The other sister reflection Essay Example for Free

The other sister reflection Essay This movie portrays how a family, who has a member with a disability, encountered and overcame adversities from within triggered by several environmental factors. The protagonist, Carla Tate, who has an intellectual disability, seeks freedom from her mother, acceptance from others, and attention/love from opposite sex. Eventually she got those as the story developed. This only means that a disability should never serve as a hindrance in achieving your dreams. On the other hand, it lso gives us an idea that persons who have siblings with a disability are also crying out for their parents attention because they too have needs. I never had the chance to experience having a sibling but I wish I had one. Actually, I cant even relate when my cousins/friends speak of sibling rivalry. The bottom line of this is parents should be fair with their children; there should be no room for favoritism because it can serve as the root of quarrels and divisions. One thing that really intrigues me a lot is its title. It made me think about why it is called The Other Sister. When I heard it (the title), I supposed that the protagonist is an illegitimate child. Then as I watch, I realized that I was wrong with my presumption and I ponder that its more far from but deeper than that. I remembered her lines, mies, I can if you will give me a chance, mother, which drew me to a fact that more often than not, our parents worry too much to the point of impeding our capacity to grow. For me, she struggles a lot of being alienated inside her family when she felt at first uncomfortable with hem, when they sent her away to a far special school, and when they still cant fully accept (in denial of) her disability. Alienation because they seem cant hear the voiceawhich cries aloud within her, cant feel the hunger in her heart and cant see the real her. They want to view her the person they want her to be. It might be because they still have in their minds the little Carla whom they can easily dictate or manipulate. She is hardly begging for a chance a chance not only to be independent but also to search for self-identity and to contemplate whom she wants o be despite of her disability. I can hardly bear how much it would be difficult for persons with disability to fght for their right to be heard. Given the fact that they have a disability, still we should not forget that they also have life and right to live it to the fullest. The best part for me is when finally her mother granted her that chance to explore and celebrate life. Though its hard in her part to give that but indeed it was the best decision she made for Carla. Admit it or not, we also undergo/ undergone that same process. To tell you the truth, even l, also experience unending expectations and it sometimes irritates me. Although its not bad for others to expect from you but when youre being bound with too much expectations, it can actually exhaust you, overrule you, and even destroy you. This might serves as a boundary in achieving your goals. Yes, others opinions, including your familys, matter but sometimes it hinders what and who you really want to be. Lesson: never allow others to dictate who you will be; at the end choice is yours. -Remigio, Czarine EFR1-3 the day, its still your lite, which means

Platos Meno Essay -- essays research papers

Plato Meno   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Plato’s dialogue Socrates discusses ways in which virtue can be acquired with Meno. Three possibilities are confronted, first that virtue is innate within the human soul. The second suggests that virtue can be taught, and the third possibility is that virtue is a gift from the gods. These ways are debated by Socrates and Meno to a very broad conclusion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Socrates poses the question that virtue may be innate within the human soul. This is to say that all people would have virtue within them, but it is only those who find it that can truly become virtuous. To prove the concept of innate understanding to Meno, Socrates, acquires the help of one of Meno’s slave boys to demonstrate. Socrates establishes that the boy has never been taught mathematical geometry and starts bombarding him with a series of questions on the physical properties of a square. First he asks the boy to multiply the square by two, and he succeeds. However, the boy fails when asked to divide the same square into two parts half the original size. By asking the boy a series of questions yet, never actually telling him the answers Socrates helps the slave to â€Å"recollect† the knowledge that is within him. Meno is of course astonished with this feat that Socrates maintains is simply a matter of recollection.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This example given by Socrates, though obviously persuasive to Meno is somewhat unstable. It can be shown that Socrates manipulated the boy into recollecting the information by offering suggestive material within his questions. For example, if a person did not know the sum of the equation two plus two one could ask: if a person had two apples and someone else gave them two more would the person then not have four apples in total? A question was asked yet the information on how to perform the operation was directly given in the statement. Thus it can be reasoned that Socrates in a sense did teach the boy how to divide the square.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Following this demonstration Socrates poses a second idea that virtue may be taught. He begins by looking for teachers of virtue and comes up with four examples. The first is Themistocles who is agreed to be virtuous by the debaters and obviously a good teacher of his virtue. However the debaters also agre... ...finite preference to any of the possibilities that have been stated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now the question is would Socrates have maintained that ignorance is bliss based on his views of the possible ways of acquiring virtue? I would conclude that he would not see ignorance as bliss because Socrates believes that the truth is far greater than the unknowing. Throughout the dialogue Socrates and Meno journey to put aside their ignorance to come to the truth on how virtue is acquired and possibly more importantly what virtue is. Even though the path to truth has proved painful in that the two are more perplexed on the topic at the end of the dialogue then at the beginning Socrates would have seen this as the first step to achieving the truth. This of course is better than not achieving that step at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Socrates is ultimately concerned in finding the whole truth and would have defiantly preferred knowing some of the truth rather than being ignorant to it. Even though Socrates knew that the journey to reach the truth may be painful, ignorance would be far worse than a painful truth. Ultimately he knew that the way must be tried!

