The Things They Carried – Dialogue and Materials

Themes and Dialogue of O’Brien in The Things They Carried War has done many horrible things to many people throughout time all over the world. War experience filled with death, suspense, and constant fear has swept through millions and millions of people who are still scared by the horrific experience. To some so horrific that a normal life, post war, was almost unbearable. But some were able to take the experience and share it to the world.Tim O’Brien is a perfect example of this. O’Brien was born in 1946 in the Midwest, but once of age was drafted into the Vietnam War. O’Brien only served for one year from 1969 to 1970, but nevertheless, the memories gathered in that year lasted him a lifetime. (Herzog) These memories, though some held them in, O’Brien used them to transform his writings to some of the most accurate and touching pieces about war in our generation. They established O’Brien as on of the most important soldier-authors of the V ietnam generation; furthermore, they establish his reputation as one of America’s most notable postmodernist writers – not only for his themes but also for the structure of his books and his exploration from multiple perspectives of problematic nature of truth and reality† (Herzog, 78). O’Brien was a man who had an objective to be original and construct all of his memories to others the best way he could. And the only way to do that was his way.In an interview of O’Brien, Herzog quotes from him â€Å"In this new book [The Things They Carried] I forced myself to try and invent a form. I had never invented form before. † His writings are unique and compared to the normal dialogue of introducing characters; O’Brien takes a different approach and makes his own style. In the book The Things They Carried, O’Brien uses materialistic belongings to show his experiences from a different perspective on war and the people in it without the immediate use of dialogue. O’Brien’s story The Things They Carried is a story of company of men that are in the Vietnam War.These men are normal people, called into duty of war by draft. Though each person is not introduced by age, and what their history was, they way they are introduced is by what they carry in their endless walk through unknown jungles. But though they are introduced by only what their position and what they carry, the personal level of knowing a character is better than ever. The first man introduced is First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. He is the leader of all the men and whom everyone answers to. But for a man that is the one in charge his mind is everywhere but on the war.He carries letters and two photos from a girl named Martha from home and keeps a pebble in his mouth that she sent him. He is madly in love with her but all of her letters are not love letters from a significant other but just friendly letters. â€Å"They were not love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping, so he kept them folded in plastic at the bottom of his rucksack† (LaPlante, 79). He wants to be focused on the war but his loving thoughts of her haunts him and takes him away from the reality of war he is in. It took him as much as a fellow soldier getting shot in the head before he knew how much a problem he had.The machine gunner was a man by the name of Henry Dobbins. Being the machine gunner he had to carry a twenty-three pound gun unloaded, but it was always loaded, and fifteen pounds worth of ammunition strapped around his chest and shoulders. Personally he was introduced as a big man that carried Black Flag insecticide, and extra food rations. Though not a huge introduction, he can still be known as a person but also with some mystery of who he is. From his belongings, Sanders can be seen as a big man that would be a brute force character in the company, but also a vital part to the company.His responsibility as the machine gunner with all the weight and his importance in battle puts him as a leader and a trusted man that people can rely to. His character and personality as a strong man, who can be there when he is needed, and do whatever needs to be done can be seen alone from O’Brien’s writings without any dialogue needed. Just from his position and his responsibilities his character even personality can be understood and noticed. The RTO or the man who had to carry the radio was named Mitchell Sanders. The radio he had to carry was twenty-six pounds with its battery.He also carries condoms and starched tiger fatigues for special occasions. He is an important man to the crew but he also can be seen as a light guy, more some of the others. He carries condoms even with no need for them at all and Norman Bowker, one of the other soldiers, carries a thumb that Sanders had cut off of a Vietnamese kid only fifteen or sixteen. So Sanders can be seen as not as much of a serious guy but still responsible enough to have the responsibilities of the holding on the their only way of communication.Dave Jensen was introduced with being all about personal hygiene. He carried a toothbrush, dental floss, several bars of soap taken from hotels, three extra pairs of socks, and Dr. Scholl’s foot powder for trench foot, earplugs, and extra sand bags for extra protection at night, and for superstitious reasons a rabbit’s foot. His position in the company is never mentioned but immediately by looking at all of the things he carries, it is seen he carries almost twice as much as anyone else. Through his items his personality of being over cautious stands out.He is not a very big character in the story but because of how O’Brien clearly shows how cautious and scared he is to make him a bigger character. Everyone is important in the company and when O’Brien talks about Jensen, he is referring to a quarter of the soldiers that were in war that were just like him. Though these are just a few to the many he introduces to the reader, all from O’Brien’s different writing style can be experienced and enjoyed more. O’Brien with his writings uses materials of what the soldiers carry to almost control the reader about how to feel about the character, and used this writing style in other books of his.His writing style can take you inside of the different soldiers heart and mind and with the different stories in The Things They Carried other detail are added to the story so nobody can know if his stories are real or true. This gives readers more freedom to have personal opinions. â€Å"The element of perception has to do with uncertainty†¦. The whole stew of variables determines what we perceive and what call real† (Herzog, Interview). O’Brien’s writing style all has a purpose with its creativity.The Things that they carry are not only the materialistic things that the soldiers personally have but it could be anything. à ¢â‚¬Å"Things is framed around the burdens we carry, not just war, not just physical, but spiritual as well† (Herzog, Interview). Just telling a story wasn’t enough; O’Brien wanted the reader to live it, to experience it like he did with his writing style. He wanted to tell you the story but leave mystery, his writing style was an attempt to expand readers mind further than ever before. O’Brien said, â€Å"A good piece of fiction, in my view, does not offer solutions.Good stories deal with our moral struggles, our uncertainties, our dreams, our blunders, our contradictions, our endless quest for understanding. Good stories do not resolve the mysteries of the human spirit but rather descried and expand upon those mysteries† (LaPlante, 587) Sources 1. Herzog, Tobey C. Tim O'Brien. New York, NY: Twayne Publishers, 1997. Print. 2. Egri, Lajos. The art of dramatic writing. Touchstone, 1960. Print. 3. LaPlante, Alice. Method and Madness. W W Norton ; Co In c, 2009. Print. 4. Herzog, Tobey C. Unpublished interview with Tim Obrien. Cambridge, Mass. , 11-12 July 1995

