Tropical Africa Food Production And The Essays - Land Management

Tropical Africa: Food Production and the Inquiry Model Hunger is the result of disasters such as drought, floods, the .changing of the jet stream patterns and other natural disasters .They are beyond our control It has been estimated that one third of the land in Tropical Africa is potentially cultivable, though only about 6% of it is ,currently cultivated. However, to change farming from a low-input low-yield pattern to a high-input, high-yield pattern necessitates the use of more fertilizer and the planting of high-yielding .varieties of crops There are a number of environmental factors, related mostly to .climate, soils and health, resisting easy developmental solutions .Rainfall reliability is closely connected to rainfall quantity The rainfall in the equatorial heart is very plentiful and reliable. However, there is much less rainfall towards the outer edges of the rain belt. Periodic and unpredictable droughts are a .characteristic feature of these border zones :There are three climatic zones in Tropical Africa ,1.a region of persistent rain at and near the Equator 2.a region on each side of this of summer rain and winter drought, and 3.a region at the northern and southern edges afflicted by .drought All the climates listed in the previous paragraph are modified in the eastern parts of Tropical Africa by the mountains and .monsoons The soils of Tropical Africa pose another problem. They are unlike the soils of temperate areas. Soils are largely products of their climates, and tropical soils are different from temperate soils because the climate is different. Because of the great heat ,of the tropics tends to bake the soils, while on the other hand the rainfall leaches them. The combined heat and moisture tend to produce very deep soils because the surface rock is rapidly broken down by chemical weathering. All this causes the food's rate of growth to slow down or maybe even stop and as a result food production won't even come close in catching up to the rate of .population increase; therefore starvation and hunger is present In the process of a flood and drought, the roots of trees are shallow and virtually no nutrients are obtained from the soil. The vegetation survives on its own humus waste, which is plentiful. If the vegetation is cleared, then the source of humus is removed and the natural infertility of the soils becomes obvious. As being another factor, this will cause the soil to produce wasteful and .useless products which in turn will decrease the production To conclude this essay, the climates in Tropical Africa take a big role as being factors that could endanger or destroy the process of plantation. On the other hand, it could also bring good .fortune if climatic regions are fairly good -------------------------------------------------------------- Tropical Africa Food Production And The Essays - Land Management Tropical Africa: Food Production and the Inquiry Model Hunger is the result of disasters such as drought, floods, the .changing of the jet stream patterns and other natural disasters .They are beyond our control It has been estimated that one third of the land in Tropical Africa is potentially cultivable, though only about 6% of it is ,currently cultivated. However, to change farming from a low-input low-yield pattern to a high-input, high-yield pattern necessitates the use of more fertilizer and the planting of high-yielding .varieties of crops There are a number of environmental factors, related mostly to .climate, soils and health, resisting easy developmental solutions .Rainfall reliability is closely connected to rainfall quantity The rainfall in the equatorial heart is very plentiful and reliable. However, there is much less rainfall towards the outer edges of the rain belt. Periodic and unpredictable droughts are a .characteristic feature of these border zones :There are three climatic zones in Tropical Africa ,1.a region of persistent rain at and near the Equator 2.a region on each side of this of summer rain and winter drought, and 3.a region at the northern and southern edges afflicted by .drought All the climates listed in the previous paragraph are modified in the eastern parts of Tropical Africa by the mountains and .monsoons The soils of Tropical Africa pose another problem. They are unlike the soils of temperate areas. Soils are largely products of their climates, and tropical soils are different from temperate soils because the climate is different. Because of the great heat ,of the tropics tends to bake the soils, while on the other hand the rainfall leaches them. The combined heat and moisture tend to produce very deep soils because the surface rock is rapidly broken down by chemical weathering. All this causes the food's rate of growth to slow down or maybe even stop and as a result food production won't even come close in catching up to the rate of .population increase; therefore starvation and hunger is present In the process of a flood and drought, the roots of trees are shallow and virtually no nutrients are obtained from the soil. The vegetation survives on its own humus waste, which is plentiful. If the vegetation is cleared, then the source of humus is removed and the natural infertility of the soils becomes obvious. As being another factor, this will cause the soil to produce wasteful and .useless products which in turn will decrease the production To conclude this essay, the climates in Tropical Africa take a big role as being factors that could endanger or destroy the process of plantation. On the other hand, it could also bring good .fortune if climatic regions are fairly good --------------------------------------------------------------

