Saturday, March 13, 2010

Writing a College Essay

College Essay Writing

Applications for college admissions usually require one or more autobiographical essays. Essay questions may vary but all serve the same purpose, to evaluate the fitness of a candidate. The essay portion of a college admissions application is an important tool for deciding your worthiness as a candidate. It is a tool that admissions officers use to get to know the applicant better and to separate candidates from numerical scores. This is the time to prove yourself and to be able to stand out among the other applicants.

Each year, Harvard rejects four out of five valedictorians and hundreds of students with perfect SAT scores, leaving applicants and parents wondering what went wrong. While there is no secret formula for gaining admission to a top school, there are many ways to ensure rejection, and the most common by far is taking the admissions essay lightly. Whether you are applying to the Ivy League or to a state school, your job is the same. You must distinguish yourself from hundreds or even thousands of applicants with similar grades, activities, and SAT scores. To achieve this, your essay must not only demonstrate your grasp of grammar and ability to write lucid, structured prose, you must also paint a vivid picture of your personality and character, one that compels a busy admissions officer to accept you. The college admissions essay plays a very important part in terms of setting the tone for the rest of the application. It is where the committee starts to evaluate the applicant on their minds and try to decide whether you will be a positive asset to their school. Although academic performance is the most important variable and no one is admitted on the basis of an essay alone, the essay can many times make or break the student. The more competitive the institution is in terms of gaining admission the more chance there is that the essay will have greater importance in the admissibility of students. When numerically everything else is very comparable from one candidate to the next, the essay is going to be the component that makes the difference. It is apparent to admissions officers when somebody has written their admissions essay a few minutes before the deadline and that can hurt not only a marginal candidate but also a candidate well into the admissible range on the basis of more objective criteria. A poorly written essay makes admissions officers skeptical about an applicant’s level of seriousness on applying to their college, and can serve to be the reason why a student does not get admitted.

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Having an understanding of the importance of the admissions essay, the next step is to know what makes an outstanding essay. Many students think that the committee is looking for essays that are crammed with pretentious vocabulary and deep philosophical discussion or debates. In truth, rather the opposite is true. The most important thing for students to realize is that colleges are not just trying to admit people who are smart enough to do the work; they want to admit interesting people who will make a contribution to the incoming class. The biggest mistake that students applying to top colleges make is thinking that good academic credentials are all they need. Although, in the most basic nature the essay is used to check a student’s writing style and his use of language and the organization of this thoughts and ideas, it goes beyond that. Through your essay the admissions officer is trying to understand the applicant’s values and events and experiences that have impacted his life. Personal experiences and relationships are all vital elements of a good essay. The admissions committee does not just want a regurgitation of a student’s activities and honors structured into a prose format. They want to read an essay that will allow them to know you as a person, an essay that has a touch of personal sensitivity and honesty. Many applicants will write about a trip they have taken and create a travelogue, and that is not what an admissions committee wants to read. Instead, discuss the significance of the trip and what you learned from it. It is vital to remember that although many applicants may write about the same event or experience it is your personal approach on the subject that will set you apart from among the rest of the applicant pool. Do not be afraid to use your imagination and be creative, this is the only part of the application where you have complete control. Take advantage of this opportunity to speak from the heart and allow the admissions committee to have a peek into your personal life. In addition, the applicant should remember that it is okay to be humorous or witty in your essay, as long as it flows naturally and is not forced. It is also wise to keep in mind that sometimes people’s senses of humor do not always match. Someone may think something is funny while to someone else it may be completely inappropriate and derogatory. Overall, then the tone of your essay should be serious, mature, and confident and most importantly it should be yours.

