Love and Diane Essay Example for Free

Love and Diane Essay Synopsis Love Diane tells the epic story of a family over three generations. At its heart lies the highly charged relationship between a mother and daughter, desperate for love and forgiveness but caught in a devastating cycle. For Love, the world changed forever when she and her siblings were torn from their mother, Diane. Separated from her family and thrust into a terrifying world of institutions and foster homes, the memory of that moment is more vivid to her than her present life. Ten years have passed since that day and Love and her five siblings have been reunited with their mother. But all have been changed by the years of separation. They are almost strangers to each other and Love is tormented by the thought that it was her fault. At 8 years old she was the one who revealed to a teacher that her mother was an drug addict. Now she is 18 and HIV+. And she has just given birth to a son, Donyaeh. For Love Diane this baby represents everything good and hopeful for the future. But that hope is mixed with fear. Donyaeh has been born with the HIV virus and months must pass before his final status is known. As Diane struggles to make her family whole again and to realize some of her own dreams, Love seems to be drifting further and further away from her child. Diane, torn by her own guilt over her childrens fate when she was an addict, tries to help and to care for her grandson. But when Diane confides her fears for her daughter to a therapist, the police suddenly appear at the door. Donyaeh is taken from Loves arms and it seems to the family as if history has repeated itself. Now Love must face the same ordeal her mother had faced years before. She is charged with neglect and must prove to a world of social workers, therapists and prosecutors that she is a fit mother. And Diane must find the courage to turn away from her guilt and grasp a chance to pursue her long-deferred dreams. While the film takes us deep into the life of a single family, it also offers a provocative look at the Byzantine system that aims to help but as often frustrates the familys attempts to improve their situation. The film differs from many documentaries that deal with the problems facing poor communities in that it eschews talking eads and interviews with experts and aims instead to immerse the viewer in the experiences and thoughts of a family trying to survive and retain autonomy in the face of terrible challenges. Love ; Diane: Inner-City Blues: An Interview with Jennifer Dworkin For over eight years Jennifer Dworkin documented the personal struggles of a recovering crack addict and her troubled daughter in Love ; Diane. Fellow long-term filmmak er Steve James talks with Dworkin about her epic work of American vrit filmmaking. I first heard about Jennifer Dworkins Love Diane when it played at the 2002 New York Film Festival. Though I missed seeing it because I live in Chicago, the word was that this was a special film, one in which the filmmaker spent years intimately following the lives of a family. Since thats been my own filmmaking M. O. , I knew this was a documentary I had to see. So in November, when I finally did settle into my seat at Amsterdams International Documentary Festival to watch the film, I had pretty high expectations. Love Diane lived up to them and more. Its a powerful, uncompromising, yet compassionate portrait of a mother and daughter coping with a hard life in Brooklyn and an even more difficult personal history between them. In the best sense of the word, the film is a throwback to the heyday of cinema vrit filmmaking in the 60s and early 70s, When the Maysles were in their prime and young filmmakers like Barbara Kopple were making their mark. Love ; Diane is one of those films where the filmmaker earned such intimate access and the trust of her subjects that it gives viewers a rare and complex glimpse into the lives of people we rarely really see in films. And like most great film subjects, Diane Hazzard and her daughter, Love, continually confound our expectations of what it means to be a ghetto mom or an ex-crack addict or a black teenage mother. Meeting and getting to know the director, Jennifer Dworkin, was one of the pleasures of the Amsterdam festival. My film, Stevie, also played there, and Jennifer and I found unexpected common ground in the stories each of our films tells. Both films deal with troubled family history, struggles between a parent and child, foster care, poverty and the social service and legal systems. Yet, in other ways, Stevie and Love ; Diane, couldnt be more different. Filmmaker gave me a chance to talk further with Jennifer about her impressive first film and compare notes about how we each went about making such demanding and challenging films. Steve James: How long did you spend on this film? Jennifer Dworkin: You know, I never answer that question. James: Really? Dworkin: No, just kidding [laughs]. If you count directions I started but didnt end up using in the film, about eight years, including editing. But not full time. James: Of course not. How could one survive? Dworkin: Exactly.

