What YOURE Doing This Summer!

What YOU’RE Doing This Summer! On Monday, I got to see a pacemaker insertion surgery, eat lunch in scrubs, and pretend that I was on Greys Anatomy. My preceptor was Dr. Lee, Course VII 76, who went to MIT when West Campus went only as far as MacGregor, and there was an official Course XIX (Meteorology but of course, an unofficial Course XIX still lives on to the present day). I met Dr. Lee last week when my supervisor at the Oakland clinic I worked at introduced me to him when he came by. We chatted at length about MIT, his current work (he went on to UCSF after MIT and is now a practicing cardiologist), and applying to medical school. One of the most interesting things that Dr. Lee pointed out about life in med school was actually that the first two years of med school was HARD as a MIT grad. But you ask: doesnt MIT prepare students well in the science curriculum? The answer is yes, but Dr. Lee pointed out a very important distinction between the MIT method of scientific teaching and that of premed-prominent universities in America. At MIT, Dr. Lee said, the focus of science is to teach you to THINK rather than to memorize. Thus, premed students from MIT often emerge as excellent critical thinkers, but average fact-retention machines. This actually is a disadvantage during the first two years of med school, where youre taught to primarily regurgitate the information obtained from textbooks. After I thought about it some, it made a lot of sense: -During 7.05 (biochemistry), every exam was effectively open notes, and we didnt have to memorize a single thing about any of the intermediates in any of the biological cycles (Krebs, Urea, Purine Synthesis, Citric Acidetc.). -A lot of bio exams are about the application of fact, rather than simply stating what you read in the textbook. For example, often bio exams (starting from the most basic class of all, 7.01x) would begin with Suppose you are an UROP student working in a lab and you discover this interesting phenomenon that. You can almost see these test questions more as critical thinking exercises, rather than standard memory retention exams. Intro Bio, then, is vastly different in other college campuses, where freshmen are taught to memorize phylum names and label parts of a plant for their exams (UC Berkeley). I realized that my classmates, say, from Cal, were better adjusted to the med school learning style especially during the first few years [of med school], but I think the MIT style of education makes you a better doctor down the road, when you need to consider the causes of disease and create a plan of treatment and prevention, rather than merely applying memorized models to clinical situations. - Without further ado, here are the finalists for the photo contest from, uh, almost three weeks ago. :$ haha. I wanted to have a cutoff date but entries kept on coming in, so thank you for your enthusiasm. =p Unfortunately, since I received so many pictures, Im unable to post every single photo. But thank you if you sent me something! Honorable Mention From Ryan 14 hopeful: My name is Ryan, I live in Prescott, Arizona, and I will be applying to MIT this year. At the end of June I had the opportunity to be on-location in New York City with an independent movie directed, written, and produced by a childhood friend of my dads. The title is under wraps at the moment and the project is tentatively referred to as the A.D. Production. Its a comedy about three actors studying for roles as undercover narcotics officers, who in their research start running into real cops, real drug dealers, and the antics that ensue. What Ive seen and read of the script is absolutely hilarious. Attached are two pictures. The first one is of the Director of Photography shooting a scene inside a police car. And the second is of one of the actors, Robert Funaro (who played Eugene Pontecorvo on the Sopranos!), and yours truly. :) From Steph 10 Transfer Prospective Hello, I am a transfer 2010 applicant from Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California. Other than touring Caltech and one of Californias largest botanical gardens, Descanso, I recently (well.yesterday to be exact) visited the front gates of Michael Jacksons Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos, California (no one was allowed on the property). Too bad I only got half the gate (the side that matters most, I guess heh). There were too many people crowding me. haha From Aubrey 13 I took this off of the San Clemente Pier (also in CA). My last relaxing weeks before MIT begins. ;) From Arooshi 13 I am Arooshi, Class of 2013. In the attached picture I am with my twin sister Smriti, also MIT Class of 2013, who is on the left. We are pictured in Ladakh, India. We are standing on the highest point on earth that can be traveled in a vehicle called the Khardungla pass. This is in the Himalayan mountain range near the border between India and China. From Szymon 14 prospective This is my summer activity! Im sending you some photos. My primary hobbies are chemistry, physics AND flying RC aircraft! Every year, in July, there is the largest organized remote control aircraft fly-in in Poland. This years event was on 17th and I had to hurry up to finish building my latest electric glider (it was in my workshop in pieces a week before). I attach two pictures I took during the 2004 event. The first one shows two large (5m wingspan) glider replicas (SZD Mucha Standard) and beautiful airfield in the Beskidy mountains which we use for our event. Second is a very fine looking PZL Wilga model and its pilot. From Garrett 13 Hey Chris, Im a pre-frosh this year from Miami, FL. These are the pictures taken on my trip to China and Taiwan. Captions: 1. Delicious xiao long bao (Â8èÁ ±â€ Ã‚åÖ) in Shanghai. 