Problems of Reading and Literacy

Problems of Reading and Literacy Abstract The proceeding is a review of ten current articles on reading and literacy. The research paper contains an introduction, review of the articles and a conclusion which summarizes the articles. The paper contains a detailed definition of reading and literacy and how the two interrelate.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Problems of Reading and Literacy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The ten summarized articles focus on how various factors affect literacy and reading across the society. Several corrective measures are proposed in some articles on how to cope up with the challenges of literacy. It is realized that deficiency in literacy is common to all age groups and segments of the community. Introduction The two terms, literacy and reading, have been used interchangeably in some settings. Literacy is described as one’s ability to read and consequently write. In depth, it refers to the ability to recognize, comprehend, infer, craft, commune, work out and use written and printed materials connected with changeable contexts. Reading is the art of decoding and cognition of symbols with an aim of constructing or deriving a meaning. It also refers to the technique of language acquisition for communication and for sharing ideas. Reading requires a continuous process for proper development and fine-tuning so as to gain proficiency in the act. Summary of Articles Beverly’s article outlines the use of phone text messaging among British children especially the abbreviations and language used. Texting has no negative effect on the literacy or language development as being speculated. Language development depends on the age at which the child receives mobile phones. Those who posses phones at an early age do many texting, thus developing literacy, as opposed to their fellows who do not have phones. Acquisition of texting knowledge is significant in the development of literacy profile in a child (Beverly Clare, 2009). The ability to select and use various words and when to use them gives children metalinguistic and linguistic acquaintance. It was evident that text messaging does not have any negative impact on the reading and literacy. Texting instead increase the pace at which the two can be acquired and internalized. In as much as this mode increases of learning, the question remains on how text messaging among the preteens affects their grammar.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second article explores the long-term impacts of opting for early comprehension interventions. Children who do not know how to read in their year one in school will continue to fall behind their peers, thus requiring the need for recovery reading and phonological training are recommended. The survey explored how different models of interventions may be effec tive in children with difficulties in reading. The two interventions include recovery reading and explicit phonological training. It is clear that the two interventions had significant improvement in a child’s reading in the medium and short term. Recovery reading had more impact than phonological training though the later had a strong impact in improving the spelling. Children who read not only learn letters and words but also learn how to use them in the text (Jane Kathy, 2007). Those who are able to pas this stage usually gain independence in reading and are able to recognize and correct mistakes on their own. The lessons of reading recovery enable children to become self-mentor. It should be realized that the two methods do not have long-term effects; therefore, other tactics like child enjoyment, home encouragement are critical in ensuring improvement in reading among children. Christine and others examined how social network sites (SNSs) affect the lives of teenagers i n high school in terms of reading, literacy and the social life. The current technologies like wikis, blogs, online games; social networking and so on have changed literacy. The technology changes how people communicate information, compose, listen, view, write and read. Networking sites creates relationships, accomplish social education functions and discovers novel communiquà © and imaginative endeavors. In overall, the use of social sites among students exhibit new literacy and reading practices. SNSs provide opportunities for the young people to learn different things online, and from friends thus becoming excellent readers (Christine Beth, 2009). This fourth article entails the experiences students show when writing and reading visual essays, which make use of images as opposed to texts. It explores how non restriction to words may improve one’s ability to gain skills in literacy work. The use of other elements of design such as audio, gestures, texts, and video equall y improve a person’s ability to become a competent reader.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Problems of Reading and Literacy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The article covers the how, what and when of the visual essays, experiences and how to teach them to improve reading and literacy (Janette Sarah, 2010). The pictures, lyrics and words used in visual essay enable the viewer to draw a conclusion of what the producer or the author implies. People will be so wiling to pay attention to video than they do to essays. This means that the use of visual elements in communicating a point will have an enormous impact because people are lazy in reading, and will want to interpret what the visual element is about. The article concluded that students using visual essays are able to develop essay skills fast. The choice of appropriate visual essay for different groups is a challenge. Ruthanne and Tobin investig ated what teachers can use to cope up with varying needs of the students to learn in Grade 2/3 classrooms. Teachers are aware of the discrepancy in literacy needs of the students, but many do not know how to offer different varieties to benefit all the students (Ruthanne Alison, 2008). Responsive literacy, literacy instructions and various organizational formats are the underpinning factors that bring the variations in literacy delivery. The overall goal of the paper was to help teachers develop a framework for combating instructional differentiations. It is also aimed at providing instructors and teachers with strategies of meeting literacy needs of diverse students. The study made use of a case study design using qualitative research to explore educational phenomenon in a genuine life circumstances. Some of the techniques found and proposed for increasing literacy in a diverse situation include differentiated instructions and appropriate response to the at-risk students during no rmal classrooms. Differentiated instructions assist students in understanding and content application in literacy learning, and to choose the best option among different learning experiences. Other strategies include shared writing and reading, guided reading and setting up literacy centers with excellent texts. The sixth peer review article explores how teachers can improve their knowledge and experience. This is anticipated to help children develop enthusiasm and motivation towards reading among the less fortunate in literacy. Teachers should be readers for themselves thus developing and sharing experiences, acknowledging families, community, and considering reading like pleasure (Teresa et al,. 2009).Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The research revealed that personal engagements enable them to recognize the nature of reading and what is entailed of being a reader, hence acting as reading models for their students. The process permits teachers to widen the dexterity of teaching for pedagogic understanding and subject knowledge mutually sanction professional performance. When teachers gain such a vast experience in reading, they are able to understand the reading and literacy needs of children in class. Teachers should, therefore, be encouraged to do inclusive and objective reading both at primary and secondary level so as to cope up with the changing needs of the students. This article analyses how some controlled situations can improve reading and literacy among children and pupils. The program is called Head Start, a research-based development informed, which an enriched intervention is focusing on socio-emotional abilities, literacy skills and language development. It involves teachers using research-based i nstructional equipment and teaching modes whose aim was to improve child talent attainment. The program contains a detailed curriculum for the teachers equipped with exemplary teaching practices (Bierman, K. et al, 2008). Children in the intervention program had improvement in literacy and reading. Properly structured curriculum and improved teaching techniques can improve performance in children towards achieving literacy. The eighth article is about literacy patterns among the children who are excellent in mathematics but have learning difficulties. Lack of phonological abilities is common in children with reading difficulties. This article eases the information processing speed, auditory, visual and memory analysis. The ability of a person to tackle mathematics appropriately means that the person is creative, skilful and committed in completing the tasks. One of the difficulties children face is dyslexia which is a neurological complication and is constitutional in derivation (An ies, 2010) It presents with difficulties in spelling, written language and reading. Visual dyslexia pupils have visual problems while auditory dyslexia people have hearing problems. Children with difficulties experience difficulties in reading and writing, even though they are excellent in mathematics. Cathy Burnett explores the available understanding on the impacts of technology on literacy in the classroom. It employed the Green’s distinction on critical, cultural and operational scope of primary literacy. Print media is highly supported by its legacy and policies, but new technologies are preferred to supplement it. People should be able to understand what it entails like the usage, values, interactions and processes for successful applications in primary class literacy (Cathy, 2009). This last review focuses on adult literacy in a health care setting and its implications. Health literacy is a crucial factor that affects the communication in the process of cancer prognosi s, diagnosis and treatment among the adults. The study asserts that one out of five adults in America lack the obligatory literacy to communicate effectively in the society. It is observed that inadequate literacy complicate matters in the health facilities, hence leading to inappropriate decisions in cancer centers. Clients possessing poor health literacy present problems both in written and spoken communication. It is also cumbersome to identify people with literacy deficiency because some hide it to their family members and to the physicians (Terry, 2006). The problem manifests mostly when the consent is required from the patient since they cannot understand the meaning of the paper. It is, therefore, recommended that adults with a deficiency in literacy be open to the service providers in all sectors, and literacy improvement centers be set up so that adults can improve their standards of literacy. Conclusion It is with no doubt that problems of reading and literacy are prevalen t in the society. Researches have been conducted to find solutions to some of these crosscutting issues. Literacy reviews majorly touch on pre-teenage and teenagers because this is the age that experiences difficulties in literacy. It is evident that the learning environment and health status of a person affects the literacy level of a person. Overall literacy and reading, which are used interchangeably, are affected by sociocultural factors in the society. References Anies, A. (2010). Perceptual skills and Arabic literacy patterns for mathematically gifted children with specific learning difficulties, British Journal of Special Education  · Volume 37  · Number 1, pp 26-37. 3 Beverly, P. Clare, W. (2009). Exploring Relationships between Traditional and New Media Literacies: British Preteen Texters at School. Journal of Computer-  Mediated Communication 14, pp 1108–1129. Bierman, K. et al., (2008). Promoting Academic and Social-Emotional SchoolReadiness: The Head Start R EDI Program, Child Development, Vol. 79, No.6, pp 1802 – 1817. Cathy, B. (2009). Research into literacy and technology in primary classrooms: an exploration of understandings generated by recent studies, Journal of Research  In Reading, Vol. 32, Issue. 1, pp 22–37. Christine, G. Beth, R. (2009). Old Communication, New Literacies: Social Network Sites as Social Learning Resources. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 14, pp 1130–1161. Jane, H. Kathy, S. (2007). Long-term outcomes of early reading intervention. Journal  Of Research in Reading.Vol.30, Issue 3, pp 227–24. Janette, H. Sarah, T. (2010). Engaging students through new Literacies: the good, bad and curriculum of visual essays. Journal for English in Education, Vol. 44 No. 1, pp 5-23. Ruthanne, T. Alison, M. (2008). Accommodating differences: variations in Differentiated literacy instruction in Grade 2/3 classrooms. Literacy, Vol. 42, No. 1. Teresa, C. et al., (2009). Teachers as read ers: building communities of readers,  Literacy, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp 11-18. Terry, C. (2006). Health Literacy and Cancer Communication. Cancer Journal for  Clinicians Vol. 76, Issue 20. pp 134-149.