Greek and Chinese ways of life Essay

Throughout the course of history, civilizations have been developing all over the globe. Some of these civilizations have shared several goals, experiences, and problems. Two particularly noteworthy civilizations are those of Greece and China. Greece had many city-states within in it. Two major Greek city-states were Sparta and Athens. Despite belonging to Greece, these city-states were unique culturally, politically, and socially. The Han Dynasty in China is another civilization that was unique in terms of its cultural, political, and social development. Greek and Chinese civilizations have several similar and different aspects that have been the reason for their goals, experiences, and problems in life, but they both have also been unique culturally, politically, and socially. Athens, one of the most powerful city-states in Greece, had three major goals defined by its ruler, Pericles. His three major goals were to protect Athens, beautify it, and to make the Democracy stronger. In order for Pericles to strengthen the democracy he needed to increase the number of paid public officials. Read more: Constitution mini q answer key essay Before, only the wealthy could afford to hold public office, but by increasing the number of paid public officials it allowed even the poor to engage in self-government. Pericles believed that the Athenian constitution should be in the power of the people and by establishing a direct Democracy; he was able to enforce this in Athens. One way Pericles attempted to protect Athens was by using the money from the treasury of the Delian League to build Athens the strongest fleet of ships in the Mediterranean. The Delian League was an alliance of ancient Greek city-states, which were dominated by Athens. This was important in protecting Athens since it was surrounded by water. If they could control access to their surrounding waterways then they could decrease their chances of invasion. Athens is located right next to the Mediterranean Sea, which enabled them to develop their strong navy force for military use. This was only one way Pericles strengthened Athens; he also found a way to make Athens gloriously beautiful. Pericles beautified Athens by using money from the Empire to buy gold, ivory, and marble. He did this because those materials were expensive assets and helped make Athens a wealthier and powerful city-state. All these goals that Athens developed over time, helped protect it, beautify it and make it the strongest city-state of all time. Despite Athens’ prosperity, this city-state experienced many obstacles that ultimately stripped it of its dominance within Ancient Greece. Power shifted from Athens to Sparta during the Peloponnesian War. Sparta was focused primarily on militaristic endeavors while Athens celebrated peace, intellectual development, art, and beauty. Sparta had an inarguable advantage since all male citizens spent their lives training to become strong soldiers, and all women were responsible for being strong enough to bear more soldiers. Sparta’s attacks were most effective when fighting on land so Athens did have an advantage since it was surrounded by bodies of water and had the strongest navy in all of Greece. Under Pericles, Athens’ plan was to avoid land battle with the strong Spartan Army, so they waited for the right time to strike from the sea. Years passed and eventually Athens fell to Sparta’s strong military tactics. After Sparta won the war, it was then the strongest city-state in ancient Greece. Athens’ downfall shifting power in favor of Sparta was important because it reshaped the Ancient Greek World. These developments made Sparta the strongest city-state in all of Greece. Athens also had major economic inequalities which shaped their way of life. Athenian farmers often found themselves sold into slavery when they were unable to repay the loans they had borrowed from their neighbors. This forced them to pledge themselves as collateral. Years passed and the Athenian farmers asked their lenders to cancel the debts and to give them land. The lenders were not so keen on this idea, which led to a civil war within Athens between the farmers and the lenders. This civil war within Athens, gave Sparta the right time to strike. Once Sparta attacked, it was all over because Athens was not prepared to strike back. The war within made Athens weaker, giving Sparta the advantage it needed to win the Peloponnesian War. This civil war helped shape Athens’ future by distracting it from external concerns thus giving Sparta the chance to attack and ultimately win the Peloponnesian War. Sparta was a city-state within Greece that also had many goals, experiences and problems. One of Sparta’s main goals was to create an invincible force. They made their army an invincible force by training their warriors from a young age to become the men Sparta needed to fight Sparta’s wars. This allowed for the expansion of Sparta’s military power. One example of their military power was their victory in the Peloponnesian war. Sparta had strong military tactics, which helped them overcome the mighty city-state Athens. Athens was considered most powerful because of its prosperity, wealth, and strong