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Naturalism in Literature Naturalism is the literary movement that directly followed, and was born from, the Realistic Movement. Unlike Realism, which focused on the middle class, Naturalism focused on the lower class. The characters of naturalist writers were usually poor, disenfranchised, living in impoverished conditions and struggling to survive hardships. This is how naturalism is explained according to The American Novel, â€Å"While it is strongly associated with realism, in the shared emphasis on depicting surface reality, naturalism is more than a literary technique, involving as it does the philosophy of determinism. Naturalism is antiromantic in emphasizing the limited ability of humans to impose will upon their own destiny, and also in devaluing the imagination's embellishment of reality. For the naturalist, it is the duty of the writer to present to the reader reality without illusion, to offer a scientific, detached view of it rather than to adorn or mislead or simply please the reader† (Matterson). Naturalism also focuses on nature and how humans are subject to the laws on nature. Naturalists believed that circumstances were what controlled your life. The belief was that your environment is what determined the rest of your life or who or what would become of you. In Crane’s The Open Boat the story is a perfect model for naturalism because of the way it pessimistically depicts life. The four men in the story are at the mercy of the natural setting of the sea. Nature is portrayed as heartless and unsympathetic toward the circumstances of men. The characters of the story are not given supernatural powers to fight and win against nature as they would have been given in romanticism. The motif of the story seems to be ... ...y similarities. Both forms were reactions to and against Romanticism. They both try to simulate and parallel real life and both were to uncover and unmask the social ills and bigotries of society. These bigotries not only related to racial divides but also classism. Naturalism, which is an offshoot of Realism, focused more on the underprivileged and lower classes because Realism seemed to have left this group out. Naturalism also focused more on the power of nature and the environment, whereas Realism focused more on the characters. Naturalists often left their characters unnamed to ensure the focal point was the conditions or surroundings and not the people. Naturalisms themes are despair, cruelty of nature and how uncaring it is about people. The characters in naturalism often end up dying with lengthy periods of reflection of life before the death occurs.

American Dream – American Beauty & Of Mice and Men

Although the roots of the American Dream are founded on opportunity for all, it has become an inaccessible illusion for most. John Steinbeck’s novella â€Å"Of mice and men† explores the fragility of this concept in a more modern context. Whereas Sam Mendez’s film â€Å"American Beauty† uses black comedy to highlight the allusive nature of the American dream that has become perverted by an affiant society. Both of these texts expose a reality that reveals the isolation and loneliness experienced from pursuing American dream. George and Lenny both shared â€Å"The American Dream† of owning their own small farm house. However they too were unable to grasp the reality when their dream became crushed by society’s expectations. ‘Some day – we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and –‘, George and Lenny constantly repeats this phrase continuously throughout the novella, as their personal ambition and aim. It was this specific phrase that allowed our two protagonists to differentiate from others, it gave our protagonists hope as they were unique from all other farm workers ‘Guys like us, that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch’. Knowing that they were different from all other farm workers they motivated themselves to believe that they were able to obtain what others could not, as they were different from everyone else ‘They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to’ †¦ ‘But not us! ’ An’ why? Because †¦ Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why’. Our two protagonists can closely compared with the mouse in Robert Burns Poem â€Å"To a Mouse†. The mouse within Burns poems lived on a farm very similar to Lennie and George. Through hard work the mouse creates a home, which