The extraordinary rise in the number of qualified students seeking admission to better colleges and universities today presents a challenge for students to even better demonstrate their individuality and accomplishments. Thus, marketing yourself becomes essential because your objective is to force the committees to select you, because you have made them aware of your individuality and the positive influence you will have in their community. The college essay is then very similar to an ad, and through this vehicle the applicant (product) has to show their value and create a lasting impression in the minds of the admissions officers (consumers). What makes an applicant stand out is the approach he takes in presenting himself to the admissions officers. Your essay then should be positive and reveal qualities that are appealing to the audience that reads it. Highlight your strengths, values, and special qualities. Being the captain of your football team and pulling straight A’s are not unique. You have to dig deeper within yourself and think about the positive discoveries and impacts you have made in your life and the lessons that you have learned as a result. These are the aspects that will make your essay unique and stand out among the crowd. The two basic appeals an applicant should use are the factual and emotional approach. In terms of the college essay a factual approach is being able to prove your commitment and seriousness about something with some factual evidence. Statistics and performance are the foundation of the appeal to the admissions committee. However, a factual appeal is bland and boring and needs the support of an emotional approach to be appealing. An emotional appeal is a critical aspect of your essay because it appeals to the audience’s values and virtues. Through an emotional appeal you are communicating to the admissions officers what you believe and stand for. You are letting them know your stance on issues and why you are a qualified candidate who will succeed at their college. If this is done correctly then it is far more appealing than reciting your grade point average or number of AP classes taken. A combination of factual and emotional appeals needs to be complemented in your essay in order for it to be effective. Utilizing only one source will leave your essay incomplete and admissions officers will not be able to draw a whole picture of you.

In marketing yourself to colleges your essay, in addition to being both factual and emotional, should also contain five essential elements: “something to grab the reader’s attention, simplicity, realism, sincerity, and surprise” ( Mason, 77) In order to captivate the attention of admissions officers the topic that you chose should not be typical of everyone in the world. It should focus on you and your life, an element, which is unique only to you. The opening sentence of your sentence should also be direct and challenging; something that instantly dives the readers into your essay. “Anything that has happened to you that taught you something or anything that reveals your sensitivity to the experience of your life is unique and special to you. These kinds of insights described in your essay will give you a special quality that is far from typical. At the same time, they will add emotional impact to your material” (78). The more real you are in your essay the more it will shine out and appeal to admissions officers. In being yourself in the essay it is important also to remember to express yourself in a conversational manner. You should not be using archaic words that appear in the SAT because that will make your essay look unnatural and indicate that you are trying to be someone you are not. In addition, the volume of information your essay contains should be simple and direct. The reader should not feel weighed down by useless details and facts, which stray away from the point you are trying to make.

“Concentrate on no more than five key ideas and develop them with solid details and examples. Impact is your intention” (79). In being simple , you should also remember to be real because it speaks the truth. Your college application essay communicates who you really are besides a number and that means that you must communicate real feelings , thoughts , events, and experiences. It is easy to decipher when someone is not being himself because those genuine feelings are lacking. Do not try to be euphoric or romanticize your essay because that will not hit home nor will it make an impact. Sincerity is an aspect that is crucial to your college application essay. Your tone of voice will send the message of sincerity in the essay and that means you have to sound like who you really are. Your sincerity should shine through the words and that means your tone should be clear, honest, and truthful. The final element to remember is the use of surprise. In your college application the best way to use the element of surprise is through transitions and the leads of your paragraphs. Incorporate surprising facts , thoughts, and quotes into your essay, so that your audience wants to know more. “Once you have the readers’ attention , you can take them “simply” , “realistically,” and “sincerely,” through the development of your topic” (81).

College essays that stand out focus on detail and little things that mean something special. Most college application essays lose the element of surprise by using pseudo-intellectualism and being too boastful. In order not to be predictable and common it is important to look for topics that reveal “the little moments and “taken-for-granted” instances in your life that say something special about you” (83).

The college admissions essay is a vital component aspect of the admissions process. It is key to remember to take it seriously and make sure you edit and revise at least three times. However, the most important part to know is that this is your opportunity to tell the admissions officers who you are and what a great asset you will be to their college. So do not be hesitant to show your true personality and let yourself shine!

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The Great Gatsby Essay Sample

Example Essay on The Great Gatsby

Anyone who has had a dream that wasn't fulfilled can relate to the characters of this book, because that is the topic for the entire story. Jay Gatsby was just that type of person. He had a dream for his life which seemed attainable. His dream, and his failure to attain it, is illustrated in The Great Gatsby by one of the greatest writers of the modern age, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Gatsby's dream was impossible to attain. Gatsby believed in himself and therefore thought he could do it, but he didn't take into account all the aspects of the situation. In the end, he isn't able to succeed. Jay Gatsby is unable to achieve his dream because the class system of the times which he lived takes away his opportunity.

