Judgmental Attitudes, Isolation, and Forgiveness in Marilynne Robinson

In Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead narrator and reverend John Ames seeks to transcend the isolation he feels from the title town through a letter to his son. John Ames holds the ironic role of moral leader and recluse, which leaves him alienated from the people who respect him. His isolation is a byproduct of his independence; an independence that distances him from those he loves: Jack Boughton and his son. This estrangement is represented in the text by his heart condition which prevents him from watching his son grow up, metaphorically epitomizing the damage that his years of solitude have done to him. Therefore, in order to find a way to transcend his temporal life and imminent death, he writes a letter to his son offering something guidance, as consolation for leaving him in poverty and destitution. The letter serves to offer his son guidance and understanding of his father’s identity after he dies and as a plea for forgiveness for the narrator’s isolation, critical ways, and for leaving his son’s life too soon. Ultimately, Gilead portrays a forced distance between father and son due to the father’s death. It reveals the isolation of independence and it expresses forgiveness in the face of loneliness. Through this construction of a father-son relationship, the text critiques independence and reveals a value in forgiveness, acknowledging that the impermanent nature of humanity leaves distance between people and that the nature of writing gives some level of permanence. Ironically, John Ames’ role as preacher causes him to become the estranged moral leader in the community that respects him so much. Those who respected him for â€Å"all those hours [he] was up [there] working† on his sermons and studies distanced themselv... ...ent it causes between him, Jack, and his young son illustrates the dangers of independence and self-reliance in Gilead. Ultimately, the novel acknowledges the imperfections of others but does not offer a method of change so much as an emphasis of understanding and forgiveness. The letter of John Ames to his son reveals a plea from a father to his child of his own faults and his desire for forgiveness because of them. Ultimately, writing allows an individual to live on after death and have a level of permanence which allows one to have an enduring identity. Gilead critiques judgmental attitudes and isolation and reveals the value of forgiveness through John Ames’ story. Forgiveness allows one to transcend misunderstandings and differences and recognize the value of others. Work Cited Robinson, Marilynne. Gilead . New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004

Kanoa K. Essay

Kanoa K. is by far one of the most unforgettable characters of my life. He is not only my boyfriend, he is my best friend, someone I know would help me through difficult times, and someone who has helped me through tough times. If Kanoa were a fictional character, it would be very difficult to determine whether he is a believable character. He is one of the most perfect and awesome people I know, making him unbelievable. Kanoa is always helping his friends and me; he has a kind heart and is a good person, which is something I only truly find in a few individuals. Another thing that makes Kanoa an unbelievable character is his uniqueness. He is not your ordinary boy, Kanoa is masculine yet sensitive; he knows himself very well and is different from most. Kanoa is a â€Å"skater† but isn’t a jerk, punk or fool, I believe that this is because he knows what he is and what he’s not, he doesn’t let stereotypes get to him. It is not typical for a sixteen-year-old to know himself or herself so well. Some things make Kanoa Kruse a very believable character. He is a deep, complex individual who has hopes and dreams just as everyone else does. He has a direction in life; an idea of what he wants to do with his future, a notion of what he wants his lifetime occupation to be. Because Kanoa is a human being, he does make mistakes. Whenever Kanoa makes a mistake, he learns and grows from the experience. Kanoa has changed over the years, as anyone does. At first, he started of as a person I passed by in the hallways. The first day I saw him, I was eleven. I didn’t know who he was, not even his name, the only thing I can remember thinking was, â€Å"oh, he’s cute†. He was 13, an eighth grader. Since I was a sixth grader, the â€Å"lowest class†, I didn’t make a single effort to know him; he was just a pretty face. A year passed and I made some new friends, one of my friends was a fair-haired, English boy named Jacob. Jacob and I began to talk a lot; one reoccurring topic of our conversation was Kanoa. Jacob told me that I would get along really well with Kanoa; the three of use should hang out sometime. I didn’t remember whom Jacob was talking about, I only knew Kanoa by face and not by name. Kanoa and I did not get to meet each other that year. In December 2007, I cut out my horoscope for that month out of a fashion magazine. My horoscope stated that on the twenty-sixth of this month, one of my close friends would try to hook me up with one of their friends. At the time, I just rolled my eyes and tacked the clipping to my corkboard, I didn’t believe, even in my wildest dreams that this horoscope would come true. On December 26, I woke up to the buzzing of my cellphone, it was my close friend Jacob, He told me that his friend Kanoa wanted to be â€Å"hooked up† with me. Jacob had been telling Kanoa about me and Kanoa wanted to give things a chance and see how they end up, I decided to accept his offer and get to know him. Since then, Kanoa and I have been dating. At first, he started of as a pretty face, then he became a friend of a friend and now he is one of the most important people to me, I know he will always be here for me when I need him.