Russian Philosophy essays

Russian Philosophy essays While the rest of Europe was advancing culturally as a direct result of the Renaissance, Russia did not reap the same benefits of cultural development. The Mongol occupation in Russia was responsible for the disproportionate growth; because of the ongoing Mongol supression, Russians were not able to prosper culturally to the extent other European countries experienced. Russia did experience their own "renaissance" of sorts in the mid to late 19th century and on into the 20th century. This was characterized by a new way of thinking and viewing the world around them, mostly the Western civilizations. This was known as the "Russian Cultural Renaissance". Nikolai Bernyaev was one of the most prominant figures of the time and was later a leading philosopher of the Russian emmigration. Proffessioanl philosophers appeared in Russia in the 19th century, but it was thanks to Bernyaev and his existentialist attitude that Russia was able to contribute new ideas to world philosophy. Philosophical ideas in Russia rarely matured into well-balanced, self-sufficient systems, because it was the privilege of the State to consummate and elaborate them in a systematic way. The fate of Russian thinkers was to dissolve these ideocratic systems in a stream of capricious, spontaneous, prophetic, existential thinking which attempted to go beyond the systems, to undermine them rather than to consolidate them. Since the official philosophy functioned as a tool of power, it was the task and merit of non-official philosophy to advance anti-totalitarian modes of thinking, deconstructing any possible principle of systematization. In effect, Russia was overpowered by free thinkers once the hold of the czars loosened and communism paved the way for some to view Western society and what it had and was continuing to accomplish. Russia has made up for lost time very quickly, in the time from the Bolshevik Revolution and World War I. Russia continues to develope ...