navy fleet, but Sparta won the war due to their military power on land and the civil war which weakened Athens. The war changed the dynamic power between the two city-states, which caused a great deal of unique changes in these two city-states, and thus, all of Ancient Greece. The Han Dynasty within the Chinese civilization was another civilization that had many goals, experiences, and problems. One of the Han Dynasty’s main goals was the unification of China. The Han dynasty was able to unify China by incorporating principles of Confucian thought into social structure, laws, and spiritual beliefs. The incorporation of Confucianism helped to strengthen the economy, reconstruct the royal palace, and also allowed for the rise of aristocratic families. Confucianism brought the idea that people are born with a potential for morality. The Han incorporated this idea into their state policy, believing that rulers must support it. This caused the Han period to see a great reduction in harsh laws and punishments, and a turn to rule by merit doctrine, which is rule under one leader. The Han Dynasty’s unification transformed Chinese civilization in many ways leading to its cultural, political, and social uniqueness. The Han dynasty experienced great military expansion throughout its reign. Its powerful military forces were able to expand the kingdom all the way to Vietnam and Korea. Chinese culture, ways of life, schools of thought, and religion were spread to all of these conquered lands. This was a major accomplishment for the Han dynasty because it changed the world in more ways than anyone could suspect. Most of all, it made the Han Dynasty bigger and stronger, thus more capable of making even more influential changes. This expansion led to increase trade, which brought about the Silk Road, a massive network of trade routes which connected the East to other parts of the world. The Chinese used the Silk Road to trade mostly silk, copper, and iron; however this trade route grew to also support the exchange of many other objects such as spices, weapons, textiles, and more. The improved trading network and military expansion allowed the Chinese civilization to prosper as a nation, and to develop culturally, politically, and socially under no one’s terms but their own. Athens and Sparta were city-states within Greece, but they both had different forms of government. Athens’ government occasionally used tyrannical methods, but mainly followed a democratic model of government. The Spartans did not approve of tyranny so they produced a different form of government in order to avoid it. The Spartans’ form of government was called an Oligarchy. Oligarchic government is made up of four parts: the kingship which is unique in that there are two kings, the Gerousia (the council of elders), the Ephorate, and the assembly. These two forms of government helped these respective city-states within Greece to become some of the strongest nations in the world. Unlike Greece, China was a feudal state. The Han Dynasty was a heavily centralized state, much like that of Sparta. The Hans did not follow Athens’ form of democracy, which made them different from each other. Under the Han rulers, the doctrines of Confucianism were revived and followed. Under Confucian teachings, the ruler and the subject should have mutual respect for each other, the people and the ruler should both exhibit good behavior, and the ruler should be an example for the rest of the people. Everyone was expected to respect the ruler, even if he was a bad leader. Legalism was another governmental ideal that was spread throughout the Han Dynasty. Legalism stated that humans were naturally evil and required discipline and restraint by the government. Throughout the Han dynasty, these two forces influenced the government. Confucian teachings and Legalism shaped the Han dynasty’s goals, experiences, and problems which contributed to make them the nation they have become. Many differences between Athens and the Han Dynasty have caused them to become the nations as we know them today. One of the most influential differences between the two was the type of government they used within their civilizations. Athens had a democracy, whereas the Han Dynasty had a monarchical form of government. The difference between a democracy and a monarchy is that a monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is given to an individual, who is the head of the state. The individual who heads a monarchy is called a monarch. Monarchies were the most common form of government in the world during ancient and medieval times. On the other hand in a democratic form of government the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system. These two forms of governments were prevalent in civilizations all over the globe. Many civilizations have prospered from these forms of governments, and most are still being used today. Another major difference between Athens and the Han Dynasty was that Athens was a small region of Greece whereas the Han Dynasty occupied a much bigger area all over China and was actively working to spread its kingdom. The amount of area a civilization conquered or owned helped determine if it was a strong civilization or a weak