was ultimately destroyed by the farmer. The rodents that Lennie often carried around symbolises how fragile they really were, being crushed by Lennie’s petting. The American Dream was supposedly founded on the belief that it was a dream for all and that everyone had an equal chance. However Steinbeck’s choice of emphasizing both the fragility and the selective nature of the American Dream crushes Lenny and George indefinitely. Steinbeck highlights the allusive nature of the American dream by using alienated and lonely characters who are shown to be unable to fulfil their dream. Crooks is a black man who was shunned from society merely because of his colour and race. Unable to belong with the rest of the other characters, he is often shown alone. When Lennie first confronts Crooks, Crook turned his vulnerability against Lennie and lied about George never returning, suggesting that George will never return. He plays a cruel game with Lennie, suggesting to him that George is gone for good. Only when Lennie threatens him with physical violence does he relent. Crooks exhibits the corrosive effects that loneliness can have on a person; his character evokes sympathy as the origins of his cruel behavior are made evident. Perhaps what Crooks wants more than anything else is a sense of belonging—to enjoy simple pleasures such as the right to enter the bunkhouse or to play cards with the other men. This desire would explain why, even though he has reason to doubt George and Lennie’s talk about the farm that they want to own, Crooks cannot help but ask if there might be room for him to come along and hoe in the garden. Similarly, Curly’s wife also had an ambition to be a movie star and famous. Near the start of the novella, Curly’s wife was shown to be a â€Å"tramp† or â€Å"tart†, however as the novella progresses, her lust for attention grows. This desire is shown by her confrontation with other men, even though Curly had told her not to. The lack of attention that the other characters and the story gave her is further emphasised by Steinbeck’s decision of disallowing her a name. Curly wife’s is also another character that demonstrated loneliness, however, unlike other characters, she had little significance. Similarly Sam Mendez also produces unique individuals within â€Å"American Beauty†, each having their own dreams and ambitions, to demonstrate the allusion that the American dream is for everyone. The Burnham’s in particular were bitter and confined even though they were shown to have â€Å"Everything†: a house, a car, a family. Even though the Burnhams had the depicted everything, they did not appear to be content with their life. Lester Burnham, the protagonist, has been slowly deteriorating from the typical patriarchal household. Lester is often showed to be confined within himself shut of from other characters. During the first office scene, Lester’s reflection upon the computer is shown behind green bars of text. Even Lester himself admits that he loser living the same boring life every day. At the beginning of the movie Lester starts of narrating, â€Å"In a way I’m dead already†. During the first dinner scene after Lester walks into the kitchen, Lester tells Jane â€Å"Sometimes Jane you don’t have to wait for me to come to you. You can come to me† however Jane’s response was different from the typical families creating a sunse of unrealistic expectation of what a family should be. When Lester is in the shower, he is also confined within the small shower cubicle. It wasn’t until Lester reverted back to the consumption of pot that he starts challenging everyone, breaking away from the accumulating confinement. At this point Lester breaks away from the facade that he was unworthy, gaining independence. Caroline on the other hand is taken in by the desire for success. Even though Caroline had everything that the American dream states, she continues to long for more. This shows how the American Dream is continuously filled with wants and desires. When Lester and Caroline were alone in the living room Caroline gets distracted by Lester nearly spilling beer on the coach. Lester tells her â€Å"This isn’t life. This is just stuff. And this stuff has become more important to you than living. † Both Mendez and Steinbeck imply through their texts that The American Dream is merely a facade and an allusion that anyone can obtain. However, the selective nature of the dream restricts various people from pursuing this happiness.