8 Surprising Jobs That Earn 100K with Just a 2-Year Degree

8 Surprising Jobs That Earn 100K with Just a 2-Year Degree While some people may think a four-year degree is necessary to get a higher paying job, there are a number of professions where you can make around $100,000 per year with only a two-year degree. A traditional college degree is not necessary to get a good job and earn a high-paying salary. Radiation therapistHealth care jobs are a growing field and will continue to grow as baby boomers age and the population increases. An associate’s degree lets individuals work in a hospital setting or a cancer-treatment center where they monitor the equipment, record a patient’s reaction and provide documentation for the treatment session. pay can be up to around $100,000.Air traffic controllerArmed with an associate’s degree, air traffic controllers can make up to $122,000 per year. the primary duties of an air traffic controller are to manage the flights of planes flying into and out of the airport, with safety being the primary goal. although this can be a high-stress job, th e pay may make it worth considering.Executive pastry chefExecutive pastry chefs can work in a number of different places, from hotels to restaurants and even on cruise ships. It requires the equivalent of a two-year degree from either a technical or culinary school or a community college to be ready to work. Really good pastry chefs can make up to $102,000 a year. This, of course, is dependent on the city and location.Master plumberEveryone, at one time or another, needs a plumber, and that’s one of the reasons working as a master plumber pays up to $102,000 per year. One of the good things about being a plumber is that individuals can either work for a company or set up their own business. workers who enjoy working with their hands and don’t mind getting wet sometimes when working on or installing water lines and related systems and appliances, may be interested in this job. They can go to a technical school or community college to learn the skills to get licensed.Rea l estate salesBrokers in real estate sales jobs can earn hefty commissions that amount to much more than $100,000 each year. To become a real estate broker requires a high school education and long hours that can include holidays and weekends. There may also be periods with low to no income when no sales are made.Construction supervisorThose workers that have experience in the construction industry may work up to the job of supervisor. These jobs can pay up to $130,845 per year, and promotions are usually from within the company. A strong knowledge of the business, policies and values is necessary as well as the ability to be on call to complete projects and for emergencies.Court reporterAn individual who has an associate’s degree as a court reporter, which entails transcribing court proceedings, can make a good salary. Court reporter jobs pay up to $104,000 and will require a background check. Salary can be dependent on location. A busy courtroom in a large city will likely pay more than a smaller town.BartenderBartenders make a wide range in salary depending on the location and volume of clientele. While some restaurants, bars, and clubs may pay around $19,000, more upscale locations in large cities can pay over $100,000, including tips. while most bartending skills are learned on the job, there are some programs that teach bartending and offer certification in the safe serving of alcohol.Getting a high-paying job does not necessarily mean that a four-year college degree is necessary. Thejobnetwork can help you find the job you want by searching job listings for you and sending you jobs that fit your qualifications. all you do is fill out your job interests and skills and we do the rest. we notify you by email when matching jobs appear. sign up for job match alert to find the job that’s right for you.

