Does Billy receive a fair trial Herman Melville Billy Budd Essay

Does Billy get a reasonable preliminary Herman Melville Billy Budd - Essay Example The result of the preliminary demonstrates how a composite plot, capably upheld by resourcefulness of story strategies, can be made comparable to a lot of surreptitious properties of lawful methodology. The theory question to be settled in this paper is whether Billy Budd gets an equitable preliminary or not, following the wrongdoing he submits subsequent to being accused of mutinous incitements. Judgment on the destiny of Billy is legitimized as such by various components that are imbued in the protagonist’s trademark includes just as in some outside improvements. Minkowitz contends that while Billy encapsulates ‘moral goodness and grace’ and is popular among his partners, the ship’s ace at-arms John Claggart is ‘sinister’ (4). This baffles the perusers for they know who the offender is as per the law. In any case, unimportant comprehension of the lawful exemplary nature neglects to give a precise picture of the author’s goals. Skipper Vere, for example, is depicted as an individual of opposing demeanors. He is stuck between the loftier morals of law, which he should cling to out of his expert obligations, and the obvious tolerance of celestial equity. He is the main individual who realizes that Billy is both clean-gave and liable (Parker 37) but then, he should convict Billy for his wrongdoing. It is obvious that the execution of Billy Budd emblematically speaks to a ‘justified ill will into a retributive righteousness’ (Melville 78). The inquiry concerning whether Billy Budd gets equity or not is replied by Yannella: †¦Vere prejudges the body of evidence against Billy, utilizes sporadic procedures to convict him, and afterward executes him in a gross unnatural birth cycle of justice†¦Vere’s preservationist basis for hanging Billy, obviously, is that it will quiet and manageable the mariners, who in any case will take the captain’s inaction as an indication of shortcoming and a reason to revolt (27-8). It is, in this manner, very certain that Billy Budd doesn't get

Statistical Package For Social Sciences Education Essay

This section will show the data accumulated in the investigation and meeting led by the examination specialist. The quantitative results accumulated experienced grouped factual preliminaries through the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences ( SPSS ) . The subjective informations got from the meetings were talked about and investigated corresponding to the bing writing. Cronbach ‘s Alpha Ordinarily, the Cronbach ‘s Alpha trustworthiness coefficient runs between 0-1. In any case, there is no existent headed for the coefficient. The closer Cronbach ‘s alpha coefficient is to 1.0 the more prominent the interior consistence of the focuses in the graduated table. In view of the articulation _ = rk/[ 1 + ( k - 1 ) R ] where K is the figure of focuses considered and R is the mean of the between thing correlativities the size of alpha is dictated by both the figure of focuses in the graduated table and the normal between thing correlativities. George and Mallery ( 2003 ) give the undermentioned guidelines of pollex: â€Å" _ and gt ; .9 †Excellent, _ and gt ; .8 †Good, _ and gt ; .7 †Acceptable, _ and gt ; .6 †Questionable, _ and gt ; .5 †Poor, and_ and lt ; .5 †Unacceptable † . In the occurrence of the acquired informations, the constancy coefficient is.887 which shows great steadfastness coefficient. While expanding the estimation of alpha is mostly reliant upon the figure of focuses in the graduated table, it ought to be noticed this has diminishing returns. It ought to other than be noticed that an alpha of.8 is likely a reasonable end. It ought to other than be noticed that while a high incentive for Cronbach ‘s alpha shows great inner consistence of the focuses in the graduated table, it does non expect that the graduated table is unidimensional. The dimensionality of the graduated table can be processed using the factor examination which will be talked about in the accompanying region. Factor Analysis The strategy followed here was to initially