2. As I grasped onto the engine of the train up to Alishan, I realized that my center of gravity slowly rotated away from my perilous perch. I gained speed mid-photo, swinging into hot, noxious diesel fumes that proved to be harmful to both my pulmonary system and the little photogenic qualities I possess. It turns out that expressions of happy excitement and extreme disgust do not mix well, thus the obligatory blurring of my face. 3. Post-sunrise at Alishan. (from Chris: those little dumplings originated in Shanghai, but is extremely popular across East Asia now. one restaurant in particular, the taiwanese-based Ding Tai Fung, has managed to transform the dumpling business into a lucrative restaurant chain across China, Taiwan, Japan, and the US (in cali!). the dumplings are yummyyyyyy. =p also, the last picture is sunrise at Alishan, which is one of the must-see tourist destinations in Taiwan. its famed for the yun hai (cloud ocean essentially a thick layer of clouds which forms between the mountains you can see a bit of it in the picture) and also for its majestic sunrises taiwan is so pretty!!! haha sorry i just gotta put in these plugs =p) Third Place: From Aditya new Grad student!: Hi! Im a grad student joining MIT this fall. I read your blog post asking us what we are up to this summer, and I just had to share this with you! I had been to the Himalayas, and trekked up a mountain, at 13,800 feet. Thats 4200 meters. Youve already calculated, I know! It was an amazing experience! The Himalayas are so beautiful, its almost like a dream. If you are into trekking, hiking and camping, you just have to experience the highest mountain range on earth at least once! Here are a few pics. Second Place: From Liz 14 hopeful: Ok, this is a picture that I think is awesome (though awesomeness, like everything else is wholly subjective). I like this picture because: a) I took this self-portrait in the research lab I intern at in the summertime (both last summer and this summer). Im learning a lot and helping out with some coolio research (but Ive got to keep the actual project mum Ive been sworn to secrecy!) and I find working in the lab to be one of the spiffiest and most interesting aspects of my life. :) Hence, looking at this photo makes me happy; being happy is pretty awesome, and the commutative property of awesomeness thus renders this snapshot awesome. b) I am wearing a very stylish laboratory onesie in the picture. I actually just really, really, love the marshmallow couture that goes with working in a lab. It is pleasantly bizarre to be wearing a laboratory onesie, and it never fails to bring a smile to my face to imagine a slew of scientists wearing the aforementioned Fashion Do while performing a large-scale dance number. (Can you imagine everyone dancing to Jai Ho in sync while wearing it? Itd be so comical and aesthetically anomalous! Then again, Im a little weird I guess. :D ). I took this pic at Yale University. I have a disclaimer though I actually took this picture last summer at the lab. Im working in the same lab again this summer, but Im in the clean room sometimes (its really hardcore, I cant take in anything from the outside world except myself, so I certainly cant take in a camera!), and Im also working with a delightful grad student on some experiments/learning to make programs in MATLAB (funny side note I coded my program to play Handels Hallelujah chorus when it spits out the answers Im looking for). First Place: From Andy 13: Hi. My name is Andy (MIT 13), and this is a picture of me taken on June 22, 2009 at the top of Echo Mountain near Pasadena, California. One of the first things that I did this summer was hike up to the top of echo mountain at night with a bunch of friends with a telescope. Aside from stargazing, we also saw several satellites and had a picnic at the top. We then pointed the telescope to the suburbs below and started observing the cars, a soccer match, and a tennis game. This is the first out of a long list of things that I want to accomplish during this summer (other activities include going to the beach to dig a giant hole, eating a giant ice cream sundae with at least ten people, putting together a 10,000 piece puzzle, having a snowball fight, etc.). (from Chris: this won because Ive been wanting to take a picture like this ever since going to SSP during my junior summer. =p) The Prize! In keeping with the current news frenzy, the grand prize is SWINE FLU! okay, which is more like a big pink ball of fluff =p but please enjoy having H1N1 in the comfort of your home. you can even bring it on to the airplane without getting escorted off by a regiment of N51 masked men in green spaceship suits and chlorine spray! Thanks for playing! ^______^V

Dont Fight the Enemy in Night by Elie Wiesel Essay

Fredrich Nietzsche once said, â€Å"Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one.† This means that if a person isn’t careful, the evils that person fights against might be the very thing that person will become. This statement is valid and holds true in both life and literature. Night by Elie Wiesel supports the idea to not fight like the enemy. Wiesel uses setting and characterization to develop his story and to get this point across. Elie Wiesel uses the setting to develop his story. Night occurs in several different locations between the ghettos and different concentration camps. The year is 1944 when the story starts and Eliezer Wiesel is living in the small town of Sighet, in Hungarian Transylvania. Not long after the†¦show more content†¦Everyone thought that he had just gone mad. He continually asks where God has gone and questions how there is so much evil in the world. In Night, like Moshe the Beadle, Elie Weisel bears witness to tragedy in order to warn others, and to prevent anything like the Holocaust from happening again. Eliezer, the protagonist, characterizes himself throughout the novel with how he feels about things and what he says. Readers can see that he is internally conflicted about his father through much of their experience. He was never sure if he should try to help his dad or if he should just fend for himself. Within the book, we learn that Elie is 15 while in the concentration camp. We also see Elie start to lose his faith directly after they arrive at the first concentration camp and he sees the babies being burned. This supports the idea of the quote stated before. Elie was trying to fight against the genocide but he ended up losing faith while he was there. Wiesel begins to question his faith in other human beings as well as his sense of