Friday, January 31, 2020
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray Essay Example for Free
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray Essay Thomas Gray’s poem, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, was first published in 1751. Gray’s idea of rustic life as describe in this poem is agrarian and devoted to the land. He talks of the plow turning the sod and of the sickle mowing down the grain. He mentions the plowmen driving their team of draught animals from the fields. He tells of straw sheds and of people awaking to the crow of the rooster.            Gray uses the metaphor of sleep to describe death. He says that those asleep no longer hear the voices of children or the touch and the kisses of those loved ones. He describes death as lending a cold ear and those dead as no longer hearing a call to honor nor does it hear any words of flattery.            Gray comments on the deaths of the rich and powerful, saying that those dead are no better off than the poor dead rustics. He says that the fact that the rich man’s bones are in some fine urn does not allow him to enjoy his mansion any more than the farmer enjoys the humble earth in which his bones are placed.            Gray takes on the issue of class as a rhetorical device to get his point across that the rewards for both are equal and that death is a leveler of the playing field. He impresses upon the reader the fact that in the humble churchyard may lie the remains of a life that had potential for greatness. He says that many sweet blossoms bloom, live and crumble to dust unseen and unknown by anyone.            If I were to be lying in the graveyard of the country church I would like to have Gray say of me that I was a friend of heaven, of course, and that I saw and enjoyed the dawns of my days and lived my life to the fullest. Now that I am dead left me sleep in peace and forgive and forget the frailties I displayed on earth.                                                 Works Cited            Gray, T. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard 1751
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Racial Discrimination :: essays research papers
Racial Discrimination "KAFFIR". When you see or hear this word, what runs through your mind? Do you picture a man with skin the color of the midnight sky, do you see him bending his muscular body down to the dry earth to pick cotton from thorn-ridden plants? Can you feel the heat of the sun beating down on his charred back? Perhaps you can even taste the beads of sweat swelling from his forehead and arms. Or maybe you are more inclined to visualize a dark-skinned woman with creases in her forehead made by many years of hard work and endless worrying. You watch her as she puts the breakfast dishes on the table and addresses her owners with a "yes sah" or "yes ma'am". There is nobody to cater to her needs. She spends each day taking care of everyone but herself. Pain. Sorrow. Anguish. Agony. Is this what comes to your mind when you hear the word "KAFFIR"? Well, it shouldn't because the word "kaffir" has nothing to do with the color of your skin. The word "kaffir" is just that; a word. It is a term that sprouted out of ignorance and continues to be used to this day exclusively by ignorant people. A kaffir isn't a slang term for an African; it is a word that describes the person that uses it. This type of person is one who feeds his ego by dehumanizing those around him when he feels they are not equal to him. He may regard those of different races or nationalities as "bad" or "dirty" because they do not have the same skin color as he does or they may cherish beliefs that are contrary to the ones by which he lives his life. These qualities describe the man who tells his son that it is okay to make fun of people who are different because differences are bad. A child who is repeatedly told such things will believe them because "mom and dad never lie". This idea, inculcated in them as children, is like a grain of sand caught in the clutches of an oyster. It eats away at their minds until it becomes part of them. Instead of forming into a pearl, it creates a whole new individual that is as ignorant as the parents who raised him. And so this vicious cycle of ignorance continues. Children need to be taught from infancy that people of other races and nationalities are human too. They think like the rest of us. They have feelings, hopes, and aspirations. They are intelligent.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Wisdom: Question and H. Norman Wright
Wisdom Khaled Sabri Instructor Curtis Jones Christian Excellence March 18, 2013 Wisdom Wisdom is the practical translation and application of the word of God to everyday life. It is an integration of knowledge, experience, and deep understanding that incorporates tolerance for the uncertainties of life as well as its ups and downs. There's an awareness of how things play out over time, and it confers a sense of balance. There are four components to wisdom: (1) Words from the wise, (2) Asking wisely, (3) being a person of understanding and (4) showing a little kindness. Beginning with words from the wise; H.Norman Wright states in his book â€Å"How to get Along with Almost Anyone†that; â€Å"The words you use connect you to other people. But how are you connected: by a cord that binds you together or a barrier which keeps you at a distance? †Wright provides us with an example of real life describing the experience at the Department