investigate the underlying reactions of the members with a situation to picking a subset of highlights that may follow up on more remote reactions. At that point, study reactions were examined at the point degree, using figures, plain arraies, or content altogether, to gracefully a first inclination. These point degree reactions were investigated for fundamental structures by means of factor diagnostic processs ( Note that all processs announced here use SPSS ) . A necessity for including a point was that reactions were non too much seriously slanted ( for example , 90 % or a greater amount of reactions bunched in singular cell ) and that more all around, the level of reaction to that point was non lacking ( and lt ; 15-20 % ) to destabilize investigation. The elements recognized thusly compare to the essential subjects or inactive factors to which letter essayists appear to respond in footings of grouped related focuses. The convention embraced here for factor examination was to use default scenes abdominal muscle initio ( Principal Axis Factor †PAF ) and to spin the lattice of weights to get incidental ( autonomous ) factors ( Varimax revolving movement ) . The head end of factor investigation is to singularity basic ( focuses loadings and gt ; 0.30 on just one factor ) that are reasonable, assuming that focuses are factorable ( The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin venture of attempting ampleness preliminaries whether the incomplete correlativities among factors are pretty much nothing. Bartlett ‘s preliminary of sphericalness preliminaries whether the correlativity framework is an independence grid, bespeaking that the factor hypothetical record is wrong ) . When obviously characterized and reasonable components had been distinguished ( Factor loadings = and gt ; .10 were shown by means of an included plain cluster despite the fact that only point troubles and gt ; 0.30 were viewed as applicable to factor loads ) , and reactions identified with these variables were spared in the signifier of factor tonss. These Bartlett factor tonss are equivalent to sub-scale or scale tonss with offices of nothing and standard divergences of one ( z-scores ) , and with members attributed with discrete tonss corresponding to each distinguished factor. A Principal Axis Factor ( PAF ) with a Varimax ( superfluous ) rotating movement of 22 of the 24 Likert scale requests from this investigation poll was directed on informations accumulated from 20 members. An investigation of the Kaiser-Meyer Olkin venture of attempting sufficiency recommended that the example was factorable ( KMO=.698 ) . Illustrative Statisticss The illustrative insights registered the mean, standard disparity, and the error of in the middle of constituents of the variable introduced. Table 1 shows the summarize of the said estimation. The figuring uncovered that it has - 3.439 irregular consequences for the factors. Table 1 †Summary of Descriptive Statistics Computation of Variables Nitrogen Mean Sexually transmitted disease. Deviation Sexually transmitted disease. Error 95 % Confidence Interval for Mean Least Most extreme Between-Component Discrepancy Lower Boundary Upper Bound 75 3 85.00 5.292 3.055 71.86 98.14 79 89 76 2 88.50 .707 .500 82.15 94.85 88 89 77 1 89.00....89 89 78 1 82.00....82 82 79 1 87.00....87 87 80 1 89.00....89 89 82 1 94.00....94 94 83 1 88.00....88 88 84 1 90.00....90 90 85 4 87.75 .957 .479 86.23 89.27 87 89 86 1 80.00....80 80 87 4 85.75 5.965 2.983 76.26 95.24 77 90 88 1 89.00....89 89 89 4 89.25 2.062 1.031 85.97 92.53 87 92 90 3 81.67 9.074 5.239 59.13 104.21 75 92 92 1 87.00....87 87 Whole 30 86.77 4.614 .842 85.04 88.49 75 94 Model Fixed Effectss 4.953 .904 84.83 88.71 Arbitrary Effectss .904a 84.84a 88.69a - 3.439 Another high spot of the enlightening insights is the frequences of the assessments accomplished by the kindergartners. Tables 2 and 3 sum up the frequence.Table 2 †Summary of Preschoolers Rating Frequency before Portfolio AssessmentFrequency Rate Substantial Percentage Aggregate Percentage Substantial 75 3 9.7 10.0 10.0 76 2 6.5 6.7 16.7 77 1 3.2 3.3 20.0 78 1 3.2 3.3 23.3 79 1 3.2 3.3 26.7 80 1 3.2 3.3 30.0 82 1 