Isolation of Casein from Milk and Powdered Milk

Isolation of Casein from Milk and Powdered Milk 1.1 Introduction (Walsh, 2002) stated that, proteins are biological macromolecules composed of amino acids proteins consist of one or more polypeptide which are the chain of amino acids interconnected by peptide bonds.Alberts et al., (2013) detailed that, amino acids of proteins is either hydrophobic or hydrophilic in nature. Therefore the resulting polypeptide chain shows an amphipathic characteristic. Hydrophilic amino acids exist peripherally in some biological system and they are highly water soluble. Whereas some amino acid does not exist the polar groups to the environment. ‘’The most important factors that influence protein solubility are structure, size, charge and the solvent‘’ (Burgess, and Deutscher, 2009). Also Burgess, and Deutscher (2009) stated that, once the precipitation obtained, the solution can be separated by centrifugation or precipitation. ‘’Protein precipitates are aggregates of protein molecular large enough to be visible and to be collected by centrifugation. The distribution of hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues at the surface of a protein determines its solubility properties‘’. (Rosenburg, 2006). Precipitation is mainly done for concentrate the target protein. And it is attained by adding reagents such as salts (ammonium sulfate) or organic solvents (acetone or ethanol). (Hatti-Kaul and Mattiasson, 2003) 1.1.1 Isolation of casein Milk contains three kinds of proteins: caseins, lactalbumins, and lactoglobulins, all of which are globular proteins. (Spurlock, 2014). Ahluwalia and Dhingra, (2005) stated that, Casein is a combination of phosphoproteins presenting in milk and cheese.it is existing to the amount of 3% in milk along with 4-5% of lactose and 3-4% of fats and the rest is water. Caseins exist in micelles which are composed of sub micelles linked by the characteristic of hydrocolloid which are freely suspended in the aqueous phase of milk. (Tarte, 2009). Casein can be electrophoretically fractioned into four major components: alpha-, beta-, gamma-and kappa- casein. Casein develops precipitation from milk at pH 4.6, which has a negative charge when compare to the pH of the milk. Therefor it can be precipitate as salt by adding acids. (Miller, Jarvis and McBean, 2006). 1.2 Objectives To learn the methods of protein precipitation and to relate the solubility of protein with its structure. To learn the methods of isolation of casein from milk and to determine the percentage of casein presented in the (powdered) milk. 1.3 Materials Test tubes Beakers Pipette Clamp Filtering paper Electronic balance Watch glass Bunsen burner Albumin sample Ammonium sulfate Sodium hydroxide Copper sulfate Ethanol Picric acid Lead nitrate Powdered milk Warm water 1.4 Methodology 1.4.1 Precipitation by salts Albumin, 3.00ml was taken into a test tube, ammonium sulfate was added to it and was mixed until the solution gets saturated. The solution was allowed to stand for about 5 minutes and filtered by using filter paper. The biuret test was done to the filtered solution. 3.00 ml of filtered solution was taken into another test tube and same amount of NaOH was added to it, CuSO4 was added drop by drop. 1.4.2 Precipitation by organic solvents Albumin, 1.00 ml was taken into a test tube using a pipette. And 4.00 ml of ethanol was added .the solution was mixed well and was allowed to stand. 1.4.3 Precipitation by acidic agents Picric acid solution, 1.00 ml was added into 1.00ml of albumin solution. 1.4.4 Precipitation by heavy metal ions Lead nitrate, 8 drops were added into 1.00 ml of albumin. 1.4.5 Precipitation by heat and acid Albumin, 10 ml was taken into a test tube and the upper part of the solution was held over the Bunsen flame. After the observation few drops of 1% acetic acid were added. 1.4.6 Isolation of casein Powdered milk (non-fat), 17.5 g was weighed by using electronic balance and was dissolved by adding 62.5 ml of warm water in a 200ml beaker. Acetic acid (10%) was added in a drop wise manner with stirring until the liquid changes in to clear solution. the obtained solution was filtered by using clamp, filtering material and beaker. The yield casein was allowed to dry and was weighed using electronic balance. Biuret test was done for the filtered solution. 3.00 ml of filtered solution was taken into another test tube and same amount of NaOH was added to it, CuSO4 was added drop by drop. 1.5 Results Test Observation Interference Precipitation by metal ions White color precipitation Proteins can be precipitated by metal ions(positive for proteins) Precipitation by heat and acid Initially cloudy white precipitation was observed on the upper part of the solution and by adding acetic acid white color precipitation was observed. Proteins can be precipitate by heat and acid(positive for proteins) Precipitation by organic solvents White color precipitation was observed Proteins can be precipitate by organic solvents(positive for proteins) Precipitation by acidic agent White color precipitation was observed Proteins can be precipitate by acidic agents. (positive for proteins) Precipitation of salts Biuret test White color precipitation was observed. Purple color ring was observed Proteins can be precipitate by salts. Positive for proteins. Isolation of casein Biuret test for filtration Casein 13.01g was weighed Purple color ring was formed in filtered casein solution Yield %= Ãâ€" 100 = Ãâ€" 100 = 74.30% Positive for proteins. 