justice in the world. He was often at war with himself trying to decide what he felt. Into their journey, Elie realizes that he does need his dad and that t hey should help and push each other along the journey. Readers see that he keeps his dad going in the death march and he helps him survive. Over time, Elie starts to question whether there is a God and why, if there wereShow MoreRelatedSo do you consider yourself a human or an animal? How can someone show inhumanity towards other?1100 Words   |  5 Pagescan see this in Night by Elie Wiesel, historical and current events, and everyday observation and/or experience. The idea of we killing each other for food or survival makes us animal rather human is seen in Elie Wiesels memoir Night. The book night in a nutshell is about Elie as a teenager, born in the town of Sighet, was taken away from home and soon get separated from his mother and siblings but stays with his father. Later throughout years, they face many challenges and Elie, for the most partRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Night By Ellie Wiesel1867 Words   |  8 PagesRaabiah Zaidi Ms Heenan Eng2D1 Oct 10, 2014 ISU Log #1 Retell: The book Night written by Ellie Wiesel is an autobiography about his experiences during the holocaust in 1944. He is a survivor and was only 12 at the time. Ellie had three sisters named Hilda, Bea and Tzipora. His parents ran a store in Transylvania where Ellie spent most of his childhood in. Ellie s mentor who everyone referred to as Moishe the Beadle isRead More`` Night `` By Elie Wiesel2409 Words   |  10 PagesIn his novella, Night, Elie Wiesel tells of his experience as a victim in multiple German concentration camps during the Holocaust of World War ll. The following passage illustrates a vivid moment during the struggle, the extent of human cruelty, Something was being burned there. A truck drew close and unloaded its hold: small children. Babies! Yes, I did see this, with my own eyes. . . Children thrown into the flames (32). As stated in the passage, Elie Wiesel is observing Jewish babies beingRead MoreEvil a Learned Behavior6329 Words   |  26 Pages Evil is a learne d behavior which is illustrated in dictators, school violence, and classical novels such as Lord of the Flies by William Golding and Night by Elie Wiesel. Humans are fundamentally good, and then are corrupted by their environment. Its because of evolutionary purposes. Every organism wants their species to continue (if they dont, they die off and arent here any more). The same goes for us. If our species started off fundamentally evil, none of us would be here right now. People

Top 10 Events in Race Relations This Decade (2000-2009)

The first decade of the new millennium saw extraordinary strides in race relations. New ground was broken in film, television and politics, to name a few. Just because accomplishments have been made in race relations doesnt mean theres no room for improvement, though. Tensions continue to run high over issues such as illegal immigration and racial profiling. And a natural disaster--Hurricane Katrina--revealed that racial divisions remain strong in the United States. So, whats in store for race relations between 2010 and 2020? Judging from the events on the race relations timeline of this decade, the skys the limit. After all, who in 1999 couldve guessed that the new decade would see Americas first black president ushering in, what some have called, post-racial America? Dora the Explorer (2000) Which cartoon characters did you grew up watching? Were they part of the Peanuts gang, the Looney Tunes crew or the Hanna-Barbera family? If so, perhaps Pepe Le Pew was the only animated character you came across who spoke two languages--in Pepes case, French and English. But Pepe never became as famous as his Looney Tunes companions Bugs Bunny and Tweety Bird. On the other hand, when Dora the Explorer arrived on the scene in 2000, the series about an adventurous bilingual Latina and her animal friends proved so popular it has grossed billions of dollars. The popularity of the show proves that girls and boys of all ethnic groups will readily embrace Latino characters. It has already paved the way for another animated show with a Latino protagonist--Go Diego Go--which features Doras cousin. Dont expect Dora to be upstaged by Diego, or any other animated character, for that matter. As her audience evolves, so does she. Doras look was updated in early 2009. Shes grown from tot to tween, wears fashionable clothes and includes mystery-solving among her adventures. Count on Dora to be around for the long haul. Colin Powell Becomes Secretary of State (2001) George W. Bush appointed Colin Powell Secretary of State in 2001. Powell was the first African American to serve in the role. A moderate in a conservative administration, Powell often clashed with other members of the Bush administration. He announced his resignation from the position on Nov. 15, 2004. His service was not without controversy. Powell came under fire for his insistence that Iraq harbored weapons of mass destruction. The claim was used as justification for the U.S. to invade Iraq. After Powell stepped down, Condoleezza Rice became the first African-American woman to serve as secretary of state. Sept. 11 Terrorist Attacks (2001) The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001 left nearly 3,000 people dead. Because those responsible for the attacks were from the Middle East, Arab Americans came under intense scrutiny in the U.S. and continue to be today. Arguments arose over whether Arabs in America should be racially profiled. Hate crimes against Middle Easterners rose markedly. Today, xenophobia against individuals from Muslim nations remains high. In the 2008 presidential campaign, a rumor spread that Barack Obama was Muslim to discredit him. Obama is, in fact, Christian, but just the insinuation that he was Muslim cast suspicion upon him. In November 2009, the Middle Eastern community braced itself for another backlash when Major Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and wounded dozens in a murderous rampage at the Ft. Hood military base. Hasan reportedly shouted Allahu Akbar! before the