Saturday, January 18, 2020

Analysis on the role of women and men in vanity Essay

Victorian era literary has produced many different masterpieces from many different writers who focused mainly on the emergence of interpersonal issues involving love, money and social status, usually backdropped by a historical event with national relevance at the time of the story telling. Vanity Fair is one of these types of this kind of work. And even until today, Vanity Fair is one of the materials referenced by critics during literary analysis involving the role of women in the society, the role of patriarchal influence in the Victorian era social politics and the presentation of different women stereotypes in literature. Vanity Fair is a serialized literary material written by William Makepeace Thackeray, published initially in the pages of Punch Magazine in the United Kingdom, beginning at the start of the year 1847, the final instalment appearing a year later in July. The initial title of this masterpiece was Vanity Fair: A Novel without a Hero. A popular saying describes vanity as the favorite sin of men and women, a line of thought which will be heavily discussed and supported in this particular paper through the analysis of the presence of vanity and the role of men and women inside the society on the propagation and existence of vanity. Vanity Fair is a very interesting book that attacks personal and societal illnesses that causes the corruption and corrosion from the inside of what was believed to be a socially-shared moral right. The author attacked the issues and the personal and social crises by pointing out the role of individuals as well as the role of the structure of the society that influences the lives of the individuals in the story. â€Å"Almost every sin in Vanity Fair can be traced, beyond personal weakness, to the fundamental laws of money and class†¦ The poison in Vanity Fair infects the bottom rungs of the social ladder as well as the top (Dyson, 1973, p. 86). † The role of women in William Thackeray’s â€Å"Vanity Fair† There are many different women found in the novel Vanity Fair. But there are some key female characters that provided significant roles in the story so that the novel can depict the real life situation in the Victorian era and in the process provide whatever moral lesson it can about the aspects of life that it managed to discuss and tackle. The list of key female characters that require scrutiny and analysis is topped by the three women characters that possess any or all of the traits that made them important, like personality, influence, cunning and power: Miss Crawley and the contrasting Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. Becky Sharp – In a novel without a hero, Becky Sharp was the heroine, even if for some she is the anti-heroine. Becky was one of the two lead women characters who are central to the story. The two girls are opposites in many different ways, and their lives continue such path, with Becky becoming the most villainous of the two and Amelia Sedley her exact opposite. Indeed, the character of Becky Sharp was the catalyst for social abrasion. Some might feel that Becky represents everything that is morally bad and undesirable in the society inside Vanity Fair. Sharp’s character also reminds the readers that people cannot ignore people like her and the characteristics that she displays, dismissing it as a characteristic that is a mere product of a fictional character. Her character represents a type of individual who is alive in the real world. In some twisted consideration, Becky can be considered as the source of â€Å"life† – if life means the presence of constant conflict and the consistent surfacing of anything unexpected – inside a society because Becky does not let social norms get in the way of what she wants. â€Å"The woman who goes after money and status but finds that they do not satisfy her – a woman like Becky Sharp – is allowed to be at least morally interesting (Garson, 2007, p. 99). † Whether readers admit it or not, Becky’s character is an important pull to the consciousness of the readers; she provides the intrigue and sin that readers on the outside condemn but diligently follows through in the next episodes of the novel. Becky seduces and elicits the feeling of scorn and hate so much that she makes the readers always eager to know what happened to her, largely because real life readers are as vain as her. Becky taunts the devil in the readers, making them think and reconsider the â€Å"what ifs,† the things that Becky is not afraid to do which the readers are having second thoughts of doing. Becky triggers the fantasies. For the women readers, it is the fantasy of being able to pull of seduction and gain worldly possessions, to bed many different men and feel a different kind of power, to be free from the shackles and restraints the patriarchal society placed upon women and to be largely free and unaccountable to anything. For male readers, the fantasy is to be seduced by a Becky Sharp, to be offered body and lustful obedience in exchange for money and power that not every man can have in his lifetime. Becky made the world go around inside Vanity Fair, even if the sad part is that as a whole, she is still a mere part of the patriarchal society that used her as much as she used it to her advantage. â€Å"And what else creates change in Vanity Fair if not Becky’s subversive sexual behavior? It is she deprives Amelia of a loving husband well before Thackeray has him killed off on the battlefield at Waterloo (Armstrong, 1990. p. 178). † Amelia Sedley – Amelia contradicts Becky in comparison in many ways. Amelia always opts to live in the past and is tied with the memory of past while Becky is always looking ahead into the future. Amelia is always passive and easily contented, while Becky is always on the move, always hunting or scheming so that she can get what she wants. Amelia is the prototype for the docile and meek domestic housewife, during and after her married life with George, while Becky was â€Å"anything but. † Amelia gives the readers hope that there are still people who walk the straight path of morality, while Becky is jumping up and down, always falling far from where morality wants her to be. Amelia’s role in the novel is more than just as an individual who represents everything that Becky is. Amelia, to some extent, was also the symbol of the ills of the life of being meek and sulky. She is the anatomy of the unknowing victim, the unwitting casualty to the moral massacre that poverty, indebtedness, puritanism and being overly morally upright undertakes in everyday life. She was an angel all right, but Thackeray made sure that even with wings it is easily discernable that Amelia is far from being in heaven largely because