1.6 Discussions Precipitation of protein can be obtained by isoelectric precipitation method. ‘’isoelectric precipitation is the most widely used method’ (Fox and McSweeney, 2003). Proteins can be precipitated by bringing their pH to its isoelectric point in which protein solubility is very low. (Shankara, 2008) Proteins can be precipitate by salts in two ways, half saturation with ammonium sulfate and full saturation with ammonium sulfate. Rashmi, (2002) stated that, different proteins show different precipitation reaction towards diverse agents. The full saturation with ammonium sulfate was done in the laboratory. Also the filtrate was tested by biuret reagent, resulted purple color. ‘Compounds with two or more peptide bonds give a violet color with alkaline copper sulfate’ (Rashmi, 2002) Proteins are strong in solution when they are enclosed by entirely hydrogen-bonded water molecules, as water molecules with additional hydrogen bonding ability have greater entropy and are more aggressive. (Chaplin, 2014) hydrated sphere decrease the non -polarity. Higher the diameter of the sphere higher the solubility. For an example, it is easy to precipitate globulin from proteins by adding salts, than albumin because globulin has small diameter of hydrated sphere when compare to albumin. The similar concept is used in precipitating proteins by organic solvents and acidic agents. Organic solvents remove the hydrated sphere and decrease solubility resulting increase precipitation. Acids neutralize the polarity of the hydrated sphere and decrease solubility in order to increase precipitation. Denaturation occur on heating or adding acidic agents to proteins. Therefor its change the polarity of a protein by changing the arrangements of polar and non-polar groups within the molecule. Less polarity decrease the solubility and increases the precipitation. Precipitation by heavy metal ions lead nitrate was used instead of lead acetate or mercuric nitrate. Shankara(2008) stated that, metal ions which are positively charged interrelate with negatively charged groups of the protein producing precipitation as metal-proteinate complex. According to the percentage of yield and from the result of biuret test of the filtrate, there can be some proteins present in the filtrate. Because, the milk contains about 3.5% protein by weight and of the total protein, about 80% is casein and 20% is whey protein. (Miller, Jarvis and McBean, 2006) Filtration of casein can be done in two ways. Such as, gravitational filtration and sucktional filtration. 1.7. Conclusion Proteins were precipitated by using metal ions, heat, organic solvents, acidic agents and salts. The percentage of yield casein of the sample is 74.30%. References Ahluwalia, V. and Dhingra, S. (2005). College Practical Chemistry. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=1OgRECl_nwMCpg=PA276dq=isolation+of+caseinhl=ensa=Xei=s0rBU_jZEtOzuATSzICACgved=0CCYQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageq=isolation of caseinf=false [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014]. Alberts, B., Bray, D., hopkin, K., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Walter, P. (2013). Essential Cell Biology, Fourth Edition. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=Cg4WAgAAQBAJpg=PA371dq=proteins+and+hydrophilic+and+hydrophobichl=ensa=Xei=oj7BU-jdAYaUuATRyYCwDgved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepageq=proteins and hydrophilic and hydrophobicf=false [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014]. Burgess,, R. and Deutscher, M. (2009). Guide to Protein Purification. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=f6Lp4yna4hoCpg=PA118dq=protein+precipitationhl=ensa=Xei=W-jAU4icLtChugSK0IDoDgredir_esc=y#v=onepageq=protein precipitationf=false [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014]. Chaplin, M. (2014). Home | London South Bank University. [Online] Www1.lsbu.ac.uk. Available at: http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/ [Accessed 13 Jul. 2014]. Fox, P. and McSweeney, P. (2003). Advanced Dairy Chemistry: Volume 1: Proteins, Parts AB. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=RMNkAc5PkVECpg=PA5dq=isoelectric+precipitation+of+proteinhl=ensa=Xei=MmPBU4yaIs-SuATO_IKIBgved=0CCsQ6AEwAw#v=onepageq=isoelectric precipitation of proteinf=false [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014]. Hatti-Kaul, R. and Mattiasson, B. (2003). Isolation and Purification of Proteins. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=CdHn45QCU_8Cpg=PA226dq=protein+precipitationhl=ensa=Xei=W-jAU4icLtChugSK0IDoDgredir_esc=y#v=onepageq=protein precipitationf=false [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014]. Miller, G., Jarvis, J. and McBean, L. (2006). Handbook of Dairy Foods and Nutrition, Third Edition. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=5tleQ0aLJvoCpg=PA1dq=components+of++milkhl=ensa=Xei=RQzCU8_-EI-_uAS2kYCQBwved=0CD0Q6AEwBw#v=onepageq=components of milkf=false [Accessed 13 Jul. 2014]. Rashmi, J. (2002). A Textbook of Practical Biochemistry. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=wBfAshZ3ZaUCprintsec=frontcoverdq=bio+chemistry+lab+practicalshl=ensa=Xei=XGrBU6i9ENWRuASr9oL4Bwved=0CDMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageq=bio chemistry lab practicalsf=false [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014]. Rosenburg, (2006). Protein Analysis and Purification. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=gi-UgCF8G6ECpg=PA143dq=protein+precipitationhl=ensa=Xei=W-jAU4icLtChugSK0IDoDgredir_esc=y#v=onepageq=protein precipitationf=false [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014]. Shankara, (2008). Practical Biochemistry 2008. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=nPphGdHO_XcCprintsec=frontcoverdq=bio+chemistry+lab+practicalshl=ensa=Xei=XGrBU6i9ENWRuASr9oL4Bwved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepageq=bio chemistry lab practicalsf=false [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014]. Spurlock, D. (2014). Deborah Spurlocks Chemistry Homepage. [Online] Homepages.ius.edu. Available at: http://homepages.ius.edu/DSPURLOC/ [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014]. Tartà ©, R. (2009). Ingredients in Meat Products. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=C-wrQaaXxj0Cpg=PA132dq=principle+of+milk+proteinhl=ensa=Xei=lgjCU_DhDZGTuASf_oGoAgved=0CCcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageq=principle of milk proteinf=false [Accessed 13 Jul. 2014]. Walsh, G. (2002). Proteins. [Online] Google Books. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=EXTEjL2wTnYCprintsec=frontcoverdq=proteinhl=ensa=Xei=oEjBU4nXFZeTuAS62YGYDQved=0CD8Q6AEwBg#v=onepageq=proteinf=false [Accessed 12 Jul. 2014].