The Modern Age, was characterized by great wealth for some, and great poverty for others. This is significant because a class system was established. The rich lived a luxurious lifestyle, sitting around during the day drinking and listening to songs such as "Ain't we got fun-in the meantime, in-between-time..." (Fitzgerald, 100). Many rich people looked down on the lower classes, as you can see from the remarks of Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle resented her husband George because, "I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick my shoe. He borrowed somebody's best suit to get married in," (Fitzgerald, 39). The culture of the time was very materialistic, and a person's status was based on the amount of money he or she was born with. The amount of money a person earned did not make a difference. The current society was corrupt, due to this "class system". The Great Gatsby takes place in an area called the, East and West Egg, described as "a valley of ashes---where ashes take the form of houses and chimneys and rising smoke, a valley of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air," (Fitzgerald, 27).

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Gatsby's dream was to become part of the upper class, the wealthy class. He believed that joining this class would make him a better person. He rejected his parents because they were “unsuccessful," he felt that their goals in life were much lower than what he wanted to attain. Gatsby felt that he could achieve his goals of becoming part of the upper class by marrying a member of it, so he set his goals on Daisy Buchanan, a member of the higher class. Gatsby met Daisy when he was a soldier, and he was one of many soldiers that had dated her. Daisy was always someone special in Gatsby's eyes because of her status. In an attempt to win Daisy, Gatsby got his neighbor Nick to invite her over to his house. He "came over" to Nick's house, and got a chance to be with Daisy again. He also arranged for fresh flowers to be brought in to the house and even hired someone to cut Nick's lawn. He had this done more for his sake then Nick’s, he wanted to impress Daisy. He wanted to feel “upper class.” Gatsby had pictured Daisy as being like a goddess. When she came over and he saw her again after five years, he realized that Daisy wasn't as "wonderful" as he had pictured her. Nick Carraway even says, "There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams---not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion," (Fitzgerald, 101). Gatsby had a huge dream to join the upper class, and he thought he could attain it.

But Gatsby isn't able to enter the upper class because he wasn't born into it. He had made plenty of money, but nobody of the upper class appreciated it. Everyone knew that "Gatsby" wasn't a big name in the area, and that he didn't come from a well-to-do family. He also couldn't be in a relationship with Daisy because he didn't belong to the upper class. Gatsby's dream is often viewed as the "American Dream," and was very common among people during the Modern Age.

The upper class never accepted anybody from a lower class. People who managed to go from rags to riches didn’t impress them. They were afraid of people like that, because this would make more people upper class, making them less elite. The rich wanted to feel important, and they could only do that if there were few people in their class. In the end, Daisy ends up using Gatsby to escape trouble. She can't handle the fact that she killed Myrtle Wilson in a car accident, and Gatsby is willing to take responsibility for it. Daisy just goes along with Gatsby's story that he was the one driving the car. George Wilson seeks revenge by shooting and killing Gatsby, and Daisy doesn't even care. Nick remarks after Gatsby's funeral that, "Daisy hadn't sent a message or even a flower," (Fitzgerald, 183). She didn't feel any need to. Gatsby was of a lower class. He was born into it and he died in it. That was the way things were.

Gatsby has no chance to achieve his dream because he lived during the Modern Age. The "class system" which had already been established limited him. Clearly, the rich had a different life, a life style that others could imitate but never integrate with. They knew each other and respected each other, while ignoring the rest of the world. Although this "class system" was present mainly in the Modern Age, there are still such systems in existence today. There are still groups that want to be elite, some even being unattainable. But culture as a whole at least in America is becoming more accepting of rags-to-riches stories.

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Monday, March 8, 2010

Online Education Essay

Essay on Online Education

Although for half a year the Internet had been undergoing bise and cold rain, which tumbling itself down from the altar, no one would deny that the Internet is still the trend of the future. On this condition, the traditional industry contact intimately with network one after another, so does the educational industry.