one. Athens despite being a small civilization in comparison with the Han Dynasty was still quite strong. Athens won its fair share of wars and battles, just like the Han Dynasty. One reason why Athens was a small civilization in compared to the Han Dynasty was because Athens was a city-state that was part of a greater empire, whereas the Han Dynasty was a great empire itself, making it stronger than Athens. Another difference between Athens and the Han Dynasty was that the Athenians were pagans, whereas the Han Chinese believed in Confucianism and Daoism. All these differences between the Han Dynasty and Athens have shaped the goals, experiences and problems for both civilizations in many ways. Within the Han society there were numerous agricultural inventions that helped to boost productivity throughout the dynasty. Among these were pulleys, and ox collars to enable the oxen to pull plows without choking. Another agricultural invention that increased productivity was winding gears which helped with mining. This differed from the Greek model in that the Greeks didn’t really contribute much to increase agricultural productivity. The Greeks believed that no new methods were needed because there were enough slaves to do the work. Productivity was one way in which the Greeks fell short of China’s standards. Without agricultural inventions the Han Dynasty would not have been nearly as prosperous since these inventions helped shape their way of life and boosted their economy. One major similarity between the Greece civilizations and the Chinese civilization was that their social inequalities and weaknesses of the lower classes of society brought them to their decline. In Greece, the soil conditions were not ideal for the growth of grain, but grain was an extremely important part of Greek life. Farmers turned to olives and grapes which were very well adapted to the soil’s conditions, but were high in terms of maintenance. Also, grape vines and olive trees did not produce fruits for at least five years after planting; however, farmers still had to pay money to take care of the land, while getting nothing in return. As a result, the majority of the Greek farmers went into debt. Once in debt, they were very often mistreated by their landlords, who forced them to become laborers or slaves. The Greeks let their slaves do all the work, so there was little need for inventions that could increase productivity. Weakness within Athens and other city-states caused them to fight for each other’s lands incessantly. Constant fighting between the city-states was the greatest weakness Ancient Greece faced. These problems within the Greek world shaped their ways of life in ways comparable and contrastive to the Chinese world. Within China, a weakness of the Han Dynasty was that the empire was debilitating gigantic. Near the center of the empire, government power was strong. However, as one moved outward toward the borders, government authority gradually declined due to lack of central government oversight. As time progressed, the once effective administration from the Han rulers became corrupt. For example, landlords would lie on their land taxes, so they could make a greater profit. Like Greece, the Chinese landlords would often double tax their already poor peasants, which eventually damaged the economy. When court officials tried to strip the corrupt landlords of their lands, they faced enormous resistance and were unable to change anything. Another weakness which contributed to the downfall of the Han Dynasty, like the Greeks, was internal fighting. The Confucian scholar gentry turned against the corrupt officials, while the officials struggled for power with everyone else. As all of this was occurring the lives of peasants continued to worsen. Eventually, the landholding elite held all the power in the country, and the policies of the emperor favored them. Then, Taoist ideals began to spread among the peasantry. Peasants across the country revolted in many instances, such as the Yellow Turban Rebellion, which ultimately led to the fall of the Han Empire. After the fall of the Han dynasty’s central government, power went to three warlords, officially beginning the Period of the Three Kingdoms. In the end, one can see that Greek and Chinese civilizations, though they have their similarities, have each evolved uniquely in terms of culture, political systems, and social norms and structure. Also, within these great civilizations the many differences and similarities within them have shaped their goals, experiences, and problems differently. Whether it is the form of government a nation follows, religious views, or societal beliefs, all of these factors bear influence on the civilization’s direction in the end. Works Cited Fleck, Robert. â€Å"The Origins of Democracy: A Model with Application to Ancient Greece. † Journal of Law and Economics 49 (2006). Print. Holliday, A. J. â€Å"Sparta’s Role in the First Peloponnesian War. † The Journal of Hellenic Studies 97 (1977): 54-63. Print. Homer, and Robert Fagles. The Odyssey. New York: Penguin, 2006. Print. Nylan, Michael. â€Å"Han Classicists Writing in Dialogue about Their OwnTradition. â€Å"Philosophy East and West 47. 2 (1997): 133-88. Print.