Richard Nixon Was a Conservationist President

If you were asked to name one of the most environmentally conscious green presidents in United States history, who would come to mind? Teddy Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, and Thomas Jefferson are prime candidates on many peoples lists. But how about Richard Nixon? Chances are, he wasnt your first pick. Despite the fact that Nixon continues to rank as one of the countrys least favorite leaders, the Watergate scandal wasnt his only claim to fame, and it certainly didnt represent the most profound impact of his presidency. Richard Milhous Nixon, who served as the 37th President of the United States from 1969 to 1974, was responsible for the establishment of some of the nations most important environmental legislature. President Nixon tried to gain some political capital--hard to come by during the Vietnam War and a recession--by announcing an Environmental Quality Council and a Citizens Advisory Committee on Environmental Quality, reported the Huffington Post. But people didnt buy it. They said it was just for show. So, Nixon signed legislation called the National Environmental Protection Act, which gave birth to the EPA as we know it now--right before what most people consider the first Earth Day, which was April 22, 1970. This action, in itself, has had had far-reaching effects on environmental policy and endangered species conservation, but Nixon didnt stop there. Between 1970 and 1974, he took several more significant strides toward protecting our countrys natural resources. Lets take a look at five more monumental acts passed by President Nixon that have helped maintain the environmental quality of our nations resources and also influenced numerous other countries around the globe to follow suit. Clean Air Act of 1972 Nixon utilized an executive order to create the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an independent government organization, in late 1970. Shortly after its establishment, the EPA passed its first piece of legislation, the Clean Air Act, in 1972. The Clean Air Act was, and remains today, the most significant air pollution control bill in American history. It required the EPA to create and enforce regulations to protect people from airborne pollution known to be hazardous to our health such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead. Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 This act was also the first of its kind, designed to protect marine mammals like whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, elephant seals, walruses, manatees, sea otters, and even polar bears from human-induced threats such as excessive hunting. It simultaneously established a system to allow native hunters to harvest whales and other marine mammals sustainably. The act created guidelines regulating the public display of captured marine mammals in aquarium facilities and regulated the import and export of marine mammals. Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 Also known as the Ocean Dumping Act, this legislature regulates the deposit of any substance into the ocean that has the potential to harm human health or the marine environment. Endangered Species Act of 1973 The Endangered Species Act has been instrumental in protecting rare and declining species from extinction as a result of human activity. Congress granted numerous government agencies broad powers to protect species (particularly by preserving critical habitat). The act also entailed the establishment of the official endangered species list and has been referred to as the Magna Carta of the environmental movement. Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 The Safe Drinking Water Act was a critical turning point in the nations struggle to protect the imperiled quality of fresh water in lakes, reservoirs, streams, rivers, wetlands and other inland bodies of water as well as springs and wells that are used as rural water sources. Not only has it proved vital in maintaining a safe water supply for public health, but it has also helped keep natural waterways intact and clean enough to continue to support aquatic biodiversity, from invertebrates and mollusks to fish, birds, and mammals.

