Leadership Approaches-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignmenthelp

Question: Pick four regions in Leadership for your self-investigation and legitimize your decision. Answer: Presentation The quantity of organizations all around has expanded significantly as of late and each business must have staff, talented experts, and work to work. The expanding number of organizations likewise implies organizations need to embrace better authority draws near in order to take care of their staff needs. Gifted experts are today paying special mind to pioneers instead of administrators making it significant for the senior administration to receive elective staff the executives abilities. Seniors the executives must, consequently, guarantee they receive certain qualities to win group certainty and trust(Adair, 2013). Model Character For a pioneer to pick up group acknowledgment and regard it is indispensable for the person to exhibit great character, this incorporates conduct at the work environment just as during extra-curricular exercises and their own time. A decent pioneer ought to have great propensities in order to set a guide to the group, smoking, drinking liquor, conduct offense and indecent language ought to be dodged consistently. During parties I have seen my group heads enjoy enjoying lagers with the colleagues however in exceptionally controlled way while ensuring he doesn't get out of hand as this could harm his notoriety among the group. Clear Communication Correspondence is the foundation of dealing with any association and a pioneer must have the option to ace the craft of speaking with his group and partners. The pioneer must show clear correspondence with clear destinations and objectives. There must be no space of perhaps or I think and choices must be exceptionally clear in any event, when wrong. I hope to manufacture clear correspondence with my group captain as this opens up my capacity to impart unreservedly relating improvement and issues just as propose arrangements which can improve the procedure. Creating apprehension or constrained correspondence just empowered negative vitality bringing about absence of correspondence and procedure disappointment. Clear Directions and Goals Business targets, Directions, and objectives should likewise be clear while speaking with the group. While the director is relied upon to fabricate a positive cordial relationship with the staff, the association's objectives should consistently stay predominant and the first priority(Day, 2014). Bearing and objectives should be conclusive in order to permit me to settle on a choice and I additionally anticipate an unmistakable remain on the procedure. Changing objectives and destinations prompts uncertainty which influences my fixation and spotlight on accomplishing objectives in this way is consistently favor pioneers who give clear bearings. Stays Optimistic Being hopeful can be an impediment yet pioneers must have the option to stay idealistic while managing the group. This is particularly significant while managing underperformance and wrongdoings whereby the pioneer needs to reaffirm his prevailing position and authority among the group or an individual yet in addition have the option to save the issue and communicate with the group to determine different issues. I would wouldn't fret being chastened for accomplishing something incorrectly as I would accept it as a learning experience and yet I dont anticipate that this should be kept on the most fundamental level as this would influence my exhibition and certainty while at work End Initiative is an aptitude which must be aced and yet, it is significant for the pioneer to organize the groups needs and recollects that he is their delegate and good example. A pioneer must have the option to set targets, adjust and direct towards the objectives and protect the group when required to pick up regard from the group. References Adair, J. (2013). Build up Your Leadership Skills. Philadelhia : Kogan Page Publishers,. Day, D. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Leadership and Organizations. New York: Oxford University Press.

Management and Enron Employees free essay sample

Another hierarchical conduct hypothesis that Enron neglected to depict was the possibility hypothesis. Possibility hypothesis sees strife as inevitable yet reasonable. This hypothesis proposes that adequacy ought to be a manager’s work so as to adjust to natural changes. â€Å"Company authorities utilized mystery speculations and precarious math to make Enron seem more grounded that it was† (Bauman, 2002). Enron the executives mishandled this hypothesis. The insiders, who knew reality, sold their stock when the cost was high and made a huge number of dollars. The workers were not all that blessed. The workers stock, which was for the most part put resources into their 401(k) retirement plan, became useless when the securities exchange of Enron smashed. The authoritative conduct of Enron was deluding and unscrupulous. â€Å" Organizational conduct is a field of study that researches the effect that people, gatherings, and structure have on conduct inside associations to apply such information toward improving an associations effectiveness† (Judge, Robbins, 2007). We will compose a custom article test on The executives and Enron Employees or on the other hand any comparative point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page The administration of Enron never conveyed reality to their workers or the individuals of people in general. They were just paying special mind to themselves and not the organization or the representatives. Their hierarchical conduct was untrustworthy and didn’t effectively improve the organization, just their wallets. The organization was developing at a quick rate and it started to acquire cash to put resources into new activities to keep up. They made organizations, which permitted them to keep $600 million in the red under the table and kept the administration, financial specialists, and representatives in obscurity. This deceptive hierarchical conduct would before long make up for lost time to the board. In October of 2001, Enron declared lost $638 million, which they couldn't pay off. Unfortunately, it came about to be the biggest organization, in the United States, to ever fail. Supervisors are worried about request, execution, and completing things. While, pioneers will in general be increasingly adaptable and care about the individuals and their needs. Enron didn't persevere through incredible supervisor abilities or administration characteristics. The executives inside this organization worked in a deceptive conduct. As an influential position, this organization didn't secure their workers and didn't ensure their eventual benefits. Consequently, Enron’s incapability as a chief and a pioneer prompted the disappointment as an organization. The authoritative structure conformed to the bookkeeping framework neglected to give an away from of Enron’s genuine condition (Jickling, 2002). The company’s breakdown and disappointment was likewise founded on the free evaluators and leading group of individuals who were reluctant to challenge Enron’s supervisory group. Money road stock investigators and band raters some how missed the signs, the principles overseeing boss stock in organization benefits plans, and the unregulated vitality subsidiaries exchanging that was the center of Enron’s business (Jickling, 2002).