of Motor Vehicles: â€Å"Youâ€℠¢ll have to get in the other line. Didn’t you read the instructions? Or You’ll have to come back Monday Morning. When we use the word you as a part of an order or command, we usually end up punching someone’s resistance button†. Asking wisely connects with the words we use. H.Norman Wright states in his book â€Å"How to get Along with Almost Anyone†that; â€Å"Questions are an important part of human interaction. Some people use questions to deepen and enrich their relationships. But many people use questions to pry, maneuver, gain advantage, attack, trap, setup, or break down the defenses of the others. †We need to ask questions open ended as opposed to closed. A good example is â€Å"How do you like the restaurant? †as opposed to â€Å"Isn’t this restaurant awful? †One allows the other person to state their own thoughts and perspective while the other closes the other person out and just shows your own viewpoint.Th e third component is that we need to be a person of understanding. We need to understand where the other person is coming from and be able to put the attention on them and not just on ourselves. H. Norman Wright states in his book â€Å"How to get Along with Almost Anyone†that; â€Å"The major characteristic of a person of understanding is revealed in Proverbs 14:29: He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is hasty of spirit exposes and exalts his folly†. The Fourth component is that we also need to show a little kindness . We all know what it feels like to be taken for granted.H. Norman Wright states; â€Å"Do you know what it feels to be taken for granted? you continue to give of yourself over a period of time and yet there is no response to, or recognition for, your efforts. Even we should be able to give freely and lovingly without expecting anything in return, most people respond well when their efforts are acknowledged†(Wright, H. N. , 1989) A little kindness can take you a long way in our path to getting along with others. These four components of wisdom are all steps in better ways to get along with others.By better understanding each other, and by possessing wisdom, you will be able to have better relationships with the people around you. The component that I feel is most applicable to me is asking wisely. A lot people have problems with this issue and it makes hard to respond to their words. By giving me your opinion other than asking me a simple question sometimes makes me feels oblige to answer the question the same way you want, thus depriving me from the right to say my honest opinion. Let’s go back to the example provided earlier, if you said: â€Å"Isn’t this restaurant awful? I feel I have no place to state my opinion or tell you exactly how I feel. In summary, understanding that true wisdom is understanding and following the Word of God can take you a long was in getting along with othe rs. It is a two part system; translation and application. It is important to understand the Word of God; and it is equally important to apply it to our daily lives. References H. Norman Wright (1989). How To Get Along With Almost Anyone. Nashville, Tennessee: Royal Publishers Inc. Sackett Christopher (January, 22, 2013). Wisdom. Examiner. com retrieved march 17th, 2013 from http://www. examiner. com/article/wisdom-3
Monday, January 6, 2020
Athens And Spart Ancient Greece - 902 Words
Kristy Roeder Professor Reams History 1 9 October 2014 Athens and Sparta, two rivals of ancient Greece that made the most noise and gave us the most traditions. Though they were close together on a map, they were far apart in what they valued and also how they lived their lives. Spartan and Athenian society were very different in many parts. The differences are what set these two apart, and the things they shared in common are what unified them as Greek city-states. Sparta and Athens shared similarities and differences in their systems of government, military, judgment and views of their women. In addition to this, the social gatherings of Athenians and Spartans that were also similar and different. Both Athens and Sparta had an Assembly, the members were elected by the people. Sparta who was ruled by two kings, the Agiads and Eurypontids, these two kings who mainly served as generals and high priest. Though they had no real power, they were known for their great influences. They ruled until they died or were forced out of office. Athens was ruled by archons, who were elected annually, severed originally for life, then they served for ten years and eventually only served for just one year. Upon leaving office, they became members of the council of the Areopgaus. Thus, because both parts of Athens government had leaders who were elected, Athens is said to have been the origin of democracy, whereas Sparta was a military oligarchy. Both Athens and Sparta developed theirShow MoreRelatedThe City States of Spart and Athens in Ancient Greece Essay756 Words  | 4 PagesAround the year 500 BCE many poleis existed in ancient Greece. Two of the main poleis, or city states in Greece, were Sparta and Athens. Although both of the city states were located in the same area of the world; they had different ways of living. Sparta and Athens had many differences in how they ran their city states. There were many political, economic, and social differences between the two city states. Sparta and Athens may have had their differences but they fought side by side against the
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