It is difficult for the reader Essay Example for Free

It is difficult for the reader Essay This Boys Life, set in America in the 1950’s, is a compelling memoir by Tobias Wolff, whom recreates the frustrations and cruelties faced throughout his adolescence, as he fights for identity and self-respect. During this period of time, America underwent major changes in the political and economic spheres, which in turn were responsible for its social makeover. Society in this time was geared toward family; marriage and children being part of the national agenda. The 1950’s was also an age of male dominance, where even if women worked, their assumed proper place was at home. Throughout the memoir, the protagonist, young Jack Wolff, makes it difficult for the reader to feel much affection towards him, as his actions prove to be troublesome and unruly. However, as the memoir progresses, Jacks struggle reveal the reasons for his actions which sequentially shape his character, providing the readers with understanding and sympathy towards his inexorable situation. The fraudulent lies and deceitful ways of Jack can be frustrating upon the reader; though we come to realise that he does this in order to be accepted by the people around him. Jack also engages in fights  and unfaithfully betrays his best friend Arthur, although it becomes evident that he only does this in order to gain Dwight’s approval of him. The lack of a real father figure in Jack’s life has a profound impact on him and his desperate attempt to develop his identity, which further supports the readers’ emotions of sympathy towards him. Jack lies relentlessly in order to escape the grim circumstances of his childhood. His life is fuelled with emotional neglect and verbal abuse; Dwight, his indignant step father, being the foremost cause. He desires of transforming himself into the person that he truly  wants to be; an image he believes will help him to belong and to be happy. The lies he tells are a constant source of comfort for him, as he relies on them to provide stability and hope in his otherwise unstable life. â€Å"I couldn’t help but try to introduce new versions of myself as my interests changed, and as other versions failed to persuade†, demonstrates an essential part of Jack’s character, as he lies in order to fit in. His identity would change with the different people he met, in order to meet their expectations of him and to obtain their acceptance. This  greatly contributes to the sympathy felt for Jack, as he renders the reality that he finds so difficult to accept as a young boy. Among many other lies throughout the memoir, Jack has the intention of creating a new identity for himself. â€Å"It was truth known only to me, but I believed in it more than I believed in the facts arrayed against it. I believed that in some sense not factually verifiable I was a straight-A student†. At this point, Jack takes his re-creation of identity to a new level. Jack is completely aware of what he is doing, although he does not stop. His incessant lies and then believing that they are the actual truth continuously reoccur throughout the memoir. This serves to show his insecurity of who he was, and his imprudent belief that he had the ability to become something better than what he was. Jacks fabricated attempts to re-create â€Å"new versions† of himself, reveal his instinctive lying nature, thus contributing to the annoyance the readers occasionally feel towards him. However, it becomes clear that Jack is confused; he wants to belong. This misperception, and yearn to fit in explicates why feelings of sympathy by the readers towards Jack are inevitable. Jack is forced to live with his violent stepfather Dwight. Dwight cruelly exercises authority over Jack, in order to create a sense of dominance over him â€Å"Dwight would dump a pile of nuts on the floor of the utility room and put me to work with a knife and pair of pliers until he judged that I’d done enough for the night†. Because of this, Jack is determined to prove to Dwight, himself and the reader that he is not the person Dwight defines him as. Jack is not hurt by Dwight’s accusations that he is a thief and liar because â€Å"I did not see myself that way†. However, when Dwight calls Jack a sissy, Jack thinks of Arthur, who is his best  friend and the biggest â€Å"sissy† in school, and remembers how the word sparked the fight between him and Arthur. Dwight treated Jack differently for a few days; with certain deference â€Å"Dwight took the calls and explained that the papers had been ruined in a fight, adding that his boy Jack hung a real shiner on the Gayle kid. † This was the only time he expressed a genuine interest in Jack that bordered on admiration, rather than disgust. Dwight was always associated with hatred and negativity, but because of this certain deference after he fought, Jack felt a certain connection to him as a father figure. He felt as though he finally impressed Dwight, and even felt loved because of Dwight’s respect towards him. This discloses that Dwight’s actions had significant influence over Jack, as he continued to engage in these violent fights, in order to demonstrate his masculinity to Dwight. Jacks violent nature is driven by his belief that he has to prove his masculinity to Dwight. This attests annoyance within the reader; as Jack claims he â€Å"defined myself in opposition to him†, he ironically shares the traits of Dwight, such as violence and his desire to be regarded as powerful and masculine. However, Dwight’s deference towards Jack after he fought contrastingly draws sympathy for Jack from the readers, as it reveals his desire to belong; his desire to be loved. Jack’s friendship with Arthur plays a significant role in the re-creation of his identity. Arthur was recognised as a â€Å"notorious sissy†, and because of this Jack worried of the social implications it would consequently have on him by being friends with Arthur. â€Å"To put myself in the clear I habitually mocked Arthur, always behind his back, imitating his speech and way of walking, even betraying his secrets†, demonstrates Jacks desperation to acquire acceptance  from others, even if it meant denying a part of himself- a friendship- that actually made him happy at times â€Å"but I had withheld my friendship, because I was afraid of what it would cost me†. Jacks betrayal of Arthur imparts anger in the reader, as he attempts to impress people who are not his real friends. However his confused identity and lack of self-confidence justify his disloyal actions, particularly because of the circumstances he was faced with at such a young age. Parental neglect plays an important role throughout the memoir. This is first evident in  the text when Jack says â€Å"after all, he was in Connecticut and we were in Utah†, signifying the substantial physical and emotional distance between his birth father and himself. Fathers play an important role in their child’s upbringing and development. Due to this lacking in Jacks life, the responsibilities of growing up prove to be difficult for him, evident through his confused identity and troublesome ways. Furthermore, Rosemary’s ex-husband Roy plays a significant role in shaping the way Jack thinks and reasons, particularly from such a young and susceptible age. â€Å"I thought Roy was what a man should be†, reveals Jack’s naivety at  such a young age; as Roy, abusive and indignant, was in fact the complete opposite of â€Å"what a man should be†. Wolff is once again faced with a man, Dwight, who abuses him and sets a terrible example for him. His violent nature plays a major part in Jack’s development, which ultimately forms his identity. Dwight’s actions have such an influence that â€Å"Jack† writes about Dwight’s voice being ever-present in his head and own voice, even as an adult; even as a father. â€Å"I hear his voice in my own when I speak to my children in anger†. The sympathy felt by the readers for Jack is inevitable, as his brutal childhood is left with him for the rest of  his life. Although Jack makes it difficult for the reader to feel much affection towards him on some occasions, the abusive, neglectful and violent experiences he is confronted with at such a young and vulnerable age conveys a sense of understanding, which in turn rouse feelings of sympathy towards young Wolff. Jack lies constantly; whenever he is presented with the opportunity to. This frustrates the reader is some instances. Generally though, reasons for this are understandable, such as his confused identity due to the violent and emotionally unstable life he lives. The violent fights he associates himself with, and the betrayal of his  Ã¢â‚¬Å"best-friend† Arthur, leave the readers in a position to question whether his motives can be justifiable. However, these fights and betrayal are a reflection of his desire to be accepted by others, and the masculine, powerful man Dwight’s expects him to be. The lack of a real father figure largely affects Jack and all aspects of his character, from his deceitful ways, to his violent involvement in fights. Because of this, compassion and sympathy prevails over the occasional frustration felt towards Jack by the readers. In supposition, Jack is a helpless child seeking a happy life; an identity he is truly happy with.

