute to make your country a better place to live in as an individual? As a member of the community? As a professional? † See page 12. Basically, the activity is appropriate to test the effect of the tips given on the chapter. The teacher could assess whether learners is effectively learning. B. Chapter 2: Delivery as an effective medium of putting words into action. This particular chapter talks about delivery. Its process, definition, and aspects. The factors affecting delivery were also presented chronologically. The salient factors to underscore in the process of delivery were presented in detail. The student could easily understand the steps because they were narratively presented. And most of the examples are true to life. The student can easily relate with the scenarios of delivery. The teacher is the best demonstrator of the following reminders of delivery. If she will follow the steps given she’ll be effective in her discussion of the chapter. The chapter offers another self- evaluation which asks for application test. The activity can help the teacher to assess the student’s development in his delivery. C. Chapter 3: Developing a pleasing, impressive voice and using gestures effectively. The chapter discussed the definitions of voice and gestures. It also presented different techniques in developing the two. The book gave a lot of standard procedures in performing voice and gestures. The students are subjected to corrections and criticism whenever they attempt to perform such. The chapter could help the teacher in managing the voice quality of the students, even the execution of the gestures. The teacher should master every bits of information of this chapter three. She could effectively demonstrate the standard procedures. The chapter presented a voice drill and gestures drill which serves as an activity to evaluate the students’ mastery of the lesson. D. Chapter 4: Preparing the speech In this chapter the content is all about how will the student prepare a speech. There are factors that the student must consider as a speaker before making a speech. How to become an interesting and effective speaker are being underscore in this chapter. It also includes suggestions in preparing a speech to be a great public speaker. As a good speaker, every individual must know how to make a plan on how to produce or write an interesting beginning and a remarkable ending. The book suggests the ways in choosing a topic or a subject considering the audience, occasion, and the availability of the materials to be used in the speech. The activity given in this chapter assess the capability of the student’s knowledge on a certain topic and how will he react or present in the situation given. Thus, the given topic is somehow difficult for the students for the secondary level. The topic must be appropriate in their level. E. Chapter 5: Tackling the problem of listening. This chapter discussed the problems in listening. Basically, this is a very interesting topic for the readers who are experiencing problems in listening since talking is such a natural and endless activity that we perform in daily. We frequently have conversations without realizing that we are engaged in a public rather than in a private activity. Good thing about this chapter is that, it provides demonstrative examples like dialogues of native speakers as they overcome problems in listening. It also discussed different symptoms and signs about having listening problems. The students could easily relate to the lesson because students nowadays are sometimes experiencing listening problems. The chapter’s topic is a challenge to the teacher because it provides different tips to solve the listening problems. Part of which are the suggested activities see page 52- 53. F. Chapter 6: Variations in the forms of your prepared speeches. This chapter is a performance- based part. The time to speak has come! The students should have to stand before an audience and deliver their speech. This chapter asks for what kind of category of speech will the student perform on a specific purpose. The chapter provided concrete excerpts and sample speeches from different sources (see bibliography) which played a big role in transmitting the skills in speaking. There are also practical speeches to be practiced after every type of speech. A student could also use the examples to compare their speech efficiency to others. The teacher is privilege to have this part of the book because she will not have a hard time looking for resources. She could easily facilitate learning by simply using the given examples of speech on the chapter. Education- wise, the chapter also provided a practical activity on the latter part of it. It requires students to perform different types of speeches see page 66. G. Chapter 7: Speaking with a definite purpose. After discussing how to speak, this chapter aims to illustrate different purposes why we speak. The general purpose of speaking is usually to inform, to inspire, to convince, to entertain, to persuade. The student is lucky to have this part of the book, only limited books presents comprehensive details about different purpose of speeches. They could practice and inculcate in their minds the variation of speeches according to specific purpose. As expected, this chapter provided examples of speeches depending on its specific purpose of such. It presented narrative explanation of each type of purposeful speeches. A teacher can facilitate learning by using different examples given to this chapter. In fact, most activities are already given in the evaluation