Examining The Place Of The Russian Minority - 2280 Words

Examining the Place of the Russian Minority in Latvia: Aliens, non-citizens or stateless persons? Introduction The region of Latvia has a long history of occupation by foreign powers and so its ethnicity is quite varied. The Latvian Republic is one of the Baltic States located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Along with its neighbours Lithuania and Estonia, Latvia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It is when Latvia gained its status as an independent state that the most crucial period for the Russian-speaking residents began, as at that time the country’s main issue was the status of its 1.1 million Russian-speaking residents. Under Latvia’s 2000 census (Heleniak, 2006), 30 per cent of the country’s 2.4 million population†¦show more content†¦The year independence was restored was defining for many thousands of Russians permanently living in Latvia. On 3rd March 1991 a nonbinding advisory referendum took place with the result that 73% of all Latvian residents supported the notion for independent Latvia (Troitsky, 2011). The Popular Front of Latvia , the national movement which was promoting the idea of segregation, advocated that all permanent residents will be entitled to and qualified for Latvian citizenship (Melvin, 1995, p. 34). â€Å"All those who want to be citizens of Latvia can be† (Lieven, 1997, p. 304) stated Anatolijs Gorbunovs, Chairman of the Latvian Supreme Council. However, the universal citizenship for all permanent residents was not adopted. Latvia restored the rights and status only for those persons who were identified as citizens under the 1919 Law together with their descendants (Aleinikoff Klusmeyer, 2001, p. 31). Thereby, for the majority of ethnic non-Latvians citizenship was not granted, even when the biggest portion of them were born in Latvia. This was seen as an attempt to suppress â€Å"national extinction† (Mole, 2012, p. 89-90) caused by, according to the radicals in Latvia, the Russian people. Those people became non-citizens not holding citizenship to any other country and witho ut the right to vote. In Latvia as well as in Estonia the Russian population is seen as â€Å"a reminder of their unhappy past† (Best, 2013, p. 34), thus the Russian people are not welcomed

The Portrayal of Socially Destructive and Over-Ambitious...

Richard, the main character of the Shakespeare’s play, Richard III is portrayed as socially destructive and politically over-ambitious. His destructive potential is depicted by the way he relates with the other protagonists in the play and also by what he confesses as his intentions. Richard’s political ambition is revealed through his strategic calculations based on the order of birth in his York family which puts him third away from the throne. Ahead of him is his elder brother, George Clarence, a barrier which will have to eradicate. His brother, King Edward, is another political barrier, by simply being alive, in power and equally by being the father of the two young princes . Richard’s creates a political mistrust between his two†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Whereas the senecan tyrant rages against virtue in the name of ambition, or lust, R.B.Pierce argues that Richard, ‘like the formal vice, Iniquity’ (III.i.82), thrives by an ironic detachment from all the standards of traditional morality including the claims of the family† (Robert.B.Pierce, 1971:90-91) Shakespeare in his play, Richard III, added a physical deformity to incite people to see his plays. A both deformed and mobile character was found to be a scary mon ster. To begin with, he invites the audience to his unhappy life despite the fact that the no one pays attention to him because others neither find him handsome nor sexually appealing. Richard is not eye-catching due to physical deformity which he vividly describes as the cause of his misfit, and therefore acquires himself the status of a victim. No one pays attention to him because others neither find him handsome nor sexually appealing. But he magnetizes the audience, makes them complicit of his own deeds and dares it to look away. However, as he unfolds his intentions, towards the end of the first soliloquy, the audience is awestruck at how many sordid deeds he is capable of. We are also rendered helpless for we cannot warn his potential victims of the danger which awaits them, but we are captives of Richard’s rhetorical language that generates a special