Tokophobia Symptoms and Treatments for Childbirth Fear

Tokophobia Symptoms and Treatments for Childbirth Fear Phobias Symptoms and Diagnosis Print Tokophobia: Fear of Childbirth and Pregnancy By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on April 24, 2019 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 01, 2019 More in Phobias Symptoms and Diagnosis Causes Treatment Types In This Article Table of Contents Expand Symptoms Causes How Common Is Tokophobia? Tokophobia vs. PTSD Treatments Steps to Take View All Back To Top Tokophobia is the fear of pregnancy and childbirth. Women who have this phobia have a pathological fear of giving birth, and will often avoid becoming pregnant or giving birth altogether. This fear may lead women to avoid becoming pregnant, even though they want to have children or to opt for a Caesarean section in order to avoid vaginal birth. Tokophobia may occur in women who have never given birth to a child, but it may also affect women who have had prior traumatic birth experiences. Pregnancy and childbirth are major events in many women’s lives. While it can be a time of great joy, it can also be a source of stress and anxiety. Women often worry about the normal pain of childbirth and about the possibility of something going wrong. These are all normal concerns that almost all pregnant women experience to some degree. The normal anxieties that accompany bringing a child into the world are often dealt with using medical help, education, social support, and self-help strategies. Sometimes, however, this fear can become pathological and so severe that women will avoid becoming pregnant or giving birth altogether. Symptoms Tokophobia is a type of specific phobia, which is an anxiety disorder in which people feel an irrational and unreasonable amount of fear about a specific object or situation. Symptoms of tokophobia can include sleep disturbances, panic attacks, nightmares, and avoidance behaviors. Other symptoms might include: Feelings of dread at the thought of pregnancy and birthAnxiety and depressionExtreme fear of birth defects, stillbirth, or maternal deathInsistence on a Caesarean section for their birth Women may sometimes avoid any sexual activity out of fear of becoming pregnant. Those who do become pregnant may be more likely to request an elective c-section, feel greater trauma surrounding the birth, and may even have difficulty bonding with her baby. Men can also experience tokophobia. Researchers have found that men with tokophobia often have a severe fear regarding the health and safety of their partner and child. This fear tends to center on concerns over labor and delivery, medical treatments, decision-making, finances, and parental capabilities. Causes Tokophobia can develop due to a number of causes. Some factors that may contribute to its development can include a fear of the unknown, loss of control and privacy, past sexual abuse, fear of pain, a fear for the life of the infant, and/or a lack of trust in medical practitioners. Uncertainty over the labor and birth process can also come into play, as can the fear of birth-related complications such as preeclampsia and death. In addition, if a woman has poor social support, this can contribute to or worsen her fear of childbirth. There are two different types of tokophobia: Primary tokophobia occurs in women who have never experienced birth. It may begin during adolescence, although it can also occur after a woman has become pregnant. It may also be seen in girls and women who have been sexually assaulted or raped. Medical exams during pregnancy and childbirth may also trigger flashbacks of the original trauma.Secondary tokophobia occurs in women who have previously experienced pregnancy and birth. It is often the result of traumatic labor and birth. However, it can also occur in women who had normal, non-traumatic births, as well as women who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, pregnancy termination, or failed fertility treatments. Researchers have suggested a number of explanations to account for the development of tokophobia. Some of these including hearing about traumatizing accounts of childbirth experiences from other women, fear of inadequate pain management, and pre-existing psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression. How Common Is Tokophobia? It is completely normal to have fears and concerns about pregnancy and childbirth. Having a certain degree of fear can actually be beneficial in some ways since it prompts women to seek maternal care and advice in order to cope with these concerns. Such fear is actually quite common, with as much as 80 percent of pregnant women feeling some degree of anxiety and worry over things such as pain, health, and safety during birth. While such worries are the norm, the majority of women are able to cope with these concerns by learning more about the labor and delivery process, talking to other women, and consulting with their pregnancy care providers. In some instances, however, this fear can become so severe and debilitating that it may be diagnosed as tokophobia. It is unclear just how common tokophobia may be. Some research suggests that rates range somewhere between 2 and 15 percent, although there is evidence suggesting that as many as 20 to 25 percent of women may experience severe and debilitating symptoms of childbirth-related fears. Further Research In another study looking at prevalence rates, researchers estimated that only about 0.032 percent of women experience tokophobia. They note that there are important distinctions between fear of childbirth and tokophobia, although the two are often conflated. Fear of childbirth involves a continuum of fearful feelings and thoughts related to giving birth. Normal levels of this fear tend to be relatively low, while severe levels can affect a womans day-to-day functioning. Differences in the estimates of prevalence rates for tokophobia may differ based upon how the condition was defined by researchers. Women with relatively moderate levels of fear might be lumped in with women experiencing severe anxiety, and some women may have been misdiagnosed. Tokophobia vs. PTSD An estimated 3 percent of women develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth. This rate goes up among women in high-risk groups. Symptoms of PTSD following birth can include flashbacks, hypervigilance, and nightmares about the event. Women are sometimes diagnosed with secondary tokophobia following traumatic childbirth when they actually have symptoms of PTSD. It is also not uncommon for postnatal PTSD or tokophobia to be misdiagnosed as postpartum depression. Distinguishing between these diagnoses is important in order to ensure appropriate and effective treatment. Treatments It is important that women with tokophobia receive treatment in order to ensure that both the mother and child are healthy. This can include receiving support from the womans obstetrician in coordination with a psychologist or psychiatrist. A mental health professional can help address some of the underlying reasons why the disorder may have developed in the first place, including pre-existing depression or anxiety conditions. Maternal health care providers can offer reassurance, education, and appropriate health care so that women feel that their fears surrounding the birth process and adequately addressed. Support Finding sources of social support is important. For many, simply knowing that there are people who are there to help them can be comforting. Studies have found that offering support to pregnant women with a severe fear of pregnancy and birth can be an effective strategy for minimizing symptoms. Such support can strengthen womens sense of self-efficacy and even reduce the number of elective c-sections. Effective support can occur one-on-one or through support groups. Such support is often provided by people that women already know, such as family member or friends, but it can also come from obstetricians, midwives, psychologists, or counselors. Having a positive birth experience has also been shown to reduce the fear of childbirth. One study found that women who felt that they were in control of their bodies and were well-informed about the progress of labor were more likely to show a decrease or elimination of fear symptoms. Many women seek out the guidance and support of other women who have already had experience with bearing children, often including mothers, sisters, family members, and friends. Research has shown that providing support to women with a severe fear of birth resulted in a 50 percent reduction in cesarean rates. Therapy Cognitive behavior therapy and psychotherapy can also be effective in the treatment of tokophobia. CBT can be a good choice due to its short-term duration and focus on specific symptoms. One study looked at the effectiveness of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy treatments in comparison to standard care. While the researchers found that both approaches led to reductions in fear, those in the CBT group showed a greater reduction in symptoms at one-year postpartum. However, only a small number of women completed the CBT treatment modules, which the researchers suggested indicated low feasibility and acceptance of this treatment approach. Medications Medications may also be used either alone or in conjunction with other treatment approaches to treat underlying depression, anxiety, or other psychiatric disorders. Treatment for tokophobia takes a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating both psychological and obstetric support. Having a birth plan in place that acknowledges a womans concerns can be helpful. Knowing that she will receive pain management upon request and is capable of choosing her method of delivery can be particularly important. Steps to Take If you feel that a significant fear of childbirth and pregnancy might be affecting your life, there are steps that you can take to get the help you need. Discuss your feelings with your doctor or midwife. Some anxiety is normal, and they may be able to provide reassurance and further assistance. Begin forming a birth plan. Talk to your doctor about your wants and needs, including your options for pain management and giving birth. Having a plan can help you feel more empowered and in control. Talk to people you trust. Knowing that there are people who understand your fears and are there to offer support can help reduce anxiety. Avoid childbirth “horror stories.” Hearing such stories can exacerbate your tokophobia. Instead, seek out good medical information and focus on positive experiences with childbirth. If people try to share stories that you do not want to hear, it is perfectly acceptable to ask them to stop. Take a prenatal support class. Learning about what happens during childbirth and what you can do to manage labor pain can help you feel more capable as your approach giving birth. Talk to a mental health professional. If your fear is interfering with your life, ask your doctor to refer you to a psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, or another mental health provider who can offer further advice and assistance. A Word From Verywell While tokophobia is rare, it can have a major impact on a woman’s life and functioning. People who have this severe fear of childbirth may avoid becoming pregnant even if they do want to have a child. Proper support and treatment can address the fears that women may have surrounding pregnancy and childbirth, making it possible to manage symptoms and have a healthy pregnancy and positive birth experience. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you are concerned that you may have symptoms of tokophobia. 50 Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Geography of the Countries of Africa

The continent of Africa is the worlds second-largest based on land area and population just after Asia. It has a population of around one billion people (as of 2009) and covers 20.4% of the Earths land area. Africa is bordered by the  Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.Africa is known for its biodiversity, varied topography, culture, and varied climate. The continent straddles the equator and encompasses the entire tropical band. Africas northern and southernmost countries also stretch out of the tropics (from 0 ° to 23.5 ° N and S latitude) and into the northern and southern temperate latitudes (latitudes above the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn).As the worlds second-largest continent, Africa is divided into 53 officially recognized countries. The following is a list of Africas countries ordered by land area. For reference, the countrys population and capital cit y have also been included.br/>1) SudanArea: 967,500 square miles (2,505,813 sq km)Population: 39,154,490Capital: Khartoum2) AlgeriaArea: 919,594 square miles (2,381,740 sq km)Population: 33,333,216Capital: Algiers3) Democratic Republic of the CongoArea: 905,355 square miles (2,344,858 sq km)Population: 63,655,000Capital: Kinshasa4) LibyaArea: 679,362 square miles (1,759,540 sq km)Population: 6,036,914Capital: Tripoli5) ChadArea: 495,755 square miles (1,284,000 sq km)Population: 10,146,000Capital: NDjamena6) NigerArea: 489,191 square miles (1,267,000 sq km)Population: 13,957,000Capital: Niamey7) AngolaArea: 481,353 square miles (1,246,700 sq km)Population: 15,941,000Capital: Luanda8) MaliArea: 478,840 square miles (1,240,192 sq km)Population: 13,518,000Capital: Bamako9) South AfricaArea: 471,455 square miles (1,221,037 sq km)Population: 47,432,000Capital: Pretoria10) EthiopiaArea: 426,372 square miles (1,104,300 sq km)Population: 85,237,338Capital: Addis Ababa11) MauritaniaArea: 396, 955 square miles (1,030,700 sq km)Population: 3,069,000Capital: Nouakchott12) EgyptArea: 386,661 square miles (1,001,449 sq km)Population: 80,335,036Capital: Cairo13) TanzaniaArea: 364,900 square miles (945,087 sq km)Population: 37,849,133Capital: Dodoma14) NigeriaArea: 356,668 square miles (923,768 sq km)Population: 154,729,000Capital: Abuja15) NamibiaArea: 318,695 square miles (825,418 sq km)Population: 2,031,000Capital: Windhoek16) MozambiqueArea: 309,495 square miles (801,590 sq km)Population: 20,366,795Capital: Maputo17) ZambiaArea: 290,585 square miles (752,614 sq km)Population: 14,668,000Capital: Lusaka18) SomaliaArea: 246,200 square miles (637,657 sq km)Population: 9,832,017Capital: Mogadishu19) Central African RepublicArea: 240,535 square miles (622,984 sq km)Population: 4,216,666Capital: Bangui20) MadagascarArea: 226,658 square miles (587,041 sq km)Population: 18,606,000Capital: Antananarivo21) BotswanaArea: 224,340 square miles (581,041 sq km)Population: 1,839,833Capital: Gaborone22) KenyaArea: 224,080 square miles (580,367 sq km)Population: 34,707,817Capital: Nairobi23) CameroonArea: 183,569 square miles (475,442 sq km)Population: 17,795,000Capital: Yaoundà ©24) MoroccoArea: 172,414 square miles (446,550 sq km)Population: 33,757,175Capital: Rabat25) ZimbabweArea: 150,872 square miles (390,757 sq km)Population: 13,010,000Capital: Harare 26) Republic of the CongoArea: 132,046 square miles (342,000 sq km)Population: 4,012,809Capital: Brazzaville27) Cà ´te dIvoireArea: 124,502 square miles (322,460 sq km)Population: 17,654,843Capital: Yamoussoukro28) Burkina FasoArea: 105,792 square miles (274,000 sq km)Population: 13,228,000Capital: Ouagadougou29) GabonArea: 103,347 square miles (267,668 sq km)Population, 1,387,000Capital: Libreville30) GuineaArea: 94,925 square miles (245,857 sq km)Population: 9,402,000Capital: Conakry31)  GhanaArea: 92,098 square miles (238,534 sq km)Population: 23,000,000Capital: Accra32) UgandaArea: 91,135 square miles (236,040 sq km)Population: 27,616,000Capital: Kampala33) SenegalArea: 75,955 square miles (196,723 sq km)Population: 11,658,000Capital: Dakar34) TunisiaArea: 63,170 square miles (163,610 sq km)Population: 10,102,000Capital: Tunis35) MalawiArea: 45,746 square miles (118,484 sq km)Population: 12,884,000Capital: Lilongwe36) EritreaArea: 45,405 square miles (117,600 sq km)Population: 4,401,000Capital: Asmara37) BeninArea: 43,484 square miles (112,622 sq km)Population: 8,439,000Capital: Porto Novo38) LiberiaArea: 43,000 square miles (111,369 sq km)Population: 3,283,000Capital: Monrovia39) Sierra LeoneArea: 27,699 square miles (71,740 sq km)Population: 6,144,562Capital: Freetown40) TogoArea: 21,925 square miles (56,785 sq km)Population: 6,100,000Capital: Lomà ©41) Guinea-BissauArea: 13,948 square miles (36,125 sq km)Population: 1,586,000Capital: Bissau42) LesothoArea: 11,720 square miles (30,355 sq km)Population: 1,795,000Capital: Maseru43) Equatorial GuineaArea: 10,830 square miles (28,051 sq km)Population: 504,000Capital: Malabo44) BurundiArea: 10,745 square miles (27,830 sq km)Population: 7,548,000Capital: Gitega (changed from Bujumbura in December 2018)45) RwandaArea: 10,346 square miles (26,798 sq km)Population: 7,600,000Capital: Kigali46) DjiboutiArea: 8,957 square miles (23,200 sq km)Population: 496,374Capital: Djibouti47) SwazilandArea: 6,704 square mile s (17,364 sq km)Population: 1,032,000Capital: Lobamba and Mbabane48) GambiaArea: 4,007 square miles (10,380 sq km)Population: 1,517,000Capital: Banjul49) Cape VerdeArea: 1,557 square miles (4,033 sq km)Population: 420,979Capital: Praia50) ComorosArea: 863 square miles (2,235 sq km)Population: 798,000Capital: Moroni51) MauritiusArea: 787 square miles (2,040 sq km)Population: 1,219,220Capital: Port Louis52) Sà £o Tomà © and Prà ­ncipeArea: 380 square miles (984 sq km)Population: 157,000Capital: Sà £o Tomà ©53) SeychellesArea: 175 square miles (455 sq km)Population: 88,340Capital: Victoria References Wikipedia. (2010, June 8).  Africa- Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa Wikipedia. (2010, June 12).   and Territories- Wikipedia, the Free EncyclopediaList of African Countries. Retrieved from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African_countries_and_territories

