While viewing the films “For Colored Girls” and “Out of Our Father’s House”, I noticed distinct similarities and differences between the two. For instance, in the movie “For Colored Girls”, African American women describe the hardships they have faced and continue to face as they stumble through trying to find an identity for themselves. They describe instances of rape, domestic abuse, love, abortion, and abandonment. Each woman wears a distinct color that describes their experience and personifies their overall feeling such as yellow for hope. However, in “Out of Our Father’s House”, the women are Caucasian are describing their struggle for equality in the man-dominated era. They describe the pain and ridicule they faced as they try to make men believe women can be educated, have the privilege of suffrage, and be treated as equals. They even show how Elizabeth Cady Stanton was vital in the women’s suffrage movement. The dress and manner of being of the women was also different. In “Colored Girls”, the woman wore modern clothing in distinct colors and spoke in the Harlem accent. In contrast, in “Our Father’s House”, the setting was the late 1800s and the manner of dress was much more conservative. Evidently, there are similarities in these movies. Both movies show how women suffer for their beliefs and yet society tends to brush their problems aside. However, all the women demonstrate the strength that lies within every woman that pushes them forward and propels them through life.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Persuasive Essay 10
Prompt: If an alumnus donated a large sum of money to your school, how do you think that money should be spent? Write an essay convincing school officials to allocate the money in the way you think is best for the school.
Generosity is occurring less and less in our self-interested day and age. People tend to keep the money they have worked hard for for themselves. Therefore, it is nothing short of a miracle that an alumnus has donated a large amount of money back to our school. However, the question now is what to do with the money. The donated money should be invested in the students’ education and be used to purchase necessary materials and support extracurricular activities.
It is no secret that students need the adequate materials in the classroom in order to learn. The most important material that we need are textbooks for our classes. Many teachers are forced to teach material from their own minds or using their own teacher’s edition book; this oftentimes does not help the students learn. Teachers are forced to make their own Power Points and slide shows so that the students take notes and then expect them to study them at home. This, as we know, does not always happen and notes can easily be misplaced or copied incorrectly. If we had textbooks, however, notes would be supplements and the students can be assigned pages to read at home; this will reinforce their learning of the material and allow them to understand and receive higher grades in the class. A textbook shortage is rampant in our school due to budget cuts, however with the donated money, officials can make a decision to make learning easier for students.
Extracurricular activities such as field trips, music programs, and sports teams are vital in every child’s education; unfortunately our school is lacking in this area. We do not have any sports teams, take little field trips, and we have a nonexistent music and art program save for a theatre arts college class. Studies have shown that music programs and sports teams actually boost students’ performance in the classroom because they learn various skills such as critical thinking and time management skills. Field trips provide students with an opportunity to go out and see the world and experience things they otherwise might not be able to experience. This experience transcends into the classroom and gives students the chance to apply those real life experiences to the material being taught in the classroom. Yet, our school does not have the funds to administer these programs that benefit the students. We need to fix this problem and the generous alumnus has given us the resources and opportunity; we just need to act upon it.
School officials may argue that there are many other places where the money is needed more urgently; for example, the buildings might need remodeling or teachers may want new televisions or computers for their instruction. It is true that the school is in need of many improvements and it can be hard to decide where to spend the money. However, we all need to think of the students first and what they need now, not what could help them hypothetically or in the long run. We need our textbooks so that we can better understand the material being taught and alleviate the unnecessary suffering cold teaching causes teachers. We need more extracurricular activities so that we can learn beyond the classroom and textbook and discover real-life experiences. The combination of textbooks and extracurricular make for well-rounded students set for success in higher education institutions.
We should be thankful for the alumnus’ generosity for donating his money to our school. He obviously would want his money to be put to good use, so we should respect his wishes. The students need the necessary learning materials; we need our textbooks. We also need extracurricular activities to discover hiddent talents and hobbies that we may enjoy and combine the academics of the school with real-life experiences to have a better understanding of this world and ourselves. We have a rare opportunity to better our school, our students, and our teachers. Let us be intelligent about the situation and use the money
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Persuasive Essay 9-A Cause Worth Fighting for
Prompt: Some people are actively involved in promoting and supporting a cause, such as the release of international political prisoners or protecting the environment. Is there a cause you actively support? Write an essay convincing readers to support that cause.
Few things are as precious to a woman as carrying a child inside of her. It is a gift for some women and a blessing to others. Yet, there are some women who view this gift as a curse bestowed upon them. For women with this mindset, a simple option to solve this problem is receiving an abortion. But, are you murdering the unborn child inside of you, or are you just getting rid of an embryo? When does a fertilized egg stop being a cluster of cells and becomes a human child, complete with natural human rights?
