Bei Dao’s Poem ‘An End or a Beginning’ Essay

Bei Dao’s Poem ‘An End or a Beginning’ depicts the endless protestors ‘murdered’ by the cruelty of the Cultural Revolution and the continuity of life in search of hope after many lives taken away. The loss of hope looked for â€Å"In every dream† after every day, reinforces the everlastingly hunt of freedom and end of the Cultural Revolution even though it feels just out of grasp and the sacrifice to get there is unavoidable. The setting of the poem in nature where the â€Å"trees†, â€Å"clouds† and â€Å"stars† are, connotes the freedom of the outdoors with no restrictions contrasting with the people living under the unnatural aggression of the Cultural Revolution. The destruction of the people’s freedom is shown in stanza one where someone protests like â€Å"the sun rises† and â€Å"A heavy shadow, like a road Shall run across the land† will destroy the pureness of one’s courage. The sun is like a person’s boldness to ‘stand’ against the Cultural Revolution like the nature of the sun rising and the ‘heavy shadow’ looming over the sun darkens the atmosphere covering all hope and demolishes it like how nature is corrupted by roads built for the selfishness of man. The repeated anticipation of hope can be seen even after the brutality of oppression by the revolution. The persona’s personal response can be seen in stanza five to emphasize the search for the hope of new beginning. The repetition of ‘I look for’ portray the things dreamed for all of which are beautiful images of nature which connote freedom and places of no boundaries. Contrasting this ideal illustration, the actual land with â€Å"A heavy shadow†, â€Å"A sorrowing mist† covered with â€Å"wretched cigarette stubs† all convey negative images of a worn area. The structure of the poem follows similar lines in each stanza except stanza 4 where the word â€Å"towmen† is on its own near the middle of the paragraph. The diction â€Å"towmen† used all alone in one line emphasizes how people are pulled and manipulated by the communists who control the Cultural Revolution. The Yellow River mentioned before the â€Å"towmen† shows how much impact the communists has had as the Yellow River is a very important river in China. By asking if â€Å"even the ropes of the Yellow River† can be controlled is like questioning how the manipulators could be so powerful. As the Poem comes to the end, the stanzas very slightly diminishes to allow the reader feel a less abrupt ending which relates to the sadness of a dying end. Death throughout the poem is constantly mentioned to illustrate its recurrence. Diction such as â€Å"murdered†, â€Å"gone†, â€Å"forever† all convey the permanent lost of lives which cannot be stopped but only replaced and repeated due to the unforgiving violence of the Revolution. The hope of renewing the land can be seen in stanza six where Dao explains how â€Å"fresh blood† needs to be shed in order to help rebuild the land and create new life and hope â€Å"on tomorrow’s branches†. Branches, relating to trees display an image of life and growth which provide â€Å"The ripened fruit† which would mean the country being able to feed and look after itself because of the lives killed to make the land â€Å"fertile† and grow. Repetition is used a lot in the poem. The repetition of ‘Here I stand Replacing another, who has been murdered† represent all the protestors who stood up against the Revolution, died and then replaced and killed again. This is used to exemplify the problem which gives people â€Å"no other choice† but to keep doing it because there is no other way out and hope which is only â€Å"Stars† which â€Å"glimmer in the wind†. Wind being a powerful source contrasts with the small glimmering stars which connote hope emphasize how there is little chance of survival. ‘An End or a Beginning’ uses the strong image of nature to represent the freedom of which is natural with the dark gloomy illustrations of â€Å"clouds†, â€Å"mists† and â€Å"wind† to convey the dark disasters of the Cultural revolution causing devastation and â€Å"growing forests of gravestones† ending lives where hope is already slim increasing loss.