of her personality. Amelia, as a character, lived a life that was far from being the ideal married life, and the story was as unkind to her as the critics of the symbolism of woman to which she stood for. â€Å"Late-Victorian women writers contributed to the fight for women’s rights by creating representations of women that confronted the self-abnegating, submissive, housebound image of middle-class Ideal Womanhood. This ideal was epitomized at mid-century by William Thackeray’s Amelia Sedley from Vanity Fair (Mangum, 1999, p. 2). † Becky and Amelia: The analysis and profiling of the real heroine The heroine in the story can either be Becky or Amelia, depending on the reader and the reader’s perspective and moral standpoint. This is because the identification of the heroine type between the two female characters in the novel speaks a lot about the personal characteristics of the person making the difference between the two. The reader would be placed in a dilemma wherein the reader has to choose which personality she would approve between the polar characteristics of Becky and Amelia. â€Å"Plot in Vanity Fair is primarily the histories of two women: one, the shrewdly competent Rebecca Sharp, consistently exploits the conventions of high society to rise within it; the other, the compassionate but vulnerable Amelia Sedley, is exploited by Rebecca and others in their campaign to achieve social prominence (Lund, 1992, p. 23). † The author was consistent with what critics call as rule in the creation of fictitious married female characters. The story divides the desire for love and for materials goods between two individuals who are vaguely antagonists or protagonists in the story. The clear idea to the readers is the priorities of the women as human characters, looking at them outside the scope of gender. As a human character, Becky was the one who puts material things above all, while the character of Amelia puts love above all – providing not just a state of realism but also a sense of balance to the presence of contrasting but significant roles in the novel. With this the reader, male or female, would knowingly or otherwise pick one of the two to become his/her heroine largely on the identification of the same grounds where the character and reader stands. A reader will hardly choose both because like the rule of the fiction writing, the reader will only empathize with the predicament of the character with whom he or she relates the most. â€Å"The rule in fiction is that a female character cannot want both love and luxury. Rare indeed is the novelistic heroine who genuinely loves her husband but who at the same time desires and frankly enjoys the goods that he is able to buy her (Garson, 2007, p. 99). † Thackeray makes it more difficult for the readers to pick which is the heroine between the two opposite characters because an important characteristic of the difference between the two is that the author created characters which are neither white nor black. Becky and Amelia are both neither strictly good nor straight-out bad. The differences of the two candidates for heroine-ism also made implications that altered their state of being good or bad as their state of lives moves forward in the story. There is a sense of goodness in Becky as much as there are some things in Amelia which may merit disapproval from the readers. Because the story is centered on domestic life of couples and the complexity that the society and the personalities of the people in it contribute to the lives of married individuals, the personalities of Beck and Amelia as wives are just as important pieces of consideration as much as their own personal characteristics are in the pursuit of defining who is the more suitable heroine between the two. And like their personalities as single individuals, how they were as wives is just as complicated, Thackeray became consistent with the idea of ending up with having no real defined hero (or heroine for that matter). It forces the reader to take a very good look at real life before finally judging who between Becky and Amelia deserved to be raised in the pedestal as the ideal woman and wife. â€Å"The role she plays perhaps most productively is that of the faithful and charming little wife to Rawdon Crawley. Ironically, as long as she finds it advantageous to play this role, she is a much more effective domestic angel than Amelia Osborne, whose devotion to her husband George is heartfelt but sterile, who maternal affection is positively destructive, and who is quite unable to repay Dobbin for his years of devotion. In contrast to Amelia, Becky brings out the best in her husband, transforming Rawdon from a randy roue to a contented husband and a devoted father (Garson, 2007, p. 99). †

Friday, January 10, 2020

Writing Skills Part

Which of the following would be an appropriate way to add variety to your sentences? A. Use questions and answers together. B. Add personal anecdotes. C. Use more close-up words. D. Make your sentences read like a spoken conversation. 2. Nelson's hobby is tinkering with small appliances. Tinkering with implies that Nelson is unskilled at his hobby. You want to change the flavor of this sentence to show that Nelson is, in fact, quite skilled at his hobby. Which of the following should you choose to replace tinkering with so that the reader gets the right idea? A. Selling B. Fiddling with C. Repairing D.Messing with 3. Anna is an exceptional young girl. Anna does any Job that needs to be done. To vary the sentence structure, which one of the following sentences should you insert in the blank? A. Anna is a hardworking and versatile person. B. Anna works hard every day of her life. C. Anna is always working hard at home. D. Have you noticed how hard she works? 4. Which of the following d irect quotations is punctuated properly? A. â€Å"Way to go, Sean,† the coach shouted. â€Å"That was a great run! † B. â€Å"Way to go, Sean,† the coach shouted. â€Å"That was a great run†! C. â€Å"Way to go, Sean†, the coach shouted. That was a reat run†! D. â€Å"Way to go, Sean†, the coach shouted. â€Å"That was a great run! † 5. When we speak of the flavor of a word, we're talking about the extra understood meanings that it carries in addition to its main meaning. These extra meanings are called denotations. ‚ ¬8. shadings. C. connotations. D. definitions. 6. A thesaurus is a book that's useful for finding A. synonyms. B. definitions. C. frequently misspelled words. D. famous persons. 