The Good Earth :: essays research papers

In The Good Earth, Pearl Buck describes the lifestyle and customs of the Chinese through the character of Wang Lung. She also shows the rise of a simple peasant to the enviable position of a wealthy landowner. At the beginning of the novel, Wang Lung, a poor farmer, is ready to marry O-Lan, a slave who is purchased from the great house of Hwang. She is a sturdy, silent woman who has immense resourcefulness. She is Wang Lung's helpmate throughout the book. Wang Lung and O-Lan, in the span of a few years, have five children. Wang Lung has always believed that the earth is a wonderful provider. When he manages to save some silver from his farming efforts, he decides to invest it in the good earth. He buys a parcel of land belonging to the House of Hwang. Wang's Uncle, who is lazy and evil, knows of his nephew's success and repeatedly comes to Wang to beg for help and food. It is the Chinese custom to help relatives, so Wang reluctantly aids him. Unfortunately, a famine strikes, and everyone, including the Wang family, suffers. The Uncle spreads the rumor that Wang is hoarding food and money, which causes the famished villages to plunder Wang's house; but they find nothing, for Wang is also starving and unable to provide for the basic needs of his family. As a result, Wang takes his family and flees to the South, where they eke out a living. Wang pulls a rickshaw through the streets to earn money. During Wang's stay in the South, the first rumbles of the revolution are heard. One day in Kiangsu, the angry peasants break down the gates of a huge mansion and enter it to plunder and pillage its riches. At first, Wang Lung is unable to steal anything; but when he sees the fat Lord clobbering the peasants, he picks up as much gold as he can and leaves. Wang returns to his homeland with his family. He keeps buying more and more land from the House of Hwang, which has now fallen into decay. As his children grow up, his life begins to prosper. Wang educates his first two sons. The eldest, Nun En, marries a girl from a well-bred family. The second son, Nun Wen, becomes a grain merchant. The third child, a daughter born during the famine, is retarded; Wang loves her dearly and affectionately calls her "poor fool.

Education of the Middle Ages Essay

Education, as we know it today, did not exist in the Middle Ages. Illiteracy was dominant among the population. Scribes were the exception to the rule. Churches were the main source of knowledge and schooling. Real interest in learning grew along with the development of towns. The towns’ officials needed to be educated. At the same time a need for legal institutions was created and so started the university phenomenon. Modern education was on its way. There were few schools in the Middle ages, so everyone had limited education. Even the Lord of the Manor was often unable to read or write. Some of the first schools were Cathedral schools. As well as Parish, Monastic, and Palace schools. Here people learned a particular role in society. Naturally the primary job was training the clergy in their professional duties as priests of the Christian people. The bishop was the head of the complex and he had a staff of priest to help him with the several of the diocese. These skills that were taught here were reading, singing of hymns, church law, writing of documents and the performing of Church duties and sacraments. An example of educating for a specific role in life were the Knights who had learn how to fight with various weapons so that they could fight for their king. The common people, however, had no way of being educated other than going a monastic school. However, if they did this, they had to donate their property to the church. The people who went to this school later become monks or nuns. They had to follow three important laws: chastity, obedience, and the law or the lord if not followed they would be thrown out of the monastery. Most monasteries had a rule of silence: monks could not talk which other except for a short period of time. During meals one monk might read passages from the bible while the others mediated. Even though monks’ lives seem to be so hard it was the best place to go for a good education for anybody from a king to a beggar (Monasteries 488-499). Women took part in monastic life by living in a convent under a direction of an abbess. Known as nuns, they wore simple clothes and wrapped a white cloth called a wimple around their face and neck. They alternated prayer with spinning, weaving, and embroiling items such as tapestries and banners. They also taught needlework and the medicinal use of herbs to daughters of nobles (Couglin A6). Although monks and nuns lived apart from society, they were not completely isolated. Indeed, they played a crucial role in medieval intellectual and social life. Since few people could read or write, the regular clergy preserved ancient and the classical writings. Scribes copied all the books by hand working in a small drafty room with one candle or a small window for light. Illuminated manuscripts decorated with rich colors and intricate pictures indicate that, although the task was done with hard work, it was also lovingly done (Monastaries 499-501). Monasteries and convents provided not only schools for young people, but hospitals for the sick, food for the needy, and a home for travelers who need a place to stay (Monasteries 499-501). Cathedral schools were there to train higher-member of the Church in their professional duties as ministers of the Christian people. The bishop in whose Cathedral complex the school was located needed a group of trained priests to administer the various needs dioceses. The Cathedral school largely emphasized practical skills, effective reading, singing, and knowledge of Church Law, public speaking and the administration of the holy sacraments (Corbishely 28). At first the university was not so much a place as it was a group of scholars