part of this book. H. Chapter 8: The art of audience psychology. As we observed, the topics are getting deeper and more complex. Since speeches are fundamentally built around people’s lives and are primarily directed to an audiences it is of vital importance to study the audience and to know the art of its psychology if a public speaker wishes to be successful and efficient during the moment of speech communication. This chapter, it was clearly searched that a speaker should master the audience’s psychology. In fact, it provides different factors to remember the audience’s psychology. The teacher is expected to discuss all pointers given in the chapter through the use of practical examples given in the book. In the evaluation part, it can be used in the actual discussion because it is performance- based. See page 85. I. Chapter 9: Can children and teenagers become public speakers and type of audience in a public speaking occasion. In this chapter, children and teenagers as public speakers and as an audience in a public speaking occasion. They will surely gasp with disbelief and prospect of seeing children and teenagers going to podium, standing before a microphone and getting ready to deliver a speech. This chapter deals with the other dimension to consider in public speaking. It focuses on a specific human age. These are children and teenager. Basically, childhood is the beginning of development. This chapter offers different pointers and suggestions on how to develop public speaking skill in special occasion. The teacher can use the given excerpts and literary pieces to facilitate the activities which the chapter demands. It is comprehensive because standard procedures were given to be able to perform a speech. J. Chapter 10: Getting involved with a group discussion. Today, we recognized the value of group discussions. Many changes are brought about in our social, political, and religious conditions. Religious conditions through participation of individuals in group discussions. After learning bout individual’s performances, this chapter moved to the next level which is group discussions. The student is being prepared for social interaction. It also presented the different requirements of group communication. The teacher and student can distinguish how efficient a group can be in accomplishing something that would be impossible or at least improbable for a person will depend on a large degree upon the ability of the group members to communicate effectively when they find themselves in a group situation. This chapter is a great source to read because nowadays we are dealing with a multi- cultural world wherein we are demanded to be socially competent. This chapter gave an activity see page 128. It asked the student’s to perform an activity about group communication. ’ K. Chapter 11: The campaign speech. Since speech is broad, this chapter tackles a specific kind of speech which is the campaign speech. This is beneficial to students or even teachers who are hoping to be efficient in campaign speeches. We live in an era today, where politics, economics and social event dominated and determined the outcome of people’s life and destiny. This chapter discussed the definition, importance, implication, and glamour of campaign speech. It provides different styles and techniques in a good campaign speech. Each part of the speech is discussed on how to create such and how to implement. Each part provided different exercises which can test and practice the student’s efficiency in campaign speech. The attitudes of a campaign speaker cited can be used by the teacher while discussing the topic. It serves as a motivation for them because the exercises were really challenging for the learners. L. Chapter 12: Speeches for special occasion. Public speaking is indeed multi- faceted. It appears In different forms as it evolve out many varied occasions in which a person is asked to speak publicly. There is a variety of occasions that produce special types of public speaking and though brief in nature may still require a professional mode of preparation and delivery of speech in public and may demand guidelines to help the speaker achieve his goals. A student can efficiently master these topics presented simply because life is full of special occasions, wherein these occasions requires a good speaking skills. As a beginner, this is a good source of wisdom to follow. Practical examples and guidelines on making speeches for special occasions were given. Speech for special occasions is done with the use of following steps. So each topic gives procedures on how to perform such. The teacher can use the activities provided on page 49. M. Chapter 13: Some special types of public speaking which arise from occasional, historical, or special events of the time. There are types of speeches evolves only out of the occasional, historical, or special events that happen in a country, region, city or any business on educational institutions wherein buildings are expected to commemorate a special historical events or when important persons who have dedicated their whole life to the source of a country, on a well- known business organization or an outstanding educational institution are accorded full honours for their unstinting and meritorious works or services to humanitarian causes by means of status or other sculptural works in order to perpetuate their names during and specially after their life time. It is a great chapter because the newly- invented types of speeches were presented comprehensively the standard procedures were also