7. Which is the best strategy to follow when you write a report or an essay? A. Get it right the first time and put it aside until it's due. B.Revise it over and over for at least hree or four years. C. Work on it over a seven-day p eriod and rewrite it at least twice. D. Write it in one sitting and revise it only once. 8. Find the sentence with the active voice. A. It was voted by the legislature to pass. B. I was told by the chairman that the bill was passed by the legislature. C. The bill was passed by the legislature. D. The chairman told me that the legislature passed the bill. 9. Of the following methods, the best way to increase your reading is by A. forcing yourself to read subjects you dislike. B. setting a goal to read five new pages every night. C. eading a new book every day. D. Joining a mail-order book club. 10 which ot the tollowing words is most likely to carry a connotation? A C. walk D. stride 1 1 . Of these four words, which one is most likely to have a negative flavor? A. Harangue B. Confound C. Meander D. Distract 12. Which of the following sentences is written in the passive voice? A. The effects of cyanide are well known. ‚ ¬8. Having left the building, Elvis never returned. C. I would not provoke that man if I were you. D. They considered their options. 13. Which one of the following sentences or phrases is most likely to be considered a clich ©?A. How dead is a dead doornail? B. Are you a man or a moose? C. Look before you leap. D. When in doubt, pout. 14. Which of the following sentences uses the best close-up words? A. Sara is pursuing a non-science degree. B. Sara is studying languages. C. Sara is studying French and German. D. Sara is pursuing a degree. 15. Which one of the following statements about making your writing fun to read is not correct? A. Direct quotations should be reserved for characters in stories. B. Give your writing a personal touch by showing that you're interested in your subject. C.The conversation you write must sound natural for the characters. D. An anecdote or humorous quotation is often more convincing than a strong argument. 16. When using direct quotations in your writing, which of the following should be placed outside th e set of quotation marks? A. Semicolon B. Question mark C. Comma D. Period 17. A clich © is a B. new C. worn-out D. wordy expression. A. foreign 18. Read the word in parentheses; then decide which of these sentences most effectively translates an abstract concept into a mental picture. A. (Sunrise) The rising sun transformed the canyon into bright stone and deep shadow.B. (Studious) Lucy ay on her bed reading a back issue of National Geographic. C. (Freedom) On her twenty-first birthday, Lola declared herself a woman. D. (Rumors) Whispers of doubt filled the empty halls like the reek of boiled cabbage. 19. An antonym is a word that's A. the same in meaning. B. pronounced the same. C. defined in a thesaurus. D. opposite in meaning. 20. What is the most important point in the following sentence? My sister, Emily, the tallest girl in her class, has many friends. A. Emily is the tallest girl in her class. B. My sister's name is Emily. C. Emily is my sister. D. Emily has many friends.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Far-Reaching Implications of Global Warming - 788 Words

â€Å"Temperature is probably the single most important environmental factor influencing insect behavior, distribution, development, survival, and reproductionâ€Å". (Bale et al 2002). Since insects are cold-blooded, the environmental temperature plays a very important role in an insect’s homeostasis. Homeostasis is the relatively constant internal physical and chemical condition that organisms maintain. Once the temperature has changed from its norm, an insect’s daily functions would be disrupted. â€Å"It has been estimated that with a 2 degree Celsius temperature increase insects might experience one to five additional life cycles per season† (Yamamura Kiritani 1998). Scientists believe a warmer climate may result in higher insect populations. However, studies have shown that butterflies prefer a cooler climate. The butterfly population is decreasing at sea level but is increasing at tree line as butterflies migrate to cooler areas. For example, the Br own Argus Butterfly has shifted where its populations are most dense; a butterfly that was once predominantly found in Southern Britain, has now relocated to Northern Britain, a dramatic change of 79 kilometers. Butterflies at the highest-elevation site are appearing with increasing regularity. Those that normally breed at 7,000 feet now breed at 9,000 feet. When an area changes from rural to urban or suburban, the greatest butterfly losses occur. This proves that global warming is having an effect on organisms, even if the changeShow MoreRelatedHow Will Global Warming Change Earth?851 Words   |  4 Pages In two recent articles published in National Geographic and NASA Earth Observatory, â€Å"Signs From Earth: No Room to Run† and â€Å"How Will Global Warming Change Earth?†, both articles serve to raise the reader’s awareness and challenges us to see deeper into the serious implications global warming has, not only in our lives, but also into the life of our fragile ecosystem as well. And while both articles share a distinct similarity in delivering to a audience a message that is both omniscientRead MoreGlobal Warming and Environmental Management629 Words   |  2 PagesName: Danyel Cox Instructor: Dr. Ragsdale Date: March 18 Global Warming The 20th and 21st centuries have been characterized by calls of environmental management and conservation from environmentalists. 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Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Romantic Movement Of The Late 1700s And Early 1800s

Throughout centuries, museum practices have always been eager to reflect the ever-changing ideas in art and society. In Europe, many artistic, intellectual and literary movements have inspired museum practices, not only in terms of aesthetic values but also in evoking certain philosophies. By 19th century Europe, Romanticism began to shape many institutions outlook on art, specifically the museum’s way of engaging with new forms of themes that move beyond the artworks. The aim of this paper is to analyze the profound impact that the Romantic Movement of the late 1700s and early 1800s had on museums in Europe during the 19th century, thus accepting the era’s emphasis on museums as public, social experience that reflects the feelings and emotions towards society. The practices in museums of the 19th century have been greatly influenced by the ideals of the late 1700s and early 1800s Romantic Movement. In this case, we must begin with what Romanticism is and how the core v alues enthuse the practices of museums. The Romantic Movement began to develop and grow in Western Europe from 1760 and concluded in the late 1860s. Although they may have own specific national ideas of Romanticism, many of the European nations had similar philosophies that can be traced back to the main tenets of Romantic Movement. The political and social revolutions of this period became an inspiration for many of the artists and intellects that wanted to seek new ways to view the world. Romanticism was aShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Romanticism1046 Words   |  5 PagesThrough the late 1700s and early 1800s, the period of Romanticism blossomed. â€Å"Romanticism† very loosely describes the era in which modern culture began to take shape. During the Romantic era, many advancements were made in all aspects of people’s lives and cultures. One aspect in particular has held great value even to this day. 