Promote Professional Development Essay

PROMOTE PROFRESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 1.1 Explain the importance of continually improving knowledge and practice. As a professional, I have a responsibility to engage in continuous professional development. This means taking action in keeping my skills and knowledge and to seeking to improve my capabilities across the range of task I carry out daily. Continually improving my knowledge is essential to my role and ensures I have the skills and knowledge to create the best for the organisation that I work for. I need to be aware of most up to date legislations and guidelines, and the well fare requirements. As a senior support worker it is even more vital that I am aware and up to date with the above, as part of my role is to guide, support and influence other staff to do well in their own roles. Your own professional development does not only impact on yourself but other staff, the organisation and the service users. Reflective practice is a huge part of professional development and you need to be skilful in this to really benefit from it, criticising your own practice might not always be easy but taking a step back, and taking another look at it can benefit yourself and your skills. To be able to improve my own knowledge is very important to me, to be able to benefit my role or future role. In doing this I feel I am progressing in my career, keeping myself desirable to other employers and maximising my potential to do well in my career. Therefore if I continue to develop professionally and improve my knowledge resulting in me improving my practice I will: Become a positive role model to other staff Be confident in my own abilities and future employment Lead and influence staff positively with the correct information and highest standards 1.2 Analyse potential barriers to professional development. As with all aspects of working in a healthcare setting there is a risk of facing potential boundaries and barriers to professional development. Some of which could be: Training Cost of or development days and whether staffs cover is available – this could obviously impact whether staff member are able to attend training and rations within the setting would undoubtedly  still have to be adhered to, and whether funding would be available to send the desired staff on the course. In order for me to progress within my professional development, I should consider any potential barriers. Once these barriers have been identified I should look at these barriers as challenges to overcome and not problems which may remain unsolved. I consider barriers as a stepping stone to improving my skills and knowledge in the perfect world for myself and every member of staff to attend new and refresher courses would be an accomplishment in itself. Unfortunately there will be barriers to cross. PERSONAL BARRIERS could be in the form of: Intellectual limitations. We all have different learning styles. Some may have no problem sitting in a class in front of a teacher taking notes or seeing visuals. While others will learn better being more practical. I myself will learn better being more hands on. Show me how to do something and I will be able to do it. However put me in a class room and I find it more difficult to learn. I have tried to overcome this classroom issue by teaching myself not to make lengthy notes on everything that I hear. What I now do is make short notes. Language barriers could play a big part in a member of staff understanding what they are hearing and reading. Should this happen managers should encourage this member of staff to get extra help from their managers and Early Years Foundation Stage advisor. English for speakers of other languages or for additional language courses should be suggested for this person to attend. Then you may have a member of staff who is over confident and think training/courses are a waste of time and be less willing to attend. 1.3 Compare the use of different sources and systems of support for professional development Equipped with an understanding of the types of barriers faced in healthcare, we now have to identify the barriers that our organisation faces. This will involve looking at the specific barriers for different individuals in our organisation in relation to a particular piece of evidence-based guidance. When implementing any new policy or guidance, it is essential to identify the gap between recommended practice and current practice (baseline assessment). Ideally, this assessment will also help to identify the potential and actual barriers to change, allowing you to pinpoint the practical actions needed to implement the change along with the groups of  professionals who are key in bridging this gap. Those affected by change maybe the managers or support staff and individual roles and how people work with others will need to be considered. Talking to a key individual or a group of key individuals is an informal way of gaining Insight into a particular problem or situation. This method has a number of advantages, For example: †¢ It enables ideas to be explored in an iterative fashion †¢ Detailed information can be obtained †¢ It is quick and inexpensive. There may be some disadvantages, for example: †¢ It relies heavily on the key individual(s) †¢ The responses may be subject to bias †¢ It may be difficult to find the right person (or people) to talk to †¢ Additional corroboration may be needed. Talking to a key individual may be used, for example, when you are considering Introducing a new procedure on to a service. By discussing the potential barriers That might arise as a result of introducing the new procedure with key individuals that Will be affected, you can get specific details of the problems you are likely to face. Several ways Direct observation Sometimes the best way of assessing current clinical practice in your organisation is by Observing individual behaviours and interactions. This is especially appropriate if you are Looking at events that happen quite often, for example, personal care. This method has A number of advantages, for example: †¢ It enables detailed analysis of current behaviours in context †¢ It eliminates reporting bias †¢ It can provide a useful method for monitoring progress, if repeated on a  regular basis. Use a questionnaire A questionnaire is a good way of exploring the knowledge, Beliefs, attitudes and behaviour of a group of geographically Dispersed healthcare professionals. Careful thought Needs to be given to the design of the questions, as the Quality of the answers relies heavily on the quality of the Questions. Both electronic and paper formats can be used to encourage responses. This method has a number of  advantages, for example: †¢ It allows rapid collection of relatively large amounts of data from a large number of people †¢ It enables statistical analysis of standardised data †¢ It provides the opportunity to highlight the need for change through communication of the results †¢ It is relatively inexpensive. Team meeting Team meetings are a powerful means of evaluating current practice and testing new ideas. They comprise a facilitated discussion or interview involving the full support team. Open questions are posed by the facilitator, who then encourages the group to discuss their experiences and thoughts, and reflect on the views of others. This method has a number of advantages, for example: †¢ It enables a representative group of people to share ideas †¢ It allows a wide range of in-depth information to be obtained †¢ It encourages new ideas and perspectives †¢ It helps get people engaged in the change process Supervisions/Appraisals The primary functions of supervision are: administrative case management; reflecting on and learning from practice; personal support; professional development; and mediation, in which the supervisor acts as a bridge between  the individual staff member and the organisation they work for. Organisations are likely to succeed by having workers who are skilful, knowledgeable, clear about their roles, and who are assisted in their practice by sound advice and emotional support. This should come from a supervisor with whom they have a good professional relationship. Research into what happens within supervision suggests that effective supervision generates good outcomes for workers while experience suggests that â€Å"the consequences of absent, inadequate, or negative forms of supervision poses a threat to workforce stability, capacity, confidence, competence and morale.