Current and Future Change in Communication Assignment

Current and Future Change in Communication - Assignment Example From this paper it is clear that  health communication campaigns are used by media organizations to deliver quality information in promoting health safety and behavioral changes in order to maintain a healthy living. In this regard, media organizations have advertised several healthcare products with an aim of creating awareness. In the United States, several campaigns emphasizing on safe sex practices and use of condoms such as the â€Å"Great American Condom Campaign† play a significant effect on reducing unwanted pregnancies as well as spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.This study highlights that the campaign has undergone several transitions in its struggle to promote safe sex from mere advertisements on the importance of using condoms. Currently, the campaign has introduced the â€Å"amplify project† where high school and college students register as members and distribute condoms within their institutions. In addition, the project also trains the members on providing peer counseling services to their colleagues on sexual reproductive health as well as the rights and freedoms of young people. The campaign aims to register as many students as possible with an ultimate goal of gaining global recognition in the fight against HIV and sexually related diseases.  Mass media provides a platform in which health care providers disseminate information about its products to potential customers. In this regard, the communication of information is quick and detailed.

Unit 5 discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 5 discussion - Research Paper Example In the case of Bedford Mountain parenting program one could debate that there might have been preconceived thoughts about the program’s success. In Maritza’s case, it is important for the funding agency to understand the purpose of the program. The findings in this case should be presented and explained clearly to the founder. According to Royse et al. (2010) this evaluation’s findings are intended for knowledge development. They are exempted from scrutiny by IRB (p.49). Despite this; it is good for the evaluator to share her plans with the nearest IRB for guidance. It is also crucial for the evaluator to review how others addressed this problem and apply ethical principles to the situation. Maritza should consult with her supervisor on the evaluation and objectively discuss the way forward as the program collides with politics of funding and the need to be addressed. Maritza should not compromise on the findings but should present her findings in such a way that they capture the pros and cons of the program and give recommendations for it. This type of data ought to be shared with the funding agency and her immediate supervisor. Evaluators are urged not to be complacent even in the midst of political, financial or personal interest but maintain neutrality and exercise their ability to report accurate

Presentational Aids Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Presentational Aids - Essay Example I have decided to develop flip charts and PowerPoint slides as preferred presentational aids because I am more confident and comfortable with the efficient preparation and utilization of these two aids in my training module. Additionally, these aids are clear, simple and capable of illuminating and illustrating my words effectively. As most of the audience will be familiar with flip charts and PowerPoint slides, the distraction factor is less likely to interfere. They can also prove useful when the attention span of audience is limited. Switching between these two aids in lengthy sessions would probably help to keep the audience interested and engaged. Flip charts can help presenter to proceed through material and convey information efficiently. The most notable advantage of flip charts is that they can be prepared or modified before as well as during the session. Also, it can be easily used to note questions, comments and can also be converted to slides later. However, they are difficult to transport, not suitable in a large audience setting and also require some graphics talent. PowerPoint slides presentation is one of the most adopted visual aids nowadays. They can be prepared easily, quickly and are capable to project complex illustrations and animations more professionally. It is also suitable to large audience setting. Presenter is able to print slides for memorizing the key points. However, the risk of confusion and technical malfunction is much greater for PowerPoint presentations. Developing new slides during the session is sometimes quite difficult and time