Compare And Contrast Two Successful Global Companies Commerce Essay

Compare And Contrast Two Successful Global Companies Commerce Essay In this paper we shall evaluate, compare and contrast two successful global companies: UPS and Amazon.com. UPS is the worlds largest package delivery company and a leading global provider of specialized transportation and logistics services (UPS, n.d.). It continues to diversify in its product offering. UPS is the third largest employer in the US and has been operating for the last 103 years. On the other hand, Amazon.com is one of the successful survivors of the internet boom in the late 90s. By 2008 Amazon had become a global brand with other 76 million active customers accounts and had earned itself the reputation of offering earths biggest selection of books. Being a company that was founded in 1995, it is not surprising that Amazon.com is still led by its visionary founder Jeffrey Bezos. Amazon.com has a small management core that co-ordinates a virtual/boundary less organisational structure that has been necessitated by the nature of its business. UPS on the other hand is run by a highly centralized management committee that is mostly organized into functions. At the global level we find business units. Both organizations though are structurally organized to enhance efficiency along their supply chains. According to Lambert and Cooper (2000): One of the most significant paradigm shifts of modern business management is that individual businesses no longer compete as solely autonomous entities, but rather as supply chains (p.65). Further, in this emerging competitive environment, the ultimate success of the single business will depend on managements ability to integrate the companys intricate network of business relationships (Lambert Cooper, 2000). The two companies differ here in that whereas UPS owns most of its supply chain operations as epitomized by its 400,000 employees, 600 plus airplanes, more than 90,000 delivery trucks and 72,000 retail outlets Amazon.com manages its supply chain through a network of partnerships with companies such as Toys R Us and Borders in the US, and Waterstones in the UK etc. Indeed, as new technologies provide opportunities to radically change business and industry economics, the need to frame strategy and its executionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦has become increasingly importantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦for executives and entrepreneurs who are searching for opportunities to create and exploit game-changing innovations (Applegate, 2008, p.21). Information Technology (IT) has been central to both organizations though manifested differently in their strategies. For UPS, IT has been the potential change factor for the last decade. By building up their IT network and database capacity through such innovations as eLogistics and UPS OnLine Tools the company was able to redefine its core business through what Varian (2003) refers to as new combinations of productive means. The case for Amazon.com is different because it is an e-business where IT is a fundamental component. Nevertheless, Amazon.com has been able to develop proprietary technologies with the functionality and features that simplify and improve there customer shopping experience. It is this that made the organisation to prosper while other dot-coms failed. Amazon.com has been able to achieve awareness, customer loyalty and repeat purchases, a form of customer lock-in According to Varian (2003) this tact by Amazon.com reduces dispersion of willingness to pay, which is a form of price discrimination and increases barriers to entry. When we look at the effect of Porters five forces to these two companies we are enabled to understand their strategic intents better. In the case of UPS we see a highly competitive industry with strong brands to compete against such as FedEx, DHL and US Postal Service. The few strong brand names, high fixed costs, trade tariffs and international regulations make entry into this industry difficult thus reducing threat of new entrants. Buyer power is moderate in spite of the low switching costs for customers because individually they are too small to have an impact. Threat of substitutes is low considering that few competitors can match UPSs airfreight. The biggest threat for UPS comes in the form of strong supplier power. This is manifested through labor problems, fuel costs and capacity constraints for example UPS reported a fourth-quarter 2007 net loss of $2.58 billion mainly due to a $6.1 billion pension-related charge. For Amazon.com industry rivalry is also high especially with such competitors like eBay, Barnes Noble and Wal-Mart, high threat of substitutes from specialist e-commerce sites e.g. Apple iTunes store for music downloads and low power of suppliers such as publishers who find competition with online companies so expensive and challenging that they prefer entering into partnerships. Though the capital expenditure required to enter into e-commerce is low Amazon.com has been able to reduce threat of new entrants through demand side benefits of scale, development of proprietary technologies, brand identity and effective and efficient distribution channels. According to Porter (2008): Demand side benefits of scale arise in industries where a buyers willingness to pay a companys product increases with the number of other buyers who also patronize the company (p.4) The future performance projections for UPS for at least the next five years should be high considering that the company has been able to successfully transform itself from one oriented towards becoming the leading package delivery company into an enablers of global e-commerce. In spite of this the company has also successfully maintained its strong culture that has made it have a low rate of employee turnover throughout its history. The firms commitment to continual development of game changing business models e.g. leasing its call center capacity to a customers, supporting and managing entire back-end systems for corporations like Nike etc, and its quick embracing of new technologies are bound to keep UPS very competitive for the near future. Amazon.com though is in a less predictable industry where disruptive technologies have the ability to change the entire industry overnight. Moreover, e-commerce aspiring entrants armed with new capacity and hungry for market share could easily ratchet up the investment required for Amazon.com to stay in business (Porter, 2008) which is not the case for UPSs industry. Customers in this industry are also more fickle as their online experience evolves and could easily be drawn to substitute offerings. Nevertheless, we cannot take away Amazon.coms relentlessly focus on customer experience and customer loyalty which enabled them survive the dot-com bubble burst. With the visionary founder till at the helm we should expect Amazon.com to maintain its competitive edge.