Sun Gods essays

Sun Gods essays You climb the steep stairs of the temple. As you look around, you see the blood of your fellow prisoners pooled on the floor. You see the priests. They are caked with the blood of their former victims. You hear the drums start. They will muffle your screams. The time is 1531. The place is the great Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. You are about to have your heart ripped out of your still living body to appease the angry gods. This is an example of sun worship. In some cultures, the sun was a blood-hungry deity that required human hearts to shine. To others the sun was the creator of the earth and every thing on the earth. The three most noteworthy cultures that had solar religion were the ancient Egyptians and Aztecs. All of these civilizations had a belief of sacred kingship and an extremely well developed urban culture. For example, when the Spanish conquistadors came to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan they were amazed by the city. "We were amazed....on account of the g reat towers and temples and buildings rising from the water, and all built of masonry. And some of our soldiers even asked whether the things we saw were not in a dream." 1 Their rulers governed by the power of the sun and their royal families believed that they were descended from the sun. Forms of sun worship still exist today, in the mien of some of Christianitys most revered holidays and our modern customs. "Cults of the sun, as we know from many sources, had attained great vogue during the second, third and fourth centuries. Sun-worshippers indeed formed one of the big groups in that religious world in which Christianity was fighting for a place. Many of them became converts to Christianity and in all probability carried into their new religion some remnants of their old beliefs. The complaint of Pope Leo in the fifth century that worshippers in St. Peters turned away from the altar and faced the door so that they could adore the...

A comparison of two television adverts Essay Example

A comparison of two television adverts Essay Example A comparison of two television adverts Essay A comparison of two television adverts Essay Television is the most important medium for advertising, and advertising is a vital component of traditional TV business models. It has always been difficult to assess the benefits of TV advertising as advertisers have traditionally had only a vague idea of who may have seen a particular advert and the actual impact on them. However, they can try and target an audience specifically e. g. time, channel of advert, etc. Most channels gain over 50% of their revenue from TV advertising firms. Without TV adverts, we probably wouldnt buy half the products that are on show in shops. TV advertising also generates millions of pounds for TV channels, and this keeps the channel running. In fact, the main source of income is through advertising. Television is also the most reached audience, more than newspapers, the internet, the radio and even magazines. On the other hand, television advertising is the most expensive type of advertising to use. A 30 second clip on a national channel can cost up to i 20,000. I will compare two adverts promoting similar products, and see the differences in advertising methods and measure the successful effects on its target audience. The advert for the Vauxhall Corsa is 40 seconds long, consisting of 26 scenes. The car can be seen many times during this short advert. This instantly attracts the viewers attention. At one point 11 cars can be seen at once. This advert was found on ITV at a prime-time slot where Vauxhall believed it would attract the most number of people. The advert starts off with one vehicle and a voice over say, 1, 2, 3, as the car parks into a car park. This is a close-up shot of the car. The next scene is the original vehicle being surrounded by 10 other cars of the same model. Repetition is a good device to use for adverts as it creates a lasting memory effect in the viewers mind. The vehicles are all of bright colours e. g. red, white and blue. Bright colours are also useful as they can commonly create a positive link with the viewers perception. Once the voice-over has counted to 3, then the other vehicles start to drive off in different directions. As this happens, music is introduced into the advertisement. This is touch sensitivity by the fall. This song is happy and