In economics point of view, demand is the only drive of development. Along with Chinese opening up policy, the conception, which education determines future, goes deeply into peopleбпs heart, with a result of more and more educational investment. With the development of society, the competition is increasing fiercely. Many parents will never scant money when investing in next generationбпs education so that their children can have a better future. In this way the education cake is really so big that a very tiny part of it can fill website's stomach. That is no wonder why the sharp-nosed trader scramble for it.

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A wonderful expectation does not guarantee a perfect reality. The way to our dream is usually filled with thorns, therefore educational website must stride forward three thresholds. First, diploma issued by universities is far better than that given by online education institute. So you will meet with many trouble without authoritative diploma. Secondly, Traditional educational system has been developed perfectly till now. Then if educational website do not make great efforts to curricula setting, teaching quality and schoolwork management, it will be difficult for them to get a cup of thick soup from the delicious education meal. Also the technology of whole network distinguishes greatly. There is no doubt that bandwidth of domestic network is not as adequate as to transmit multimedia courseware, never to say the real long distance education.

Surely online education inaugurates a span-new study method, but it still has a long way to go.

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Multimedia Technology Essay

Essay on Multimedia Technology

As an educator who is currently obtaining their Master’s Degree in information technology, I’m a firm believer in the uses of multimedia in education. I use a considerable amount of multimedia on a daily basis with my students.

One of the greatest things about the use of multimedia is the fact that it helps students of all levels achieve a higher standard. Students can all design a PowerPoint presentation regardless of skill level. The beauty of multimedia such as PowerPoint is that students that need to be pushed can be by making their presentation more complex. They can add animated GIF’s, add sound, or even add movie clips. These students could also utilize a scanner to transfer pictures from books to their presentation. Students who may have learning disabilities can still achieve the standard of completing a presentation but on a simpler form such as adding some text with a few JPEG pictures.

Another way multimedia can be used with teaching comes with the use the web in an inquiry based study known as a webquest. With a webquest, students research to answer a question by linking to various websites. In the end of their quest, students present their information through a PowerPoint, a play, a song, or some other way that they design. By doing this activity, multimedia is able to utilize the multiple intelligences that Howard Gardner identified in the 1950’s.

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The one issue I find with multimedia and teaching is that teachers are not given enough in-service or training time in general when it comes to utilizing technology.

Many teachers learn the needed information on their own but the vast majority of teachers need more time with training. In several of the articles I read while researching, “Multimedia Use in Education”, studies were done that said the number one issue with incorporating multimedia in the classroom was teacher training.

With the majority of students having internet access at home, e-mail has become a wonderful tool for teachers. I am able to have students e-mail assignments to me at school even on the fifth grade level. Students are also able to access the class website to check on homework assignments and parents can check it for the weekly team newsletter.

Finally, teachers can utilize multimedia to help maintain their professional portfolio. I continually take digital photographs of students working and save the pictures to disk so that they can be utilized for my professional portfolio. By using digital photographing, I’m able to check if the picture is conveying what I would like right then and there and if need be, another picture can be taken.

As it can be seen, I am a huge fan of using multimedia in the field of teaching. In my opinion it is not the wave of the future but that of now!

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Friday, March 5, 2010

Essay on Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice Essay

An important idea in Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is the relationship between the themes of reputation and class. These two themes are related in the fact that, they both reflect the strict nature of life for the middle and upper classes in Regency England.