organized like a guild for the purpose of learning. Classes were held in rented rooms or churches even in the open air. Books were scarce. In most classes teacher read the text and discussed it, while students took notes on slates or memorized as much information as possible. Classes did, however meet regularly schedule. University rules established the obligations of the students and the teachers toward each other. To qualify as a teacher students had to pass an exam leading to a degree, or a certificate of completion (Cantor 58). By the end of the 1200’s universities had spread throughout Europe. Most southern European universities were modeled after the law school at Bologna, Italy, and specialized in law and medicine. Universities in Northern Europe on the contrary, specialized in liberal arts in Theology. These were generally modeled after the University of Paris (Bailey 89). At medieval universities, scholars studied Latin classics and Roman law in depth. They also acquired knowledge from the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle and from the Islamic scholarship in the sciences. This interest in the physical world eventually led a rise of western science (Schools 291-292). Many church leaders opposed the study of Aristotle’s works, fearing that his ideas feared the Christian teachings. In contrast some scholars thought that new knowledge could be used ideas. The applied Aristotle philosophy to theological questions and developed a system of thought called scholasticism. This new type of learning emphasized reason as well as the faith in the interpretations of Christian doctrine. Scholastic sought to bring back classical philosophy along side with the teachings of the Church. They believed that knowledge could be integrated into a coherent whole (Schools 295). One scholastic teacher, Peter Aberlard taught theology in Paris during the early 1100’s. In his book Sic et Non, he collected statements from the bible writings of early Christian leaders that showed both sides of controversial questions. Abearld then had his students reconcile the difference though logic. In the 1200’s the most important scholastic thinker was Thomas Aquinas a brilliant theologian and philosopher who taught philosophy in Naples and France. In his work Summa Theolgica Aquinas claimed that reason was a gift from god that could provide answers to basic philosophical questions. The catholic later accepted and promoted Aquinas’s way of teaching and thinking (Schools 310). The education of a knight proceeded in a way similar to that of many medieval occupations. At an early age the prospective knight was apprenticed to serve as a page, or attendant, in a knight’s household. In his teens the page graduated to the status of a squire and received more responsibilities. As a squire the boy tended his knight’s horses and armor, but he also gained his first battle experience. Several squires were usually apprenticed to a knight at the same time and on the battlefield they might fight as a small band of infantry around their master. Here they acquired the many skills in arms necessary for their profession. To graduate to the status of a knight, a squire usually performed some heroic deed in battle. The squire was welcomed into the order of knights by being dubbed with a sword or slapped in the face by his lord. Afterwards the new knight would receive his fief, or gift of land. As the cult of chivalry developed in the 12th and 13th centuries, knighting ceremonies became more involved. Often they occurred at court, and a knight’s dubbing might be preceded by a religious vigil in which the knight vowed to uphold Christian and chivalric principles (Davies 12-13). Finally the Renaissance, or rebirth of learning, began in Europe in the 14th century and reached its height in the 15th century. Scholars became more interested in the humanist features that is, the secular or worldly rather than the religious aspects of the Greek and Latin classics. Humanist educators found their models of literary style in the classics. The Renaissance was a particularly powerful force in Italy, most notably in art, literature, and architecture. In literature, the works of such Italian writers as Dante Aleghieri, Petrarch, and Giovanni Boccaccio became especially important (Renaissance 228-229). Humanist educators designed teaching methods to prepare well-rounded, liberally educated persons. Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus was particularly influential. Erasmus believed that understanding and conversing about the meaning of literature was more important than memorizing it, as had been required at many of the medieval religious schools. He advised teachers to study such fields as archeology, astronomy, mythology, history, and Scripture (Renaissance 220). The invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century made books more widely available and increased literacy rates. But school attendance did not increase greatly during the Renaissance. Elementary schools educated middle-class children while lower-class children received little, if any, formal schooling. Children of the nobility and upper classes attended humanist secondary schools (Bailey 112). Educational opportunities for women improved slightly during the Renaissance, especially for the upper classes. Some girls from wealthy families attended schools of the royal court or received private lessons at home. The curriculum studied by young women was still based on the belief that only certain subjects, such as art, music, needlework, dancing, and poetry, were suited for females. For working-class girls, especially rural peasants, education was still limited to training in household duties such as cooking and sewing (Couglin, A8). As it shows education the Middle Ages seems to be so diverse and a starting point for modern education. But the reader must always keep in mind only about five percent of the whole population did all of these educational activities.