What is Passover? Essay -- essays research papers fc

What is Passover? Its History and Traditions Passover is one of the oldest festivals in the world. This festival falls in spring, in the first month of the Hebrew year, called Nisan (March-April), and lasts for eight days, from the fifteenth to the twenty-third. It commemorates the release of the Israelites from Egypt and the fact that God â€Å"passed over† their houses when he sought the first-born in that land.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the Bible, the story of Passover runs as follows. A group of Hebrews known as the sons of Jacob came down from Canaan towards Egypt. They settled under a benevolent regime, where they were made slaves and set to work, building the cities of Pithum and Raamses. The pharaoh ordered all the Hebrew sons to be killed at birth. A Hebrew mother placed her infant child into a box and placed him in the Nile River, to escape the pharaoh’s decree. The Pharaoh’s daughter found this Hebrew baby, called him Moses, took him home and raised him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One day, he saw a brutal attack upon a Hebrew by an Egyptian overseer; enraged by the attack Moses killed the Egyptian. Fearing to be killed for killing an Egyptian, he fled to Midian, where he married the daughter of a local priest. On one occasion while attending the sheep of his father-in-law on Mount Horeb, Moses witnessed a spectacle of a burning bush. This bush seemed some how not to consume. Wondering what was happening, he came closer to the bush and the local god Yahweh (Jehovah) told him that the Israelites were suffering, and that he had been chosen to release them from Egypt and lead them to the paradisal land, what is known now as Palestine and Syria. Moses had to introduce Jehovah to the Israelites, and after they had adopted him, he had to go to the Pharaoh and request the release of the people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To show that it was indeed Jehovah, who had spoken to Moses, Moses was furnished with three magical credentials. First, his staff was turned into a serpent and then reverted to its normal shape. Second, when he placed his hand under his sleeve, it became leprous and then it recovered when he removed it. Third, he was told that if the people persisted in questioning his mission, he was to give them visible proof by turning water from the Nile into blood before their eyes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As commissioned, ... ...ortance, enabling the person to be aware of gratitude, and to widen an individual’s perspective of himself/herself in relation to his/her fellow human beings. The Feast of Freedom, called Passover, is an example of a meaningful story showing God’s intent to convey a balance between the Hebrews’ self concerns and the concerns of their enemies, as God reminds the Hebrew to pray for the fallen Egyptians army and the slain first-borns of the Egyptian families. Passover’s concept of freedom is not only a cause for celebration, but also a strong lesson in the value of how a person should conduct oneself or a group should conduct itself to other human beings. Bibliography Bulka, Reuven P. What you thought you knew about Judaism. Jason Aronson Inc. Northvale, New Jersey. 1989 Cardozo, Arlene Rossen Jewish Family Celebrations. St. Martin’s Press, New York . 1982 Fredman, Ruth Gruber The Passover Seder. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia. 1981 Goodman, Philip The Passover Anthology. The Jewish Publication Society of America. Philadelphia. 1971 Sohn, Seock-tae The Divine Election of Israel. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1991