Analysis Of Fences By August Wilson - 1014 Words

The storyline of Fences, starts out with the main character, Troy Maxson, having a casual conversation with his old friend. By starting out with this dialogue, it gives the audience something to relate to. The two old heads are both sanitation workers and they’re discussing a work-related incident, that happens to involve the color of their skin and the way it affects their lives. In Fences, by August Wilson, Troy Maxson is a typical African-American elder, who continues to let the past interfere with his everyday life. As the play/movie starts, Troy and his friend Bono, are having a conversation about their jobs. Troy Maxson continues to let racism and past issues to affect his everyday conversation. Troy indicates that he is a very†¦show more content†¦Troy spits out, â€Å"Death ain’t nothing. I done see him. Done wrassled with him. You can’t tell me nothing about death. Death ain’t nothing but a fastball on the outside corner.† (Act One , Scene One) To start off, Troy always references his troubles with the game of baseball. In this comment, Troy personifies death, and the audience can imply how bad he has had it in life. Rose told him drinking will cause him to reach death, and that’s when he started to ramble. Troy thinks drinking will solve his problems, and Rose knows he has a drinking problem. Throughout the play, Troy drinks and Rose puts up with it. Troy has expressed many times in the play how he isn’t afraid of death. â€Å"Ain’t nothing wrong with talking about death. That’s part of life. Everybody gonna die. You gonna die, I’m gonna die. Bono’s gonna die. Hell, we all gonna die.† (Act One, Scene One) Rose loves her husband, and is always there for him. Whenever Troy goes on and speaks about his stories, Rose tends to correct him and brings him back into reality. Rose and Troy had a marriage of 19 years, and she believed in staying by his side no matter wha t happened. Rose always reasons for Troy, even when she knows he has done wrong by her, Cory or life period. Troy speaks to his family in very disrespectful manner. â€Å"What I tell you, Bono? The only time I see this nigger is when he wants something. That’s the only time I see him†, Troy implies. (Act One, SceneShow MoreRelatedFences Analysis On Fences By August Wilson1283 Words   |  6 Pages Fences Analysis In the play â€Å"Fences† by August Wilson the play’s attitude toward women is biased, and if the play was written by a female I think it would have a stronger feminine influence. Issues such as racism and discrimination against blacks may be raised in the play that the author did not bring up, and the women in the story somewhat do generally typify women in the 1950s. To support my interpretation, the women in the play were homebodies, just worrying about the household because theyRead MoreAnalysis Of Fences By August Wilson1179 Words   |  5 PagesFences, August Wilson The close reading process for this play occurs in three stages: 1. First Read (Days 2 and Day 3): Students are not to cold read the play during this period. It is essential for their understanding that this first read comes from a fluent adult reader or (less ideally) from a recording of the play. Teachers should pre-select moments of tension or surprise when students should stop and jot their thoughts, ideas and questions about the text. The suggested cues for the openRead MoreAnalysis Of Fences By August Wilson1340 Words   |  6 Pagescharacter who, for the most part, is a benevolent person, but suffers from his or her hamartia and hubris, which ultimately leads to their downfall and recognition of their poor choices, as well as the reversal of their situation. The play Fences written by August Wilson describes the struggles and hardships of an African-American family endeavoring to live the American Dream in the 1950s. Although some may argue that the main character, Troy, is not a tragic hero, evidence in the play fortifies that heRead MoreAnalysis Of Fences By