Friday, September 20, 2019
Instrumental And Integrative Motivation
Instrumental And Integrative Motivation Robert Gardner established a model of motivation in second language acquisition in 1985. The field of language teaching has been influenced for many years by the model which came from the studies of language immersion in Canada (Ehrman, 1996, p.139). The model describes two forms of motivation, instrumental and integrative. Instrumental motivation refers to learning to accomplish a task, such as passing a course, getting better pay, and so on (Ehrman, 1996, p.139). Integrative motivation refers to a favorable attitude toward the target language community, possibly a wish to integrate and adapt to a new target culture through use of the language (Gardner, 1985, p. 54). One of the Gardners main ideas is that the integrative motivation plays an important role in second language acquisition. It is directly and positively related to second language achievement. However, the Gardeners model has received lots of criticisms since it was published. The criticisms will be discussed in the foll owing. The model is criticized for overstating the importance of the integrative motive. Gardner simply used the candidates selection of integrative reasons over instrumental ones as evidence that integrative reasons have a higher level of motivational intensity (Gardner, 1985, p.53). Gardner found that the integrative motivation has an extremely high significance in his studies. Nevertheless, the instrumental orientation such as getting a job and passing an examination is also an important factor in second language learning. If learners with integrative motivation can achieve success since they are active in their learning, the same theory might be applicable to the learners with instrumental motivation. Instrumentally motivated learners may be successful since they are eager to learn to achieve their instrumental purposes. Integrative motivation is the central concept in the Gardners model. However, the support of the importance of the integrative motivation is not consistent. Some early studies did agree that integrative motivation was significant in second language learning (Gardner and Lambert, 1959) but some recent researches has shown that the instrumental motivation has an equal or better impact than the integrative motivation. In some cases, the integrative motivation is even considered as having a negative correlation with proficiency which in turn affecting the success of second language learning (Belmechri and Hummel, 1998; DÃ ¶rnyei, 1990). DÃ ¶rnyei (1990) suggested that instrumental motivation could be more important than integrative motivation for foreign language learners since foreign language learners are not likely to have sufficient knowledge and experience to take part in the culture of the people who speak the target language in their early stage of language learning. Integrative motivation may not play a significant role in the early stage of foreign language learners. The importance of different kinds of motivation can be different between second language learners and foreign language learners. Gardners emphasis on integrative motivation for language learning may not fit in all language learning situations (Schmidt, Boraie, and Kassabgy, 1999). The Gardners model have limited applicability for the learners who do not have frequent contact with the target language speakers since they have few opportunities to integrate with the speakers. There are many other factors contributing to the motivation of the learners who are far away from the target language speakers, such as instrumental motivation and knowledge orientation. Gardner should not overstate the importance of integrative motivation in all language learning situations. The significance of different types of motivation may vary from one to another language learning situations. Actually, integrative and instrumental motivations are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Brown (2000) stated that learners rarely select only one type of motivation when learning a second language. The motivation of learning a second language is usually a combination of different forms of orientations. He has cited an example of international students who are residents in the United States. The international students learn English for academic purposes while wishing to be integrated with the people and culture of the country at the same time. This example has clearly shown that integrative and instrumental motivations can mutually exist. In some cases, it is difficult to divide instrumental and integrative motivations. To conclude, the importance of instrumental motivation is being concerned more in the later studies while the significance of integrative motivation has continued to be emphasized. However, it is important to note that the instrumental motivation has only been regarded as an important factor in second language learning while integrative motivation is continually linked to the success of second language learning. Motivation is a significant contribution to second language learning achievement. Therefore, identifying the types and combinations of motivations is one of the keys to successful second language learning. At the same time, learners should be reminded that there are always other variables which can be unique to each language learner affecting the success of second language learning. References Belmechri, F., Hymmel, K. (1998). Orientations and motivation in the acquisition of English as a second language among high school students in Quebec City, Language Learning Brown, H.D. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching (4th ed.). Englewood Cliffs NJ: Prentice-Hall. DÃ ¶rnyei, Z. (1990). Conceptualizing motivation in foreign language learning. Language Learning Ehrman, E. (1996) Understanding Second Language Learning Difficulties. London: Sage Publications Gardner, R. C., Lambert, W. E. (1959). Motivational variables in second language acquisition. Canadian Journal of Psychology Gardner, R.C. (1985). Social psychology and language learning: The role of attitudes and motivation. London, Ontario: Edward Arnold. Schmidt, R., Boraie, D., Kassabgy, O. (1999). Foreign language motivation: Internal structure and external connections. In R. L. Oxford (Ed.), Language learning motivation: Pathways to the new century. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Grapes Of Wrath - Stereotyping :: essays research papers
Stereotyping and Its Effects Stereotyping, brought on by the existence of a class system, has many positive effects in John Steinbeckââ¬â¢s Grapes of Wrath. This class system, made up of migrants and affluent people, is present due to the fact that many of the affluent people stereotype the migrants as poor, uneducated, and easily agitated human beings. Thus, this sets a boundary between the educated individuals and migrants. At first, most migrants ignore the effects stereotyping has on them. But towards the end of their journeys to California, the migrantsââ¬â¢ rage that had been gradually building up inside lets out and the migrants take action. The effects are more positive as the migrants strive for an education, receive sympathy, and calmly deal with conflicts. Farm owners, successful businessmen, and generally all inhabitants of the Mid-West have a sense that all migrants are dumb, uneducated people in 1939. They lower wages for fruit-picking at farms which were the only jobs offered to the migrants because of their proposed lack of intelligence. But migrants do not necessarily choose not to educate themselves. Ma Joad announces to her family that she will send her two youngest children to school once they are settled. Connie, Rose of Sharonââ¬â¢s husband, also plans out his goals with Rose of Sharon saying, ââ¬Å"Anââ¬â¢ heââ¬â¢s [Connie] gonna study at home, maybe radio, so he can git to be an expert . . . â⬠The migrants have their mind already set on education and chose not to be ignorant all of their lives. Often in Grapes of Wrath, the affluent people stereotype the migrants as poor and penniless. As the Joads pull into the gas station, the attendant immediately asks, ââ¬Å"Got any money?â⬠He views the Joads as one of many poor, migrant families arriving to beg for some gas. But not all people who view migrants as poverty-stricken, hungry people see them in such a way. Mae, a waitress at one of the restaurants pities a family asking for bread and shows her compassion by letting the children have candy for much less than its worth. Instead of the anticipated let-down, the migrants receive pity from those with compassion and sympathy. Not only do affluent individuals see the migrants as uneducated and penniless, but also as easily agitated human beings. Because farm workers are afraid that these migrants may someday take over their farms, they try to make the migrantsââ¬â¢ stay more unwelcoming.