3.2 3.3 33.3 83 1 3.2 3.3 36.7 84 1 3.2 3.3 40.0 85 4 12.9 13.3 53.3 86 1 3.2 3.3 56.7 87 4 12.9 13.3 70.0 88 1 3.2 3.3 73.3 89 4 12.9 13.3 86.7 90 3 9.7 10.0 96.7 92 1 3.2 3.3 100.0 Whole 30 96.8 100.0 Missing Framework 1 3.2 Whole 31 100.0Table 4 †Summary of Preschoolers Rating Frequency after Portfolio AssessmentFrequency Rate Substantial Percentage Aggregate Percentage Substantial 75 1 3.2 3.3 3.3 77 1 3.2 3.3 6.7 78 1 3.2 3.3 10.0 79 1 3.2 3.3 13.3 80 1 3.2 3.3 16.7 82 1 3.2 3.3 20.0 87 7 22.6 23.3 43.3 88 3 9.7 10.0 53.3 89 9 29.0 30.0 83.3 90 2 6.5 6.7 90.0 92 2 6.5 6.7 96.7 94 1 3.2 3.3 100.0 Whole 30 96.8 100.0 Missing Framework 1 3.2 Whole 31 100.0 One Way Analysis of Variance ( ANOVA ) One way Analysis of Variance ( ANOVA ) is finished with the dependant variable which is the perusing improvement of the kindergartners with the autonomous variable which is the portfolio examination. The figured F esteem for the tonss of the kindergartners is.745 which is more prominent estimation of essentialness which is.711. This show a significant result of the portfolio examination in the expansion of procurement of the kindergartners dependent on a 0.05 level of importance. Conversation of Questionnaires Question 1 †What are the things that can activate children to be keen on perusing? In view of the assembled results a large portion of the children are persuaded to be keen on perusing by offices of the visual fine arts that go with the stuffs. In addition, the children are persuaded dependent on the learning plan of the teachers during the discussions. Another important factor in the children ‘s contribution is the wages framework being given on the off chance that they are making incredible in their few work. Question 2 †In your perception, about to what extent does it take for kindergartners to achieve whole understanding turn of events? In view of the results assembled, most kindergartners accomplish whole perusing advancement in around a half year. This is in close coordination of teachers each piece great as the guardians in rehearsing their children. In any case, there are kindergartners that build up their full perusing capacity in about a twelvemonth. Grouped elements influence this, for example, the child ‘s contribution, whole of coordination and checking of guardians among others. Question 3 †Based on your experience, what is the input that you get from understudies when they are making their portfolios? In view of the outcomes accumulated, the regular input that understudies have as for their portfolios is that it ‘s truly intriguing and they discover it extremely utile towards the advancement. Anyway there are students that are going on the portfolio extremely hard and discovers it as a test. Question 4 †What contrasts do you distinguish in the range of clasp of perusing improvement exercises where portfolios are included and those that are non? In light of the gathered outcomes, the significant contrast saw in the immature exercises of the students under the portfolio is that their appreciation has been improved. Plus, their association towards perusing has been improved. In spite of the fact that there are students that does n't hope to do a distinction towards their understanding demeanor and wonts. Those understudies that are non under the portfolio did non do any distinction concerning their understanding mentality and wonts preceding the review. Question 5 †Do you accept the reactions to these portfolios rely upon the gathering of children that are being educated? In view of the assembled data from the educators, the varying reactions of the children on the portfolios being instructed relies on the age gathering of the children. This was seen by the educators with olde

A Mass of Individuals A Comparison of An Enemy of a People and Jaws - Literature Essay Samples