joyful. It has a guitar melody playing alongside with the cars movements. We see the cars doing various manoeuvres and trying to hide as the vehicles are playing hide and seek. This game between the vehicles creates a fast paced advert; another device commonly used by companies which can either create a good or bad effect depending on other various factors such as music, background colour and product. The first impression is effective because it instantly has the attention of the viewer. The catchy music plays a big role, but also with a lot of cars moving around fast and close together it is easy for viewers to remember. The cars are seen hiding in various places such as a lift, a supermarket and a rubbish skip. By using common places of public interest, the viewers can easily identify themselves with the product. The way the vehicles manoeuvre into and hide in such places, show the small size and practicality of the car to its target audience which would probably be people who are looking to buy a small, economical car. During the advert there is a good varied use of close, middle and long-distance shots. The close-ups are mainly when there is only 1 vehicle in sight. Long distance shots are used when there are a multiple number of cars. All the way through the advert there are many sound effects including the original vehicle being driven on gravel. Also, there is a vehicle jumping into a rubbish skip which is full of rubbish, causing a sound. There is also the sound of a bell in a lift when the doors open revealing the car, once again creating familiarity with the audience. This emphasizes the small size of the car to its target audience. As the original car has counted up to 100 in the game and starts to travel to find the others, another car is revealed from just behind a metal sheet off a building site. This leaves a comedic, lasting effect on the audience that helps them remember the advert after its gone. As the advert finishes off with the word Corsa and Vauxhall the logo and website address are also displayed. The advert for the Volvo 850 T-5 is 39 seconds and is very different to the first advert. It uses different devices to promote the product as it has a different target audience and because it is a different vehicle. The advert begins with a very short half second close up of a man, the viewer can instantly tell the fear on his face and in his eyes even in such a short scene. The next scene is a long distance scene of cloud and lightening going to the floor. So we already know that this is a very different advert from the Corsa advert. This has a completely different tone and mood. The viewer already sees that this advert is using a different method to promote its advert and the image created is dissimilar to the first advert. Whereas the first advert is a very happy and joyful advert with music that matches it. On the other hand this is a tense, serious advert. We see the vehicle being driven through the twister pathway and there is a lot of rubbish flying around, this shows the vehicle in an unrealistic environment. A deep south talking American man is used as the voice-over. There is also a camera shot of a woman screaming out loud whilst stuck in the tornado. Most British viewers will not be able to familiarize themselves with this particular advert as there are hardly any tornadoes in the U. K. and we dont talk with an American accent. On the other hand, the Corsa used public places of interest that many people use so it was far more of a friendlier advert in terms of association. We also see large debris such as the oil rig and the house being torn apart from the tornado. The voice-over used in the Corsa advert was only used to count random numbers up to 100; unlike the Volvo advert where the voice-over is used to describe the tornado. He explains where and what a tornado is, whilst the viewer is able to see the Volvo dodging objects around a desert like area. Manoeuvrability is very important, the man says, as the car is frantically moving out of the way of flying debris. Here, the advert is trying to create a link between the tornado and the car, which is emphasizing the cars force. The music in the background is quite sombre but builds up with a crescendo of tension as the advert progresses. Again, this creates high levels of tension which makes the viewer aware of what is going on.

Biography of Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the U.S.