Marketing Policies to Market Wide †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Marketing Policies to Market Wide. Answer: Introduction Grevillea Ridge is one of the family run wineries in Victoria. This winery is run by two persons, Michelle and Marcus Albertino. They own a cellar door which used to be kept open by them throughout the week. After analysing the number of customers on every single day of a week, they decided to keep the cellar door open only on weekends since at the weekends number of customers are high. Therefore they decided to utilise rest of the days in the week in cultivation of grapes at the same time in focusing in marketing policies to increase the customer base. In order to enhance the market Management they have employed two persons. Both the owner of the cellar door has also adopted different marketing strategies to capture more market. In the present business report the sales report of the period ranging from January to march has been analysed to identify the effectiveness of the marketing strategy. Analysis of the Sales Report The owners of the cellar door have adopted two different strategies in order to improve the sales enhance the customer base. Sales report consists of sales data of three months, January, February March. The main objective of this business report is to identify the positive impact of different marketing strategies on the market expansion. In the month of January the Grevillea Ridge had not adopted any strategy to expand the market out of Victoria, but in the month of February March two different strategies had been adopted. In the month of February it was decided to provide 15% discount to retail customers in the month of March free delivery was ascertained to customers. It has been seen from the sales report that the sales have varied from one month to other significantly. In the sales report data has been provided regarding the number of cases of sales on each every day of month. It has been shown that in the month of January, no discount rate has been provided at the same time delivery charge was applicable on different states outside Victoria. Within Victoria there was no delivery charge in the month of January. In the month of February the scheme of providing discount of 15% to all retailers has been initiated. In the next month, i.e. on March the scheme of free delivery charge has been introduced in the marketing policy. The data also reveals that the delivery charge was free within Victoria, but outside Victoria the delivery charge was applicable. Hence, to increase the number of customers, delivery charge was made free. It is also to be noted that the discount was only applicable to wine retailers Management. On the basis of the data provided the graph has been drawn to identify the impact of the marketing strategies. The main objective is to f ind out whether after providing discount or making the delivery charge free, the sales has increased or not at the same time to identify if the market has been expanded outside the Victoria. Result of the Data Analysis Form the above data analysis sales data of three months have been calculated presented in the graphical form. At first, it has to be identified that whether the sales has increased or not then the success of the company in expanding the market. It is clear that out of these three months taken into consideration for the research the sales value is lowest in January the highest number of sales has been met in the month of March. In the month of January no marketing strategy had been adopted, but in the other two months two different strategies have been adopted by the firm. Analysing these data it is possible to say that the strategy of free delivery charge was more successful in comparison to the discount rate. But one thing can be easily mentioned that both these strategies have been successful in achieving the objective of increasing the sales. Similarly, it is also very clear that after the introduction of these marketing policies the market has been expanded outside the market of Victoria. Number of customers outside the Victoria has increased significantly. Conclusion From the above discussion it can be concluded that the marketing policies are very effective in order to expand the market at the same time in increasing the customer base. Form the point of view of the Grevillea Ridge firm it was necessary to provide importance on the marketing policies to make the market wide the same time to increase sales. Out of the two marketing strategies adopted by the firm the free delivery charge has been able to expand the market. Hence, it can be concluded that the mixing of two different strategies can make the business Management more profitable. The discount rate strategy has been able to increase the sales by only 53 cases. On the other hand the free delivery charge has increased the sales by 295 cases. Recommendation Since the free delivery charge strategy is more successful in comparison to the discount rate strategy. Hence, the mix strategy may be suitable for the firm To promote any newly launched wine product, the firm can provide the sample free of cost with the highly demandable wine products.

On Dumpster Diving by Las Eighner Essay Example For Students

On Dumpster Diving by Las Eighner Essay Homelessness is increasing every year and effecting Americans of different age, ethnicity and religion. In Lars Eighner â€Å"On Dumpster Diving† he explains what he went through while being homeless. He describes how and what foods someone should be looking for and to always be conscious of what one is eating because there is always a reason why something has been thrown out. He continues to go into detail about other items that can be found in the dumpster like sheets to sleep on and pieces of paper to write on. Things that can keep him busy through the day. Eighner carefully explains to his readers how being a dumpster diver has become a life style for the homeless and this is how they survive. It’s a way of living and they are comfortable doing it. â€Å"I began dumpster diving about a year before I became homeless† (Eighner 713). He tries to bring us into the world of being homeless. It is hard to imagine what it would be like in that situation, and how could surviving as a dumpster diver be a way of survival? As a dumpster diver, Eighner is able to tell us what is ok to eat and have and what is not ok for your health. His essay starts by uttering some guidelines of what is and is not safe to eat. â€Å"Eating safely from the dumpsters involves three principles: using common sense for evaluating the food, knowing the dumpsters of the given areas and always ask, â€Å"Why was this discarded?† (Eighner 714). Eighner was born Laurence Vail Eighner in Corpus Christi, Texas, on November 25, 1948. When Eighner became homeless in 1988 after leaving a job he had been with for ten years as an attendant at a state hospital in Austin, Texas. â€Å"For three years he traveled back and forth between Austin and Los Angeles with his dog Lizbeth, earning what mo. .This is a very powerful article taking his readers into the world of being poor and homeless, and what people experience every day that could never be imagined. Eighner says in one of his last paragraphs that, â€Å"many times in our travels I have lost everything but the clothes I was wearing and Lizbeth† (Eighner 724). He also states that he and the wealthy have the same attitudes about knowing there is more where what they came from. Eighner is so powerful and doesn’t care what others think of him. He is just trying to survive like everyone else. To have such a carefree attitude is very moving. Works CitedTravels with Lizbeth: Three Years on the Road and On the Streets. Publishers Weekly 260.34 (2013): 57. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. Eighner, Lars (1992) On Dumpster Diving, New England Journal of Public Policy: Vol. 8: Iss. 1, Article 7.