Poetry In John Steinbecks The Grapes Of Wrath - 1463 Words

For poetry is the mathematics of writing and closely kin to music. Moreover, it is the best therapy because sometimes the troubles come tumbling out. Well, he did...Just poetry - anything and not designed for a reader. I only offer this if your dryness goes on too long and makes you too miserable. You may come out of it any day. I have. The words are fighting each other to get out (Steinbeck, John. phantascene.com/2014/0 2/john-steinbeck-what-he-taughtwriters.Web.7Oct.2013). The lyrical style of The Grapes of Wrath keeps the readers spell-bound from beginning to the end and lets the readers feel the vicinity of the have-nots. Steinbeck has a suitably elastic form and elevated style to express the far-reaching tragedy of the migrant†¦show more content†¦His humour is based on ideas often incompatible, new awareness, comparisons and mutually understood and agreed discrepancies. He successfully embeds humour in his creative style. Jokes, funny incidents, surprise, misdirection and absurd juxtapositions are commonly used in the dialogues of his characters. He uses the opposite expressions. Irony resides in intellectual part of his novels. Verbal and situational irony is an outcome that turns out to be very different from what is expected. It creates anti-climax in The Pearl. He uses dramatic irony when in Of Mice and Men poor Lenine does not know the consequences of his action. The satire is created by human stupidity and vices of Danny and frien ds in Tortilla Flat. His vision of a modern egalitarian society for the have-nots has a satirical tone. His humour and humanity are well connected. Just before his death when he got his hand impaired, he wrote with precision of words that no one can surpass. I must make my hand, clever again (Huntington, Don. www.donhun tington.com/quote/.Web.18Nov.2013). His humour perhaps arises from the most paradoxically yet poetic things he wrote 12 years prior but used in a 1963 speech, immediately after receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature For his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception (Steinbeck, John. www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizeslite rature/laureates/ 1962 /.Web.1 Oct.2013).As far as Steinbeck’sShow MoreRelatedThe World and Literature Changes in the 1930s823 Words   |  3 PagesProject, was John Steinbeck, who was later awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962 â€Å"for his realistic and imaginative writing s, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception. (N. P. Staff). John Steinbeck, wrote a trio of novels, which focused on the lives and struggles of migrant workers in California with the first book, In Dubious Battle, published in 1936, then followed by Of Mice and Men in 1937, and Steinbeck’s masterpiece in 1939 The Grapes of Wrath a story of anRead More John Steinbeck was born to middle-lower class family in the farming1689 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Steinbeck was born to middle-lower class family in the farming community of Salinas, California. John’s Steinbeck Imagine†¦ your town is suddenly stricken with poverty. Your family business goes under because the economy of your local community can no longer support it. Herds of your closest friends continually move out of the town you grew up in due to a severe shortage of work. The basic necessities of life are so scarce that everyone around you reverts to their animalistic urgesRead More John Steinbeck Essay1735 Words   |  7 Pages John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California, a farming community with of about 2500 people. He was the third of four children and the only son of John Ernst and Olive Hamiton Steinbeck. His sisters Beth and Esther were much older than John and he felt closest to Mary, the youngest. He spent his childhood and adolescence in the Salinas Valley, which he later called â€Å"the salad bowl of the nation.† John’s mother, Olive, was the daughter of Irish immigrants. She left her parents’Read More Skill and Craftsmanship in the Works of Steinbeck Essay1558 Words   |  7 PagesSkill and Craftsmanship in the Works of Steinbeck      Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, The Red Pony and The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck professes his admiration for the man who displays skill and craftsmanship in his work. A man who does his job exceedingly well is, by extension in Steinbecks works, a hero who is satisfied in doing his best in affection for his craft - a direct contrast to the multitude of humans who are merely unsuccessful and unhappy dreamers.   Ã‚  Ã‚   TheRead MoreThemes And Styles Of John Steinbeck s The 4033 Words   |  17 PagesJohn Buttiglione Mr. Bruno English IV Period 08 November 17, 2014 Themes and Styles of John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was born on February 26, 1902 in Salinas, California. He spent the majority of his childhood there and readers learn about his home city and childhood in his works. Steinbeck wrote novels, non-fiction books, short stories, poetry, and plays. Some of his most impactful and recognized works include: Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, The Pearl, The Moon is Down, EastRead MoreThe Quiet World Of Written Words1255 Words   |  6 Pagesorder to discover just who he was. Though I was prepared to comb through every article necessary, a simple Google search was all the elbow grease it took to unearth the mystery: Tom Joad is the main character of a novel written by John Steinbeck, titled â€Å"The Grapes of Wrath.† I bought the book, and it was then that I branched out from raging sound waves into the quiet and meticulous world of written words. The year was 2008; and the first decade of the new millennium was drawing to an end on an extraordinarilyRead MoreThe Rage Against The Machine1368 Words   |  6 Pagesorder to discover just who he was. Though I was prepared to comb through every article necessary, a simple Google search was all the elbow grease it took to unearth the mystery: Tom Joad is the main character of a novel written by John Steinbeck, titled â€Å"The Grapes of Wrath.† I bought the book, and it was then that I branched out from raging sound waves into the quiet and meticulous world of written words. The year was 2008, and the first decade of the new millennium was drawing to a close on an unprecedentedlyRead More The Impact of the Great Depression Essay926 Words   |  4 Pagesbecame known as the Great Depression. As industries shrank and businesses collapsed or cut back, up to 25% of Americans were left unemployed. At the same time, the financial crisis destroyed the life savings of countless Americans (Modern American Poetry). Food, housing and other consumable goods were in short supply for most people (Zinn 282). This widespread state of poverty had serious social repercussions for the country. America’s agricultural economy had already been suffering for a decadeRead MoreJonelle Samai. Evelyn Cartright. Eng 210. John Steinbeck.1758 Words   |  8 PagesJonelle Samai Evelyn Cartright Eng 210 John Steinbeck John Steinbeck was an American Nobel Prize winner whose work was viewed by many as controversial. Growing up in Salinas Valley California, Steinbeck enjoyed a comfortable life but opted to work with migrants on a farm. Here, his interest in the socio -economic aspects of life sparked, which later influenced his literary perspective. As an outspoken democrat and advocate of blue collared America, his critics often argue that his works are biasedRead MoreFacilitating Learning and Assessment in Practice3273 Words   |  14 Pagesexperiences in reading soon led me to attempt various writings of my own, beginning with poetry at age eight. I kept a journal in eighth grade, writing daily entries from the word of the day presented by my English instructor. I continued to write poetry, essays, critiques and creative short works throughout junior high and high school, where I was exposed to a bevy of literary compositions such as Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, Huxley’s Brave New W orld, Dante’s Inferno, Hawthorne’s House of the Seven Gables