Henry Ibsen’s 1882 play Enemy of the People and Steven Spielberg’s iconic film Jaws both a address the same central theme: a power struggle between the needs of the individual and the needs of the majority. As Thomas attempts to persuade the citizens of the city to close the Baths, their economic livelihood, his argument evolves from a public-health plea to a barratement of a daft people, which he iconically labels â€Å"the tyranny of the majority.† Jaws, based on this play, centers around Sheriff Brody, a character who, like Thomas, sympathizes with the victimized individual. Brody, however, goes through significantly more inner-turmoil related to his decision, evolving into his decisiveness. In Enemy of the People, Thomas stands as the sole advocate for the needs of the individual, using a technical and increasingly-disdainful tone to communicate his argument and express his contempt for the â€Å"tyranny of the majority.† However, this style of argumen tation, singular in its perspective and hostile in its appeal, simply alienates Thomas from his town and defeats his ultimate purpose of saving the people at risk. Conversely, in Jaws the champion of the individual is represented by Sheriff Martin Brody who derives his passion not from philosophical grudges, but sympathy for the shark-attack victims and obligation as the sheriff to save them. This multi-faceted, emotional, and protective approach by protagonist Brody, compounded by the presence of actual victims, effectively scares and, therefore convinces, the townspeople of the shark’s danger. Unlike Thomas, Brody effectively appeals to each individual within the majority, allowing each person, as a part of the masses, to prioritize their individual safety. As the play goes on, Thomas’s language becomes increasingly technical, elitist, and accusatory, isolating him from the very people he is trying to convince and cementing his motives, ironically, as less about the victims and more about the principle. Brody, however, speaks less than Thomas and with more hesitance, empathy and awareness of the debate’s complexity, making his plight seem more legitimate. Beginning hesitantly, Brody cowes to the pressure of Mayor Vaughn and his townspeople, mislabeling Chrissie’s cause of death and opening the beaches. In the ferry-scene when the Mayor first makes his demands, the shot is taken from Brody’s point of view, depicting Vaughn’s clamoring, literally â€Å"in-your-face style† of persuasion (Spielberg). Then, after Brody has relented, the sheriff is shot from a high angle, portraying him as weak and vulnerable (Spielberg). This cowardice seems like it would make Brody ineffective and, originally, it do es. However, somberly admitting days later that Alex’s mother â€Å"is not [wrong]† to blame him for her son’s death, this horror serves turning point for Brody’s assertiveness (17, Benchley). This linguistic evolution establishes him as a true protagonist and demonstrates his significant internal debate which gives gravity to his strong opinions. Furthermore, the presence of victims adds urgency and realism to his claims; ironically, without death he would not be so empowered prevent death. This, perhaps, is the largest hindrance to Dr. Stockman’s argument: he has no victims. Unlike the shark, the danger of the baths still exists only in the hypothetical, making Thomas’s plight less impactful. However, to Thomas’s discredit, he fails to rebound from this ironic setback. Rather than using rhetoric to elicit the same fear for the baths that shark creates naturally, he consistently favors â€Å"I† and â€Å"we† pronouns over â€Å"you† grouping the individuals separately from the masses (Ibsen). What Thomas doesn’t realize and doesn’t make the townspeople realize, though, is that the masses and the individuals aren’t separate. The people harmed by the baths will, inevitably, come from the masses. Too consumed by the one vs. many debate to recognize this, Thomas fails to appeal to the people’s individual fears and so his argument comes across as elitist and divided from the interests of the town. Furthermore, as Thomas declares â€Å"Let the [majority] perish! Let the People die,† he personalizes the town’s unwillingness to accept his findings and makes his motives less about the victimized individual and more about one particular individual: himself and his disdain for the decisions of the People (72, Ibsen). Essentially, he sways from his original ernest goal to ward off sickness and argues for his unachievable dream of toppling the majority. Brody, on