I Have a Dream Metaphoric Criticism - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2030 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/08/16 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: I Have a Dream Essay Martin Luther King Essay Did you like this example? Rhetoric lies at the center of our human experience and facilitates human interaction. It consists of language (made up entirely of symbols) that ultimately allows us to construct our reality. A significant component of rhetoric is rhetorical criticism. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "I Have a Dream Metaphoric Criticism" essay for you Create order Rhetorical criticism analyzes artifacts of communication; from images to phrases to films and speeches. It serves as a qualitative research method that strives to investigate and find an explanation for the true meaning behind these artifacts and their impact on our society. The entirety of this paper centers around the application of Metaphoric Criticism to the legendary I have a Dream speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, allowing us to surpass linguistic embellishment and acknowledge the injustice faced by the African American community. It elaborates on the context of the artifact, expands on the chosen rhetorical critic method, and significantly, showcases discoveries from applying rhetorical criticism to the artifact.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beginning with an elaboration on the context of the chosen artifact, Martin Luther King stands as not only one of the most significant figures in American history but one of the most influential figures in the world. Fueled by the injustice surrounding segregation, African Americans began the fight for racial equality with the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King, a young pastor from Atlanta, Georgia, stood at the center of this movement. His I have a Dream Speech (the most notable speech he gave throughout the course of his activism) put the Civil Rights Movement on the map. The speech was given in 1963 during the March on Washington, an event where hundreds of thousands of people gathered to advocate for freedom and jobs. After directing a nonviolent protest (the march), Dr. King took center stage at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. and began sharing his hopes and dreams for the American population. He identifies the role the Emancipatio n Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln played in freeing the American population and highlights how the change must continue until equality has been established. While countless inspirational artifacts exist in our society, this speech, as a result of its effective incorporation of metaphors, truly exemplifies the power of rhetoric and the role it plays in moving a nation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now that the context of the artifact has been elaborated upon, lets discuss the chosen rhetorical criticism method. Metaphoric Criticism revolves around the use of metaphors in artifacts to convey the underlining message of the artifact. A metaphor can be defined as a figure of speech in which an action or phrase denoting a symbol is used in comparison to another as a way of illustrating meaning. There are two components to a metaphor, the tenor and the vehicle. The tenor can be described as the topic or subject that is being explained, while the vehicle is the mechanism or lens through which the topic is viewed (Foss, 285, 2018). These comparisons are nonliteral and simply suggest a similarity between the two words/phrases. To provide an example take the metaphor life is a journey. Life (the tenor) is compared to the journey (the vehicle), so as to more effectively capture the rigor and tedious nature of life. To continue with the discussion on metap hors, these forms of figurative language are linguistic embroidery that the rhetor uses only occasionally to give extra force to language (Foss, 286, 2018). Metaphors bring beauty and drama to an otherwise dry description. Often times, topics of discussion can be difficult to comprehend or difficult to mention candidly. Metaphors allow its rhetors to effectively capture these instances. The use and purpose of metaphors go far beyond being a form of decoration. Metaphors are also a constituting force by being a basic way by which the process of using symbols to construct reality occur (Foss, 287, 2018). Metaphors have the ability to shine a light of certain phenomena, while continuing to keep others hidden, paving the way to a formulation of perspective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With an understanding of the meaning of metaphors and the role they place in communication, lets delve deeper into metaphoric criticism. Sonja Foss highlights a four-step procedure to effectively utilizing and applying metaphoric criticism. The four-step procedure consists of selecting an artifact, analyzing the artifact, formulating a research question and writing the essay (Foss, 289, 2018). The significant aspect of this four-step procedure is the 2nd step, analyzing an artifact. Analyzing an artifact contains five essential parts: examining the artifact as a whole, isolating the metaphors, sorting the metaphors, and discovering an explanation for the artifact. Examining the artifact as a whole pertains to becoming familiar with the text or elements of the artifact and its context to gain a sense of the complete experience of the artifact (Foss, 290, 2018). Understanding the text as a whole improves understanding of the metaphors within them. The s econd step, isolating the metaphors, is as it says. It captures the process of isolating the metaphors used by the rhetor. Effectively identifying these metaphors is relevant for the next step, sorting the metaphors. This step involves sorting the metaphors you have identified into groups and looking for patterns (Foss, 293, 2018). Finding patterns leads to the creation of themes, which paves the way towards the last step of metaphoric criticism, discovering an explanation for the artifact. Also known as identifying the deeper meaning. Now that weve discussed the moving parts of Metaphoric Criticism, lets begin with the application by addressing the four components of metaphoric criticism previously discussed. We examined the artifact as a whole by elaborating on the context behind the I have a Dream speech and its significance. Lets proceed to the isolation of the metaphors within the speech