The American Revolutionary War Free Essays

One of the greatest reasons as to why there was the revolution in the America during the regime of British colonization was as a result of excessive taxation by the British. The British government implemented this idea of excessive tax on the American citizens after realizing that they had a great debt, which resulted from the expenses they incurred during their war with France and India. We will write a custom essay sample on The American Revolutionary War or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the North America the British had many troops at the end of the Indian and the French war. The British government in the long last realized that it had been using a lot of its money to defend its colonies. A big force was required to protect the colonists from the attacks by the Indian troops. At the end of the war the British had a debt worth 140 million pounds. To solve this problem the British government came up with two solutions. Firstly, the British government had the view of strengthening the existing taxation laws together with introduction of additional taxes on the colonists. Such taxes included the: 1773 tea act, 1764 sugar act, and 1765 stamp act. This was to be done so as to enable the government to cater for the cost of the troops which were stationed in the North America. Secondly, the British government gave out new proclamation to prevent the further encroachment of the Indians by the colonists.[1] They believed that this action if is put in place would eliminate the war between the colonists and the Indian, and thus the number of the troops would go down. The first measure by the British government of strengthening the tax laws and introducing additional tax act was to be implemented by passing the Revenue Act of 1764. This act was referred to as the Sugar Act by the colonies. The Act on Sugar really cut down the molasses tax, which was by then the key colonies’ import. The enforcement of the previous tax was not done by the British government.1 With the introduction of the new sugar act brought in strong enforcing methods on the molasses tariffs. Under the same Revenue Act additional items such as wine, silk and potash were subject to import tax. The American colonists reacted to the new law on the taxes with outrage. They employed all the means and the mechanisms to render such a law useless. The colonial government officials were very corrupt to extend that they allowed the entrance of molasses and other commodities to America without payment of the required import tax on them. The American colonists resisted openly the new act of revenues by the British government as much as they could. A good example on this is the sloop Polly case. Immediately after the law was passed by the parliament, she moved to a port known as Newport carrying molasses load. Despite the fact that, the indication on the tax payment were matching with the new government new revenue act, it was realized later by the port officer that the load was twice the one indicated on the shipment documents. The ship was seized under the new Revenue Act.[2] This was the first evidenced American colonists’ defiance on the British government Revenue Act. Many of the American colonists just accepted to pay such taxes under the new Revenue Act as it was inevitable for them. The taxation itself did not case an alarm to the American colonists; however the methods which were employed to collect the taxes by the British government caused anger among the colonists.   Other issues that caused anger among the colonists were that: during the enactment of the Revenue Act concerning the taxes, they were not involved in this process. Also the taxation methods barred the American colonists in engaging in trade. On the second measure by the British government to reduce its burden of the cost they incurred in Indian and the French, was received by the American with a lot of anger and disdain. This was because it limited and interfered with their economic growth. According to the Americans the issue of protecting the Indians encroachment by the colonists had a little chance to be enforced. They had the feeling that, there was no means by which the colonists’ natural movement would be stopped by such proclamation.5 The Revenue Act aimed at increasing the Revenue to the British government through increasing the taxes, was the major cause of the revolutionary war in America. The issue of taxation cleared the path towards the revolution. Not only did it bring the issue of resistance, but also it stimulated the thoughts of politics the resulted into the revolution. A good example is that of James Otis who resigned and went to court on the behalf of the merchants of Boston to protest the Assistance Writs. The writs of assistance gave powers to the officials of customs to break into ships, warehouses, and homes that were thought to be carrying any goods which were not transacted in the correct order based on the new Revenue Act.[3] According to Otis the British unwritten constitution fundamentals were violated by these writs. Otis was for the idea that, despite that it was the British government that passed these writs, the local government was not supposed to enforce them. In his case Otis lost, but the writs issue which the revenue act enforcement brought forth resulted to be an expanding colonial list of grievances against the British colonial government. [1] Reich Jerome. British Friends of the American Revolution, London, Macmillan, 1998, pp. 12 1 Reich Jerome. British Friends of the American Revolution, London, Macmillan, 1998, pp. 19 [2] Revolutionary War. History Central. Copyright Multi-Educator , 1998, Retrieved on 12th January 2009 from http://www.historycentral.com/Revolt/index.html 5 On the American Revolution. The American Inquisition. Retrieved on 12th January 2009 from, http://americaninquisition.blogspot.com/2008/05/on-american-revolution.html [3] Hatch Louis. The Administration of the American Revolutionary Army, London, Longman Green and Co., 1994, pp. 70    How to cite The American Revolutionary War, Papers

Bend It Like Beckham Essay free essay sample

At at the end they realize that racist and close-minded individuals are everywhere and if you desire to be a star, you do not have to accept anybody’s negative opinions but alternately put in the effort yourselves. When moving to another country, culture impact is what shocks families the most. In this case, Mr. Bhamra does not get accepted into a sports team because the way he presents himself, dressing differently from the norm, and the coaches do that welcome that. Due to this past experience that took place when he first came to the country, he closes many doors to his daughter, Jess, by not letting her go to practices, being on his wife’s side and thinking that he is only doing that to protect her from getting rejected and influencing her to profound her Indian culture values. This turns out to be a very difficult situation for Jesminder to handle because without her father’s support, she might end up being a failure. We will write a custom essay sample on Bend It Like Beckham Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page People say that gender stratification is not a common treatment amongst individuals anymore. But in the film, Jess’ father prohibits her from playing soccer because he assumes that it is not a sport for females, and that she will end up obtaining rejection from coaches and friends, just like he did as a teenager. Also because his wife acquaints him with false information stating that Jesminder’s sexuality would change, which results frightening him and causes him to restrain her from the activity completely. Jess accepts this in a very harsh way but does not give up and continues to play soccer without her father’s permission. The modern society states that culture and gender inequality is not in common use anymore, but that does not mean people will stop applying these injustices to others. Throughout the film Mr. Ghamra forbids Jesminder to carry out her passion, which is playing soccer, because he does not agree that ladies should perform the sport and because is not an Indian –like culture task. At the end of the movie he realizes that he cannot guard her forever and that she needs to defend herself alone with courage if she is willing to take risky chances. He becomes aware that it is not the world’s duty to change others but the person’s own to face their challenges. The situation shown in the film proves how Mr. Ghamra and his family suffered from different cultural conflicts between each other and others surrounding them. Certain gender issues and inequalities ,as a result of culture misunderstandings, also affect them. Although Mr. Bhamra did not accept his daughter eagerness to play soccer he realized that letting her persuade her dreams was the best option for her future. Concluding that, according to the film, it does not matter what people say or influence you to do, anything is possible and if you do not risk given chances, others will take along with your dreams.

Poverty Essays (972 words) - Poverty, Socioeconomics,

Poverty? How many people actually know the meaning of this word? However, I think is it possible to understand the meaning of poverty even if you have never suffered from it. Poverty is defined as the state of being poor or having the lack of providing material needs or comforts. Living in the United States, many of us do not think about poverty too much. Most people in the United States are above poverty level. They do not think about the less fortunate of America. On the other hand, ?more U.S. children live in poverty than in any other developed country (Parrillo 155). I think poverty is blamed either on the individual or the system. Several aspects such as intelligence, family life, and the system of capitalism are the author?s examples as to why poverty exists in the U.S. In addition, he explains methods the government is using to eliminate poverty in the United States. First, intelligence is marked as one of the factors of poverty because people tend to blame the actual person for their poor quality. For example, Richard Herrnstein, who ?argued that the poor have a lower intellectual capability than the non-poor, and that they marry other people of low intelligence, thus producing children of low intellectual capacity (Parrillo 157).? The fact is poverty does seem to be an inherited trait and that?s why people tend to think of the poor as lacking the knowledge to qualify and obtain a well paying job. For this reason, people of poor financial conditions receive fewer opportunities in the work force. In addition, families with parents that have a lack of education will impact the children?s education. For example, they are ?given little academic encouragement or assistance at home, and encountering the low expectations from their teachers that intensify their own low achievement (Parrillo 169)?. This results in the youth becoming unqualified for most decent paying jobs and just repeating the cycle of poverty. Next, family life, like intelligence, places blame of poverty on the individual. It has been consistently found that family instability is more common among the poor than in any other economic class. For example, ?marriages and pregnancies occur at an earlier age, divorces and desertions happen at a higher rate; and incidents of family disputes and violence are more frequent (Parrillo 168)?. In addition, family structure is important for developing stability for a child. It is also a factor in the way a child will themselves feel about the institution of marriage. Likewise, children from poor households are more likely to develop bad attitudes towards family life. Because there is a lack of support in poor families, individuals raised in these families are prone to failure. In addition, the system of capitalism is one of the aspects that place the blame on society for the continuation of poverty. For example, ?socialist, Michael Harrington argued the inadequate programs and misdirected priorities hampered efforts to solve this far from intractable problem (Parrillo 182).? Because the poor have no positive influence in society and lack political support, they have no way to break the ongoing cycle of poverty. As a final point, the United States government has many plans to help end poverty. The key program is through welfare. The welfare program is where money is given to applicable recipients whose household resources are below the mandated limits. This is to help them get back on the right path. The Food Stamp program is where stamps are presented to be used on food goods only. This can help ease cash flow troubles and allow people to save their money. The program Temporary Assistance for Needy Families was created in 1996 by the Welfare Reform Law. They provide assistance to needy families and also help with job opportunities. Another program is Supplemental Security Income, affiliated with the Social Security Program. The program is for the elderly, blind, or disabled people with little or no income. They offer money for food, clothes, and shelter to those that qualify. I agree with the functionalist perspective because it views society as a system. First, regarding the technology gap facing the poor and minorities, a functionalist perspective covers this issue based on the society?s agreement due to