massacre. Angelina Jolie Puts International Adoption in the Spotlight (2002) Transracial adoption was nothing new when actress Angelina Jolie adopted son Maddox from Cambodia in March 2002. Actress Mia Farrow adopted children from various racial backgrounds decades before Jolie, as did singer-dancer Josephine Baker. But when the 26-year-old Jolie adopted her Cambodian son and went on to adopt a daughter from Ethiopia and another son from Vietnam, she actually influenced the public to follow suit. Adoptions of children in countries such as Ethiopia by Westerners went up. Later Madonna would make headlines for adopting two children from another African nation--Malawi. International adoption has its critics, of course. Some argue that domestic adoption should be prioritized. Others fear that international adoptees will be forever disconnected from their native countries. Theres also the notion that international adoptees have become status symbols for Westerners much like designer handbags or shoes. Halle Berry and Denzel Washington Win Oscars (2002) At the 74th Academy Awards, Halle Berry and Denzel Washington made history by winning Oscars for Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively. While Sidney Poitier won a Best Actor Oscar for 1963s Lilies of the Field, no black woman had ever won a top acting honor from the Academy. Berry, who won for Monsters Ball, remarked during the ceremony, This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll . . . its for every nameless, faceless woman of color who now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened. While many were elated by the groundbreaking wins of Berry and Washington, some in the African-American community expressed dismay that the actors won Oscars for portraying less than admirable characters. Washington played a corrupt cop in â€Å"Training Day,† while Berry played an abusive mother who moves in with the white man who participated in her late husband’s execution. The film features a graphic sex scene between Berry and Billy Bob Thornton that also garnered criticism, including from actress Angela Bassett who said she turned down the part of Leticia (the character Berry plays) because she didn’t want to be a â€Å"prostitute on film.† Hurricane Katrina (2005) Hurricane Katrina touched down in southeastern Louisiana Aug. 29, 2005. One of the deadliest hurricanes in American history, Katrina took more than 1,800 lives. While residents with the means to leave the area evacuated before the hurricane hit, impoverished residents of New Orleans and surrounding areas had no choice but to stay put and rely on the government for assistance. Unfortunately, the Federal Emergency Management Agency was slow to take action, leaving the most vulnerable residents of the Gulf region with lack of water, housing, healthcare and other necessities. Many of those left behind were poor and black, and President George W. Bush and his administration were criticized for not taking swift action because impoverished African Americans were apparently not a priority to them. Rallies for Immigrants Take Place Nationwide (2006) Although the United States is a nation of immigrants, America remains divided over the surge of immigrants into the country in recent decades. Opponents of immigration, particularly illegal immigration, regard immigrants as a drain on the country’s resources. Many resent having to compete for work with immigrants willing to work for extremely low wages. Supporters of immigrants, however, cite the many contributions newcomers to America have made to the country. They argue that immigrants don’t tax the nation’s resources but, in fact, boost the economy through their hard work. In a show of support of immigrants to America, a reported 1.5 million people demonstrated from coast to coast on May 1, 2006. Immigrants and their advocates were told to stay home from school and work and not patronize businesses so that the nation could feel the impact of what life would be like without immigrants. Some businesses even had to shut down on May Day because their companies depend so heavily on immigrant labor. According to the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington D.C., about 7.2 million undocumented immigrants hold jobs in the United States, making up 4.9 percent of the overall labor force. About 24 percent of farm workers and 14 percent of construction workers are undocumented, the Pew Hispanic Center found. Each year on May 1, rallies continue to be held in support of immigrants, arguably making immigration the civil rights issue of the millennium. Barack Obama Wins Presidential Election (2008) Running on a platform of change, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama wins the 2008 presidential election to become the first person of African descent chosen to run the United States. A multiracial, multigenerational coalition of volunteers helped Obama win the campaign. Considering that African Americans were previously denied the right to vote, forcibly segregated from whites and enslaved in the United States, Obama’s successful presidential bid marked a turning point for the nation. Anti-racist activists take issue with the notion that Obama’s election means that we’re now living in a â€Å"post-racial† America, though. Gaps between blacks and whites remain in the education, employment and healthcare sectors, to name a few. Sonia Sotomayor Becomes First Hispanic Supreme Court Justice (2009) The election of Barack Obama as president of the United States paved the way for other people of color to break ground in politics. In May 2009, President Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor, raised by a single Puerto Rican mother in the Bronx, to the Supreme Court as a replacement for Justice David Souter. On Aug. 6, 2009, Sotomayor became the first Hispanic judge and the third woman to sit on the court. Her appointment to the court also marks the first time judges from two minority groups--African American and Latino--have served on the court together. Disney Releases First Film With Black Princess (2009) â€Å"The Princess and the Frog† debuted nationwide Dec. 11. The film was Disney’s first with a black heroine. It opened to largely positive reviews and topped the box office its opening weekend, grossing approximately $25 million. Despite its relative success in theaters--there are reports the film hasn’t doesn’t as well as recent Disney features such as â€Å"Enchanted†--controversy surrounded â€Å"The Princess and the Frog† before its release. Some members of the African American community objected to the fact that Princess Tiana’s love interest, Prince Naveen, wasn’t black; that Tiana remained a frog for much of the film rather than a black woman; and that the film portrayed Voodoo negatively. Other African Americans were simply overjoyed that someone who resembled them was joining the ranks of Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and the like for the first time in Disney’s 72-year history.