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Blake uses vividly expressive language through the spoken observations of a symbolic character he created to narrate and recite social and political problems afflicting this metropolis in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. The poem’s rhythmically patterned linear style, which is very strictly structured, reinforces its centralRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1871 Words   |  8 Pageswas merely a victim. Although the Creation has been labeled as the monster, the fact of the matter is that he was only a by-product of three forces: his creator, society, and ultimately Mary Shelley herself. What people fail to realize is how the Romantic influences on the author, the emotional defects of the Creator, and the standards of outward beauty among society are the true monsters. It all began on a dark and stormy night in June 1816, when Mary Shelley and her lover, the poet Percy Shelly

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Oedipus the King Fate and Free Will Essay example

â€Å"‘Tragedy is an imitation, not of men, but of action and life, of happiness and misery’† (Milch 12). This statement by Aristotle reflects the ideas portrayed in the play Oedipus Rex. Written by Sophocles, Oedipus Rex is a play which combines tragedy with irony to tell a story of a noble king who falls short of his greatness. The play was written around 430 BC and originally intended for an Athenian audience. They considered Sophocles their most successful playwright and consequently, his works continued to be valued highly throughout the Greek world long after his death. A closer examination of this play is needed to see just why it has been regarded as Sophocles’ masterpiece and the greatest of all Greek tragedies (Milch 16, 36).†¦show more content†¦Oedipus is also informed that Laios and his servants were murdered by a band of highwaymen, but that there was one servant who escaped (Sophocles 426). Oedipus says, It is most fitting tha t Apollo shows, as you do, this compunction for the dead. You shall see how I stand by you, as I should, avenging this country and the god as well, and not as though it were for some distant friend, but for my own sake, to be rid of evil. Whoever killed King Laios might--who knows?--Lay violent hands even on me--and soon. I act for the murdered king in my own interest. (Prologue.135) Oedipus, motivated by a genuine desire to help the community, vows to locate the murderer and take vengeance upon him. Oedipus’ statement shows that he is concerned with his own sense of himself; his own demands for justice on his own terms. He also shows a little pride here as he seems far less concerned about his own survival in the community than he is about finding the murderer (Princeton Univ.). Following the Prologue is the Parados. It acts as a transition in time from one scene to the next (Milch 10), and is later called an Ode. In the Parados, a chorus chants cries of mercy for the gods to end the plague on Thebes. They also pray about the fright among the citizens over what will be revealed by Oedipus’s man hunt (Sophocles 428-429). As Scene 1 opens, Oedipus speaks to the citizens. He insists that theShow MoreRelatedFate And Free Will : Oedipus The King1136 Words   |  5 PagesClearly depicted, in Oedipus the King, is the Greek s popular belief that fate will control a man s life in spite of man s free will. Throughout the story, the concept of fate and free will plays an integral part in Oedipus destruction and ultimately the death of his family. Destined to marry his mother and murder his father, Oedipus was guided by fate. When Oedipus learns of his fate he immediately tries to prevent it, as did his mother and father. This prophecy, as warned by the Oracle ofRead MoreEssay on Oedipus the King: Oedipus Struggle with Fate and Free Will771 Words   |  4 PagesIn our world today, fate and free will remains the biggest mystery of all; is eve rything we do controlled or do we have the freedom of choice? In the story Oedipus the King by Sophocles, the author uses the idea of fate and free will to explain the struggle of Oedipuss life. Fate and free will is explained as; fate is controlled by an outside supernatural force, and there is no way of controlling it. Free will is when each of us is responsible and controls all aspects of our own life. The authorRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Defining Fate1000 Words   |  4 PagesFate in Oedipus Rex      Ã‚  Ã‚   During ancient times, the Greeks believed very strongly in a concept called fate.   What is fate?   Fate can be defined as a cause beyond human control that determines events.   It can also be defined as the outcome or end of some sort.   In Oedipus Rex, King Oedipus is a character that lived by fate and died by fate.   This element of fate truly impacted the storyline and the plot, while allowing for some interesting developments that may have been unforeseen byRead MoreDestiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Role of Fate635 Words   |  3 PagesThe Role of Fate in Oedipus the King In Oedipus the King, one can easily see the tragedy that comes when Oedipus lives out fate, although not of his own intentions. Oedipus did everything in his own power in order to keep the prophecies from being fulfilled. One might even say that Oedipus ran from fate. Webster defines tragedy as a medieval narrative poem or tale typically describing the downfall of a great man. Oedipus the King is certainly a tragedy, and as Dr. Lucas states in his blogRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - The Fate of Oedipus1239 Words   |  5 PagesThe Fate of Oedipus in Oedipus the King    In Oedipus the King there comes a point in the play where Oedipus learns something that plays an important role throughout the play.  Ã‚   He learns from a   oracle that he will eventually kill his own Father and sleep with his own mother.   As one could imagine this is a shock to Oedipus, and he does not believe the oracle.   However, he cannot prevent any of this from happening because it is his fate.   