The Stereotypical Old-West Lawman :: Media Stereotypes Stereotyping
The Stereotypical Old-West Lawman Justice, duty, silence, wisdom, bravery, self-reliance, independence, respect; these are all characteristics of the old-west lawman. Matt Dillon, marshal of Dodge City, is just such a lawman. His sense of justice, duty, and wisdom epitomize the stereotypical old-west hero. In the episode entitled Fawn, Marshal Dillon is charged with a woman that escaped an Indian camp. She is accompanied by a young Indian girl. They are in Dodge till the womans husband arrives fetch her. While the woman is waiting for her husband a man comes to speak to her. He accepts her and the little girl. When the husband arrives he wants the girl to go to a reservation, but the woman refuses to let her go. The husband divorces the woman and goes back east. The woman must run with the little girl because the government wants to put the little girl on a reservation. Marshal Dillon arranges for the man that spoke to the woman earlier to take both the woman and the little girl away with him. This saves the little girl. Throughout the episode Marshal Dillon defends the woman, because he thinks she and the little girl are treated unjustly. In the episode entitled How to Kill a Friend, a pair of gamblers come to town. They try to bribe Marshal Dillon, but he refuses to take their bribe. Later, someone shoots at the marshal as a scare tactic. He figures out that the gamblers shot at him and he runs them out of town. Usually such men move on to another town and dont return; but these men returned. This time they brought a gunman to keep Dillon in check. The gunman turns out to be an old friend of the marshal. He tries to convince his friend to leave, but the man has turned bad and refuses. Eventually they get into a confrontation. In the process, Dillon shoots and kills his friend. Though he is saddened that he killed his friend, he had to do his duty. He had done his best to dissuade his friend, but had to fulfill his duty. In the episode How to Die for Nothing, a bunch of cowboys from Texas come into town. One of them is drunk and when the marshal tries to take away his gun, he tries to shoot Dillon. Dillon had to shoot the cowboy and he ended up dying.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
True American Essay examples -- Ethnicity Personal Narrative Citizensh
True American To be a true American, some people think that a person has to agree with everything our government says, right or wrong. My belief is that, to be a true American one must strive to make this country a better place. A place that can be respected and looked up to by the rest of the world, rather than shunned and feared as it is today. To say that I am only interested in one specific social issue would be a lie. One person focusing on one problem will not make an impact. Being socially conscious is a big part of my life. I feel guilty when my life becomes stagnant, and I dont have any goals or concerns. Under the conformity of my button-down shirt and tie, I am wearing an American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, t-shirt. It reads: Justice, Equality, Education, Involvement", all things I stand for and strongly support. There are so many problems in this country that can't be ignored, some so complicated, I doubt they will ever be solved in my time on this earth. I've heard over and over that, "Every journey begins with the first step", and the fact that there are people out there like me trying to deal with problems other people create out of hatred, greed, or sheer stupidity, makes the world a better place. Some of the most important issues in my eyes are: poverty in the United States, racial equality, and nationalism. The best way I have found to deal with these problems is through writing. I live in a very diverse neighborhood where I am exposed to dif...
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Human Rights Essay
In the bible it says being a homosexual or transgender is a sin and therefore isnââ¬â¢t permitted into heaven. People make signs saying ââ¬Å"GOD HATES FAGSâ⬠, ââ¬Å"FAGS ARE WORTHY OF DEATHâ⬠, yet it also says in the bible god loves everyone, sinner or not. Our society has created this propaganda that homosexuals and transsexuals are horrible people and should be eliminated. This is biased. Now hereââ¬â¢s a question. Have we ever stop and thought about how they feel about all this hatred and isolation towards them? They didnââ¬â¢t wake up one day and decided to be gay or dress like the opposite sex they are.In the year of 1998 a major hate crime case set in, the Matthew Shepard trial. Matthew Wayne Shepard, An openly gay American student at the University of Wyoming, was tortured and killed near Laramie, Wyoming on October 1998, only 21 years old. He was attacked on the night of October 6-7 and died five days later, October 12th. Matthew lived a life outside of the sexual norm of our society. As a result of this he was brutally murdered. This case commenced major public reaction all around the world and opened thousands of eyes.This case angered the homosexual societies. Most importantly battered Matthewââ¬â¢s family and changed their lives forever. Matthewsââ¬â¢s journey began on December 1st, 1976. He was born to Judy and Dennis Shepard in Casper, Wyoming. Matthewââ¬â¢s father described him as an optimistic and excepting young man. Matthew could relate to almost everyone. He was very approachable, or easy to talk to, always was up for a new challenge, made friends easily, and he had a great passion for equality and always defended peopleââ¬â¢s differences.Throughout his life, he was always moving schools and traveling. With that being said his experiences fueled his love for traveling and gave him the chance to socialize where ever he went. Matthew had friends all around the world who loved and cared for him. He was a good ki d, didnââ¬â¢t bother anyone, was always friendly, and willing to give a helping hand. That all changed unfortunately while Matthew was on a high school trip in Morocco, he was raped. This caused him to have depression and panic attacks.When he came back from the trip his mother Judy Shepard took him back to Casper, Wyoming. Once back home he was required to take pills for his panic attacks. Matthew then went back to college, but didnââ¬â¢t stay in Casper for long. While in college he met Romaine Patterson and became really good friends with her. They both decide they would transfer to a different college in Laramie. Matthew struggled once he went to Laramie. He lived in the most dangerous part of town, where people didnââ¬â¢t accepted ââ¬Å"gaysâ⬠and his depression took over. Matthew started to do drugs.It took him a while to dig his way out of this hole he made himself but with the help of Romaine and his parents he made it. Went back to school again and became a fi rst year political science major at the University of Wyoming, in Laramie. One night on October 6 of 1998 he decided he would go to Laramie and get a