A Doll’s House †Henrik Ibsen Free Essays

A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, is a well written play portraying women’s struggle for independence and security in the nineteenth century. The drama revolves around Nora, a traditional housewife, who struggles to find a way to save her husband’s life while battling society’s norms. Her decision to forge a check to help her husband, Torvald, went against the patriarchical laws of that time: her plan was to borrow money and save her ill husband’s life. We will write a custom essay sample on A Doll’s House – Henrik Ibsen or any similar topic only for you Order Now Krogstad, the antagonist, discovers her deceit and threatens to expose her lies. As a result, the protagonist is torn between telling the truth to her husband or attempting to cover it up to save her marriage. In the following analysis, I’ll discuss Torvald and Nora’s relationship and Torvald’s general view of women. In addition, I will evaluate his attraction to Nora, focusing on his attitude on treating like a doll, or a child. Lastly, I’ll discuss how and why Torvald spoils Nora by giving her what she wants. Torvald and Nora’s relationship appears to be more of a father-daughter relationship rather than a traditional husband-wife relationship. He spoils her, and further, finds reason to rain affection on her: â€Å"He goes up to her and takes her playfully by the ear. † Torvald views the effeminate, dainty Nora as a child, and refuses to take her seriously. His view was very much like male dominant view of women in that era: women were innocent, naiive, little â€Å"skylarks† and â€Å"squirrels† who were helpless and vulnerable. Torvald also believes the measure of a women is her man and he reinforces that view when he toys with Nora, â€Å"There you are. Gives her money] Do you think I don’t know what a lot is wanted for housekeeping at Christmas-time? † This example illustrates his control over Nora. Despite her asking for money, Torvald playfully lectures her, but ultimately hands her the money and fulfills her desires. His playfulness is another facet of the dominant male symbol, playing games with a women’s mind to prove his manly independence. There are other instances where Torvald reinforces the patriarchical view of European society. For example, when Nora and Torvald were discussing money and loans, Nora mentions that she wouldn’t bother with people who lend her money. Torvald replies, â€Å"That is like a woman! † His statement is key to understanding their relationship. Nora reinforces the husband-daughter paradigm by playing the role of a naiive wife, which Torvald easily falls for. And when Nora brings up Krogstad, Torvald is even more surprised by her comments: â€Å"Nora, Nora, and you would be a party to that sort of thing? And to tell me a lie into the bargain? Torvald believes that Nora should be under his influence; thus, a dominant male’s influence. His idealistic view of women reinforces his manly independence persona towards Nora and proves that he is of touch with play’s reality. He also states his opinions about the upbringing of â€Å"morally corrupted† people. Torvald lays the blame on their mothers saying, â€Å"Almost everyone who has gone to the bad early in life has had a deceitful mother. † Torvald is close minded and believes strongly that morally corrupt is due to mistakes of a female’s (mother’s) upbringing. Simultaneously, Torvald is attracted to Nora, because she gives him all the credit and feeds his ego. He strongly believes that without him, she would not be able to live her life. When Nora asks Torvald to go to the fancy-dress ball, he replies,† Aha! So my obstinate little woman is obliged to get someone to come to her rescue? â€Å". Torvald enjoys being her hero, which reinforces his manly independence. Time and again, he is there to ‘save’ her. To be clear, Nora does not stop Torvald possessiveness over her, explaining â€Å"Torvald is so absurdly fond of me that he wants me absolutely to himself. Nora is an object he owns and controls, while Nora continues to take her role as damsel-in-distress. Nora plays perfectly the role of a young doll in a play house. Torvald treats her like a child, which allows her to exploit him. She continually manipulates him for her desires. When Nora, â€Å"[Smiling quietly and happily] You haven’t any idea how many exp enses we skylarks and squirrels have, Torvald. † Whether its societal pressure or her own views, Nora allows herself to be treated like a child and allows her husband to feel as if he’s in control of their elationship. She admits that she acts the way she is, because she thinks of, â€Å"How painful and humiliating for Torvald, with his manly independence; to know that he owed me anything! It would upset our mutual relationship†. Its ironic to realize that their entire relationship is based on lies. Torvald’s main priority is to thrust his manly independence and power over Nora, as both play the part of actors in society’s drama. Torvald challenges Nora’s attitude and character in the hope of having her fit his idealistic view of women. Torvald wants an out-of-touch-with-reality Nora in his life. As Nora explains, â€Å"Torvald can’t bear to see dress making going on. † Torvald does not want to see Nora as an independent and rebellious woman. Her true self is quite different to what she portrays, yet she continuously plays