the other hand, maintains his focus on the shark and victims throughout. He does not philosophize his argument, but relates it to the townspeople. Instead of â€Å"calling for a lectureabout the facts† Brody speaks little and expresses his distress candidly as he solemnly listens to Mrs. Kintner and runs desperately to rescue his son (67, Ibsen; Spielburg). During both of theses scenes, the wallah-wallah quiets, as though Brody’s heartfelt dedication to the individuals quiets the demands of the maj ority (Spielberg). This perceived sincerity protects him the accusations of false motives that inflict thomas. More importantly, though Brody prioritizes the interests of the individual over the wealth of the masses, he recognizes that the masses are made up of individuals with fears as personal as his own; and his signs of genuine, personal concern (perhaps inadvertently) appeal to these very fears, empowering his earnest goals. Furthermore, Brody never loses his sight of his purpose: a desire to save the people from the shark. And, by sticking to this cause, he legitimizes it. Thomas Stockman, in contrast, quickly devolves into philosophical accusations, repudiating â€Å"the People’s democracy† and ultimately destroying his original goal of saving the individuals (70, Ibsen). Brody begins with unassertive hesitancy, saying â€Å"Were gonna try and use, uh, shark spotters on the beach† rather than closing the beaches and only progresses to assertive passion as he witnesses more attacks (17, Benchley). Death is his motivation. As a shark jaw frames the scene of Brody sailing off to finally accomplish his goal of vindicating the victims and protecting others, so too does the shark jaw frame his ultimate purpose: he wants to help the individuals at risk without straying to larger, more hostile propositions (Spielberg). Thomas, however, fosters his passion through disdain for the majority, not concern for the individuals. He attempts to assert his elitist superiority and â€Å"earned right to be called a [civilized] man† through his speech, rather than attempting to draw empathy or fear from the crowd (Ibsen, 69). Thomas may come to the conclusion that â€Å"he is strongestbecause he stands alone,† but his goals ultimately fail (98, Ibsen). Brody’s do not, because he appeals to the majority rather than dismissing them. Though we never see the town’s relenting to the closed beaches and shark hunt, Mayor Vaughn’s frenetic insistence â€Å"that he was acting in the town’s best interest† suggests that he fears the people’s impending criticism (28, Benchley). In this turning-point the Mayor finally grants permission for the shark hunt and Brody’s emotional persistence especially in the context of his own son’s danger proves effective. Jaws and An Enemy of the People each address the power struggle between the individual and the majority. Foils who both advocate for the needs of the individual, Dr. Thomas Stockman and Sheriff Brody Martin take drastically different tacks. Dr. Stockman uses verbosity, technical science, and eventually, hostile accusations to make his case. The Sheriff, who rarely speaks politically, acts with more hesitance and emotional involvement that ultimately wins him the argument. It must be noted the presence of actual victims (and gruesome, bloody victims at that) significantly aids Brody’s effectiveness in convincing the townspeople of the shark’s danger. For him, the challenge is only to assure that his language does not undermine the fear created by actual events and simply let the horror speak for itself. Thomas, though, must instill this same convincing fear through language based only off hypothetical danger and technical details, which the people largely reject in the f ace of conceivable misfortune: the destruction of their economic livelihood. Thomas’s language, however, remains divisive, dismissive, and generally unconvincing as though his real goal is not closing the baths but asserting the supremacy of the individual. In the end, it may be Brody’s style that wins out, but as the similarity between these two works shows, the overarching power struggle between the individual and the majority continues to persist.