In the society in which “Pride and Prejudice” takes place, a woman’s reputation is of the greatest importance. A woman is expected to carry herself in a particular way and possess specific mannerisms. Doing otherwise is considered stepping out of the social norms thus, making a woman susceptible to exclusion. This appears when Elizabeth walks to Netherfield and arrives with muddy skirts, and shocks Miss Bingley and her friends: “. . . her appearance created a great deal of surprise . . . she was convinced that they held her in contempt for it ” (24). Arriving in such a presentation and the fact that she has came alone in such dirty weather. Elizabeth believes that Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst will treat her differently because her exterior is not that of what a woman is to represent in society. The effect that reputation has on the different class hierarchy is shown through Mrs. Bennet’s behavior which is considered ridiculous and ill mannered in society which, ultimately gives her a bad reputation, especially towards the more refined and snobbish Darcys and Bingleys. Even more so the importance of reputation comes into play when Lydia elopes with Wickham and lives with him out of wedlock: “ Imprudent as a marriage between Mr. Wickham and our poor Lydia would be we are now anxious to be assured it has taken place” (203). By Lydia living out of wedlock with Wickham and becoming his lover without the backing and benefits of marriage, places her outside of the social circle. And furthermore, her personal and individual disgrace endangers the entire Bennet family, especially her unwedded sisters.

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The lines of class just like reputation are strictly drawn between the middle and upper classes. While all of the families in these societies are generally of the wealthy kind, the borders between the two social extremities are easily blurred. Although the Bennet’s who are considered middle class may socialize with the Bingleys and Darcys, they looked at and examined socially inferior to them. The mind configuration of the female Bennet’s: “ It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” (1). This quote not only opens the story but also gives the insight to the goal of the Bennet women, through Mrs. Bennet’s words, whose ultimate goal is to have her daughters marry wealthy men. In other words, furthering their social status as individuals and as a family. But, this mindset is shared with many characters throughout the book. Mr. Darcy who believes in the dignity of his lineage; Miss Bingley, who dislikes anyone that is not socially accepted as she is, and Wickham who will do anything he can to get enough money to raise his social status. Thus, in turn while these so-called individuals are supposed to be considered superior. Are actually, inferior due to their closed-minded thoughts, goals, judgements, and self-absorption.

In the end the restrictions that reputation and the class hierarchy place on the society as a whole and the lovers, are ultimately conquered by true and absolute love. Leading to the happy ending of the story. Darcy puts aside his pride and prejudices towards Elizabeth and they marry, and Jane marries Bingley. Thus, showing that when senseless restraints are placed on people, it takes an action so powerful and meaningful, such as love to overcome and break down that obstacle of limitations.

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Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Essay

Essay on Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

How do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth characters develop throughout the play?
The development of Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s characters is a strong form and plays a huge role in the story but the way they are created seems plausible as one seems to be the more dominant than the other and vice versa. The story is supposed to be a stereotypical, a reactionary of the medieval times where men would have the dominant role over women. In this case, it seems to be true in the beginning and as it proceeds through the story. But somehow, it switches and the turning point would be established there when Macbeth becomes independent and takes all matter into his own hands leaving Lady Macbeth stranded, as these two very important characters develop throughout the whole story.

The way Macbeth is developed is dependent on Lady Macbeth influences and how he reacts to it. At the beginning of the story, Macbeth is described to be brave, ‘For Brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name’. And how he fought courageously to help win the battle, ‘Confronted him with self-comparisons, Point against point, rebellious arm against arm, curbing his lavish spirit. And to conclude, the victory fell on us’. This best describes him as a noble warrior and a loyal subject to Duncan, king of Scotland. He remains to be what has been described of him but when he encounters the witches, his characteristics begin to change. This encounter with the witches when they spoke of the prophecies that will happen to Macbeth and this triggers the bad side of him, which begins to develop slowly. At first he is stunned to silence when he heard the witches and Ross later hailed him ‘thane of Cawdor’ which suggest he is stunned by his good fortune. But soon he accepts this, ‘Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor: The greatest is behind’. And so this is the beginning where Macbeth starts to change, moving from this loyal and noble warrior to an ambitious but weary man. He is surrounded with suspicion as he begins to plot something sinister but he is weak as he lets temptations overcome him. He does this when he begins to admit a ‘suggestion’, some ‘horrible imaginings’, and says the word ‘murder’ which suggests suspicion about him and then it grows when he confesses his ‘black and deep desires’. Lady Macbeth understands her husband very well and says, ‘Thou wouldst be great, art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it’. By ‘illness’ is a metaphor for ‘evil’ and states about Macbeth truthfully where Lady Macbeth thinks an illness is evil and Macbeth catches evil like a disease and like most diseases, if there is no cure then it gets worse (killing Duncan Is the first symptom, then killing Banquo is the next and gets worse for Macbeth as he progresses) until it comes to a premature end where his death is inevitable. The play shows how his symptoms, develop throughout the play until there is no hope of a cure and so the man has to die. This summarises of what is happening and will happen to these characters.