What Is An Information Society Media Essay

What Is An Information Society Media Essay It is definitely hard to nail down the definition of an information society as one may argue that its definition is rather abstract and requires one to locate it in the context of time and space. Are we now still considered an Information Society? How do we quantify a shift to an information society? All these are problematic questions to consider.   1.1 Definitions First, I will list down a few definitions by scholars and see if there is a fundamental basis for the term Information Society: A society that organizes itself around knowledge in the interest of social control, and the management of innovation and change (Daniel Bell, 1976). A society where [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] information is used as an economic resource, the community harnesses/exploits it, and behind it all an industry develops which produces the necessary information (Nick Moore, 1977). A new type of society, where the possession of information is the driving force behind its transformation and development [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] where human intellectual creativity flourishes (Yoneji Masuda, 1980). The information society is an economic reality and not simply a mental abstractionThe slow spread/dissemination of information ends [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] new activities, operations and products gradually come to light (John Naisbitt, 1984). Societies that have become dependent upon complex electronic information networks and which allocate a major portion of their resources to information and communication activities (Melody, 1990). It is evident that the above definitions are based on preconceptions regarding which areas of life change significantly: some are centered on resources, others around products, industries, activities, or society and people. As such, in general terms, an  information society  is a  society  where the creation, distribution, diffusion, uses, integration and manipulation of  information  is a significant economic, political, social and cultural activity. 1.2 The Birth of the Concept The expression post-industrial society was first coined in 1914 in Great Britain by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy and Arthur J. Penty. It was later revived from 1958 in America (primarily by Daniel Bell) and from the end of the 1960s in French social sciences (by Alain Touraine). However, the collocation information society as it is now used first emerged in Japanese social sciences in the early 1960s. The Japanese version of the expression  (Joho Shakai)  was born during a conversation in 1961 between Kisho Kurokawa, the famous architect, and Tudao Umesao, the renowned historian and anthropologist.  In regard to technology, which forms the basis of production, the term automation (later cybernation), introduced by the automotive engineer of the Ford company D. S. Harder in 1946, facilitated the discussions for decades. Dozens of evocative terms were originated to designate the sweeping changes generated by the hurtling development of information technology; of these the most well-kno wn were the various manifestations of the computer and the scientific-technological revolution. A common characteristic of the above proto-concepts is that they isolated one of the components, i.e. a part of the rapidly changing socio-economic complex and suggested that it was sufficient to describe in both a descriptive and metaphorical sense the whole. As a result of this, several terms, each with a different approach, proliferated between 1950 and 1980. Around 1980 these terms merged into a comprehensive, joint umbrella term combining the concept of information and society: this new concept included and encapsulated all the previous partial concepts and preserved the expressive power, approach and attitude they represented.   1.3 Generic Timeline (1960s- Present) In the mid-1960s, when computing was known as data processing and the economies of the most advanced industrial nations were shifting from manufacturing to services, theorists proposed the emergence of an information society. This new society idea, based on the notion that the production of knowledge was replacing industrial production, was believed to have strong social implications.  With the introduction of the personal computer in 1981, the concept of the information society received new impetus. The computer and electronics industry went through a period of rapid restructuring and global growth as it promoted the notion of a computer in every home. These developments influenced the restatement of visions about a new kind of post-industrialism in which societies with high levels of knowledge skills, or the capacity to develop those quickly, held competitive advantage and the capacity to transform themselves into more open and responsive societies. From the early 1990s, the rapid convergence of computers with private and public telecommunications networks placed a new emphasis on instant and universal access to vast banks of information and on rapid information exchange across geographic, social and cultural boundaries. The intensified commercialization of the World Wide Web from 1994 appeared to have given the information society a specific shape and form.  In the past few decades we have seen various scholars debating on the concept and in recent years, other scholars and politicians have discussed more on the implications and the uses of ICTs; bringing in the political dimension. The  International Telecommunications Unions  World Summit on the Information Society  in Geneva and Tunis (2003 and 2005) has led to a number of policy and application areas where action is required. These include promotion of ICTs for development; information and communication infrastructure; access to information and knowledge; building c onfidence and security in the use of ICTs; cultural and linguistic diversity; and ethical dimensions of the information society. 2. Information Society Debate Among researchers and scholars, there is no consensus about what the information society is or even that it exists. For instance, Daniel Bells theories have numerous critics among others like Webster, 1995; Marvin, 1987; and Schiller, 1981 (Susan Trench, 1999). In particular, Bells claim that an information society exists when the information workers (clerks, teachers, lawyers and entertainers) outnumber the other workers is highly contentious because every occupation involves information processing of one kind or another. On the basis of the growth of information flows and technologies, information society theorists argue that the changes underway represent not just quantitative but qualitative social change transforming almost every realm of social life, including households, communities, education, health, work, surveillance, democracy, and identities. Together, these changes are seen as constituting a new form of society, comparable to the shift from an agrarian to an industrial society. Rather than tightly defined, the scope of information society debates ranges widely and overlaps with other approaches to understanding contemporary social change. Information society theorists can be broadly categorized in terms of those who see technology as the driving force behind the change, versus those who see social factors as shaping technology and history. This debate, technological determinism versus the social shaping of technology, lies at the heart of the sociology of technology. While sociologists have been concerned to refute technological determinism, countering the common, everyday way of conceiving of the relationship of technology to society, much work on the information society remains at least implicitly technologically determinist, while in the sociology of technology there is a growing interest in the constraining capacity of technology. Another key issue in the debate is whether and when quantitative changes (e.g., increasing flows of information, a larger information sector of the economy, or growing levels of ownership of IT devices) constitute qualitative change (the emergence of a new form of society, even an IT revolution). In other words, there is a debate about whether the situation is radically different from the past, or merely the continuation of long-running phenomena or tendencies. A further distinction is between optimists and pessimists, on which count the debate is remarkably polarized: for some (notably Daniel Bell), the information society is a progressive development, characterized by greater freedom and  fulfillment   whereas others (Herbert Schiller, Frank Webster) point to the continuation or exacerbation of long-running inequalities and patterns of control. Some contributors to the debate are normative in their writing, slipping into a mode of endorsing the changes that they identify as underway. Different theorists focus on different strands of the debate, notably the growth of technology, the transformation of the economy, the changing nature of work, new patterns of connection across time and space, and the coming to the fore of mediated culture.   2.1 Closely Related Concepts Post-industrial society (Daniel Bell) Post-Fordism Post-modern society Liquid modernity (Zygmunt Bauman) Knowledge society Network society (Manuel Castells) New Information Society (Frank Webster) The above terms and concepts carry similar and often overlapping meanings; while for some social theorists, different labels like late modernity, post-modernity, or globalization better characterize contemporary social transformations. Even those who focus on the information society use the term to refer to different social processes. In this Wiki-project, I will not attempt to cover all the various discussions on information society but will focus on a few scholars instead. 3. Alvin Toffler- Future Shock (1970) and the Third Wave (1980) In 1970, the futurist Alvin Toffler, without explicit reference to the information society, painted a dramatic transformative theory based on the power of new technology. Technology was changing society, as it had done historically, from the agricultural revolution to the industrial revolution. But the pace of change had accelerated beyond anything previously experienced or imagined. New social, economic and political relations were rising as rapidly as old ones were falling. In advanced societies, he argued, many people were suffering from future shock the disease of change, caused by the stresses and disorientation of too much change too quickly. Future shock was not an abstract condition; it was real and had actual psychological and biological effects on its sufferers.  