The Sun - Original Writing - 1648 Words

It was a warm and cozy afternoon, with the temperature reaching 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The never-ending sky stretched across the landscape, painting a splash of vibrant blue with a few white puffs of cotton cloud in between. The sun rays were still shining brightly, casting shadows across a wide field full of green grass. The sounds of various birds chirping could be heard clearly everywhere, and occasionally a butterfly would fly around, landing gently on the ever-fragile petals of the Clarie flowers. Right next to the field was the Kaiboro Forest, a beautiful but mysterious place full of rare matoki trees, found nowhere else on the planet. Their branches reached far, stretching outward from their firm trunks in different directions. The†¦show more content†¦His short, closely cropped brown hair looked like bright red flames under the afternoon sun. He was sweating a pool worth of salt-water, as indicated by the dark stains on his Superman tee (or who knows what!), but that didn t stop him from running like the speed of light. My heart beat so fast that I could even hear it pounding in my head loudly. My neck veins bulged as I strained to speed up. My legs felt like a ton of rocks after running so long. I wondered how Leo was able to keep running even with a weather as hot as this. The sun was so blinding and scorching hot that I thought it was going to grill us alive. Either I was so tired from running so much that I was seeing everything spot-like, or my eyes might have actually been blind themselves. I decided to call it quits. Panting hard, I stopped to catch a breath, Hey, let s pause for a moment! I m tired. I then slowly walked back to sit on one of the benches in the shades of the tree near my parents house. The house was right next to the field, so I limped back, collapsed right on the bench, and closed my eyes. Hearing some shuffling sounds, I pried my eyes open half-way, and saw Leo coming closer out of my peripheral vision. He motioned for me to scoot over, but being the lazy butt I was, I didn t. Impatiently, he then grabbed my legs, pushed it off the bench, and crashed down heaving. He took one look at me, and smirked teasingly, Wow, giving up? Are you trying to let me win every time, Kyle?

Map And Documents Of The Warsaw Pact - 2358 Words

Maps and Documents 1. Divided Germany 1. West germany was owned by the Allied powers, whereas The USSR was in control of East Germany 2. The Berlin Wall restricted any food or resources to get in and out of west Berlin 2. Balance of powers 1. Most NATO members were surrounding the Atlantic Ocean. Members consisted of the U.S., Canada and Green;and. The USSR decided to make a branch called the Warsaw Pact. This mainly consisted of Soviet Union and german members. 2. NATO Warsaw Pact U.S. Canada Iceland Greenland Norway Portuagal France Luxembourg U.K. Italy Soviet Union East Germany West germany Poland Romania Albania Czechoslovakia Bulgaria Hungary 3. European Economic Community Members of the EEC in 1957 consisted†¦show more content†¦They thought the Domino Theory could also give them a hand, by spreading the ideas of communism and a totalitarian dictatorship around. The economic miracles of Germany had to do with how quick the country was able to rebuild itself from the ground up again. Also the reduction of the tax rates later in time gave them another chance to rebuild their country. After the reign of Hitler the economy took a huge hit but eventually rebuilt. The japanese economic miracle consisted of essentially the same thing. Their economy grew uncontrollably and had one of the greatest economic growths in history. They were able to produce more to support themselves, as well as they took outside assistance to help them re grow. The goals of the US and the Soviet Union during the cold war were very different and similar. On the U.S. side they tried to push through and put an end to communism. However on the Soviet Union side they tried to keep up in the arms race. The Cuban Missile Crisis shows a very good example of â€Å"Brinkmanship† because it caused a dangerous situation, where a nuclear war was able to unfold at any given moment. The president of Chile, Salvador Allende was overthrown out of the authoritarian government that later became a dictatorship. The UN or United Nations was founded in 1945 to try to help other countries remain peaceful and content with one another. It replaced the â€Å"League of Nations†. Paragraph

Lost and Found free essay sample

Although I may have been delusional, I was pretty sure I had heard a hallelujah chorus emanating from the heavens at the moment my life was saved by the two most unlikely people on the face of the earth. I had just spent a grueling five hours in 95 degree heat, lost in 70,000 acres of northern Michigan wilderness. As a young woman with strong Catholic convictions, even I considered striking a deal with the devil during that life-threatening challenge. How I got myself into that situation is quite a story. While searching the Internet for a summer job more significant than burger-flipping, I came across an advertisement that read, â€Å"Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: Looking for a college student interested in interning as a field biologist †¦Ã¢â‚¬  My  ­intellectual curiosity was aroused at the prospect of devoting my summer to something challenging and meaningful. I realized my age