drink, on his lonesome. He arrived at the fireside lounge. Sitting at the bar alone, just him and his beer, but he had a sudden urge to look over at the pool tables and notices two guys looking at him, quickly he looks away minding his own business.Again he makes eye contact with the two guys, Then goes walking off to the bathroom, as heââ¬â¢s walking away both guys mumble something to each other and follow Matthew. Heââ¬â¢s washing his hands when both guys walk in. thereââ¬â¢s no paper towels to dry his hands in and thatââ¬â¢s when Russell Henderson give Matthew some paper towels and says that they are both gay as well. A sigh of relief for Matthew, They continue to speak and Matthew within a few sentences began to trust them, and eventually asked for a ride home.At the bar Aaron and Russell planned to only rob Shepard, bu t during the trial Aaron Mckinney said as they weââ¬â¢re driving Shepard home Shepard was rubbing his leg and grabbing his genital areas, thus Matthews actions, that is what supposedly caused Aaron to break out and beat Matthew. Mr. Mckinney says that he hit Matthew about 6 times on the head while they weââ¬â¢re driving not to his house but to a remote area. Then once arrived to this place Russell then tied Matthew to a fence, that is when Mr. Mckinney pistol whipped, punched, and kicked Matthew one to many times to the back of his head.Once the job was done, both men left the scene. Eighteen hours later Matthew still alive was found by Aaron Kreifels who mistook Matthew for a scarecrow. Matthewââ¬â¢s face was covered in blood; the only clear spots on his face were the tear drops going down his face. Matt hadn't actually been tied like a scarecrow: when he was approached first by the mountain biker, Aaron Kreifels, and then by Reggie Fluty, the sheriff's deputy who answered Kreifels's emergency call, Matt lay on his back, head propped against the fence, legs outstretched. His hands were lashed behind him and tied barely four inches off the ground to a fencepost.He was then taking to Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie, then to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins. Shepard suffered a fracture from the back of his head to the front of his right ear. He had severe brain stem damage, which affected his body's ability to regulate heart rate, body temperature and other vital signs. There were also about a dozen small lacerations around his head, face and neck. His injuries were deemed too severe for doctors to operate. Shepard never regained consciousness and remained on full life support.Matt died at 12:53 A. M.à on October 12, 1998, at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins. Matthew was brutally murdered, and was given no second chance. No one heard his screams, his cries; no one was there to comfort him, he didnââ¬â¢t get to see his family or say good bye to loved ones, no one knew where he went or where he was going, he was gone and no one knew. Just like in Night by Elie Wiesel, no one heard his cries just like Matthew, although he had his father with him, he still felt alone; slowly his soul was beginning to die, just like Matthew slowly died those last five days in the hospital.No one deserves to die by being tortured, and treated as if they were nothing. The life and death of Matthew Shepard changed the way we talk about, and deal with, hate in America. Since his death, Mattââ¬â¢s legacy has challenged and inspired millions of individuals to erase hate in all its forms. Although Mattââ¬â¢s life was short, his story continues to have a great impact on young and old alike. His legacy lives on in thousands of people who actively fight to replace hate with understanding, compassion, and acceptance.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Historical Investigation Essay
ââ¬Å"Assess the impact of the period from 1969 ââ¬â 1982 on the IRA/Sinn Fein and their development into a significant political force in Northern Irelandâ⬠ââ¬Å"Assess the impact of the period from 1969 ââ¬â 1982 on the IRA/Sinn Fein and their development into a significant political force in Northern Irelandâ⬠During the period from 1969-1982 both the IRA and Sinn Fein underwent significant change. Sinn Fein moved from a fringe role, in the nationalist movement of Northern Ireland, to a dominant political position. During a time of intense violence in the region an internal discussion was taking place, deliberating on the value of armed resistance versus political engagement. The ideals that rose out of this transformed the movement and laid the basis for the central role it would play in the eventual Good Friday Agreement of 1998. The re-emergence of the nationalist movement led to the rise and resurrection of groups such as the IRA. Naturally this caused much tension, and incidences of violence began to rise. Acts of exceptional protest showed the incomparable power of politics over violence and led to international recognition of the issue. Ultimately Sinn Fein developed into one of the most powerful political forces in Northern Ireland. After years in the dark the nationalist movement began to rapidly gain momentum when the Belfast Troubles began in 1969. The IRA had been deeply divided since 1921 when Dail Eireann chose to ratify the Anglo- Irish treaty. The treaty established the autonomous Irish Free State whilst the province of Ulster remained under the direct control of the United Kingdom. Despite the fact that IRA member Michael Collins had played a role in writing the treaty there was still a major difference of opinion between members of the IRA.1 They were divided between those who were for the establishment of the Free State and those who believed it was illegitimate and illegal. The Split over the treaty led to the Irish Civil War from 1922-3. Many of the opposing leaders had been close friends and comrades during the Irish War of Independence. The civil war split the IRA and this rift would continue to haunt Irish politics for many years to come. In the 1960ââ¬â¢s the IRA was further marginalised as it came under the influence of left wing thinkers. This caused a split between the factions of the IRA based in Dublin and Belfast.2 In 1969 the wounds of old were once stirred again when Northern Ireland was rocked by bloody sectarian rioting. The bloodiest rioting was in Belfast where seven people were killed and hundreds injured.3 Violence escalated sharply after these events and new paramilitary groups came into existence on either side of the conflict. The Provisional IRA received an upsurge in membership. It was from here that ââ¬ËThe Troubles,ââ¬â¢ one of the most infamous periods in Irish history began. The violence was characterised by armed campaigns of paramilitary groups. Conflict hit the streets and many innocent people were often attacked. Alongside the violence there was deadlock between the major political parties of Northern Ireland over how the province would be administered and governed. 