Those who felt it most acutely were people who tried to cling onto the old ways and resist the new. Technology was driving changes, and people had to adapt to them. A decade later, during which time his confidence in the transformations had swelled, Toffler presented the notion of the third wave. The first wave of social transformation was the agricultural revolution; which prevailed in much of the world after the  Neolithic Revolution, which replaced  hunter-gatherer  cultures. The second wave was the industrial revolution which began in Western Europe with the  Industrial Revolution, and subsequently spread across the world. Key aspects of Second Wave society are the  nuclear family, a factory-type education system and the  corporation. The third wave was still in its early phase. It was characterized by a move away from manufacturing to the provision of services and information. Around this, new social, political and economic relations were forming. Toffler argued that distance was becoming irrelevant in the third wave, mass production was giving way to customization, and national borders, cultures and identities were being eroded . Many of these ideas have re-emerged in the much later discussion of information society. Toffler left open both the question of what the outcome of the transformation of the structure of democracy was to entail, as well as the question of what kind of world order would supersede the order of nation-states. 4. Yoneji Masuda The Information Society as Post Industrial Society, Johoka Shakai (1980) In Japan, Yoneji Masuda likened the impact of information technology on the modern economy to that of steam power in the industrial revolution. The book published by Yoneji Masuda in 1980 refers to a higher stage of social evolution- from post-industrial society to information society. Masuda tells of the birth of an era of information; focusing on computer technology, which operates in conjunction with communications technology. He  hypothesizes that the future information society would be a highly integrated society, like an organism. It would be a complex multi-centered society in which many systems are connected and integrated by information networks. Overall, the innovative technology would change the social and economic systems through the following three phases: Phase 1 technology does the work previously done for humans based on automation. Phase 2 technology enables the possibility of work that man could never do before, i.e. knowledge creation. Phase 3 socio-economic s tructures are transformed into new social and economic systems, a result of the first two phases of development. The information society will form a new societal model with a different framework from the industrial society, which is keen on the exploitation of information as a resource fundamental to the development of new innovations. The table below summarizes Masudas work. Table 1: Comparison of the characteristics of the industrial and information society by Yoneji Masuda Source: Masuda, 1980 5. Daniel Bell The Coming of Post-industrial Society (1973) Genealogy of the information society concept is usually traced to a term post-industrial society- a term first used by sociologist Daniel Bell (1973). He states: In the pre-industrial society life is a game against nature where one works with raw muscle power (Bell 1973 126); in the industrial era where machines predominates in a technical and rationalized existence, life is a game against fabricated nature. In contrast to both, life in the post-industrial society based on services, is a game between persons. What counts is not raw muscle power or energy but information (127).  Bell formulates that the main axis of this society will be theoretical knowledge and warns that knowledge-based services will be transformed into the central structure of the new economy and of an information-led society. He argued that western economies had de-industrialized, by which he meant that they had a declining percentage of the workforce working in the manufacturing sector and growing employment in the service and information sectors.  Figure 1  indicates the transformation which lies at the heart of his thesis. Figure 1:  Four-sector aggregation of the US workforce, 1860- 1980 Source:  Bureau of Labor Statistics, cited by  Bell (1980: 521) The dominant mode of employment was crucial to explaining economic, social and political changes, and technologies were crucial to explaining changes in the dominant mode of employment. Society had evolved through two distinct phases, agricultural and industrial, and was evolving into a post-industrial phase. In the postindustrial phase came new forms of innovation and social organization and practices. By the 1980s, Bell was using the terms post-industrial society and information society interchangeably. He surveys the characteristic differences reflected by the social- historical phases simplified into three main periods along nine distinctive aspects. The table below shows the distinctions. Table 2: Dimensions of the information society according to Daniel Bell (1979) Source: Bell, 1979 Daniel Bell is remarkably optimistic, seeing the post-industrial society as one in which everyone will enjoy access to the worlds traditions of art, music, and literature. Post-industrial society means the rise of professional work, professionals are oriented towards their clients, and society becomes transformed into a more caring, communal society. While Bells analysis fuses data and argument about the economy, employment, and knowledge, underlying his work is a clear technological determinism. He epitomizes the information society literature by according technology a central role in social change: technological innovation is seen as resulting in social change.   By contrast, sociologists of technology reject the notion that technology is somehow outside society and that technological change causes social change. Rather, they have been concerned to explore how particular social formations  give rise to  (or shape) the development of specific technologies.   6. Manuel Castells The Information Age: Network Society (1996, 1997, 1998) Castells description of the new information age attempts to show the way out of the theoretical maze of the value driven, intricate information society. He proposes a conceptual model of a network with which the most recent phenomena of modern societies can be explored. At the end of the 1990s he finally legitimized the information society as an academic field of research. Manuel Castells three-volume opus (1996, 1997, 1998), as reflected in the title -The Information Age, is a comprehensive scientific work supported by secondary sources and one which originates new concepts. Castells attempts to surpass traditional reasoning by offering a compact and multilayered foundation linking economic-and political, as well as cultural theory. His concern is to provide a cross-cultural theory of economy and society in the information age, specifically in relation to an emerging new social structure. While Castells uses a different term, his work resonates with the tenor of information society debates. Like Bell, Castells documents the demise of traditional, labor-intensive forms of industry and their replacement by flexible production. His account fuses the transformation of capitalism (the growth of globalization) with changing patterns and forms of identity. He argues that, with the rise of the informational mode of development, we are witnessing the emergence of a new socioeconomic paradigm, one with information processing at its core. For Castells, the issue is not information as such, but the informational society the specific form of social organization in w hich information generation, processing, and transmission become the fundamental sources of productivity and power, because of the technological conditions (Castells 1996: 21). In other words, the issue is not simply that information is central to production, but that it permeates society. 6.1 Networks In the informational economy, networks are the new social morphology. Organizations are transforming from bureaucracies to network enterprises, responding to information flows, with economic activity organized by means of fluid project teams. Economic activity becomes spatially dispersed but globally integrated, reducing the strategic significance of place, but enhancing the strategic role of major cities.  Manuel Castells explains the origins of ICT from the perspective of social developments. He argues that the network is the dominant structure of society in the information age: power, money, information and society itself is reproduced in networks. ICT enabled the management of these network structures. In the last quarter of a century, three independent processes came together, ushering in a new social structure predominantly based on networks: 1) the need of the economy for management flexibility and for the globalisation of capital, production and trade; 2) the demands of society in which the values of individual freedom and open communication became paramount; and 3) the extraordinary advances in computing and telecommunications made possible by the micro-electronics revolution. Under these conditions, the Internet became the lever for the transition to a new form of society the network society and with it to a new economy.  Networks have extraordinary advantages as  organizing  tools to coordinate and manage because of their flexibility and adaptability, which allows them to survive and prosper in a fast changing environment. Networks are proliferating in all domains of economy and society. The new economy is based on unprecedented potential for productivity growth as b usinesses use the Internet in all kinds of operations. Within a network society there are territories where valuable nodes of wealth and knowledge tend to form. Innovation tends to be territorially concentrated, and major cities throughout history have been important in cultural creativity and technological innovation.   6. 