August Wilson1251 Words   |  6 PagesFences by August Wilson is a play about African American life during the 1950’s era, it reflects a transitional time where African Americans begin to stand up and fight against racism. The father son relationship is a centering conflict within the play Fences. Throughout the play we are immersed into this complex connection of Troy and his two sons, Cory and Lyon. Troy struggles to create an identity separate from what is forced on him through an oppressive society. His battle with identity streamsRead MoreAnalysis Of Fences By August Wilson1612 Words   |  7 Pages In August Wilson s play Fences, he uses his piece to explain that someone unable to control their actions caused by selfish, hatred, or angry emotions will cause issues in one s personal life, general decisions, and in family life. Wilson hopes to target people who can t control their emotions and wishes to prevent the negative effects of uncontrolled actions caused by negative emotion. The inability to control one s emotions can harm their friends, decision making, and family. Wilson mainRead MoreAnalysis Of Fences By August Wilson Essay1837 Words   |  8 PagesFences written by August Wilson, the setting reveals the man that Troy Maxson really is. The set of the play represents Troy Maxson’s character within the play where him and his family reside in a fenced in yard of Troy’s front porch, brick house. He is proud to provide a home for his family. However, Troy has not accomplished this achievement on his own. Which takes a toll on Troy when he realizes he has nothing to show for his life which leads Troy to feel ashamed of himself. The protagonist, TroyRead MoreAnalysis Of August Wilsons Fences 1800 Words   |  8 PagesAugust Wilsons â€Å"Fences† takes us on a journey that transforms the 20th century impression of a Negro Family with Insatiability, Tenderness, and Sacrifice. The famous play is an autobiography of an American Negro man who loses his dreams for the people he loves. Fences demonstrates us what sacrifice looks li ke and how egocentricity still exist today. Fences takes place with a family in Pittsburgh from 1957 to 1965. The characters are Troy, Bono, Rose, Lyons, Gabriel, Cory, and Raynell. Fï  ¥Ã¯  ®Ã¯  £Ã¯  ¥Ã¯  ³Ã¯â‚¬  Ã¯  ©s importantRead MoreAnalysis Of `` Fences `` By August Wilson867 Words   |  4 Pagesa family. August Wilson’s â€Å"Fences† portrays extremely well what happens when a member of the family decides to forget his or her duties. The use of metaphors and symbols throughout the play such as baseball and fences, illustrate exactly why Troy Maxson as a family man was destined for disappointment. Rose, Troy’s wife in the play was the obvious voice of reason between the two; all she wanted was an interrupted happy family life. The fences that she put up were not physical fences but ratherRead MoreAnalysis Of Fences By August Wilson1656 Words   |  7 Pagesand typically a positive thing. There are times, however, when the people that children emulate are not the best examples society has to offer. In the play Fences Cory looks up to his dad when it comes to sports. However, by the end of the play the reader starts to notice that Troy is not the man to look up to. The plot in Fences by August Wilson is centered around an African American family that looks at the world a little differently by that I mean when Troy was young people believed blacks shouldn’tRead MoreAnalysis Of Fences By August Wilson1240 Words   |  5 Pagescontinued to pursue this goal despite the likeliness of failure? Would it still be worth it? Fences by August Wilson tells the story of an i mpoverished African-American family in the 1950s and the father Troy’s failed American Dream. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates the upper class in the Roaring Twenties and a man named Gatsby who also fails to attain his long-awaited dream. Both Wilson, in Fences, and Fitzgerald, in The Great Gatsby don’t believe solely in the dreamer or solely in the