Just War Essay

Current events all over the globe raise questions with respect to the propriety and ethics of waging by one country to another. For example, there are some events that force people to think, rationalize, and make a distinction between war in its traditional concept and a war against terrorism, which makes it crucial for a state to obtain information from captured terrorists in a short period of time (Moseley). There are international standards and agreements that set the rules with respect to the waging of war, specifically applied in determining whether the war waged is just or not (Williams, Jr.and Caldwell). For one, there is the Geneva Convention, which deals with the noble objective of protecting Prisoners of War (POW) from various abuses (Moseley). The most popular theory dealing with the ethics, morality, or propriety of waging war is the â€Å"just war† theory (Moseley; Williams, Jr. and Caldwell). This theory refers to justice in war, or moral support for war (Moseley). Just war theory has two aspects: the theoretical and the historical tradition (Moseley; Williams, Jr. and Caldwell). In the former, the justification and reasons behind war are discussed; while in the latter, the focus of attention revolves around the body of rules and agreements entered into by international bodies that are supposed to be applied in times of war (Moseley). The former is also known as jus ad bellum, while the latter is also known as jus in bello (Moseley). Both concepts are not mutually exclusive, and both deal with the morality of conduct and the decision to go into war (Moseley). These concepts have a long history of tradition that built the rules of conduct to be observed during war (Moseley). The concept of jus in bello had been formulated due to decades, or even centuries of experience (Moseley). Thus, it must be deemed applicable, even to modern types of war experienced by the world today, like the war against terrorism. Indeed, the war against terrorism is of a different kind from the other kinds of wars that humankind had seen (Schwartz). However, the differences, such as the alleged pressing need for information, are not enough to abandon standards that are designed to protect the dignity of the human person (Schwartz). One of the criteria of jus in bello is strict proportion of the conduct with the objective desired (Moseley). Applying this criterion to any proposal to wage war against a country or group of people, there would ultimately be the question of whether the use of force, that would necessarily end in the loss of thousands, if not millions of lives, would justify the achievement of various goals, such as freedom, economic independence, or national security (Schwartz). Works Cited Moseley, Alexander. â€Å"Just War Theory. † 2006. 10 Oct. 2007. . Schwartz, Joseph M. â€Å"Misreading Islamist Terrorism: The â€Å"War Against Terrorism† and Just-War Theory. † Metaphilosophy 35(2004): 273-302. Williams, Jr. , Robert E. and Dan Caldwell. â€Å"Jus Post Bellum: Just War Theory and the Principles of Just Peace. † International Studies Perspectives 7(2006): 309-320

MR Amin

Introduce yourself in an online discussion board. Due: Friday 1/8/2014 1. Go to the â€Å"49002 Managing Projects (Distance Mode)† section of Outselling 2. Post a short biography introducing yourself in the discussion board â€Å"Introductions for Distance Education students†. 3. Your description should include: a. Any project management experience (years and types of projects) Level of education and any bachelor degrees held What you hope to get out of the subject. B. Horn description of one of your most interesting projects. C. A Joke. Step 2 Select your study group members. Due: Monday 4/8/2014 4. Read all the introductory posts in the discussion board 5. Find 3 people with whom you have something in common 6. Comment on their posts providing a short explanation of the connections with your own introduction and why this might be the basis for a good group interaction. Step 3 Enroll in your group in TTS online Due: Tuesday 5/8/2014 1 . Self-enroll in one of the Groups (Group 1 Distance†¦Group 8 Distance) with three other students you have met on the discussion board. Step 4 Discussion on Assignment 2. Due: Wednesday 6/8/2014 1 . Create a new thread in your group discussion board called â€Å"Assignment 2†. 2. Identify the elements of the assignment that need to be completed before the due date. 3. At the end of this discussion (Step 4) complete the first survey in SPARK. You can access SPARK via the link in the left column on TTS online titled â€Å"SPARK† 1 .

An Empire for Slavery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

An Empire for Slavery - Essay Example So it becomes clear that though slavery was very profitable to those who owned slaves, such as cotton farmers, the overall effect was not only incredibly detrimental to the African-American population taken as slaves but also to the overall economy. As far as actual figures, it can be said that a single slave working in a cotton field would yield roughly $1,000 in crops per year. This is a sizable figure for that time period. Because slavery was so widespread and acceptable in Texas, many seeking wealth and profit relocated to Texas where slavery was expanding and growing conditions were optimal. The soil and weather conditions in Texas made the growing of crops a very profitable business. Other states were slowly doing away with slavery as Texas continued to capitalize on slavery. These states were invaded by federal troops that sought to free slaves. By the year 1860, nearly a quarter of a million slaves were working on Texas plantations. It was not until the year 1865 that the Texas slaves were freed. Due to the horrible conditions that most slaves had to endure, the overhead for bondsmen was low compared to the profit that it yielded. One would assume that the inhumane act of owning slaves would ultimately prove to be exceedingly profitable and in addition prop up an economy; however, this proved to be untrue as the state of Texas ultimately suffered for its hunger for money and bondsmen as its overall effect was one of delayed industrial development. Certainly, when the federal troops were commissioned to free Texas slaves at last, Texan plantation owners were then forced to come by their profits honestly through paid labor instead of forced slavery. An alternative would be for the once slave holders to farm their land themselves which was unthinkable to most. The sudden need for laborers would give individuals who did not own a plantation an opportunity for employment since slavery was no longer legal. The presence of slave labor really took hundreds of thousands of possible j obs away from the working people that hired themselves out as laborers. This too, is part of why slavery was so harmful to the Texas economy overall. Another important aspect of Campbell's look at slavery in Texas is how the legal system supported slavery. Obviously, there would have been no slavery in Texas if the legal system of the time did not work as somewhat of an accessory to taking and keeping slaves. Originally in the Texas revolution, Texan colonists fought fiercely for the right to hold slaves as Mexican law forbade it. It is common belief that slavery prospered in Texas and also in the South as a result of the revolution and ultimate separation of Texas from Mexico. It was the slaveholders of the time that possessed the wealth in Texas and this ultimately meant that slaveholders were in fact the individuals with positions in public office. The slaveholders were the politicians so they were the ones ensuring laws in favor of slavery. Laws did exist that prohibited masters from mistreating their slaves; however, it is important to understand that these laws were a gray area in that there was no clear definition of the master-slave relationship. Also, if the individuals with the money ( the slaveholders) were the ones making the laws, it is safe to say that these "masters" were not looking out for the best interests of slaves.