this character that Torvald will agree with. Torvald later forgives Nora for bringing up the topic of Krogstad employment: â€Å"because it is such eloquent witness to your great love for me. † This clearly shows that their relationship is ruled by the more powerful character. Torvald wants Nora to be this weak and submissive woman by spoiling her so that he ends up reinforcing his manly independence. He even says,†I am man enough to take everything upon myself. † He is taking credit from their relationship, and doesn’t give Nora any credit, because she’s a woman. She is only there to compliment him and feed his ego. However, Torvald is concerned when he sees Nora all worn out, â€Å"But dear Nora, you look so worn out. Have you been practicing too much? † Here, Torvald thinks that Nora’s worn out, because of practicing the tambourine. The truth is that Nora is worn out because of practicing her character to suit Torvald’s life and attempting to save her marriage. Ibsen’s A Doll House proves to be a critique of the traditional roles of men and women in 19th Century marriage. Nora treated by her father as a doll-like child, continues to be treated by her husband in the same way. This is how we begin to understand how Torvald spoils Nora as an act of reinforcement of his manly independence rather than an act of love. How to cite A Doll’s House – Henrik Ibsen, Papers

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan What Does Your Language Say about Your Identity

The power of language is really great: lots of people like to judge the others by their pronunciation, language mistakes, wrong stresses, or incorrect use of words. People are full of ambitions, pride, and prejudice because of their origins and social status, and language is one of the factors, which determine people to certain classes. Is it really correct that language is considered to be one of the most powerful means to divide people? In the essay, Mother Tongue, Amy Tan speculates upon the possible variety of one and the same language and the problems, which appear while understanding how this division is possible and what the classifications are.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: What Does Your Language Say about Your Identity? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People may come from different countries and choose English or any other language as a native one. However, not all native sp eakers can accept those aliens and treat them respectively. This very theme is also discussed in many other literature works and movies. One of the movies, which concentrate on the issues of race inequality, ethnicity, and nationality, is In America, a work by the Irish film director, Jim Sheridan. One of the major points of Mother Tongue and In America is the fact that language may say a lot about a person’s identity, however, it does not allow to understand human’s soul and mind. Amy Tan underlines that she is not a scholar but a writer. She does not afraid to tell that English fascinates her a lot as well as influences her life. She says that â€Å"language is the tool of my trade. And I use them all – all the Englishes I grew up with.† (Mother Tongue) The point is that she is not a native speaker; her parents came to California from China. In her home, there are several types of English, which she calls the Englishes: simple, broken, and watered down. It is not easy to communicate with people using different styles of language. During some time, Tan was even ashamed because of her mother’s language and her limited perception. In fact, time is the best treatment of many troubles and misunderstandings. After Tan grows up, she comprehends how lucky she is, because she gets a wonderful opportunity to feel how it is to be a native speaker and an alien. Such experience helps her create wonderful stories and be useful to many people. Her awareness of several Englishes make her proud of who she is and where she came from. In America is another source of information about the difficulties American immigrants may face with. When Irish family, the Sullivans, enters America in searching for better life, they cannot even guess how difficult their life may be. â€Å"We heard Manhattan before we ever saw it, a thousand strange voices coming from everywhere†¦ We had to go under the water to get to the city. We lost contact with eve rything; it was like we were on another planet.† (In America) Their admiration of America and desire to live better make them blind for a while. Loss of close people, inability to feel something, vain and rich people – this is what a real America is all about. Native Americans do not want to accept people of other nations. America is divided into several districts: in the places, where rich people live, poor Americans or immigrants cannot appear. Friendship with Mateo, an African painter, and arrival of the baby are the only things, which help the family to enjoy this life, heal all the wounds, and be ready to cope with any difficulties. When you are alone, you can hardly cope with language barriers and existed inequality. Mateo learned how to survive and tried to teach the Sullivans. He did not have enough time to explain them everything as he had AIDS; but he was so in love with this family, who communicated with him without any prejudice and pride, and he was happy.A dvertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is not easy for me to comprehend all those troubles, immigrants face day by day. The only language I use is English; however, even for my, English may be of different types. Here are several my Englishes. With my close friends, I use one English that is simple and rather communicative. We have lots of words with different meanings, not comprehensible for other people. Such use of language is fun a bit and makes us differ from other people. With my parents, I use another English and even stresses certain words to underline my respect and love to these people. School English is one more type I also use. Of course, it is easy to divide and associate the language with different people and places. However, my ideas and my thoughts – this is what I am. Neither English nor the change of places makes me different. Language is one of the h uman identities. If a person can speak and comprehend the words of other people, he/she is already a human. Is it necessary to divide people according to their nations and races? Maybe, it is high time to forget about boundaries and not to be biased in order to enlarge the level of knowledge and enjoy communication with people from different places. Works Cited In America. Dir. Jim Sheridan. Perf. Paddy Considine, Samantha Morton, Sarah Bolger, Emma Bolger, and Djimon Hounsou. Fox Searchlight Pictures. Tan, Amy. Mother Tongue. Web. This essay on Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: What Does Your Language Say about Your Identity? was written and submitted by user Virginia Cantu to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Things You Should Know When Writing a Personal Statement