Essay Sample on Relationship Dissolution and Its Effects

Essay Sample on Relationship Dissolution and Its Effects An Irish dramatist, who attempted to examine an origin for distress, stated the above quote. Our lives may consist of numerous situations that can cause us stress. One of those situations may include disintegration of a romantic relationship. Various studies have shown that the dissolution of a romantic relationship can be a highly stressful and a traumatic process, although emotional responses to it can vary depending on the degree of seriousness of the relationship and various other factors (1). Nonetheless, it is an experience that can trigger many emotional feelings, which can elicit negative psychological effects. In this essay on relationship, I will discuss a personal relationship dissolution experience and bring about its various psychological effects. I will then advert towards the main purpose of this paper, providing several coping strategies that I used to overcome my stressors and the one strategy that I wish I had used. Throughout the paper, I will integrate my own epis ode with several peer-reviewed studies that have explained the connection between relationship dissolution and stress. Effects of Relationship Dissolution There may be many emotional feelings involved when one experiences relationship dissolution. Most common ones include feelings of frustration, anxiety, hurt, depression, loneliness, guilt, insecurity, anger, self-pity and reduction in self-confidence (2). The nature of psychological distress might vary depending on the type of the relationship. Although studies have repeatedly shown that a majority of people, who encounter detachment from their partner, experience few, if not all, of those feelings to some extent (2). Considering my own experience, I encountered a blend of stressful feelings including anxiety, frustration, hurt and helplessness. I experienced fluctuations of these stressors for a few months, which seemed to deteriorate with time via different coping strategies. Different studies have shown correlations between stress and relationship dissolution. One study analyzed a sample of university students. The students had been in a romantic relationship for a period ranging from 2 to 262 months and 75 percent of the student rated the relationships in the serious and very serious categories. These students were administered an Impact of Event Scale (IES), which is a 15 item questionnaire. The IES questionnaire measured intrusive thoughts and avoidance behavior related to the distressing event, which in this case, was the dissolution of a relationship (2). The results displayed that 72 percent of the students encountered intrusive thoughts. According to these students, these troubling thoughts were triggered mostly by imaginations that would remind them of their previous partners. A majority of these students also admitted that they thought about the dissolution when they did not mean to and they often had strong feelings about it (2). Personally, I had similar feelings regarding my own previous relationship. I would imagine the times spend together with my partner and several other pleasant moments, which would cause feelings of hurt and anxiety. Often, I would imagine these past events involuntarily. As a result of these negative feelings, I found that I was unable to sustain proper concentration, experienced sleeplessness and a lost of interest in future relationships. To prevent myself from further suffering, I unconsciously implemented various coping strategies. Following is a discussion of some of the many coping strategies, which can be used to eliminate distress. Coping Strategies Different personalities may require different coping methods in order to reduce and eliminate stressful emotions. Some of the generic and well-known strategies include social support, keeping oneself busy, thinking about options and choices, finding others who have experienced break-ups, finding new relationships and convincing oneself that the negative aspects of the relationship are good reason for the break-up (1). These coping strategies can be referred to as adaptive strategies as oppose to maladaptive strategies, which can involve aggression and the use of illicit drugs. There can be an increase in stress levels if the route of maladaptive strategies is taken to overcome negative emotions (3). In a stressful situation it would be appropriate to face and recognize stressors for what they are, and reconcile adaptive coping strategies (book). In my situation, the best adaptive coping strategy that I used was gaining social support. It felt as if I was able to release my negative emotions via talking to other people regarding my experience. By receiving social support, one can gain confidence that there are other people available to listen and respond positively. A lack of social support is often associated with an increase in psychological distress following negative life events (1). Some people use avoidance as a coping strategy. Such people decide to withdraw themselves from the distressful situation altogether. Although, extensive studies have shown this coping strategy to be associated with depression in the long run (1). Referring back to the study of university students, as part of the study, the students were also given a Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOC). This questionnaire investigated the role of coping in the relationship and coping outcomes. The findings revealed that seeking social support was associated with relationship dissolution. In other words, the higher the severity of the break-up, the more students turned towards social support from others. Also, the study confirmed the association between avoidance and depression. Students who felt more depression tended to apply avoidance as a coping strategy (1). Some people develop explanations, which help them to develop a sense of control to facilitate coping from negative emotions. For example, after my break-up, I started to detect flaws in the relationship and I used those imperfections to relieve myself from anxiety and other negative emotions that I often felt. This is a coping process, which enables people to progress and better adjust to the dissolution. In some situations however, people may not be able to understand the dissolution or find the explanations to persuade themselves out of negative emotions. In such cases, other coping strategies such as meditation, counseling and additional socializing can prove to be beneficial (book). One thing that I did not consider then as a coping strategy was meditation. Although I wish I had since my recent embracement of mediation has proven to be a very useful in reducing anxiety levels. Through meditation, one can seem to suspend thinking altogether and allow the world to fade away. It is a method that reduces arousal, initiating relaxation. According to the university student study, which was mentioned earlier, the link between initiation of coping strategies and negative emotions is unclear. It is unknown whether the coping strategies effected stress symptoms or whether the distressful situation itself triggered the coping strategies (1). Relating this to my experience, many of the coping strategies that I used were not particularly planned. Most of them seemed to be triggered by the experience itself. For instance, I would constantly talk to my friends regarding my break-up without planning on doing so. The relationship between coping strategies and stress symptoms is unclear, however, it is necessary for such strategies to exist after dissolution to reduce levels of distress. Conclusion The levels of distress that follow dissolution of a romantic relationship can have immense negative emotional effects on an individual. It is arguable that the intensity level of distress may depend on the degree of commitment, seriousness and the nature of the romantic relationship. However, as the student study discussed, and various other studies have shown that these negative emotions are felt by the majority of people who experience dissolution of a relationship to some measure. Overall, my own experience of relationship dissolution was a learning one. It helped me better understand my negative emotions and allowed me to comprehend the different strategies I can apply to overcome my negative emotions. You can also order a custom term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation or essay on relationship from our professional essay writing service which provides students with high-quality non-plagiarized custom papers at an affordable cost.

Classroom Observation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Classroom Observation - Essay Example While determining how the teacher controls the behavior in the classroom the observer was informed that the code of conduct in each class of the school was created in the beginning of the year. As an example the observer found that the punishment for talking when the teacher is teaching has four stages. If the student is caught talking for the first time the teacher gives him verbal reminder. If the student is caught talking after the first reminder then the second time the teacher not only gives him verbal reminder but also reminds him of the class's code of conduct. If despite the two reminders the student does not stop then the teacher gives him the third and final warning verbally. If these three stages have not worked and the teacher finds him talking continuously then the teacher asks him and his other classmates if involved, to immediately leave the classroom and return only when they have controlled themselves completely. The teacher does not lay down the code of conduct alone but students are also involved in it. This approach helps the teacher in controlling the behavior in the classroom as current research shows that rules made together are usually more successful than teacher made rules. It gives the students a chance to voice their opinions and take ownership for the code of conduct. According to Cole et al. "Activities cannot be seen or planned in isolation. The way all the adults who are involved with the children share their strategies and the child's response is vital. This is not a one way or single channeled process." (2) Therefore when the students are sent out as a punishment they do not have any option but to obey the teacher as they too were involved in formulating this rule. They do not hold any grudges against the teacher later also due to this fact. Does the teacher integrate the content areas The observer witnessed that the teacher very skillfully integrated the content areas. It was not much difficult for her to do so because with science as a subject, it becomes easy to integrate many of the content areas. Social Studies- map skills; math- formulas for speed, time, reading charts and graphs; ELA- writing conclusions and coming up with hypothesis were all integrated by her. This made her teaching very interesting to the students. Cole et.al rightly pointed out that " children need to be challenged, the activities exciting and dynamic." (2) It has been found that students perform better when skills overlap in each area of their curriculum. The school that the observer visited believes in team teaching where policies and procedures remain constant for all content area classes. How does the teacher influence the classroom atmosphere In order to promote a congenial classroom atmosphere it is not enough to just lecture students on what to do and what not to. The students scrutinize teachers and try to find out whether teachers themselves are practicing what they are preaching. Teachers should be the role models of appropriate behavior. Only then can she influence the classroom atmosphere in a positive way. The observer found that the teacher of the classroom that he visited is an excellent model of appropriate behavior, language and decent dressing. She carried herself well and thus

Could you elaborate in this process in your own words Essay

Could you elaborate in this process in your own words - Essay Example Strategic plans are developed to accomplish the long term objectives of a company (Kotler, 2003). Whenever a company faces financial struggles the strategic plans of a company should be modified to adapt to the financial crisis the company faces. If the firm has a lot of inventory a way to improve the cash flow of the firm is by liquidating merchandise. The problem with this strategy is that it hurts the profitability of the company. The strategy of a firm can be redirected in order to adapt to a market change that affects the industry as a whole. Back in 2001 in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks the airline industry was forced to change its securities protocols to increase the safety of its services. â€Å"The attacks forced the airline industry to renew and strengthen their focus on security† (Boston, 2013). Many firms in other industries have altered their environmental behavior to comply with the expectations of green conscious