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Lady Macbeth at this point has read the letter and she understands her husband very well and she knows that he has great ambitions, but she knows he is a honourable person. Lady Macbeth too has ambition as well and wants to be queen, ‘Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promis’d; yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full l’th’milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way’. And the way, to that is through Macbeth as he has access to the throne after being given a new title ‘Thane of Cawdor’. She knows she will have to urge her husband on to become king, and she calls for evil spirits to help her. She’s a firm believer in witchcraft and she will give up all the qualities of a woman in exchange to become a sexless fiend so she will not feel any guilt or any remorse, ‘Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty; make thick my blood, stop up th’access and passage to remorse that no compunctious visitings of nature’. Macbeth seems to be glad that his wife is taking control and the responsibility and so it appears that she has the dominant role.

Macbeth for the first time thinks about the possibility of murdering his king as he wrestles his own conscience, although at first it has only been a dream to him, ‘but fantastical’ and it seems to be a major problem to him. He seems to understand that murdering the king would be a crime that must be punished as the king is Gods appointed one on Earth and murdering the king would be questioning Gods judgement. He is aware of the duty he owes to Duncan, ‘He’s here in double trust: first, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself’. These are profound reasons that intervenes his ambition, If he was not a kinsmen, subject and host to defend Duncan, it would be a huge sin to kill him rather than harm him. He appreciates Duncan’s fine qualities as a king to his country and he knows that to destroy such virtue would be a crime against heaven. He has a vision of Pity with all the weakness of a human baby yet able to soar over the blasts of the ‘trumpet-tongu’d angels’. Macbeth then turns to his own motives and finds nothing except ‘Vaulting ambition’, and he realises that too high a leap would result in a great fall. So Macbeth has made his mind up and won himself a great victory over himself and he is triumphant when he tells Lady Macbeth, ‘We will proceed no further in this business’. But he is unprepared by Lady Macbeths rage and abuse as she calls him a coward, and challenges his manliness to try and convince him to pursue their crime, ‘When you durst do it, then you were a man. And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more than the man. Nor time, nor place did then adhere, and yet you would make both. They have made themselves and that their fitness now does unmake you’, and she thinks he is a traitor to his own words. She threatened that she would have murdered her child while it was feeding at her breast, rather than break such a promise as Macbeth has done, ‘How tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums and dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this’. He yields and is persuaded by her encouragement, which suggest Macbeth is weak, and not as strong as she is mentally and so Macbeth agrees to murder his king. This confirms that the dominant character would be Lady Macbeth as she is psychologically stronger, and Macbeth submits to her guidance. Lady Macbeth has become a bad influence to her husband but she will do anything to get in her own way.

Macbeth still petrified by the wrath of his wife as he shows signs of stress and the imminent crime waiting for him, as he speaks few words when he replies to Banquo in the courtyard. He is at first alarmed by the dagger his mind creates, but he seems to enjoy it, ‘the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell’. He is kind of a way shocked as he did not expect anything superstitious, but as the dagger appear, it’s as if it is a sign to him to either warn him of what he is about to do or it could be that Duncan’s death awaits and let Macbeth to proceed. It could be either way and is not revealed in the story. Shakespeare uses ‘knell’ in the line, which is a funeral bell rung to announce a death. This is a good use of language as it lets the reader know that death awaits Duncan.

After the murder, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth react differently to it. Macbeth is disgusted and horrified to think of what he has done as he emerges from the murder and Lady Macbeth greets him and Macbeth has proven that he is a man to her. While Lady Macbeth is bold and confident, because she does not understand that the deed is morally wrong and her only concern is to destroy the evidence which Macbeth carries with him. Macbeth awakens to a consciousness of guilt as he wishes to rid of blood but he cannot, ‘What hands are here? Ha: they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No: this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine,’ that the guilt will remain with him until his death. Lady Macbeth continues to take charge and confessed that she could not murder Duncan herself, ‘Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t’, which suggest some natural, womanly feelings in her. But in the end, she thinks little of the guilt that she shares with her husband, ‘A little water clears us of this deed’. And Macbeth wishes he could wake Duncan so he would not feel any guilt, ‘Wake Duncan with thy knocking: I would thou couldst.’