Language, Communication and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Language, Communication and Culture - Essay Example This establishes a unique identity for the assemblage of inhabitants. Language can also be perceived as a platform for communication not only among a group of people, but also among different people with unique cultural backgrounds and ethnicity. A single language can form a link between different communities since it establishes a channel of communication hence enhancing understanding between different groups with unique ideologies. Therefore, language can be perceived as a tool that enhances inter-cultural interactions and co-existence between different communities and races through communication. Although there are different forms of languages across the globe, any language is characterized by certain features. These should be present for a language to conform to acceptable standards. The features that define any language include its grammatical structure, diction, dialect, and others which are unique to various communities. Language is a mental function that is among other functi ons of human beings. Language is associated with all the other mental functions of human beings but in different ways. The other higher mental functions have an impact on language or language has an influence on them. Language and Self-consciousness Consciousness is a feeling in a human being that is initiated through various modes. It can be initiated either internally or externally depending on the actions that lead to its initiation. Although it is difficult to establish a strong relationship between language and self-consciousness, researches have shown that a strong link exists between the two elements. The development of conscience has been shown to result from the response by others to our actions or from personal reactions to our own actions. This development is what defines either internal or external consciousness. Internally, self-consciousness can be perceived as personal reflection. This is the ability of human beings to think of themselves as doing or feeling something , and then initiate personal reflection that will eventually lead to communication. Externally, human beings communicate through actions, thus people will react differently to their actions based on the response given to their actions by others. It is therefore, evident that other people play a vital role in shaping an individual’s conscience. Either internally or externally, self consciousness is stirred by thoughts, which are basic structural units of a language. Thoughts are therefore, the link between language and self-consciousness. According to (Fromkin 111), language forms the key components for the infrastructure of thoughts of human beings. Human thoughts are thus the link that demonstrates the relationship between language and self-consciousness. It is still difficult to establish which element has a greater authority on the other, but it is apparent that a strong relationship between the two exists. Language and Autonomy Independence and freedom in decision making is what defines autonomy of an individual. Research has been conducted by various researchers that try to establish the relationship between autonomy and language. The aspect of language that focuses on this relationship is communication. Decision making is a critical process in any human being that requires a deep understanding which in turn

Chinese restaurants and foods in the USA Research Paper

Chinese restaurants and foods in the USA - Research Paper Example Despite the fact that the Chinese restaurants were one of the founders of the food business in the state of California, it is important to note that there were only a few of them within the state. Most were American restaurants until in the last three decades of 19th century. There were only 14 Chinese restaurants in San Francisco by 1882 when the American congress passed the very first Chinese exclusion act. This was opposed to the over one hundred and seventy-five Chinese laundry stores that were distributed all over the town. One ought to note that it was as a result of the numerous Chinese exclusion laws that were passed between 1882 and 1904 that discouraged the expansion of the Chinese food business despite their spectacular cuisines. The disparity between the Chinese and the American eating culture was evident. It was for this reason that the Americans made rice look like the racial symbol of the Asian inferiority and beef as the American superiority. As a matter of fact, food became a racial ideology and the culture of eating rats in Chinese restaurants made the American doubtful of the hygiene in these restaurants. The Chinese culture of eating rats was perhaps the most stereotyped image in the 19th century. In 1897, a company that advertised a pest control product used an image of a Chinese man with his mouth open ready to eat a rat which was, as a matter of fact, a rodent. This was an illustration that the Chinese were perhaps the most effective in exterminating these rodents from the face of the earth.

Does the European Commission really have the power of policy Dissertation

Does the European Commission really have the power of policy initiation in the EU - Dissertation Example The paper describes the history of European Union and European Commission and its power. The European Union (EU) is an organizational body which is formed by the union of 27 member states and holds such power which might be even more than that held by some of the most eminent international organizations, namely the United Nations. It is an economic and political organization which is considered to be a lesser version of a federation and its member states are located within Europe. The operation of the EU is in the hands of a hybrid system which consists of the independent organizations, government organizations (namely European Council, European Parliament) as well as the member states. The EU is comprised of institutions which include the European Council, the Council of European Union, the European Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Central Bank. The European Commission is an executive body of the European Union which is responsible for various functions, some of which include proposing of legislation, implementation of decisions, upholding the Union’s treaties, etc. It is also involved in the general day-to-day working of the Union. The European Commission works in the form of a cabinet government where in each member state has an appointed Commissioner to represent their home state.