1972 saw an explosion of political violence in Northern Ireland in which many people lost their lives. The nationalist community saw the Provisional IRA as their defenders, who began an armed campaign in reaction to loyalist provoked violence. During this period the party Sinn Fein had no interest in electoral politics.4 They voiced the need for military opposition to British rule in Northern Ireland. They gained control of the Republican movement and began to focus on flooding nationalist propaganda throughout Northern Ireland. Membership began to skyrocket as anti-British sentiment ran rife. The Republican political party Sinn Fein built the foundations for a movement which in ten years would expand to have branches in every town in Ireland. Atrocities by loyalists and British forces themselves were used to justify the IRA as a movement and inspired many to stand up and fight for the cause they all believed in. On 30 January 19725 in the city of Derry, Northern Ireland border, perhaps one of the largest single atrocities of the ââ¬ËTroublesââ¬â¢ period occurred. During a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march in the bogside area of the city members of the 1st Battalion of the British Parachute regiment opened fire on many unarmed protestors. Twenty seven people are known to have been shot and fourteen of those were killed with at least five of the latter confirmed as being shot in the back. 6 Witnesses, including bystanders and British journalists, testify that all those shot appeared to be unarmed. Many individual atrocities occurred that day witnessed by hundreds of people. Eye witness Michael McCallion testified that ââ¬Å"A fellow came out with a white flag, no sooner had he done this when the middle of three British soldiers pulled the trigger and shot him through the headâ⬠¦.I have witnessed this as God is my judge and I say that it was cold blooded murder.â⬠7 Testimonies such as this confirm the extreme acts of violence the British committed unnecessarily on that day. One paratrooper who gave evidence testified that they were told by an officer to expect a gunfight and ââ¬Å"we want some kills.â⬠8 The reason for the uproar over such killings was the British soldiers were essentially not an occupying force but a measure of peace between nationalist and loyalist paramilitary groups. As Catholic Bishop of Derry Edward Daly commented ââ¬Å"What really made Bloody Sunday so obscene was the fact that afterwards at the highest level British justice justified it.â⬠9 Acts such as this by official British forces reaffirmed the belief of many that the British Government was still the real enemy and behind the problems that continued in Northern Ireland. This justified the cause of the nationalist movement and subsequently the IRA and Sinn Fein as well. Both organisations had now developed a strong following throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland. Whilst such occurrences did cause much suffering and pain they proved useful to both the IRA and Sinn Fein in acquiring widespread support for the movement. Sinn Fein and the IRA were not officially linked but both strived for the same goal. The Provisional Irish Republican Army was a paramilitary organisation that considered itself a direct continuation of the IRA that had fought in the Irish war of Independence.10 Its stated objective was to end British rule in Ireland and withdraw Northern Irelands status as part of the United Kingdom. The Provisionals advocated for armed defence of Catholic communities in the north and an offensive campaign to end British rule. As the violence in Northern Ireland steadily increased the IRA began to call for a more aggressive campaign against British loyalists. Sinn Fein was a political party of the Republican movement. It was formed in 1970 but has traces back to the original party founded in 1905.11 The party is believed to be directly associated with the IRA. Both Sinn Fein and the IRA played different but converging roles in the war for liberation. Whilst the movements were not officially linked it was widely thought that they were different faces of the same movement. In 2005 the British Government stated ââ¬Å"We had always said all the way through that we believed the IRA and Sinn Fein were inextricably linked and that had obvious implications at leadership level.â⬠12 Throughout the early seventies there was much internal argument between factions of the IRA and Sinn Fein over whether their movementââ¬â¢s primary role should chiefly military or political, although both groups viewed Britain as a colonial occupier and therefore viewed the political process as illegal. Until 1973 Sinn Fein had little interest in politics as the party was still deemed illegal by the British Government. Political activity began in 1973 when Sinn Fein opened the Republican press centre on Falls Road. In 1973 the first attempt at negotiations to resolve the situation led to the Sunningdale Agreement, which devised a power sharing system in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Although this did no include Sinn Fein and quickly collapsed under pressure from loyalist strikes.13 In May 1974 British secretary of State Merlyn Rees legalised Sinn Fein as a political party.14 This was perhaps the beginning of tacit recognition by the British Government that negotiations were only meaningful if they were directly with the IRA. Whilst local politicians such as John Hume, of the Nationalist Party, were respected they did not command enough power to have any effect. Secret meetings between Provisional IRA leaders Ruairi Oââ¬â¢Bradaigh and Billy McKee with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Merlyn Rees resulted in a ceasefire which began in February 1975.15 The truce proved to be disastrous for the IRA; leading to infiltration by many British informers into their ranks. After a build up of tensions and a series of sectarian killings the ceasefire broke down in January 1976.16 It was clear that the original aims of the IRA leadership for a quick military victory were receding. It was acts of violence by British authorities that justified the military side of the movement and ensured tensions would continue for years to come. As Sinn Fein began to move into the political process so did many former revolutionaries and IRA members. One such person was Gerry Adams; after being in prison for alleged IRA membership17 he turned himself in a new direction a moved towards the political process. In 1978 he was elected as the vice president of Sinn Fein. This most likely came as a result of the realisation by many senior figures that it was becoming more and more unlikely that a military victory could be achieved. Whilst significant events such as Bloody Sunday lead to anti-British sentiment to sky rocket many turned away from violence and embraced the political system. Protests by a number of imprisoned IRA members in Long Kesh gaol showed the power of political tactics, leading to the dominance of Sinn Fein as a political force. The 1981 hunger strike was the climax of a five year protest by Republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest originally began in 197618 when the British Government removed its special category status for convicted paramilitary prisoners. This status had provided them with Prisoner of War privileges as specified in the Geneva Convention.19 Prisoners did not have to wear prison uniforms, do prison work and were allowed to be housed within their own paramilitary factions. They were also entitled to receive extra food parcels and have extra visits. When these rights were removed by the British Government, as recommended by the Gardiner Committee20, the prisoners began a protest to gain them back. It started with a blanket protest in which prisoners refused to wear uniforms but instead wrapped themselves in prison blan kets; they stated that they were not criminals but political prisoners. In 197821 the dispute escalated into a dirty protest in which prisoners refused to wash and covered their cell walls with excrement. In 1980 the first hunger strike took place but to no avail ending after 53 days.22 The second strike in 1981 is perhaps one of the best know instances of protest throughout the campaign. The strike was lead by former IRA Officer Commanding in the prison, Bobby Sands.23 At the beginning of the strike there was little progress and it didnââ¬â¢t receive much outside support. But after five days the strike received a much needed boost; the Independent Republican MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone died and a by-election was called to appoint his replacement. It was decided that Bobby Sands would stand against the Ulster Unionist Party candidate Harry West.24 On 9 April 1981 Sands won a narrow victory and was elected to the British House of Commons.25 The victory attracted worldwide attention and thousands of media personnel descended on Belfast. On the six ty sixth day of the hunger strikes, May 5, Sands died causing riots across Northern Ireland. One hundred thousand people lined the route of his funeral a few days later.26 In the weeks after Sands death three more hunger strikers died,27 and another by-election had to be held for the seat of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Due to the fact that the British Government had rushed through the Representation of the People Act,28 which meant prisoners serving more than one year could not run for parliament, so Sandsââ¬â¢ election agent Owen Carron had to run instead. He claimed a similar victory gaining a larger percentage of the votes. The success of hunger strike created a firm platform for Irish republicanism and paved the way for the formal entry of Sinn Fein into electoral politics the following year. It was also around this period that the British Government began reforming its policies in relation to the IRA and Sinn Fein. They now viewed Sinn Fein as a legitimate political movement who would be included in official negotiations. The achievements of the hunger strikers proved the power of political activism as opposed to violence; they also exposed the falseness of the British Governments claim that the Republican movement had no support. The events of 1969-82 transformed the Republican movement from a violence orientated force to a significant political force. As Sinn Fein began to grow as a political force the IRA slowly, and with considerable internal difficulties, changed its ways. This eventually paved the way for an official ceasefire in 1994. Their agreement to decommission their weapons meant that Sinn Fein was allowed to come to the negotiation table and play a significant role in the Good Friday agreement of 1998. That agreement resulted in a devolved power sharing structure of self government for Northern Ireland, whilst it still remained within the United Kingdom.29 In 2007 Martin McGuiness of Sinn Fein was appointed deputy first minister and held equal power alongside Ian Paisely of the DUP in the Northern Ireland Assembly Government.30 From the split in the nationalist movement in 1969 to its reemergence throughout the seventies, alongside the IRA, there was much change. Events such as Bloody Sunday increased the military overtone of the movement but ultimately peaceful political power prevailed. Acts such as the 1981 hunger strike proved the power of political protest as compared to violence. Ultimately Sinn Fein grew into a legitimate political party and as of 2009 they became the largest party in Northern Ireland following European Parliamentary elections.31 _______________________________________________________ Bibliography Literary Sources English, Richard (2003), Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA, Pan Books, Stuttgart, Germany ________________________________________________________________________ Geraghty, Tony (2000), The Irish War: The Hidden Conflict Between the IRA and British Intelligence, The Johns Hopkins University Press, Maryland, USA ________________________________________________________________________ Hastings, Max (1970), Ulster 1969 ââ¬â The Fight for Civil Rights in Northern Ireland, Victor Gollancz LTD, London, United Kingdom ________________________________________________________________________ McEvoy, Kieran (2001), Paramilitary Imprisonment in Northern Ireland: Resistance, Management, and Release, Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom ________________________________________________________________________ Moloney, Ed (2002), A Secret History of the IRA, Penguin Books, New Jersey, USA ________________________________________________________________________ Mullan, Don (1997), Eyewitness Bloody Sunday ââ¬â The Truth, Wolfhound Press, Dublin, Ireland ________________________________________________________________________ Oââ¬â¢Brien, Brendan (1995), the Long War, the IRA and Sinn Fein, Syracuse University Press, New York, USA ________________________________________________________________________ Electronic Sources BBC (2009), on this day ââ¬â 9 Decmeber1973 (online), BBC, London, United Kingdom. Available from http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/9/newsid_2536000/2536767.stm (Accessed 26 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ BBC (2009), Profile: Martin McGuinness (online), BBC, London, United Kingdom. Available from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/1303355.stm (Accessed 29 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ CAIN Web Service (2009), A chronology of the conflict (online), University of Ulster, Belfast, United Kingdom. Available from http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch76.htm (Accessed 27 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ Lord Gardiner (1975), Report of a Committee to consider, in the context of civil liberties and human rights, measures to deal with terrorism in Northern Ireland ââ¬â Extract (online), University of Ulster, Belfast, United Kingdom. Available from http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/hmso/gardiner.htm#1 (Accessed July 28 