Merchant Of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

The Storytellers in The Merchant of Venice In this play two characters have a bigger role than one might imagine. Salerio and Solanio are the storytellers in The Merchant of Venice. They fill in important information that the audience needs to full understand the play. First, the two names differ by only a few letters, they are so close that one might confuse the two and think that they are the same person. I feel that this is Shakespeare's intention in this play. He makes the two similar so that they are not very important to the plot of the play. At the same time they are two different people, not just a narrator. I feel that Shakespeare does this so that he can have the two characters speaking to each other. It is through their, Salerio and Solanio, interactions that the audience learns important information to the plot of the play. At the opening of the play three characters are on stage, Antonio, Salerio, and Solanio. Through the dialogue, Salerio informs the audience of Antonio's ships: "Your mind is tossing on the ocean/There where your argosies [ i.e., great merchant ships] with portly [i.e., stately] sail (I.i. 8-9). While in the same scene Solanio helps the audience establish that Antonio has no major love interest: "Why then you are in love," to which Antonio replies, "Fie, fie!" (I.i. 46-47). Through their conversations, the two have given the audience a basis for the play: that Antonio is a merchant and that he is not concerned about being in love. An entire scene (viii) in Act II is given completely to a conversation between Solanio and Salerio. Here they tell of many events that have happened: Bassanio's ship setting off and Gratiano going with him; Shylock's reaction to Jessica and his ducats being gone; a Venetian ship that is wrecked in the English Channel; and also the parting between Antonio and Bassanio. Here, through the conversation of Solanio and Salerio the audience is told what has happened. Thus they have only one way to obtain the information. They all have the same thoughts about what has happened since they did not see the scenes and were only told about them. Solanio and Salerio are the storytellers in the play but they are only used for about two thirds of the play. The scene that either one of them is in is scene ii of Act III.

Hypatia :: Essays Papers

Hypatia Hypatia was born in the year 370 AD in Alexandria, Egypt. She was the daughter of Theon, a famous mathematician and astronomer. He invented many things, but his most famous invention is the astrolabe, which measures the altitude of a star or planet. Hypatia studied with her father for many years at the Museum in Alexandria, but soon became unsatisfied with his instruction because she was smarter than him. She left Egypt, and traveled to Greece and Rome to do "post-graduate" work. Her brains and beauty gave her a wonderful reputation throughout the capitols near the Mediterranean. When she returned to her homeland, everyone wanted to be taught by her. She not only gave lectures on philosophy, but also tutored. Hypatia became good friends with Orestes, the Roman governor of Alexandria, and would later become one of his closest advisors. She also became pals with Synesius, who became bishop of Ptolmais thanks to Hypatia’s ingenuity. Much of what we know about Hypatia today is from the letters Synesius wrote to her. In one letter, Synesius wrote to his friend, "You always have power and long may you have it and make good use of that power. The ancient encyclopedia Suda also tells us a little bit about Hypatia. It tells us that when she was 31, she became director of the museum in Alexandria. This museum was brought the top scientists from all around Europe to work and do research there. Some of these mathematicians and scientists were Euclid, Galen, and Archimedes. This museum was considered to be one of the finest and most outstanding buildings at the time. It was built by Ptolemy, the ruler of Egypt after Alexander the Great, in 300 B.C. Next to the museum Ptolemy built a library which was considered the greatest library of the ancient world. However, the Julius Caesar’s army burned it down accidentally. Some archaeologists called this "the greatest disaster in the ancient world." During Hypatia’s life, there was bitter rivalry between the pagans and Christians of the Mediterranean. Hypatia was a pagan herself, but taught both Christian and non-Christian students. The pagans and Christians were battling over who had more power, and in March of 415 AD, it was the Christians who had the most power. These two groups were trying to drive each other out of Alexandria.

Montessori Practical Life Essay

In this essay I will be discussing the importance and different aspects of the practical life area in a Montessori classroom. Children are naturally interested in activities they have witnessed, therefore Doctor Maria Montessori began using what she called â€Å"practical life exercises† to allow the child to do activities of daily life and therefore adapt themselves in their society. Doctor Maria Montessori developed her philosophy of education based upon actual observations of children; she observed that children prefer work rather than play. It is through work that children obtain independence, order, concentration and normalization. Practical life exercises are recognized to be the heart of Montessori education. In the first six years a child becomes a full member of his or her particular culture and family group absorbing language, attitudes, manners and values of those in which he or she comes into daily contact with. Children feel comfortable and safe when they find a s ecure and lovable environment, a child develops best if they are in an environment full of affection, love, caring and support. Doctor Maria Montessori in the Absorbent Mind writes â€Å"the hands are instruments of man’s intelligence†. It is only through the practice of movement that a child can learn and develop, for this reason Doctor Maria Montessori decided to incorporate the area of practical life into her classroom as this is where the practice begins (mymontessorimoments). Through the exercises of practical life the child learns to adapt to his or her environment, learns self-control, sees themselves as part of a society and most importantly grow intellectually  through working with his or her hands and master the skills needed for his or her future. â€Å"Watching a child makes it obvious that the development of his mind comes through his movements† (Montessori, 1995). There are many links between the home and the school in the area of practical life. It is the first area introduced to the child in the classroom. Maria Montessori stated â€Å"Children feel a special interest for those things already rendered to them in the earlier period† (Montessori, 1995). The activities in the classroom are familiar to the child as many of them are done at home. The child can therefore settle in easily and master the skills with confidence while learning co-ordination of movement and relate back to past experiences at home (www.montmet.co.za). In an ideal situation practical life would be located near the entrance to the classroom, as a