Oedipus is a victim of circumstancesRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Driven by Fate1105 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of Fate in Oedipus Rex Before we approach this complex question inductively, we are at first obliged to contemplate what definitions and assumptions are being made. This essay, perhaps more so than others, requires a more extensive look at this aspect of the question, because of the sheer variety of possible responses. However, I now have reduced them to three possibilities. Firstly, we could make the assumption that perhaps as destiny controls all fates, then Oedipus character wasRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King3894 Words   |  16 PagesThe Concept of Fate in Oedipus Rex  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To the first-time reader of Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus Rex, it seems that the gods are in complete domination of mankind. This essay will seek to show that this is not the case because the presence of a tragic flaw within the protagonist is shown to be the cause of his downfall.    In the opening scene of the tragedy the priest of Zeus itemizes for the king what the gods have done to the inhabitants of Thebes:    A blight isRead MoreOedipus the King: Fate Vs Free Will Essay639 Words   |  3 Pages Oedipus the King, was written by Sophocles between C.A.496-406B.C. In this play, Oedipus is a great example of Sophocles’ belief that fate will control a man’s life no matter how much free will exists. Oedipus is a man of unflagging determination and perseverance, but one who must learn through the working out of a terrible prophecy that there are forces beyond any man’s conceptualization or control. Oedipus’ actions were determined before his birth, yet Oedipus’ actions are entirely determinedRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Victim of Fate3445 Words   |  14 PagesThe Victim of Fate in Oedipus Rex The question has been raised as to whether Oedipus was a victim of fate or of his own actions.   This essay will show that Oedipus was a victim of fate, but he was no puppet because he freely and actively sought his doom, although he was warned many times of the inevitable repercussions of his actions. When first considering this topic, I speculated that maybe it was the destiny of Oedipus to suffer, but a friend asked me to explain why Oedipus, in the actRead More Boundaries of Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King1282 Words   |  6 PagesBoundaries of Fate and Free Will in Oedipus the King    The ancient Greeks firmly believed that the universe was guided strictly by order and fate. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles has examined the relationship between free will and fate, suggesting that free will paradoxically exists inside the boundaries of fate. It may be concluded, however, that man has free will and is ultimately held responsible for his own actions.    Oedipus destruction was brought about by a combination of fate and free

Monday, December 9, 2019

Road to Valley Forge Essay Example For Students

Road to Valley Forge Essay The Road to Valley ForgeThe book that I choose to review was The Road to Valley Forge, How Washington Built the Army that Won the Revolutionary War, written by John Buchanan. This is a book that covers the beginning of the revolutionary war in America from the time that George Washington is selected as commander-in-chief of the army, until his army enters winter quarters at Valley Forge. It encompasses the weather conditions that Washington and his army had to endure as well as the scrutiny that Washington always seemed to be under. The scrutiny came from people in congress who believed that the war was going to be quick and wanted a large, decisive battle fought. George Washington took control of the revolutionary army on 2 July 1775. He took over at outside of Boston, before this his experience was limited to wilderness travel and soldiering. His soldiering experiences had been mainly for his home state of Virginia. The first battle that was of significance in this book was the Battle of Long Island. At this battle Washington and the rebel army are soundly defeated by General Sir William Howe and the British army. After this battle was fought Howe did not follow-up the victory with quick action as the Americans retreated. It could be said that if Howe and the British would continued the attack this rebellion could have been put down right away. This will not be the first time that Howe fails to do this, and it will lead to him being replaced later in the war Sir Henry Clinton. Even though his army was thoroughly defeated Washington is able to get his troops off of Long Island back to Manhattan in the middle of the night, this will also not be the last time that Washington is able to get his 2army out of harms way. The author briefly discusses the troubles at Kips Bay and Fort Washington. The next subject that Buchanan goes into is Washingtons retreat through the state of New Jersey. The key part of this retreat is when Washington crosses the Potomac River he collects all boats from both shores of the river. He later uses them to cross the icy Potomac to win the very important Battle of Trenton. The importance of this battle is that raised the morale of the soldiers. After this Howe decides to go into winter quarters. Washington and his army do the same, but would occasionally strike against the redcoats whenever they went foraging for supplies for themselves and their horses. After that first winter the Americans and British continue their war. Howes mission was to take over the capital city of Philadelphia. He sailed to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, during this campaign the two major battles that were fought were Brandywine Creek and Germantown. Brandywine Creek was a decisive victory for the British and the Battle of Germantown begin well for the Americans, but the troubles that they encountered at the Chew House proved to be a problem. Washington relied advice from his friend Henry Knox. Knox was informing Washington that you should never leave a castle behind you as you advance. With this advice Washington decided to stay and try and take the 120 or so British troops that had taken refuge at the Chew House, instead of passing it by and attacking the main British army while he had their heels. After this battle the two armies enter into winter quarters once again, this time the Americans would come out much more like a professional army rather than just militia.The man that helped the Americans and Washington in accomplishing this was 3Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b , .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b .postImageUrl , .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b , .