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ McClean, Raymond, The Road to Bloody Sunday ââ¬â Extracts (online), University of Ulster, Belfast, United Kingdom. Available from http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/bsunday/mcclean.htm (Accessed 28 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ National Archives of Ireland (no date), Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Series: text of the Anglo-Irish Treaty (online), Irish Government, Dublin, Ireland, Available from http://www.nationalarchives.ie/topics/anglo_irish/dfaexhib2.html (Accessed 1 August 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ Prime Ministers Office (2005), Briefing from the Prime Ministerââ¬â¢s Official Spokesman on: Anti Terror Law, President Bush/EU, Foreign Doctors in NHS, Hunting and Northern Ireland (online), British Government, London, United Kingdom, Available from http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page7148 (Accessed 29 July 20090 ________________________________________________________________________ Sinn Fein Official Website (2009), History made ââ¬â Sinn Fein is now the largest party in the six counties (online), Belfast, United Kingdom, Available from http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/16580 (Accessed 29 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ University College Cork (2009), Multitext project in Irish History ââ¬â Movements for Political and Social Reform, 1870 ââ¬â 1914 (online), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, Available from http://multitext.ucc.ie/d/Ireland_politics__administration_1870-1914#12TheFirstSinnFeacuteinParty> (Accessed 25 July 2009) ________________________________________________________________________ 1 National Archives of Ireland, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Series: text of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, n.d, (1 August 2009) 2 Moloney, Ed (2002), A Secret History of the IRA, Penguin Books. p. 246 3 English, Richard (2003), Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA, Pan Books. p. 136 4 Oââ¬â¢Brien, Brendan, the Long War, the IRA and Sinn Fein (1995) 5 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA. p. 80 6 McClean, Raymond, The Road to Bloody Sunday ââ¬â Extracts, 1997, < http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/bsunday/mcclean.htm> (28 July 2009) 7 Mullan, Don, Eyewitness Bloody Sunday ââ¬â The Truth, Wolfhound Press 8 Geraghty, Tony, The Irish War: The Hidden Conflict Between the IRA and British Intelligence, unknown p. 65 9 Mullan, Don, Eyewitness Bloody Sunday ââ¬â The Truth 10 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA. p. 432 11 University College Cork, Multitext project in Irish History ââ¬â Movements for Political and Social Reform, 1870 ââ¬â 1914, 2009, < http://multitext.ucc.ie/d/Ireland_politics__administration_1870-1914#12TheFirstSinnFeacuteinParty> (25 July 2009) 12 Prime Ministers Office, Briefing from the Prime Ministerââ¬â¢s Official Spokesman on: Anti Terror Law, President Bush/EU, Foreign Doctors in NHS, Hunting and Northern Ireland, 21 February 2005, < http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page7148> 13 BBC, On this day ââ¬â 9 Decmeber1973, 2009, < http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/9/newsid_2536000/2536767.stm> (26 July 2009) 14 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA 15 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA 16 English, Richard, Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA, p. 136 17 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA p. 140. 18 McClean, Raymond, The Road to Bloody Sunday ââ¬â Extracts 19 McEvoy, Kieran, Paramilitary Imprisonment in Northern Ireland: Resistance, Management, and Release, Oxford University Press 20 Lord Gardiner, Report of a Committee to consider, in the context of civil liberties and human rights, measures to deal with terrorism in Northern Ireland ââ¬â Extract, 1975, < http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/hmso/gardiner.htm#1> (July 28 2009) 21 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict, 2009, < http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch76.htm> (27 July 2009) 22 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 23 English, Richard, Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA p. 196 24 Moloney, Ed, A Secret History of the IRA p. 211 25 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 26 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 27 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 28 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 29 CAIN Web Service, A chronology of the conflict 30 BBC, Profile: Martin McGuinness, 2009, < http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/1303355.stm> (29 July 2009) 31 Sinn Fein Online, History made ââ¬â Sinn Fein is now the largest party in the six counties, 2009, < http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/16580> (29 July 2009)
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Nonfiction Piece
Essay ProposalThis piece draws a portrait of a stranger in a coffee shop. Offering a kind of weekly enigma to me, she has come to represent the constant allure of mystery in the seemingly trivial. This essay focuses on that enigma, and the possible answers I have for them.I start the essay with a snapshot of what this woman is. What does she look like? What does she do? In giving a descriptive appraisal at the beginning, I lay the foundation of the mystery. I note her gestures ââ¬â the faint inclination of her head when she looks at her watch, the expectation apparent on her face when someone walks through the door, and the inevitable disappointment almost every time ââ¬â and raise the question that would bring us closer to ââ¬Å"solvingâ⬠her mystery: Why? Why does she look the way she does? Why does she act this way? Why is she there? In this part of the essay, I create the mythos I have woven about her through the answers to these questions.In this essay, I depict he r as I see her ââ¬â the woman waiting. Because of the questions she has raised in me, I have assigned her an identity.à This essay presents her as what she seems to be, and then seeks to go further, bringing both reader and author along for a venture into who she is, or at least, what she might be. In writing this, I thrust the philosophy that everyone really has a story. The natural inclination of the curious man is to find out. And if one cannot know, then you can always let your imagination run free.Literary Nonfiction EssayThere she is again, alone in the table at the far corner. Today, she has brought books with her: sonnets by Pablo Neruda, a creative writing textbook, and a discredited memoir. The book of poetry has been opened, and rests on her lap. A notebook, bound in leather, lies open on the table. A pen rests on the stark whiteness of the pages. She is looking at none of these. She smokes bent cigarettes every five minutes or so. She drinks her coffee as she glanc es at the door, trying not to look as if she were truly alone ââ¬â that by looking at the doorway once in a while, she can pretend (and the world with her) that someone is coming to meet her.