2 Time and space In contrast with earlier time-space arrangements, there is in terms of flows no distance between nodes on the same network. In other words, geographical distance is irrelevant to connection and communication. So there are fundamental changes to the nature of time and space, with time compressed and almost annihilated; and space shifting to the space of flows: places continue to be the focus of everyday life, rooting culture and transmitting history, but they are overlaid by flows. The network of flows is crucial to domination and change in society: interconnected, global, capitalist networks organize economic activity using IT and are the main sources of power in society. The power of flows in the networks prevails over the flow of power which might be read as some kind of flow determinism. The Internet and computer-mediated communication are seen as transforming the fabric of society though Castells explicitly rejects technological determinism. 6.3 Identity and culture The other main strands of Castellss argument are about identity and culture. The transformation of economies has been accompanied by the decline of traditional, class-based forms of association, particularly the labor movement. At the same time, state power has been eroded and new forms of collective resistance have emerged, notably feminism and environmentalism. The explosion of electronic media, specifically the development and growth of segmented audiences and interactivity, means the growth of customized cottages (as opposed to a global village) and a culture of real virtuality. Although he acknowledges growing inequality, social exclusion, and polarization, Castells, rather like Bell, sees at least the possibility of a positive future, of new forms of communication and the network society offering democratizing possibilities. 6. 4 Discussion on Bell and Castells While Bell focuses his analysis very much on the economy, and Castells provides a remarkably wide-ranging account, the work of these two key analysts of the information society addresses what can be seen as the four core themes of the information society, or of information society debates.  First is the new patterning of work and inequality. This includes debates informed by Bell regarding the decline of manufacturing in western economies, and the growth of information and service sectors; the deskilling debate and the restructuring of work; and the growth of e-commerce. It also includes debates about the growing gulf between the rich and the poor, and social exclusion the digital divide. There is debate about the extent to which lack of access to information is a cause, rather than merely a reflection, of social exclusion. Second is time-space reconfiguration, compression, or convergence different authors use different terms. The shrinking of time and space, examined by Castells, is facilitated by instantaneous electronic communication. Globalization and digital information networks lie at the heart of information society debates. Some invoke McLuhans (1992) notion of the global village and develop this in relation to the Internet, and a large and growing body of literature examines Internet communities, for example those of national diasporas. Multi-channel television and global television flows are key components of global cultural communication. The erosions of boundaries between home and work and public and private are other aspects of time-space reconfiguration. Third is the huge growth of cultural activities, institutions, and practices. Culture has become increasingly significant in contemporary society, and with new ICTs the means to produce, circulate, and exchange culture has expanded enormously. The media and communications industries have a huge economic significance today, paralleling that of physical plant in the industrial era. Far from simply a matter of business and flow, culture connects closely with the constitution of subjectivity, with identity. Fourth, there is a set of issues about the transformation of state power and democracy with the growth of technologies of surveillance. Behavior in public space is routinely observed and recorded on video, while computer systems map personal movements, conversations, e-mail traffic, consumption patterns, networks, and social activities. At the same time, democracy is facilitated by the capacity for many-to-many communication (as opposed to the broadcasting model of one-to-many) and the increasing accessibility of growing amounts of information, with the development of the Internet. New patterns of communication across time and space enhance communication possibilities, and state control of the media is challenged by new technologies satellite but especially the Internet that easily cross national borders. 7. Webster Theories of the Information Society (1995) Frank Webster has a long-standing interest in the effects of new technologies and changes in information and communication. His teaching interests span contemporary societies, social change, sociology, and information, communication and society.   He notes that the information society advocates do not distinguish between quantitative and qualitative measures; they assume that quantitative increases (in information, information industries and occupations, and information flows) transform into qualitative changes in social systems. Webster believes the concept of information society is flawed as a description of the emergence of a new type of society. The criteria for distinguishing an information society are inconsistent and lack clarity, the use of the term information is imprecise, and claims that increases in information lead to significant social changes are based on faulty logic and inadequate evidence. His central objection is that these distinctions are an over-simplification of the processes of change. There are no clear grounds for designating what is an information society or when we will have reached it. If there is just more information, it is hard to suggest why the information society is something radically new. All societies and nation states can be called information societies in so far as they all even pre-Internet have had routines and procedures and means for gathering, storing and controlling information about people. Therefore, more information cannot in itself be held as a break with pr evious social systems.  Ã‚   As such, Webster does not believe we have entered a new information age even as he concedes various points that there have been big changes in society because of changes in technology, networks, and information flows. As a result of his stated biases, he sometimes comes across as more critical of other scholars who he does not agree (Bell, Castells, etc.). However, Frank Webster developed a typology to understand information society theories: five main distinctions have been put forward to characterize an information society: technological, economic, occupational, spatial and cultural.   7.1 Technological vision   From the technological perspective, we live in an information society since information and telecommunication technologies play a constantly expanding role in all fields of social existence, which has shaken the foundations of social structures and processes and resulted in massive changes in politics, economy, culture, and everyday life. Most of the attempts made to define information society approach the idea from a technological point of view hence the central question of such explorations sounds like: What kind of new information and communication technology was constructed in recent decades that determined the infrastructure of information society? The key idea is that the breakthrough in information processing, storage and transmission led to the application of information technologies (IT) in all societies, e.g. sale and usage of computers, cell phones, etc. Awed by the pace and magnitude of technological change, there is an assumption that the computer revolution will have an overwhelming impact on every human being on earth. Computer technology is to the information age what mechanization was to the industrial revolution. New technologies are one of the most visible indicators of a new age, and therefore are often taken as signals of an information society. The rapid growth of the Internet especially the information superhighway, and the spread of national, international and global information networks has been held as a key development. Many government studies have tried to track the growth in volumes of communication and information across these networks. They contend that ICTs represent the establishment of a new epoch , which despite short-term difficulties will be economically beneficial over the longer term.  The most important question, however, is the one that focuses on the relationship between technology and society. What is the optimum technological impact on social life that can achieve a qualitative change? Are we justified in relying on modernizing political initiatives and the theories of futurologists who claim that technology is the only means to change social procedures and the functioning of society, when their objective is to expand the use of technology in the public sphere? 7.2 Occupational vision Many OECD and EU documents on the information society focus on the occupational aspect of the information society. An emergence of an information society is measured by the focus on occupational change: the shift is towards the information work. Information society is seen in overwhelming members of clerks, teachers, lawyers, etc. vis-à  -vis the manual labours, such as mine workers, builders, farm labourers, etc. Labour market is today dominated by information operatives who possess the information needed to get things done. A clear emergence of white-collar society (Information work) and a decline of industrial labour (blue-collared workers).  Occupational change is often taken as another indicator of an information society. The occupational structure is examined over time and patterns of change are observed. Arguments here are based on the assumption that if most forms of work involve information we have achieved an information society. The decline of manufacturing or industria l work is taken as a further signal of change. This conception of the information society is quite different from the one based on technologies, since it suggests that it is the transformative power of information rather than of information technologies that is spurring change. 7.3 Economic vision   Technological innovation is central for increasing productivity and thus for growth of economics and competition between economies. It is commonplace today to contend that we have evolved into a society which accepts that knowledge had become the foundation of the modern economy. We have shifted from the economy of goods to a knowledge economy. The assumption is that knowledge and organization are the prime creators of wealth. Economy-based approaches track the growth in economic value of information-r