After Macbeth has been crown King, his character begins to become more independent and decides to take some action without consulting Lady Macbeth, as he begins to plot to get rid of Banquo and Fleance by hiring assassins as he realises that his crown is ‘fruitless’, and his sceptre ‘barren’ and he achieved it by murdering Duncan in order for the prophecy to come true. So the witches’ promise to Banquo may not come true if he was to be removed. Macbeth is increasingly becoming more independent as he begins to take everything into his own hands while Lady Macbeth is beginning to show signs of strain. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a great understanding of each other but Macbeth with so many things on his mind; ‘full of scorpions is my mind’ keeps secrets from her in his plot to kill Banquo. Though he does say it is better to be dead as there are no worries, than when everything is accomplished where there are still worries, ‘Better be with the dead whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave. After life’s fitful fever, he sleeps well’. He wishes he could be like Duncan and be dead, so there are worries rather than be alive and have worries. He alarms his wife by conjuring up an atmosphere of evil and he seems to enjoy his dreadful imaginings jut like he did when he went to murder Duncan. But this is a mistake, as this is the beginning of the break in their relationship as he begins to move away from Lady Macbeth and be independent. Macbeth is also similar to Lady Macbeth as they both call in evil spirits to enhance their characters, ‘seeling night’ and Lady Macbeth before the murder of Duncan, ‘the dunnest smoke of hell’.

Macbeth now knows that the first murder is only the first, ‘blood will have blood’. He tells his wife and starts to accept and believes that there is no way back and that it is easier to carry on then to go back, ‘Stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go’er’. Macbeth is a desperate man that he must act and not stop to consider the reasons for acting, ‘Strange things I have in head that will to hand, which must be acted ere they may be scann’d’. Macbeth emerges as a new man but it means it is a breakdown in his relationship with his wife as she is left stranded while he moves on and she only has herself to blame, as she was the one who encouraged him to be without remorse in the first place.

Macbeth confronts the witches as he seeks answers and wishes for comforting answers. But Macbeth trusts no one as he has no faith in the other thanes and sets spies on each other, ‘There’s not a one of them but in his house I keep a servant feed’. But it also seems that he does not trust the witches either as he is not satisfied by their new prophecy and he begins to be cruel by slaughtering Macduff’s entire family, ‘But yet I’ll make assurance double sure’, but there is no motive for this. Macbeth has been described as a cruel tyrant, and that he has turned Scotland into a country ‘Alas, poor country, almost afraid to know itself,’ and so he does not have many supporters for the way he handled things as a ruler.

Lady Macbeth is becoming ill, weak and mad and she prayed that she should know, ‘no compunctious visitings of nature’. She is continuously walking I her sleep, and she keeps thinking about the night of the murder, which suggest she is going mad. When she confidently declared that, ‘A little water will clear us if this deed’, but now she knows that, ‘all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand’. She was told to ‘Remove from her the means of all annoyance’ which shows that she is mentally disturbed.

There has been opinions about Macbeth stating that he is mad and furious but he is not, he feels old and lonely, ‘My way of life is fall’n into the sere, the yellow leaf, and that which should accompany old age, as honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have’. Much tragic news comes as the prophecy, which seems to go for him ends up turning against him. He hears about his wife who is dead but he seems to be unable to grieve for her as life seems to have no meaning to him and he somehow sees himself as mere actor, ‘That struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more’. He has lost everything and know that he is defeated and chooses to die in battle, ‘with harness on our back’ to die in honour when he is challenged by Macduff of which he is reluctant to fight, ‘Of all men else I have avoided thee, but get thee back, my soul is too much charg’d with blood of thine already.’