Beautiful Happiness In A Meaningless Life Short Story English Literature Essay

Beautiful Happiness In A Meaningless Life Short Story English Literature Essay I intend to write a short story featuring a few of the more potent themes present within the novelette The Outsider. This short story has simply been written to entertain, and explore the central themes and issues that I have chosen. The content of the story is gruesome and described with vivid details in some cases, so the target audience would be fairly mature, and have an orientation towards fanciful fantasy worlds. The story is set in a land where the local entertainment consists of arena type pit fights. These pit fights are similar to a council of the citys rich and wealthiest, with the lower classes also in attendance. These pit fights are also the place where status is gained and lost among these affluent members of society, with the slaves that compete being used as a means to this end. I have also interpreted the ending of The Outsider differently in my story, with my main character realising that he can make a difference with his life, and that he can live for other people rather than himself only. The content of the story is gruesome and described with vivid details in some cases, so the target audience would be fairly mature, and have an orientation towards fanciful fantasy worlds. The story is set in a land where the local entertainment consists of arena type pit fights. These pit fights are similar to a council of the citys rich and wealthiest, with the lower classes also in attendance. These pit fights are also the place where status is gained and lost among these affluent members of society, with the slaves that compete being used as a means to this end. I have also interpreted the ending of The Outsider differently in my story, with my main character realising that he can make a difference with his life, and that he can live for other people rather than himself only. The ring of steel on steel resounded around the arena, to join the din of gaudy music and jeering shouts ensuing from the on looking patrons of this violent event. The Slave Games took place every day, from the blaze of the new fire in the sky at its start, to its dying embers at dusk. The games consisted of slaves and a monster entered by the Games Keeper. Of course to make it more complicated, there were two different types of slaves, the ones entered by their master, and the ones donated. By a slave being entered it was similar to a bet being placed, with a small fee for entry paid to the games master, the fee also gave slaves the privilege of a weapon of choice. At the conclusion of the battle if the monster was the last one standing, the games master would keep the majority of the winnings, otherwise if a slave was the victor; their master was granted higher standing in society and a large sum of gold as their winnings. There was also an unspoken tradition, that the victorious s lave was granted freedom for their heroic deeds performed within the arena. The donated slaves on the other hand, were the unwanted outcasts of rich society that the Games Keeper bought for a small fee, to liven up the games as he would call it. The scything edge of an axe whistled overhead as the young man shied away from the maiming blow. He dodged left and ducked right, seemingly untouchable with his great agility, and quick mind. His short success ended with his impalement upon a long, unyielding, bronze tipped spear. He was dead before his knees buckled and his bruised and blood spattered head lolled to rest upon his chest. His limp body knelt upright, held there by the protruding spear. His dark, lifeless eyes stared unfocused at the floor of the arena, in a way which made it seem as if the poor boy was still in pain. Tayten observed this, in the moments after he had thrown the spear. But now the boy was dead, and the dead dont feel a thing. He retrieved his spear before turning to the frenzied sounds of battle nearby. The initially frantic fighting in the pit had collapsed in to smaller groups of the more skillful fighters that had survived the morning. Usually the donated slaves would be first to succumb as they main ly consisted of the old, the weak and the lame, though among these tribute slaves, were a handful of the forsaken; the brawlers, the thieves and those who had displeased their master. Tayten was of the forsaken, he was a free man captured, and bludgeoned into slavery. But he valued his freedom greatly, and he loved to journey even though he thought life was meaningless. How could one man make a difference, and be remembered after his death? He returned from his reverie with the great horn blast that signaled the release of the monster. The clash of steel ceased as the remaining slaves turned to face the monster. Usually it would take more than one slave to bring the monster down, so it was at this point that the slaves banded together in a bid to survive. Though if the monster was killed, the slaves would continue the fight between themselves, until a victor was eventually decided. A large iron gate slowly rose to reveal a dark entrance, for a moment nothing emerged, then with a roa r of rage, a full grown bull Minotaur emerged. Its pelvis covered in the blood marred rags of a loin cloth, and standing nearly half again the height of the tallest slave still alive. It carried a great jagged edged axe over its shoulder, mangled gore still present on its edge; it was truly a creature to instill fear into the hearts of even the bravest and most foolhardy of humans. One man turned tail and fled for the opposite side of the arena, sadly this drew the monsters attention and with two leaping bounds the Minotaur trampled the man under hoof. The other slaves charged, with shouts and battle cries, but Tayten held back, silently waiting to see what happened. The Minotaur spun with his deadly weapon, and cleaved in half the two fore runners with a single sweeping blow, seven slaves remained. The next slave, a burly man with a dusty orange beard and a balding crown, jumped with his two-handed sword held high, in an attempt to cut the Minotaur in half. But it simply bounced of f the thick hide and the Minotaur let out a deep rumble of hatred, before crushing the mans skull with the haft of the axe. Death was dealt instantly to the next three slaves, who all attempted a similar approach. The next slave attempted to go for the eyes, but with a sudden jerk, the Minotaur had thrust down with his head, skewering the adolescent upon his horns. Blood now ran down the Minotaurs face and muzzle, some even obscuring vision in his left eye. The sight of blood seemed to push the Minotaur into a frenzy, and he quickly dispatched the next closest slave, an older woman with a hard look in her eyes, and a slight scar running across the bridge of her nose. He was only able to see these finer details, when her head came to rest a foot from where he sat. The Minotaur lunged down with his axe in an attempt to kill the last slave opposing him. But the young boy was surprisingly nimble and evaded easily. A dagger flashed into the boys hand, and he slashed fiercely at the Minot aurs heel. Surprisingly the small blade cut deep, severing the tendon in the monsters leg. This time the Minotaur gave a cry of agony, and fell to one knee. Tayten watched again as the dagger flashed, realising that it must be made of glass; the only material hard and sharp enough, possibly capable of cutting through the Minotaurs thick hide. The Minotaur was too slow to catch the boy, and was obviously spiteful for it. With decisive slices, the Minotaur was unable to hold its axe, but the beast was still deadly. The boys overconfidence in his soon to be triumph over the beast ended with the bone crushing strength in the Minotaurs undamaged hand. The monster lifted the feeble body of the boy high into the air; the Minotaur stared hatefully at the corpse. In an eruption of still warm blood, a long hard shaft emerged from the boys chest. The Minotaur watched the silently in the instant before his death as the bronze tipped spear entered through his eye cavity, and ruptured his brain. Tayten registered the tearing peals of a bell tolling, and the deafening uproar that the crowd was making. None of this concerned him, not even the dead child he had plunged his spear through. Everyone died; it just so happened that they would be meeting her before he did. The crowd grew silent, all eyes watching him. The Games Keeper had risen, and it appeared that he was expecting an answer for an unspoken question. He turned to his peers and asked quietly, Is he not one of your slaves? Not a single one answered. Slaves were expendable, but keeping with his faà §ade of the generous benefactor for such events, he would need to keep the crowd and his rich friends happy. It was blatantly apparent though, that the previous master of the donated slave, expected retribution for the slaves survival. A solution came to mind. With a hollow cone of bronze pressed to his lips, his booming voice emanated out across the stadium, Our victor, Tayten is the champion of this day, and we acknowledge him for his deeds, he let the echo of his voice die before continuing. Never before has a donated slave won this tournament, but I have a solution. As I bought him from his previous master, it will be I who decides his fate, the crowd seemed hold its breath in anticipation of the Games Keepers verdict. The Games Keepers right arm shot out in front of him, with his fist clenched and thumb held horizontal. His thumb dropped slightly, and the crowd began to boo. But this was all part of the act, and before it got out of hand, his thumb shot up in definite sign of approval. The slave would be granted freedom. The crowd applauded with many shouts of joy, even jovial music could be heard in the background. The Games Keeper smiled as he watched the jubilation he had wrought within his crowd, before dropping his arm a moment later. His smile evaporated as he perceived the accusatory eyes of the contemptuous dark eyed noble boring into him. He bowed his head down next to the seated nobles ear, You know, the games keeper continued as if remembering something of importance, many unfortunate fates can befall a freed slave, once he has left the protection of the arena. As the Games Keeper marched off to oversee proceedings of the slaves release, the dark eyes of the noble brightened considerably, and a mean smirk marred his face. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ As Tayten walked beneath the low arch of the arenas gate, a smile caught upon his lips. The prospect of being free was a truly wonderful thought indeed, and the first place he would go was the local tavern. The smell of spirits wafted through the dark enclosed room, bringing back memories of times long past. He drank his fill, but a slave released from service has no money, so when the time came to pay he left promptly to the disgruntled shouts of the barman. He had no money to pay for lodgings, so he settled down in an alley way for the night. The comforting warmth from the liquor spread throughout his body, dulling his senses and propelling him over the edge into the blissful abyss of sleep. He wondered mildly in the moment before slumber came, whether death would be like this, the only difference being you never wake up. Once the mercenary was sure that his quarry would not be moving for the rest of the night, he disappeared back into the night to find his employer. Tayten woke with a start. Four tall dark figures loomed ominously about him, all wore deep set hoods. He realised then that they were only tall, because he was still sitting. Shakily he began to rise, but a heavy blow sent him back to the ground. The alcohol, still thick in his blood, was taking a heavy toll on his ability to comprehend what was happening. Who were these people? One of the men drew back his dark cowl to reveal his identity. The dark eyed noble stared malevolently down upon the man who had once been his slave. With a slight hand gesture from the noble, the three remaining hooded figures roughly seized the prostrate Tayten, hauling him upright to stand helplessly before his wicked enslaver. With a bitter smile, the noble spoke, I bet you thought it was your lucky day. Insult me and survive to tell the tale, I bet thats what you thought, the noble mistook Taytens drunken haze for impudence, and his next words were filled with venom as he sneered. Well you know what you poor dog; your worthless life will be cut to its wick this night, the nobles mouth formed an angelic smile, as he concluded. Not to worry, for I assure you, it will be painful, and before the end you will be begging for death. The sounds of voices approached, and a group of soldiers with lit torches past before the entrance to the alley, that the group was congregating within. The city was not without laws, and murder was punishable by death. The noble realised the vulnerability of his position, and decided to withdraw, leaving the hired mercenaries to dispatch the insolent slave. The three hired soldiers stood in silence as their hirer swiftly disappeared into the darkness. Making sure that the noble was definitely gone before speaking, the man to Taytens left spoke with a fairly high pitched voice, Well wasnt he a nasty one. The man to Taytens right replied simply, in what appeared to be a grumpy tone, They always are. The third soldier behind him, responded to this by saying, Yeah, that may be so, but they dont have the guts to do their own dirty work, and I guess we should be thankful for the work. The second soldier responded in a quietly outraged voice, WORK, you call this WORK!? We get paid so little by these rich bastards, when they have so much. The third answered, Youre right, but the rich only stay rich because theyre so selfish with their wealth. The second, Im sick of how bad were treated, after this Im going to get an honest job with honest pay, at least then Ill get the respect I deserve. The first cut in before the third could answer the seconds lamentations, Well you know we could make more money for these jobs, and still have the same end result. The other two soldiers turned, and in unison the third asked, How? a gleam sparkling in his eye, while the second stared blankly at the first and before asking an unintelligible, What? The first explained his idea, and the other two agreed upon it. They would take the man they were ordered to kill, and sell him to the pit master as a donated slave. Not only would they earn extra gold for this job, but they need not even get their hands dirty with the murder of another person. Taytens head had cleared slightly, and he was now partly focused upon the situation he was in. A voice spoke very close to his ear, As we move through the city, do not make a sound, do not make eye contact, and do not draw attention to yourself, otherwise we will kill you there and then, Tayten nodded, and the group set off. The journey was uneventful, and just before they reached the arena, they turned into a side alley. The soldiers had agreed that the slaves death needed to be assured, so they would slightly maim him, but not making it too visible so that he would still fetch a fair price. The second soldier came over, and with the pommel of his bastard sword, struck a blow that cracked a couple of ribs on the left side of Taytens body. Tayten keeled over from the pain, but he did not cry out. The troupe continued to the slave block built beside the arena, where they found the head slave master and bargained a good price for the slave they were donating. Tayten was then exchanged for the gold, and the trio of mercenaries departed. Two pit guards came to lead him down into the holding cells. As he was led to the entrance of a dark corridor trailing down into the depths of the