Biography of Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the U.S. Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911–June 5, 2004) was the oldest president to serve in office. Before turning to politics, he had been involved in the movie industry not only through acting but also through serving as the president of Screen Actors Guild. He was the governor of California from 1967–1975. Reagan challenged Gerald Ford in the 1976 presidential election for the Republican nomination but ultimately failed in his bid. However, he was nominated by the party in 1980 to run against President Jimmy Carter. He won with 489 electoral votes to become Americas 40th president. Fast Facts: Ronald Wilson Reagan Known For: 40th president of the U.S., who led the country during the height of the Cold War.Also Known As: Dutch, The GipperBorn: Feb. 6, 1911 in Tampico, IllinoisParents: Nelle Clyde (nà ©e  Wilson), Jack ReaganDied: June 5, 2004 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaEducation: Eureka College  (Bachelor of Arts, 1932)Published Works: The Reagan DiariesHonors and Awards: Lifetime gold membership in the Screen Actors Guild, National Speakers Association  Speaker Hall of Fame,  United States Military Academys  Sylvanus Thayer AwardSpouse(s): Jane Wyman (m.  1940–1949), Nancy Davis  (m.  1952–2004)Children: Maureen, Christine, Michael, Patti, RonNotable Quote: Every time the government is forced to act, we lose something in self-reliance, character, and initiative. Early Life and Career Reagan was born on Feb. 5, 1911, in Tampico, a small town in northern Illinois. He attended and graduated from Eureka College  in Illinois in 1932 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Reagan began his career as a radio announcer that same year. He became the voice of Major League Baseball. In 1937, he became an actor after signing a seven-year contract with Warner Brothers. He moved to Hollywood and made about 50 movies. Reagan was part of the Army Reserve during World War II and was called  to active duty after Pearl Harbor. He was in the Army from 1942 to 1945, rising to the rank of captain. However, he never took part in combat and remained stateside. He narrated training films and was in the Army Air Force First Motion Picture Unit. Reagan was elected Screen Actors Guild president in 1947 and served until 1952, and served again from 1959 to 1960. In 1947, he testified before the House of Representatives concerning Communist influences in Hollywood. From 1967 to 1975, Reagan was the governor of California. 40th President Reagan was the obvious choice for the Republican nomination in 1980. George H.W. Bush was chosen to run as his vice president. He was opposed by President Jimmy Carter. The campaign centered on inflation, the gasoline shortage, and the Iran hostage situation. Reagan won with 51 percent of the popular vote and 489 out of 538 electoral votes. Reagan became president as America entered the worst recession in its history since the Great Depression. This led to the Democrats taking 26 Senate seats from Republicans in the 1982 election. However, recovery soon began and by 1984, Reagan easily won a second term. In addition, his inauguration brought an end to the Iran Hostage Crisis. More than 60 Americans were held hostage for 444 days (November 4, 1979–January 20, 1980) by Iranian extremists. President Carter had attempted to rescue the hostages, but the attempt was unsuccessful due to mechanical failures. Sixty-nine days into his presidency, Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr., who justified the assassination attempt as an effort to woo actress Jodie Foster. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity. While in recovery, Reagan wrote a letter to then-Soviet Leader  Leonid Brezhnev hoping to find common ground. However, he would have to wait until  Mikhail Gorbachev took over in 1985 before building a better relationship with the Soviet Union and easing tensions between the two nations. Gorbachev ushered in an era of glasnost, greater freedom from censorship and of ideas. This brief period lasted from 1986 to 1991 and ended with the fall of the Soviet Union during the presidency of George H.W. Bush. In 1983, the U.S. invaded Grenada to rescue threatened Americans. They were rescued and the leftists were overthrown. Reagan was easily elected to a second term in 1984 after running against Democratic challenger Walter Mondale. Reagans campaign stressed that it was Morning in America, meaning that the country had entered into a new, positive era. Iran-Contra Scandal and Second Term One of the major issues of Reagans second administration was the Iran-Contra scandal, also called the Iran-Contra Affair, or just Irangate. This involved several individuals throughout the administration. In exchange for selling arms to Iran, money would be given to the revolutionary Contras in Nicaragua. The hope was also that by selling arms to Iran, terrorist organizations would be willing to give up hostages. However, Reagan had spoken out that America would never negotiate with terrorists. The Congress held hearings delving into the Iran-Contra scandal in mid-1987. Reagan eventually apologized to the nation for what had happened. Reagan