presented comprehensively the standard procedures were also presented orderly in detailed- manner. The chapter offers practical activities about the types of speeches presented. The speeches can be read by the students and performed inside the class. The teacher can also make different activities suggested by the book. * Chapter 13’s Appendices This is a special portion of the book because it gives a lot of examples or ifferent genres of public speaking (see page 166-176). Some books don’t offer this portion. These examples can be used and implemented in the different speaking activities the teacher wish to perform. Drills for children on vowel and consonantal sounds through these action nursery rhymes and through varieties of poems. N. Chapter 14: The interview and choral verse recitation. From single performance/ speech this chapter pres ented a more complex speech type. They’re actually considered as special form of public speaking. Why? Because this special speeches requires two or more number of speakers. First on the list is the interview this will be very beneficial to the students because one of these days they will experience an interview. Another is the choral verse this is also known as â€Å"speech choir† the unity of voice and mind here is very important. The teacher can use different sources given for evaluating the acquired knowledge by the students. It provides situational activities wherein the students will be the one to decide on what to do. O. Chapter 15: Dramatic interpretation and play production. This is the last objective chapter of the books and this is another phase of public speaking. This time it tackles about drama and play production. As a public speaker being an actor is a must. The students and teachers shall deal with dramatic interpretation and play production as distinct special forms of public speaking. Principles and factors to consider in Drama were presented comprehensively. It will surely benefit for all the students. B. Part II. On Speech Improvement Students who desire to master the pronunciation of English or American vowels and consonant sounds that give them difficulties in the roduction of these sounds. This is a special part of the book wherein from lesson (1-51) are presented for the enhancement of the student’s proficiency in speaking. The students will be provided guidelines during the production of these sounds such as the position of the tongue, type of the sound, lip formation, etc. Students who wish to be proficient in the pronunciation o f the English or American show some clusters must always bear in mind that these consonant clusters are among difficult sounds for speakers of other language. A. Appendices The sources used were presented in a standard format of bibliography. It is good because the future researchers won’t have difficulty in using the book. The sources are efficient for the reader to use. B. Bibliography It is rare for textbook to have â€Å"appendices†. This part contains different excerpts and masterpieces which can be used by the students in exercising the lesson of public speaking. GENERAL FINDINGS: Fit between Student and Text 1. Content / Explanation Is the content likely to be of interest or use to the students? The book is easy to read and has a refreshing style. It has a â€Å"Speech Improvement Part† that is relevant to the book content and it captured the interest of the students because of its contents that contains oral reading and acting activities that will develop the student’s skills in reading and speaking. And also it helps the teacher to evaluate the individual progress of the students. 2. Examples Are the examples appropriate to the lives and interests of the students? Do the examples fit closely with the concepts they are supposed to be explaining? The examples in the textbook are appropriate and interesting because it helps the pupils to learn more. The textbook also provides an illustration in the example which emphasizes the real life situation where pupils will learn. 3. Exercises / Tasks Do the exercises or tasks provide enough variety to meet the needs of different kinds of learners in the class (es)? Will they be of interest to those students? The exercises or tasks provide enough variety to meet the needs of different kinds of learners in the class by means of providing activities which are systematically organized to develop reading proficiency. It meets the interest of the learners, because it includes enjoyable activities which they can relate and apply the things that they have learned. 4. Presentation / Format Does the book look right for these Students? Are the illustration and other graphical and design elements appropriate for their age and educational level? Is the printed text easy to read and appropriate for their reading level? Is the mix between print and white space balanced so that readability is enhanced and appropriate? Does the book have an index, appendices, or other sections that are usable by students? Is the book well-constructed will it last a term of hard use by students? Yes, because the illustrations, graphical designs elements and all its contents are appropriate for the student’s age and grade level. It is conducive for learning. In fact, the hierarchy of lessons is in the simple to complex form. Which is really good for the readers? ADVANTAGES OF THE TEXTBOOK 1. The reading exercises provide practice in a variety of informational skills and reading comprehension skills. 2. The important words are being emphasized by means of bolding the letters. 