earth, he remembered the circumstances of his last visit to this dank, moldy hole in the ground. When the noble had first brought him here, his hands had been bound, and a hessian sack had covered his face. As his eyes searched around the dark tunnel, he knew where he was. He remembered the smell and the feeling of oppression he had originally felt the first time he had come down this way, with his head concealed within the dark sack. But the aid of sight didnt help much, as it was hard to see in this dark, oppressive place, regardless of whether or not his sight had been obstructed. He looked at the faces of his escort, but he didnt recognise them, and it was probably the same for them. He was left alone within the dark holding cell for the night. He remembered from the first time, how his mask had been removed, and how he had been affronted with the sight of so many slaves in a single cell. It wasnt the fact that there were a lot of slaves; it was simply that his freedom was greatly restricted within such a tightly packed cell. Yet now he had his freedom within the cold dark cell, and it was eerily quiet. He had his freedom, and yet it wasnt what he remembered it to be. Tayten remembered freedom as warm and cheerful, but this freedom was the opposite. In fact, it had been in the crowded cell on the first night that he had experienced true warmth, nestled in with all the other slaves. He had also found the sounds of people in slumber, far more pleasant than the unearthly hush that had now settled over the chamber. Maybe freedom wasnt what he wanted anymore. He lay down, the cold leaving a bitter ache in his cracked ribs. It would be a long nightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Tayten must have drifted off, as it seemed to him that only moments had passed, since he had lain to rest upon the straw matted floor. But the morning bell was already tolling, signifying the start of the new day, and the opening of the arena gates to paying patrons. Taytens eyes drooped with exhaustion, as he stood up, but his mind was clear and his movements precise. He vowed never to drink alcohol again. His cracked ribs hindered his movements slightly, but as long as he protected that area, he could manage. Just then, a trio of pit guards entered the donated slaves holding chamber, one looked confused for a moment, before surprised recollection dawned upon his face, and he turn and ran out of the room. The two remaining guards shrugged their shoulders, and turned back to the only slave in the cell. The door was unlatched, and Tayten was led to the holding area, where many tunnels converged into a large central hall. The slaves would remain here, until the great gate at the far en d was opened, and the slaves would emerge into the arena. The entered slaves were already present, and Tayten was the only donated slave, so the games would begin at anytime. Taytens reticent nature had turned to mild annoyance for the noble who had imprisoned him, and then continually keeping him from his freedom. Tayten recalled the reason behind him becoming a donated slave in the pits; he had attempted to escape the nobles holdings, but had failed, and had been sentenced harshly by the noble for attempting to leave his service. This new found anger welled up within him, as the door on a side passage leading into the great hall, was thrust open by a tall, illustriously dressed man, stalking furiously towards the central holding cell. The fuming glare of the noble passed over the slaves and came to rest with livid hatred upon Tayten. Tayten smiled back, the nobles eyes darkened and a deep set frown embedded itself where his mouth used to be. Unsettlingly, a moment later, he in turn gave his own wicked smile to Tayten. Just then the bell tolled, to signal the start of the fight. As tradition would have it, the donated slaves were the first to enter the arena, followed a few moments later by the entered slaves. Tayten was happy to leave behind the demonic stare of the noble, so he quickly entered the field. The first thing he noticed, was that amazingly the arenas canopy had become a patchwork of mirrors joined together to form a shell between the spectators and the pit fight. It was obvious that the crowd could still see him from the excited shouts he received upon his entry, even if he himself couldnt see them through the mirrors reflective surface. Some members of the crowd let out surprised yells, as they recognised the victor of the previous day, but the initial surprise turned to angry confusion. Why was the victor (a free man) forced to fight in another round of the Slave Games? The entered slaves had been watching the interaction between the noble and the slave, so when the noble gestured that they should come closer, the entire group of entered slaves obeyed. When they had roughly formed a semi-circle along the wall of the holding pen, the noble spoke, Whoever kills that donated slave, he paused to gesture towards the open great gate, before continuing. Will be granted their freedom. The noble turned and left the holding area, the entered slaves looking at one another. A second smaller bell tolled within the holding area, to tell the entered slaves to cross the threshold into the arena. The slaves quickly departed and took up positions around the arena battlefield. The Slave Games were about to begin. The bell tolled and the fight began. The start of the fight wasnt as frantic as was usually the case. There were no other donated slaves, but Tayten knew that the fighting would be more intense sooner. A few slaves detached themselves from the main fighting, to single out the lone donated slave, this seemed odd to Tayten, as they usually focused on the more aggressive opponents. None the less, Tayten killed the first opponent who challenged him and took his blunt knife. The second enemy was of stocky build, and wielded an axe. But Tayten threw the dagger he had recently acquired, the tip catching the unprepared warrior in the eye. He fell dead, and Tayten retrieved his axe, improving his odds of survival by gaining a better weapon. The noble reemerged in the wealthy section of the spectator seats, and sat alongside the Games Keeper. The Games Keeper unhappily commented, I didnt expect you to bring him back here, when I told you about the unfortunate fates that can befall a free slave. The noble replied, Truly it was not my intention for him to be back here, but none the less, he will die today. Games Keeper, How can you be so sure, he survived once didnt he, why not again? Noble, He didnt have to fight much the first time through, lets just say Ive ensured that all those entered slaves will be hounding him like a plague of black flies to rotting meat. Games Keeper, What did you tell them? Noble, That the person who kills that slave of mine will be granted their freedom. Games Keeper, Never before has this happened, and I will not allow it today. Noble, Calm yourself, of course I lied. The dismayed expression upon the nobles face bespoke of his friends lack of trust. He finished what he intended to say with a mean smirk, I will grant them freedom by their own death, a moment of silence fell between the two, before the noble curiously asked, What monster have you decided to enter into this days Slave Games? Games Keeper, Ahh my friend, that is for me to know and for you to find out, but Ill give you a hint, I had this dome especially built for her unique ability, and I think I will be releasing her early, to give the slaves more of a fighting chance. Tayten was in the thick of battle, fighting two particularly vicious slaves at once. He had managed to acquire a short sword, and was duel wielding this with the axe he had, to keep the hungry weapons of his two adversaries at bay. One had a spear, while the other a scimitar. The man with the scimitar would attack at close combat, with a series of ripostes and thrusts that had Tayten moving back one step at a time. While beside the scimitar user, the woman with the spear was jabbing and thrusting brutally, in an attempt to skewer her foe, though not very skillful at her weapon, she was keeping him busy, as he couldnt move close enough to deal a killing blow, while still defending against the other slaves attacks. Unexpectedly a second bell rang clearly, and far too early. The monster had been released. Tayten had been distracted for only a moment, but that was all that was needed, for the scimitar warrior to lop half his left hand off. With his hand destroyed, he could no longer hold the weapon that was defending against the spear, and as this happened; the woman saw her opportunity and plunged the spear through his cracked ribs, and out the opposite side of his body. He was pushed back by the force of the spear, but then he fell forwards onto one knee, which yanked the spear from the womans grasp. He knelt there upon his heels, resting. He closed his eyes, and listened to the silence of the field, as most of the slaves turned to watch as the monster entered. Someone let out a scream, but Tayten didnt care, he gently grasped the shaft of the spear, and began to pull the shaft towards him, pushing it out the other side of his body. The pain was immense, and he struggled not to scream. It felt as if his left lung was filling with a warm fluid, and he was finding it becoming harder to breathe. He could hear people running about him, but it was in a disorganised fashion which meant that the slaves where in a state of chaos, and the monster was getting the best of t hem. Tayten used the blood covered spear that now lay behind him, as a support when he rose to his feet. He then opened his eyes, and found himself staring into the eyes of a statue. He spun around slowly taking in the sight; the battle field was littered with many statues, in the exact likeness of the slaves he had entered the arena with. He couldnt hear any movement, but he caught sight of what appeared to be the tail of a large snake, disappearing behind the obstructing statues. Tayten remembered the tale of the Gorgon, a woman with snakes for hair, and the lower body of a serpent, and possessed the ability to turn a human to stone by looking them in the eye. He immediately closed his eyes once again. He stood still listening for the faintest of sounds. The dry slithering rasp of something moving across the surface of the arena emanated from behind him, and in a single fluid movement, he turned and threw the spear. The chink of metal on stone told him he had hit a statue, and now weaponless and weakened, he knew he would soon be dead. He was half tempted to open his eyes, but he was unwilling to give up his life just yet. So he stood still and waited, while the rasp grew steadily louder. A dry whispery voice spoke close to Taytens ear, If you had thrown that spear a little higher, it would have cleared the statue, and killed me. A real shame too. Tayten felt something slither around his boots and slowly bind around his damaged body, he didnt need to guess that that this was the gorgons snake like body, constricting her victim. He was wrapped within her coils up to the base of his rib cage, but he removed his hands, before they were stuck tight next to his body. The voice came again, this time directly in front of his face, Why dont you open your eyes son of man, and stare into my eyes. The gorgon had noticed his wounds and knew well of his pain. Blood slid over her scales, dripping from Taytens hand and the still heavily seeping wound through his rib cage. Tayten spoke to the gorgon in a soft voice, What is your name gorgon? Surprised by the humans question, the gorgon replied easily, Medusa. Tayten replied with a smile, I am truly sorry Medusa, but I will not. Not until I have changed the world, and done something to be remembered by. Medusa, Silly human, one soul cannot change the world. Something brushed against Taytens face, and he recoiled slightly in shock at the unexpected feeling. More such light caresses came and went. All that Tayten cared was that they felt nice, and he began to slightly bob his head forward in search of more. Suddenly, unexpectedly, he felt his lips brush against Medusas own cold, yet subtly soft lips. Medusa hurriedly withdrew her face in alarm, her hair venomously hissing at the helpless human. The gorgons initial anger faded away to be replaced by inane curiosity, her hair had stopped hissing, and she moved in closer again. Her face was close enough to see the humans frowning brow, and once again she let her hair lightly caress his face as she easily came forwards to kiss the man. He had tensed his body in surprise, but it soon relaxed. She wrapped both arms around his neck, as to not aggravate his wounds. He also reached behind her and interlocked what was left of his hands. He could feel where the silky smooth human skin gave way to th e smooth scales of a snake. He also felt a strap running across her back, which undoubtedly held the metal breastplate to the front of her body that was now pressing lightly against his chest. The assuring pressure of the cool metal soothed Taytens body, and encouraged him to be conscious of how intimately entwined their two bodies were. Games Keeper, It appears as if your slave is dead. Noble, Not yet, I still havent seen his corpse or statue. Games Keeper, If you ask me, youve become obsessed with killing this guy, why cant you admit that he is dead yet? Noble, Maybe youre right, but you wouldnt believe how hard it has been for me to kill this man, just when you think he is dead; he jumps up and surprises you again. Tayten couldnt understand what he was feeling. What was this new unexplainable emotion? What was this word that was embedded within this emotion; love. He felt so happy and yet he was enslaved, it felt nice to kiss her and her gentle hair lulled him into bliss. Maybe life wasnt about living for yourself, maybe it was meant to be lived for others. Maybe if you live for others you will find that special happiness, that beautiful happiness, that you can only feel when you make another happy. Tayten asked happily, Do you think two souls can change the world? Medusa took a while to answer, I think we can. Tayten, Please release me, so that I can change the world and be remembered, I think Ill need your help though. Gasps from the crowd, made the noble and Games Keeper turn from their conversation, to see what had happened. Standing in the middle of the arena with the gorgon by his side, was the slave, and in his right hand he held a spear. He seemed to be orienting himself (taking care not to look at the gorgon), and when he had finished turning, he was looking directly at the noble. The noble turned to the Games Keeper, He cant see us can he? The Games Keeper replied unconvincingly, Not a chance, were behind a one way mirror, we can see him, but he cant see us. The noble countered fretfully, Then why the hell is he looking at us, and how on earth is he still alive!? Before the Games Master could reply, the slave took off running in their general direction. The noble stood, and with a horrified look on his face watched as the slave threw his spear, which shattered the mirrored glass directly before the wealthy spectator seats, and impaled the head board of the chair the Games Keeper had been sitting in. Frozen with shock, at the close call, the noble began to laugh. But it was short lived as moments later he fixed his gaze upon the most terrible set of eyes he had ever seen, and in that moment his body turned to stone. The same occurred to the Games Keeper, and the majority of the rich nobles who had been transfixed by the spectacle of the shattering mirror. The crowd was in chaos, their leaders were dead and the victor of the Slave Games from the previous day who had returned for a second time, was the direct cause for this. Fearing their own death, the crowd hurriedly exited the arena.