Physical Security Essay

A six foot fence secures the outer perimeter. Video surveillance is active on the north fence and inactive on the south. A manned guard station permits entrance into the outer perimeter from the west; an unmanned and unlocked gate permits entrance from the east. No Trespassing signs are posted at intervals upon the perimeter fence; Employees Only is posted on the gate. Visitors must obtain a pass at the guard station. The outer perimeter contains the parking lot and office building. The perimeter has two light posts that, when functioning, illuminate the entire parking lot. Currently, the light post on the south side is not functioning. The office building exterior has three outer doors and one window. The first door is marked with an Employees Only sign and requires a badge for access. The second door is the main entrance for visitors and is manned by a guard, who requires a visitor’s pass for admittance. The third door is an emergency exit only and is clearly marked. Any attempt to gain access through the first door without a badge, the second door without a pass, or the third door at all, results in alarm activation and guard response. The window is locked from within; any attempt to gain access through the window also activates the alarm and alerts the guard. The interior of the office building is segmented into two major areas. The first area is the employee workstation; only employees can access this area. Visitor and employees can access the second area. Both the first and second areas are monitored by active video surveillance. The second area has two doors, both of which lead to smaller offices. The first door is unlocked, but is within sight of video surveillance and employees within the work station. A visitor trying to attempt access to this office results in alarm activation. The second door is obscured from both employees and video surveillance and is unlocked. Each office contains valuable assets. Employees can access either office at will. Within the workstation and smaller offices are several computers. Passwords are required for access to each computer. Each employee has a password and can access network information at any time.

Humanities Test - 4641 Words

A famous speech by Shakespeares Falstaff questions the value of: honor 1. ( T or F ) Aristotle considered plot more important than character or thought. True 2. ( T or F ) Aristotle was both a theater critic and a philosopher. True 3. Aristotles famous analysis of tragedy is found in a work called: The Poetics 4. Aristotles work on comedy is how long? 5 acts long 5. What did the Commedia dellearte specialize in? 6. What is satire? a literary genre or form, although in practice it is also found in the graphic and performing arts, or a literary technique that attacks foolishness by making fun of it. 7. ( T or F ) The prophecies in Oedipus Rex turn out to be wrong. True 8. One actor on stage, speaking his†¦show more content†¦Without a card he will be sent back to the township restricted to his tribe. In a powerful speech he demands the right to use his own name:†Am I not a man?’ but his determination to cling to his own identity, a mark of personal dignity, i s thwarted. By the end of the play he has been forced to accept the dead man’s name. In return he is given a job and little money to send home to his family, He will survive if he can continue to be deferential to white authorities. |Shakespeares unforgettable comic | |character, Iago, appears in several of| |his plays. | | | | | | | | | |Correct Answer: | |False | | | | | | |The comic character is Falstaff. | |[pic] | |2. |[pic] |Greek actors were all males wearingShow MoreRelatedScience And The Natural Sciences933 Words   |  4 Pagesacademic cultures because they created and conducted their own experiment. The results from the experiment are their own fresh new findings that no one has tempered with. The three academic cultures we have learned throughout this semester are Humanities, Social Science and the Natural Sciences. The natural sciences have a focus that everything in the universe can be studied. Often times, scientists in the academic culture will create things that are not a part of the natural world. A few of theRead MoreApplying A Graduate School Is Looking Into What Interest You At Each School925 Words   |  4 Pages0 scale. Also, the GRE is required with no minimum score. Moreover, three letters of recommendation and a one personal statement are also required. As of their requirements for international students as myself, 600 on paper based TOFEL test or 6.5 on an IELTS test must be achieved. Additionally, an interview for this program is not necessary, however, all prospective graduate students are expected to have maintained a C or better in their undergraduate courses for a one year of biology or relatedRead MoreThe Importance Of Teaching Humanities And Arts133 7 Words   |  6 PagesArts and Humanities Jenry Martin PHI103: Informal Logic Instructor: Stephen Krogh March 7, 2016 Ashford University My research is about the importance of teaching humanities and arts to kids. 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Miller of the University of Minnesota created The MAT in 1926. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s the test was refined and finally administered to all incoming graduate students at the University of Minnesota in 1940. In 1947, The Psychological Corporation took over publication of the test to manage how it was developed andRead Morereseach about students study habits5084 Words   |  21 Pagesindicates learners opinion of teachers and their classroom behaviors and methods. (Shannaq, 1989). Study Habits. For this study they refer to certain study strategies including paraphrasing, note taking and summarizing (Theresearchers definition). Test Anxiety For this study it means the state of students being worried, frightened, uncertain before and while performing exams (The researchers definition). Chapter 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE STUDIES This chapter reviews some of the studies related