link between home and school as well as a foundation for the curriculum. The area should be attractive containing flowers, paintings, vases etc to draw the child to the practical life area. The area of practical life assists in the growth and development of the child’s intellect and concentration and will also help the child develop an orderly way of thinking (www.sevencounties.org). Practical life sparks respect and love for any work, helps the child to perform the activities of daily life with joy, skill, and grace through which he or she is aiming for perfection. Exercises in practical life are just that, they are exercises so the child can learn how to do living activities in a purposeful way. The purpose and aim of practical life is to help the child gain control in the coordination of his or her movement, and help the child to gain independence and adapt to his or her surroundings. It is therefore important to â€Å"Teach teaching, not correcting† (quotes/Maria_Montessori) â€Å"No one can be free unless he is independent. Therefore, the first active manifestation of the child’s individual liberty must be so guided that through the activity he may arrive at independence† (quotes/Maria_Montessori). Practical life helps the child gain control of his or her movement particularly the development of the hand`s coordination. The fine muscles coordination is linked to the child`s conceptual development. As Doctor Maria Montessori quoted †The human hand allows the mind to reveal itself (quotes/Maria_Montessori). Practical life activities help the child to gain independence and enable the child to associate his or  her own physical, psychic, and moral needs. The practical life area contains an orderly arrangement of exercises involving familiar objects and the activities of daily life. These will be things that the children have already seen their parents or family members doing that the child wishes to imitate. For example: pouring, spooning, various cleaning exercises and others. The exercises are ordered, with earlier exercises providing a foundation and all the skills needed for the more advanced activities to follow. The organisation of the area helps children feel secure, familiarize themselves in the classroom, and develop the inner order necessary for clear and rational thought. Practical life exercises fall under four basic categories: care of the person, care of the environment, analysis of movement and grace and courtesy. Grace and courtesy provides the child with the absolute basics such as rolling out a mat, sitting on a chair, and how to ask the directress for assistance while busy with another child. This foundation provides the skills in order for the child to participate in classroom life and complete each activity. Analysis of movement promotes a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem through activities that are real, precise, and practical such as spooning or pouring which encourages motor skills. Care of the person includes skills necessary for dressing independently such as zipping, buttoning, and tying. The dressing frames in the classroom provide the child the opportunity to practice these skills, the children are also encouraged to try zip, button or tie their own coats shoes etc. Care of the environment includes teaching responsibility of the world around them. The children scrub chairs, wash dishes, care for plants and help feed the animals if there are any in their environment. â€Å"Therefore, the first active manifestations of the child’s individual liberty must be so guided that through this activity he may arrive at independence† (Montessori, The advanced Montessori Method, 2010).Montessori learning environments are prepared to allow children to be socially and intellectually independent. Montessori learning materials are designed to capture the child’s interest and attention and to encourage independent use. When children work with the Montessori materials, they perfect their movements as well prepare themselves for learning educational knowledge. All exercises reflect the environment in which the child lives, all activities  use real tools and are physically proportioned in order to help the children develop their motor skills and perfect precise movements. All Montessori equipment is attractive as experiencing beauty lays the foundation of self-appreciation. All children want to be independent, as adults we become used to doing everything for them, it is hard to let go of control. But, we need to feed their desire for independence. Children learn important life skills as they handle materials in practical life. Even more important is the confidence that the child gains when he or she achieves a new goal. â€Å"Help me to do it by myself† (Montessori, Secret ofChildhood, 1996). Maria Montessori believed in educating the whole being and not just the intelligence of a child. Before the start of western education and the school system as we know it today, all children actually learnt from birth to adulthood were these same practical life activities, and this was more or less all they needed to function well in their society. The responsibility of the parent is to help the child learn about the environment, community and society they live in so that the child can grow up into a fully functional member of the community (MontessoriStudents). It is therefore important that children learn how to not only dress themselves but also how to keep their surroundings clean, how to cook and how to behave and interact with others around them. So often today you find young parents are too busy to spend adequate time with their children in order to teach them basic life skills, instead you find young parents more concerned on their child’s academic performance. The Montessori curriculum can make up for this shortfall that unfortunately occurs due to our busy lifestyles. Montessori education can ensure that the child is given the right aids to life through the practical life exercises. Bibliography (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2014, from www.montmet.co.za: http://www.montmet.co.za/ (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2014, from www.sevencounties.org: http://sevencounties.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=7923&cn=28 DevelopmentalStages/Cognitive-Development. (n.d.). Retrieved 03 05, 2014, from www.aboutkidshealth.ca: http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/DevelopmentalStages/SchoolAgeChildren/Pages/Cognitive-Development.aspx DevelopmentalStages/Social-and-Emotional-Development. (n.d.). Retrieved 03 04, 2014, from http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca: http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/DevelopmentalStages/SchoolAgeChildren/Pages/Social-and-Emotional-Development.aspx maria_montessori. (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2014, from www.brainyquote.com: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/maria_montessori.html (1995). Montessori. (1995). In M. Montessori. (1995). Absorbent mind. In M. Montessori, Absorbent mind. Henry Holt and company. (1995). The absorbent mind. In M. Montessori, The absorbent mind. Henry Holt and company. (1996). Secret ofChildhood. In M. Montessori, Secret of childhood. New York: Ballantine Books. (2010). The advanced Montessori Method. In M. Montessori, Spontaneous activity in education (p. 118). Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson publishing company. MontessoriStudents. (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2014, from www.static.squarespace.com: http://static.squarespace.com/MontessoriStudents.jpg mymontessorimoments. (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2014, from www.mymontessorimoments.files.wordpress.com: http://mymontessorimoments.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/img_7100_2.jpg quotes/Maria_Montessori. (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2014, from www.goodreads.com: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/34106.Maria_Montessori