Understanding Primary and Secondary Groups in Sociology

Understanding Primary and Secondary Groups in Sociology The study of social groups is the main focus of many sociologists because these groups illustrate how human behavior is shaped by group life and how group life is affected by individuals. The two groups on which social scientists mainly focus are primary and secondary groups, called primary because they are a persons primary source of relationships and socialization or secondary because they are of less importance but still significant to the individual. What Are Social Groups? Social groups  consist of two or more people who regularly interact and share a sense of unity and common identity. They see each other often and consider themselves as part of the group. Most people belong to many different types of social groups. They could include family, neighbors, or members of a sports team, a club, a church, a college class, or a workplace. What social scientists are interested in is how the members of these groups relate and interact. Early American sociologist Charles Horton Cooley introduced the concepts of primary and secondary groups in his 1909 book  Social Organization: A Study of the Larger Mind. Cooley was interested in how people develop a sense of self and identity through their relationships and interactions with others. In his research, Cooley identified two levels of social organization  that are composed of two different kinds of social structure. What Are Primary Groups? Primary groups are small and characterized by close, personal, and intimate relationships that last a long time, maybe a lifetime. These relationships are deeply personal and loaded with emotion. The members typically include family, childhood friends, romantic partners, and members of religious groups who have regular face-to-face or verbal interaction and a shared culture and frequently engage in activities together. The ties that bind the relationships in primary groups are made up of love, caring, concern, loyalty, and support. These relationships play important roles in the formation of individuals sense of self and identity because these people are influential in the development of values, norms, morals, beliefs, worldview, and everyday behaviors and practices of all members of the group. The relationships play important roles in the process of socialization that people experience as they age. What Are Secondary Groups? Secondary groups comprise relatively impersonal and temporary relationships that are goal- or task-oriented  and are often found in employment or educational settings. While the relationships within primary groups are intimate, personal, and enduring, the relationships within secondary groups are organized around narrow ranges of practical interests or goals without which these groups would not exist. Secondary groups are functional groups created to carry out a task or achieve a goal. Typically a person becomes a member of a secondary group voluntarily, out of shared interest with the others involved. Common examples include coworkers in an employment setting or students, teachers, and administrators in an educational setting. Such groups can be large or small, ranging from all the employees or students within an organization to the select few who work together on a project. Small secondary groups such as these often disband after completion of the task or project. A secondary group does not exercise a primary influence over its members because they do not live in the presence and thoughts of one another. The average member plays a passive role, and the warmth of the relationships in primary groups is missing Primary Groups vs. Secondary Groups An important distinction between secondary and primary groups is that the former often have an organized structure, formal rules, and an authority figure who oversees the rules, members, and the project or task in which the group is involved. Primary groups, on the other hand, are typically informally organized, and the rules are more likely to be implicit and transmitted through socialization. While it is useful to understand the distinctions between primary and secondary groups and the different kinds of relationships that characterize them, its also important to recognize that there can be overlap between the two. For example, an individual could meet a person in a secondary group who over time becomes a close, personal friend or a romantic partner who becomes a spouse. These people become part of the individuals primary group. Such an overlap can result in confusion or embarrassment for those involved, for instance, when a child enters a school where a parent is a teacher or administrator or when an intimate romantic relationship develops between coworkers. Key Takeaways Here is a nutshell description of social groups and the distinctions between primary and secondary social groups: Social groups  include two or more people who interact and share a sense of unity and common identity.Primary groups are small and characterized by close, personal relationships that last a long time.Secondary groups include impersonal, temporary relationships that are goal-oriented.Secondary groups often have an organized structure, an authority figure who oversees the rules, while primary groups are typically informally organized.There often is an overlap between primary and secondary groups that arises, for example, if an individual forms a personal relationship with someone in a secondary group. Sources: https://study.com/academy/lesson/types-of-social-groups-primary-secondary-and-reference-groups.html sociologydiscussion.com/difference-between/differences-between-primary-social-group-and-secondary-social-group/2232 https://quizlet.com/93026820/sociology-chapter-1-flash-cards/

Course Design Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Course Design - Coursework Example Following all the instructions as I have spelled out in either the assignments or in term papers is also important in order to do well in this course. Attendance is also a MUST and every student is expected to observe this without fail. As stipulated in the institution’s policy every student is expected to observe and maintain a high level of diligence while attending the classes. The course requires a lot of research and students are encouraged to work in groups to conduct the stipulated research and make the best inferences from the research conducted. Students are also encouraged to enjoy the learning experience and link the studies to their daily activities and situations to maximize on the learning objectives of this course. It is my belief that the students are well versed with the technological advancements that have been propagated by East Asia in the recent past. East Asia is leading in the amounts of products manufactured per year and therefore they are able to boost their economies accordingly. Am also assuming that every person has gone through the pre-requisite units before taking up this unit and therefore you are all well-versed with the background information and skills to pursue and take the unit. Research is an essential part of this course and I am assuming that all of you have learnt the research methods and are equipped with the skills to conduct a conclusive research on this course. I will facilitate the learning and give you ample knowledge on the unit so that you can take up and conduct the research on your own since I believe the best learning method is through involving the students in the learning process thereby making it more student oriented. Omvedt, G., Kelkar, G., & Asian Institute of Technology. (1995).  Gender and technology: Emerging visions from Asia. Bangkok, Thailand: Gender and Development