itself. For the sake of comprehension and organization, the quotes highlighted will be numbered (with subscripts) for further analysis. At the beginning of the speech, MLK mentions the Emancipation Proclamation and how this momentous decree is a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice1 (King, 1963). With this metaphor, the emancipation proclamation, which serves as a tenor is compared to a beacon of hope, the vehicle. King also mentions that this sweltering summer of the Negros legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of fr eedom and equality2 (King 1963). With this metaphor, the anger of the African American community (tenor) is compared to the sweltering summer sun (vehicle) and freedom and equality (tenor) are compared to invigorating autumn (vehicle). Continuing with the isolation of metaphors from the artifact, King mentions toward the middle of the speech let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred3 (King 1963). Freedom (tenor) is compared to a draught (vehicle), while hatred (tenor) is compared to a cup of bitterness (vehicle). Other significant quotes from the artifact are the whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nations until the bright day of justice emerges4 and I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice5 (King, 1963). With the first quote, the danger that the nation will continue to face if the needs of the Civil Rights Movement are not met (the tenor) is compared to a whirlwind (vehicle). For the second quote, injustice and oppression (tenor) are compared to heat (vehicle), while freedom and justice (tenor) are compared to an oasis (vehicle). Following isolation of the metaphors, comes sorting of the metaphors. Exemplified through the highlighted quotes from the artifact, King relies heavily on weather metaphors and high and low contrasts. The theme of incorporating weather can be found in the 2nd, 4th, and 5th quotes, when he speaks of the sweltering summer, the invigorating autumn, the whirlwinds of revolt, the bright rays of justice, and the oasis of freedom. As for the high and low contrast, these can be found when King compares the whirlwinds of revolt (low) to the bright days of justice (high). It can also be found in his juxtaposition between the sweltering summer and the invigorating autumn (the 2nd quote). Another significant theme within Kings I have a Dream speech is the notion of love and brotherhood. Despite the injustice, the African American community continued to face and despite their efforts for equality being dismissed, King continues to stand by non-violent revolt and dispels anger and hatred. This is evident in the 3rd quote when he speaks of how the thirst (desire) for freedom and equality shouldnt be satisfied with bitterness and hatred. Its also evident when he argues we must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. He continues, we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again, and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force (King, 1963). Even after personally experiencing the detrimental effects of racism and inequality, love stands at the center of his heart and he urges for it to stand at the center of the Civil Rights Movement. Weve isolated significant quotes from the artifact and sorted them through the creation of themes, so what does this analysis reveal about the artifact in particular and about the rhetorical process in general? Through metaphoric criticism, weve been able to gain a more profound insight into the intentions of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. Upon initial recognition, many viewed the intentions of MLK and the Civil Rights Movements as advocacy for the black perspective and moreover that their desires were driven by pain and hatred with no regard for how their actions could negatively impact the population at large. In addition to this, many (those around the world and in the United States) remained completely unaware of the struggles faced by the African American population. They believed the Emancipation Proclamation was sufficient and that through segregation (separate but equal) the circumstances of the black man had improved. MLKs I Have a Dream speech addressed t hese misconceptions. As revealed through Metaphoric Criticism, the metaphors embedded in his speech exemplified the true nature of the Civil Rights Movement and their true intentions. As previously mentioned in the 3rd and 6th quote (introduced above), King dismissed desires of hatred and bitterness and pushed for individuals to act with kindness and love. He encouraged the African American population and the world in general that violence, pain, and damage should be welcomed with dignity, discipline, and compassion. As for awareness regarding the struggles faced by the African American community, the metaphors within Kings I Have a Dream speech shines a light to its full extent. Lets take as an example the 2nd quote where King says this sweltering summer of the Negros legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality (King, 1963). As previously mentioned, the I Have a Dream speech was given in Washington D.C. Anyone who has spent a summer in the south or a nywhere, in general, know its accompanied by frustration, a sense of suffering, misery, and significantly, a longing for relief. Theres difficulty in understanding struggles faced by those outside your community. Metaphors such as the one mentioned above (and just about everywhere in the artifact), not only enable those outside the African American community to understand the extent of their struggle, but it allows them to relate to it, and become advocates for change. As exemplified through metaphoric criticism of Dr. Martin Luther Kings I Have a Dream speech, metaphors are far more than forms of figurative language. The metaphors highlighted in Kings speech drew on themes such as nature, brotherhood, compassion, and high/low juxtapositions. They made the American population and the world knowledgeable on the intentions of the black community, as well as the extent of their struggles. Metaphors and metaphoric criticism are means of exemplifying intentions, perspectives, and truth that would otherwise remain silent and submerged. They capture the power of rhetoric on the human experience and its ability to shape our reality. Through specific, purposeful, persuasive, and metaphoric communication, Kings speech propelled the American Civil Rights Movement and began the establishment of change and equality for all.