In the first trimester of a fetus’s life cycle, a women experiences ovulation. During this time, the chances to become pregnant are high. Once a sperm cell enters the vagina through sex, it travels up the Fallopian Tubes to fertilize an egg cell. A zygote is formed after this conception. Once a zygote is formed, the chromosomes of the sperm cell combine with the egg cell, resulting in the future baby’s gender. If the combination is XX, then it denotes a girl and YX denotes a boy. During the first 4 weeks, the embryo begins to rapidly develop and a process called differentiation occurs and produces the various cells such as blood cells, kidney cells, and nerve cells. Then, in the 5th week, the first heartbeats begin to take place and the umbilical cord begins to develop. The blood is now pumping through the four heart chambers and other organs are beginning to develop. The embryo becomes a fetus at the end of the 8th week. By the end of the first trimester, the fetus now has developing vocal chords, hands, legs, early organs, facial features and has probably started to suck its thumb.
In the second semester, the fetus develops even further. A mother can now feel kicks as the baby moves around the uterus. In the 16th week , the fetus is now learning to breathe and 6 gallons of blood is getting pumped into its heart a day. Nourishing the fetus is the woman’s placenta, which delivers nutrients from the food the woman eats to the fetus, as well as any harmful substances the mother may consume. By the 22nd week, the fetus can now hear conversations in the outside world and the brain is rapidly developing. By the end of week 27 and the 2nd semester, the fetus can now hear, has developed the eye retina, and is growing larger and longer every day.
The fetus is almost fully developed by the 3rd trimester. Its head is now proportional to its body and fat continues to accumulate under the skin. It’s also more sensitive to changes in light, taste, and smell and its brain can now control breathing and body temperature. In the next few weeks, it will go down the uterus to get in the birthing position. The bones begin to harden and strengthen, however the skull is still soft. It is safe for a baby to be born in the 35th week because it is around the 35th and 36th week that the baby moves into the birthing canal, causing the mom discomfort when walking. Once the amniotic sac breaks (water breaks), the mother goes into labor. In an average time span of 16 hours, the mother will push the baby out her body and voila! A child is born.
A different path is taken for women who choose to have an abortion. When women choose to have an abortion, they end their pregnancy with either medications or surgical procedures. The medications all work in their own way, but the ultimate product is the loss of the fetus (baby). Abortion is often chosen by teenage mothers who aren’t ready to be parents or women who will not or cannot have a child in her life. Although there can be complications, having an abortion is safer than child birth.
However, is abortion murder? Some advocates against abortion argue you are killing a life, even if it is unborn yet. Prochoice advocates argue that precisely because it is unborn, it is not yet human and thus cannot be murder. Yet, when a pregnant woman is killed and so is the unborn child, the crime is a double-murder. Abortions usually occur in the first two trimesters. By the end of the first trimester, the fetus already has a developing heart, brain, and limbs. By the end of the second, its heart now beats, it has hearing ability, and moves around the uterus. A living human is defined as having a beating heart. The fetus’s heart beats during the time an abortion can still be preformed.
A fetus’s development is a long and arduous journey. A human is growing little by little in a women’s stomach. Abortion is a procedure that destroys that life. Yes, I do believe abortion is murder. If the fetus has a heart, then it is already considered a human, especially once that heart starts beating. The fetus can’t cry out or argue its rights but because it is a human child, it has the same rights as a 1 year-old infant or 99 year-old man. It is not a question of ethics; it is a question of if you were that unborn child would you have wanted to be aborted? Fight against abortion because a woman can choose, but a baby cannot.
Short Story-Alice
Alice Vanderbilt was born into a life of glamour and wealth. Her father was a New York Senator and her mother was the CEO of a successful department store. The family of three lived in renovated Victorian era mansion in upstate New York. From an early age Alice was spoiled and given everything her heart ever desired. She was involved in the most exclusive equestrian competitions and was a decorated rider. Her success as a rider mirrored her parents’ success. To outsiders, Alice appeared to have a perfect life; however that was far from the truth. Due to the travelling nature of her parents’ jobs, Alice was often left alone at home and in fact was mostly raised by her family’s nanny, Dorota.
Alice never had serious health problems except for the frequent headaches she endured every day. When she was 10 years old, she attended a social party hosted by her mother, which was a rare occurrence. Throughout the night Alice suffered her worst headache yet and began to hear random voices. Many things the voices said were directed towards her or her parents but there was also small talk that didn’t concern her, as if she were eavesdropping on various conversations. She realized she was listening to people’s thoughts. This continued for days until she finally couldn’t handle it and told her parents. Alice believed her parents would help her, but they were alarmed of their daughter’s condition and thought her to be crazy. They immediately sent her to an asylum and had her locked up there until she was cured or died, whichever came first.
Alice spent 6 miserable years at the asylum. The thin walls of the building allowed her to hear all the prisoners’ thoughts and she forced the guards to throw her into isolation where she could hear nothing due to the far distance from the main building. No one visited her except for the nurses who daily brought her food she did not eat and the doctors who came to check of she was still alive. Psychiatrist tried talking to her, but Alice knew what they thought of her and saw no reason why she should talk to them. After all, she wasn’t crazy. She soon began to learn how to control all the thoughts and how to listen in on one while shutting out all the rests. This allowed her to be moved back into the general population and have a bit more freedom. Her favorite thing to do was watch the sunsets because they reminded her of home. A part of her began to tell her she needed to escape and go back to her parents. One night she told the guard she really didn’t deserve to be locked up and surprisingly, he agreed! It was then that Alice realized that not only could she read people’s thoughts, she could also control them. That same night, Alice escaped the asylum and using her “powers of persuasion”, she made it back to her parents’ house.