3. Concrete how-to procedures are given, based on actual teaching experience. TABLE I. Analysis of Content for implementation of teaching Linguistic Content| The content contributes towards addressing learning objectives of the system. It teaches pupils to be an English-educated person for it helps to develop reading English skills. Concepts and skills are presented in the most logical sequence, from reading readiness level to the highest level, to make it easier for the pupils to learn and for the teacher to teach, and also to help pupils to enhance their creative or logical thinking. Thematic Content| The book contains two (2) that has different topic, and in each unit contains different lessons. Since this is a reading and speaking book, in the first unit the topic is all about â€Å"On Public Speaking†, second unit entitled â€Å"On Speech Improvement†,The topic in each unit makes happen to students that reading is fun and interesting. By this topics It can motivate st udents to read more, since each theme are connected to the lessons to be tackled. | Table II. Analysis of Teaching Activities for Implementation in Teaching Which of the activities provided in this textbook will I do in class? Chapter 7, Activity 2. The re-enactment of a specific scenario is one of the most done in English Classes. | Which activities in the textbook will I assign as homework? | Chapter 4 (Activity 1-4) The student should prepare different tips on how to create a speech by using different sources or speakers. | Which activities in the textbook will I hold back to use for testing? | Unit 2, (Chapter 2) Mastery of the English Sounds. With this type of activities it focuses with one main goal; to evaluate whether the learners understand the topic or not. We can also identify if the information given was acquired by the learners and how long it was retained with their minds. | Which activities in the textbook can be used for review later in the term? | The activities that can be used for review are activities are Chapter 1, Activity 1. With these types of activities teachers can evaluate whether the learners are listening to the stories presented in class and how they will reason-out with the questions being asked. | Which activities in the textbook require longer periods of time to accomplish- special projects? Chapter 6, (Interview and prepare a talk about a famous TV show nowadays, in this activity learners is requiring a lot of self-confidence, Creativeness is one approach that learners could apply with this said activity. | Which activities in the textbook might require special Equipment that was to be ordered ahead of time? | Activities 6(Role playing) are the activities in the textbook that might require special equipment. The reason why it requires special equipment for the learners to see the reality of things. Having props and costumes conveys someone’s curiosity and imagination. With this role playing activities the learners can witness and experienced what’s in the book and how it was being done. | Which activities in the textbook do I not want to do at all? | Chapter 14, Activity 1. Prepare a choral verse presentation. | CONCLUSION The program of activities should follow a predictable format wherein each lesson is covered in one week. Planning that the students will know in advance what areas of development are to be taken up each day. DAY| ACTIVITY| Mondays and Tuesdays| Developmental reading skills with emphasis to comprehension. Wednesdays| Functional skills with emphasis on the materials in science, math, social studies, and other subject areas. | Thursdays| Literary appreciation skills with emphasis on reading for enjoyment and enrichment. | Fridays| Review and testing of the reading skills covered during the week, including unite test. | RECOMMENDATION Since it is for 3rd year high school students, as observed the book doesn’t have a lo t of graphics which the learners like to see and learned, especially for the gestures taught. I recommend that all pictures/illustrations must be in practical and visible design regarding with some activities, I prefer to suggest putting some rubrics for evaluation purposes. With their young age, I think this kind of activities is not truly appropriate. 3rd year high school students are in the stage of reading refinement wherein they can figure out the purpose for reading. Activate background knowledge of the topic in order to predict or anticipate content and identify appropriate reading strategies. Attend to the parts of the text that are relevant to the identified purpose and ignore the rest. This selectivity enables students to focus on specific items in the input and reduces the amount of information they have to hold in short-term memory. And of course select strategies that are appropriate to the reading task and use them flexibly and interactively. Students comprehension improves and their confidence increases when they use top-down and bottom-up skills simultaneously to construct meaning. Check comprehension while reading and when the reading task is completed. Monitoring comprehension helps students detect inconsistencies and comprehension failures, helping them learn to use alternate and the directions to be followed or if they can’t put a glossary in the back of the book can surely help the learners if they can see the meanings of hard words they have encountered. Another thing is the book must have an index, because an index seeks to direct the reader/s to all names and subjects on which the book has information. Index can set as a guide with the learners if they are in trouble of finding their lessons.