Relationship between Science and Religion Essay

The article â€Å"Relationship between Science and Religion† outlined the different relationships that the said two domains have had over the years. Historically, religion and science were viewed as strictly separate fields that could not be unified. This view is more popularly known as the conflict thesis . On the other hand, Stephen Jay Gould (1999, quoted in Wikipedia 2007) stated that the two fields could â€Å"co-exist peacefully† if they do not intervene with each other’s business. The article also enumerated different kinds of interactions between the two as presented by Polkinghorne (1998, quoted in Wikipedia 2007). Aside from the constant opposing views regarding the natural world or reality, Polkinghorne illustrated that religion and science may reach a common ground or may even be united with regard to a particular occurrence. After this, the article then went on discussing the early efforts of some religious groups to complement their doctrines with scientific facts. But of course, there were groups, particularly Islam that resisted the proliferation of science in what they believe as sectarian-dominated world. Inevitably, with the advancement of science and fast modernization of societies, there were new groups formed embodying beliefs apart from the fundamentalist view of religion. These groups range from the liberal Enlightenment advocates to non-fundamentalist sects such as Protestant Christian. There were even organizations formed that are not religiously affiliated but perform functions congruent to what religion usually does. Though there were new groups organized, some religion, which date back to ancient times claim that their dogma is capable in adjusting with scientific advancement and this has been actually used by them to explain their own theories toward the strengthening of their own beliefs. The last parts of the article list the varied point of views of scientists toward religion. Some view that religion and science are distinct from each other while others believe that the two could be unified. Others simply believe that the two fields share the same objectives in trying to provide explanation of the happenings in the environment they live in. And also, since religious beliefs are part of cosmos, they can be scientifically tested. Lastly, the article presented studies and findings on relevant issues being tackled. Since the article is not argumentative in nature, it is difficult to determine fallacious statements. The article did not clearly propose or suggest anything nor did it draw any conclusion. It was presented in a seemingly objective manner. I used the words â€Å"seemingly objective† because if one read the paper, it would be observed that the relationship between religion and science were clearly outlined without favoring any of the items. However, as one analyzed the pattern on how the article was written, the biases would be realized. The article enumerated four kinds of interaction between religion and science. However, as the article progresses, only the CONFLICT and INDEPENDENCE kinds of interaction were substantiated. The paper presented early efforts and manifestations of well-established, if not ancient, religious denominations to reconcile the two fields but it failed to elaborate on this matter. The article could have cited instances, findings or any on-going research wherein the two subject matters were integrated. Instead, the article highlighted some points in history when scientific advancements were sanctioned by religious authorities. Moreover, as if strengthening the idea that religion and science are irreconcilable, the article pointed out the formation of non-religious organizations. Though the article presented the â€Å"non-fundamentalist relationship views†, it fell short in showing that the sectarian side is attempting to make a world where they are both accommodated. For example, aside from mentioning the non-sectarian groups, it could have also stated some religious institutions that support scientific and technological development. The second bias that allude to the favoring of the separation of the two domains are the surveys showing that a higher percentage of scientists do not believe in any religious systems. How about presenting data on spiritual leaders who also uphold basic principles of science? Lastly, towards the end of the article, it showed findings on the â€Å"correlation between religiosity and intelligence†. Though this study didn’t categorically stated that those who observe holy practices and those who are strict believers of religious doctrines have low serotonin levels, it seems to create the stigma. If this line of thinking were continuously propagated, many would be discouraged to associate themselves with any religious beliefs. All the biases lean towards the implication that efforts to settle the differences between religion and science should be abandoned. This is what makes the article problematic. At first, the writing tried to present the relationship between the two in an objective way. But it failed because biases were evident. If the author had really wanted his output to be presented objectively, he should have shown the two sides of the coin. For example, he asserted the aggressive progression of science but mentioned only historic accounts on the side of religion. Also, he cited a list of studies disputing the validity of religious co-existence with science, but he again failed to mention the side of religion. Is religion also trying to draw a clear line against science or is it accepting the recent wonders of the latter? Since the author failed to be impartial in writing the article, he should have instead taken a clear-cut position on the issue so readers would be guided in the direction he’s driving at. Bibliography Greene, Perry (1997) Logical Fallacies [Internet], Available from: [Accessed 24 March 2007]. Johnson, George (1998) Science and Religion: Bridging the Great Divide. The New York Times Archives, [Internet], June 30, 1998 Available from: [Accessed 24 March 2007]. Raymo, Chet (1998) Skeptics and True Believers: The Exhilarating Connection Between Science and Religion. New York, Walker and Company. Relationship Between Religion and Science (2007) [Internet]. Available from: < http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Relationship_between_religion_and_science#_note-3> [Accessed 24 March 2007]. Shelp, Earl Edward ed. (1985) Theology & Bioethics Exploring the Foundations & Frontiers II Series. Holland, D. Reidel Publishing Company.