might prove a hindrance, but I was too intrigued by the  ­opportunity to abandon the quest. We will write a custom essay sample on Lost and Found or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I contacted the chief biologist and expressed my sincere interest in the position. He was convinced by my earnest appeal and allowed me to submit an application, though he said my chances were slim against college students. In  ­addition to working hard on the requisite paperwork, I took the initiative to write an essay explaining why age diversity would benefit the team. I got my interview and the job! I was on my way to northern Michigan for the experience of a lifetime. My first week was one of amazement and fascination. I collected water samples and tested them in the lab. I assisted in programming GPS systems, controlled invasive plants, and worked tirelessly with the endangered piping plovers – a feat in itself! A piping plover is not a flute-like instrument, nor is it a new-fangled skateboard trick. It is tiny white and black bird that lives on the pebbly shores of Lake Michigan. During these summer months, the plovers took over my life. I monitored them daily, built cages to protect them from predators, and helped maintain their habitat. Early one morning, my coworker Lee and I set out in search of plovers in the breathtaking 70,000 acres of forest and lakeshore. This trek marked my first time in that particular area. The clear day was warming, so I removed my sweatshirt and tied it around my waist. Two hours into our hike, I was struck with absolute panic. Somewhere in the thick woods or the endless sand dunes, the government car keys and credit card had fallen from my sweatshirt pocket. With a lump in my throat, tears welling up in my eyes, and fear in my stomach, I told Lee what had happened. A seasoned biologist, he calmly suggested I retrace my steps while he continued in pursuit of plovers. My stomach was in knots as I thought about what a lost cause searching would be. I struggled to differentiate between markings left by humans and ones made by grizzly bears, which I was sure would find and kill me, thus putting me out of my misery. An hour into my search, I bore witness to a miracle. Hidden beneath a bit of sand was the lost treasure. As I arose, the fear I felt just moments earlier returned when I realized I had no idea how to get back to the vehicles. If this experience were to be made  ­into a movie, at this point the camera would capture a close-up of the young actress’s expression, then zoom out slowly to the forest and dunes, and finally to the world. After three hours, I could no longer appreciate the picturesque beauty that surrounded me. This situation might qualify as a simple dilemma for the likes of Survivorman, but it was a real challenge for a young woman more in tune with Abercrombie and Fitch. I began following endless paths that led me nowhere. Never in my life had I felt so helpless. If only I had possessed the magical ruby slippers, I could have clicked myself out of that nightmare. Eventually, I stumbled upon a path with promise and began to run. I was relieved to see a road ahead,  ­although there was no sign of cars or civilization. I plunked myself down on the edge of the road, feeing scared; I could entirely relate to Alice in Wonderland as I sat there, wondering what on earth I had gotten myself into. Had I not watched every season of  ­Ã¢â‚¬Å"Unsolved Mysteries,† I just might have attempted hitchhiking. With a bowed head, I sat thinking about my next move when I heard the faint sound of bells. I looked up as two elderly women on bicycles  ­approached. I stood and eagerly asked if either had a cell phone. After I explained my series of unfortunate events, they appeared sympathetic and offered me water and their phone. At that moment, even the most riveting bottled-water commercial could not compare to the pure water perfection I ravenously g ulped down. When I finished the very last sip, I called my mom. While I waited, I shared tales of school, friends, and life. We traded smiles as they assured me that my prayers had been answered. They turned out to be nuns with the Sisters of America, visiting northern Michigan for a bicycle race. My smile broadened with this disclosure. I began to laugh because it was then I realized something about the world: it is so small, so ironic, and so truly beautiful. It is so statistically improbable for a young woman, working in the field of science, to stumble upon her religion in such an unexpected way. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once wrote, â€Å"Not all who wander are lost.† Through my experience, I learned wandering is one of the most vital parts of life. The unsteady side trails provide a connection to unique and previously unsuspected interests. My main goal in life is not to follow a direct route to my future, but to be persistent in pursuing my destiny through various paths. Life, I have learned, is a cause-and-effect relationship. It involves taking chances and risking security in hopes of stumbling upon something great – nothing ventured, nothing gained. I have come to gracefully accept life’s challenges with an open mind, and though at times unsure of my options, I remain confident in my choices. In college, I do not plan on limiting my studies to those on the paved road. I hope to take advantage of the world’s endless knowledge, and someday instill something significant back into it.