As she was nearing the living room, Alice heard her parents having a conversation about her and her condition. She was excited to show her parents she wasn’t crazy, only gifted, when she heard a mutual thought between her parents that neither said aloud; “It was such a relief to have sent Alice away before rumors about her began and she ruined our lives.” Alice was completely devastated. She always thought her parents loved her but now she knew the truth. She stormed into the room and willed unimaginable pain into both her parents and they withered on the floor in agony. She didn’t touch them, nor did she use any weapons. She was only using her mind and the pain they felt was only mental. However, Alice increased the pain with every second and soon both of her parents’ hearts couldn’t handle the stress and they gave out. Satisfied, Alice went to grab the only things that mattered to her at the moment; her phone, her parents’ credit cards, and a gold necklace her father gave her. As silently as she walked in, she left the house leaving 2 cold bodies on the living room floor. There was no evidence that a crime occurred in the house, save for a brunette with glowing pink eyes hurriedly leaving the property.
Upon leaving her family’s house, Alice took the first plane to California to start a new life. She dyed her hair blonde and created a new identity for herself but she kept her name, the name her mother gave her 17 years ago. She wanted to put everything in the past and make herself believe never ever happened; she never had parents and thus they never sent her to an asylum for their own interests. She used her powers to get anything she needed so she never lived in poverty. She went out, shopped, and even socialized. However, she never let herself have a true friend, despite the fact that she knew when people were being sincere with her. To an outsider, she seemed to have a perfect life but as we know, looks can be deceiving.
Dogs and Cats
Cats and dogs, two very different companions and lifelong rivals. They have competed to win the title of “Best Pet” for years now and this biased writer has made her decision. I believe dogs truly are man’s best friend. They are loyal, fun, and will always stay by your side. When you are sad and can find no one to talk to, your dog will listen and be with you because the love having companions. Cats, on the other hand, are solitary animals. They prefer to be alone and will only come up to you when IT wants to be petted or had its head scratched. You can easily forget you have a cat because cats will leave the premises of your house and only come back for food. Dogs, however, thrive on your love and affection. They always want to play with you and spend time with you. I have never heard of walking a cat. Cats are also very temperamental animals and can turn on their owners if they annoy them enough. Dogs are vicious as well, yet they acknowledge their masters (owners) and would never dare to hurt them. They will protect the house and all their masters from any stranger or intruder. That is why they bark like mad when the mailman comes; they are not part of the family and the dog sees them as a threat. Cats are not good as protectors because they always choose themselves over families. This is why I believe dogs are better pets.
Formal and Informal Dressing
Dressing for a formal occasion is extremely different from dressing for an informal occasion. A formal occasion can mean anything from a ball, to prom, a party, or family gathering. You must look your best. If you are a girl, this often means you need a nice and respectable dress and for men, slacks and a nice shirt will often suffice. Jeans are best left for causal occasions. Women shouldn’t be overly exposed either because this can translate to being trashy, not sexy. The makeup should be nice and not overly done so as you look as if you belong at a Halloween party. Your clothes and makeup should emphasize your natural beauty. Men should be clean and their clothes ironed and presentable sloppiness is not allowed for formal dressing. When you’re dressing informally, you can wear whatever you like. Jeans, t-shirts, sweats, anything goes. The main goal is to be comfortable and confident in what you wear. Still, however, the women should not be showing too much skin. This is never a good look and no matter where you are, people will look down on you for it. The boys may be prone to sag their pants because that is what is “in style” right now, but this look is horrendous as well. The goal of informal dressing is to achieve a casual look and not a homeless, sloppy, or disorganized mess. People will still be looking at you and judging you and whether you like it or not, your clothes will help people make their first impressions about you.
Raw and Cooked foods
It can be astonishing to think that we can ever eat any raw foods but the reality is we eat many of our foods raw and anyways. Fruit, for example, is a food we eat raw all the time. Apples, oranges, grapes, and bananas are all foods that we just wash, peel, and eat. We do have the option to cook them, however, we oftentimes choose not to. Certain types of vegetables can also be eaten raw as well. Tomoatoes, avocados, cucumbers, and pickles are vegetables we eat raw on a daily basis. The other vegetables can also be eaten raw, such as broccoli, but most people like to cook or steam them so as to make them softer and easier to eat. Meats are foods that I would only eat cooked. I have heard that many upscale restaurants serve raw meat as one of their delicacies, however I prefer my meats well-done. I will, however, eat raw salmon. I have tried raw salmon with lemon and I will admit it is delicious. Yet, I hate sushi, which is raw fish. I will never understand how people can eat raw octopus, raw shark, and other types of raw seafood. All the seafood I eat, with the exception of salmon, must be cooked. This includes crab, lobster, and oysters. Our grains, such as bread, pasta, and tortillas are oftentimes cooked as well. We need to boil our pasta otherwise we are unable to eat it. We must heat up our tortillas but in order for them to be eatable, someone had to cook them too and bread is already cooked for us.
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