I.S.U journal Kite runner Essay

Plot (important action only): The kite runner is about the life of a young boy named Amir. Amir lives in a lavish house in the richest district of Kabul, in Afghanistan. Amir has everything he could ever want except the loving attention and acceptance of his father, Baba. In their house, they have two Hazara servants. Ali and his son Hassan who are part of the minority ethnicity at the time. Hassan grew up with Amir in the same house and he was much more than just a best friend. Baba treated Hassan equally to Amir, as if they were brothers. Each year it was a tradition for the Afghan community to have a festival of kites where there would be a single victor to arise amongst hundreds. Amir was a great kite flyer and Hassan was the best kite runner there was. This year, Amir won the tournament and his dad was really proud of him. Amir was really happy to finally have some loving attention from his father. Hassan promised to run the last kite defeated for Amir. He did not return immediately so Amir went looking for him. Amir saw Hassan cornered by Assef, a bully, and two of his friends. Amir then watched Hassan take a brutal beating just to keep the blue kite for him. Amir watched him get beaten and did nothing. The relationship between Amir and Hassan has never been the same after that day. Amir felt that either he or Hassan must leave and so he puts his birthday gift under Hassan’s pillow. Later, Hassan admits that he stole them and Ali says they must leave. Baba pleads with him to stay, but Ali refuses. Years after Hassan and Ali left, the Roussi army attacked, forcing Baba and 18 year old Amir to flee the country to California. The states provided a whole new life for Baba and especially Amir. Amir attends high school and college to pursue his dream; to become a famous writer. Amir is haunted every day by the thought of Hassan getting beaten and him not reacting, pretending as if he were never there. In California, Baba finds an Afghan community in which he is quite popular already. He spends a lot of time at a flea market where there are many other Afghans too. Amir spots a young afghan lady, Soraya, at the flea market which he cannot keep his eyes off. When Amir’s father becomes ill with cancer, Amir asks Soraya to marry him. Very shortly after they get married, Baba dies. Soraya and Amir then try to have kids but fail to and it is then when Amir receives a call from a man he has not heard of in a very long time. Rahim Khan tells Amir of the death of Hassan and his wife. Amir is devastated by the news. Rahim also tells Amir that their son is now in an orphanage. Rahim tells Amir that finding Hassan’s son is his chance to redeem his sin. Amir then goes to Afghanistan to find Hassan’s son. With many obstacles, including a one on one fight to the death with Assef, the bully who bullied him and Hassan at a young age, Amir comes out of Afghanistan with Hassan’s son. He comes back to California with many injuries. Sohrab, Hassan’s son, goes to school and lives a new life in America. Hassan and his wife officially adopt him and provide him a life full of potential. The novel ends with Amir teaching Sohrab how to fly a kite, as he battles a kite and defeats it. Characters: Amir: Amir is the narrator and protagonist of the novel. He is a Pashtun boy, who evolves throughout the book to become an adult. He is also a great writer and storyteller. As readers we feel much compassion for him. His father is a wealthy man by Afghan standards, and so Amir grows up always having what he wants. He has everything he could wish for except the loving attention of his father. He does not feel a deep emotional connection with Baba and this causes Amir to feel a strong jealousy towards anyone receiving his father’s affection. Amir thinks Baba wishes he was more like him. Amir is often jealous of the way Baba treats Hassan. He notices that Hassan is much more like his father than he is. Amir is a conflicted character who struggles between the logical and emotional sides of his being. Throughout the novel, he struggles to make connections with his father. His obsession and guilty conscience, along with his adult perspective looking back at childhood events make him a good storyteller. Amir seems to be a mix of Hassan’s personality and Assef’s personality making him in the middle of good and bad. He then gets the chance to fight Assef one on one to the death which was like facing the bad side of himself. Baba: Baba is Amir’s father. Later in the novel we find out that he is also Hassan’s father. He is considered a hero and a leader in Kabul and he is always doing things for others. He always seems to expect more from Amir. Baba has excellent morals and philosophies on life that he tries to teach Amir over time. He was even willing to sacrifice himself to keep the Russian guard from raping the women travelling with them. By doing so, Amir later understands that doing what is right is better than saving yourself. Baba felt guilty through his whole life for not being able to acknowledge Hassan as his son. For this reason, he tries to redeem his guilt by providing good actions to everyone around him. He even built an orphanage. His emotions are very well hidden by his outer appearance. In the end, he is very proud of Amir. He dies happily because he was able to build the relationship he had always wanted with at least one of his sons. We also find out that Amir and Baba both shared a never-ending feeling of guilt inside of them for different reasons. Hassan: Hassan is Amir’s playmate and servant. He is a Hazara and we find out late in the novel that he is Amir’s half-brother. Hassan epitomizes the perfect servant who is not only loyal to his master, but also forgiving and good-natured. Even after he’s been betrayed, Hassan lies for Amir and he still considers him as a friend. Hassan grows up in the same place as Amir but has a different purpose. He is a servant and so he prepares Amir for school every morning by preparing his breakfast and books. He also does all the chores during the day while Amir is at school getting an education. Hassan later gets married and has a son. He dies late in the novel. Hassan represents all that is good and kind. Assef: Assef is the antagonist of the novel. Assef does not see Hazaras as equal to Pashtuns. Near the beginning of the novel, he beats Hassan violently. At the end of the novel, he fights Amir one on one to the death until Sohrab shot him in the eye. He is a villain who ends up joining the Taliban. Assef represents all that is evil and cruel. Personal reaction to the novel: The kite runner was an amazing novel. I personally loved it. I finished the book in less than a week because I simply could not stop reading it after I first opened the book. I felt a lot of strong emotions when reading this book. When Hassan was beaten violently and Amir just stood there and watched, I was really scared for Hassan. The picture was very vivid in my mind and I felt terrible for Hassan. I also felt sad for Amir because he only finds out in the end that he and his dad were much more alike than they both thought. When Baba is already dead, Amir finds out the truth about him and how they both share an endless guilt. I also really liked this novel because I got to learn a bit about Afghanistan since it was the main setting of the novel. Out of all the books that students have to read in English class throughout the years, this is one of the few that are really good. I actually really enjoyed reading this book, unlike many books read in the past years. I would strongly suggest to keep teaching this book to future students. Author’s style and voice: The kite runner written by Khaled Hosseini uses the narrative writing style. The author places himself as Amir and narrates you the story. The author also uses a lot of accurate descriptions to give the readers a vivid image of a setting, character or object. Since it is Amir narrating the story, he tells it from the viewpoint of an adult looking back across his life. It is a personal narration in an informal, conversational style, similar to dialogue rather than a self-consciously literary style of writing. Amir’s voice is pretty consistent throughout most of the novel. However, the vocabulary and diction develop as he moves from talking about his childhood years to talking about his adult years. At the beginning of the book, when he narrates his childhood life, he tends to use childlike language such as â€Å"he never told on me†1. When he gets older, the vocabulary and diction used to narrate are more advanced since Amir has evolved not only physically, but intellectually as well. The author’s voice or Amir’s voice also changes at times of stress or anxiety. After his fight with Assef, the sentence structure becomes very hesitant and broken to reflect the severe temporary damage of Amir’s mind. Themes: Redemption: Redemption is searched by two important characters through the novel. Baba and Amir are both seeking redemption for two different reasons. Baba had sex with his servant and this resulted in having a Hazara boy. Because Hassan was a Hazara, he could not publically announce that he was his son and so he kept it a secret during his whole life. The fact that he could not acknowledge Hassan as his son made him feel very guilty and he never stopped striving to redeem himself. Baba even built an orphanage to help redeem himself according to Rahim Khan. Amir is also searching for redemption ever since he saw Hassan take a beating without reacting at all. Redemption is what brings Amir to Afghanistan which is a big event in this story. Forgiveness: Hassan’s actions demonstrate that he did forgive Amir’s betrayal. Amir pretty much spends the entire novel to learn about the nature of forgiveness. Baba’s actions of redemption are an attempt to gain public forgiveness for what he has not even publically admitted to have done. When Amir finally discovers Baba’s big secret from Rahim’s letter, he ends up forgiving his father. Forgiveness plays an important role in the story. Immigrant experience: In this book, we get to know how hard it can be for immigrants to leave their homeland and to successfully arrive to their destination. Baba and Amir are among many Afghans who struggle to leave. There are plenty of calculated risks and uncertainties in the next passages for immigrants. Many immigrants die before they even reach their new homes. In addition to the difficulties of their lives in a new country, the immigrants also have to accept what or who they have left behind. When arriving to a new country, immigrants also try to maintain their traditions and some semblance of their own culture, which can be hard. Baba loses his status once they arrive in America and still has his old prejudices. Soraya and her mother also demonstrate the difficult role women have balancing the expectations of an old world culture with the new world in which they are living. Sohrab quickly adapts to his new country and has a life full of potential waiting for him. Symbols: The pomegranate tree: While Amir and Hassan are both young and carefree, they carve their names in the tree and it bears fruit. Therefore, the tree symbolizes their relationship. Much later when Hassan is dead and Amir is filled with guilt, the tree just like Amir’s memories still exists but no longer bears fruit. The tree not only symbolizes a unifying force between Amir and Hassan but also serves as a source of division. When Amir wanted Hassan to hit him with the pomegranate fruit in order to inflict physical pain as a punishment to lessen his guilt instead, Hassan breaks the fruit over his own head to prove his loyalty. The tree brings back vivid memories when Amir returns to Afghanistan. Kites and the blue kite: Kites and everything associated with them are undoubtedly the most important symbols in this novel. This blue kite is even more important because it symbolizes a chance for Amir to obtain Baba’s attention. Amir thought that the only way he’d earn his father’s attention would be to win the kite flying tournament. This blue kite is the last kite competing against Amir’s during the tournament. As he cuts the last kite’s string, Hassan runs off to fetch the kite for Amir. The blue kite also symbolizes Hassan’s loyalty. Amir wanted to show all the kids at school that he won the tournament and got to keep the last remaining kite that he faced one on one. He mostly wanted to show this kite to his father. As the novel continues, the kite becomes a symbol of betrayal which leads Amir to the will of finding redemption. Hassan sacrificed him just to bring kite back to Amir as he said he would. Hassan took a beating to keep the kite and Amir watched it happen without reacting. Amir feels guilt ever since this moment until the very end of the novel, where Amir is running a kite for Hassan’s son. At the end, the kites symbolizes happiness, freedom and peace at last. Scars: Hassan has a split lip since he was a child, and it is one of the features Amir refers to the most when describing him. The split in his lip symbolizes Hassan’s status in the society. It signifies poverty and minority as an ethnicity which is one major thing that differentiates him from Amir, because it indicates that his family do not have the money to fix his lip. Baba eventually pays a surgeon to repair Hassan’s lip as a birthday gift, signifying his secret fatherly love for Hassan. Later in the novel, Assef splits Amir’s lip in his one on one duel with Amir. Amir is left with a permanent scar very similar to Hassan’s. This scar on Amir symbolizes the fact that Amir has become like Hassan not only physically, but mentally too in the sense that he has learnt to stand up for what is right. Bibliographical information: Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead Books, (2003) I got a 4+ on this journal , so it should do you some good 🙂

Business Model of Re-Book.Com Essays

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