Individuality: Ellen Degeneres and Sexual Preference

Stay True to Yourself SaRaya V. Woolridge Towson University Abstract In order to be successful in any aspect of life you must be an advocate. As stated by dictionary. com, an advocate is to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly. Everyone by nature is an advocate for something whether it is being something as minimal as being an advocate for a promotion from your job or an increase in your allowance from your parents. There’s at least one topic that you feel strongly about and you feel should change.For me that topic is individualism. I believe that being your own person and staying true to yourself in any situation will lead you to ultimate success. Often in society people who are â€Å"different† from the norm are deemed weird and often looked down on. Straying from the norm doesn’t make you weird or any less good than the next person. A man who wears hair down to his ankles and shorts all year round with hoodies or someone who is homosexual and decided not to hide their sexual preference just to fit in with what society accepts.Every single person is different from the next no matter their race, age, background or even physical appearance. No two people are the exact same. And with this being said I never understood exactly why everyone is so hell bent on â€Å"Fitting In†. I believe that everyone should embrace every little thing that makes them special and use it to their advantage and become successful. There are many famous people right now that are successful right now that only were able to reach their full potential by embracing the very thing that made them unique and â€Å"different†.Ellen Degeneres revealed she was a lesbian, a rap group out to Brooklyn, NY by the name of â€Å"Flatbush Zombies† embraces their â€Å"weirdness† in rapping and sense of style and the good girl gone bad Rihanna expresses herself through body art and hairstyles. All three used made the m special to get where they are in life. Homosexuality is very common in our society today, so common that the rights for gays are a big campaign topic. There was once upon a time that the people in the limelight whom we often look up to would hide their sexual preference to gain and maintain social acceptance.But more recently there have been more and more people â€Å"coming out the closet†. Ellen Degeneres, Rosie O’Donnel, Lance Bass of N’Sync and Ricky Martin to name a few all are celebrities who have over the years embraced their sexuality. Most of the stars who revealed their sexual preference didn’t come as a surprise. But all can conclude that it made their life much easier and contributed to their career’s success. Ellen Degeneres said in an interview â€Å"†I never wanted to be ‘the lesbian actress. ‘ I never wanted to be the spokesperson for the gay community. Ever. I did it for my own truth. Ellen also went on to find love and marry a woman.This also caused a big stir because of the ongoing debates of same sex marriage. A lot of people do not agree with this and being a talk show host this could have easily harmed her ratings. But she did not let any of this stop her from being one of the top talk show hosts and gaining endorsements from companies such as cover girl. Also on the same website Elton John was quoted saying â€Å"[Coming out] gave me the freedom to be who I was for the rest of my life. I don't have to hide around corners. The worse thing is to be afraid of who you are — it's horrible. They both concluded that ever since revealing their sexuality their life has been easier. And when your life is stress free your success comes with ease because all your focus is on you and not hiding who you are. Another person who has gained much success through being an advocate for individualism is pop star Rihanna. Starting out with a good girl island girl image with her debut song â€Å" pon de replay†, no one would ever think she would be the hardcore, slick mouthed tattooed girl she is today. Often tweeting and posting pictures smoking weed and cursing at critics.Some people think that this is all a mechanism to cope with the domestic violence dispute she was involved in but Rihanna is very adamant about this being exactly who she’s been all along. Now that she’s made her mark and established a very loyal following, she’s able to really embrace her wild side without the concern that she will not be socially accepted. Rihanna has showed her â€Å"I Don’t Care† attitude through vulgar tweeting, tattoos and wild hairstyles. Over the years she’s chopped her hair all off, shaved her sides and dyed her hair outrageous colors such as fire engine red. She has also gotten tattoos f miniature guns and a quote on her knuckles that say â€Å"Thug Life†. Tattoos often communicate something negative in the public eye especi ally when it is in a spot that is very visible. (Doss and Ebesu-Hubbard, 2009) Most people would think her blatant disrespect and good girl gone bad persona would make her lose fans but ever since she’s done this her fan base has grown and her record sales have sky rocketed. She’s since been labeled a style icon and been making #1 hit records. Last but not least, there is the demonic crazily dressed duo Flatbush Zombies out of Brooklyn, New York.This group is compiled of two underground rappers with a theme and a dream. Piggy backing off of what the media named the â€Å"Zombie Attack† the duo has made quite a name for themselves, particularly for their style of dress and rap. They usually dress in loud non matching colors, mixing up prints and even dying their hair outrageous colors. One member of the group by the name os Juice had his hair dyed red at the top and gold on the sides. This was following the previous cheetah spotted hair. They take their â€Å"we irdness† and use it to their advantage.They dress weird, they dye their hair, they do drugs and rap and they don’t care who has a problem with it and it has only contributed to their rising success from underground rappers to mainstream. These are just a few examples of the â€Å"weird† and â€Å"different† people in the world that I admire for staying true to what makes them different. I personally have always had a very different style and I know people stare at me and talk about me but at the end of the day I’ve made a lot of networking connections being exactly who I am.As have many other famous people. This may sound cliche but I never want to be the girl who is trying to fit in when I was born to stand out, because when you try to fit in with the norm you’ll be washed away and blended in with everyone else. All in all, I believe that being an advocate for individuality is very crucial to success. All of the people in my paper as well as in the world who are successful Work Cited De Boer, S. (February 2009). Stars who came out of the closet, Wonderwall. Retrieved September 23, 2012 from