So it seems that throughout the story, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seems to begin a road where both characters lives end prematurely. Macbeth was aware of the dangers but Lady Macbeth did not see sense and let her ambition to take its toll. But the development of each character needed the other and was very dependent to each other to survive. Macbeth needed Lady Macbeth for guidance but for the wrong reasons and Lady Macbeth needed her husband for support but did not get any even though she was far more the dominant than Macbeth. When Macbeth decided to move on without Lady Macbeth, things started to get worse a lot quicker than expected.

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

To Kill a Mockingbird Sample Essay

To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Example

I agree with the essay topic and I believe that after reading Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the reader is left with a sense of hope despite the persecution of the colored folk who live in the outskirts of Maycomb County.

Tom Robinson, the Negro who is being accused of raping Mayella Ewell, stays true to himself and never fails to be honest with the jury. Through this we are exposed to the courage and valiance of the indomitable human spirit. Readers are left with a sense of hope because even though there is a presence of persecution, some people of the society begin to see the racism and believe that there is an injustice being done to the colored folk. Atticus was one person who could see this injustice and he taught his children, Jem and Scout, to also see this unlawfulness.

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All humans possess an absolute spirit which strives to exist no matter how desperate or hopeless the situation is. We are created with an “indomitable human spirit” that cannot be conquered or destroyed. Tom Robinson is a good example of how a person who is faced with an unjust and prejudice situation can remain honest to the jury and have the courage to claim his innocence. He believed that this would be enough to set him free.

Atticus’ courage to accept Tom Robinson’s case is also an example of an indomitable human spirit. Even though Atticus knew he would lose the case before he began, he still had the courage and self-respect to begin anyway. “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know your licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”

Persecution is to constantly treat someone unjustly or harshly because of their principles, religious faith or race. Tom Robinson was persecuted throughout his life because of his race. Countless black Negroes were persecuted around the world because of the color of their skin. This predominantly occurred in America during the 1800’s and 1900’s. Many African Americans fought for equal rights. Civil rights marches were led by Martin Luther King and Malcolm X in the 1960’s. The novel shows us how one single incident of persecution can effect a whole community.

In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson was charged with raping Mayella Ewell, found guilty by a racist jury, and was killed whilst trying to escape prison, even though Atticus proved to the jury that it was obvious that he was innocent. He was found guilty, however, because he was a Negro and seen to be less than human. Even though all of the jury were racist, some members of Maycomb County began to see that the unfair way in which they treated the Negroes was wrong.

Heck Tate, the town sheriff, lied under oath in court in favor of Robert Ewell and as a result Mr Ewell was set free of charge and Tom Robinson was sentenced to death. When Mr Ewell attacked Jem and Scout with a knife and attempted to kill them, Boo Radley saves their lives by driving the knife under Mr Ewell’s ribcage killing him.

Heck Tate realizes this is what occurred yet he tells the community that Mr Ewell fell on his knife while he was attacking Jem and Scout. He says this because he starts to realize that Mr Ewell shouldn’t have gone free in the first place. Jem and Scout also begin to realize that an injustice is begin done to the Negroes.

Atticus believed that all people had equal rights regardless of their race or the color of their skin. He proved this to the community by defending Tom Robinson in court. He also tried to show them that they could not convict Tom Robinson just because he was a Negro. He could only be convicted if he was proved to be guilty of the crime, which he wasn’t. Atticus passes these beliefs on to his children and teaches them that all humans, regardless of race, are equal. Jem starts to realize that it is wrong for Tom Robinson to be persecuted and killed. “It ain’t right Atticus, said Jem. No son, it’s not right.”

To Kill a Mockingbird gives the reader hope for a just and equal society for all people regardless of who they are. It does this by showing us that even though the majority of a community is racist towards Negroes, and sentence Tom Robinson to death for a crime he didn’t commit, some people began to realize that it was unjust. It also shows us that through the main characters this message will spread amongst the people of Maycomb County. I believe one of Harper Lee’s main messages in To Kill a Mockingbird is not just relating to Maycomb, a small town in Alabama, but to the whole world. She is telling us that not matter where we live in the world, it is not right to persecute people because of their background, who they are or the color of their skin. All people should be treated equally.

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