Things You Should Know When Writing a Personal Statement Personal Statement Writing Secrets The role of personal statement is hard to overestimate because the future of your educations depends on its quality. Writing a personal statement requires not just good writing skills but also creativity and certain level of mental sharpness. Writing skills are useful for every person who wants to become a good professional, but writing skills alone cant guarantee that you will write a decent personal statement. Creativity, ability to think out of the box and a sharp mind are the necessary elements which in combination with good writing skills can help you to craft an excellent personal statement. It means that you need to understand well what youre writing and how exactly youre planning to do this. These two things are the key to writing a good personal statement. Personal Statement Writing Guide Before we proceed to giving you more tips on writing a personal statement, lets clarify the terminology which people still find confusing: Personal statement is a type of essay that is written in order to demonstrate a college admissions committee why you are a good fit for their college and what is your motivation to enter this particular college. Personal statement term is also used for graduate school. College essay means the same thing as a personal statement so I will use both of these terms in this article interchangeably. Essay prompt this is the main question that your college essay is supposed to address. Supplemental essay additional essay beyond personal statement that some educational institutions may require. Now, as we know the terminology lets look at the structure of a personal statement: What is the angle that you want to use to tell the story? What key points do you want to focus on in your story? In case you begin your college essay with a thesis statement, you should reinforce it throughout the whole essay and return to it in the end. Conclusion should restate your focus in a way that lets the college admission committee know why youre an excellent fit for their educational institution. Lets assume that you have selected the college or university where you want to study. Before you start working on a personal statement you need to learn as much as possible about the requirements to the personal statement in this particular educational institution. Also, it is advisable to do a research on prospective college or university to understand its values and see if they correspond to yours. Knowing a background of the educational institution that you want to apply to will be great for your personal statement because if you mention how your life and your values are related to the life and values of the university it will definitely show the admission committee that you have done your research and youre a passionate candidate that should be considered very seriously. When writing a personal statement carefully think what you should and what you shouldnt mention there. For instance, you shouldnt mention facts that dont correlate with your achievements, traits of character and further education. On the other hand, you should mention achievements which are relevant to the spirit of an educational institution that youre applying for. Never forget that there are hundreds of others who are applying with you. This notion should make you understand that you need to focus on something that makes you special. College Personal Statement Prompts: The Process of Writing a Personal Statement Analyze questions mentioned in the application Make a research of the educational institution that youre applying for Write your college essay Revise it and make sure that its devoid of grammatical and logical errors Ask a faculty member in your area to read your essay and give recommendations Make another revision and proofread it one final time Help Writing Personal Statement: Things to Avoid Controversial or too flowery language Mentioning your desire to become a part of this particular educational institution since the young age Being too proud or too modest When writing a personal statement be sincere and use a neutral tone. List all your virtues, values and achievements that are relevant to the definition of a good student for this educational institution. Try to think about what you can achieve as a student and where these achievements may take you in your adult life. Think how they can benefit your educational institution, your community, your city, state, country or even the whole world. Use your creativity and write your college essay interestingly so that the members of admission committee dont get bored while reading it. You may even include a joke or two if appropriate, but be very careful with it, because inappropriate jokes only do harm. Of course, students dont write personal statements often, that is why it seems like a difficult task. While its certainly not easy, calling it difficult would be an exaggeration because if you follow the tips on writing a personal essay offered in this article, writing this essay ceases to be a difficult task. Feel a deep sense of your being within yourself and try to write out of this sense. Be very sincere and project your authenticity from your heart right onto the paper. Admission committee will definitely notice personal statements written in that manner.