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b:hover , .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b:visited , .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b:active { border:0!important; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b:active , .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8f0a604fb44547aa0536c8a0a871274b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: In Cold Blood Essay Summary He been a captain for Frederick the Great during the Seven Years War. Once he joined the Americans at Valley Forge he begin training them in close-order drill and all the maneuvers that a western army would need to be successful. Once leaving Valley Forge the Americans fought to a tie with the British at Monmouth. Also someone could see the improvements that he made with the army at the big turning point of the war the battle of Cowpens. Von Steubens help was a turning point in the war for the Americans, as well as the alliance that was created with the French while the Washington and his army were stationed at Valley Forge. I feel that this book has a ton of pertinent information about the American Revolution. I would definitely recommend it to someone who was wanting to learn about the important battles of the couple of years the war. Buchanan uses a lot of quotes from soldiers of both the American and British sides in this book. I would have liked to see him write more about what his thoughts were on what Washington did during the war. The quotes from the personal letters from people such as John Hancock, Howe, Nathaniel Green, and the so called military genius Horatio Gates are very intriguing and they give a good idea of what the war was like on a personal level for the men of the war. I think that Buchanan does do a good job of giving the reader a good idea of how the war went during the first two to three years. I did enjoy reading this book because of al the information that was included and the author makes it very easy to read. And would definitely recommend it to others.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Investigate if there is any correlation between the GDP per capita ($) of a country and the life expectancy at birth (years) Essay Example

Investigate if there is any correlation between the GDP per capita ($) of a country and the life expectancy at birth (years) Essay My aim is to investigate if there is any correlation between the GDP per capita ($) of a country and the life expectancy at birth (years). The GDP is the gross domestic product or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar ($) estimates are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. The GDP per capita ($) shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population. The life expectancy at birth shows the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. It shows the life expectancy on average for the total population for male and females. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. We will write a custom essay sample on Investigate if there is any correlation between the GDP per capita ($) of a country and the life expectancy at birth (years) specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Investigate if there is any correlation between the GDP per capita ($) of a country and the life expectancy at birth (years) specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Investigate if there is any correlation between the GDP per capita ($) of a country and the life expectancy at birth (years) specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The reason for doing this investigation is that I have seen a lot of documentaries and read a lot of articles in the newspaper which have talked about how the gap between rich and poor has increased. This has led to a poorer quality of life in developing countries. So I wanted to see if there was any link between how rich a country is per person and what on average is the life expectancy for a person is in that country. This will help me get a better understanding of how rich a country is how much it affects the quality of life. This is the reason why I think the investigation is worth doing. Data collection: The data I collected was the GDP per capita using the purchasing power parity ($) and the life expectancy at birth (years). I have collected data for these two variables from the whole world. So my population is defined as the whole world. I obtained the data from the www.CIA.gov and clicked on the world fact book. I got 239 pieces of data originally for both then I had to reject 11 pieces of data for both because some countries did not have any data for the GDP. So from the 228 I used a sampling method of choosing every 4th country on the list until I narrowed my sample to 50 countries. I chose every 4th number because when you divide 228 by 50 and choose the integer number you get 4 this ensures this is a random sampled number which provides the most representative sample from the population. I used a systematic sampling method. The list was in alphabetical order and not in rank order for both variables so by using this method Im not creating any bias. Since the data is from the CI A website I must presume that the data is accurate and reliable. Here is a table of my data which has been systematically sampled to show 50 pairs of data: Country GDP per capita, Purchasing Power Parity ($) Life expectancy at birth (years) American Samoa 8000 75.75 Anguilla 8600 76.7 Armenia 3600 66.68 Bahamas, The 15300 65.71 Barbados 15000 71.84 Benin 1100 51.08 Bolivia 2500 64.78 British Virgin Islands 16000 76.06 Burma 1700 55.79 Cameroon 1700 48.05 Central African Republic 1200 41.71 China 4700 72.22 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 600 48.93 Cote dIvoire 1400 42.65 Djibouti 1300 43.13 East Timor 500 65.2 El Salvador 4600 70.62 Ethiopia 700 41.24 French Guiana 14400 76.69 Gambia, The 1800 54.38 Ghana 2000 56.53 Grenada 5000 64.52 Guatemala 3900 65.23 Guinea-Bissau 700 46.97 Honduras 2500 66.65 India 2600 63.62 Iraq 2400 67.81 Jersey 24800 78.93 Kenya 1100 45.22 Korea, South 19600 75.36 Laos 1800 54.3 Liberia 1000 48.15 Macau 18500 81.87 Malaysia 8800 71.67 Malta 17200 78.43 Martinique 10700 78.72 Mayotte 600 60.6 Monaco 27000 79.27 Morocco 3900 70.04 Nauru 5000 61.95 New Caledonia 14000 73.52 Nigeria 900 51.01 Pakistan 2000 62.2 Papua New Guinea 2100 64.19 Philippines 4600 69.29 Reunion 5600 73.43 Saint Helena 2500 77.38 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 11000 78.11 San Marino 34600 81.43 Saudi Arabia 11400 68.73 Modelling procedures: I am going to do a scatter diagram of GDP per capita against life expectancy at birth for my 50 pairs of data to see if there is any correlation. A scatter diagram is an appropriate modeling procedure as it shows a clear relationship