à Her cellphone, too, lies open. She takes a bite from her slice of lemon cake. The phone's screen remains dark, no matter how long she stares at it.Outside it is raining.She looks up, scans the crowd, most of whom are oblivious of her presence. I cannot be. I have known her for far too long. No, I do not know her name, and I do not think I will ever ask. But I have seen her so many times before, her presence is more familiar than a strangerââ¬â¢s should be. Today, I have positioned myself only two tables away from her. Because I know I can never march up to her and demand what she is, I content myself with absorbing everything I can of her. I have sat closer to her today. I cannot help this fascination. I simply want to know.Her gaze finally rests beyond me, towards the door. I see her face more clearly than I ever have before, after all these weeks. Oval, and wan ââ¬â her forehead is high, her eyes wide and dark. It is not a delicate face, for perhaps the prolonged sadness has seeped into her bones that her face has toughened, has become stronger. Her cheeks jut out and her lips are thin and pale. Her mouth is arranged into its usual tightness. She sighs when the door opens, then closes, and turns away. She looks at her watch. She sighs once more, leafs through the open book of poetry.When will she realize that she is the only woman in a cafe of lovers? Or has she always known? She has one mug all to herself, the others have to share. One cup of coffee, one white porcelain rim, for two bleeding mouths of bleeding hearts.à Inevitably, I think of the possibility of the reluctant lover. Every week, I see her here, always alone. I have never seen her leave with someone. I have never seen anyone, man or woman, stride over to her table, hold her hand, to lead he r outside.Perhaps she has waited with the smallest of hopes that soon, someone would come to end the waiting. But perhaps the reluctant lover roams now the asphalt streets, in a suit and tie, a briefcase hanging from one hand as though it is an extension of his body. And this woman, with her poems and novels and empty notebooks ââ¬â she is here, waiting, being watched by a person who has seen enough of her to realize that she is waiting.à Another woman ââ¬â more of a girl, really ââ¬â is at another corner. But she smokes her cigarette with the ease of one who knows that someone will meet her. Soon she will be gone and this woman, this woman, would light another cigarette and turn another page of one the books she has brought.I see her cellphone buzz, vibrating on the surface of the table. She twitches, then snatches it. Her eyes run over the illuminated screen, taking in the message quickly. Then, her lip curls, and she tosses her cellphone back to the table.Has she be en told that she has to wait longer?She returns to her book but her gaze is blanker now. This book she has been reading has quite possibly turned out to be a chore and all too soon, the words blur until they are white. There is too much of her coffee, and the crystal grains of sugar have refused to melt. The lemon cake crumbles. Even her cigarette offends her, and she puts it out, only half-consumed.à With her, this woman, her waiting ââ¬â things pale and darken at the same time. Knowing these things are just distractions, something to pass the time that just seems to crawl slower and slower that it sometimes falls still: the coffee cannot be finished, the cigarette doesnââ¬â¢t burn, the page goes on and on and on. Something has cloaked her ââ¬â is it the knowledge that all these are things she'd rather not be doing? Shouldn't be doing in the first place?She must finish her coffee, and only crumbs should be left on her plate. The book, open on her lap, can be replaced. There are two other books in her bag, and she takes them out: poetry speaking of a requited waiting.à She must think now: all this talk about unrequited love, when poetry should be made about unrequited patience: waiting for the phone to vibrate, waiting for the crumbs to settle, waiting for the coffee mug to empty, waiting for the cigarette to turn into ash, waiting for the books to turn to the last page, waiting for the rain to stop, waiting for the clock to strike ten, waiting for someone to come through the door with the spaciest of smiles just for her. Waiting, waiting, waiting.If she wrote ââ¬â and I have feeling that she does, in spite of the blankness of her notebook now ââ¬â how many times has she written about women like her?à She looks at her watch. Her phone vibrates one more. Listless, she picks it up, punches at the buttons. In but moments, her face clears, she sags in her chair. She is starting to smile.à I wonder then: the reluctant lover (but only in h er mind, only when they are not together.) Has the un-reluctant lover tells her that he is near? Would Neruda, then, glow again?Because she is a woman who waits diligently albeit unwillingly, week after week, later, she will be disgusted with how much everything makes sense now. Even waiting in a parked car, while errands are run, will make her smile. The rain will fall harder. The drops will be opaque against the windshield and yet it shall leave shadows on her jeans.Oh, that smile.And she will think: Everything should be a familiar novelty, a novel familiarity. Yes, even waiting for him to come back with a bag or two of bread, while a Japanese love song drifts from the radio. She will think the song talks of a fulfilled longing, of a waiting ended.à But now, she is still waiting. But now she is sure that someone shall come for her.à She looks at me, sees me watching her. The smile she gives me is fleeting, the token nicety for strangers who stare too long at you. I smile back at her.She looks at the doorway, but it seems more out of habit, than anticipation.One last look, then it is time for me to go. Nonfiction Piece Essay ProposalThis piece draws a portrait of a stranger in a coffee shop. Offering a kind of weekly enigma to me, she has come to represent the constant allure of mystery in the seemingly trivial. This essay focuses on that enigma, and the possible answers I have for them.I start the essay with a snapshot of what this woman is. What does she look like? What does she do? In giving a descriptive appraisal at the beginning, I lay the foundation of the mystery. I note her gestures ââ¬â the faint inclination of her head when she looks at her watch, the expectation apparent on her face when someone walks through the door, and the inevitable disappointment almost every time ââ¬â and raise the question that would bring us closer to ââ¬Å"solvingâ⬠her mystery: Why? Why does she look the way she does? Why does she act this way? Why is she there? In this part of the essay, I create the mythos I have woven about her through the answers to these questions.In this essay, I depict he r as I see her