How to Conduct an Interview in Sociology Research

How to Conduct an Interview in Sociology Research Interviewing is a method of qualitative research (used by sociologists and other social scientists) in which the researcher asks open-ended questions orally. This research method is useful for collecting data that reveal the values, perspectives, experiences and worldviews of the population under study. Interviewing is often paired with other research methods including survey research, focus groups, and ethnographic observation. Key Takeaways: Research Interviews in Sociology Sociologists sometimes conduct in-depth interviews, which involve asking open-ended questions.One advantage of in-depth interviews is that they are flexible, and the researcher can ask follow-up questions to the respondent’s answers.The steps necessary for conducting an in-depth interview include preparing for data collection, conducting the interviews, transcribing and analyzing the data, and disseminating the study results. Overview Interviews, or in-depth interviews, are different from survey interviews in that they are less structured. In survey interviews, the questionnaires are rigidly structured- the questions must all be asked in the same order, in the same way, and only the pre-defined answer choices can be given. In-depth qualitative interviews, on the other hand, are more flexible. In an in-depth interview, the interviewer has a general plan of inquiry and may also have a specific set of questions or topics to discuss. However, it is not necessary for the interviewer to stick to predetermined questions, nor is it necessary to ask questions in a particular order. The interviewer must, however, be fully familiar with the subject in order to have an idea of potential questions to ask, and must plan so that things proceed smoothly and naturally. Ideally, the respondent does most of the talking while the interviewer listens, takes notes, and guides the conversation in the direction it needs to go. In such a scenario, the respondent’s answers to the initial questions should shape the subsequent questions. The interviewer needs to be able to listen, think, and talk almost simultaneously. Steps of the Interviewing Process Although in-depth interviews are more flexible than survey studies, it is important for researchers to follow particular steps in order to ensure that useful data is collected. Below, we’ll review the steps of preparing for and conducting in-depth interviews, and for using the data. Determining the Topic First, its necessary that the researcher decides on the purpose of the interviews and the topics that should be discussed in order to meet that purpose. Are you interested in a populations experience of a life event, set of circumstances, a place, or their relationships with other people? Are you interested in their identity and how their social surroundings and experiences influence it? Its the researchers job to identify which questions to ask and topics to bring up to elucidate data that will address the research question. Planning Interview Logistics Next, the researcher must plan the interview process. How many people must you interview? What variety of demographic characteristics should they have? Where will you find your participants and how will you recruit them? Where will interviews take place and who will do the interviewing? Are there any ethical considerations that must be accounted for?  A researcher must answer these questions and others before conducting interviews. Conducting Interviews Now youre ready to conduct your interviews. Meet with your participants and/or assign other researchers to conduct interviews, and work your way through the entire population of research participants. Typically interviews are conducted face-to-face, but they can also be done via telephone or video chat. Each interview should be recorded. Researchers sometimes take notes by hand, but more commonly a digital audio recording device is used. Transcribing Interview Data Once youve collected your interview data you must turn it into usable data by transcribing it- creating a written text of the conversations that composed the interview. Some find this to be a cumbersome and time-consuming task. Efficiency can be achieved with voice-recognition software, or by hiring a transcription service. However, many researchers find the process of transcription a useful way to become intimately familiar with the data, and may even begin to see patterns within it during this stage. Data Analysis Interview data can be analyzed after it has been transcribed. With in-depth interviews, analysis takes the form of reading through the transcripts to code them for patterns and themes that provide a response to the research question. Sometimes unexpected findings occur, and these findings should not be discounted even though they may not relate to the initial research question. Validating the Data Next, depending on the research question and the type of answer sought, a researcher may wish to  verify the reliability and validity of the information gathered by checking the data against other sources. Sharing Research Results Finally, no research is complete until it is reported, whether written, orally presented, or published through other forms of media.