Race and Identity in Richard Wright’s Black Boy

Stephen Donato Professor Schmitz HSF 20 September 2012 Race and Identity in Richard Wright’s Black Boy Each and every person on this Earth today has an identity. Over the years, each individual creates their identity through past experiences, family, race, and many other factors. Race, which continues to cause problems in today’s world, places individuals into certain categories. Based on their race, people are designated to be part of a larger, or group identity instead of being viewed as a person with a unique identity. Throughout Richard Wright’s Black Boy, Richard is on a search for his true identity.Throughout Black Boy, one can see that Richard’s racial background assigns him with a certain identity or a certain way in which some people believe he should live his life. Growing up in the Jim Crow South, many young blacks, have their identities essentially already created for them based solely on the backgrounds and race. During this time period, white s expect blacks to behave a certain way, have certain traits, and treat them with absolute respect. Whites during Richard’s time still feel they are much superior to the blacks they interact with, and have many expectations that would be considered racist today.However, in his work, Richard Wright shows how one can break from this predetermined mold. In many instances during the work, Richard breaks from this identity to which he is assigned in order to create his unique identity and grow into the person he wants to become. Richard refuses to sit back and to be absorbed into the Jim Crow lifestyle of southern blacks. In Richard Wright’s Black Boy, Richard’s past experiences with both white and black individuals, family, and race issues shape his true identity and develop him into the man of his dreams living the life which he chooses instead of the one assigned to him.Richard Wright, a young black boy growing up in his family home in Mississippi, searches for hi s identity through many different experiences. A constant in his life which continues to shape his identity time and time again is his family. Throughout the work, Richard searches for a loving and caring family. Although his family may not fit the description at all times, they help him to form his independence, a big part of his true identity. As a young black male growing up in a house with his extended family, Richard did not have many freedoms. Throughout Black Boy, Richard’s family constantly shelters him from the outside world.The story begins in his grandmother’s home in Mississippi where his family constantly reprimands him. For example, in the beginning of this work, Richard Wright’s grandmother has fallen sick in the house. Therefore, Richard is expected to be quiet and not play with his brother. Richard, a young boy, just wants to have some fun, and proceeds to play with matches. He becomes more and more curious, and sets the curtains on fire, almost burning down the house. Because he was so sheltered, he became this curious little boy, causing trouble in his family home.Consequently, Richard is beaten for his actions, which becomes a common theme through the work. Richard explains: I was lashed so hard and long that I lost consciousness. I was beaten out of my senses and later I found myself in bed, screaming, determined to run away, tussling with my mother and father who were trying to keep me still (Wright 7) Time and time again, family members or outsiders attempt to beat Richard. He learns his first real lesson shaping his identity while trying to buy groceries for the house. After his father leaves, Richard’s mother tells Richard he is now in charge of buying groceries.Richard feels like the man of the house, and acts very confidently, until he needs to go buy the food. The first two times he attempts to buy food, a crowd of boys beats him and steals his money. However, his mother sends him out a third time equippe d with a stick. Richard easily defeats the boys and claims that night he â€Å"won the right to the streets of Memphis† (Wright 21). In this situation, it seems that Richard’s mom is not being fair by sending him out to get beat up time and time again. However, she is only doing this in order to help Richard survive in the future.By winning the right to the streets of Memphis, Richard is growing more independent. He no longer relies on his father to bring home food because he is not coming back, and he is able to stand up for himself when the time comes. Richard becomes more independent throughout different experiences in Black Boy. Richard’s grandmother, a devoutly religious person, has an underlying grievance with Richard because he is not religious. Richard’s grandmother begins to shelter him by not buying him books which he needs for school. Richard explains, â€Å"I needed textbooks and had to wait for months to obtain them.Granny said that she woul d not buy worldly books for me† (Wright 143). In addition, Richard claims that his Granny always burned the books he had brought into the house, â€Å"branding them as worldly† (Wright 151). Richard needed money to buy his books, some new clothes, and lunch during the week at school. However, his grandmother continues to shelter him by not allowing him to work. When Richard asked to work on the weekends, Richard explains that â€Å"she laid down the injunction that I could not work on Saturdays while I slept under her roof† (Wright 147).These two instances with his grandmother show Richard’s ambition. Richard wants to make something of himself, and does not want to sit back and live the usual life of a black individual. He wants to begin working in order to make money to buy his books so that he can study and live out his dream of becoming a writer. He begins to read articles in magazines from newspapers he sells, and learns of the vast world. He loves it, and he â€Å"hungered for a different life, for something new† (Wright 151). Richard wants to get out and experience the world, and break the mold of the assumed black identity.To begin this task, Richard begins writing his own stories. After Richard completes his first story, he brings it to his neighbor to read. Her reaction to his story was the common reaction: â€Å"What’s that for? † (Wright 141). Later, Richard shows his grandmother his second piece, The Voodoo of Hell’s Half-Acre. She has the same reaction as the neighbor, and begins to question him on what the story