completed his term on January 20, 1989, after several important meetings with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev. Death Reagan retired after his second term to California. In 1994, he announced he had Alzheimers Disease and left public life. He died of pneumonia on June 5, 2004. Legacy One of the most important events that occurred during Reagans administration was the growing relationship between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Reagan created a bond with Soviet leader Gorbachev, who instituted a new spirit of openness or glasnost. This would eventually lead to the downfall of the Soviet Union during President H.W. Bushs term in office. Reagans largest significance was his role in helping to bring about that downfall. His massive buildup of weapons, which the USSR could not match, and his friendship with Gorbachev helped usher in a new era that eventually caused the breakup of the USSR into individual states. His presidency was marred, however, by the events of the Iran-Contra Scandal. Reagan also adopted an economic policy whereby tax cuts were created to help increase savings, spending, and investment. Inflation went down and after a time, so did unemployment. However, a huge budget deficit was created. A number of terrorist acts occurred during Reagans time in office, including the April 1983 bombing attack on the U.S. embassy in Beirut. Reagan claimed that five countries typically harbored aided terrorists: Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, and Nicaragua. Further, Muammar Qaddafi of Libya was singled out as the primary terrorist. Sources Editors, History.com. â€Å"Ronald Reagan.†Ã‚  History.com, AE Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009.â€Å"‘Morning in America.’†Ã‚  Ushistory.org, Independence Hall Association.

Saudi EFL Learners Awareness of World Englishes-(Second Language Essay

Saudi EFL Learners Awareness of World Englishes-(Second Language Varieties) - Essay Example The primary means by which these flows and networks are established and maintained is through the use of a common contact language. English, the most widely diffused contact language, is the primary linguistic channel through which these flows take place†¦ English is thus a globalized phenomenon that is continuously being LOCALIZED during its countless interactions. The fact that globalization is a very fast process prescribes that children need to be proficient in the English language to be competent in their international dealings (Doman, 2005). Due to the wide proliferation of learning English language, various cultures have adopted the language and integrated their own cultural flavor in it. World Englishes are forms of the English language that non-native English speakers use with native English being American and /or British English. Members of a certain culture use English to suit their own communication styles. Considering the variety of cultures in the world, there are now more non-native English-speakers than native speakers (Jenkins, 2006; Canagarajah, 2007). This includes Saudi Arabian nationals. 1.2 Aims and Objectives 1.3 The Field of World Englishes 'New Englishes' or 'World Englishes' is usually used to refer to the new varieties of English. Mesthrie and Bhatt (2008) state that "it has become customary to use the plural form 'Englishes' to stress the diversity to be found in the language today, and to stress that English no longer has one single base of authority, prestige and normativity." The authors clarify that World Englishes "represents all varieties except the L1 varieties of places like the UK and USA" (Mesthrie and Bhatt, 2008). Accrdoging to Hoffmann and Siebers (2009), "what is often referred to as "the" English language is in fact a heterogeneous and linguistically fascinating group of first (L1), second (L2) and foreign language varieties. A more appropriate cover term is thus World Englishes, which highlights the diversity and world-wide distribution of these varieties" (Hoffmann and Siebers (2009). Salikoko S. Mufwene refers to the notion of ecology, which is the concept borrowed from biology to provide a clear insight into the formation of New Englishes. Focussing on the indigenization of English in North America, Mufwene claims that American English emerged as a variety distinct from British English dialects due to an interaction of several ecological factors (fauna, flora, and socio-economic structures as well as the speaking habits and communicative needs of some of its speakers). Hoffmann and Siebers (2009). Therefore; the specific vernacular of English that arose in Northern America is a result of the universal ecological mechanisms of language contact. Mesthrie and Bhatt emphasise that sociolinguists need to acknowledge that community attitudes and expectations are important. Kachru himself acknowledged that there are many ambiguities, where language attitudes are concerned: The non-native speake rs themselves have not been able to accept what may be termed the 'ecological validity' of their nativised or local Englishes. One would have expected such acceptance, given the acculturation and linguistic nativisation of the new varieties. On the other hand, the non-native models of English (such