between two random variables. As you can see from the scatter diagram the points form a relationship which appears to be a curve so to try to establish a more linear relationship. I am going to do this by first logging my data for the GDP per capita and not logging the life expectancy data and then do a scatter diagram of this data. I am then going to log the life expectancy data but not the GDP per capita data and do a scatter diagram of this data. Then finally I am going to log both my data for GDP per capita and the life expectancy at birth and do a scatter diagram. I am going to check which scatter diagram gives the strongest linear correlation and thats the data Im going to chose. Country Life expectancy at birth (years) Log of GDP per capita, Purchasing Power Parity ($) American Samoa 75.75 3.903089987 Anguilla 76.7 3.934498451 Armenia 66.68 3.556302501 Bahamas, The 65.71 4.184691431 Barbados 71.84 4.176091259 Benin 51.08 3.041392685 Bolivia 64.78 3.397940009 British Virgin Islands 76.06 4.204119983 Burma 55.79 3.230448921 Cameroon 48.05 3.230448921 Central African Republic 41.71 3.079181246 China 72.22 3.672097858 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 48.93 2.77815125 Cote dIvoire 42.65 3.146128036 Djibouti 43.13 3.113943352 East Timor 65.2 2.698970004 El Salvador 70.62 3.662757832 Ethiopia 41.24 2.84509804 French Guiana 76.69 4.158362492 Gambia, The 54.38 3.255272505 Ghana 56.53 3.301029996 Grenada 64.52 3.698970004 Guatemala 65.23 3.591064607 Guinea-Bissau 46.97 2.84509804 Honduras 66.65 3.397940009 India 63.62 3.414973348 Iraq 67.81 3.380211242 Jersey 78.93 4.394451681 Kenya 45.22 3.041392685 Korea, South 75.36 4.292256071 Laos 54.3 3.255272505 Liberia 48.15 3 Macau 81.87 4.267171728 Malaysia 71.67 3.944482672 Malta 78.43 4.235528447 Martinique 78.72 4.029383778 Mayotte 60.6 2.77815125 Monaco 79.27 4.431363764 Morocco 70.04 3.591064607 Nauru 61.95 3.698970004 New Caledonia 73.52 4.146128036 Nigeria 51.01 2.954242509 Pakistan 62.2 3.301029996 Papua New Guinea 64.19 3.322219295 Philippines 69.29 3.662757832 Reunion 73.43 3.748188027 Saint Helena 77.38 3.397940009 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 78.11 4.041392685 San Marino 81.43 4.539076099 Saudi Arabia 68.73 4.056904851 Country GDP per capita, Purchasing Power Parity ($) Log of Life expectancy at birth Log (years) American Samoa 8000 1.879382637 Anguilla 8600 1.884795364 Armenia 3600 1.823995591 Bahamas, The 15300 1.817631467 Barbados 15000 1.856366324 Benin 1100 1.708250889 Bolivia 2500 1.811440944 British Virgin Islands 16000 1.881156321 Burma 1700 1.746556361 Cameroon 1700 1.681693392 Central African Republic 1200 1.62024019 China 4700 1.858657484 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 600 1.689575216 Cote dIvoire 1400 1.629919036 Djibouti 1300 1.634779458 East Timor 500 1.814247596 El Salvador 4600 1.848927713 Ethiopia 700 1.615318657 French Guiana 14400 1.884738738 Gambia, The 1800 1.735439203 Ghana 2000 1.752278985 Grenada 5000 1.809694359 Guatemala 3900 1.814447379 Guinea-Bissau 700 1.67182056 Honduras 2500 1.823800154 India 2600 1.803593665 Iraq 2400 1.831293744 Jersey 24800 1.897242103 Kenya 1100 1.655330558 Korea, South 19600 1.87714089 Laos 1800 1.73479983 Liberia 1000 1.682596291 Macau 18500 1.91312479 Malaysia 8800 1.855337404 Malta 17200 1.894482215 Martinique 10700 1.896085085 Mayotte 600 1.782472624 Monaco 27000 1.899108858 Morocco 3900 1.845346137 Nauru 5000 1.792041311 New Caledonia 14000 1.866405498 Nigeria 900 1.707655324 Pakistan 2000 1.793790385 Papua New Guinea 2100 1.807467376 Philippines 4600 1.840670561 Reunion 5600 1.865873528 Saint Helena 2500 1.888628725 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 11000 1.892706638 San Marino 34600 1.910784435 Saudi Arabia 11400 1.837146344 Country Log of GDP per capita, Purchasing Power Parity Log ($) Log of Life expectancy at birth Log (years) American Samoa 3.903089987 1.879382637 Anguilla 3.934498451 1.884795364 Armenia 3.556302501 1.823995591 Bahamas, The 4.184691431 1.817631467 Barbados 4.176091259 1.856366324 Benin 3.041392685 1.708250889 Bolivia 3.397940009 1.811440944 British Virgin Islands 4.204119983 1.881156321 Burma 3.230448921 1.746556361 Cameroon 3.230448921 1.681693392 Central African Republic 3.079181246 1.62024019 China 3.672097858 1.858657484 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2.77815125 1.689575216 Cote dIvoire 3.146128036 1.629919036 Djibouti 3.113943352 1.634779458 East Timor 2.698970004 1.814247596 El Salvador 3.662757832 1.848927713 Ethiopia 2.84509804 1.615318657 French Guiana 4.158362492 1.884738738 Gambia, The 3.255272505 1.735439203 Ghana 3.301029996 1.752278985 Grenada 3.698970004 1.809694359 Guatemala 3.591064607 1.814447379 Guinea-Bissau 2.84509804 1.67182056 Honduras 3.397940009 1.823800154 India 3.414973348 1.803593665 Iraq 3.380211242 1.831293744 Jersey 4.394451681 1.897242103 Kenya 3.041392685 1.655330558 Korea, South 4.292256071 1.87714089 Laos 3.255272505 1.73479983 Liberia 3 1.682596291 Macau 4.267171728 1.91312479 Malaysia 3.944482672 1.855337404 Malta 4.235528447 1.894482215 Martinique 4.029383778 1.896085085 Mayotte 2.77815125 1.782472624 Monaco 4.431363764 1.899108858 Morocco 3.591064607 1.845346137 Nauru 3.698970004 1.792041311 New Caledonia 4.146128036 1.866405498 Nigeria 2.954242509 1.707655324 Pakistan 3.301029996 1.793790385 Papua New Guinea 3.322219295 1.807467376 Philippines 3.662757832 1.840670561 Reunion 3.748188027 1.865873528 Saint Helena 3.397940009 1.888628725 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4.041392685 1.892706638 San Marino 4.539076099 1.910784435 Saudi Arabia 4.056904851 1.837146344 You can see from the scatter diagrams that the log of GDP per capita against the life expectancy shows the strongest linear correlation so that is the one I am going to choose. Therefore this means that I am going to use the data for log of GDP per capita and the life expectancy at birth. From the scatter diagram I can see that there is a positive correlation between the two variables. From looking at the scatter diagram I can see that the data takes an elliptical shape. Since the ellipse appears to be quite narrow it implies that there is a good positive correlation i.e. as one variable increases, so does the other. Therefore the data shows a clear linear relationship. Another technique that I am going to use is a histogram because you are able to see the distribution clearly and able to determine whether I can use Pearsons product moment correlation (PMCC) or Spearmans coefficient of rank order. I am going to draw a histogram for each variable and if the distribution is not normally distributed I shall use Spearmans and if it is I shall use PMCC. As the histograms roughly show a normal distribution I am going to use PMCC method. Analysis: Now