Sacred Texts, Major Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sacred Texts, Major - Essay Example Habel, O'Donoghue, Maddox (1993) say that sacred texts of Islam include the Holy Quran where it holds higher than the primary importance in Islam. The second most important sacred text in Islam is Hadith. Quran holds the highest importance as it is firmly believed that Holy Quran is the word of God and these were the words truly revealed on the last Prophet. Muslim all around the world believe the Holy Quran as the most sacred word of God. Hadith is sacred text that holds an importance secondary to the Holy Quran. Hadith is not just one book in fact this is the compilation of many books representing the sayings of the Last Prophet as well as the sayings of the caliphs in that era including many other followers to Last prophet. Gordon (2002) says that the word Quran in the literal sense means "To recite" when the word is looked out for meanings in Arabic language. The word recite is the first command that was delivered to the Lat Prophet by angel Gabriel. Recitation is the fact strongly associated with the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran not only holds a highest authority in all the religious matters for all the Muslims around the world but Holy Quran has also been holding the first priority for consultation in all legal matters. All Muslims believe firmly that Holy Quran is a complete guide for life which not only has the religious matters and issues complied in one book but also the ways to pas life are also present within the most sacred book. Habel, O'Donoghue, Maddox (1993) discusses that it is resolutely held by all Muslims that Holy Quran is a written word of God which is unblemished thus without any errors being perfect in every sense. It is held that the Holy Quran is a flawless record of all the revelations that had been made by angel Gabriel to the last Prophet. The timeline that has been described in texts for these revelation spans from 610 A.D till 632 A.D. It is said that the length of Quran is approximately the same as Christian New Testament having 114 Surahs. The arrangement of these Surahs is from longest Surah to the shortest Surah. Surahs have been classified as Meccan or Medinan and this depends on the Surah's origin. Message in the Quran is spread by means of some literary frameworks and literary devices. There is Arabic text in Holy Quran which is composed of thematic structures that make the reader recall the message. As the text of Holy Quran is considered to be perfect so many scholars regard the Holy text to be the criteria to teach Arabic language. The literary readers believe that Quran has the most rhymed sequence of Arabic language. Moreover the verses of the Holy Quran reflect directness, intimacy thereby asking the reader the same question as to what will be of value after this life. Functions in community Gordon (2002) says that the Muslim community regards the Holy Quran as the word of God and thereby it is the only reliable word to follow to make the dealings in life. Muslims believe that the sacred word has the solution to every problem in life thereby recitation of the Holy Quran can lead to solutions. All the social and the legal issues are considered to be solved by consulting the Holy Quran. Significant features of Muslim tradition Here in this

Chapter 14 discussion question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chapter 14 discussion question - Essay Example One of the goals of all managers is to maximize shareholder’s wealth. The community that lost those jobs will perceive the CEO to be an immoral and unethical person that has no sense of patriotism. The made in America label has a lot of value in the United States consumer markets. 2. There are hundreds of examples of ethical and unethical behavior in the business world. A case of an unethical act that occurred over a decade ago is the Nike Corporation sweetshop scandal. Nike Corporation is one of the leading apparels and shoe manufacturers in the world. Back in the 1990s Nike expanded its operation into several developing countries. The reason the firm choose these locations was to save in labor and operating costs. The company lost control and a managerial staff composed of immoral leaders created sweetshops at these locations. A sweetshop is a shop or factory in which employees work long hours for low pay in an unsafe working environment (Merriam-webster, 2011). An example o f a company that is using high ethical standards in its operating decisions is Starbucks Cafe. Starbucks Cafe sources its coffee using a practice known as fair trade coffee. Fair trade coffee guarantees poor farmers a price of $1.26 per pound of coffee which is twice the going rate for that product. 3. Unethical behavior can occur for a leader that has proper values and intentions. The reason that this can occur is that ethics is relative to the person or group that analyzes an act. A simple way to visualize ethics in the corporate world is through the stakeholder perspective. Each stakeholder group is going to react differently to an action. A leader may have great intentions and proper values, but sometimes budgetary constraints force the hand of a leader. If a leader closes down an operation knowing that the community needs those jobs the person despite wanting to help was force to make a decision that will be viewed as unethical by the community. 4. The glass ceiling effect that limits the managerial opportunities for women occurs for a variety of reasons. Our society believes the positions of power are better handled by men. In the United States there has never been a woman president. In the past there were more men in the workforce than women. The current trend is for more women to continue to enter the labor force. As of 2004 women represented 46% of the US labor force (Dol, 2004). Another social stigma that has helped men get better paying jobs is the belief that the man is supposed to be the provider of the household. It is also possible also that man visualize women as a threat to the corporate power structure which has historically been dominated by men. 5. In order to level the playing so that women can have better job opportunities including managerial spots at the executive level companies have to change from within. The corporate culture of companies has to change. The executive managerial staff has to implement strategic diversity plans. To tar get the problem of the lack of women in corporate management firms could create managerial training programs that utilized quotas to ensure enough women are getting a chance. Based on the fact that 46% of the labor force is composed of women a fair quota would be a 54:46 split. The use of quotas will also ensure that ethnic minorities are properly represented in the managerial ranks. Our educational system has to do a better job at recruiting women