Admission Essay Editing

Admission Essay Editing Admission Essay Editing Admission Essay Editing Writing admission essays is a lengthy process. However, even if everything is ok from your point of view, admission essay editing should not be neglected. It is worth to read your admission essay several times while editing the content of the paper as well as editing grammar and spelling errors. Editing admission essay allows you to refrain from repetition and to avoid stylistic errors. Admission essay topics may be different while the rules of editing are the same for all writings. Just follow the paper editing tips below and you will polish your writing. It is always better to read your writing from the first word until the last one. In addition, you should start editing essay with punctuation without paying attention to the spelling. Next, read admission essay in back order (from the last paragraph to the first) editing spelling. While editing spelling errors in the normal reading order, you will pay attention only to the meaning of readable proposals and might skip many mistakes. So, in the process of admission essay editing, ask yourself some questions about content of the paper. Keep in mind that content is the message you want to convey to the reader. Usually, the content of your admission essay is very difficult to evaluate. The only thing to do is to put aside your admission essay and write a brief message that you want to put in your paper. Then, finish writing introduction and conclusion and read main part of the paper. While editing, ask yourself whether the meaning of your admission essay is the same as in the short entries. If yes, it is good. Not really? Ask yourself the following questions to enhance admission essay editing: Does the paper answer all posed questions? If not, then you have problems: paper has to be rewritten. At best, squeeze missing information. But if you have enough time to rewrite your admission essay, you should not hesitate to start writing from scratch again. Does each point have supporting example? Even if you think that admission essay editing does not require examples, you will definitely find some inappropriate or unnecessary information in your writing. Exert your imagination, rummage in your memory and you will find wealth of interesting and relevant examples. Are the examples convincing, and, most importantly, are they personal? It is the best question for editing. Let's start with the last part. It is a bad idea to write à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“my friend made the same. In this case, more than ever the word à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“I is appreciated. While checking persuasiveness turn to Critical Reasoning. Does the argument stand a criticism? Is the argument flawless? Alternatively, you may order custom admission essay writing at and we will edit or write from scratch your admission essay.

The Donation of Constantine

The Donation of Constantine The Donation of Constantine  (Donatio Constantini, or sometimes just Donatio) is one of the best-known forgeries in European history. It is a medieval document which pretends to have been written in the early fourth century, giving large areas of land and related political power, as well as religious authority, to Pope Sylvester I (in power from 314 – 335 CE) and his successors. It had a little immediate impact after being written but grew to be heavily influential as time went on.​​ Origins of the Donation We’re not certain who faked the Donation, but it seems to have been written circa 750-800 CE in Latin. It might be connected to the coronation of Pippin the Short in 754 CE, or the grand imperial coronation of Charlemagne in 800 CE, but could easily have been to aid Papal attempts to challenge Byzantium’s spiritual and secular interests in Italy. One of the more popular views has the Donation being created in the mid-eighth century at the behest of Pope Stephen II, in order to aid his negotiations with Pepin. The idea was that the Pope approved the transfer of the great central European crown from the Merovingian dynasty to the Carolingians, and in return, Pepin would not just give the Papacy the rights to Italian lands, but would actually ‘restore’ what had been given long before by Constantine. It appears that the rumor of a Donation or something similar had been traveling around the relevant parts of Europe since the sixth century and that whoever create d it was producing something people expected to exist. Contents of the Donation The Donation begins with a narrative: Sylvester I was supposed to have cured Roman Emperor Constantine of leprosy before the latter gave his support to Rome and the Pope as the heart of the church. It then moves into the granting of rights, a ‘donation’ to the church: the Pope is made the supreme religious ruler of many great capitals- including the newly expanded Constantinople- and given control of all the lands given to the church throughout Constantine’s empire. The Pope is also given the Imperial Palace in Rome and the western empire, and the ability to appoint all kings and emperors ruling there. What this meant, if it had been true, was that the Papacy had the legal right to rule a large area of Italy in a secular fashion, which it did during the medieval period. History of the Donation Despite containing such a massive benefit to the papacy, the document appears to have been forgotten in the ninth and tenth centuries, when struggles between Rome and Constantinople raged over who was superior, and when the Donation would have been useful. It wasn’t until Leo IX in the mid-eleventh century that the Donation was quoted as evidence, and from then on it became a common weapon in the struggle between the church and secular rulers to carve up power. Its legitimacy was rarely questioned, although there were dissenting voices. The Renaissance Destroys the Donation In 1440 a Renaissance Humanist called Valla published a work which broke the Donation down and examined it: the ‘Discourse on the Forgery of the Alleged Donation of Constantine. Valla applied the textual criticism and interest in history and classics which grew so prominent in the Renaissance to show, among many criticisms and in an attacking style we might not consider academic these days, that the Donation was not written in the fourth century. Once Valla had published his proof, the Donation was increasingly seen as a forgery, and the church couldn’t rely on it. Valla’s attack on the Donation helped promote humanist study and in a small way helped lead to the Reformation.