ââ¬â the woman waiting. Because of the questions she has raised in me, I have assigned her an identity.This essay presents her as what she seems to be, and then seeks to go further, bringing both reader and author along for a venture into who she is, or at least, what she might be. In writing this, I thrust the philosophy that everyone really has a story. The natural inclination of the curious man is to find out. And if one cannot know, then you can always let your imagination run free.Literary Nonfiction EssayThere she is again, alone in the table at the far corner. Today, she has brought books with her: sonnets by Pablo Neruda, a creative writing textbook, and a discredited memoir. The book of poetry has been opened, and rests on her lap. A notebook, bound in leather, lies open on the table. A pen rests on the stark whiteness of the pages. She is looking at none of these. She smokes bent cigarettes every five minutes or so. She drinks her coffee as she glances a t the door, trying not to look as if she were truly alone ââ¬â that by looking at the doorway once in a while, she can pretend (and the world with her) that someone is coming to meet her.Her cellphone, too, lies open. She takes a bite from her slice of lemon cake. The phone's screen remains dark, no matter how long she stares at it.Outside it is raining.She looks up, scans the crowd, most of whom are oblivious of her presence. I cannot be. I have known her for far too long. No, I do not know her name, and I do not think I will ever ask. But I have seen her so many times before, her presence is more familiar than a strangerââ¬â¢s should be. Today, I have positioned myself only two tables away from her. Because I know I can never march up to her and demand what she is, I content myself with absorbing everything I can of her. I have sat closer to her today. I cannot help this fascination. I simply want to know.Her gaze finally rests beyond me, towards the door. I see her face mo re clearly than I ever have before, after all these weeks. Oval, and wan ââ¬â her forehead is high, her eyes wide and dark. It is not a delicate face, for perhaps the prolonged sadness has seeped into her bones that her face has toughened, has become stronger. Her cheeks jut out and her lips are thin and pale. Her mouth is arranged into its usual tightness. She sighs when the door opens, then closes, and turns away. She looks at her watch. She sighs once more, leafs through the open book of poetry.When will she realize that she is the only woman in a cafe of lovers? Or has she always known? She has one mug all to herself, the others have to share. One cup of coffee, one white porcelain rim, for two bleeding mouths of bleeding hearts.Inevitably, I think of the possibility of the reluctant lover. Every week, I see her here, always alone. I have never seen her leave with someone. I have never seen anyone, man or woman, stride over to her table, hold her hand, to lead her outside.Pe rhaps she has waited with the smallest of hopes that soon, someone would come to end the waiting. But perhaps the reluctant lover roams now the asphalt streets, in a suit and tie, a briefcase hanging from one hand as though it is an extension of his body. And this woman, with her poems and novels and empty notebooks ââ¬â she is here, waiting, being watched by a person who has seen enough of her to realize that she is waiting.Another woman ââ¬â more of a girl, really ââ¬â is at another corner. But she smokes her cigarette with the ease of one who knows that someone will meet her. Soon she will be gone and this woman, this woman, would light another cigarette and turn another page of one the books she has brought.I see her cellphone buzz, vibrating on the surface of the table. She twitches, then snatches it. Her eyes run over the illuminated screen, taking in the message quickly. Then, her lip curls, and she tosses her cellphone back to the table.Has she been told that she has to wait longer?She returns to her book but her gaze is blanker now. This book she has been reading has quite possibly turned out to be a chore and all too soon, the words blur until they are white. There is too much of her coffee, and the crystal grains of sugar have refused to melt. The lemon cake crumbles. Even her cigarette offends her, and she puts it out, only half-consumed.With her, this woman, her waiting ââ¬â things pale and darken at the same time. Knowing these things are just distractions, something to pass the time that just seems to crawl slower and slower that it sometimes falls still: the coffee cannot be finished, the cigarette doesnââ¬â¢t burn, the page goes on and on and on. Something has cloaked her ââ¬â is it the knowledge that all these are things she'd rather not be doing? Shouldn't be doing in the first place?She must finish her coffee, and only crumbs should be left on her plate. The book, open on her lap, can be replaced. There are two other books in her bag, and she takes them out: poetry speaking of a requited waiting.She must think now: all this talk about unrequited love, when poetry should be made about unrequited patience: waiting for the phone to vibrate, waiting for the crumbs to settle, waiting for the coffee mug to empty, waiting for the cigarette to turn into ash, waiting for the books to turn to the last page, waiting for the rain to stop, waiting for the clock to strike ten, waiting for someone to come through the door with the spaciest of smiles just for her. Waiting, waiting, waiting.If she wrote ââ¬â and I have feeling that she does, in spite of the blankness of her notebook now ââ¬â how many times has she written about women like her?She looks at her watch. Her phone vibrates one more. Listless, she picks it up, punches at the buttons. In but moments, her face clears, she sags in her chair. She is starting to smile.I wonder then: the reluctant lover (but only in her mind, only when they are not together.) Has the un-reluctant lover tells her that he is near? Would Neruda, then, glow again?Because she is a woman who waits diligently albeit unwillingly, week after week, later, she will be disgusted with how much everything makes sense now. Even waiting in a parked car, while errands are run, will make her smile. The rain will fall harder. The drops will be opaque against the windshield and yet it shall leave shadows on her jeans.Oh, that smile.And she will think: Everything should be a familiar novelty, a novel familiarity. Yes, even waiting for him to come back with a bag or two of bread, while a Japanese love song drifts from the radio. She will think the song talks of a fulfilled longing, of a waiting ended.But now, she is still waiting. But now she is sure that someone shall come for her.She looks at me, sees me watching her. The smile she gives me is fleeting, the token nicety for strangers who stare too long at you. I smile back at her.She looks at the doorway, but it seems more out of habit, than anticipation.One last look, then it is time for me to go.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)