is about and why he is writing a story for the newspaper. According to her, he will not be able to get a job because people are going to think that he is weak minded (Wright 198).Richard exceeds expectations and completes tasks that black people aren’t supposed to do. Richard changes his identity from a subservient black boy into a sort of rebellious young man by beginning his writing career. Throughout the work, Richard introduces a countless number of jobs from working in homes of whites, to attempting to learn the trade of optometry. For one of his many jobs, Richard is working for a white family. While interviewing for this job, the mother of the family asks if he will steal from them, a common trait associated with black people.While working for this family, Richard is having a conversation with the mother. She asks him, â€Å"What grade are you in school? † (Wright 173). Richard responds, â€Å"Seventh, ma’am† (Wright 173). She then asks him, â€Å"Then why are you going to school? † (Wright 173). This conversation shows that whites think it is unnecessary for blacks to go to school past the sixth grade because they should be working. Whites think that they will never amount to anything, and therefore should not be wasting their time in school. However, Richard wants to break this predetermined mold of who he is supposed to be.He replies to his employer, â€Å"Well, I want to be a writer† (Wright 173). While working for this white family, Richard’s predetermined identity and his plans to break from this mold are both shown. Eventually, Richard hopes to be able to write for a living, and continues to attend school to study to become the best he can be. Both his employer and his family tell him that he has no chance of becoming a writer, but he continues to prove everyone wrong by not worrying about his race. He dismisses the fact that there are no famous black writers, and continues to achieve his goals and continues to form his true identity.Richard continues to press on and works hard each and every day in order to break the mold of his assigned identity due to his race. Richard eventually becomes the valedictorian of his ninth grade class, and has a huge disagreement with his principal. The principal summons Richard to his office and says to him, â€Å"Well, Richard Wright, here is your speech† (Wright 206). After Richard claims that he has already written his own speech, the principal tells him â€Å"Listen, boy, you’re going to speak to both white and colored people that night. What can you alone think of saying to them?You have no experience. . . † (Wright 206). Richard continues to fight this assumption made by his principal that he cannot deliver a speech which will be acceptable for white people to listen to. Even when his Uncle Tom claims, â€Å"the principal's speech is the better speech† (Wright 209) Richard agrees. However, Richard wants to give the speech he wrote because it says what he wants to say (Wright 209-10). Richard did not care if the principal’s speech was better than his; he wanted to deliver his speech the way he wanted to deliver it. Here, Richard continues to develop his true dentity as a fighter who will not stand for this assigned identity. He wants to make a difference in the world, and he is fed u p with everyone just taking the abuse they receive. He begins to build up a dream in himself which the educational system in the Jim Crow South had been rigged and designed to stifle (Wright 199). He was only fifteen years old, and already began realizing how the Jim Crow South worked. However, he did not like the system, and constantly fought against it. Growing up in Marlboro, New Jersey, race was not much of an issue for me.Throughout my K-8 public education, over ninety-five percent of the students in my school were white, just like me. I had no problem fitting in, and was able to have many of the privileges spoken about in Peggy McIntosh's â€Å"White Privilege. † I got along with almost all of my classmates growing up, and was even friends with the few black kids in my school. Ben, a black classmate of mine became a close friend when we played on the basketball team together. As I moved on from Middle School to a private, catholic high school, there were even less minor ities. In my senior graduating class I had three black classmates.These few individuals were sometimes segregated from the group, and might have felt uncomfortable during some circumstances. However, I did not realize at the time how sheltered I was from the world. I did not have many friends of different cultures and was not truly aware of the world outside of my high school and my hometown. I never truly viewed the other perspective; I took for granted my opportunity to go to school and get a good, public school education through middle school. I then again took for granted my ability to go to private high school to receive an even more personalized education in a smaller school.I did not think about the poor ethnic groups living in the slums of places such as Haiti, or even in places such as Newark, NJ. I had this sort of mindset going through school that if it didn’t involve me, it wasn’t my problem to fix. Students in these poor, urban areas such as Newark and Cam den in NJ tend to have a different lifestyle than students from Marlboro. In these poor communities, school is almost looked at as it is in black boy. Most kids from these areas will begin working when they graduate high school, and do not go onto college. Again, I took for granted my opportunity to go to a small, unique, private college.Most kids in these areas I described don’t even dream of going college because they believe it is just not a possibility for them. In my short time at Babson, I have met people from countries that I have never heard of before. I have acquainted myself with many different people of many different races, and I am beginning to learn a few facts about many different cultures. In this short period of time, my cultural horizon has broadened greatly. I cannot wait to see how much I will learn about so many different cultures and ethnic groups in my four years at Babson.In conclusion, Richard Wright searches for his identity throughout his life in th e Jim Crow South. Richard does not want to just be another drop in the bucket in this Jim Crow lifestyle, and does not want to fit the mold of a typical black male. He has dreams, aspirations, and goals which no other black youth has been able to accomplish. He continues to fight against the assumed black identity until he forms his own self-identity. Richard’s race definitely lead to assumptions being made by different individuals, but he was able to break free of these assumptions and create a life in which he was in control.Richard Wright broke free of the Jim Crow South and lived the life which he wanted to live while developing his own identity. Just as Wright did, every one of us struggles to define who we are, when in reality we are only who we are supposed to be. I pledge my honor that I have neither received nor provided unauthorized assistance during the completion of this work. Works Cited Wright, Richard. Black Boy (american Hunger): A Record of Childhood and Yout h. New York, NY: HarperPerennial, 1993. Print.