I am going to calculate the PMCC with the help of Microsoft Excel. x y x2 y2 XY 75.75 3.903089987 5738.063 15.23411 295.6591 76.7 3.934498451 5882.89 15.48028 301.776 66.68 3.556302501 4446.222 12.64729 237.1343 65.71 4.184691431 4317.804 17.51164 274.9761 71.84 4.176091259 5160.986 17.43974 300.0104 51.08 3.041392685 2609.166 9.250069 155.3543 64.78 3.397940009 4196.448 11.546 220.1186 76.06 4.204119983 5785.124 17.67462 319.7654 55.79 3.230448921 3112.524 10.4358 180.2267 48.05 3.230448921 2308.803 10.4358 155.2231 41.71 3.079181246 1739.724 9.481357 128.4326 72.22 3.672097858 5215.728 13.4843 265.1989 48.93 2.77815125 2394.145 7.718124 135.9349 42.65 3.146128036 1819.023 9.898122 134.1824 43.13 3.113943352 1860.197 9.696643 134.3044 65.2 2.698970004 4251.04 7.284439 175.9728 70.62 3.662757832 4987.184 13.41579 258.664 41.24 2.84509804 1700.738 8.094583 117.3318 76.69 4.158362492 5881.356 17.29198 318.9048 54.38 3.255272505 2957.184 10.5968 177.0217 56.53 3.301029996 3195.641 10.8968 186.6072 64.52 3.698970004 4162.83 13.68238 238.6575 65.23 3.591064607 4254.953 12.89575 234.2451 46.97 2.84509804 2206.181 8.094583 133.6343 66.65 3.397940009 4442.223 11.546 226.4727 63.62 3.414973348 4047.504 11.66204 217.2606 67.81 3.380211242 4598.196 11.42583 229.2121 78.93 4.394451681 6229.945 19.31121 346.8541 45.22 3.041392685 2044.848 9.250069 137.5318 75.36 4.292256071 5679.13 18.42346 323.4644 54.3 3.255272505 2948.49 10.5968 176.7613 48.15 3 2318.423 9 144.45 81.87 4.267171728 6702.697 18.20875 349.3533 71.67 3.944482672 5136.589 15.55894 282.7011 78.43 4.235528447 6151.265 17.9397 332.1925 78.72 4.029383778 6196.838 16.23593 317.1931 60.6 2.77815125 3672.36 7.718124 168.356 79.27 4.431363764 6283.733 19.63698 351.2742 70.04 3.591064607 4905.602 12.89575 251.5182 61.95 3.698970004 3837.803 13.68238 229.1512 73.52 4.146128036 5405.19 17.19038 304.8233 51.01 2.954242509 2602.02 8.727549 150.6959 62.2 3.301029996 3868.84 10.8968 205.3241 64.19 3.322219295 4120.356 11.03714 213.2533 69.29 3.662757832 4801.104 13.41579 253.7925 73.43 3.748188027 5391.965 14.04891 275.2294 77.38 3.397940009 5987.664 11.546 262.9326 78.11 4.041392685 6101.172 16.33285 315.6732 81.43 4.539076099 6630.845 20.60321 369.617 68.73 4.056904851 4723.813 16.45848 278.8311 Totals 3224.34 179.0276425 215012.6 653.5361 11793.26 This shows that my variables have a good positive correlation. I am now going to carry out a hypothesis test on the correlation coefficient to see if there is enough evidence from my sample to conclude that there is correlation in the whole population. : ? = 0 (There is no correlation between the two variables in all the countries in the world) : ? 0 (Positive Correlation) N= 50 I will be doing a one tail test at the 5% significant level So the critical value = 0.2353 So 0.833872644 0.2353 Therefore I can conclude that there is enough evidence from the sample to say that I accept that there is a positive correlation. Regression line The equation of the regression line is: As you can see on the page here is my scatter diagram with the regression line drawn on it which was all done in excel. This is Y upon X regression line. Interpretation: From the investigation that I have carried out I have discovered that that there is a positive correlation between my two sets of data which is shown on my graph and regression line. The aim of my investigation was to see if there is any correlation between the GDP per capita ($) of a country and the life expectancy at birth (years). I can now confidently say that I have achieved my aim as there is a positive correlation as predicted. The sample that I took is of the whole world and is a good representation of the whole population. By using the correlation results I can predict if there was a country with a low GDP then it is expected that they have a low average life expectancy. This trend would be expected for every country in a similar position but some countries may incur lower life expectancies than normal due to some external factor e.g. war, outbreak of a new disease or some sort of natural disaster. But regardless of these exceptions they shall not affect the overall correlation. I think that this data was worth investigating and collecting because I now realise how important the GDP per capita of a country is in affecting how long a person lives and how the higher the GDP the better the quality of life is for a person. This investigation has shown that people living in developing countries are more likely to die at a young age and will not have such a high quality of life as we enjoy in a country like the UK. I also think this investigation will act as very good evidence to try and convince richer nations to help poorer ones. This data should be given to an organisation like the United Nations to try an act as a catalyst to convince them to do something about this before it is too late. Accuracy and refinements: One possible source of error was that the data may have been displayed incorrectly on the website or I may have copied it incorrectly. I would improve this by comparing data from a number of different sources to ensure accurate and reliable results. The sampling method that I used could have been a possible source of error. This is because my systematic sample only included every 4th so for example every 3rd did not have a chance to be chosen. I could have improved my sampling method by using simple random sampling instead of systematic sampling. Simple random sampling ensures that every item of data has an equal chance of being chosen. This is a very important factor in ensuring the reliability of my work. Even though the data is very reliable there are some improvements that could be made. First of all the data was only collected for a given year in my case it was for 2003. For more accurate data I could have used data over five years to see if there is actually a difference and to see if for example at that given years there may have been a low life expectancy due to an external factor like war or disease. Also the sample was only from 228 countries and there are more countries in the world so a more fair representation would be to random sample from every country in the world. This was not possible because my source did not include some of these countries due to political reasons and from lack of information for those countries. In my investigation I had to reject 11 statistics for 11 countries this reduced the randomness of my sample. I would improve this by making sure that data was available for every item in the parent population. Overall I am very happy with the accuracy and reliability of my data because I got it from a very reliable source which was www.CIA.gov. Having a reliable source for my data enables me to achieve my aim of a positive correlation.