King Henry I Essays - Dukes Of Normandy, Archbishops Of Canterbury

King Henry I The death of King Henry I in 1135 put Henry II on the path to the throne of England. Henry II lavish youth kept him sheltered from society only allowing him to have a couple friends. One of his life long friends soon became a burden because of differences in opinions about religion. Henry's intelligence and persistency from birth led him to be crowned King of England. The appointment of Thomas Becket to Archbishop by Henry II started the trend of conflict between the two over the separation of church and state. Henry II, the first of the Plantagents was the son of Geoffrey Plantagent and Matilda, daughter of Henry I. In 1152 Henry married Eleanor of Aquitaine, the ex-wife of Louis VII of France. With this marriage, Henry gained considerable amounts of land in France. In 1153 Henry returned to England after his stay in France and forced Stephens to name him the heir of the throne. Henry immediately appointed his long-term friend Thomas Becket, English Chancellor, to be Archbishop of Canterbury. Becket accepted the job of Archbishop in 1162 but he did it with some reluctance. Becket's unkind heart soon became a thorn in Henry's side.(Hay 107) By 1163, Becket had already defied Henry in one of his decisions. He challenged his former friend in his vehement to dismantle the ecclesiastical courts. Becket became an ardent defender of the interests of the church. Becket's hard-nosed attitude towards defending the Church of England showed just how important the church was to England. The affairs between Henry and Becket became a highly colored by their personal relationships.(Henry II) Their life long friendship was the only thing that kept the two on the same side. Another strong disagreement came between the two on the status of criminous clerics. These were members of the clergy who had committed civil crimes. The crimes ranged from theft to assault and even murder. This became a total embarrassment to the church. Henry sought to have the members tried in the royal court, as would others who committed such crimes. Becket insisted that they only be tried in the clerical courts. The disagreement became a heated battle between the two. Becket stood firm on his belief that the matter should not be brought to a higher court. The situation would only bring even more embarrassment to the Church of England if the members were crucified in the public courts.(Bowden 78) The situation became such a heated battle between the two that in 1164 Becket sought refuge in France. During Becket's exile, Henry began to straighten up the country and straighten up the courts system. Henry also marched in and conquered Brittany without much opposition. During this time great reforms were made to the English law system. Henry used his intelligence and energy to make lasting changes in England. Several important legal reforms were made to the English Common Law. Henry continued to freely change and control the church without any opposition. Through the auspices of Pope Cutittus III, King and Archbishop were reconciled in 1170 and Becket was allowed to return to England. No sooner than he returned the two found themselves bickering over their different ideas. Neither of the two would yield their principals to each other. While Henry was away in Normandy word of Becket's actions were relayed to Henry. This outraged Henry that Becket could take advantage of him not being in the country. While on a walk with his noble knights Henry allegedly said, will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?(Henry II) Becket, again proved to be a burden to Henry. In response to Henry's remarks about Becket, four knights sought to find Becket back in Canterbury. The knights had taken Henry's words literally and traveled to Canterbury with the intentions of killing Becket, doing Henry a favor. Becket was openly slain by the four knights when he was kneeling at an evening prayer. Everyone's attention focused on Henry who was criticized for the murder. Henry was saddened and mourned when he learned of Becket's death. Henry claimed to be heartbroken and felt he needed forgiveness.(England during crusades) The knights pointed the ordering of the killing towards Henry as they tried to divert the